What is radical herbalism? For me, radical herbalism is about getting to the root of health issues. The word radical means “going to the root.” I believe that every person has a right to good health. This goes beyond providing health care. Do you see the difference?

What I see is that health care in the U.S. is largely centered around the treatment of disease. This approach to health means that most people get help after they are already sick. Programs that emphasize prevention and wellness are becoming more common because it’s becoming more clear that many of the most common health issues can be prevented with a good diet, clean water and air, and exercise.

Once upon a time, herbalism was daily part of life. So as I see it, one aspect of radical herbalism is about re-integrating herbalism into daily life. But I can’t stop there. After studying for a masters degree in public health, I learned more about how everything is interconnected and that good health is more complex than just telling people to eat better and exercise more. What if they live in a place where fresh and whole foods aren’t available? What if they can’t afford the health food prices? What if they don’t know the foods they are eating aren’t the best thing? So we’re talking about access to food, knowledge about healthy foods (which changes all the time depending on what’s in the news), cultural ideas about food, the social impact on why we eat what we eat, and many other factors.

As a radical herbalist, I look to the root of the problem and start there.