I recently purchased a book about Chinese herbal medicine (A Handbook Of Chinese Healing Herbs). After reading through some of the book, the subject has captured my interest to such depth that I'm thinking of growing my own herbs next season. I'm curious if anyone here has any practical experience with herbal medicine.
I used to pick wild plants as well as grow herbs for teas. Some of them worked fairly well: the chamomile based one really is quite soothing as a drink for flu symptoms and applied externally to inflammation. For the latter, so is aloe vera. Nettles are rich in Vitamin C and iron; wild ginger is good for upset stomach; mints make a nice gargle for sore throat; elder flower with honey is a pleasant sleep aid (also makes a great wine!) They don't replace medical medicine for serious illness, but for routine symptom relief, they're easier to take and less potentially harmful. In an overmedicated world, replacing some medications with the milder herbal remedy is a good idea.
