Job Description for an Herbalist

For centuries, herbal medicine was the primary treatment for disease and illness. After the advent of modern medicine, herbal medicine, also known as traditional medicine, fell by the wayside along with other folk customs. Today, herbal medicine is experiencing a renaissance as a complement to contemporary medicinal treatments. Herbalists specialize in the study and practice of herbal medicine and are experiencing newfound respect and opportunity.

Identification

• Herbalists consult with patients and health-care professionals on the use of plants and herbs to address and treat medical conditions. They may be private practitioners, store owners or employees of holistic health clinics. Many times, they use their skills in combination with other professionals such as medical doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists and aromatherapists.

Function

• Herbalists are involved in research and development, as well as teaching, since the available information about herbs is not as extensive as the knowledge about contemporary medicine. For a long time, herbal medicine had a reputation as "new age" and pseudo-fluff, so developments in the field went largely unreported. A degree is not required to become a practicing herbalist, but an effective and successful practitioner needs a great deal of specialized knowledge and continuing education.

Considerations

• Many herbalists specialize in the medicinal traditions of an area, such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) or Ayurveda from India. These cultures have a long-standing use of herbal medicine, but they are far from the only ones. Indigenous peoples such as the Native Americans, Aborigines, African tribes and Celtic tribes also have an ancient understanding of the beneficial use of herbs that bears study and wider use. Some herbalists will blend knowledge and traditions from a wide range of cultures in their practice.

Significance

• Science is discovering, through study, that the claims of traditional medicine hold some truth, and many new drug and personal care companies are rushing to take advantage of the beneficial qualities of herbs. Groups such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have undertaken programs to promote the use of herbal medicine. WHO estimates that as much as 80 percent of the world's population and, according to Texas Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist Dr. Jenna Anding, as much as 40 percent of Americans, relies heavily on herbal medicine.

Effects

• Groups such as the German Institute for Drugs and Medical Products---Germany's equivalent to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)---have published authoritative scientific texts complete with scientific studies on herbal medicines. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database are well-researched and highly regarded texts, even among contemporary medicinal practitioners.