By: Rebecca Potter

I love herbs. I love the flavors they give to cooking, the beauty they give to our earth, but especially the wonders they perform medicinally.  I love finding just the right herb I need when I’m out hiking — wild plantain for a scraped arm, as an example!

With just a little herb identification knowledge, you can go into the wild and harvest your own herbs to have on hand for eating, storage, disasters, and medicinal use.  This is a skill-set everyone serious about preparedness should gain.  And it’s easier than you might think to make your own poultices, fomentations, tinctures, teas and much more. Now that’s what I call empowerment! There is just nothing like a wild, dried, fresh, or powdered herb. And let’s not forget the weeds! From dandelions to yellow dock, the plant kingdom is full of magic where you would least expect it.

Herbs, of course, are not just for “preppers” but for those of us who prefer natural over synthetic.  For most of my life I have not felt comfortable taking pain killers or any kind of medication, but I could never put my finger on as to why that was. I know now that it was my body’s way of telling me that there is something better out there, something natural and of the earth without any side effects, but full of a myriad of benefits. My body knew what it wanted, but I didn’t find out exactly what that was until I was introduced to herbs, and voila!  The answer was clear.

In 2004 I was suffering from severe vertigo, dizziness and nausea on a daily basis for months. I tried everything that western medicine had to offer and was left poorer and more hopeless than at the beginning. Then a friend suggested I see a Naturopathic doctor, and by that point I would have tried anything because I was suffering so badly. Alternative medicine was completely unknown to me, and although I was a tad nervous about these ‘newfangled ways’, it also felt like the right thing to do. Within a few days of receiving the herbs from that doctor, my symptoms went away and never returned. I was hooked for life on natural healing with herbs.

In 2009 I decided to take my experience with herbs to the next level. In searching for the perfect school to advance my herbalism studies, I found The School of Natural Healing. I knew immediately that this school and I would have a beautiful relationship, which we did for the next 3 years, at the end of which I was a grateful and thrilled recipient of my Master’s Degree in Herbalism. As a certified Master Herbalist, I was then ready to share my exciting discoveries about the ways in which nutrition and herbs could boost one’s health to heights I’d never before known possible.

For me, herbs have a magical quality that is hard to describe. When I go into an herb shop, I feel like a kid in a candy store. I love being able to grow my own bandages, decongestants, infection fighters, blood cleansers, and so much more.  Nothing gives me more joy and fulfillment in sharing this knowledge with others and instilling the same excitement within them!

Whether you are already a seasoned herbalist, you’ve dabbled in herbs a bit, or herbalism is completely new terrain for you, I look forward to sharing with you what I have learned on tapping into the power of herbs.  Even if every supply line of every drug, supplement, or essential oil is ever disrupted, I will show you how you can walk out into your backyard and find something of value for your health!

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A Special Announcement …

On October 1, 2012 we unveiled our Essential Herb Survival Kit with the Top 9 Herbs we recommend for maximal medical preparedness! 

Our Herb Kits  come with a series of 3 special videos prepared by Rebecca Potter demonstrating how to make:

• Tinctures,

• Poultices & Fomentations, and

• Teas & Decoctions.

This kit is perfect for the beginner, intermediate, or even advanced herbalist as it does the following:

• Lays out all the basic skills and tools you will need to begin making your own herbal medicines in the comfort of your home,

• Helps empower anyone interested in greater medical self-reliance, and

• Serves as the ideal launching pad for beginning to gather and grow your own herbs and maximize your ability to harness the power of Mother Nature’s medicines!

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Rebecca Potter is a lifelong student of herbalism, a lover of herbs and natural healing. She feels passionately about sharing her knowledge and experience with herbs to empower all to achieve the greatest possible health potential. She received her Master Herbalist degree from The School of Natural Healing, and teaches herbal classes in her local area of Salt Lake City. In addition to her herbal classes, Rebecca enjoys doing personalized herbal consultations, is involved in an integrative health clinic, and performs a variety of key functions at Essential Survival, LLC. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/iheartherbs for tips and ideas on herbal healing and nutrition.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.  These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  Anyone suffering from disease or injury should consult with a physician.

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Last updated by Julie Behling-Hovdal at November 3, 2012.