What would our life be without plants? I’m not even talking about how the whole ecosystem relies on plants. Their ability to convert sun’s energy into usable forms for us all and their capability to produce oxygen would already grant them the highest ranking in our regard. The earth could continue (and might even prefer) to flourish without humans, but plants are essential to life on Earth. We tree-huggers are also proud to hear about research about how trees talk to each other exchanging information. This ”wood wide web” was in existence far before us humans.
‍

Up to half of the new pharmaceutical drugs are derived from nature

But here I want to talk about plants in regards to our health and well being. When I travel around the world teaching and talking about herbs, I am often asked ”but are they really effective? I tell them that even up to half of the new pharmaceutical drugs are derived from nature, numbers depend a little on the specialty field. Pharmaceutical companies want to be able to patent their products to make more profit, so they choose and isolate one or a few compounds from the original source, perhaps making a few molecular tweaks. Then the product is considered unique and sold with a higher price tag. No-one can patent plants made by mother nature, because they were made – by mother nature.

In this pharmaceutical process we are often missing some important points. When plants have developed means to combat invading microbes, they have a multitude of compounds that are working in synergy. These combinations ensure more effective functions, less of a chance of resistance developing and less of a chance of harmful side reactions. By choosing just one compound for our use, we are losing much of that.

‍

In telling about efficacy I also mention that the year 2015 Nobel price in medicine was granted to professor Youyou Tu on the use of Artemisia annua in the treatment of malaria, saving millions. This use has saved millions of lives. The SARS epidemic in China was largely defeated with the use of herbs. According to WHO 2009 resolution 62.13 to further the union between traditional and western medicine we are actually duty bound to look for treatments and insight instead of disregarding and attacking this old knowledge.

For our own family herbs have proved to be a life changing and lifesaving factor. First their use helped us to resolve serious health problems and now they’ve changed our everyday life. For example I am using Takuna tree’s bark extract (Cecropia strigose) daily to prevent common colds and influenza. Our children are also taking it during the flu season and before important school exams. Even the father of the family starts looking for the Takuna bottle if he feels the first symptoms of a viral infection. He knows, that taking it in early stages he can avoid the infection altogether or at least get it in a milder form.

‍

By talking and teaching about herbs I wish to do my part in bringing back the old tradition and knowledge about how the herbs and the food we eat can be the best way to support your health. Over our whole development we humans have adjusted to our environment; to be better able to use and nourish ourselves with the plants around us. Over time we’ve learned how we can process extract and concentrate the beneficial herbs to make them more efficient. We also need to do more research into herbs, that way we learn to use them safely and we wil lfind new treasures in the nature. So let us learn more about herbs and join the wood wide web!

‍

Yours truly,

Marjo Valonen, MD

‍