What is Herbalism?
Herbalism and the use of herbal remedies is, by far, the most widespread form of
healing across the world. Every culture has developed its own herbal remedies,
these being dependant on the local flora. The earliest known herbal remedies are
thought to have originated in the Indian sub-continent, spreading north to what
is now China, and west to the Middle East. The recent discovery, in the Alps, of
a bronze-age man found herbal remedies in his belongings.
Every continent and every culture used herbal remedies, it is the oldest
medicine known to man. It is as valid a medicine today as it has always been.
Indeed, a vast number of today’s patent medicines are derived from this natural
form of healing. It is known that the ancient Chinese were using camphor and
ginseng as early as 2,700 BC and on the other side of the world, the Incas were
using cocoa leaves as far back as 700 BC.
Origin of some of our modern drugs: -
- Morphine comes from the opium poppy.
- Digitoxin, used to regulate and stimulate the heart rhythm, comes from foxglove.
- Belladonna provides atropine, a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and also a heart stimulant.
- Vincristine, the cancer drug, comes from periwinkles.
All the major drug companies employ researchers to examine the components of
plants in their search for new medicines.
Recent research in Germany has shown that St. John’s Wort was found to compare
favourably to standard drugs in treating mild to moderate depression, with far
fewer side-effects. It is also being investigated for use against HIV, herpes
simplex, and influenza.
Pomegranate is being investigated for it’s anti-viral and anti-bacterial
properties.
Pro-Holistic provides Shiatsu, Sports massage, on-site massage, Stress Mangement courses, and Stress Mangement workshops. We also provide tuition in Qigong,
Taiji, Neijia,
and self defence.