Only five countries in the world have largely abandoned herbal medicine: the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. For the other 195 nations, plant-based remedies remain the primary form of health care, and their populations are often healthier for it.
Herbal medicines have been used since the dawn of time—knowledge about them passed down through oral traditions long before the written word. As interest in natural health grows among Americans who haven’t inherited traditional herbal knowledge, understanding how to use herbs safely has become essential.
