In the 21st century, humankind is experiencing many common ailments throughout the world’s population of which many of these diseases could be classed as being of epidemic proportions. The use of antibiotics to treat infection has lead to doctors over prescribing these medications to such an extent that we now face a major health dilemma. Infection strains in the human body have now become resistant to most of our commonly used antibiotic medications and scientists are racing against time to try and develop new antibiotics to meet this crisis. Many would say we are losing this battle and the consequences of this will be detrimental to us all.

The use of herbs to treat health complaints has been used throughout history, long before the introduction of laboratory manufactured drugs with success. Many tribal communities such as the American Indians and the Aborigines of Australia used herbal remedies by trial and error to successfully treat a whole array of health complaints. In ancient Greece and Rome, herbal remedies were the main treatment option used during this period of time. This herbal knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation and even today; many herbs are being scientifically studied to reveal their potential to treat many common ailments.

Most of our pharmaceutical medications used today are made from extracting the essential oils and active chemicals from plant life. These oils and chemicals are combined to create powerful drugs that the big pharmaceutical companies then sell to us often at exorbitant prices. Other than the price of these drugs we often pay another price for using these drugs. The side effects from the use of these drugs are often worse than the disease itself. Additionally, long term use of these drugs often leads to serious complications which we are usually not told about when the drug is prescribed by our medical practitioners.

Herbal remedies are in most cases cheaper than pharmaceutical drugs, have less or no side effects and can be just as effective for treating a disease and or the symptoms of a disease. Additionally, herbal remedies can often compliment current medical treatments when used in combination.

This book will introduce you to the world of herbal treatments, providing information about the most commonly used herbs to treat many common ailments. This book can be used as a reference guide and you may find you already have the herbs sitting in your own kitchen pantry, ready for use. Many people enjoy growing their own herbs for the stocking of their own personal medicinal cabinet. All of the herbal remedies in this book can be sourced from your local health food shop.

If you are considering using an herbal treatment for your ailments, always consult your doctor first. Herbal remedies can have side effects and can cause an allergic reaction in some sensitive people. Your doctor will be able to inform you if an herbal treatment is appropriate for you, suggest starting doses and tell you if the herbal treatment will interact negatively with your current medications. Additionally your doctor will be able to monitor your progress.

The old saying “If you have not got your health, you have not got your life” strongly resonates with this book. I wholeheartedly support the saving of the Amazonian rainforest. The medicinal garden of plants we have been blessed with contains more plant species we are yet to discover. These new plant species may unlock advancements in medicine we can all benefit from in the future.