Herbal medicines have been around as long as mankind has walked the Earth, but aren't necessarily in regular use in every household with health issues.
However, natural treatments are once again gaining in popularity, as more and more people move away from drugs and chemicals.
Sam Moody has presented some useful information on herbal healing to people in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
This includes the South Cariboo, where he has spoken to Canim Lake Band members, youth and others interested in natural healing.
Moody says he provides information sessions and community demonstrations with handouts on preparing various poultices, teas and ointments and their potential use as treatments for various ailments.
"We use the medicine in our traditional way. My knowledge of medicines for the ones that I use comes from my grandfather and grandmother."
Moody further expanded his related skills in last year when he and a number of others participated in a weeklong Managing Your Chronic Conditions program at University of Victoria (UVIC).
All of the Canim Lake Band community members involved had health issues, such as diabetes or stomach, lungs, kidney or bladder problems, he explains.
While the group originally participated to develop knowledge in problem solving and management of their conditions, their combined general knowledge was such that they decided to go beyond their personal health aspects.
"We took it one step further, and put a proposal together and got some Health Canada funding to do a program called Managing Your Chronic Conditions with Traditional Medicines."
Part of the contract for that funding was to share the knowledge with others, Moody notes.
Then, the group went out and collected medicinal plants, berries and other natural products around 100 Mile House and Bella Coola, he says.
Moody explains bearberry (often falsely referred to as kinnikinnick), for instance, is very effective in treating kidney, urinary infections and prostate conditions.
A diabetic himself, Moody says he finds a bearberry tea also helps him manage his blood sugar.
"I'm finding all the medicines I have used are beneficial in other areas, and to me that's a real plus."
The steam from boiled balsam bark is useful for lung conditions and congestion, such as asthma, Moody says, adding the tea also has other benefits.
"I drink it just to keep my stomach healthy. It helps to rid it of the unwelcome bacteria that we sometimes get in our system.
"The Mullein plant, we use for lung congestion. Surprisingly enough you burn the leaf like a smudge and breathe the smoke in, and it opens the capillaries in your lungs."
He adds the Mullein flower is useful for a sleep aid in a tea form, but the flavour "takes some getting used to" and needs a bit of honey to make it more palatable.
It's important to note that herbal medicines should always be properly researched or checked with a herbalist before taking, he explains, for proper use, preparation and precautions.
Moody adds his program group is connected with University of British Columbia, where they are working with Dr. Eduardo Jovel in the lab to test and analyze the medicines for toxicity levels.
He also has a communications relationship with ethnobotanist Nancy Turner of UVIC, a well-known herbalist "icon," Moody says.
For more information about herbal healing or to request setting up a session, contact Moody by calling 250-392-1488 or by e-mail at s.moody@telus.net.
