Healing

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Using plants to heal injury and illness is often referred to as "Alternative Healing" here in the United States.  Considering that the majority of people in the world use plants (along with fungi, lichens, and animals) for their healing needs, and that these methods have existed far longer than allopathic (i.e., western) medicine, it seems inappropriate to refer to these methods as alternative.  Around the globe, aboriginal people and those seeking to live closer to the earth have a rich history of using wild plants to recover from debility.  Each region has its own extensive list of plants used for making herbal remedies.  This is closely associated with information on how to find and identify the plants, when to collect them, and how to prepare them.  This knowledge collectively forms a pharmacopia, which in developed countries mainly consists of synthetic pharmaceuticals, vitamins, and various supplements (none of which the people using these remedies know how to make).  Natural pharmacopias have the distinct advantage of empowering people, given that knowledge of medicinal plants can be learned and practiced by anyone willing to study their local landscapes.  Through an awareness of and deep appreciation for nature, everyone can reap the rewards of recovering the lost knowledge of medical botany.

Many studies (completed and ongoing) have helped people to better understand the mechanisms by which plants affect our physiology and aid the body in healing.  Plants use many different types of molecules (called phytochemicals) for their survival.  Medically-active phytochemicals serve many purposes for plants, including self defense, energy storage, and protection from harmful compounds.  When humans apply or ingest preparations made from plants, they are exposed to various phytochemicals that range from relatively inert to extremely potent (depending on the species and the dosage).  Put another way, plants use phytochemicals to communicate with the human body.  For some species of plants, the mechanism by which they work has been studied extensively and is, at least in part, understood.  However, many plants have not been examined carefully and how they produce an effect on the body is unknown.  Knowledge of natural pharmacopias and combined with the strengths of allopathic medicine (e.g., diagnosis, potential drug interactions, effects on the fetus) produce an effective and safe manner for healing.

As I have traveled to present information on medicinal plants and spoken with audience members and students, it has become clear there are a number of people who are suffering needlessly from the drawbacks of allopathic medicine.  These include high costs associated with treatments, harmful side effects, and ineffective medications (especially concerning antimicrobials and drug resistance).  Western medicine has strengths, but when it fails for an individual, that person often does not know where to turn.  I am interested in helping people develop a deeper awareness of nature and gain a closer connection to the earth.  I believe that healing with wild plants is one avenue for accomplishing these things (as well it develops self-sufficiency).  If you are interested in learning how to treat specific issues and recover from chronic ailments, please contact me for details.  I will provide information, including different treatment paths, you can consider without requiring financial compensation (i.e., I do not charge for my services nor do I sell herbal preparations).  Further, I will help you develop confidence in the recommended treatments by providing references that support the efficacy of the herbal remedies being discussed.  I am doing this because I feel it is important to make people aware of all the benefits wild things can bestow upon us.  Further, I am hoping that people will realize the importance of protecting wild places (large and small) as they learn more about the organisms that live there (people will only protect what they know and value).  Use the information provided on the Contact page to reach me.  From there we can discuss specifics and decide if plant medicines are appropriate for you.