In my English class, we are reading a memoir by Tara Westover, called Educated. The memoir mentions that the narrator’s family does not believe in pharmaceuticals, so instead uses forged herbs for medicinal purposes. The interest of my research came from how the narrator’s family uses herbs, instead of the pharmaceuticals to help with certain medical problems. The usage of medicinal plants to help with different medical problems interests me because medicine originated from herbalism, but it is still used today by different cultures and religions from around the world. My research conducted will focus on the history of herbalism and how it is still being used today around the world, in different countries; as the main medical source in some areas. 

The basis of my research focuses on the history of herbalism, while also discussing why herbalist practices herbalism. I will also touch on how herbalism has involved over time and how it has impacted modern medicine. In my bibliography, I chose four sources that address: the history of herbalism, a study that was conducted to see if herbalism was a good alternative to modern medicine, herbs being the roots of pharmaceuticals, and herbal therapy that helps with asthma. The question that I seek to answer from my research is whether herbalism is an efficient alternative to modern medicine? I also seek to answer how herb therapy can help with a certain medical problem?

The research that I conduct could develop into a larger research paper comparing and contrasting herbalism and modern medicine. It could also develop into a research paper on whether herbal medicines have a positive impact on a patient’s health. This project would be for a course in biology or pharmacology. As I research about herbalism, I will try to answer my questions about the topic and also learning more about the topic. My research on herbalism will help me understand more about the practice and how it may or may not be effective.

BookBrowse, R. (2018, March). Herbalism: Background information when reading Educated. Retrieved December 3, 2019, from https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/btb/index.cfm/book_number/3707/educated.

“Herbalism: Background information when reading Educated,” addresses what herbalism is, which is the ”ancient practice of using plants for medical purposes”. Archaeologist suggests that herbalism suggest that herbal medicine was used 60,000 years ago by Neanderthals. The article mentions that herbalism is one” branch of alternative or complementary medicine”, which is still used today in Asia and Africa. The article then mentions how pharmaceuticals are derived from chemicals found in the environment such as plants and fungi, which have to go through a stringent clinical test. Where herbal remedies have” traditional worth” but no proven efficiency. The article mentions what herbalism is and how it is an alternative medicine, which is used in places around the world.

The source gives basic information about what herbalism and how herbalism is the root of modern medicine. The source helps with understanding who was the first to use herbs for medical purposes. Pharmaceuticals are derived from chemicals found in the environment and herbs are what medicine originates from. It shows how herbalism is an alternative to pharmaceuticals, but they have similarities. The article can help understand what herbalism is and how it has traditional worth but is not proven as efficient.

Little, C. V. (2009). Simply because it works better: Exploring motives for the use of medical herbalism in contemporary U.K. health care. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 17(5-6), 300-8. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2009.08.001

“Simply because it works better” addresses a study that explores the people’s use of herbalism as an alternative to modern British health care. People who are practitioners in herbalism were chosen to use their knowledge of herbs to help with a medical problem. The test group was “merely seeking ‘an alternative’ to conventional health care”. The research required a group of people with chronic pain to meet with a herbalist to discuss how they could help with healing the pain. According to the study, the effectiveness of herbalism and conventional health care was determined by ”how well participants could make sense of its underpinning logic”. It was concluded that herbalism had a wider appeal, and it made it easier for people to integrate health care options “creatively and thoughtfully to help meet their needs in a personalized way”. 

The scholarly article breaks down the study that was conducted to find out how people felt about whether herbalism helped. This experiment was conducted on people who were looking for an alternative to conventional health care. The study conducted helped back up the statement that herbalism ”quite simply… it just works better”. The article talks about herbalism as an alternative to health care, but it does not mean that modern medicine is bad. The article recognizes and values the difference in health care, but as a mean for expanding” the boundaries for contemporary health care provision”.

Saba, B. H. (2018, April 11). Herbalism: A History – How Herbalists Of The Past Paved The Way For Today. Retrieved December 3, 2019, from https://theherbalacademy.com/herbalism-a-history/

“Herbalism: A History” presents the history of herbalism, going back to the age of Paleolithic to the present time. Throughout the article, there are dates where herbalism was being used by people around the world. The article mentions herbalism that was used in ancient China and also how it was introduced in Greece. It gives a world view on how it had been used centuries before and how it is still used throughout the world today. During the 17th century, herbalism” was the predominant source for medical knowledge and the herbal literature of the time”. Herbalism strived during this time because plants were more accessible and more people were” knowledgeable of and used herbs out of necessity”. The article mentions that the ancient practice of herbalism is still being used for medical purposes. Some examples would be: Shamans throughout different indigenous cultures around the world still use herbs to heal their people, Alchemical herbal preparations are still being practiced and taught in the form of alchemy.

The article mentions the history of herbalism and it also mentions different dates to show how herbalism has involved throughout time. The article helps by giving a brief history of herbalism and it also lists different dates in which different people around the world are using this for medical purposes. The source also focuses on different people that use herbs for medical purposes. The article helps build a base for understanding herbalism and the history behind it. The article helps build the basic knowledge of what herbalism is.

Yoshida, S., & Ernst, E. (1999). Herbalism for the treatment of asthma. Chest, 116(2), 582. Retrieved from https://login.proxy032.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/200443080?accountid=9935

“Herbalism for the treatment of asthma” addresses how an alternative medicine for asthma. The traditional herbal therapy for the treatment of asthma was established in Japan. The herbal medicine for asthma originated in ancient China, but it was “modified and redefined in Japan”. The article mentions that the use of herbal medicine should have to evaluate a patient’s conditions and to choose the best herbal medicine that would benefit the patient. A doctor has to find out if patients are” responders or nonresponders before beginning herbal therapy”. Choosing appropriate herbal therapy depends on the patient’s “constitution, predisposition, stamina, the strength of response against illnesses. There are six kinds of herbs that are recommended for herbal therapy. Besides the therapy, the doctor might prescribe herbal medicines that enhance nutrition and stamina. This therapy is an effective strategy for asthma in Japan. This herbal therapy has not yet been available worldwide.

The source mentions how herbalism in Japan has been used to find a solution to help individuals with asthma. The source helps with noting that herbs can help with medical conditions just as pharmaceuticals. The article helps show that herbalism can be an alternative to the contemporary medicinal industry. The article can help justify that herbalism can likewise be efficient in certain areas. The article helps explain that herbalism is nevertheless being used around and by researchers to find a better and more natural way of uncovering solutions to medical problems.