Multicultural Uses for Herbal Medicine in the Modern World

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Slide 1 According to the National Institutes of (US Health Dept of Health and Human Services), "complementary and alternative medicine is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine." Herbal medicine has been around for centuries and used by cultures around the world.

Slide 2 In Herbal Medicine plant bark, seeds, berries, roots, leaves, and flowers are used for medicinal purposes. Some people now in the 21st century are using remedies and solutions for health prevention and treatments that Native Americans, Africans, Chinese advisors and those in other cultures have used as far back as there has been recorded history. They are looking for other solutions to cure disease, compliment or replace manufactured drugs made in the western world.

Slide 3 Now scientists are discovering what was working well for people in the past through research, uncovering the agents and dispursing them on a large scale basis through specialty merchants such as health food stores, some drug store chains and corporations like Whole Foods. Drug companies are trying to replicate the inportant agents and integrating them in drugs so they can sell them as pharmaceuticals.

Slide 4 More people now than ever are finding value in using herbal treatments and while the alternatives may be invaluable for some, they could also be deadly for others. The problem lies with lack of valid regulation. In the US, drugs that are manufactured fall under strict scrutiny but elements coming naturally from the earth are not and that has been problematic for the herbal industry. Dose, concentratrion and differing body chemistry can be a challenge to create pure quality healthy guidelines for the general population.

Slide 5 Popular choices are garlic, ginger and rasberry. While ginger has been used for nausea, studies have also shown that it can regulate menses for women, and therefore ironically can be a poor choice for a women striving to maintain pregnancy. So understanding the power, use and personal affects on each individual is critical.

Slide 6 The World Health Organization speculates that there is more use of alternative medicine, which is more widely available, requires no prescription from medical professional and may be as high as 80 percent usage.

Slide 7 Echinacea has been in the media with the notion that ...