Why go to the trouble of making herbal remedies when the drug store is a block away?  In terms of history, this question has only been around for about 3 generations - maybe 100 years or so. People in the past didn't have drug stores.  And surprise, they didn't have headaches, indigestion, gas, or constipation either.  Before Alka-Seltzer and Ex-Lax, herbs and their extracts were used, and they WORKED! 

One of the biggest problems with modern medicine is the overuse of antibiotics.  We have used antibiotics to a point that we have found ourselves in an age of Super Diseases that are resistant to every tool known to modern medicine. We tend to develop products that will seek and destroy the harmful entity without taking into consideration that our own bodies inherently have the capacity to fight it too.  There is some evidence that cells "learn" and that once they have confronted a new invader, they know it next time and quickly dispose of it.  Antibiotics completely thwart that natural defense mechanism and render it much less effective over the long-term.  One hates to think what this means for future generations born from chemical-laden parents. 

So why aren't the big drug companies tripping over themselves trying to find an herbal combination that will cure cancer or AIDS?  You guessed it - Money.  Time and time again, while researching herbs for these pages, I have run across comments about the herbs not being thoroughly tested in clinical studies.  It's all about money and our industrialized society, and the fact that plants can't be patented.  No drug company in it's right mind is going to commit to millions of dollars in research for something that, as soon as the results are published, will be duplicated and marketed by every competitor on the planet - because plant materials can't be patented. 

Having said that, the fact remains that if Leonardo da Vinci or Attila the Hun had a headache, they likely knew of an herbal pain reliever good enough to keep them working in their perspective occupations.  And they figured it out without billion dollar labs and millions in seed money.  That's why we should take the time to re-discover the valuable gifts growing at our very feet that we decimate with the weed whacker every weekend.

Obviously, we can't have every herb growing in our own garden, though most of us with a balcony or bit of ground can take a healthy stab at it.  Great sources for herbs in bulk are listed all over these pages, and they make inexpensive remedies indeed, compared to their chemical counterparts. Your local health food store is also a good source.  Being informed about your plant material is your greatest resource, though, and don't forget that.  Make sure you KNOW what you have before making homemade remedies out of it, or you will do more harm than good.  You'll be surprised at how much satisfaction you will get when you finally identify and manufacture your first truly beneficial herbal remedy. 

One last word, there are contraindications to taking herbal remedies in some cases, so please read the list below.  These herbal pages are updated regularly, so be sure BOOKMARK and return often for new additions.  

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

If you are pregnant, nursing, or attempting to become pregnant, do your homework and be sure you know what you are doing, or don't use herbal remedies.  Very little study has been done on pregnancy and herbs. 

If you are ill or are already on medications, consult your doctor for contraindications and advice. 

Be careful if you have hay fever or are allergic to some plants.  Plants have large families, many of which are unrecognizable as parts of those families, except to an experienced herbalist.

Don't give herbal remedies to small babies.

Don't use herbal remedies in excess.