Health Benefits Of Herbs And Spices
 (Read 250+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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In ancient times there was no such thing as going down to your local drug store for a cure for whatever ailed you. If your body wasn’t functioning properly you went into the woods, the meadow or if you were industrious enough to plant one, to your herb garden. Back then you got better through herbal preparations made with common plants and every day herbs and spices.
No doubt with much trial and error folks back then sought the healing properties and health benefits of herbs and spices to heal, preserve and protect. Fortunately, they’ve done most of the work for us and the modern apothecaries, herbalists and others of the medical profession have done the rest.
We now know of many herbs and spices which can cure and prevent all kinds of ills to the body, mind and spirit. As the modern person likes things easy he/she has turned to herbal supplements for this purpose. If you were to go to any pharmacy, not only would you be overwhelmed by the quantity but also the variety. You would find virtually everything under the sun in tablet form all touting health benefits of some sort.
But are these claims true? Are herbal supplements really necessary? Do we really need to take St John’s Wort to enhance our mood, Echinacea during flu season, Ginkgo Biloba to improve memory and Valerian when we’re so stressed out we can’t sleep? Some herbal enthusiasts would give a resounding yes to these queries.
But what about your average Joe and Jane? Would we actually improve our health by taking these herbal supplements? And with so many to choose from which should we take? Surely not all! We would rattle as we walked after taking that many pills. So, which are the most vital ones to take and which should we avoid altogether?
As with many things, that all depends on the individual. The FDA has come up with what they consider safety standards for herbal supplements. This is so we don’t kill ourselves with “Good-for-you” herbs which might in fact harm us. It seems that some of the most commonly taken herbal supplements have negligible scientific evidence to back up their claims but cause little if any harm when taken in low doses but there are others that can cause trouble when not taken with caution nor with a thorough understanding of the herbs and their properties. For this purpose the book “The Healing Herbs: The Ultimate Guide to the Curative Power of Nature’s Medicines” by Michael Castleman is truly invaluable.
These herbs with little or no scientific validity to their claims, however, will have countless testimonials on their effectiveness from fervent believers. For instance, let us look at Echinacea which is touted as being good for sundry things such as the prevention of the common cold, to lessen the severity of such, to boost the immune system, to help those with low white blood cell count, in treatment of eye inflamation and vaginal yeast infection. If that seems a bit too good to be true that’s because it is. In general when claims are a bit hyped one should take them with a few grains of salt or at the very least do some research before jumping on the bandwagon.
As it turns out ill-designed studies have been inconclusive for all Echinacea’s claims. Of course, there are those true believers who insist they never get colds and can fight almost all illness because they faithfully take this “wonder herb”. It could be Echinacea works for some people but it could just as easily be those taking the herbal supplements have a stronger resistence to illness than others. This is where the individual has to take it upon him/herself to see what works for them.
There are, however, groups of people who should avoid the use of herbal supplements altogether. These include those people who are:
– currently taking prescription or over-the-counter medications as there could be adverse effects when combined with some herbal supplements.
–planning on having surgery. Some herbs can cause complications for surgery and can interfere with the healing required afterwards.
–pregnant, want to become pregnant or are nursing. Some herbal supplements have estrogenic properties which mimic birth control pills and could either prevent a pregnancy, cause uterine contractions and/or cause miscarriages.
–younger than 18 years or older than 65 years. The younger and older person can have more pronounced effects from herbal supplements due to ebbing or waning growth, regeneration and immunity.
This is not to say we should completely disregard the health benefits of herbs ans spices. There is too much anecdotal and valid scientific evidence to support it. This evidence makes it impossible to ignore all that can be gleaned from using them. What were at one time herbal preparations are now tried and true prescription and over-the-counter medications. Digitalis from the common yet lovely Foxglove plant is now used in making a very potent heart medication. The common Willow tree gave us the incomparable aspirin. Valerian is indeed a vital ingredient in many sleep aid products.
It cannot be denied, therefore that herbs and spices are good for our health and for our taste buds. Fennel seeds are good for digestion and great baked onto bread and rolls. Garlic and onions have infection fighting properties and you’ll be hard pressed to find a culinary expert who doesn’t use these with abandon even without knowing of all the good it does their family’s health.
Blackberries on your ice cream are an amazing treat but can also be counted in the treatment of diarrhea. Cinnamon helps to regulate blood sugar levels and adds something wonderful to your morning bowl of oatmeal. Basil makes a yummy Pesto sauce but also stimulates the immune system and fights intestinal parasites. A cup of Chamomile tea can relax and soothe you in the most pleasantly fragrant way. Cranberries not only make a good accompaniment for your turkey but help maintain urinary tract health.
Needless to say, this can go on for a good long time. There is hardly an herb or spice that doesn’t have a medicinal benefit. You can also see herbs and spices can easily be incorporated into your every day life, in common dishes and also in soothing teas. For those adverse to taking pills the spice rack can go a long way to bringing about a better, healthier you in a rather tasty way.
It should also be noted that herbs and spices are most efficacious when used in its truest form, that is to say when fresh or properly preserved. The health benefits will be most potent when users possess a solid understanding of the herbs and their properties.
As we live in a rushed world the herbal supplement may have to do for most of us but it isn’t very difficult to sprinkle a few herbs and spices onto our food to get some health benefits. With the guidance of our health care provider, a sensible diet and a regular exercise plan, herbs and spices either in cooking, as medicinal teas or in tablet form can definitely add to your continued good health.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 For more fun gardening facts and amusing stories come visit
http://www.helium.com/users/32782
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