Frequently Asked Questions - Herbal Medicine

What is Herbal Medicine?

Herbal Medicine is the use of medicinal plants to treat disease.

What is the history of Herbal Medicine?

People on all continents have used plants for the treatment of ailments since prehistoric times. The earliest evidence for the use of plants as healing agents is depicted in paintings discovered in the Lascaux caves in France, which have been radiocarbon-dated to between 13,000-25,000 BC. The earliest written record dates back over 5,000 years to the Sumerians and describes the application of plants still utilized today, including caraway and thyme. The oldest extant Chinese herbal, dating back to 2700 B.C., lists 365 medicinal plants and their uses, including ephedra, the botanical source of the modern drug ephedrine.

How common is the use of Herbal Medicine?

Even today herbal medicine is a major component in all traditional healing systems. The World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of the world's population presently uses herbal medicine for some aspect of primary health care. A recent survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that, at 18.9 percent, herbal therapy is the most commonly used Complimentary and Alternative Medicine therapy in the United States.

What is the relationship between herbs and prescription drugs?

Many of the pharmaceuticals currently available to physicians have a long history of use as herbal remedies including aspirin, lasix, novocaine, coumarin, codeine, morphine, digitalis, digoxin, taxol, and quinine. The use of, and research into, new drugs and dietary supplements derived from plants has accelerated in recent years. According to the World Health Organization about 25 percent of modern drugs used in the United States have been derived from plants. 75 percent of the plants used to make prescription drugs were researched because of their use in traditional medicine and 80 percent of the plant compounds used in modern medicine show a correlation between their present therapeutic use and the traditional applications.

What are the qualifications of your Herbalist?

Our Herbalist is a Certified Western Herbalist through Sage Mountain, Rosemary Gladstar's school, and holds a Master's degree in Chinese Medicine which included an extensive education in Asian herbal medicine. She has formally studied both the eastern and western systems and combines these theories when making her evaluation and selecting your herbs.

How long will I have to take the herbs?

For acute conditions herbs are usually only taken for a few days or a couple of weeks. When conditions are chronic, herbs are taken for a series of weeks or months, with re-evaluations taking place periodically to adjust your prescription as your symptoms improve.