For thousands of years the human race has utilized herbs in a great many ways. These uses can be categorized into three distinctive groups; religious, culinary and medicinal. In the following article we shall take a close look at each of these categories in order focusing upon medical uses and essential oils.
Through the ions o time there have been many other uses of herbs which we will not be looking at here and these include them being used as money, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to overpower disgusting odors. Herbs come from various parts of the world and each culture usually had unusual uses for them. It is interesting to note that the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greek and Sumerians, the Romans all wrote about them in detail and other writings exist from Ancient India and China. We shall be concentrating on modern uses.
The Use of Herbs In Religion
Herbs are still used in various religions around the world. A large number of Christians will recognize myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be very familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a species of Basil, as it is grown by many and revered as a Goddess. In Pagan and Wiccan faiths herbs are utilized extensively in spells, rituals as well as for healing.
Culinary Uses of Herbs
The leaves of different plants are used in cooking but there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as spinach, and a herb, such as parsley, in that the latter are used in very small amounts due to their distinctive, and powerful flavor. Virtually every person on the planet has benefited from the these amazing plants which are capable of lifting the plainest meal into the realms of a culinary masterpiece.
The Use of Herbs in Medicine
As well as being intense in flavor a herb can also have a profound effect upon the human body. Some types are used as recreational drugs, such as cannabis, which can cause legal problems as they can also have useful medical properties which are still being examined by accademics.
Essential Oils
An essential oil is the substance extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are usually created by the process called distillation but some need a different method of extraction such as by using solvents or expression.
Essential oils have a number of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However the majority of folk know of their use in medicine and especially in aromatherapy and other forms of alternative medicine. I use lavender oil in a number of ways, I add it to my mixture for my oil burner to make the room smell nice but I also use roughly three drops in a bath when I suffer from aching limbs. When my legs are terribly painful I massage it into the muscles but only when it is mixed with a carrier oil. As well as helping to relax the muscles it also helps me sleep more soundly.
Herbs should be used with immense care as some can be extremely poisonous to the human body (in large quantities). Special care should be taken if you are about to have a child as something that you may consider safe could be surprisingly problematic, such as peppermint oil which should be avoided completely in its raw state. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used however to avoid any of miscarriage I strongly advise that you avoid all herbs and essential oils unless you know for certain they are safe.
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