If you watch television, then I'm sure you have noticed all of the advertisements for various medications. These remedies span from depression and arthritis, to migraines and cholesterol reduction. They all give the impression that this is the best medication for whatever illness it was designed for, showing the happy people who take them. Then, they start listing the potential side effects, and some of them sound more dangerous than the illnesses themselves.

Some of the doctors who prescribe these medications will often frown on taking an herbal alternative. To them, these natural medications are not really medicine and are a waste of time and money. While it's true that not every herbal remedy is as effective as it may be reported to be, studies have shown that many of them are. What these doctors fail to realize is that many of the chemical prescriptions are the synthetic equivalents of the herbal medications. Millions of dollars are spent each year on the study of plants and ways to get the same results by use of chemicals. One of the reasons this is done is because typically, natural medications can not be patented, but the chemical ones can. This allows pharmaceutical companies to gain more profits by carrying products that the other companies are not allowed to reproduce.

If you take a look at history, prior to chemical medications coming onto the market, herbal medications were given to treat illness. This is not to say that there haven't been huge advancements in technology that allows for disease to be treated more effectively. Unfortunately, chemical prescriptions can be very hard on the body. Natural medications derived from herbs are usually tolerated much better.  Natural medications also help to prevent diseases. One of the things that you often hear about is antioxidants. These are plant based compounds that fight all kinds of disease, such as Alzheimer's, cancer and other devastating illnesses. While an orange is not necessarily considered a medication, it is so high in vitamin C and antioxidants, that even doctors recommend eating them. The old saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" has been proven to be true, because apples contain pectin, a fiber that the body needs to function properly. This is being pointed out because logically, if plant based products can prevent disease, then they should be more widely used to treat it.

Recently, the medical field is giving more credence to natural medications. Many suggest using them for various diseases and all recommend that we include more fruits and vegetables in our diet. Before you start taking herbal medications, it's important to research them and get all of the facts. Don't stop taking any prescriptions without speaking to your doctor. Ask your physician about herbal medications that will complement your existing prescriptions or, if you can completely replace them with natural ones.