Healing diseases with herbal medicine

Modern humans have long wanted to return to the old-fashioned way to healthy living. Organic foods are now gaining in popularity, though not all organic products can be enjoyed by the entire community at affordable prices. In addition to organic food, healthy living tips are also happening in the world of medicine. The drug researchers and doctors began to recommend treatment or treatment with herbal ingredients (natural medicine). Drugs made from chemicals are a lot of side effects, so back to nature is an alternative option that attracted many people today.

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  The use of medicinal plants or herbs actually been used by many people for many years ago. However the development of modern medicine (the Western world) is just to make herbal medicine as an alternative or additional treatment. While more economical, herbs have very little side effects. However, there are many people who doubt the efficacy of herbal medicines.  There are several factors that cause why the herbs treatment does not work effectively.

 Compounding and drinking the wrong way, drinking is not a right, improper dosing, and the impatience of the patient. All of those are factors that cause herbal treatment ineffective. Prof. H.M. Hembing Wijayakusuma in his "Complete Herbal Remedy Conquer Disease" mentions things that must be considered in taking the herbs, as follows:

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 1. Wash herbs botanicals (herbs) with water flowing from the tap until it is clean.

 2. Immediately use fresh herbs that have been clean for treatment. If the material is large or thick, should be cut into thin slices so that when boiling substances contained in easy out and soak in boiling water.

For herbal stored, dried after washing first for durability and prevents spoilage by bacteria and fungi. Dry matter (botanicals) is also easier to be grinded powder. Drying can be directly in the sun or wear protective. It can also be aerated, depending on the thickness or water content.

3. Remember to brew herbal powder with boiling or hot water.

 4. For hard materials and difficult to extract, preferably crushed and boiled it first about 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients.

 5. Use clean fresh water and contains no harmful chemicals to boil. Ensure sufficient numbers so that all medicinal ingredients submerged approximately 3cm.

 6. To boil medicinal ingredients, use a container made of earthen pot (pottery), enamel pot, or a pot shard. Never use a container of metal, such as iron, aluminum, and brass. Metal contains iron trichloride and potassium ferrycianide. These substances cause sediment in water in treating the disease. During the boiling, do not open the lid too often, so that the content of volatile oils is not easily lost.

 7. Use of fire in accordance with the type of herbs is boiled. - Small Fire: Use to boil efficacious as a tonic herb, such as ginseng and mushroom ling zhi that active content is absorbed into the boiling water (boil for about 2 hours).

Use small fire and boiling for a long time is also used for herbs that contain toxins, such as the crown of God so that the content of toxins is reduced. - Great Fire: Use to boil herbs or botanicals are efficacious diaphoretic (sweat) and contain many essential oils, such as mint leaves, cloves and cinnamon. After boiling, put the ingredients and boil briefly. In this way, the essential content of not much is lost due to excessive evaporation process.

8. If there are no other conditions, boiling cooking water is considered complete when the remaining half of the original amount of water, for example, 800 cc to 400 cc. If the ingredients are boiled mostly in the form of hard materials, such as seeds or stems that are left third of the cooking water, for example, 600 cc to 200 cc.

 9. If it contains dry ingredients, dosage generally half of the fresh ingredients.

 10. Make sure the herbs according to the dosage recommended. Generally, the first prescription drug plants divided for 2 drinks a day. The first boiled the remaining pulp can be boiled again for the first time to drink in the afternoon or evening.

 11. Drink boiled extracts of medicinal plants in warm, and patients should wear sweaters or blankets. However, for certain types of herbs, such as betel nut decoction should be drunk chilled to avoid causing gastric contraction with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.

 12. Generally, herbal decoction taken before meals to be easily absorbed. However, for a medicinal herb that can stimulate the stomach, drink after a meal. Drinking potions is efficacious as an amplifier (tonic) in the morning with an empty stomach. For a nutritious herb as a sedative, such as insomnia, please you drink it before you go to bed.

 13. Perform regular medication. Remember, herbal treatment requires patience because it does not directly feel the benefits, but are constructive (fix / build).

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Effects of chemical drugs did seem fast, but are destructive. Because of its nature, the herb is not recommended as the primary treatment of infectious diseases that are acute (suddenly), such as dengue fever, vomiting, and others who should immediately get medical help. Medicinal plants are preferred for health maintenance and the treatment of chronic disease (chronic).

 14. Herbal treatment can be combined with chemical medicine, such as cancer treatment in order to obtain more effective results. Herbal remedies should be taken about 2 hours after patients taking the drug made from chemicals.

 Are you also going to start taking natural medicine?

 Before you drink herbal medicine, make sure you have consulted with your doctor, even if you understand that herbs are good for you. This consultation is very important so that you get the right treatment, so you get well and healthy.

This article is adapted from the work of Professor H.M. Hembing Wijayakusuma (cintaherbal.wordpress.com).