The Various Uses of Herbs and Essential Oils

June 3rd, 2009 by admin

For thousands of years the human race has used herbs in a variety of ways. These uses can be categorized into three distinctive groups; religious, culinary and medicinal. In the following article we shall discuss each of these categories in order concentrating upon medical uses and essential oils.

Throughout history there have been many other uses of herbs which we will not be looking at here and these include them being used as currency, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to overpower sickening odors. Herbs originate from many parts of the globe 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.

Herbs And Religion

Herbs are still used in a multitude of around the planet.Â A great many Christians will remember myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be very familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a type of Basil, as it is cultivated by many and revered as a Goddess. In Wiccan faiths herbs are utilized extensively in spells, rituals as well as for healing.

Herbs In The Kitchen

The leaves of various plants are used in cooking but there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as spinach, 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 plainest meal into the realms of a culinary masterpiece.

The Use of Herbs in Medicine

As well as being intense in flavor herbs 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 researched by academics.

Essential Oils

An essential oil is the substance extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are invariably manufactured by the process known as distillation but some need a different method of extractionÂ such as by using solvents or expression.

Essential oils have a number of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However the majority of people 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 roughly three drops in a bath when I suffer from achy limbs. When my legs are terribly painful I gently massage 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 with safety in mind as some can be extremely harmful to the human body (in large quantities). Special care should be taken if you are planning on having a baby as something that is otherwise safe could be dangerously problematic, such as peppermint oil which should not be used in its raw form. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used but to avoid any of miscarriage I wouldÂ avoid all herbs and essential oils unlessÂ you are one hundred percent certain they are safe.

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