Herbal medicine has become a lifestyle choice in the 21st century. Despite the medical and technological advances of the modern era, demand for herbal remedies is on the rise. In fact, it is estimated that this industry grosses approximately $60 billion annually. This may be due, in part, to the fact that some natural remedies are more affordable and accessible than conventional medicines. Also, many people opt for natural remedies because they align with their personal health philosophies.

Nevertheless, you may wonder whether herbal options are indeed effective. We can say that, for centuries, cultures around the world have relied on traditional herbal medicines to meet their healthcare needs.

Sometimes our body wants to communicate with us but we don’t take the time to understand the message. We know that we have a headache or a fever, or lack energy, so we take a pill – a chemical product which may produce adverse effects in our body – but the problems persist. We are ignoring the fact that our body is telling us that it needs to rest and we may continue to misread the message to the point where the illness becomes severe or even life-threatening.

Our mind reads illness before our body is aware of it. There are three elements we must combine to prevent the physical manifestations of illness.

  1. The mind – using it to stay positive and optimistic.
  2. The body – firstly, making informed decisions about how we fuel our body with food and drink. Secondly, considering our lifestyle choices. The body needs to move. It’s like a car. If you don’t drive it, the engine dies.
  3. The spirit – even with good food and lifestyle choices and a positive mindset, we cannot always influence our destiny. However, we must act wisely at each turn in the road.

There is a common belief among the general public that herbal therapeutic agents are totally harmless. While there is research on the interactions of these herbs and their potential side effects, further studies are needed to determine the effects of products consumed daily in different countries. Every day, we learn more about how herbal products work but we must respect the bottom line with regard to how they act on the body and how they interact with conventional medicine.

Our personal knowledge and experiences on the positive effects of plants on the human body, as well as their side effects and interactions with other medications, gives us the confidence to say we can provide truthful and safe advice on how to use plants for maximum benefit to our health. Herbal medicines can help to increase the metabolism, improve brain activity and boost immunity. We should remind you though that this is not magic, not an ‘abracadabra’ spell. Time is needed to realise the true effects. Herbal medicines are not a magic cure but are part of a healthy way of life.