Looking for Nature's Medicine Chest?
You may have reached this page from an older QR code. The original Nature's Medicine Chest has been retired while it is being revised and expanded for future publication. In its place, I've made available this complimentary guide covering the 20 foundational medicinal herbs I currently teach in my preparedness classes. I hope you find it helpful.
20 Foundational Medicinal Herbs
When my dad, Dr. Michael E. James, completed his herbal training in Canada, he returned home and began his practice by making house calls. To support those visits, he purchased an old primer-gray box truck that had once been a postal truck and converted it into a traveling herbal apothecary, stocking it with individual herbs. As his practice grew and he developed
a loyal clientele, he eventually established an office where clients came to him.
During those early years of making house calls, my dad spent a great deal of time getting to know his clients. As is often the case during a massage, conversation flowed naturally, and clients would share what they were struggling with, whether it was aching joints, difficulty sleeping, digestive concerns, or something else. After the massage, he would step out to his truck and create a personalized herbal blend based on their individual needs. He carefully recorded each formula, who it was created for, and what it was intended to support. Over time, he began to notice that formulas created for one person often helped others with similar concerns. Those observations became the foundation for many of the formulas he would later develop.
This guide is an invitation to begin learning in much the same way. Rather than simply memorizing formulas, you'll become familiar with 20 foundational medicinal herbs and the traditional uses of each one. As you study the chart, read the notes, and compare the herbs, you'll begin to recognize patterns and understand why certain herbs work well together.
My hope is that this guide helps you begin learning herbs the way my dad did: one herb at a time. As you become familiar with the strengths and traditional uses of each herb, you'll begin to understand not only what herbs are used, but why they're combined. That understanding is the foundation of thoughtful herbal formulation.
Download the guide below to begin exploring the 20 Foundational Medicinal Herbs.
Additional Preparedness Resources
As I continue to develop new educational materials, this page will be updated with additional preparedness resources, guides, and learning opportunities, including the future publication of Nature's Medicine Chest.