Natural Herbal Healing

The relationship between natural herbal healing and health is well established. Herbs are used for a wide range of health concerns. They are very useful for supporting body detoxification, supporting organs and systems, stress relief and building health.

For thousands of years traditional wisdom has dictated the preparation and use of natural healing herbs. They were harvested reverently and carefully.

When we work with the plants in partnership and respect, we are more likely to realize the benefits of natural herbal healing.

In recent years, not-so natural healing with herbs has become big business.

Nothing demonstrated this better than the echinacea craze. Acres of natural growth were literally bulldozed to get every last plant growing in an area in the hopes of cashing in on the crop.

Herbs are now analyzed for the medicinal compounds and standardized. This practice has turned some herbal preparations into drug-like preparations. When you isolate compounds and lose the whole, it is also more common to experience side effects or no effects. In some countries herbs are considered pharmaceuticals and given out with a prescription.

I remember when the St. John's wort was being standardized for a certain compound and touted as a depression remedy. It didn't work. The problem was that the wrong compound was credited with the helpful effect. St. John's wort was and is an effective natural healing herb, just not the way it was being processed.

Although I am happy to see herbal alternative medicine gaining in popularity and acceptance, I view it as a mixed blessing.

More people have access to natural herbal healing than ever before. When used properly and as nature intended, natural healing with herbs is effective, infinitely safer and less expensive than most synthetic drugs.

On the flip side, as plants are researched, standardized and processed they are no longer natural healing herbs. They become more expensive, subject to regulation, and more like pharmaceutical drugs in how they are used.

This makes me doubly glad that I know how to prepare many of my own natural healing herbs and have them here if we need them. I would encourage you to do the same.

Tips for Using Herbs for Health and Healing

If you are interested in natural herbal healing, it is best to educate yourself about which herbs would be most helpful for you and how to best prepare and use them.

Get to know the natural healing herbs in your area. Some fresh herbs such as dandelions and nettles can be eaten in the spring and are cleansing to the system. Burdock roots can be cooked or pickled.
Use a little vinegar and oil on salads and when cooking green herbs and vegetables. This helps release the nutrients and make them easier to assimilate.
Dried herbs are readily available for medicine, seasoning foods or as relaxing teas, They are used as nourishing herbal infusions that energize and nourish us deeply with their healing vitamins, minerals, herbal constituents and energy.
Purchase dried herbs from a reputable source and make sure they look and smell fresh. If they are browned, they are not any good. Mountain Rose Herbs sells high quality organic herbs and herbal products.
If you are using liquid tinctures and extracts, educate yourself to learn if the herb is best prepared from dried or fresh herbs. Better quality tinctures are usually made from freshly harvested herbs that are full of life force energy. Sometimes it's necessary to dry the herb first.
Tinctures are very easy to make at home if you have access to local plants or buy dried herbs in bulk.
Capsules are readily available and are a popular and convenient way to take herbs. Some herbalists don't like using capsules. Capsules don't let the tongue send a message to the body that a particular herb is being taken.
Taste is an important part of alerting the body that a specific food or medicine is entering the system. It's also just about impossible to determine the quality of the herb inside the capsule.
If you choose to use capsules, ensure that you are buying from a reputable company and pay attention to the expiration date on the bottle. Capsules can be broken open so you can taste the herb.

Herbs as Vibrational Remedies

Herbs have long been used as vibrational, or energetic remedies. As herbal medicine has regained popularity, so have these ways of using herbs for health and healing.

Plants are made of energy just as we are. All is energy and living herbs are full of life force energy. Properly prepared I believe these energies are transferred into natural herbal healing remedies and do to some extent affect the energy system.

When potentized as homeopathic cures or homeobotanical remedies herbs are believed to interact directly with the etheric field directly around the physical body.

Flower Essences made from the morning dew on flowers are believed to affect all levels of the auric field.

Herbs are used to make the essential oils so loved in aromatherapy products. Aromatherapy is primarily a physical remedy but certain essential oils are said to affect other energy levels and are used for spiritual energy healing.

The earth has given us many natural healing herbs. Natural healing with herbs can be very beneficial and enjoyable when we attune ourselves to the energy of the plants and work with them as allies for wellness.

Return from Natural Herbal Healing to the Herbs and Health Primer

Return from Natural Herbal Healing to the Home Page.