Today’s Cultures And The Medicinal, Culinary And Religious Uses Of Herbs

Posted on | September 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment

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

Throughout history there have been various other uses of herbs which we will not be discussing here and these include them being used as currency, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to smother disgusting smells. Herbs originate from various parts of the world and each race commonly had strange uses for them. It is interesting to note that the Ancient Romans, Egyptians, Sumerians and Greeks all wrote about them in detail and other writings are in existence from Ancient India and China. In this article we will be focusing on modern uses.

Religious Uses Of Herbs

Herbs are still used in various religions around the world. The majority of Christians will recognize myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be very familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a species of Basil, as it is grown by many and revered as a Goddess. In Pagan and Wiccan faiths herbs are used extensively in spells, rituals as well as for healing.

Kitchen Uses of Herbs

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 oregano, in that the latter are used in very small 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 concentrate extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are invariably produced by the process known as distillation but some need a different process of extraction such as such as solvent extraction or expression.

Essential oils have a number of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However most people 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 about three drops in a bath when I suffer from aching limbs. When my limbs are terribly painful I gently rub 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 used with immense care and attention as some can be extremely toxic to the human body (in large quantities). Special care should be taken if you are planning on having a baby as something that sounds safe can be dangerously problematic, such as peppermint oil which should be totally avoided in its raw state. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used but to avoid any of miscarriage I strongly advise that you avoid all herbs and essential oils unless you are 100% certain they are safe.

The awesome thing is that growing your own herbs is as hard as buying a herb kit and placing it near a window.