Up through the 1800s, the primary form of medicine across the globe came from plants. The switch from natural remedies to manufactured drugs happened in the early 1900s when Rockefeller took a hand in coining a new era, branding natural medicine as quackery and essentially abolishing it overnight in the western world. Since then, there has been a large divide in medicine that has bred competition between both approaches.
At Potion, we believe that both East & West, Ancient & Modern, Natural & Pharmaceutical medicine have a place in this world and on people’s healing journeys. However, our mission is to bring credibility back to holistic and natural remedies, because at their core, our bodies have the ability to heal themselves. When 80% of your health is determined by your lifestyle, how you promote your healthy nature is determined by how you care for yourself daily. And your immunity is at the core of how you show up everyday.
Natural Remedies Vs. Pharmaceutical Drugs
Natural remedies and pharmaceutical drugs differ in several ways, including their mechanism of action, potential side effects, and how long they take to work in the body.
Natural remedies, also known as alternative or complementary medicine, usually involve using plants, herbs, vitamins, or minerals to support the body's natural ability to heal itself. Medicinal herbs are rich in powerful antioxidants and can help inhibit viral infections from entering the body or reproducing [1]. These remedies stimulate the body's innate healing processes and have the potential to accelerate the body’s immunity to fight against infections [2]. Due to the nature of the immune support herbal remedies help promote, they may take longer to show results than pharmaceutical drugs. Natural remedies may also have fewer side effects than manufactured pharmaceutical drugs, which often come with a long list of potential side effects. Nature tends to be gentler on the body and can heal not only the physical, but also the mental and spiritual. The human body is impacted by innumerable environmental and lifestyle influences, making a multifactorial medical approach important [3].
On the flip side, pharmaceutical drugs do have their place if you are looking for something that works fast and targets specific disease processes. They are typically synthetized in a laboratory using chemical or biological processes and often act quickly and provide immediate relief of symptoms. However, pharmaceutical drugs can also have potentially serious side effects and may not address the underlying cause of the health issue, instead just treating the surface-level problem and leaving the user reliant on more drugs.
Both natural remedies and pharmaceutical drugs have their place in modern medicine, and the best approach for you depends on the your own health needs and preferences. It's always a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.
How Long Do Ayurvedic Remedies Take to Work?
The time it takes for natural remedies to take effect can vary depending on the remedy, the individual's health condition, and other factors.
Herbs and supplements may take a few weeks or a few months to have a noticeable effect. This is because they work by supporting the body's natural healing mechanisms and they may need time to build up in the body to have a therapeutic effect. When you use natural medicine to take responsibility for your own health, it is important to view those measures as a long-term investment to be maintained instead of a “quick fix” [4]. If you go to the gym for one day, you wouldn’t expect to see any positive results right away - instead, you know that it will take several weeks of commitment before you start to see and truly feel the end reward.
Natural remedies provide maximum benefits when used for long-term prevention and management of chronic health conditions, and aren’t always the best suited to instantly cure acute illnesses. However, taking herbs and other natural medicine over a longer period of time helps build up your body’s natural fighting abilities so that it can be your biggest ally in self-healing.
Support Immunity Naturally
Here are some natural ways to support your immunity:
- Eat a healthy diet: A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can provide essential vitamins and minerals to support your immune system.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated can help to support immune function by flushing out toxins and promoting healthy cellular function. Using a copper cup when hydrating provides several health benefits and helps keep your body in balance.
- Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night to give your body the rest it needs to repair and restore itself.
- Manage stress: Chronic stress can weaken the immune system over time, so finding healthy ways to manage stress, such as through exercise, meditation, or deep breathing, can be beneficial for immune function.
- Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help to support immune function by reducing inflammation, improving circulation, and promoting healthy cellular function.
- Get some sunshine: Vitamin D, which is produced by the body in response to sunlight, plays an important role in immune function. Spending time outdoors in the sun can help to support healthy vitamin D levels.
- Practice good hygiene: Washing your hands regularly, avoiding touching your face, and avoiding contact with sick individuals can help to reduce the spread of germs and support immune function. Oral health is important to full body health, and adding tongue scraping to your morning routine is a great way to help eliminate harmful bacteria while beating bad breath.
- Take your daily Potion: Use our delicious and effective Immunity Potion in your morning water, tea, or directly in your mouth for an immune boost through a bouquet of 12 Ayurvedic healing herbs.
Use these strategies daily to help to support your immune system and maintain optimal health and well-being!
Immunity is at the core of how you show up every day, and pursuing a healthy lifestyle is one of the highest forms of love to yourself. At Potion, we are bringing you the ultimate power in a bottle - conscious Ayurvedic wisdom packed in the highest quality ingredients and a delicious, bioavailable, convenient format. Have more questions? Check out our FAQ page to learn everything you need to know.
