The Benefits of Herbs And Essential Oils
For thousands of years the human race has used herbs in a variety of ways. These uses can be placed into three distinctive groups;
religious, culinary and medicinal. In the article below we shall debate each of these categories in order focusing upon medical uses and
essential oils.
Throughout history there have been many other uses of herbs which we will not be examining here and these include them being used
as cash, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to mask sickening odors. Herbs come from many parts of the planet and
each culture commonly had unusual uses for them. It is interesting to note that the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greek and Sumerians,
the Romans all wrote about them in detail and other writings exist from Ancient India and China. We shall be focusing on modern uses.
Religious Uses Of Herbs
Herbs are still used in many across the globe. The majority of Christians will recall myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of
Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be very familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a species of Basil, as it is cultivated by many and praised
as a Goddess. In Pagan beliefs herbs are utilized extensively in spells, rituals as well as for healing.
Using Herbs In Cooking
The leaves of various plants are used in the kitchen but there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, and a herb,
such as sage, in that the latter are used in minute amounts due to their distinctive, and powerful flavor. Virtually every person in the
world has benefited from the these amazing plants which are capable of lifting the blandest meal into the realms of a culinary
masterpiece.
The Medical Uses of Herbs
As well as being intense in flavor a herb can also have a profound effect upon the human body. Some types are used as recreational
drugs, such as cannabis, which can cause legal problems as they can also have useful medical properties which are still being
investigated by scientists.
Essential Oils
An essential oil is the substance extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are commonly created by the method called distillation
but some require a different process of extraction such as expression or solvent extraction.
Essential oils have a number of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However the
majority of folk know of their use in medicine and especially in aromatherapy and other forms of alternative medicine. I use lavender oil
in a variety of ways, I add it to my mixture for my oil burner to make the room smell nice but I also use about three drops in a bath when
I suffer from achy limbs. When my limbs are very painful I gently rub it into the muscles but only when it is mixed with a carrier oil. As
well as helping to relax the muscles it also helps me sleep better.
Herbs should be handled with immense care and attention as some can be extremely toxic to the human body (in large quantities).
Special care should be taken if you are about to have a baby as something that you may consider safe could be dangerously
problematic, such as peppermint oil which should not be used in its raw state. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used
but to avoid the risk of miscarriage you should avoid all herbs and essential oils unless you know for definite they are safe.
The awesome thing about herbs is that growing your own is as hard as buying a herb kit and placing it near a window. To discover more
visit http://store.landscapinginfo4u.com/
http://www.herbworldblog.com/page/2
For thousands of years the human race has used herbs in a variety of ways. These uses can be placed into three distinctive groups;
religious, culinary and medicinal. In the article below we shall debate each of these categories in order focusing upon medical uses and
essential oils.
Throughout history there have been many other uses of herbs which we will not be examining here and these include them being used
as cash, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to mask sickening odors. Herbs come from many parts of the planet and
each culture commonly had unusual uses for them. It is interesting to note that the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greek and Sumerians,
the Romans all wrote about them in detail and other writings exist from Ancient India and China. We shall be focusing on modern uses.
Religious Uses Of Herbs
Herbs are still used in many across the globe. The majority of Christians will recall myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of
Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be very familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a species of Basil, as it is cultivated by many and praised
as a Goddess. In Pagan beliefs herbs are utilized extensively in spells, rituals as well as for healing.
Using Herbs In Cooking
The leaves of various plants are used in the kitchen but there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, and a herb,
such as sage, in that the latter are used in minute amounts due to their distinctive, and powerful flavor. Virtually every person in the
world has benefited from the these amazing plants which are capable of lifting the blandest meal into the realms of a culinary
masterpiece.
The Medical Uses of Herbs
As well as being intense in flavor a herb can also have a profound effect upon the human body. Some types are used as recreational
drugs, such as cannabis, which can cause legal problems as they can also have useful medical properties which are still being
investigated by scientists.
Essential Oils
An essential oil is the substance extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are commonly created by the method called distillation
but some require a different process of extraction such as expression or solvent extraction.
Essential oils have a number of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However the
majority of folk know of their use in medicine and especially in aromatherapy and other forms of alternative medicine. I use lavender oil
in a variety of ways, I add it to my mixture for my oil burner to make the room smell nice but I also use about three drops in a bath when
I suffer from achy limbs. When my limbs are very painful I gently rub it into the muscles but only when it is mixed with a carrier oil. As
well as helping to relax the muscles it also helps me sleep better.
Herbs should be handled with immense care and attention as some can be extremely toxic to the human body (in large quantities).
Special care should be taken if you are about to have a baby as something that you may consider safe could be dangerously
problematic, such as peppermint oil which should not be used in its raw state. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used
but to avoid the risk of miscarriage you should avoid all herbs and essential oils unless you know for definite they are safe.
The awesome thing about herbs is that growing your own is as hard as buying a herb kit and placing it near a window. To discover more
visit http://store.landscapinginfo4u.com/
http://www.herbworldblog.com/page/2
