A herbalist is a person who studies and is knowledgeable in the healing and beneficial properties of plants, and other botanicals. An important part of an herbalists work is the identification of various herbs for their use and purpose. Most herbalists are also skilled in collecting and storing herbs properly to ensure that they will work as intended. Those who gather herbs in their natural wild state, ( Wildcrafting ) are referred to as "wildcrafters", while many other herbalists grow their own herbs as a means of ensuring the purity of their preparations. It is important that a herbalist in addition to knowing what a plant is good for, has a supply or access to a supply of trusted, known and safe plants and botanicals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbalist

A professional herbalist is aware of or has access to the information on drug interactions between various herbs and other mainstream pharmaceuticals, and will always carefully discuss a patient's situation before offering a preparation to the consumer. http://www.herbalists.on.ca/

Currently in Canada and the United States of America (USA), as in many other countries, herbalists are not legally recognized as a certified or registered profession. In a number of countries, organizations have formed primarily by fellow herbalists, to build a structure with formal criteria in an attempt to recognize the knowledge and skill sets of herbalists seeking to be registered within these organizations, and thereby practicing within the tenets of the organization. These organizations have brought about a registration process that is gaining formal recognition by their governments.http://www.herbalists.on.ca/

A herbalist may or may not have received what some classify as formal training, which of late translates into having attended a recognized school or educational organization that offers courses in this subject matter, and meets most if not all of the criteria for registration with recognized herbalist organizations. Many herbalists have studied within informal structures such as with native or culturally recognized herbal healers, themselves being recognized as herbal healers. Other herbalists have studied the works of renowned experts in the field of botanical medicine and the preparation and application of these botanicals for the betterment of the human body, both physically and mentally..http://www.herbalists.on.ca/

In all cases, those who call themselves herbalists, recognized, registered within a formal organization or individually studying, practicing and applying their skills and knowledge of the benefits of herbals and herbal preparations, for the betterment of the human organism, do so based in a long history that predates modern medicine. Herbalists are found in every culture and country on this planet we call earth, and have been practicing and applying their knowledge since the beginning of mankind.http://www.christopherhobbs.com/website/library/history/history_of_herbalism.html,.<ref>http://www.herbalists.on.ca/ </ref>

There are common herbs that most herbalist will use, many of these grow in the average North American back yard even. Some common herbs include:

• aloe vera | bitter orange | black cohosh
• Dandelion | Burdock | Plantain
• Clover | Camomile
• dong quai | ginger root | ginkgo biloba
• green tea | milk thistle

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor, herbalist, or Naturalpathic Doctor before beginning or trying any product, service or information found on this page or the links.