It is not difficult to imagine herbal medicine as one of the most ancient forms of medicine. Perhaps touch healing and dietary changes came first. The desire to touch an inflicted area is instinctual and evolved into many sophisticated forms of hands-on-healing. Diet also is primary. When sick we often have no desire to eat. Fasting is often very healing. In addition to simply eating or not eating, what is eaten, how much of it, and other factors such as preparation all affect health. Balancing one’s diet is a form of healing. Herbalism can be seen as an extension of diet. Many herbs can also be used as foods. Edible roots and greens can be eaten as all or parts of meals; and those plant parts that are too tough to chew can be included in soup broths, brewed into herbal beverages, or used as condiments. The spices we use to season foods all have medicinal virtues.
Stronger herbs that would not easily become part of daily eating can be prepared for special uses. Concentrated herbal drinks and poultices were certainly some of the earliest forms of medicine. Today we also make tinctures, salves, cough syrups, and other preparations. Traditional herbal medicines are currently made into pharmaceutical preparations, or if the actual herb isn’t used its constituents are often copied synthetically.
From the beginning of herbal medicine up to recent history many people (especially mothers and grandmothers) were herbalists. Just as feeding one’s family was a basic part of daily life, so was caring for members of the family that fell ill. Women who were tending vegetables gardens and collecting wild foods would also grow and collect medicinal herbs. Those who were gifted or who developed more skill in healing than the average person might become a healer for the whole village, but in general herbal medicine has always been the people’s medicine.
Many of the traditional herbal traditions have been lost over the last few generations. With the development of modern medicine people became more dependent on experts. The gathering of local herbs was replaced by driving to doctor appointments. But there is still a deep desire in people to care for themselves. And there is a strong need in our country’s health care system for preventative medicine. On many different levels people need to re-learn how to use herbs.
As an herbalist I meet many people who are interested in using herbal medicines. They like the idea of using natural medicines. They don’t like the side effects so common to pharmaceuticals, or modern medicine was unable to help them. They want to learn more about the environment and their connection to it, which includes all the medicinal plants that grow wild all around us and our ability to use them to maintain our health. Perhaps they remember their mothers or grandmothers using herbs and they realize that the awareness of how to use herbs was lost in recent generations and is missed from their lives. The reasons for wanting to know about herbal medicine are numerous.
The practical details of herbalism can be overwhelming for the average person. What herbs should be used? What form should be used? How much? How often? Et cetera. In response to these questions, herbal medicine is growing. Health food stores and pharmacies are stocking more and more herbal products and bulk herbs. Magazines and books are being constantly published to empower people to take charge of their own health and utilize the vast array of medicinal herbs available. The movement towards herbal medicine is truly revolutionary. It heals and empowers people, it revives preventative medicine, and it connects people to nature.
Nathaniel Whitmore lives in Damascus, PA. He teaches about herbs and offers consultations at the Honesdale Wellness Center, Sacred Spaces Alternative Healing Center, and the Lodge at Woodloch. He offers wild plant and mushroom walks throughout our area.