Herbal Remedy Ingredients – Is lack of availabilty a sign of lack of demand?
Last week I went to the health food store to get supplies for my sick son. I did not want much, just some eyebright (herb or tea) to make an eyewash and some raw honey to make cough syrup. The local shop is quite a large place not like the smaller shops in the shopping centre. They only had eyebright in tablet form – for a tincture it would need to be prescribed by a naturopath and a tea or loose herb would take a few days to order in. The only honey I could find was a tub of tea tree honey. Never having tried that particular variety but believing in the healing power of tea tree, I bought it for the syrup. From there I went on to Mrs Flannery, an organic supermarket 20 minutes away which hopefully carried the eyebright or had a naturopath on staff who could get me the tincture. So off I went, and no, they didnt carry it either. Everyone knew straight away what I was talking about, one lady even asked if I had a child with conjunctivitis. So, if everyone knows that eyebright is a great treatment, why doesnt anyone carry it? I guess it’s a sign that although people know the lore, they are not actually applying that knowledge. Hence the demand is not there and consequently the stores do not stock herbal supplies. I think this must change ! 🙂 C’mon guys, experiment! Make some of the remedies you heard your grandmother talk about – the more you learn and use the more likely the shops are to increase their range of supplies.
In the end I stuck with my chamomile and elderflower wash and ordered some wildcrafted eyebright from my usual supplier for future use. And I am pleased to report – Harry’s eyes are back to their beautiful twinkly selves 🙂
On a different note, while I was searching for the eyebright I came across a Stevia product. Remember the Stevia post from last week? Well there were a number of products available of this sugar alternative. I saw it in little tablet form, drops and powder form. I assume that since it is so much sweeter than sugar that you use much less of it, hence the different ways of using it.
NIrvana Stevia, as well as other stevia products, have no calories, and this company is using that fact to attract the weight loss market. It’s clever, but I think it’s not so much the sweetener as what the sweetener is in (pastries and sweets) that is the culprit i putting on the weight. BUT…..having said that, no calories and no influence on blood sugar levels is a biggie for a great many people. With diabetes on the rise this might be a pleasant alternative for people with blood sugar issues. I personally detest artificial sweeteners – the fact that they are artificial and the taste *shudder* and I know that sugar is not good for my family and I, so I will definitely give the Stevia alternative a go and see what everyone in our household thinks. Will keep you guys posted.
Oh…and the tea tree honey is horrible!!! Sorry but I will have to find another use for it, eating it just isnt an option. I bought some raw outback honey from Mrs Flannerys instead – much, much nicer. 🙂
Stay Herbal!
I think you’re right its a lack of demand. I work in a pharmacy where we specialise in herbal medicine and you would not believe some of the lengths we have to go to to source some of our stock. ( we keep stevia and honey but only an eyebright liquid, (as opposed to tincture.)
Try the tea tree honey on wounds, as a manuka alternative?
You probably already know this, but it’s not safe to give honey to really young babies? I don’t remember how old they have to be before they can handle it, but I would guess 2 years old and under is unsafe to give honey.
Hi Eve – yes, I was thinking of using the tea tree honey for external uses as well. The taste may even not be so bad when combined with other ingredients….I think experimentation may be in order 🙂
Hello Theresa – You are absolutely correct. I was amiss in not mentioning that Honey is not ok to give to babies. Thanks for the heads up! In Australia the recommendation is that it is NOT safe to give honey to infants under 12 months. Based on some of the books in my library I believe that this is different to recommendation sin the US (where it it’s not to be given to babies under the age of 2).
I often have the same hassles – someone will recommend a product (herbal, natural or some other type of wonderful supplement) that they are sure will help whatever the current ailment is but it’s nowhere to be found. There are a couple of products that I regularly use that I and a friend now buy online from interstate as we can’t locate them in Brisbane.
There is probably a lack of demand, because of a lack of knowledge. If people were more educated, they would know and understand all the benefits of herbs. After all, I’m sure mother Nature gives us everything we need : let’s take aloevera. This plant is a real wonder, as topical application on the skin to cure wounds or sunburns, or internal usage to ease digestion, this plant could easily replace one to three pharmaceutical drugs.