Certificate in Home Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is the use of plants for restoring and maintaining health.   There are traditions of herbal medicine the world over.

Herbal medicine is largely folk medicine – the medicine of the people.  Knowledge is often handed down through families and communities through everyday use.  There are also formal schools of herbal medicine.  Many schools have rigorous training programmes, which include similar subjects to conventional medicine and which take several years to complete, that train students to be professional practitioners. 

But because many people want to learn about herbal medicine simply to treat themselves and their families, or just out of interest, there are courses like this one.

The aim of this course is to equip you with the ability to find out about common medicinal plants and how to use them in the home. It includes sections on identifying, cultivating and preparing herbal medicines.  It also explores some of the chemical constituents and medicinal properties of plants, as well as culinary and cosmetic uses.  There are sections on the history of herbal medicine, and herbal medicine around the world to help give you a context and deeper understanding of this ancient art.

This course is aimed at giving you a good overview of herbal medicine for home use.  It does not have the depth or breadth to give you enough knowledge to practice as a medical herbalist.  But by the end of the course, you should be able to use herbal medicines safely and effectively for supporting the health of you and your family, treating minor ailments and recognising when you should call for a doctor or other health professional.