Back to Nature
plant medicine for your family
|by Susie Lyons
Education is Key
Reduce.
Reuse.
Recycle.
Many of us remember this early mantra of the
“Green” movement.
Embracing a green lifestyle is about more than
a nice catch phrase. While we know those
activities are a huge part of going green, once
you really embrace organic foods, cleaning
with environment friendly products, recycling
as much as possible, the next logical step is to
care for yourself and your family naturally as
well.
Transitioning from over-the-counter and
prescription medications for every ailment
to treating with diet, herbs and essential oils
(a/k/a “plant medicine”) is a huge change for
many people. Popping a pill for every illness
is so easy and has become so engrained that a
change to plant medicine can seem a daunting
task. As with any other lifestyle change, it is a
process and not one to be taken lightly. That
being said, the long term rewards are great if
you make the change the right way.
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As a society, we are constantly bombarded
with information about side effects caused by
every possible medication. Just as with medications, there are side effects caused by herbal
remedies and essential oils as well. If you’re
using herbs and oils for medicinal purposes,
you need to educate yourself about what
you’re using before you use it.
You need to know not only what to use but
when and how to use it. Just as you wouldn’t
self-prescribe medication (hopefully) for a
serious medical condition, you should treat
plant medicine with the same respect. Always get a sound diagnosis before treating
with plant medicine just as you would with
any other medication. At the outset of your
path toward natural health, find a good local
naturopath to talk to when you need additional information or help. And always consult a naturopath, a midwife or other licensed
healthcare professional well versed in natural
healing if you have any of the following issues:
• Acute pain that doesn’t go away
• Your condition changes suddenly or drastically (and not in a good way)