Let’s get the word out! January 31, 2011

The most striking things that I noticed about healthcare in New Zealand was that naturopathic medicine is not yet licensed there.  I talked to lots of folks while I was there, and it seems that the people are indeed open to (and ready for!) naturopathic medicine to take its place amongst the current healthcare options.  That, my friends, will be a truly pioneering body of work.

Did you know that not all states in the U.S. are even licensed for naturopathic doctors?  There are only 15 states in which qualified ND’s can work as primary care providers, with 8 additional states vying for licensure.

This year, there is an amazing event happening to raise awareness of naturopathic medicine and how crucial it is to a balanced, progressive healthcare system.  Dr. Dennis Godby will be running across the entire United States, stopping in small towns and large cities to spread the word.  You should check out his page and endorse him if you believe in the healing power of nature!

New Zealand Natural Medicine: Honey is where it’s at. January 23, 2011

My family and I have just returned from a sunny summer trip to New Zealand to visit our relatives.  It was so fun for me to check out the local plants and herbs growing there.  Much of New Zealand is lush, green, and bursting with plant life, many of which I had not seen before.  Some plants were relatives of the medicinal plants we have here in the Pacific NW.

One plant I did not get a good photo of was the Manuka bush.  Honey made from the bees that frequent these bushes can have extremely high antibacterial qualities.  You can actually find some here in the states.  There is a rating system which uses UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) as a strength indicator, so you know what you’re looking for:

The UMF Ratings (measure of antibacterial strength):

• 0-4: Not detectable
• 5-9: Maintenance levels only (similar to table honey and not recommended for special therapeutic use)
• 10-15: Useful levels endorsed by the Honey Research Unit at The University of Waikato
• 16 and over: Superior levels with very high activity.

It’s mostly useful for external wounds—to help with the healing process.  If you’ve ever used hydrogen peroxide to clean a cut or scrape, Manuka honey will do just as well (without the free radical damage done by peroxide).  In fact, Manuka honey does use some peroxide activity to kill bacteria, a very small amount mixed in with  other anti-microbials.  So yay for honey!

I’ll leave you with some of my own photos taken of the other plants I liked!  Enjoy a little slideshow and a slice of NZ scenery.

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