An Herbalist Walks Into a Doctor's Office and Says I'm Ready to See My First Patient

Picking right up where I left off last time, I feel as Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole. What started out solely as a curiosity in the roots of the medical profession and when exactly the move was to more our more modern practices of man made and chemical compound based medical practices. Don't get me wrong, but when I started this endeavor of a more nature based lifestyle some people seemed to draw this picture of being more like Professor Trelawney or a commune Hippy from a 70s tv show. So I wondered where it all changed, as medical practitioners weren't always using prescription drugs, vials of chemical concoctions, and machines to help their patients.

When my interest was peaked, I began focusing on more academic journals and encyclopedic articles from Britannica and World Book for brief overviews on the subject of herbalism and the medical profession. What I found was interesting in the way that it seems herbalism, or more commonly herbal medicine, is classified under Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. In fact, in the introductory article on Herbal Medicine it shared that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers any herb based product or remedy as a "dietary supplement, a product that is taken in addition to a normal balanced diet but is not a food or drug." This can be risky, as it also means they are not as regulated as food and drugs are that for general consumption. From that little tidbit of information, I glean that you really want to know who is manufacturing your herbal tinctures, remedies, and other natural products--not to mention get to know some herbalists who can give you guidance on making your own herbal medicines and products. 

Looking at other sources herbal medicine goes back approximately 5,000 years in recorded history, with the first written record of its uses being from the Sumerians in Mesopotamia (HerbalAcademy.com). However, in De La Foret's book she connects what many practice today to the school of thought of Hippocrates who is said to have remarked, "Let food be thy medicine." He also taught that disease dwelled within man and they weren't punishment by the gods. He of course of imprisoned for heresy, much many scientists and ideologists throughout history who found more evidence based means of why certain events happen.

And yet, even with herbal medicines rich history, most of the academic articles I've read shared in some variation that the research and practices of herbal medicine through the "framework of evidence-based medicine is fairly new" (Karbwang, et al.). So, its not all a bunch of mumbo jumbo. You can actually even get a doctorate in Herbal Medicine, however you will either be a PhD or a ND, as there is still very little proof for the medical science community to classify you as an MD. You are in good company there with psychologists.

As a side note, I think it is worth mentioning that there are more medical practitioners and researchers who are focusing more in the area of herbal medicine research. I was finding that more of these researchers were utilizing the scientific methodologies of the modern Western world to discover more about the validity of herbal remedies. Just from my findings I discovered a real focus in exploring more areas of alternative medicine for a better understanding of how to assist patients who suffer from the more aggressive cancers, in an effort to find alternatives to radiation and invasive surgery. So, who knows where the medical field will evolve to just a decade from now.

**I have found in many of the articles and texts I've read that they always seem to make the disclaimer that they are no way promoting a person not go seek medical attention. I wish to add such a disclaimer here. The information I provide here are from many resources and all of them have a similar approach, this is not to be a replacement for getting the medical care and attention you may need, merely this is to inform you so that you can have more open, honest, knowledgeable conversations with a medical provider. There are medical professionals out there that do practice more homeopathic methods and it is your right to choose who provides you with care, but it is best to have knowledge before making any such decisions.