Herbalist and business owner Ginger Schwartzbeck understands the trepidation that some people might have about alternative medicine—she used to be a skeptic herself. But when her children had problems that her doctor wasn’t able to solve, she turned to natural remedies.
“I started out trying to prove [herbalism] wrong because I thought that there’s no way herbs can support us as well as medicine,” she says. “It was hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that these plants I could easily grow in my house could be good for my health.”
Now, she’s the owner of Soul Aura Crystals & Herbs, a Frederick-based shop focused on herbal remedies for medical and skincare purposes, crystals and hosting yoga classes. She initially did vendor shows, traveling to different conventions to sell her wares. But this was taxing for a single mom of four children, so she recently opened a more permanent location.
As with many proponents of herbal medicine, Schwartzbeck’s concerns about the side effects and ingredients used in over-the-counter medicines were part of what led her to start researching alternative methods. This can be a major factor for people who look into herbal remedies.
According to the NPJ Journal of Nephropharmacology study “Herbal Versus Synthetic Drugs: Beliefs and Facts,” herbal remedies typically have fewer, less harmful side effects. All medicines, including herbal medicines, can have adverse effects, but the synthetic drugs that make up over-the-counter and prescription medicines can cause more problems, the study notes.
Since Schwartzbeck has already had several success stories integrating herbal remedies into her and her children’s lives, she hopes to introduce other parents to the concept.
“When my youngest son was born, he suffered from ear infections and pain while he was teething. I had used ibuprofen for my three older children, but I would give [my youngest son] an herbal tea I had made in a medicine dropper, and it worked just as well without the side effects of potentially damaging organs,” she recalls.
Trying herbal medicine might seem daunting to someone unfamiliar with the concept. They might not know where to start or feel like they should replace all of their over-the-counter medicines. Instead, Schwartzbeck suggests taking it slow: try one natural substitution at a time and see whether it is as effective as modern medicine or has fewer side effects. Experiences with herbal remedies can vary from person to person.
Many of Soul Aura Crystals & Herbs’ customers come seeking herbs that support gut and lung health so they can better weather colds and flus. Others are searching for more natural treatments for anxiety and depression.
Another factor in why people embrace herbal remedies is their affordability. Some are unable to afford prescription medicine, and trips to the doctor can be preventatively expensive for people who do not have health insurance. Some herbs with beneficial effects are inexpensive and can even be grown in the backyard, and getting into herbal medicine can be as easy as looking in the spice cabinet and researching the herbs there to see what beneficial health effects they have.
Herbal medicine’s effects on wellbeing are not just based on personal vibes—the health benefits of herbs are supported by scientific studies, with the National Institutes of Health hosting many of these studies on its website. Reading studies is actually how Schwartzbeck first became interested in herbal medicine.
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“I read an article a few years ago about how rose water being diffused into the air helped better than other mood lifters, and that piqued my curiosity,” she says. “If something as simple as rose water can help with that, what else can we do?”
One of the store’s best sellers, marshmallow root, is actually a key ingredient in over-the-counter medicine used to treat dry coughs. But the version used in modern medicine is synthetic and can have additive-related side effects that some may want to avoid.
It’s worth noting that herbal remedies are not meant to be a one-to-one replacement for modern medicine—Schwartzbeck specifies that some ailments, such as mental illnesses, physical disabilities and serious injuries, should be addressed by a doctor first and foremost. Herbal medicine can’t heal broken bones or cure chronic illnesses.
The benefits that herbal medicine offers are more preventative in nature, helping to strengthen the immune system and other biological functions over time.
“Over-the-counter medicine is very fast-acting, so we expect things to be fixed right away. Some people expect to drink one cup of herbal tea, and for that to fix everything. But herbs need to build in your system to work well,” she says. “A lot of people just wait until they’re sick instead of working to support their immune system ahead of time.”
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