My Great Endeavors : Herbalism

Introduction
Herbalism is using plants to heal. It has a long history; it's over 50,00 years old. There are many different types of herbalism. You will learn about different forms of herbalism on each continent. There are many ways herbs can used for healing. I will list the contraindications and the best herbs.

Definition
"It's the study and practice of the therapeutic use of plants." Herbs can be used to treat or alleviate a variety of illness. Such as eczema, headaches, cancer, colds, flu, infections, stress, and many more. They can improve the immune system, digestive system, nervous system and other systems as well. Herbs are better than drugs because they're natural. We have natural bodies.

History
Herbalism has been around since prehistoric times. Neanderthals and other humanoids used herbs to treat diseases. Herbs were found in the Iceman. They were used to treat parasites in his intestines. He lived 5,000 years ago.

Australians (Aboriginals) had herbalism 4 over 30,000 years!!! Its called Bush Medicine. Herbs are used to prevent, cure, and treat diseases. This form of medicine is very spiritual.

Herbalism existed in Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago! They used myrrh and opium to treat diseases. Sumerians wrote about herbs on clay tablets. The tablets had several recipes that use over 100 different herbs.

The ancient Egyptians doctors used herbs to heal people over 3,000 years ago. They used over 800 different herbs. They wrote about it in various papyruses. The Eber Papyrus is the oldest known papyrus that deals with herbs. There medical tradition influenced various African, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern societies.

India has a form of medicine called Ayurveda. It uses a lot of herbs. These herbs and minerals were described in 200 BCE. Doctors of Ayurveda use over 700 herbs and more than 50 minerals. They also use animal parts. Ayurveda is my favorite form of medicine!

Herbalism was in China b4 the Shang dynasty. A medicine book was made in China over 1800 years ago. It described 365 herbs. Sum of the herbs are hemp, ginger, orange, Chinese cinnamon, etc. They wrote other medical books as well.

American people used herbs for millennia. They used herbs to heal the body and the spirit. Tobacco was used by a lot of different American tribes. They used herbs to cure colds and problems in the organs.

Ancient Greek doctors had there own form of herbalism. They learned herbalism from the Egyptians. Greeks started writing about medicine 500 BCE. Greek Herbalists had a big impact on European medicine. The father of European medicine was Greek.

Muslims created one or several forms of herbalism. They synthesized herbal knowledge from the ancient Greeks, Persians, and Indians during the Islamic Golden Age; and they added to it. They created drugs based on herbs. Sum of the herbs they used were hemp,and poppy. This form of herbalism had a big impact on Western Herbalism.

European herbalism started in the dark ages or right after. The Catholic Church knew alot about herbalism, but they kept it to themselves. The clergy would use herbs to heal people. Muslims brought a bunch of herbal knowledge to Europe during the Islamic Golden Age. After the printing press came to Europe, herbal books were printed in German, Italian, English, French, and other Indo-European languages.

Types
Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine: It is connected to Hinduism. It deals with 3 doshas. We all have a dosha or 2 that predominate. A few people are dominated by all 3!!! They are as followed: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha is composed of 2 elements. Vata is ether and air, Pitta is fire and water, Kapha is earth and water. You get a disease when they're not in balance. The doshas represent different parts and processes of the body. Different tastes has different effects on the body.

Chinese Herbal Medicine: This is part of Chinese Classical Medicine. It uses plants, minerals, and animal products to heal people. We all have certain amount of chi (lifeforce) in our bodies. If we have to much or too little chi, we will have a disease. We also have have equal amounts of yin and yang 4 good health. You can think of yin and yang as electricity and magnetism.

Western Herbalism: People that follow this form of herbalism analysis plants, so they can understand the different chemicals. They apply these different chemicals to different ailments. The healing ways I wrote about come from this form of herbalism.

There is Papuan, Cherokee, Navajo, Hopi, Apache, Taino, Mayan, Yoruba, Igbo, Zulu, Akan, Bakongo, Mbundu, Oromo, Slavic, Celtic, Norse, Polynesinesian, and many other forms of herbalism.

Healing Ways
Herbal Tea: Heat up water and pour it in jar of herbs. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Then strain it in to into cup and drink up. Refringe the rest.

Herbal Infusion: Same as herbal tea, but let it sit for 4 hours or more. By doing this you get more medicinal properties of the herb.

Decocition: This is for hard plant material. Such as roots, bark, seeds, etc. Heat up water to a boil. Then put the hard plant material in the water. Let it simmer for 20 minutes. Than strain it into a cup and drink up.

Herbal Salve: Heat up beeswax over stove. Add essential oil. When the wax melts put it into container. After it cools off it will be a salve. This for topical use only and they can be used as lip balm. This is like ointment.

Herbal Compress: Make an herbal tea. Dip a washcloth into it. Put it on area of skin that is bruised, rashed, has eczema, etc.

Herbal Liniment: Put herb in jar of grain or rubbing alcohol. Leave the herb in there for 6 weeks. Shake it up or sir it everyday. After 6 weeks train the oil. It is 4 topical use only.

Tincture: Similar to lininments, but you use vodka instead. Mostly for oral use, sometimes for topical use. You take several drops a day when using it.

Infused Oil: Similar to tincture, but you will use olive oil instead. Other oils can be used as well. 4 topical use only.

Herbal Steam: Similar to herbal tea, but instead of drinking it you breathe in the gases.

Tooth Powder: Mix kaolin clay, baking soda, and essential oil with dried sage and brush your teeth with it.

There are other healing ways but this will suffice.

Contraindications
Be careful of the herbs you take if you are on drugs. Sum drugs and herbs battle each other in the body. If you are on any drugs find out it how it would interact with a particular herb b4 u take it. If you have any medical conditions, find out if the herb you want 2 use would aggravate it. 2 much of a particular herb may make you sick. To little of a certain herb may be ineffective. Find the proper dosing 4 your gender, age, and body types.

Best Herbs
Garlic: Cure diabetes, anti-inflammatory, helps blood pressure, improves heart function, helps immune system, and it may help hair grow.