An Introduction to Natural and Alternative Types of Medicine

Many people argue about the validity of natural and alternative types of medicine as effective medicines mainly due to the lack of scientific research performed to prove or disprove their effectiveness. Herbal medicine specialists (Herbalists) feel that money is the main motivation for attempting to discredit herbal products.

Because pharmaceutical companies are unable to patent herbal remedies, the wide spread use of natural and alternative types of medicine would basically put them out of business. These companies wouldn't be able to corner the market and charge ridiculous prices for prescription medications if herbal remedies were too popular. They need to create synthetic medicines in order to remain profitable. In order to keep selling their prescription medications, the pharmaceutical companies must discredit the use of natural health products as alternative medicines.

The fact is, herbal and alternative medicines have been used for centuries. In fact, there has been evidence showing that herbal remedies have been around since the Neanderthal period about 60,000 years ago. Other evidence of the use of herbs for medicinal purposes has appeared in cave paintings estimated to have been made between 13,000 and 25,000 BC. Most of the synthetic prescription drugs made today are based on naturally occurring substances and capabilities found  in plants.

There is a common misconception among consumers that because herbal remedies are "natural", then they must automatically be safe to take.  On the contrary, many of nature's plant species are poisonous.  The Rhubarb plant for example, is a nutritious vegetable, but the leaves from the Rhubarb plant, if eaten as either a food or medicine, could cause someone to go into convulsions or possibly even die.  This emphasizes the importance of self-education when it comes to knowing which herbs are good or bad for you.