THE HISTORY OF HERBAL MEDICNE- FASCINATING!

Exotic is the word I think of in relation to the history of herbs and other spices: perilous ocean voyages, colorful cultures, secret maps delineating spice routes, danger, and excitement. Commerce in spices began more than 3,000 years ago. Prior to this, the ancient Egyptians recorded and cataloged their knowledge of herbs, and a Chinese emperor published a book, The Great Native Herbal. Many plants mentioned in that book are still used today in Chinese herbal preparations. 

At first, Arab merchants controlled the trade routes to India in the Middle East and, therefore, the spice trade. Once sea routes were discovered, Egypt became a major commercial center for trading spices. 

Later, Venice monopolized the spice trade between the Middle East and Europe. 

Countries became very wealthy from trading in spices. 

As Venice was demanding exorbitant prices, Portugal and Spain looked eastward for new routes and then began to search westward. On his first voyage, in 1492, Christopher Columbus was looking not for a new land but for a shorter ocean route to India to gain access to its spices. His expedition received the majority of its financial backing from spice traders.

In commerce, spices were considered more valuable than gold. 

The great value that was placed on obtaining herbs and spices is recorded in history. Each region had plants and herbs that were specific to that particular area and climate. Countries were motivated to discover and control new routes for spice trade because these herbs were precious. 

Spices were big business.

A large part of their value lay not in their uses in food preparation but in their medicinal uses. 

The phrase “the spice of life” can be taken literally. 

With few exceptions, the spices known today were used very early in human history and played important—sometimes magical—roles in medicine. Before the advent of industrially prepared medicines, herbal remedies were commonly prescribed. 

We're going to rediscover some of this ancient herbal lore and learn how to use these natural materials to improve our dogs’ health. 

A World of Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is probably as old as humanity itself; the discovery of many spices predates the founding of the earliest civilizations. The first humans learned about herbs by trial and error and passed that knowledge from one generation to the next. 

The ancient Arabs, Babylonians, Chinese, Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and Persians were all familiar with the practice of herbal medicine. 

The Chinese developed a systematic methodology of prescribing herbal medicines. In their view, the body is a reflection of nature, filled with a life energy called Qi (pronounced “chi”). Illness is a sign that a person’s flow of the Qi is out of balance. Healers use herbs to rebalance the Qi and return the person to health.

Combinations of Chinese herbs are formulated to

Mediterranean cultures also routinely used healing herbs as spices in their food. Wild oregano and rosemary act as antiseptics. Rosemary also supports endocrine balance and, in our dogs, promotes a healthy coat. 

Animals have instincts that draw them to graze on particular plants to mend their ills. In the spring, horses and sheep will eat certain herbs from the fields that kill intestinal parasites. Wildlife documentaries often show animals deliberately choosing certain plants to eat. 

Your dog’s body has a built-in system to maintain good health. This system works in a powerful, almost miraculous, way to heal your dog of disease and illness. It is more efficient and effective than any computer could design.  Every body, human and canine alike, must have the fuel it needs for its systems to make repairs. 

Partners in Health 

Those who choose herbs trust the body’s innate intelligence to heal and regenerate, and they believe that herbs help the body by providing the missing ingredients needed to heal. Herbs are part of nature, and our bodies have long known how to utilize their gifts.