Go Green

Using Herbs as Home Remedies

Research Questions

1. Why is the use of herbal remedies growing?

There are several reasons for the growth of herbal medicines as well as cosmetics.

Medicines:

1) Herbal medicines are much lot better for our health being more natural and devoid of
chemicals due to which they have no or lesser side effects unlike pharmaceutical
products, which may be harmful for our body and have several side effects, some even
life threatening.
2) The body is a combination of individual parts that need to work as a whole. Treating an
individual part cannot heal completely if the whole body system is not considered. This
is one of the many reasons that herbal solutions are favoured over manufactured ones
as they find a way to tap the natural body rhythms that make every part of the body
work together.

3) In treating with herbs, the focus is on prevention of disease and to find the root cause to
bring the body back into harmony and balance rather than the focus on treating
symptoms with interventions as in allopathic medicine.

4) Herbal medicines have multi-faceted treatment approach rather than taking hordes of
allopathic medicines for various symptoms/diseases.
5) Herbal medicines are comparatively less expensive than pharmaceutical products, but
they have the same job, that is to heal people. Thus, it can be afforded by the financially
weak people.
Cosmetics:

1) The cosmetic products are the best option to reduce skin problems mainly because they
are natural, without the slightest addition of chemicals.
2) Herbal cosmetics are free of side effects and are environmental friendly, thus, making
them safe to use.
3) Herbal cosmetics are comparatively cheaper than the chemical cosmetics.

Proper regulation of these herbs and standardization is leading to tremendous and

significant growth in herbal cosmetics field.

2. Which herbs are being used? Mention some methods/ home

remedies used.

Many types of herbs are being used as medicine as well as cosmetics due to their
various properties. Some examples are:

Holy Basil- Holy Basil, also referred to as Tulsi, is very potent anti-oxidant. The health
benefits of holy basil include relief from respiratory disorders, as well as treatment
of fever, asthma, lung disorders, heart diseases, and stress. Holy Basil can be an excellent
cure for sore throat. Basil also plays a role in treating infections.

Ginkgo Biloba- It helps in increasing blood flow to brain thereby improving concentration
and attention. It also helps in anxiety and depression. It is an effective tonic for those with
poor eyesight. Ginkgo Biloba is a natural sunscreen prevents skin problems like scars, acne
and pimples. It can also be used as a natural cleanser for our skin.

Lavender- This medicinal herb is used topically to treat fungal infections, wounds, eczema,
varicose ulcers, sunburned skin and acne. Lavender oil is perhaps best known for its calming
and soothing effects. It can also be used as a natural and chemical-free perfume. It can also
be used to treat insect bites.
Chamomile- Chamomile tea is often used to treat nervous disorders such as insomnia
and anxiety. It helps the central nervous system to work efficiently. Chamomile is used to
make soothing teas and oils. Chamomile tea is an excellent all-natural skin bleach which
helps lighten your complexion.

Echinacea- Echinacea are appeared to combat tumours, and are a recommended

treatment for brain cancer. It can also be used to treat medical conditions like cold, flu, sore
throat and bacterial infections. Echinacea is known to be one of the best herbal anti-
dandruff remedies.

Aloe Vera- The intake of Aloe Vera can boost your immune system. It can also help in
reducing the risk of cancer. Aloe Vera is widely used as an after-sun treatment because it is
soothing and reduces inflammation. It also heals external wounds and insect bites. It helps
in soothing rashes and skin irritations, and helps in treating burns.

Turmeric- Turmeric is known to relieve arthritis, controls diabetes, and helps in reducing
the cholesterol level in our body. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent and
can be used as an effective disinfectant.

Some remedies that can be used are:

 Simply add a few drops of lavender oil on the insect bite, and see the itching and
swelling decrease considerably.
 You can dab a little lavender oil at the back of your neck or wrists to smell and feel good.
 A few drops of chamomile oil can be applied on to towel dried hair to give your hair a
lovely shine.
 If you have a cut or burn, you can sprinkle turmeric powder on the affected area to
speed up the healing process.
 Drinking a glass of warm turmeric milk before sleeping helps in faster recovery from cold
and cough.
 If you have boils, small wounds, rash, burn or cut, you can apply dried Echinacea
powder, tincture or cream on to the affected area.
 You can use Aloe Vera gel in your beauty regime to get a flawless and radiant skin. It is
also known to fight acne and blemishes effectively.
 Mix Aloe Vera gel with a few drops of lemon and use this as a night treatment. Use it
regularly and you’ll see blemishes and dark spots reduced.
 Rubbing finely powdered dry basil leaves on your face renders a glow to your face and
might even help remove dark spots.
 Ginkgo Biloba works exceptionally well when used topically with ginger and turmeric in
bringing down skin inflammation.

3. Which group of people use these remedies?

Almost 80% of the people in the world use herbal remedies.

But herbal remedies are mostly used by:

 Tribal people
 Villagers
 People living in urban areas
 People suffering from cancer, chronic ailments.
 Common people who believe in natural treatment.
Nabihah researching on the questions.

Siddharth researching on the questions.