Herbal medicine has been around for at least five thousand years. It emerged in several peoples around the world, the oldest record being that of the Chinese who were already studying this branch around 3.000 BC It is the study of plants and their medicinal use.
As the plants vary a lot according to the region of the planet, due to the local climate and planting conditions, in each part of the world there are plants more or less known in popular culture that help in the treatment of various diseases. What is different now is that science studies these plants for the manufacture of herbal remedies.
This is due to greater control in manufacturing and regularization by ANVISA and the Ministry of Health.
But what about you, who must be wondering whether or not it's worth using these treatments for any disease. In the first form of phytotherapy, which is the use of the plant without being transformed into a medicine yet, it is something that has its risk, such as, for example, ingesting some substance from a plant that can give the opposite effect of what you need to deal with. We are not going to say whether this use is right or wrong, whether through teas, homemade pastes or the use of smoking, as there are many independent scholars who make use of these plants, without necessarily being the industrialized form of the remedy, and they say they have satisfactory results.
On the other hand, the use of herbal medicine is safer, as long as you have a consultation with a doctor beforehand so that he can indicate which medicine is most suitable for your problem. But be aware that doctors claim that herbal remedies are a complementary form of treatment and not a substitute for conventional treatments.
Therefore, if you are looking for some type of complementary treatment for your ailments, what we always advise is to seek consultation with a specialist in the area. Because the use of medicinal plants can be great, but as long as it's the right plant for the right problem and at the right time.
Text written by Ricardo Sturk from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team.
