There Is A Huge Difference Between Herbal Medicine And Traditional African Medicine

Many people are quite skeptical of using herbs to heal and this is due to their ignorance of what herbalism really is. They are also unaware that Herbalism is different from African Traditional Medicine.

Herbal Medicine or Herbology or Herbalism is the practice of using plants and plant-based products for the purpose of healing and medicinal purposes. It is recognized as a form of alternative medicine.

Traditional African medicine involves the use of herbalism and African spiritualism. Apart from herbs, it will also involve the use of chants, charms, incantations, spells with strong spiritual and sometimes religious aspects.

Herbal Medicine uses just HERBS, herbal materials and herbal preparations based on diagnosis of

ailments and diseases by conventional medicine while diagnosis for Traditional African Medicine on the other hand, is obtained through spiritual means. The remedies used usually have symbolic and spiritual significance apart from healing abilities.

In herbal medicine, the cause of illness is usually determined by a medical practitioner while in Traditional African Medicine, this is done by a diviner.

Herbal Medicine uses plants because plants contain phytochemicals that act individually, additively or in synergy to heal and improve health while Traditional African Medicine encompasses magic, spiritualism religion, animal parts, minerals, soil and virtually all of nature in addition to plants.

Herbs and plants contain phytochemicals or phytonutrients are secondary metabolites which are produced by plants with the purpose of protecting the plants from environmental stress, damage, microbes and insects. They are bioactive, non-nutrient plant compounds which are part of the plant defense. This protection is also passed to us when we use or eat plants because of their therapeutic properties. This is the basis of Herbal Medicine.

Herbal Medicine is the same everywhere. Herbal practitioners use the herbs they know and are familiar with to prepare herbal preparations from leaves, stem, bark, root, seeds, flowers and whole plants. Traditional African Medicine differs from place to place due to ethnic, religious and spiritual differences of the various ethnic groups in Africa. The only similarity is the inclusion of plants and herbs in their remedies. Traditional African Medicine may also involve wizardry, witchcraft, magic and supernatural.

Herbalism is becoming more popular now as more individuals are turning to Alternative Medicine to find cures for various chronic diseases including chronic conditions, ulcer, diabetes, heart issues, HIV and cancer. Most cures ultimately lead you back to herbs which provide the phytonutrients for healing.

Many individuals have become skeptical of using herbs because it is difficult to differentiate between a herbal practitioner and a traditional medicine man. In Africa, the lines may sometimes be blurred. When you visit most herbal shops or sellers, they also sell animals and animal parts, which is unappealing to most of us.

You need to understand that when you are using herbs or herbal concoctions or mixtures, you are taking advantage of the hundreds of the active components which are in plants. They are the best sources of medicine if you understand how to use them. Plants are no mythical beings, just PLANTS.

So, identify what you are getting into. If someone is adding animal parts to your remedy, this is going beyond the scope of Herbalism. A herbalist is different from a traditional diviner. Do not confuse Herbalism with Traditional Medicine!

In order to eliminate the distrust that has made us Africans reject the use of herbs, we will need to overcome our fear of believing that plants have supernatural powers. Plants are just materials that provide us with food, oxygen, shade, shelter, furniture, nutrients, phytochemicals and so on. They are fantastic living things that we can't live without.

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