Frustrated with the ineffective protocols of allopathic medicine to treat an ear infection in my son and also with a severe condition I had in my pregnancies, I received my certificate as a medicinal herbalist in 1999. I continue to study and use that knowledge for my family, friends, pets, and livestock. The following are the benefits that I particularly like about natural medicine:
- Natural medicine treats the whole person and the root cause(s) instead of symptoms. It takes into account the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health, habits, and much more and looks to correct imbalances.
- It is a more gentle approach with fewer side effects. One reason for fewer side effects is that when you use a whole herb, one not only gets the target naturally occurring chemical that can improve health, but one also gets the other naturally occurring chemicals in the plant. These other naturally occurring chemicals can help the curative action and/or help protect the body from side effects.
- Natural medicine practitioners use individualized care instead of trying to fit everyone in a standardized box-like industrial health care.
- Natural medicine also places greater importance on preventative care.
- It can also complement conventional medicine.
- One of the things I like the most about it is that it helps shift the mindset of people to one of being their own healthcare provider. It puts them in charge by giving them information that can help them make their own educated decisions.
