Midwest Herbs & Healing

Herbalism is the art and science of using plants and plant extracts to support health and to heal.  In fact, it is the oldest and most widespread form of healing on the face of planet earth!  Not surprisingly, then, the World Health Organization (WHO) has encouraged member nations to explore and encourage their indigenous herbal traditions. 

Unlike orthodox medicine's pharmaceuticals, herbs have been time-tested as to safety and efficacy over a period of hundreds--sometimes thousands--of years! (Contrast this to the so-called "tested" pharmaceuticals that are yanked from the market each year owing to a litany of verified harmful effects.)  In fact, medical pioneers like Hippocrates and Galen were expert herbalists and used herbs as their chief form of medicine.

While there are several thousand practicing herbalists in the United States, only about 200 of these have had their education and experience thoroughly reviewed by the American Herbalists Guild--the only national body of practicing herbalists in the United States--, so as to be granted the status of a "registered herbalist" and thus append the initials "R.H." to their respective names.

Matthew Alfs, M.H., R.H. (A.H.G.) is a clinical herbalist and one of fewer than 200 of such practitioners nationwide whose education and clinical skills have been peer reviewed by the American Herbalists Guild so as to be granted the status of a "registered herbalist" (R.H.). 

Matthew is a graduate of Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, where he studied physiology and Western Herbology and earned his Master-Herbalist (M.H.) diploma.  He subsequently studied Traditional Chinese Medicine at the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  He has been in clinical practice since 1998. 

A prolific author and journalist in the field of herbal medicine, he has authored the books 300 Herbs: Their Indications & Contraindications and Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants of the Midwest, as well as a 1500-page curriculum in herbal medicine for the Midwest School of Herbal Studies (www.midwestherbalstudies.com), a forum for distance-education program in herbal studies that Matthew founded and directs to this day.