Herbal Medicine

Steve Jobs tried alternative medicine after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer before changing to conventional medicine until he died in 2011 (Williams, 2012, 90). Alternative medicine is defined as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not presently considered part of conventional medicine”(NCCAM, 2011, 92). Moreover, people have known about alternative medicine for many years and some prefer it to conventional medicine. Thus, insurance companies should cover alternative medicine for two important reasons.

Professionals say there are many side effects of herbal medicine however there are some alleged purposes: It can be used to treat migraines, eczema, migraines and chronic fatigue.

An increasing number of medical schools are now offering courses in alternative medicine for their students, and some hospitals already have alternative medicine departments. The availability of healers and doctors practicing holistic medicine has also increased in recent years, and more and more people are educating themselves in these new fields. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that between 65 and 80 percent of the world’s population (about 3 billion people) rely on traditional medicine as their primary form of health care.

In modern medicine, alternative therapies are poorly understood and studied. The preference for alternative therapies, and herbal medicine were indicated, and the fear of relinquishing information regarding these practices were almost paralyzing. It seemed as though they were ashamed to admit to cultural healing practices, and did not divulge information to practitioners regarding their usage. The cultural disconnect was present as alternative/complimentary medicines are valued as a culture, and “modern” practitioners cast judgment on their usage. This perceived stigma additionally limited the information shared by the cultural participants with modern medical treatments, potentially causing additional harm, as some herbals are potentially toxic.

Many people find thyme useful and effective when it comes to heal and treat many diseases. Thyme is a member of the most common herbs in the Labiatae (Mint) plant family, which have been used for centuries. In addition to that, there are about 350 species of thyme with a vast range of uses not only in natural medicine but also in pharmaceutical drugs. Thyme leaves are not the only part that have been used. In fact, oil extract from thyme leaves and its flowers also serves important roles in treating and curing many disorders.

Today we have alternative medicine which was developed thousands of years ago and have a long-standing historical value of effectiveness, advantages, and some drawbacks. Diagnosis was the first approach to any illness. Alternative medicine looks at the factors of equilibrium and the environment in which one lives and the disease is considered an imbalance between the two; cleansing the whole body than on a particular problem to get the balance back in sync. Very much the description of the Buddhist and the Greek cultures of medicine and healing the

Over the last couple of centuries, western countries adopted a range of alternative therapies from all over the world, such as: Acupuncture, yoga, reflexology, herbal supplements, acupressure, homeopathy, aroma therapy, hypnosis, mud therapy, etc.

I have used herbal therapies myself. I believe in herbal teas like peppermint to help treat nausea. I do not like taking medication so when I can avoid it I do. I also know many people who prefer natural therapies. One of my friends drinks a ginger milk tea to help her with her nervousness and she says it helps her a lot.

Alternative medicines have existed for many years, and are practiced by different cultures around the world. Traditional Western medicine which is practiced by most physicians in the United States focuses on the physical aspects of the body and employs scientific methods of treating. The effect of the mind on the body is not generally considered to be important except for those who practice holistic medicine (Mitchell D. & Haroun L., 2007). A holistic approach means that all aspects

Herbal medicine has been used for many, many years and is a great natural alternative to modern medicine.

Although "Alternative" or "Complementary" medicine has been kept on the fringes of the medical sciences in the past, it is becoming increasingly more popular, and more reputable. Alternative medicines are those medical systems which are not taught to or practiced by most conventional medical doctors. Alternative medicines seemingly have always existed, changing and conforming to the current climate of society. There seems to be an almost endless number of alternative medicines, each with their own method of gaining perfect health. Often people who are dissatisfied with conventional medicine turn to alternative medicine for their medical needs. Many similarities link the diverse extremities of alternative medicine.

These therapies have proved to be of much benefit in supporting the normal healing course of the body. Even though there are many modern alternative remedies, with different beliefs, all of them operate under some common principles. One of these principles is that the body has the capacity to heal naturally and maintain stability (Paquette, 2000). The other one is that adverse health conditions can occur as a result of factors emanating from mind, emotions and the body. Alternative medicine, according to Goldberg, Trivieri and Anderson, (2002), focuses on determining the chief cause of a particular condition, and dealing with the whole person rather that concentrating on symptoms. If a person pays close attention to his/her health he/she can contribute to his/her wellbeing. Alternative medicine holds firmly to the principle that one treatment cannot be used for all people even though they may be suffering from the same condition. Each and every person as per alternative medicine has distinct bodily, mind and spiritual make up (Goldberg, Trivieri and Anderson, 2002).

Herbalism or phytotherapy has many definitions but in essence is the interaction between humans and the plant kingdom (Hoffmann, 2003). Herbalism is based on three principles: 1. The correlation of the herb to the disease or disease picture, 2. The harmony the herb has to an organ system, and 3. The ability of the herb to assist healing in the body (Wood, 2018). Herbalism contains many different branches of which there is Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan and Ayurvedic branches, and is used to treat a wide variety of symptoms. Herbalists make their medication from plants and are dispensed in many

Most patients now prefer herbal medicine as compared to medicinal drugs. They are becoming popular to treat everything from minor to major to diseases. The reason why people are so into herbal medicine is because of their natural qualities that promote a healthy method of healing various products.

Natural remedies have been used throughout history and within every culture to prevent and treat diseases. Specifically, plants have provided the foundation to alternative medicine, with some such as digoxin becoming adopted into conventional medicine (Walden & Tomlinson, 2011). Garlic (Allium sativum) in specific has a long history of both medicinal and culinary use, and has been more closely examined than many other herbs due to its weight in health benefits. The intact cells of garlic bulbs contain an odourless sulphur-containing amino acid, allinin, which has potent antibacterial properties and is highly odoriferous and unstable (Ebadi, 2006). Alliin is acted upon by the enzyme allinase to produce allicin, which produces the characteristic garlic odour and much of the pharmacological activity of garlic (Ebadi, 2006; Braun & Cohen, 2010). Asides from organosulfur compounds, garlic bulbs also contain protein, amino acids, fibre, lipids, phytic acid, saponins, beta-sitosterol and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, chromium, iron and selenium; all of which contribute largely to the medicinal use of garlic (Braun & Cohen, 2010). This essay seeks to explore in depth the cardioprotective, anti-microbial and potentially anti-cancer actions of garlic as growing evidence suggests these as the more effective natural remedy uses of garlic (Boon & Smith, 2004).