What We're all About

“Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against nature. When enough sins against nature have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear.” - Hippocrates, The Father of Medicine 

“The medicine to heal it can only come from something greater than our own inventions, something vastly more intelligent than isolated molecules produced in a laboratory. That something is medicinal plants, the living, healing intelligence of the Earth.” -Sajah Popham, founder of The School of Evolutionary Herbalism 

The use of plants to promote the body’s vitality has been practiced cross-culturally since the dawn of civilization. We see it continuing today within Ayurveda, the world’s oldest & most comprehensive medical system, as well as Chinese Medicine, a traditional form of medicine that has been practiced for thousands of years, to name a couple. Our ancestors have passed down their wisdom of plants, but this wisdom has been forgotten or laid to rest by many. As a society we are further removed from nature now more than ever. We live in a world ruled by technology, and although we have infinite knowledge at our fingertips, we see ourselves sicker as a population than ever before. It has been reported that the average American over 65 is said to take at least four prescription drugs daily on a regular basis, & many also take over the counter drugs. Statistically, the average American has a shorter life expectancy than other comparable countries. Because of our increasingly sick society and the desire to create long-term health, we see many people turning to what has worked for millennia- the use of herbs as a means to promote & maintain the body’s innate vitality. 

Prescription pills are often isolated compounds that have been increased in potency. Did you know that synthetic drugs were not discovered until 1869? That’s less than 200 years ago! Many of our modern-day chemical medicines are now synthetic versions of plant constituents.  For example, Willow bark helped to form the basis of the discovery of aspirin. It has been used for more than 350 years for pain relief & scientifically proven that it is because of the chemical salicin which contributes to said relief. Salicin is the key precursor molecule that contributed to the discovery of acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. 

By isolating a part you’re leaving out the whole. “The whole is more than the sum of the parts.” Human beings are more than parts that break down and need to be repaired, but unfortunately this is a common view in how people are treated today- like machines. Often, we see the symptom being the main focus of concern rather than getting to and understanding the root of the cause. Consuming herbs allows for the plant's entire chemical constituents to work synergistically within the person, using the sum of its parts to promote the body’s natural healing from within. 

“The effects of a plant can rarely be attributed to a single constituent. More often, effects are due to the various ways in which a whole plant complex interacts with the human body.” -David Hoffman, Medical Herbalist

Promoting the body’s innate vitality is the mission of Nettles Herbs. We know that healing is not only about the body, but about the mind & soul as well. We aim to create products that are a direct reflection of the inherent wisdom of nature and our body’s unique ability to heal. We create products that work with the body and its natural functions, focusing on the whole person rather than a part. We take into account the plants actions, chemical constituents, as well as the plants underlying energetics and how it affects a person’s constitution.   

We hope that by sharing the vitalist herbalism approach we can help to awaken others to become more aware of how plants can affect them, not only within the physical body, but the mental & spiritual as well. Working alongside nature and its power, Nettles Herbs brings together plants, people, and the planet in a holistic way.