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MAKING WELLNESS THE FOCUS OF CARE

A move toward wellness. One of the key elements of integrative medicine is a focus on the whole person. It's not surprising that physical activity and structured exercise offer many health benefits. By planning carefully and pacing yourself, you can make fitness a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime. If you are interested in improving your health, many integrative medicine practices can help. Not only to speed the recovery from illness or surgery but they can also help you cope with chronic condition.

PHYTOTHERAPY / BOTANICAL MEDICINE RESEARCH

A healthy life is a requirement for every individual. It is a state of being vigorous and free from bodily or mental diseases. By having good health, people can effectively execute their daily activities. Additionally, research, feeling good, and taking care of one's health are critically essential aspects of building self-esteem and self-image. However, people's health may deteriorate over time due to illness, prompting them to seek medical attention. The type of medication administered may vary depending on the individual's preferences. In this regard, people may seek clinical medicine or herbal medicine. Although herbal medicine is important, it has some adverse effects. The use of herbal medicine dates back to ancient cultures. These medicines are derived from plants and can cure infections and enhance general health and well-being. Some of them also have potent ingredients and should be handled carefully, just like pharmaceutical medications. The word herb is a Latin word 'herbal.' In ancient times, herbs referred to non-woody plants used for many purposes, including medicine, food, and certain spiritual activities. However, it refers to any plant part in the modern world, including stem, bark, flower, and roots. Generally, for many years, many parts of the world have been using herbal medicines. This can further be expounded by examining many ancient writings, especially in China and Egypt. Moreover, evidence exists that Indians, Hakims, and Europeans used herbs as medicine (Sharma et al., 2011). Before the administration of these herbal medicines, and herbal therapy was applied systematically. Among the ancient civilization, India has remained the only country that has specialized more in herbal medicine. It has numerous forests with various types of plants that are used for medicinal purposes. According to research, many kinds of these pharmaceuticals' medications are naturally obtained from compounds found in plants. For example, the medicine used to cure heart disease is derived from the foxglove plant. Although herbal medicine preparations are yet known, scientific research shows that these medicines contain active ingredients.

Over the past three decades, people have increasingly been using herbal medicines. Research shows that many people from different places of the world use herbal drugs to treat certain conditions. These medicines are also heavily used by people as alternative treatment options. Based on this fact, many healthcare centres use herbal medicines in their operations. Some years back, they were considered supplementary medicines, but recently, they have become mainstream in many parts across these countries. While places such as China, America, and the United Kingdom show a significant history concerning herbal medicines, this trend has been established in many other countries. People use these medicines because they believe that they are natural and safe, and as such, they promote a healthier life. Many people across different societies are increasingly using herbal medicines to cure their health conditions. Moreover, it is believed that this trend will keep on dominating in many societies. Scientifically, herbs and plants are processed and taken in different ways and forms, including salves, rubs, teas, and tablets.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE USE OF HERBAL MEDICINE

Research shows that many factors make people use herbal medicines. Many of these factors are acerbated by aspects such as people's beliefs and cultures. For many years, institutions have been conducting many research studies to determine the key reason why people use herbal medicines to treat diseases. According to Pal & Shukla (2003), people have developed that herbal medicines can effectively treat many chronic diseases. Most people now believe that herbal medicines are the most effective. This belief is shared among the rural dwellers who routinely continue to seek medical services from herbalists. Others even have an intense phobia towards clinically approved medicines. As a result, nothing seems to make these people change their thinking even if the government is willing to provide universal healthcare. In addition to this, other groups of of individuals feel more comfortable when consulting an herbalist than a professional medical doctor.

Another reason why people use herbal medicines is that they can be easily accessed and are cost-effective. Herbal medicines have remained the only available option and alternative source of treatment that is cheap. In this regard, people who cannot afford clinical medication go for herbal medicines. In general terms, the cost for herbal medicine cannot be compared to that of professional or clinical because most people living in any part of the world cannot afford the cost of modern medication (Aydin et al., 2008). Therefore, these salient reasons have made the majority of people continue using herbal medicines. Recently, there has also been an increased advertisement for herbal products, including herbal medicines. In one way or the other, this has captured people's attention and promoted them to test the efficacy of these products. Some herbalists also go the extra mile to conduct street and to door-to-door advertisements for herbal medicine. They post several posters and handbills, thus making it easier for different people to access them. They have gone digital by posting their medicines on social media platforms and outlining their importance.