Letter Re: Become Your Own Herbal Doctor

Jim:
I enjoyed the Become Your Own Herbal Doctor article very much as herbal medicine is my current interest and latest preparation.  Because I did not learn this type of information from my grandmothers or mother, I have opted to take a class to speed up the learning curve.  The author is correct; the home remedies our families knew just a hundred years ago have already been lost to most of us.  Taking this class has been a fun and educational process.  We have learned so many herbs and their uses; we’ve even crafted our first (sprain/strain) salve.  There is a lot to learn in this field, but the process has been rewarding.  The class I take is also offered as an online course for those of you like me who need some structure to make any real progress or just want a fast track to learning herbal medicine.  One day soon, I hope to begin teaching my kids these valuable skills.  For me, the choice to learn herbal medicine now makes great sense and I appreciate how the author provides information to help others get started.
 
The school (The Human Path) I am referring to is lead by Sam Coffman, whose medical background started as a U.S. Special Forces (a.k.a. “Green Beret”) medic.  He started becoming very interested in plant medicine while in the field as a medic on teams.  At the time his interest was based on the need for a backup if there was no pharmaceutical medicine available.  However, over the past 20+ years, Sam has devoted his time to integrating plant medicine (“herbalism”) into every day acute illness and injury care.  His goal has been to work with plant medicine as a first alternative rather than a last resort, for injuries and illnesses that people normally go to the Emergency Room for (non-surgical care).  He runs the previously mentioned school that focuses primarily on post-disaster and remote medicine using medicinal herbs both from the area as well as worldwide.  He also runs a non-profit organization (Herbal Medics) that takes students into remote areas to create off-grid solutions for health care, clean water and self-sustainable food solutions.
 
People located in the central Texas region ought to give this school a look, as there are many types of classes offered. These classes have been a fun way to learn skills and meet people. – Laura in Texas