Alternative Herbal Medicine: What Is It And Should You Use It?

Alternative herbal medicine makes use of plants or plant extracts to treat a huge range of ailments, conditions, complaints and diseases. Some herbal medicines are more mainstream than others, but it’s safe to say that the vast majority of us have tried a herbal remedy in our life. In fact, even some conventional medicines make use of active ingredients from plants, including aspirin.

More and more conventional doctors are now using a range of herbal medicine to complement existing drugs. In this case, herbal remedies are collectively known as “complementary medicine”. When the use of herbal remedies goes against conventional medical practice, it’s known as “alternative medicine”.

Popular Herbal Remedies

Some herbal remedies have become so popular that you can buy the treatments in most pharmacies alongside more conventional over the counter medicine. Here are a few examples (note, just because these are common does not mean they are safe for everyone to use):

St. John’s Wort: This is a popular remedy for mild depression. Studies are still inconclusive when it comes to other depressive illness.

Ginger: Ginger has long been used to treat feelings of nausea and vomiting. It can be taken in the form of tablets, or chewable candied ginger.

Eucalyptus: This is commonly inhaled to ease congestion during a cold or when suffering from allergies.

Aloe Vera: Used to reduce inflammation from burns and sunburn.

Cayenne: Often used to aid metabolism and help treat diarrhea.

The Benefits Of Herbal Medicine

There are a number of reasons why people may opt for herbal remedies over conventional medicine. These include:
* Natural – many people prefer to use 100% natural treatments, believing them to be healthier overall.
* Chemical-free – following from the point above, using herbal remedies helps to avoid the use of chemicals,
* Easy to prepare – certain remedies are extremely easy to prepare, such as raw garlic to boost the immune system,
* Cost – herbal remedies are often cheaper (though not always),
* Abundance – certain herbal remedies may be widely available in your area,
* Last resort – you may have tried everything else. Herbal remedies give you a new range of opportunity to cure your condition.

Is Alternative Herbal Medicine Always Safe?

Despite the fact that alternative herbal medicine may use ingredients from nature, this doesn’t mean that they’re always safe! A number of natural ingredients can have unwanted side effects when taken on their own. And those that may seem safe alone could have negative interactions with other medicines or herbal remedies that you’re already taking, or may not be safe to take if you’re pregnant. That’s why it’s just as important to understand the side effects in herbal medicine as it is with any other medicine.

Another reason why doctors may be hesitant to recommend herbal remedies is due to the fact that they may not have gone through the same rigorous testing as more conventional medicine. A number of herbal remedies have been tested, but not to the same degree as conventional medicine. And, if your herbal practitioner recommends you forego conventional treatment from your doctor, you should always be wary.

In short, there are a number of benefits to using alternative herbal medicine – if studies have shown them to help, and if you take them under the advice of an expert who knows of any possible side effects and conflicts with other medication.