The Various Uses of Herbs and Essential Oils
For thousands of years the mankind has used herbs in many different ways. These uses can be categorized into three distinctive categories; religious, culinary and medicinal. In the article below we shall take a close look at each of these categories in order concentrating upon the medicinal uses and essential oils.
Throughout history there have been various other uses of herbs which we will not be looking at here and these include them being used instead of cash, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to smother disgusting odors. Herbs come from various 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.
Religious Uses Of Herbs
Herbs are still used in a multitude of around the world. The majority of Christians will be familiar with myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be extremely familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a type of Basil, as it is cultivated by many and worshipped as a Goddess. In Wiccan and Pagan beliefs herbs are used extensively in spells, rituals as well as for healing.
Herbs In The Kitchen
The leaves of various plants are used in the kitchen however there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, and a herb, such as basil, 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 blandest meal into the realms of a culinary masterpiece.
The Use of Herbs in Medicine
As well as being powerful 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 scientifically researched.
Essential Oils
An essential oil is the substance extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are invariably created by the process known as distillation but some require a different process of extraction such as expression or solvent extraction.
Essential oils have a number of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However most folk know of their use in medicine and especially in aromatherapy and other forms of alternative medicine. I use lavender oil in a number 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 aching limbs. When my legs are extremely 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 more soundly.
Herbs should be used with care as some can be extremely destructive to the human body (in large quantities). Special care should be taken if you are about to have a baby as something that sounds safe can be alarmingly problematic, such as peppermint oil which should be totally avoided in its dilute state. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used but to avoid the risk of miscarriage I advise that you avoid all herbs and essential oils unless you are 100% certain they are safe to use.