There were no medical doctors or corner drugstores in the ancient world, but people got sick. And when people got sick, they wanted to get well, just like we do today. Today, when we aren't feeling well, we make an appointment with our family doctor, and when he sees us, he usually prescribes a prescription drug that is supposed to make us feel better.
Why Alternative Herbal Treatments are Sought Out:
Sometimes the prescription drug does make us feel better, but sometimes it doesn't "work." So we make another appointment, see him again, and the doctor prescribes a different prescription medication. We might make several appointments and see him several times, and he might prescribe several different medications before he hits on the one that will solve our problem. He is making educated guesses sometimes based upon medical tests, but they are guesses nevertheless. If they weren't, he'd always get it right the first time.
That trial-and-error method is the same one that was used to build the store of knowledge that makes up herbal medicine today. The "tests" weren't as sophisticated as the tests that doctors use today, and the "prescriptions" weren't filled at the corner drugstore. The medications that were used to make people feel better were found out in the fields and forests — plants and herbs.
Tea as One of the First Natural Herbal Medicines:
Over the centuries knowledge was passed down from generation to generation. It was found that "tea" made from the leaves or roots of one plant would "cure" a stomach ache and the chewing the leaves or roots from other plants would ease pain. Poultices made from certain plants reduced swelling. In short, the stems, leaves, roots, and flowers from certain plants were discovered to cure human ills. Today we call that body of information "herbal medicine."
Over-the-Counter Herbal Medicines:
Unlike the synthetic prescription drugs that doctors provide, herbal medicines are not government regulated. All herbal medicines are classified as "dietary supplements" and thus do not fall under the same level of scrutiny as to prescription drugs. There are no tests required. Proof of effectiveness is not required. There really aren't even any proof-of-safety requirements that must be met.
That doesn't mean that herbs aren't effective and even very powerful medicines. They are. It only means that anybody who have a license to sell a gallon of milk can also sell herbal medicines across the counter. Herbal medicines are not regulated.
In a way, that's a good thing. We don't have to go wait for several hours in a doctor's office being exposed to God-knows-what in order to get a prescription to purchase an herb that will make us feel better. We can simply go to our nearest herbal store (or even to a drug store or discount department store) and buy the herbs that we think we need.
Herbal Self-Medication:
But self-medication is always a bit risky. You aren't going to be as objective about the diagnosis of your health problem as someone else will be. That's why we always recommend that you do two things before you buy over-the-counter herbal medications (or diet supplements, as the government insists on calling them):
1. Do your homework! Read everything you can find about herbs, how they are used and what they are used for.
2. Consult an herbalist! Some stores that sell herbal medicines have an herbalist on staff. Some don't. But you can find herbalists in most all large cities. These are people who have been trained in the use of herbs as medicine. They will recommend what herbs you need and in what quantities.
Follow both of these suggestions for your own health and safety!
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