Herbal medicine: I know what you are thinking – What can herbs really do anyway? Will they make a real difference in my life? Isn’t this all just placebo or worse yet, bogus?

I get it. Herbs are not considered mainstream medicine anymore. We don’t go to a medicine man when we get sick, we go to a doctor. We fill our prescriptions at a pharmacy (hopefully only after taking a good look at the possible side effects.) We call a nurse hotline when our kids start running a fever. We turn to over the counter painkillers for just about every ailment under the sun. But what if that isn’t the only way?

Most of the pills that likely fill your medicine cabinet are actually based on herbs. A component in willow bark was the impetus for aspirin. Science takes single chemical properties of an herb and mass produces them to create the effect that herb has on the human body. It sounds great in theory, but the downside is that taking a single component out of the whole synergistic package creates imbalances and side effects not found from using the original herb.

So if herbs are the basis for most of our modern medicine, it easy to see why you might hear me say, “I have an herb for that.” Plant medicine can be very effective at treating all kinds of ailments as well as preventing them. One of my favorite immune boosting herbs to use as a preventative during the winter months is echinacea. From the common cold, cataracts, high blood pressure, rashes, osteoporosis, arthritis, allergies, hormone imbalances, constipation, anxiety, digestive upset, shock, bleeding, even broken bones…the list is endless.

While many people choose to turn to herbal medicine for less serious issues, it can even be valuable in emergency situations. Thankfully, for those who feel more comfortable with modern medicine, true emergency care through a standard hospital is invaluable and often life-saving. However, Dr. John Christopher, the gentleman who started the herbal school that I received my education from was well known for treating all kinds of ailments. He not only successfully treated people for all types of cancers and lifelong chronic conditions, but he even treated clients who were having heart attacks without losing a single one.

Dr. John Christpher often commented that “There are no incurable diseases, only incurable people.” Even if you feel like your specific situation is beyond hope, there are still benefits in improving your quality of life. Who knows, you might even be surprised by the healing that happens.

Is herbal medicine something you currently use? If not, what is stopping you?