Herbs have been an integral part of our diet and pharmacy since mankind began roaming the earth. Coprophytic evidence points to herbal use by Cavemen. Early herbalists have practiced their trade since the times of recorded history in all parts of the world including China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Africa, England, the Americas, and Europe. Many herbs are mentioned in the Bible.

Typically, plants were used as a part of unity with nature, their medicinal uses based on an intuitive feel for their application along with observed results. Early herbal uses often combined with such practices as shamanism, bleeding, fumigation, poulticing, rubbing, and urtication. Most cultures combined a ritualistic approach to planting and harvest as well as with the collection of wild species.

There are several aspects to herbology that are key to understanding how the medicinal herbs are used. Following are some of these keys.

Herbs may be used simply because they supply vital nutrients. Herbs also provide a full spectrum of medicinal potency — from having a mild stimulating (or relaxing) effect to providing the practitioner with a highly potent and specific medicinal quality. Finally, herbs can be potent enough to be toxic to organ systems, even causing death.

Herbs are tonic

Many of our commonly used medicinal herbs are tonics. A tonic is any substance that balances the biochemical and physiological events that comprise body systems. A tonic herb has the ability to act with the body bi-directionally (see below), and the body is able to select and utilize what it needs from a tonic herb.

Examples of tonic herbs include: Echinacea, Licorice root, Hawthorn berry, Cayenne, Dandelion root, Turmeric, Valerian root, Ginger, Red Raspberry, Saw Palmetto, Motherwort, Rosemary, Kelp, Wild Yam, Sarsaparilla, Astragalus, Gingko biloba, etc.

Herbs contain compounds that act synergistically

Each individual herb will often contain several dozen chemical compounds, all of them medically active. What's more, these compounds act in synergy, creating an end-product medicinal effect that is much greater than the sum of any (or all) of the single "active ingredients".

The medicinal quality of herbs is often bi-directional

Most individual herbs contain "balancing" chemical compounds — ie biochemically active constituents that work on the body in opposite directions. An example of bi-directionality exists within ginseng: Ginseng has two fractions — Rb ginsenosides and Rg ginsenosides which have opposing actions on blood pressure. (Ginseng also contains constituents that raise blood sugar levels and substances that lower blood sugar.)

It is this bi-directionality that makes the herbs particularly safe to use...if we use the whole herb and not an extract of one of its chemical compounds.

Herbs may be adaptogenic

At least two herbs, Siberian Ginseng and Licorice root, are adaptogens. An adaptogen has a salutary effect on nearly all organ systems of the body, enhancing their natural ability to function and their capacity to deal with stress.

Herbs are empowering

As you learn about the herbs, you also learn about your own geography. As you learn to use the herbs for healing, you empower yourself with the ability to provide for your own health, gathered from your own backyard.

Potency among herbs and between individual herbs of the same species varies considerably

Several factors enter in here: Whether the plants were grown organically, growing conditions, place of growth, time of harvest, harvest method, processing or extraction methods used, storage procedures, etc. The variables are so numerous it makes it almost impossible to evaluate herbal potency...unless you specifically know and trust your source. (See Empowerment, above)