Regional Herbs

Every day I have my google bot sweeping for herbal news alerts. Every day it comes back with Chinese herbal medicine. Now don't get me wrong, Traditional Chinese Medicine is a centuries old, tried and true method of treatment, but I don't think we need exotic medicines from other countries to stay well and healthy.

I think Hannah Kroger had it right. Every region has all the herbs necessary to treat the ailments specific to that region. These herbs are "acclimated" to that region and are more likely to give you the relief that you need from the ailments commonly suffered in that area.

For instance, many people swear by uva ursa for kidney problems, but my property is teeming with dandelions. Should I buy uva ursa? I say no. The leaves of the dandelion are great for clearing and strengthening the kidneys.

Look around you. What grows in your area? Go to the library and pick up a field guide with pictures of various plants. Learn to identify what grows in your area. Join a herbal society or even a horticulture group that can help guide you. Many decorative plants are also medicinal.

The key to staying healthy naturally is education. If you're willing to take responsibility for your own health you can't stop at eating healthy and getting exercise, although those are extremely important to health. You need to educate yourself about the wild plants that grow in your area. Nature has planted them there for a reason. Learn about them, and take advantage of what nature has gifted you with.