Miriam Nyasha Kwari-Herbalist

For every drug that benefits a patient, there is a natural substance that can achieve the same effect. The surprising herbal frenzy that we are seeing today is due to a variety of fascinating factors.  

Coupled with these factors for me, are personal experiences of healing and restoration of good health after what had been deemed irreversible disease that gave me the passion to share this space with everyone. 

It is a space to tell the world confidently and without doubt that herbs work like clockwork. It is also true that they complement our conventional medicines with no problems as long as we follow the advice given by our doctors and that of our professional herbalists.  

The world ought to know that scientific evidence continues to mount supporting the efficiency of herbs and the profound effect of diet for our good health. Hello friends, I am Miriam, fondly known as Nyasha, a herbalist. 

In this space and in the upcoming collection of articles, we will continue to publish information pertaining to herbal supplements. I will also ensure that the readers have a step by step compilation of how herbal remedies should be used and why. 

As an introduction, we have to remember that Mother Nature offers natural compounds capable of safely healing the human body. Such information will enable us to enjoy good health in the food we eat.  

From this viewpoint, I hope my articles will educate everyone about viable natural options for health incorporated in our daily meals. 

In this first article, I look at what are herbs 

Herbs contain natural chemical properties such as bitters, aromatics, tannins, flavouring and much more. 

All these components have an effect on our bodies. Remember herbs are foods; therefore allowing the body to recognise these chemicals, helps the body utilise their nourishment in ways naturally acceptable in the bodies’ overall functionality. 

Herbs are vegetable plants 

Many people do not realise that vegetables have value as food and as medicine as well. 

These include: 

bark from trees and vines eg cinnamon bark, 

berries eg plums; blackberries, elderberries 

nuts & seeds, (particularly their shells) eg groundnuts, walnuts, sesame seeds 

more examples of these natural and healthy foods that are medicines include pollen and honey collected by bees 

resin or plant oil such as tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil. 

Similarly, like the blood that flows in our veins, “chlorophyll” or plant blood or the green juice in laymen terms, provides essential medicinal properties for health. The following are perfect examples. 

wheat grass — wheat grass juice, 

—plankton for salts such as spirulina, algae 

fungus eg mushrooms. 

Garlic, for example, is used or can be used to thin blood, lower cholesterol and so much more. From this end, herbs are concentrated food sources. 

As herbalists, we practically consider all plant vegetables as herbs. 

Finally, weeds such as black jack and amaranth (mowa) can sometimes be mistaken for plants that do not serve any purpose besides growing rapidly where we don’t usually want them to grow.  

However, these weeds could bring good health to an individual and are essentially God’s gift to humanity. 

As we go through these articles, I am hoping that many of us will no longer think of weeds as enemies, but that we will be able to gather a list of them knowing why they are essential for good health. 

Your health is your wealth, so let your food be your medicine … look after yourself and each other knowing that you are what you eat! 

Disclaimer: Information contained in this article is for educational purposes and not to heal or treat any disease. 

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