What if we didn't have doctors?

What if we didn't have doctors?                                       Imagine that you lived 2,500 years ago, back before there were hospitals and doctors. If you got sick, what did you do? Back then, people used plants and herbs to help them feel better. This is called herbal medicine, which is when you use a plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes (1). Today, herbal medicine is still used in our lives.








Allergies got you down?                                                        

Figure 1 Allergies got you down?

There are different herbs that help different things. Do you have allergies? Butterbur might be the way to go. Some doctors say it works just as well as some allergy medications like Zyrtec. Maybe your allergy medicine makes you sleepy. Butterbur doesn't do that. What if you get the flu or catch a cold? You might try something called Echinacea, or the purple coneflower. It makes your immune system stronger, so your body can fight those nasty bad germs that get you sick.

                                   


       
How do you do it?

You might be asking yourself, "This sounds cool and all, but how can I try?". Well, the first thing you have to do is ask your doctor if it is safe for you. Look up different things to try. Herbal medicine can be taken many different ways, so find the one you like. It could be used as a pill, as a tea, as a liquid, or as an oil (source). Make sure you find the right one for you!

Where did it start?

Figure 2 Where it all began

Herbal medicine has been around since long before you or I were around. One of the first times herbal medicine was mentioned in writing was in China all the way back in 3000 BC!! (1) Since then, herbal medicine has been used in Greece, America, Africa, and everywhere in between!










References

Source 1 Ehrlich, S. D. (2015). Herbal medicine. University of Maryland Medical Center. Retrieved from http://umm.edu