Online/Correspondance classes for herbal medicine??

[taoist]

Lots of very good advice here! And, thanks for the warm welcome!

moxies_chickennuggets...I was lucky enough to be raised by my great grandparent and grandparents...however, I only recently found out about my native heritage...it was kept very hush hush mostly by my mom's dad who was right off the Cherokee reservation in the 20s. It seems that being native was the lowest class of citizen back in the day and they were light skinned enough to pass so it was all kept very quiet. Even on my dad's side of the family which was Crow, it was never mentioned.

yourbadd - the program I went through is a Masters degree for Traditional Chinese Medicine. They say you can get out in 4 years...which some do, if you can afford to go full time, which I couldn't. So it took me longer and more money to get through it. In TCM philosophy, there are a lot of variables that have to be considered before you put together an herbal formula and not one formula fits everyone, so its a bit difficult to say which is the best formula and which mode (raw herbs, granules, tinctures) can work best for that particular patients issues. Western herbalism tends to...not always...have a one herb fits all certain conditions kind of thing. And, for the most part, many that I have used myself in that respect, do work good. While most single herbs or small combinations of herbs generally would not do a bit of harm, there are some that can be toxic, especially if used in large doses or for long periods of time.

There are some really good recommendations for books and websites listed here...any place is a good place to start and it would be great if we all shared our knowledge freely.

I was lucky to be raised by my elders, but most of America is now 3 or 4 generations removed from this generational knowledge that used to be passed down within the family. That's why emergency rooms are crammed full of people who don't know what to do when they get a simple headache or stomachache. That and the media wants them to believe that every little ache and pain is probably a tumor or other life threatening illness. Don't get me started....! LOL

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

Hi- I just stumbled apon this site a couple of days ago. I am not sure how much they charge, if any, for their classes. But they have alot of youtube videos and stuff. Heres the site.... http://www.medicinecrow.com/

 

[so lucky]

Thanks for the book recommendations, ya'll. I do love the Petersons guides for other stuff--birds, flowers, etc.
Taoist, I think it is fantastic that you have a degree in TCM. It all seems very complicated and intertwined. I wish we had practitioners of TCM around here. Do you work in this field now?
And Welcome, TACEYPERKINS!

 

[taoist]

I do sort of work in the field now...I just moved to my farm and I've been busy getting started with that plus I have a business that I run from home. Once I get a bit more situated, then I have to re-study and take my national board exams so that I can get my license. In the US, you have to have a license to practice acupuncture, but there is nothing regulating herbal medicine, so I still do a bit of that.

Have you done a search in your area for TCM practitioners? Surely, there is someone nearby...although most have to stick to the big cities because it is terribly difficult to make a living in acupuncture and herbal medicine since most insurance companies don't pay for it.

 

[so lucky]

I do sort of work in the field now...I just moved to my farm and I've been busy getting started with that plus I have a business that I run from home. Once I get a bit more situated, then I have to re-study and take my national board exams so that I can get my license. In the US, you have to have a license to practice acupuncture, but there is nothing regulating herbal medicine, so I still do a bit of that.

Have you done a search in your area for TCM practitioners? Surely, there is someone nearby...although most have to stick to the big cities because it is terribly difficult to make a living in acupuncture and herbal medicine since most insurance companies don't pay for it.

After some searching, I found a practitioner in Carbondale, Il, which is about 1.5 hours away. I haven't contacted her yet, but I am thinking about it. She does acupuncture, too. It would seem to me that a person might need a combination of the two for some issues. There are several acupuncturists around here. I have been promising myself that I would consult with one of them soon. We'll see.....

 

[taoist]

1.5 hours is a bit of a hike! Just to clarify though, about TCM and acupuncture....I think all of the schools in the US are TCM programs, there may be one or two left that are whats called 5 Element but they all pretty much teach the same stuff. There are some schools where it is mandatory that you learn herbs and acupuncture and other schools where you can choose to do just acupuncture or the combo of acupuncture and herbs. And then many people who do the full program of herbs and acu never fully practice the traditional form of herbal medicine simply because most patients won't do raw herbs...the taste is generally pretty awful plus all the time of cooking up the herbs every other day, etc. Also, since there is no "certification" for herbal medicine, once you graduate from school and get your masters, take your national boards in acu and herbs, the states only give you an L. Ac ... Licensed Acupuncturist license....nothing for the herbs bit. So...that's the long version of why you may see someone listed as an "acupuncturist" and not "TCM practitioner".

Be aware however, M.D. s and Chiropractors made up rules for themselves regarding acupuncture and decided that they only have to take a 4 hour or weekend course on acupuncture and lately, Physical Therapists are doing something called "dry needling" in which they do a weekend seminar to learn an acupuncture like treatment. As I've mentioned before, TCM school is somewhere between 4 - 6 years of full time study...I spent 8 years full/part time getting through...and even after all that time, I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface of knowing what I should know about TCM.

Check out the profiles of the acupuncturist that you have locally and find out where they went to school and then see about the school they went to that might help you decide who would be a good fit for you. It also kind of depends on why you are going to see them, some specialize in sports injury, fertility, etc

 

[so lucky]

Wow, Thanks for the heads up on the acupuncture training; I had no idea you could get "trained" in a weekend! Kinda like a GP who decides to go into plastic surgery after a weekend seminar. There are several Chiropractors in my area who also do acupuncture. I had it done years ago by a Chiro. I had no issues with his ability and knowledge, but he is no longer in practice. I will check into the training of whomever I go to.

 

[John Messick]

Herbal medicine -- also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine -- refers to using a plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Herbalism has a long tradition of use outside of conventional medicine. It is becoming more mainstream as improvements in analysis and quality control along with advances in clinical research show the value of herbal medicine in the treating and preventing disease.

Best regards
John Messick

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I'm seriously thinking of taking Foster's course. It will cost me $500. But I don't think its thru computer. That will include books. I need to come up with every question I can before I make a decision. I want to do it while I'm at work on the bridge. Thats when I do all my reading.
But I've been studying on my own, with personal books I've had from the past and a few new ones, including a field guide in color. I'm buying a lot more seasonings for my spice cabinet, since this new interest because a lot of that stuff is really good for you. Also getting herbal teas more.
I'm probably about to take the plunge, because sometimes I ask myself,"Why didn't you order it already?"

 

[yourbadd]

I just finished the free course thru www.learningherbs.com It was simple but informative and when I signed up for notification for their herbal kit I received a free PDF book, Nourishing Herbal Infusions which is amazing!! It gives instructions for how to make an infusion and a small list of herbs that are beneficial. I like the format of the book too.

I will be perusing their site as time allows and think I will purchase their herbal remedy kit when it's available. I think it will be a nice intro into making things from "scratch" where I source the ingredients. I did find another course...can't remember now who offered it, that was very in depth and cost about $300. That is going on my "want" list and depending on finances and free time I may look into it come next fall.