Herbs have been used as a standard practice of  health-care for thousands of years. History has accumulated a vast knowledge of healing with plants Ayurvedic, Chinese, Native American, Homeopathy and Aromatherapy all have herbs in common providing us with a huge variety of healing options.

      There are over 750,000 plants on planet Earth and they all contain chemical compounds that can be converted in to hormones, vitamins and minerals to sustain human-kind Hippocrates once said “Let your food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food”.  In healing herbs address the root cause of the condition not just the symptoms working like precision instruments providing over-all support for the body.

      With the introduction of scientific pharmaceuticals herbs became associated with quackery, witchcraft and voodoo. What I find interesting is that science still pooh-poohs’ herbs yet they are extracting chemicals from plants that are beneficial for health conditions; the same plants that herbalist for years have used for the same conditions. Today more than 25% of our medicines originate from isolated plant compounds or synthesized versions those compounds. When this is done side effects occur because pharmaceuticals don’t work synergistically like plants do. Even Eli Lily the originator of the pharmaceutical company once said “a drug isn’t a drug unless it has side effects.

     What science forgot to do is look at the whole plant. With the infinite wisdom of the creator there are chemicals in plants that can be dangerous but when using the whole plant there are also chemicals in the very same plant that are protective much like an antidote.

     I am not saying that pharmaceutical medicines are bad they do save lives. I just become very upset when I still hear Doctors calling herbs “voodoo”.  I believe that herbs and pharmaceuticals can safely be used to complement one another physicians and herbalists can work together. It wasn’t that long ago that a member of my family developed a rare brain tumor so rare that before him no-one survived and his only option was radiation no surgery or chemo could help. He opted for radiation plus herbs and he informed his physician of this Docs’ reaction was “as long as the herbs don’t cause side effects”. Using my herbal training I blended herbs to protect his body from the side effects of the radiation and herbs that had been found in the past to shrink tumors.  I am glad to say that over five years later he is doing well. His doctors are still amazed. He never got sick or missed a day of work throughout his treatment. Why him and no one else?

     People are becoming dissatisfied with pharmaceuticals and all of their side effects. Some of the side effects are worse than the original problem. I was watching TV the other day and there is a medicine that can increase your desire to gamble (check it out I’m not kidding).

     I’m not saying no medication. I’m asking why not herbs?

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