HERBcare: Herbal Renaissance

By Cheryl Block • November 8, 2022

The use of herbs for medicine has been awakened in the U.S. There was a sharp decline in the use of herbs for medicine in 1910 following the publication of the Flexner Report. Before the report, most medicines were formulations of herbs and the face of medical practice included homeopathy, traditional osteopathy, eclectic medicine, and physiomedicalism. After the report, that changed to prioritize “medical training adhering more closely to the scientific method and becoming grounded in human physiology and biochemistry.”

In the 1960s, with the resurgence of interest in health food, organic gardening, and the health benefits of herbs and supplements, corporate conglomerates such as Procter & Gamble and Nestle bought up small businesses to increase their profit margins. Scientific research into natural products exploded with the result of herbal supplements and nutritional products growing into multimillion-dollar industries.

The interest in complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) and the demand for providers rose in the 1980s leading to traditional schools of medicine adding CAM and functional medicine to their classroom and clinical settings. “Naturopathic, chiropractic schools, and midwifery programs are also once again accredited, but the effort to limit the growth and maturation of such professions is ever present” (Dr. Jill Stansbury, ND; Herbal Formularies For Health Professionals; Vol 5).

Practicing herbalists today are not licensed, certified, or accredited by law. The American Herbal Guild (AHG) maintains a registry for herbalists who qualify by meeting stringent education and registration requirements. Members of the guild are held in high esteem by their colleagues. Those looking for a practicing registered herbalist can check out the AHG website.

I am a relative latecomer to this herbal renaissance. Once I discovered the history of herbalism in this country, I wanted to share the summary above with readers here before sharing more about my journey. I believe I have inherited a bent toward herbs as my maternal grandmother was an herbalist, but we just called her Grandma. My maternal grandfather was a husbandman and was always traveling to grow other peoples’ gardens…thus the seed was planted!

In future posts, I will share Western Herbalism and more of my journey as a Home Herbalist. I welcome questions or inquiries.

Cheryl Block

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HERBcare: Herbal Renaissance

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Cheryl Block