Herbal Gardening - Alternative Healing for Good Health

People have grown herbs since ancient times. During the ancient times it was a monks or nuns that were first known as the specialist that knew how to use the herbs for medicines.
Typical plants used were rosemary, mint, sage, thyme, marjoram, rue, angelica, bay, and basil. Herb gardens eventually developed into botanical gardens. Modern herb gardens can be functional as well as ornamental.

Herb gardens are in containers, or raised bed gardens. Herbs are also used for alternative medicine. As an example alternative therapy would be used with a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a doctor.

Alternative medicine and complementary medicine is for reasons unknown are not taught in western civilization medical schools. Complementary medicine is different than alternative medicine, as it is used with conventional medical treatments. Alternative medication is used in place of conventional ways.

Some of the many ways alternative and complementary is used today are: acupuncture, aromatherapy, biofeedback, chiropractic, diet therapy, holistic nursing, homeopathy, hypnosis, meditation, massage, reflexology, spiritual healing, and yoga.

Herb gardens have developed into beautiful botanical gardens which are used for scientific and educational purposes, including a greenhouse. Next is a herbarium which includes specimens of plants for research and a library. The first botanical garden was established in 1533; the first tropical gardens were in Calcutta India in 1787; the first garden in the United States was formed by Henry Shaw in 1859, known as the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Arboretum are for the display of trees and shrubs, often rare ones for educational and scientific purposes. Important arboretum's are the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University and the United States National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

Herbal medicine uses natural plant substances to treat and prevent illness. Today 80% of our population uses herbal medicine in some form. It is considered the primary healthcare in china using chinese herbs, and has been used there for over 2500 years. We use herbs today for teas, extracts, and in some medication. A quarter of the prescriptions today are plant based.

Many more herbal ingredients made into over the counter medications are: laxatives, aspirin coming from willow bark and digitalis used for heart patients comes from foxglove.
United States scientific interest is slower than other countries as Asia, Western Europe and Germany have been using medicinal herbs in their research for a long time.

Nonetheless, people in the United States use herbal medicine for a wide variety of uses. Popular uses are Ginseng; stamina, St. John-Wort; mild depression, Echinacea; immune system for colds, kava; insomnia, saw palmetto; for enlarged prostate, and ginkgo biloba; improve short-term memory.

In conclusion, a wide use of herbs prompted the Food and Drug Administration to regulate herbal remedies as drugs. The FDA can force a clinical trial on herbs that have a health claim. In 1994, the Health and Education Act was passed reclassifying herbs as dietary supplements rather than food additives.

Another concern was herbal plants sold on the wild market; it is feared people that don't know enough about herbs will go into overharvesting for the marketplace. Biologist wants more careful studies of these plants for continued use by the public.

Gardening or Herbal Medicine- copyright 2007 by Beth Gatewood all rights reserved