While society’s attitude toward natural health supplements and alternative healing has become more accepting, many mainstream doctors remain skeptical of the non-FDA-approved supplements and remedies.

“They roll their eyes because they really don’t know about it,” said Dr. Gerald New, a retired Decatur OB/GYN who used to send some of his patients to health food stores for natural hormones to help control bleeding problems. “But then, there’s not a lot of controlled studies.”

The natural health route can sometimes be a better choice, though users must use caution, he said, and keep in mind that just because something grows naturally does not necessarily mean it’s good for you. Some things found in nature are deadly.
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Not the Harry Potter or David Copperfield kind of magic, but the sort of magic that happens “when you watch your children play or sit quietly in a garden,” she said. “Anything that makes you feel good is magic. I don’t believe it’s a scary thing.”

And she hopes her store Crescent Moon Herbals, on Center Road, conveys that belief.

It is a place where cooking spices, like salt and cinnamon, are sold alongside crystals and cauldrons. Yes, there are many items in her store that seem out of the ordinary — swords, broomsticks, rune stones, pentagrams and gathering bags. But Lavoie doesn’t want them to give the wrong impression. Everything in the store is designed for healing and communing with nature, not for harming.
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This week, we continue with the use of fresh herbs as well as that of preserved herbs and spices.

Another visit with Dotti Hydue of Morriston has provided me with additional information on the herbs growing in her garden.

She carefully sought out just the right sprigs of several of the growing herbs and snipped them to provide this week’s picture.

The Italian Parsley, also known at “flat leaf” Parsley, came out of the regular garden which showed many changes in growth since last week’s visit.
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A garden showcasing some of India’s medicinal herbs and plants, developed by Lucknow-based National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), has been inaugurated at the the World Health Organisation (WHO) Headquarters, Geneva.

The India Herbal Garden was inaugurated yesterday by Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India in presence of Dr Margarat Chan, WHO Director General.

The idea behind setting up the garden is to popularise the usage of Indian plants in health care worldwide, as the garden was to be set up in WHO premises.
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The air was sweetened by scented candles.

Flames threw light across a room filled with window boxes spilling with flowers and herbs as Gail Lawson surveyed the Mother’s Day sale special arrangements that will coincide with the second weekend of Lacewings and Lavender greenhouse’s grand opening.

Pointing to some of the herbal planters and flowering containers with “Mom” in mind, she said, “People can stop in for a gift if they need something quick.” Lavender, English thyme, pineapple mint, chocolate mint, pesto basil, sweet basil, sage, and dill are among the flavored herbs growing in the greenhouse and making their way to the Mother’s Day planters.
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