Monasteries became centres of medical information and herb gardens were common which increased the practical knowledge of herbs. They can be taken in teas or infusions, or applied in fomentations, ointments, plasters and poultices. They are effective for treating an extremely wide range of ailments including ulcers, nervous conditions, bronchial catarrh, colds, boils, cramps, blood disorders, asthma, rheumatism, urinary problems, arthritis and many more. It is interesting to note that at lest one third of all modern pharmaceuticals today derive from, or are synthetic replicas of plant substances. Herbs can be used to strengthen the natural functions of the body and to rebalance the body in times of illness.
Modern herbalists tend to use herbs in combination to increase their beneficial effects.
Herbalism takes the holistic approach to healing and treats the person rather than the disease. As a result herbal preparations are prepared to individual needs according to a detailed assessment of that persons lifestyle, diet and exercise patterns. Certain herbs have, however, general applicable qualities and are commonly used in medicinal treatments.