#Monday Modality! My last post
mentioned how powerful plants can be. 🌱💪 As a naturopathic doctor, I love using botanical medicine with my patients. Botanical medicine utilizes substances that come from plants – such as bark,
seeds, roots, stems, and flowers - to treat and prevent disease. 🌸🍃🌱🌺.
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These substances can be in the form of
teas (my favourite!), oils, tinctures, infusions, poultices, creams –options and uses are endless! Some forms of botanical medicine you may already be familiar with are essential oils: •
Eucalyptus - common in chest rubs to help treat coughs and clear sinuses
• Chamomile tea - to make you
sleepy
• Aloe vera - everyone’s go-to in
summer for sunburns
• Fennel seeds – often a treat after
Indian food, these help with digestion • Ginger – wards off nausea and very safe and helpful with morning sickness. .
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Along with these familiar examples,
botanicals can be used to treat and maintain health in a number of different conditions. Cardiovascular disease, ❤️ digestive diseases, endocrine issues, immune system deficiencies, reproductive
health – clinical studies show the application of botanical medicine offering huge benefits. This offers a gentle alternative or compliment to medications, with minimal side
effects..
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Humans have used plants as medicine for
as long as we have existed. The evidence-based research supporting various botanicals continues to grow. It is important to remember that botanical medicines ARE medicines – plants are powerful!
Therefore, before starting or adding any botanicals into your life, talk to someone trained in botanical medicine.🌱