Herbs: Medicine or Food?

Did you know Alfalfa is a nutrient herb? Aloe Vera and Slippery Elm can be considered medicinal-nutrients, while Valerian is a medicinal herb.

Here is some "Herb Blurb" from Madalyn Ward of Holistic Horsekeeping.......

Herbs are included in many horse supplements, so it is important to understand what actions they may have. Are they a medication or simply a food supplement?

Most horse owners understand why glucosamine or MSM would be included in their horse's supplements, but what about milk thistle, slippery elm, or uvi ursi?

Accoding to medical definition, a medicine is anything that enters the body and alters its structure or function. Using that definition, all herbs could be considered medicines. In fact, many herbs are both foods and medicines. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration classifies herbs as foods when no claims are made that the herb will cure, treat, mitigate, or prevent any disease. If a company makes health claims about an herb, then that herb would automatically have to be regulated.

Most herbs are therefore sold as foods but used as medicines.

Herbs differ from conventional medicines or drugs in how they act in the body. Most drug classifications begin with the prefix "anti." We have antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and anti-toxins. The prefix "anti" means that these drugs act against a negative substance or process in the body.

Herbs, on the other hand, tend to increase good substances and support healthy processes in the body. In herbal therapy, the practitioner views disease as a general imbalance in the body. In the case of a kidney infection, instead of immediately reaching for antibiotics, an herbalist might give herbs that would prevent toxins from being absorbed from the bowel. These herbs would also tonify and build the kidney as well as increase the discharge of toxins through the urinary tract and other eliminative organs.

Herbs are generally divided into three main categories:

* Nutrient

* Medicinal-nutrient

* Medicinal

Herbs in the nutrient category are not considered to act on any specific condition but they do support health through their nutritional makeup by providing vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Nutritional herbs can be used freely with no concern about toxicity.

Herbs in the medicinal/nutritional category are more targeted to address certain conditions or organ systems. They are still quite safe but would not generally be used on a continuous basis.

Herbs in the medicinal category have strong action and could be toxic if used inappropriately. Medicinal herbs should be used short-term in most cases.

For more "Herb Blurbs", go to www.holistichorsekeeping.com .

Comments

[penis size]

More & more people know that blog are good for every one where we get lots of information any topics !!!

[buy generic viagra]

Hi people great blog
I really enjoy reading this article thanks
It is very interesting Thanks for sharing

[generic viagra]

These herbs would also tonify and build the kidney as well as increase the discharge of toxins through the urinary tract and other eliminative organs.

[Account Deleted]

Most of the horse supplements these days contain some or the other kind of herbs in them. This will help the horse to be healthy and not have any side effects from consuming the supplements.