Do you think it's stupid to become a herbalist?

[Sapphirez]

Originally Posted by kimmery

Well.... She said "Why don't you learn a real subject like human biology, pharmacy or chemistry at a proper college or university. At least then you can get a job when you realise you're not cut out for conning members of the public who are ill and looking for treatment.

They're just going to take your money in exchange for a bit of paper that employees will only laugh at"

She just makes everything worse. I was thinking maybe I should forget about it. I don't know what I want to do know... I wanted to be a holistic doctor before, but then I had a TBI. So theres no use in even trying that...

well the question of whether it's a plausible career or not is legitimate. if you think that you could find a job easily enough then by all means do it.
I'd personally rather have you unemployed than work for a pharmacy tho.. this world is sick with its prescriptions and it's pitiful, really. I am so sorry to hear you've had a traumatic brain injury.. I am very clueless to that, but maybe just maybe there is hope in healing your brain more. just don't rule it out ok?
the world needs more people into natural healing (and lots of prescriptions are derived from herbs n stuff anyways they just dirty them up I guess lol)
if being an herbalist doesn't seem as lucrative or possible as it initially did after doing research (maybe it is though) then you may find something else along the same lines to dedicate yourself to. *hugs* sorry your mom is like that, mine is not the most open-minded, accepting or helpful either, but I am lucky to have her anyway..

[athribiristan]

Originally Posted by kimmery

I told my mom I wanted to become a herbalist and she said it was a joke

-.-

Not at all. This knowledge needs to be preserved. We have precious few people who really understand the power locked withing plants. Go for it. Follow your heart and ignore anyone who tells you not to.

You will make serious money as a herbalist, guaranteed, and it's going to be an extremely and increasingly important job and body of knowledge in the future.

Because of peak oil, the current generation of machine/manufacture medicine is going to start becoming very expensive, and in the end prohibitively so for most. More and more people are going to turn to herbalism, in the mainstream, let alone those who are fedup with regular big pharma medicine which many years is the number one cause of preventable death in the western world.

No way is herbalism some kind of easy path. The courses for this are just as hard as for any other branch of medicine. You will still learn all the physiology and the biochemistry... you will also learn a lot more besides. I have seen herbalists also who are incredibly spiritually gifted and come into contact with the interior spirits of the plants they work with (google 'Matthew Wood' for example, sorry I can't yet post links...).

If your parents are belittling what you feel about this, it's because they don't know anything about it, and no-one has informed them about it. They assume it's low class or useless, and remember there is a big campaign in the media to promote just those kinds of views -- often with big pharma money behind it. They probably don't know anyone they respect who uses it for example.

You can collect info about where you want to study, and also assemble some evidence to show the effectiveness of these medicines. You can also present this to your parents and argue your case. At least you will be able to answer them and show that laughing isn't appropriate... who knows, maybe you'll also make them think again.

Quite a few mainstream materialist-rationalist types feel very superior to herbalism and other such modalities. Sometimes there's nothing you can do about that if you parents fall into that group, except stick to your wish and have the figures at your fingertips so you can show you know your stuff. For my money, herbalism is one of the major growth modalities of the coming decades.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by iolite

Kimmery...

Tell your mother that many, many medicines today were based on herbal medicine. Digitalis is derived from foxglove, for instance. Willow bark contains
salicylic acid and was used as far back as 460 AD for pain. We now know salicylic acid as aspirin. The rain forests in South America are being touted as a natural pharmacy. Plants native there have been discovered to contain properties useful for medicine.

In fact, there are "proper universities" that teach herbalism. I think it's an excellent idea to be a holistic doctor. We need more of those. It would satisfy your mom, cause you'd also get a formal medical education.

Your mom, from her limited view, is only trying to guide you and protect you. Keep researching the field and universities. It will help you figure out what you need education wise and where to go for studies and show your mom that it is a valid field and career path.

BTW... my doctor is a DO (doctor of ostopathy) but he is an alternative as well. He is an MD but he knows about herbs and alternative treatments.

Iolite is completely correct in her advice to you. But you should start working towards it now. You will need chemistry and biology, just to name a few. The government is working very hard to outlaw herbal medicine and alternative treatments. There is a college in Omaha, Creighton University, that does offer alternative medicine and is an excellent school and hospital.Meanwhile you could see about getting a part time job in a health food store and absorb as much as you can.Also look into naturopathy.

Herbals are a proven strategy for a variety of healing needs. Unlike chemically synthesized analogs, herbals come with a naturally existing cohort of associated biochemicals whose action supplements the main constituents. An example would be the vitamin C in rose hips and the associated bioflavinoids.

Keep in mind, decades often pass between the discovery of a scientific principle and its widespread adoption by the masses. A couple of hundred years passed between the invention of the thermometer and its use as a common diagnostic tool. Lister spent much of his adult life promoting operating room sterility before it became a widespread practice.