Over the past few years, I’ve been on a slow, steady journey. One that’s taken me away from conventional answers and toward something much older, more intuitive, and deeply connected to the land I live on. Learning about my local plants for both medicinal and culinary uses has become not just a hobby, but a practice of remembrance. So when I watched Simon Mills, the man who literally coined the term “complementary medicine,” speak about herbalism, gut health, and the deep intelligence of plants, something in me lit up with recognition.
It felt like affirmation. Like I was already doing what my body, my intuition, and my ancestors always knew to be true.
Mills’ talk was a reminder that herbs aren’t some mystical or fringe concept. They’re practical, effective, and often far more intelligent than the drugs we’re taught to rely on. I’ve seen this firsthand. Whether it’s using yarrow I harvested myself for wound healing or infusing lemon balm into tea to calm my nervous system after a long day, I’m living proof that these natural remedies work, and they work quickly.
What struck me most was his insistence that the gut is the root of everything. That our digestive system is not just processing food but making complex decisions about immunity, inflammation, and even emotion. This lands so clearly for me. I’ve noticed how my own digestion shifts when I eat seasonally or when I include more bitter greens and fermented foods. I didn’t need a lab coat to tell me this. I just needed to slow down and pay attention.
It also made me think about how I've started building a relationship with food and herbs as allies, not just consumables. When I forage or grow something, I now see it as a conversation. It’s not “what does this plant do for me?” but “what kind of relationship can we build?” That’s why Mills’ reminder to eat 30 plants a week wasn’t just a number to me. It was a challenge I’m excited to meet. Because each new plant I welcome into my kitchen is also welcomed into my body’s ecosystem. And that matters.
His suggestion of using warming herbs like ginger and cinnamon for colds or bitters like dandelion and wormwood for digestion echoed practices I’ve already begun to explore. Even something as simple as drinking a ginger infusion when I feel a cold coming on works. It always has. I’ve just stopped questioning that.
And when he spoke about dark chocolate, rosemary, green tea, and other foods I already enjoy for pleasure as medicine for brain health, I felt a little thrill. Not because I need justification, but because it's a reminder that healing doesn’t have to taste like punishment.
The stories he told of women overcoming PCOS, chronic skin conditions, or panic attacks, not by masking symptoms but by supporting the gut, the liver, and the microbiome, weren’t surprises to me. They were stories I already know in my bones. Healing is layered, and it starts from within.
What Mills said about the pharmaceutical industry seeing herbal medicine as a threat made perfect sense. Because the moment you start realizing you can support your immune system with garlic, clear a sinus infection with thyme, or recover from burnout with adaptogens like ashwagandha or reishi, you stop being dependent. You become your own healer. And that’s powerful.
So yes, watching this video didn’t teach me something new as much as it affirmed what I’ve already been doing. Learning my local plants. Trusting my body. Listening to the land. Supporting my gut. Using food as medicine. Seeking warmth, circulation, and connection not just in my physical body, but in the way I live.
This journey is slow, and that’s the point. It’s seasonal, relational, and deeply intuitive. And every time I learn something new about the plants that grow around me or brew a tea that lifts my spirit, I feel like I’m returning home.
Because the truth is, the medicine was never missing. We just forgot how to see it.
If you’re on a similar path, or even just curious about how herbs can support your health, I highly recommend watching the full conversation with Simon Mills. It’s not just information, it’s validation.
5 Natural Medicines Big Pharma Are Hiding From You! No.1 Herbal Medicine Expert
In this revelatory conversation, herbal medicine pioneer Simon Mills unpacks the forgotten wisdom of plants and why modern medicine is missing the mark. With over 50 years of clinical experience and a legacy that includes coining the term “complementary medicine,” Mills argues that true healing begins in the gut and that the pharmaceutical industry is threatened by nature’s most powerful remedies. From ginger and garlic to turmeric and cardamom, he explains the science behind how herbs work, why Western countries are so behind, and what you can do now to take your health into your own hands.
Simon Mills opens with a metaphor: you can't calm the stormy seas of life, but you can build a better boat. His mission is to help people strengthen their inner resilience through plant-based medicine. A trained medical scientist turned herbalist, Mills is a leading voice in integrating ancient plant wisdom with modern science.
He traces the decline of herbal medicine in the West to urbanization, the rise of mineral-based pharmaceuticals, and the medical profession’s shift from community caretakers to pill prescribers. Still, across most of the world—from France to China—herbal remedies remain central to healthcare.
Why Plants Matter Now More Than Ever:
Mills explains that many herbs work quickly, not slowly as is often assumed. His patients, often dealing with long-term chronic conditions, typically feel a shift within 24 hours. He shares extraordinary stories—like Heather, who resolved a four-year skin condition by targeting her gut and lungs, and Karen, whose panic attacks disappeared once her liver function and hormonal balance were restored. These cases reveal a core philosophy: treat the cause, not the symptom.
And that cause? More often than not, it’s the gut. Our digestive system is not just a food processor, but a highly intelligent decision-making network, teeming with bacteria that outnumber human cells. Mills calls the microbiome “the real brain” and warns of how antibiotics, though sometimes necessary, are wreaking havoc on this system.
He warns that antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to modern healthcare, contributing to nearly 5 million deaths annually. Yet, herbs and spices like ginger, cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, and cardamom can be powerful alternatives—especially for viral infections where antibiotics are useless.
DIY Natural Remedies:
Mills gives practical instructions: if you're feeling cold with a respiratory infection, grate a thumb-sized piece of ginger and combine it with cinnamon. Add hot water. The effect is almost immediate—warming the body, increasing circulation, loosening mucus, and triggering immune responses.
He outlines warming vs cooling herbs and how taste is often a guide to their effect. Bitters (like dandelion, wormwood, and coffee) are used to lower fever and boost digestion. Peppermint cools, ginger heats. Cardamom strengthens digestion and recovery post-illness.
The Gut-Brain Connection:
Chronic pain, autoimmune issues, and even mood disorders like anxiety often trace back to gut dysfunction. In Karen’s case, herbs aimed at restoring liver function (like milk thistle and artichoke) and regulating sugar cravings (via gymnema) normalized her cycle and stopped her panic attacks—without ever targeting anxiety directly.
Why Food Is Medicine:
Mills repeats the ancient Hippocratic principle: let food be thy medicine. He advocates for a diverse, plant-rich diet and urges people to “eat the rainbow,” emphasizing purple vegetables like beets and purple carrots for brain and circulatory health. Root vegetables and bitter greens support the microbiome, and dark chocolate, rich in polyphenols, is a literal heart medicine. “50 grams of 75%+ dark chocolate a day,” he says, “is medicinal.”
On Chronic Pain and Inflammation:
He debunks the idea that inflammation is the enemy. “Inflammation is your body's Marines,” he says—it’s a defense system, not a disease. The goal isn’t to suppress it with drugs like ibuprofen but to understand what’s causing it and resolve the upstream issue—usually diet, microbiome imbalance, or liver stress.
Mustard baths, cayenne patches, turmeric, and ginger are all powerful tools for pain, as are lifestyle choices like music and movement. Mills credits an old back injury’s recovery not to herbs but to dancing to West African rhythms.
Women’s Health, Fertility & the Keto Link:
He reveals how conditions like PCOS and irregular menstrual cycles are often tied to insulin resistance. A ketogenic, low-sugar diet can rebalance hormones naturally. Mills has helped dozens of women conceive by stabilizing cycles with herbs like fennel, gynema, artichoke leaf, and North American women's tonics rich in phyto-steroids.
Brain Health, Green Tea, and Alzheimer’s:
Green tea, rosemary, turmeric, and dark chocolate all have direct benefits on cognitive health. Mills highlights the neurovascular unit (the modern term for the blood-brain barrier) and explains how plant polyphenols modulate this system, offering protection against age-related cognitive decline.
Echinacea, frankincense, and myrrh also have fast-acting immune benefits, especially for the upper respiratory system and mouth. His demonstration of echinacea’s tingle was a literal wake-up for the host.
Gut Healing:
He explains that turmeric’s magic lies not in absorption (which is low) but in how the gut microbiome transforms it into active, anti-inflammatory compounds. This is why gut health is essential—even herbal medicine won’t work optimally if your microbiome is compromised. He discusses the importance of probiotics (fermented foods), prebiotics (fiber, plant diversity), and postbiotics (beneficial byproducts of microbiome activity).
Cautions Around Modern Medicine:
One of the most prescribed drugs in the world, omeprazole, is used for acid reflux—but at the cost of suppressing stomach acid essential for digestion and microbial defense. He describes a rebound effect where the drug becomes hard to stop using. Instead, Mills suggests the “raft” approach: natural mucilaginous substances like slippery elm, seaweed gums (e.g. Gaviscon), and aloe vera to physically protect the stomach lining.
Cost Is Not a Barrier:
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive. Mills points to traditional Asian cuisines—largely plant-based, diverse, full of spices—as cost-effective and microbiome-friendly. “East Asian diets are a masterclass in medicinal eating.”
On Cholesterol:
Rather than defaulting to statins, Mills looks at cholesterol as a potential sign of liver strain. Remedies like artichoke leaf, dandelion root, and increased plant diversity can improve lipid profiles naturally.
How to Keep Up in a Fast-Changing World:
Mills says the best antidote to a chaotic world is deepening our human connections—with people, with plants, with ourselves. Healing, after all, isn’t just about what you take—it’s about who you are.
Actionable Takeaways:
-
Strengthen your gut microbiome: Start with 30 different plants per week. Add fermented foods, fiber-rich root vegetables, and minimize antibiotics unless necessary.
-
Use natural warming herbs for colds and aches: Try fresh ginger with cinnamon tea or a cayenne pepper patch for joint pain.
-
Balance hormones through your liver and diet: Use herbs like milk thistle, artichoke, and gymnema. Consider a low-carb or keto diet if facing insulin resistance or PCOS.
-
Combat cognitive decline: Drink green tea daily. Cook with rosemary. Eat dark chocolate (75%+) regularly.
-
Question long-term use of medications like omeprazole or ibuprofen—look for underlying causes of inflammation and seek herbal or food-based alternatives when possible.
-
Eat the rainbow—especially purples like beets, berries, and purple carrots. Each color feeds different aspects of your health.
-
Try a garlic intensive (8 raw cloves over one evening) to restore gut balance—do this infrequently and alone!
Quotes to Remember:
-
“Inflammation is not the enemy. It’s the body’s most powerful defense system.”
-
“You are more bacteria than human. Take care of your gut or nothing else will work.”
-
“Plants don’t just heal—they teach you how to heal.”
-
“Antibiotic resistance is the single biggest health crisis of our time.”
-
“If a bitter plant makes you wince, it’s probably good for you.”
#HerbalMedicine #GutHealth #AntibioticResistance #NaturalHealing #PCOS #ChronicPain #BrainHealth #FoodAsMedicine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jk5XCLAr6w
No comments:
Post a Comment