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 hen we use herbs for a medicinal application it is important that we have a full understanding of the nature of the illness as well as the chosen herb. In medical herbalism there are no "magic" bullets, to acheive a desired level of wellness will make changes in our lifestyle and thinking as well as the use of herbs. In order to do this we have to take into consideration all facets of the person and situation before we can effect an appropriate "treatment".When working with herbs, we need to keep in mind that although they are plants, some medicinal herbs have serious side effects, drug interactions and contraindications. When it comes to treating a disease condition, anything beyond fairly uncomplicated illnesses needs to be addressed by a trained professional who will be able to monitor the course of treatment. Fortunately training is now widely available so that even those who do not wish to pursue a career in the healing arts can become adept enough to care for themselves and their families save for extreme circumstances.  When choosing herbs I look to the specific actions, then go on to the conditions it has been used for, as well as other plants that can be used in combination. When doing his type of research I will draw from several sources. The reason for this is that the information may differ from one reference to another -- new plants have reached the West in the last 20 years, more knowledge about our traditional plants is now available and the authors prefered system of healing will influence her or his recommendation on the course of treatment for a specific condition -- this can be confusing. One of the best ways of learning is to work with one herb until we know it well. This isn't always possible so while engaged in deeper study of a specific herb we can use the available literature to aid us in our formulation.While I was working though a course of study in medical herbalism, my teacher recommended using a minimum of three different books by three different authors to do any kind of research. It's a recommendation I still follow and one that I'm passing on to you. There is a good deal of folklore involved in medical herbalism, because of this it's wise to choose books that have good references and a bibliography. This allows us to verify the author's statements; are they making it up, is it fear inspired superstition, is it tried and tested or is it traditional knowledge. Having done in-depth research, we can find a happy medium. Chances are that different authors will share common definitions and attributes. As we build up knowledge and confidence, our intuitive processes become an important part of the equation. |
