People have been practicing traditional medicine for thousands of years. There are many different systems of traditional practices that have been shaped by the environment where each first evolved such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda.
Throughout all of these systems the unifying philosophy is a holistic approach to wellness.8 Today, herbal supplements are the most popular and frequently used complementary health approach used by adults in the US.9 In places outside the US, traditional wellness practices are still used routinely in primary care, making up around 70% of global health care.9
The power of plants comes from phytonutrients. These compounds occur naturally in plants to help protect the plants but they can also have health-promoting properties for humans.
There are thousands of different phytonutrients with different effects on systems in the human body. Many botanicals contain phytonutrients that have immunomodulatory properties and can be used to support the immune system.
