All About Herbs

And God said, “I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” Genesis 1:29

Make these plants and their fruits as your food And you will have a life free from illnesses because these food shall function as your medicine (Chong, 1999)

Herbs have been used by man as food and as medicine since the beginning of the world. What are herbs? They are plants in the form of vegetables, grass and tree bearing fruits. Every plant that is of a herb nature work with the body, strengthening and building the body gradually so that the body itself becomes stronger and healthier. As with everything, herbs need to be used with wisdom and knowledge. There are herbs that are infection fighters, antibacterial, antiseptic, hormonal, diuretic, antihistamine, laxative, antispasmodic, cardiac, digestive, nervine, relaxant, aphrodisiac, emmenagogue, expectorant and vermicide. They perform specific functions in the body. The taste of herbs helps to indicate how to use them. The mild , pleasant tasting herbs can be used freely. These are usually the tonic herbs that can help every part of the body. Herbs like Gingseng and Dong quai are of these nature. And I am sure you know the taste of Gingseng or Dong quai. The bitter tasting herbs are usually the medicinal herbs. They are used in times of illness and their function are to correct certain problems. The Chinese “Sing Say” used to have this saying, “ Good medicine herbs are difficult to take”, meaning to say that these herbs are usually very bitter herbs.

How do herbs actually work in the body?

Cleansing the body

The body is built with safeguards and healing powers within it. When we have cut, the body starts to work in trying to repair the damage. When we are invaded by an illness, the body’s immune system is alerted and starts to defend against the illness. Everyday, waste products are gathered and eliminated from the body. The body is constantly trying to cleanse and heal itself. Herbs can help with this cleansing and elimination process. For example, there are herbs like milk thistle which contains an extract called silymarin. This silymarin acts as a detoxifier for the liver and protect the liver cells from toxins, chemicals, drugs and alcohol abuse. Other well known herbs that are beneficial in cleansing the blood or the kidneys are Aloe Vera, Sarsaparilla, Burdock and Echinacea.

Regulating the body’s system.

Besides helping the body to cleanse, the herbs also strengthen and normalise the glands. It is amazing to find that the same herb can be used for too much hormone or for too little hormone. This ceases to be surprising when we can understand that herbs regulate and tone the glands to restore them to their normal function. Provided the amount of herbs taken is of moderate quantity, there is very little chance for excessive stimulation of the organs concerned. The use of Evening Primrose Oil (EPO), which contains Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) have benefited many women suffering from hormone imbalance during Premenstrual period and menopausal stage. Gingseng is another herb that has been found to be andaptogen for our body system. Gingseng exerts a balancing effect on the various body systems in the body.

Provision of nutrition

Herbs are high in vitamins and minerals and other nutrients that nourishes and build the body. In fact they help to feed the body. There are many cases where a weak and sick body will accept nourishment from a herb when other foods are rejected. In many instances, herbs are the best food sources because they are gentle on the digestive system and they are wholesome with much of their nutrients taken in an “alive” form.

Raising the energy level of the body

Herbs stimulate the energy levels within the body so that the body has increased energy to heal itself. When illness befall on a person, the body’s reserves of energy is usually depleted during the body’s fight against the virus or bacteria invasion. The patient has little energy to cope with other stresses such as worries, insomnia or even food digestion. This is the very reason, why a sick person is usually put on the drip or advised not to take solid food that are difficult to digest. Herbs are able to provide the nutrients that will boost up the energy level.

Stimulating the immune system into action

Herbs can help to strengthen the immune system of the body. There are specific herbs for the thymus glands which are responsible for the T-Lymphoyctes cells. In the fight against cancer, the herbs used are mainly for strengthening of the immune system. The ultimate objective is to stimulate the patient’s own immune system to overcome the cancer cells. This approach is gaining popularity in the “complementary medicine” circle because it is believed that the “good cells” in the body remain intact while the immune system selectively kill off the ” cancer cells”.