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 take a close look at each of these categories in order concentrating upon the medicinal uses and essential oils.

Through the ions o time there have been numerous other uses of herbs which we will not be examining here and these include them being used as money, as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to overpower sickening odors. Herbs originate from various parts of the planet and each culture usually had unusual uses for them. It is interesting to note that the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greek and Sumerians, the Romans all wrote about them in detail and other writings exist from Ancient India and China. We shall be focusing on modern uses.

Religious Uses Of Herbs

Herbs are still used in numerous around the planet.  Most Christians will be familiar with myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be extremely familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a form of Basil, as it is cultivated by many and praised as a Goddess. In Pagan and Wiccan beliefs herbs are utilized widely in spells, rituals as well as for healing.

Herbs In Cooking

The leaves of different plants are used in the kitchen but there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, and a herb, such as oregano, in that the latter are used in minute amounts due to their distinctive, and powerful flavor. Virtually every person on the planet has benefited from the these amazing plants which are capable of lifting the plainest meal into the realms of a culinary masterpiece.

Herbs And 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 studied.

Essential Oils

An essential oil is the substance extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are invariably created by the process known as distillation but some need a different process of extraction such as by using solvents or expression.

Essential oils have a variety 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 variety 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 very painful I gently massage 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 great care as some can be extremely poisonous to the human body (in large quantities). Special care should be taken if you are pregnant as something that sounds safe could be alarmingly problematic, such as peppermint oil which should not be used in its raw state. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used however to avoid the risk of miscarriage I strongly advise that you avoid all herbs and essential oils unless you are one hundred percent certain they are safe.

The awesome thing about herbs is that growing your own is as hard as buying a herb kit and placing it near a window. To discover more visit http://store.landscapinginfo4u.com/

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