Now let's picture a little scary scenario.
Now, just imagine waking up one morning, and you hear on the news that the last pill has been swallowed and every pharmacy is now empty without drugs. Not just that, you hear that the pharmaceutical companies that are always creating and experimenting on new drugs and medicines are now out of production.
It just becomes like the Stone Age, where man depended on herbs and trees for healing. Now we're left with an important question, which is, can a man survive on herbs alone?
Trust me, I know it sounds terrifying. If we picture the achievements, the feats, and how advanced the health sector has come with technology and modern-day medicine, we will realise that with herbs alone, we might not be able to achieve such.
But then again, thousands of years before Modern medicine, man was surviving by what nature gave to them. Every city, community, and village has its healer, and what do they heal with? They healed with what nature gave to them. Herbs to soothe a fever, ease pain or even heal wounds. Some of these ancient practices are still alive today, though in a modernised form.
For example, the ancient Romans used garlic as a great antibiotic, known to be packed with powerful compounds that can help to boost immune systems, reduce inflammation and fight infections. You'll agree with me that even today, garlic is still a great antibiotic prescribed to be added to our foods by doctors.
But there's a tricky part to herbs. It works quite well, but not as fast or as reliable as modern-day medicine.
For example, if you take painkillers for pain today. It works within minutes because it has already been clinically analysed or experimented on (pardon if that wasn't the right term). But if it were to be the herbs, you'd have to first get them from the source, grind it, prepare it and turn it into the medicine before you administer it. Then it takes longer than before.
Now that's for a condition like simple pains.
What about critical conditions like cancer or sickle cell? Of course, you and I both know there are no herbs known to cure cancer or sickle cell. This is where the limitations of these herbs become glaring. They might be herbs to stabilise the condition but for how long?
So, can humans survive on herbs when the pills are out? Yes.
But there'll be a whole lot of limitations to it. Also, be reminded that we're not knowledgeable of the effective use of these plants or herbs as our ancestors did. Some of this knowledge has been lost over time. So even if we are to relearn it, we still need to pass it down to generations coming after us. There's a whole lot of work to be put in place.
The good thing about herbs that our forefathers lived on was that there wasn't much sickness like we have today. Because they are healthy.
So, without modern medicine, we would tend to turn to preventive care by avoiding a whole lot of junk that causes all these illnesses or risks that can lead to serious injury and sticking to natural foods or preventive care.
There will be a drastic change in how we live. We'll be guided to live closer to nature. Connecting to its healing power. Understanding the health in our earth.
So in a world where we can't manufacture modern medicines anymore? We will survive but only if we return to the basics, which is nature.
Like I said earlier. There's health in our earth.
