Healing Plants and Plant-based Healing Options

Obviously, when one thinks of healing plants, one thinks of herbs and herbal remedies. However, there are many MANY more plant-based methods of alternative healing than merely swallowing a capsule or eating an sprig of parsley.

While I would be remiss in not mentioning herbs here, the topic is so large, and there is so much interesting research happening, that they will get their own section. 

In the meantime, let's explore a few other plant-based healing options!

Did  You Know: Many Flowers Are Considered to be Healing Plants?

Yup - its true! Aromatherapy has been used for healing (and for some rather nefarious purposes too!) for thousands of years. Think Cleopatra, think Iris, think Aphrodite!

Yes, that beautiful rose in your garden is not just a pretty face. Its petals and leaves are powerful herbal remedies, but its scent is used in aromatherapy, too.  And its not just herbs and flowers. Many trees and grasses and even "weeds" have been used for their healing scent as well.

Essential oils really fall under the topic of aromatherapy, but a bit of education is needed to be sure of what you are purchasing. There are several "classes" of oils available on the market, and I want to make sure you get the right one for the job.

Bach Flower Remedies

Bach Flower Remedies is yet another area that uses healing plants. Not quite aromatherapy, and not quite herbal remedy, Bach's essences stand alone.

Basically these fall under the heading of homeopathy, and yet they don't. They are created using homeopathic ideas and methods, but they are used slightly differently. And, whereas homeopathy will use several remedies at once, Bach has several remedies made up of multiple plants.

Bio-Identical Hormones

While HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) has gotten a really bad rap recently - and deservedly so - it has done so with synthetic, lab-produced hormones. This is rarely a good idea.

Healing plants have been used to ease the symptoms of menopause in women for thousands of years. These natural substances have helped the body maintain its balance, enhanced mood, strengthened certain systems and been useful as tonics.

Men, too, can use natural, plant-based hormone enhancing products, rather than taking "the little blue pill." Plants will not give any of the interesting set of side effects advertised, either!

Many of the issues that both men and women face and spend big money with big pharma to alleviate can be done far more safely and just as effectively with select healing plants. It might take a bit longer to see results, but you won't be subject to some of the worst possible side effects, either!

OH! The Controversy!!!

The research is in, and the government is going to have a problem.

Especially since much information is available direct to the public through a government website! PubMed.gov is the go-to site for most of us with these types of  information websites...

Some have published that the WHO recommended the use of cannabis back in December. In searching their site, the most nearly matching statement said nothing of the sort.

What WHO actually published themselves was that cannabidiol (CBD) should not be considered a scheduled (and therefore restricted) drug - in and of its own - but that more research was needed. CBD is not currently a "scheduled" drug anywhere that I have found.

WHO did NOT recommend legalization of cannabis, nor did they condone even proven uses.

However, there has been medical research performed on this plant world-wide - including in the United States - for decades. An average of one peer-reviewed published study every other day for the last 20+ years - and that's just the US Government funded ones.

There is on-going research into other psychedelics as well.  DMT, peyote, datura, psilocybin, the amanitas (related) and so on are all being studied seriously these days. Its amazing. Its incredible.

But.......

Sorry folks, but to avoid some serious issues with both the law and the people who host this site, the pages with this information are pass-word protected. You will have to prove that you are over the age of 21 before I can let you in.

Wish it were different... But hey...

As the pages become available, the links will go active - but again - these pages are going to be password-protected.