What is Herbalism?
It is important to understand exactly what herbalism is if only because it has been known to mankind for as long as man has inhabited the earth. It, therefore, has undergone many changes in all these years. In fact, in societies in which hunting was the main activity, it was the women that were the true herbalists. Since then, there have been many changes taking place in the way humans live their lives.<br>
So it is of special importance in understanding what herbalism is and the changes that took place in the United States at the turn of the last century when a veritable renaissance took place in herbalism.<br>
In countries other than the US, the wisdom of women was honored if only because of tradition and it led to herbalism as being a necessary choice when confronted with chronic and even acute health problems. However, even though herbal medicines are a complicated subject that requires exhaustive study to understand the true meaning of it, it is nevertheless a very simple medicine that can even be used by children and by people in general and without any major problems either.<br>
The earliest concept of herbalism came from female ancestors who considered applying herbs to treat various ailments. In fact, herbalism is still very relevant in areas such as India, the Middle East, and in Asia.<br>
To these people, herbalism meant that herbs were a spiritual guide and a major force in medicines. In this form of herbalism the main components were compassion, community, connection, and honor for the Earth. The nourishment provided by various edible herbs were considered safe even when used in great quantities.<br>
However, the western world viewed herbalism differently and during the Inquisition these Earth-oriented, herbalist women and midwives were targeted and tortured. Some were even murdered in order to replace them with males who were considered heroes that used various herbs in order to rid people and the human body of devilish illnesses.<br>
However, another change was to take place and that was the dominance of linear thinking as embodied in the scientific tradition that in turn replaced this masculine tradition. Despite this, women were still vilified as being quacks - though not witches. Thus, now plants were sent to laboratories and new methods and products were produced that changed the age-old concepts of what herbalism was.<br>
Today, thanks to these changes in herbalism you can literally find hundreds of thousands of drugs of which eighty-five percent are either directly or indirectly derived from plants. It is indeed hard for anyone that is used to modern herbal usage to even imagine that people in the early age of herbalism used the natural plants and got treated effectively. However, times change and so herbalism too has had to change.
About the Author
Biotek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. specializes in over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements focusing on the health conscious consumer. They offer a wide selection of both over-the-counter drugs, like spanish fly, and dietary supplements of the highest quality. Biotek is a FDA and DEA regulated company.
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