Let’s start by first explaining what a herb is: When you think of herbs what is the first thing that comes to mind? Thyme? Rosemary? Coriander? If so, you'd be absolutely right but a herb is so much more than that.

“A herb refers to any part of a plant which has a therapeutic effect on the body; whether externally or internally.”

When I first started paying attention to the power of plants, I was fascinated as one plant can be used for a number of different therapeutic actions depending on which part of the plant is used.

HERBAL MEDICINE

Herbal medicine is medicine made from plants, either the whole plant or sometimes parts of it, for example leaves, flowers, roots or bark. If we go back thousands of years in time; before our western medical systems were in place, people of the earth used plants they could find to treat illness, sicknesses and disease. At first it would have been a trial and error situation; but as time progressed, the herbs they learned that could treat certain ailments would have been passed down as they have been through the generations. There are many herbal traditions around the world, such as 'traditional' herbal medicine, Chinese or Ayurvedic herbal medicine.

At EARTH our products are formulated based on the principles of traditional herbal medicine according to the National Institute of Medical Herbalists of which our leading formulator Mrs Minomi Adejumo is a member.

Herbal medicine has itself developed over the centuries and links can be traced back to Graeco-Roman, Arabic, European and American cultures. Although there is a foundation of traditional use to to the practice, modern use also includes current scientific research and medical herbalists are trained in the same clinical examination skills as conventional GPs.

Herbs are literally medicine so just like prescribed medicine, it's important to know how much to take as well as what not to take along side it so it doesn't cause complications.

The practice of 'traditional' herbal medicine involves the use of only plant materials (often concentrated plant extracts after a process of infusion) to assist wellbeing. Animal derived products such as beeswax are sometimes used, particularly to make creams, ointments and balms. At EARTH we are wholly plant based and use vegan alternatives in Candela wax to make our balms.

OTHER TYPES OF HERBAL MEDICINE

There are many other types of herbal medicine practices and it is worth explaining what they mean:

Aromatherapy

This is the use of essential oils distilled from plants that are either used through inhalation or are mixed with a carrier oil and applied to the skin.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medicine practice that aims to balance the body, mind and spirit. Primarily it seeks to promote good health rather than treat disease.
It is based on the idea of everyone being a unique combination of three different energies which themselves are based on five different elements. Balance is created using a mixture of diet, herbs, exercise and breathing techniques.

Flower remedies

Flower remedies or essences are infusions of flowers in water using sunlight to extract the energies of that flower. The specific energies of each flower are used to treat underlying emotions rather than physical ailments.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is also an energy medicine which uses diluted quantities of substances that in a larger quantity would cause the symptom being treated, ‘like cures like’. Remedies may be plant, animal or mineral derived. Every patient is unique, and treatment takes into account the mind, body and emotions of that individual during the consultation. This allows the practitioner to select the most appropriate remedies.

Naturopathy

This is the use of natural therapies such as acupuncture, herbs and homeopathy, and modern ones such as bio-resonance, ozone-therapy and colon hydrotherapy.
A detailed consultation may be combined with iris, tongue or nail diagnosis to improve the practitioner’s assessment of their patient. Additional analysis of blood, stools, or hair may also be used to help create a treatment plan.

Chinese herbal medicine

Chinese herbal medicine is one of several therapies that together, make up traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and like traditional herbal medicine, has several thousand years of historical use behind it. Remedies have traditionally included minerals and some animal products as well as plants but practitioners in the UK use only plants. Herbal prescriptions are often specific formulae rather than being individualised prescriptions and are used to restore balance to the Qi (energy), moisture and blood that feed the organs of the body. Diagnostic methods during a consultation include pulse diagnosis and closely looking at the face, skin and tongue.