Herbal/Botanical Medicine

What is Herbal Medicine?

Herbal medicine has its origins in ancient cultures. It involves the medicinal use of plants to treat disease and enhance general health and wellbeing.

Some herbs have potent (powerful) ingredients and should be taken with the same level of caution as pharmaceutical medications. In fact, many pharmaceutical medications are based on man-made versions of naturally occurring compounds found in plants. For instance, the heart medicine digitalis was derived from the foxglove plant.

Active ingredients and herbal medicine

Herbal medicines contain active ingredients. The active ingredients of many herbal preparations are as yet unknown. Some pharmaceutical medications are based on a single active ingredient derived from a plant source. Practitioners of herbal medicine believe that an active ingredient can lose its impact or become less safe if used in isolation from the rest of the plant.

For instance, salicylic acid is found in the plant meadowsweet and is used to make aspirin. Aspirin can cause the lining of the stomach to bleed, but meadowsweet naturally contains other compounds that prevent irritation from salicylic acid.

According to herbal medicine practitioners, the effect of the whole plant is greater than its parts. Critics argue that the nature of herbal medicine makes it difficult to give a measured dose of an active ingredient.

Who Should Consider Taking Herbal Medicine?

Herbal Medicine is ideal for anyone who wants a natural alternative to taking medications with harmful or unwanted side effects. There are a wide variety of medicinal plants, and we can prescribe these herbs to you as either capsules, liquid extracts, or teas. It is important to check with a physician before beginning any new botanical prescription, because some herbs have strong medicinal properties, and may interact with other medications. Botanical medicine can be very effective for treating a variety of conditions, and may be used in combination with other therapies in order to restore health.

Used to Treat

• Depression, Anxiety, or Bipolar

• Insomnia or Restlessness

• Fatigue

• Headaches or Chronic Pain

• Food Cravings

• High Blood Pressure or Cholesterol Imbalances

• Withdrawal from Prescription Medications

• Nicotine Withdrawal or Addictions

• Weight Gain & Diabetes

• Asthma, Eczema, or Allergies

• Digestive Disorders

…and many other conditions