The Nature Remedy: A restorative guide to the natural world

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Singh BR, et al. (2016). Comparative antimicrobial activity of tea tree oil (Melaleuca oil) and common topical antimicrobials against bacteria associated with wound and topical infections.DOI: The idea that human health can be salved by “nature” has been around for as long as we have regarded ourselves as a species apart from other living things. It truly arrived in Britain with the Romantics, for whom prosperity enabled a more reflective and worshipful relationship with the landscape that others had to toil in for a living. Keats and Byron loved swimming; sea-bathing was an upper-class health fad that inspired the first seaside resorts. The popularisation of nature’s healing power peaked after the industrial revolution, when later Victorians were beset by fears of the all-conquering machine. Fresh air, exercise and healthful hobbies, from collecting butterflies to finding fossils, were prescribed in much the same way as GPs today are experimenting with “prescribing nature” to patients. Hardman reminds us of the prescience of Octavia Hill, the social reformer and co-founder of the National Trust in 1895, who campaigned to save urban land for city parks. London commons that could make developers fortunes had greater value as outdoor space, Hill argued: “To my mind they are even now worth very much; but they will be more and more valuable every year – valuable in the deepest sense of the word; health-giving, joy-inspiring, peace-bringing.” We might wonder if a writing cure is also part of their wider recovery, but it is not always so. John Clare, who died in 1864, has long been the most notable nature writer with mental health problems. The Northamptonshire farm labourer, whose superb poems made him a literary sensation in the early 19th century, could be considered both evidence for and against the theory that nature makes us well. Did he only fall ill once embraced by literary London, psychically uprooted from his rural heartland? Or was he ill despite surrounding himself with nature? A country life is no guarantee of mental wellbeing: depression is a major problem in modern farming; plenty of farm workers endure it.

In fact, at the beginning of the 21st century, 11 percent of the 252 drugs considered “basic and essential” by the World Health Organization were “exclusively of flowering plant origin.” Drugs like codeine, quinine, and morphine all contain plant-derived ingredients. Su G, Chen X, Liu Z, et al. Oral Astragalus (Huang qi) for preventing frequent episodes of acute respiratory tract infection in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;12(12):CD011958. Published 2016 Dec 1. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011958.pub2 Valerian is now used for the temporary relief of sleep disturbances due to symptoms of mild anxiety – based on traditional use only. Devil’s Claw ( Jointeeze® ) Compare products by looking at the amount of active ingredients in each one; note the number of capsules you need to take per day, and the cost.

Zhou X, Qian H, Zhang D, Zeng L. Garlic intake and the risk of colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020;99(1):e18575. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000018575 This is because they have been found to contain dangerous ingredients, including pharmaceutical ingredients, that aren't stated on the label. Reporting side effects

Brown PN, Chan M, Paley L, Betz JM. Determination of major phenolic compounds in Echinacea spp. raw materials and finished products by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection: single-laboratory validation matrix extension. J AOAC Int. 2011;94(5):1400-1410. https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/nutrition/the-controversial-flax-seed-benefits-your-health-or-not-part-3-of-3/ Some herbs interact with drugs, other herbs and foods; for example, garlic and ginkgo may increase the side effects of blood-thinning drugs; Echinacea may counteract immunosuppressive drugs; Siberian ginseng may increase the effects of antibiotics and valerian may increase the effects of other sedatives. Herbal tonicsWhether it’s your first visit or one of many, our team at Nature’s Remedy strives to make your experience as smooth and convenient as possible. Our friendly budtenders will walk you through our diverse selection of products, answering any questions you may have about the potency, effects, or the best choice for your needs. But a person’s conception of their true self is not trivial, even if it’s based on a hunch. Rebecca Schlegel, a social personality psychologist at Texas A&M, has found that people feeling connected to, or alienated, from what they consider to be their “true self” is intimately related to wellbeing. Herbs may be called "specifics" or "tonics". A specific targets a particular symptom, such as valerian taken for insomnia. They are usually taken only for short times or when the symptoms occur.