How is herbalism different from modern day pharmaceuticals?

1. When using herbs as medicine, you are employing the entire plant (root, flower, leaf, rhizome, etc) which consists of hundreds or thousands medicinal constituents (called phytochemicals) which address specific and myriad issues. This differs from pharmaceuticals which are manufactured to isolate and compound one or two constituents. Pharmaceuticals, standardized as they are, do not always take into account the synergy of multiple body systems, often leading to unnecessary and potent side effects.

2. Herbal medicines were not created for your specific diseases and illness, therefore there is no herb to “treat arthritis” or to “treat IBS”. Herbal remedies are custom created for you- a whole person experiencing specific symptom manifestation with a specific constitution that is uniquely yours. Herbs, when combined together in a custom compounded form, can be remarkably effective in providing holistic treatment that is not just symptom specific, but whole body supporting. The plants work with YOU, as an individual.

3. Herbalism works with your body, restoring normal systems. Pharma usually replaces things and does not have this goal- pharma wants you staying on pharma. Herbal protocols are designed to be temporary and plan for their own obsolesence.

4. Herbalism looks at plant energetics (as well as actions) and then looks at the person needing plants (and their constitutions and how their symptoms manifest). Only after taking all this into consideration is an herb or formula recommended.