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Do You Know Your Herbs?
Discover Whether You Have A Career Calling As An Expert Herbalist

Alternative Medicine Schools | Natural Healers Career Resource Center

Herbs and medicinal plants have been used for millennia in traditional medicine, and many are still used today in the practice of alternative medicine. Even modern medical practices recognize the viability and usefulness of a multitude of plants, and scientists have studied their chemical components to synthesize medications based on natural compounds. One of the best-known examples is the cancer drug Taxol, which was originally synthesized from the bark of the Pacific yew tree.

Nevertheless, many myths still circulate about the uses—and dangers—of herbs. A plant that's helpfulin adult patients may be harmful to children or pets. Conventional wisdom—or great-grandma—might tell you that a certain herb is useful for your dry skin, but studies in alternative medicine may prove that it isn't so effective after all. Take this quiz and find out how much you know about some common herbal therapies.

5 – 6 Correct: Expert Herbalist
2 – 4 Correct: Alternative Medicine Amateur
0 – 1 Correct: Natural Health Newbie

1. Which of the following is NOT a widespread use of the plant Aloe vera?

1. Topical healing of skin burns
2. Moisturizing of dry skin
3. Orally as a laxative
4. Orally as a stimulant

2. Many common household plants, including herbs we find delicious or medicinally useful, can irritate the digestion of pets or even be a danger to their health. Which of these is safe for animals?

1. Eucalyptus
2. Wild cherry
3. Ginger
4. Garlic

3. Sometimes, herbs we think of as dangerous poisons may also have therapeutic usefulness. Which of the following "poisons" is NOT also used in alternative or traditional medicine?

1. Belladonna
2. Hemlock
3. Foxglove
4. Mistletoe

4. A great many herbs we commonly use in the kitchen to flavor our foods are also useful in alternative medicine—including which of the following?

1. Turmeric
2. Garlic
3. Peppermint
4. All of the above

5. The herb astragalus has been commonly used to treat respiratory ailments and boost the immune system in which traditional form of alternative medicine?

1. Traditional Chinese medicine
2. Ayurvedic medicine
3. Reiki
4. All of the above

6. This popular beverage has been advocated for the prevention of certain cancers, as well as for improving alertness, assisting weight loss, and lowering cholesterol:

1. Ginger tea
2. Cranberry juice
3. Green tea
4. Black tea

Answers

1. d. Orally as a stimulant – Aloe vera is a common ingredient in over-the-counter and traditional treatments for burns, dryness, and other skin ailments. It has also proven very effective as a treatment for constipation, and is being researched for uses in cancer prevention and diabetes.

2. c. Ginger – Similar to its use in humans, ginger can be used to treat nausea and motion sickness in our furry friends as well. However, check with your veterinarian to ensure that there won't be negative contraindications with any other medications your pet is taking.

3. b. Hemlock – Though hemlock is well-known as a poisonous plant, the other three options have all demonstrated medical usefulness—even belladonna, which has been used to treat headache, airway obstruction, and premenstrual syndrome.

4. d. All of the above – Traditionally, turmeric has been used to treat a variety of ailments, and scientific studies are currently assessing its effect as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer treatment. Garlic is often advocated as a remedy for high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Peppermint has long been used in teas or as essential oil to settle the stomach.

5. a. Traditional Chinese Medicine – This plant native to China has been used there for centuries, though it has only gained popularity in the U.S. since the 1980s. There are over 2,000 species of astragalus, though only two of them are widely used for health purposes.

6. c. Green tea – Whether ingested as a tasty and soothing beverage or as a capsule, green tea and its extracts have gained increasing popularity in the western world, and are the focus of a myriad of scientific studies to determine their therapeutic potential in serious chronic ailments such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

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