“I would suggest that a major cause of illness is the disconnection with our own body, mind and [...]]]> Here are some of The Home Herbalist full course students’ thoughts on treating their family with herbal medicine. In other words what does it mean to them to be a Home Herbalist?

“I would suggest that a major cause of illness is the disconnection with our own body, mind and spirit. Staying connected to our selves and the needs of our bodies will aid recovery and help prevent reoccurrence of an illness. I also believe the closer to nature we can stay the easier and more holistic our recovery is going to be. It is well known that the drugs often used can cause problems and illness in other areas of the body whilst trying to heal a condition. I feel that giving our personal power away and allowing our families to consume large amounts of unnecessary drugs to fix illness that can be healed by a family member in our own home using natural remedies is aiding the disconnection people have to their own bodies. If we can treat minor illness in our own homes for our own families we can remain in touch with each other and stay connected to our selves, we can keep our personal power and be more self reliant and kinder to ourselves. I believe that our bodies instinctively know what we need and I believe that nature holds all we need to keep ourselves well mentally, physically and spiritually. I also see the need to ask the help of an expert when an illness is serious or the home healer can not find a remedy that helps the person they are treating. It is our responsibility to keep our selves and family healthy and well balanced at home but not to delay help from a professional if needed.” A.P.

“For me it is a personal journey back to my roots and that of my ancestors as Herbs have always featured greatly in the German culture and medicine. Unfortunately they also burnt a lot of the wisdom at the stake, so it is time to revive this ancient knowledge and work with nature, not against it. I don’t have a family to treat with herbs (grown up, not interested) for me it is merely a stepping stone on a whole new (old) path. Growing up in Germany meant constant exposure to herbs even in ‘modern medicine’ as the hospitals would always serve herbal tea throughout the day, offer Valerian to help settle worried and sleepless minds etc. I lived in a big house with flats, which also housed a huge herbal shop on the ground floor. The scent emanating from the shop would assail my olfactory senses every time I used to enter the building and must have left its mark somewhere. The course is a wonderful tool to empower individuals to move away from modern medicine with its authoritarian ‘expertise’ approach and enables them to confidently administer basic care and treatment to their family.” C.P.

“The first thing that comes to mind is that it is a fantastic way of getting the medicine that is needed into your body without having to have added chemicals put in the body. Treating my family with Herbal Medicine is as normal and natural as breathing.  My first impression when I started studying was utter amazement at the amount of conditions just one herb can heal.  Also with the exception of the odd warning how safe they are.  I am now under the impression that for every ailment that man has there is a cure for it in nature.

Apart from the reason mentioned above about the chemicals that are put in modern medicine my other reasons for wanting to use Herbal Medicine is because they are natural and if they were good enough for the ancients then they are good enough for me and my family.  Nature obviously provided everything we need so we should use it and take care of it and nurture nature.

Not only will it be very satisfying to be able to heal my family with Herbal Medicine but it will also be a great achievement to me to be able to grow, cultivate and make remedies as well as treat, to see the results at each stage and become very close friends with herbs and nature as it intended. ” J.S.

“My family is my most precious possession and consequently I want only the best for them. I encourage them to look after their physical bodies as I believe that the good health of the body is strongly linked to their emotional, social and spiritual well being. Herbal medicine is something that has always been of interest to me and I have used it in some small form over the years with my family. This comes from a belief that our earth has been created with the plants and other elements that are needed to treat illness. We just have to know where to find them and how to use them. I also believe that the human body was created with the inherent ability to heal itself provided that we are looking after our bodies to the best of our ability etc. diet, exercise and lifestyle. I also believe that man has been given knowledge that benefits us in what is today’s modern medicine and the two practices should be used together for the benefit of man.

Herbal medicine in my opinion is the best way to treat common complaints because the treatment doesn’t have the side effects that most conventional medicine does as the herbs also have the actions that counteract side effects that may occur; “a whole plant to treat a whole person.” Herbal medicine also treats the whole body in a holistic sense and not just the symptoms by treating the stress or emotional causes that maybe the underlying cause of the illness. Treating the family with botanical medicine is also cheaper, effective, less toxic and easily accessible with the added bonus of being used as a tonic, treatment and a preventative.” M.T.

“I have always loved herbs. I love their flavor and the way they make the food taste, then I discovered by putting a cut onion beside the bed at night, it can stop the tickle in the throat there by stopping you from coughing. Next it was simmering chopped onion in honey then taking a table spoon of the juice when you have the urge to cough, plantain to stop bleeding, thyme cough syrup and so on. I started buying books, which my children used to call my ‘Witches Book of Concoctions’. I loved that I could go into my garden and my pantry and make something up that   would give my children and husband a remedy that gave them relief from small ailments and I knew that it was all natural.

A couple of years ago my husband’s cherry picker fell over, with him in it, and he cracked the joint in his shoulder. A lovely Thai lady gave us a comfrey plant, heaps of  leaves to use as a poultice and comfrey oil, he was back to work in a couple of weeks, a bit slower but still he was out there (the Dr. just gave him pain killers a sling told him to go to physio sent him home).

Now I have been able to do this course with you and been given this opportunity to learn more  about each herb and their actions, learning how to make hot and cold oil infusions, ointments, decoctions etc, has made me hungering for more! My family doesn’t get sick often usually just the occasional common cold but I’m able to keep them healthy usually with infusions or massage some comfrey hot oil infusion on a sore muscle or two. I love the fact using herbs and a good diet can cure the cause not just the pain, and I get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction making my ‘Witches concoctions’!. Thank you.” W.V.

“The Uni student home for the weekend complains about cold sores, sinus and headaches saying ‘I can’t afford to see a Doctor”. From my dispensary I am able to give her ‘lotions and potions’ that will help. In the uni break we spend a lovely day together preparing a first aid kit for her.

The young grandson comes to visit; he has a cough and is not sleeping well. He readily takes the cough syrup I’ve made for him while his frazzled parents sip on chamomile tea.

The husband runs inside clutching his thumb and looking pale as a ghost. I give him rescue remedy and bath his crushed thumb in Hypericum. Ten minutes later he is back in his workshop.

The chooks have taken a beating from the rooster’s talons – missing feathers and nasty red sore patches on their lower back. I drizzle the oil infused with calendula, plantain & comfrey on the spots, three days later there’s no sign of angry weeping sores.

Walking around my garden I give thanks to the beautiful plants that provide such bounty. How satisfying, how enriching, how useful being able to use them to help others and share this age old knowledge.” W.C.

Belle Gibbons

The Home Herbalist Courses Tutor

In days of old many women practiced some form of herbalism in the home and only sought the services from the village herbalist when she needed to treat a family member for an illness she didn’t understand. Sadly, as time passed these skills in home herbalism were [...]]]>

In days of old many women practiced some form of herbalism in the home and only sought the services from the village herbalist when she needed to treat a family member for an illness she didn’t understand. Sadly, as time passed these skills in home herbalism were almost lost.

Fortunately, and thanks to those who were handed down much of the knowledge, a resurgence of herbalism began in the twentieth century and continues today. We now have professional herbalists throughout many countries who have taken the place of the village herbalist of long ago. And more and more women (and men) are becoming interested in practicing herbalism in the home, in other words, using herbal remedies to treat their family and pets for common ailments.

There are many common conditions that can be treated successfully in the home using herbal remedies yet many people readily consult their health practitioner whether that is a herbalist, naturopath or medical doctor. Quite often antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily when medicinal herbs would suffice with the bonus of not having the side effects that antibiotics do such as killing off valuable gut flora.

When prescribed correctly herbal medicine has few side effects despite what the media portrays at times. However, self-prescribing herbal medicine without good knowledge of  its actions and the conditions to be treated can prove detrimental at times. A sound knowledge of the herbs being used is vital because, for example, there are herbs that raise or lower blood pressure and if given to someone with high or low blood pressure can cause problems. Another example is anti-platelet (blood thinning) herbs that shouldn’t be taken by someone who is on Aspirin or Warfarin.

While I encourage people to take more control of their common health conditions by using herbal remedies I also encourage good sound common sense. When purchasing over-the counter herbal products read the labels well to make sure the remedy won’t interact with medications you are taking, cause an allergic reaction, shouldn’t be taken if you are pregnant, breast feeding or may exacerbate your health condition. Also, if you’re under the care of a health professional it’s very important to advise them of any natural remedies you are taking because medicinal herbs are plant drugs and have the potential to interact with any prescribed medication whether it’s orthodox or natural.

Treating your family for common ailments with herbal remedies is treating them with the medicine Mother Nature has provided for us. This is much more health giving than using orthodox drugs and should you or a family member ever need the assistance of orthodox medication in a severe illness then your bodies will react to it much better and in certain instances this can be life-saving.

Orthodox medicine certainly has its place and is very necessary and important when needed, however, herbal medicine also has its place and should be used whenever possible. A very wise physician once said, “First the word, then the herbs, then drugs, then the knife”. I strongly believe this too.

Please seriously consider bringing herbalism in to your home. Gain as much knowledge as you can, learn how to correctly make herbal remedies from herbs you grow or purchase and begin treating your family for those ailments that really don’t need professional consultation. Become a part of the tradition of handing down natural healing from mother to daughter or father to son – let’s keep it alive now and for generations to follow.

Belle Gibbons

Medical Herbalist, Mother, Grandmother, Great- Grandmother

ATMS Member 4763

The Home Herbalist Owner, Author and Tutor

Recent studies have found the extract of holy basil significantly increases immune response and was beneficial in treating recurrent respiratory tract infection. In an uncontrolled trial holy basil extract relieved breathlessness and helped vital capacity in TPE (tropical pulmonary eosinophilia).

Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum also known as Ocimum [...]]]>

Recent studies have found the extract of holy basil significantly increases immune response and was beneficial in treating recurrent respiratory tract infection. In an uncontrolled trial holy basil extract relieved breathlessness and helped vital capacity in TPE (tropical pulmonary eosinophilia).

Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum also known as Ocimum sanctum), is an aromatic herb containing a characteristic essential oil.

In Hindu culture it’s regarded as a sacred plant and belongs to the same family as sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). There are several species of basil that are regarded as the most sacred of plants in the Hindu religion but Ocimum tenuiflorum is probably considered the most sacred, which has given rise to its English common names, holy basil and sacred basil.

Australian Aboriginals use the herb as a mild tonic and to treat colds while in Ayurvedic traditional medicine the highly regarded aerial parts of the plant are used dried or fresh to treat bronchitis, chronic fever, liver and gastric problems, catarrh, malaria, blood impurities, haemorrhage, and skin diseases. In Vietnam the herb has been used traditionally to treat headache, influenza, the common cold and many other conditions. Traditional Fijian and Thai medicine also uses holy basil to  improve circulation and to treat peptic ulcer, and stress.

A good expectorant is made by combining holy basil fresh leaves with honey and ginger juice. It’s very beneficial for childhood fever, bronchitis, and coughs. Various cultures often eat fresh leaves daily to help maintain good health.

Warning: Not to be taken during pregnancy

My husband and I lost quite a [...]]]> What a year so far. There’s been so much turmoil and grief for the many people who have been affected by flooding, cyclones, and fire. My family has also been affected, which is why I am so late catching up with this blog.

My husband and I lost quite a lot when we had flash floods here. The driveway on our property was badly damaged and we hadn’t finished moving in to our new house so we lost a lot of things that were in a storage unit in town and weren’t covered by insurance because they had been in there longer than the stated period. After seeing the devastation other people have had to go through we got off very lightly although it’s taken a lot of time to clean the things we did salvage and we still haven’t finished. We really feel for those who’ve had to clean smelly mud from houses, and businesses and  most of all for those who’ve lost loved ones.

Our youngest daughter, her partner and eight week old baby survived a terrifying night while the home they were evacuated to was battered by Cyclone Yasi. They had to leave their own home because it was in a low lying area (Tully Heads). Their house is still standing but everything inside was wiped out by the storm surge. After the cyclone my daughter and her baby flew down to our place and stayed here for a couple of weeks. Her partner finished cleaning up the mess and drove the many kilometres to pick my daughter and her baby up and they are on their way back north to sort out insurance etc. They will be living in a family member’s home until they can find a place to live because it will take many months before their own house can be repaired. Other family members have also been affected by Yasi and are now in the recovery stage. It must be so devastating to see your home ruined by flood, fire and cyclone yet those affected are so brave and ready to recover and return to a normal way of life. It makes me so proud to be an Aussie.

Now for the herb part of this blog. I made up a herbal mixture for my daughter to help her through this erratic time and in the mixture I included green oats, which is a wonderful nerve restorative. I would have liked to have also given her medicinal licorice because it is an adaptogen and a wonderful herb to restore the adrenal glands after a period of stress but because she is breastfeeding I could only prescribe herbs that aren’t too strong and will not have an effect on the baby.

Further to this my grandson had a bad case of thrush on his tongue and inside his lips so we treated him with a remedy that I teach in a subject in The Home Herbalist Full Course, Treating Children and Babies. For large patches of thrush make a mixture of half Calendula tincture and half chamomile infusion and, using a cotton bud, apply the mixture over the area. After the first application the thrush had almost completely disappeared and after the next application the following day it had completely disappeared and has not returned. Isn’t herbal medicine just wonderful?

I have just designed a new herb garden and will soon have it under way in readiness for when I begin herbal workshops later in the year. I will post updates and photos as the work progresses.

Until next time.

Belle

I say unfortunately because it has some excellent healing properties that still have a use today. Those of you who have this [...]]]> Although this delightful medicinal herb was one of the first herbs I  learned about when I studied to become a medical herbalist, it seems to have unfortunately lost its popularity among today’s herbalists.

I say unfortunately because it has some excellent healing properties that still have a use today. Those of you who have this herb growing in your garden are truly blessed. I had it growing on the property we had on the Atherton Tableland but it didn’t seem to like it there so didn’t do very well; perhaps the climate wasn’t warm enough for it.

Herb Robert, a member of the geranium family, is also known as cranesbill, bloodwort, red robin, and felonwort. The main action of the herb is astringent, which gives it the ability to treat external conditions such as bruises and skin irritations.

From medieval times the herb has been applied as a compress to stop bleeding and heal wounds. Because of its astringency it is also used to treat diarrhoea.

Originating in Europe, Herb Robert can be found growing wild along banks, in ditches, and in clearings. It’s an annual that grows up to 60 cm (2 feet), with a reddish branched stem that is sticky and hairy, and palmate leaves with light green purple edged leaflets. Flowers have five pink petals and five purple sepals and appear from summer to autumn. Seed pods are shaped like cranesbills, which has given rise to one of its common names. When handled the herb gives off a strong and disagreeable scent but this is tolerated because of its healing abilities.

I have used the leaves to successfully draw poisons from the body. Crush two handfuls of leaves and add them to a basin. Pour boiling water over them and let steep until the liquid is lukewarm. Then have the patient place the hands or feet in to the basin, depending where the poison is. It works well for drawing toxins from swollen lymph nodes or septic conditions such as boils.