More and more people are moving towards more natural and environmentally friendly treatments. He often finds an answer by taking an interest in naturopathy. And for good reason, naturopathy includes a set of practices aimed at helping the body restore its homeostasis, which is its ability to self-heal. Its fundamental role is to learn to live healthily by restoring physical, psychic and spiritual balance. For this, naturopathy has many care techniques such as hydrotherapy, reflexology, pulmonology and of course phytotherapy.
It is not insignificant to note that phytotherapy is often the first technique that the naturopath will propose to his client. There are several reasons for this choice:
First of all, the naturopath has a wide choice of medicinal plants. Indeed, nature generously offers us many plants capable of treating small diseases (such as digestive problems or coughs) but also to alleviate some symptoms of much more serious diseases such as cancers. We are still far from having discovered all the secrets and power contained in certain plants. This diversity also makes it possible to find the right care for a specific profile because the same plant can treat several diseases but the most interesting thing is that several plants at first glance different may be able to treat the same symptom. The choice will therefore be oriented towards the most accessible.
The use of plants to heal is an ancestral practice. Man has always been able to use the flora that surrounds him for therapeutic purposes. He understood that by respecting his environment, it gives it back to him by allowing him to enjoy its benefits. This ancestral use is very reassuring for the naturopath because he is sure of what he proposes since we have a hindsight on the use of these plants on various pathologies. He can thus adjust and adapt the care according to the profile of the patients.
In addition, one of the main advantages of herbal medicine is in the fact that the plants are not invasive and much less, if at all, toxic to humans. Provided that dosages, methods of administration and precautions for use are respected, plants are almost safe. Thanks to his knowledge, the naturopath can even propose synergies to optimize the action of plants or to increase his field of action.
Finally, the naturopath, in addition to proposing the most suitable plant, can also propose various modes of administration. The plant can thus be used in infusion, decoction, juice, tincture, cream … It is really a product that can be used pure ideally or transformed to extract the desired active ingredients. That is why today this care technique is so popular. It adapts to all budgets and all profiles.
One last word though, herbal medicine is not just about the use of pure plants. The naturopath, thanks to scientific progress, can offer his clients gemmotherapy (bud care), hydrolatherapy (hydrosol care) and, much better known, aromatherapy (care with essential oils).
To conclude, no one today can deny that nature has always been generous with us. To continue to enjoy it, however, it is our duty to preserve it every day. Researchers discover new species every year. For each discovery, it is a hope of more power can be cured a disease still incurable, hence the importance of respecting our environment.
DANDELION
Dandelion is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows everywhere, in fields, meadows, gardens, roadsides, ….
It is the leaves and roots that are used in herbal medicine.
What are its general properties?
- Antioxidant: reduces damage (cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diseases due to aging) caused by free radicals in the body
- Antiscorbutic: rich in vitamin C
- Cholagogues: to help the gallbladder eliminate.
- Choleretics : to stimulate the liver.
- Depurative: cleanses the blood
- Digestive: relieves digestion problems
- Diuretic: activates the elimination of urine
- Laxative: helps evacuate stool
- Stimulating secretions of the liver of the pancreas and intestine
- Tonic: stimulates the digestive system and the whole body
What can be treated with dandelion?
- Digestive and intestinal disorders: Constipation, bloating, lack of appetite, ulcer
- Skin conditions: eczema, darters, plantar warts
- Improves liver, biliary and urinary function and helps prevent kidney stones, jaundice
- Water retention and oedema
- Inflammation
- Prevents skin aging.
- Diabetes
- Joint pain
- Prevents proliferation of cancer cells
What are the contraindications?
To avoid if you are a person with a chilly temperament
Do not use it in case of hypotension and in case of allergies to plants of the Asteraceae family
What are the precautions for use?
Avoid using dandelion if you suffer from gallstones or obstruction of the bile ducts. Then ask your doctor for advice.
Also avoid in case of dryness of the skin and mucous membranes.
Are there any known side effects?
Dandelion can sometimes cause heartburn, nausea or inflammation of the bile ducts.
LA CARDAMINE DES PRES
Meadow cardamine is a perennial herbaceous plant. It is also called “watercress des près” or “wild watercress”.
It can reach 30 to 40 cm in height on average and grows by forming colonies in meadows and wet meadows.
Its flowering, from March to May, brightens us with pretty lilac, pink or white flowers.
The remedies, based on cardamine of the near, are made from the leaves of it.
What are its general properties?
- Antiscorbutic: rich in vitamin C
- Antispasmodic: limits and relieves digestive disorders
- Expectorant: clears the respiratory tract
- Stomachic: activates digestion, beneficial to the stomach
- Tonic: stimulates the digestive system and the whole organism
What can be treated with meadow cardamine?
- Respiratory and ENT pathologies: Bronchitis, cough, tracheitis
- Neurological disorders: hysteria, epilepsy, convulsions
- Osteoarticular pathologies: Gout, Rheumatic pain
- Chronic skin diseases
- Edema
- Anemia: vitamin C and iron
- Convalescence
- Engorgement of the viscera
- Scarlet fever
What are the precautions for use?
Be careful, if you use meadow cardamine essential oil because it is irritating.
There are no known medicinal contraindications or side effects regarding the use of this plant
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THE PAQUERETTE
The daisy is a low perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family that grows in meadows, roadsides, lawns, wastelands…
It usually reaches 2 to 15 cm in height.
The whole plant, flowers, leaves and roots are used in herbal medicine.
What are its general properties?
- Antibacterial : prevents the development of bacteria
- Anti-hematoma
- Anti-inflammatory: reduces inflammation
- Antiseptic: prevents the development of microbes
- Soothing
- Astringent: tightens the pores of the skin or mucous membranes
- Healing: promotes the healing of skin wounds
- Mild depurative: cleanses the blood
- Diuretic: activates the elimination of urine
- Emollient: which relaxes (softens) the pores of the skin and mucous membranes
- Firming: makes the skin firmer
- Stimulating microcirculation
- Tonic: stimulates the whole organism
What can be treated with daisies?
- Skin conditions: acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, tighten skin, soften scars, bruises, sunburn, insect bite
- Oral disorders: irritation of the mouth, gums, canker sores
- Respiratory pathologies: Colds, bronchitis and other inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract
- Osteoarticular pathologies: Rheumatism problems, gout, water retention, osteoarthritis pain, arthritis, trauma, injuries, torticollis, lumbago, painful aches, sprains
- Digestive and intestinal disorders: Constipation, gastric hyperacidity, ulcers
- Blows, wounds, bruises, bruises
- Persistent oedema
- High blood pressure
- Lithiasis, kidney stones
What are the precautions for use?
It is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding and before the age of 7.
Do not use it also if you are allergic to Asteraceae.
In addition, daisies may be mildly irritating in some people.
There are no known medicinal contraindications or side effects regarding the use of this plant
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WILD SEORREL
Wild sorrel is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Polygonaceae family.
It grows in meadows and forest clearings. It can reach 30 to 90 cm.
It blooms from May to July. In herbal medicine, it is its leaves that are used.
What are its general properties?
- Antioxidant: reduces damage (cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diseases due to aging) caused by free radicals in the body
- Aperitif: opens the appetite
- Healing: promotes the healing of skin wounds
- Depurative : cleanses the blood
- Digestive: relieves digestion problems
- Diuretic: activates the elimination of urine
- Febrifuge: which decreases fever
- Laxative: helps to evacuate stool
- Refreshing: quenches thirst and lowers body temperature
- Tonic: stimulates the digestive system and the whole organism
- Deworming: eliminates intestinal worms
What can be treated with wild sorrel?
- Digestive and intestinal disorders: diarrhea, dysenteries, stomach aches, colic, loss of appetite
- Skin diseases: darters, acne, cleanses oily skin, revitalizes dull hair
- Cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers
- Deterioration of vision
- Hemorrhoid
- Mouth ulceration
- Fever
- Abscess
What are the contraindications?
It is advisable not to use this plant if you suffer from:
Rheumatism, gout, arthritis, kidney and bladder diseases, gastric hyperacidity, ulcers
What are the precautions for use?
Its use should be done in a moderate way wild sorrel contains oxalic acid which can irritate the esophageal pathway and create oxalate crystals.
Its use is also not recommended for pregnant women.
