Herbal remedies have been used for millennia for treating a variety of ailments. But what are herbs? I was most familiar with them in a cooking context - plants like thyme, mint, rosemary, and sage used to add flavor to foods. It turns out that the term "herb" is given a far more generous definition as any plant and any part of the plant valued for medicinal, aromatic, or savory qualities. From a medicinal standpoint, herbs can be an invaluable addition to the alternative road. And there is emerging science to back up some of common wisdom. Accordingly, a new series in the blog titled On Herbs will discuss the medicinal applications of herbs.
Information on herbs posted in this blog will attempt to classify the usefulness of each herb in a tiered structure, modeled after the Austrailan Institute of Sports hierarchy, as described further below.
Group A: Herbs included in this group are those for which good scientific evidence exists for defined benefits. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a division called the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and discusses a number of scientifically validated uses for herbs. These herbs are virtually guaranteed to provide the defined benefit.
Group B: Herbs included in this group are those for which some scientific evidence shows promise of benefit but the scientific evidence may not be conclusive. I will also include herbs in this group that have multiple alternative traditions recommending them for the same ailment or benefit. Herbs in this group are likely to provide the defined benefit but results cannot be guaranteed.
Group C: Herbs included in this group are those that have no scientific evidence of meaningful effects or that are recommended by only one alternative tradition for a particular ailment or benefit. Herbs in this group may but are less likely to provide any benefit.
Group D: Herbs in this group have been shown to be harmful or their benefits are offset by disadvantages.
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