Many people have a gross misconception of what an herbalist is and does.  It has nothing to do with being vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy free, or any of that.  It is simply a person who uses herbs in their daily life to supplement a healthy diet, and also uses herbs for medicinal purposes in lieu of pharmaceutical drugs that are not life-saving or prescribed.  However, one should always check with their doctor or pharmacist before doing such things because certain herbs interact badly with prescribed medications that could be keeping you alive, thereby rendering them useless or even deadly.

Many people also choose to go with herbal remedies because they are cost-effective and, many times, more effective than anything that could be purchased over the counter.  For instance, catnip is a member of the mint family, and good for more than making your kitty do funny things.  It is also a wonderful gas relief to colicky babies when brewed as a tea.  You can find catnip just about anywhere, but I recommend you get it from an organic store, as it is more likely to be food-grade catnip, versus the stuff you put in kitty’s toys.  On a side note, should you ever notice your cat playing with a cough drop or something with menthol in it, now you know why. J  It’s the chemical makeup of the mint plant (which means, if you smoke menthols, keep them where she can’t reach them).

A very important rule to remember, if you are unfamiliar with the herbalist lifestyle, is that you should always get fresh or dried herbs that have been grown away from chemicals and pesticides that could do serious damage to your body systems.  Think of it this way…if it can kill a bug, it can kill you too.  End of story. 

This reminds me of a story I tell once in a while.  I remember like it was yesterday, the day I quit drinking soda.  My dad was outside working on the car, and asked me to bring him the sodabottle in the refridgerator.  I thought he was going to refill his cup, and was fascinated and stunned when he poured it all over the outside of the car battery to clean it up.  Right then I knew, anything that can eat away battery acid is NOT going in my body ever again.  Occasionally I still sneak a glass or two, but for the most part, I haven’t touched soda in about five years now and I don’t miss it one bit.  I certainly don’t miss the sugar crashes that come with it, either.

I digress…when you purchase anything that has been commercially grown, whether it be fruits, vegetables, or herbs, you should always wash them immediately when you get them home to remove any chemicals and dirt that may be lingering from the farms, trucks, and distribution centers where they were prepared for sale.  Personally, I have seen the inside of a produce truck straight from the farm, and it’s not as sterile as they’d have you believe, so please err on the side of caution and wash your food.

There are many ways to learn about herbs, from groups like Erie Area Herbalists, based in Pennsylvania, to educational courses.  In fact, HeartofHerbs.com teaches a correspondence course for the herbalist lifestyle if you are seriously considering adopting it as your only source of health and wellness aside from food.  While an official educational course offers you the chance to become certified, it is not necessary to be certified as an herbalist to use herbs.  I highly doubt that the early settlers told the Native Americans that they had to be certified before teaching them about how to use the land.  Nope.  Doing research is the best way to learn about herbs.  Talk to people, read books, blogs, articles, anything trustworthy that you can get your hands on to fully understand the world of herbs.  I have enclosed a short list of trusted sites for more information.

University of Maryland—excellent source of information, no matter what the subject.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/herbal-medicine-000351.htm

Alternative Nature Online Herbal—pics and information on hundreds of herbs & plants, put together by the owner of the website herself.

http://www.altnature.com

Holistic Online—directory of holistic and herbal businesses and information centers.

http://www.holisticonline.com

How Stuff Works—online information center on a vast array of subjects.

http://health.howstuffworks.com/herbal-remedies-channel.htm

Natural Herbs Guide—natural herbs, remedies, medicine and supplies.