The Savvy HerbalistTM How savvy are you on healthy living & holistic healthcare?

The Savvy HerbalistTM

 How Savvy Are You On Healthy Living and Holistic Healthcare?

By Donniece Sage

Ancient Botanicals to Present

I always find historical facts interesting. Botanicals have been used since antiquity. Archeological evidence shows that honey and herbs were used 60,000 years ago.

No matter how sophisticated our society becomes, we eventually wind up relying on Mother Nature for answers, just like the ancients. Herbs and plants are used for herbal therapeutics, pharmaceuticals, aromatherapy, cosmetics, clothing, dyes, and cooking.

Herbs are powerful substances and easily absorbed by the body. Research has proven the validity on the absorption rate of the skin. If a person steps on a crushed garlic clove, within seconds, they would immediately taste or smell garlic on the body, and within 20 minutes garlic can be smelled on the person’s breath.

Below is a historical synopsis and the evolution of botanicals. The oldest known botanical medical systems today are from China, India and ancient Egypt. Recorded history has shown that these ancient cultures used plants for cosmetics and medicines since 3000-5,000 BC, and continued through the Middle Ages into the late 1800’s. Plant-based beauty and skincare products made a come back in the Western culture during the late 1960’s.

Prehistoric Facts: It was discovered at Neanderthals burial grounds that remains had on them traces of red ocher, which is iron oxide clay. This same clay is used today in cosmetics as a colorant. An Ice Man was discovered in the mountains of Italy. With his remains Extracted fragrant oils from plants (essential oils/aromatherapy) and used them for massage therapy “restorative friction”, which was recorded by physician Avicenna (A.D. 980). When tomb builders ran out of “make-up” they refused to work. The Ebers Papyrus: In 1874, German Egyptologist George Ebers discovered an herbal medical document dated to 1550 BC. The 65 ft. long papyrus contains numerous volumes of information about surgery, internal medicine, and a listing of 800 medicinal drugs. The Egyptians used botanicals for aromatic healing arts, cosmetic ointments, perfumery, oils, cooking, fumigation, and embalming.

Many other medical papyrus have been discovered which date between 2000 and 1000 BC. Interestingly, papyrus referred to older traditions indicating that the information was orally transmitted.

Ancient China: The Chinese medical system of herbal pharmacy has survived into modern times — the oldest is Pen-ts’ao (Herbal). This treasure was the work of Emperor Shen-nung who lived from 3737-2697 BC. He recorded 365 medical preparations. Materia Medica of Li-Shih-Chen was the first major Chinese medical work to be translated and published in 1596. Remedies included a list of 12,000 prescriptions and

formulas; an analysis of 1,074 plants; 443 animal substances; and 354 mineral composites. The book is still used today by physicians.

Ancient India: Ayurveda “the science of life” is the Indian medical system, that was developed around the same time of the Egyptians and Chinese. However, the Indian culture, much like the Egyptians, is believed to have been in existence since 10,000 BC. Ayurveda is a health system based on 3 main body types called Doshas: Pitta, Khapha, and Veda. The Rigveda is an ancient Hindu scripture that list over 1,000 medicinal plants. Ancient doctors practiced the use of artificial limbs, wound cures, anesthetics, cauterization, and surgeries. The most famous ancient text, Charaka Samhita, was preserved by oral tradition, until the 1st century AD which was published by the famous Greek herbalist Dioscorides.

Arab, Greek-Roman, Europe, and the Americas: Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Iraq) were well known throughout the region. It is believed that King Nebuchadnezzar II grew roof gardens with herbs, aromatic and ornamental plants. Arab nations also controlled the spice trading routes from Egypt to India in the millennia before Christ. In the 7th century, Arabs overran North Africa and confiscated Greek and Roman medical texts which were collected in Baghdad. Arab physicians studied healing plants from Europe, Persia, India and the Far East. After the crusades, pharmaceutical practices took root in Europe.

In the 1st century AD, Roman herbal medicine came from Greek medicine and was practiced in Europe for 1,000 years. Swiss physician-alchemist, Philippus Aurelous Paracelsus, in the early 1500’s changed history by discovering the “active principles” in plants. One of the most famous herbalists was Nicholas Culpeper. He was a nonconformist, also a Puritan. Culpeper took medicinal knowledge out of the hands of the College of Physicians. He gave it to apothecaries and laypeople who could not afford a physicians by publishing a popular book in 1651 called The English Physician or The Complete Herbal, which is still in print today.

After Columbus sailed the world, there was a resurgence of spice and herb traders. For a period of time, Dutch men controlled the Caribbean trade. When colonists arrived in North and South America, they relied on Native Americans to teach them about medicinal herbs. Many African slaves were knowledgeable in the application of herbal medicines and used them to heal their wounds and livestock. Colonist valued herbs just as much as they did their vegetable foods. President Thomas Jefferson grew 26 kinds of herbs in his 1,000-foot kitchen garden.

Modern Times: In England, a botanical skincare company started in 1960 by Anita Roddick called the The Body Shop. The shop sold their manufactured plant-based products in England and the United States. Other reputable companies, such as, Rachel Perry and Aubrey Organics helped spur an interest in natural products sold through grassroots health food stores. Twenty years later, Aveda followed The Body Shop’s botanical products adding salons, day spas and schools.

Holistic care and natural products entered into the consciousness of more Americans during 1970-1980’s with a growing number of small health food stores. For the most part, botanical products and natural cosmeceuticals (skincare cosmetics with medicinal properties) were sold by small health markets or in independent boutiques. Natural cosmeceuticals include vitamins, healing plants, essential oils, and natural anti-aging ingredients.

Approximately twenty years after The Body Shop helped change perceptions about natural products, Whole Foods opened their first health food, revolutionizing how the world shops today for natural products. Their store emulated a large food supermarket, which was unheard of at the time. Whole Foods exposed Americans with volumes of exotic health foods, holistic care, and natural body care products.

In the future, who knows what revolutionary creations can be accomplished with simple gifts from Mother Nature’s garden.

Donniece is an Herbalist and Holistic Consultant. www.savvyherbalist.com. All rights reserved on The Savvy Herbalist™ © 2006 Donniece Sage.