The history and use of herbs is as old as the human race. It is estimated by the World Health Organisation that 80% of the world’s population use herbal medicine. 

While researching herb courses, I happened upon Planetary Herbology developed by Michael Tierra, this system of herbal medicine interested me as it was a fusion of all that was beneficial in herbal medicine, from the ancient systems to our modern sciences. 

This appealed to me as I was also fascinated with our own western herbal history, which until recent times was also based on energetics. Studying the Chinese and Ayurvedic systems of medicine helped me to understand and use herbs from these cultures and our own.

In this respect, I predominately practise herbal medicine using the Chinese system of diagnosis while using herbs native to the East and West. 

When prescribed by a qualified herbalist, herbs are a safe way to overcome illness as they do not have side effects and do not just treat symptoms but the whole person, benefiting not only the condition but also the person’s general physical and emotional well being.

Sonya Oldham

Dip. C. H., U.R.H.P, Dip. A & P. Massage., VTCT.