The Chinese and other Oriental medical systems are the most comprehensive for analyzing the healing properties of herbs. However, the Oriental medical traditions don’t have a monopoly on healing herbs. Native Americans have their own healing traditions, as do Africans, Europeans, Pacific Islanders, East Indians, and more.

I remember reading about how the deforestation of the rainforest was going to lead to the loss of many, many herbs with medicinal properties. Apparently around 50% of the world’s plant and animal diversity is found in rainforests – even though rainforests take up only 2% of the earth’s surface area.

It makes you wonder just how many healing herbs out there could be an effective addition to Oriental medicine.

Michael Tierra, O.M.D., has been using Chinese herbal theory for over 30 years to determine the exact healing properties of herbs outside the ancient Chinese medical system. He has compiled his findings into a comprehensive materia medica. His approach to using herbs from every corner of the earth is called “Planetary Herbology,” and is taught by him and his faculty at the East West School of Planetary Herbology. This is probably the most comprehensive and in-depth approach to learning herbal healing in the world.

One of his students explained to me: “At East West, we rely most on the diagnostic methodologies of TCM and its accompanying principles for formulary, which can be applied to any herbal tradition.”

Their method also makes use of Ayurvedic tridosha and Western herbal systems. Ayurvedic medicine is even older than TCM, and is said to be the basis of most of the world’s herbal healing systems.

Michael is credited for bringing the highly popular herb Echinacea back into usage in the modern world. He spent years learning herbs indigenous to North America in his youth and began using Echinacea then. It had fallen into disuse in the late ’20s when penicillin came along. Unfortunately in the last 20 years or so, Echinacea has been somewhat mis-marketed as an herb for colds, when Michael’s clinical experience shows that it’s more of a hard-hitting antibacterial infection herb.

Michael agrees that Oriental Medicine deserves to be far better understood by the general public, and that astute marketing is very important in educating them about this ancient and effective healing tradition. He’s actually focusing more on this area himself – which is how he found me. So he has generously agreed to donate his entry-level course to a contest winner.

Remember – NONE of the contest prizes require a purchase of any book, including Never Market Again. The point is for you to attract and help more patients.

This course consists of 12 lessons and contains three books and a video in addition to the course manuals. The Family Herbalist Course is actually the beginning 12 lessons of two more advanced courses. These are the Community Herbalist Course and the Professional Herbalist Course. The Professional and Community courses have 36 lessons each, but the Professional version has more study material required for completion. Completion of the Professional course leads to certification by the East West School and acceptance in the American Herbalists Guild, of which Michael Tierra is a founder.

The East West School of Planetary Herbology’s website is a treasure trove of fantastic TCM, Ayurvedic and Western herbal information. If you’re interested in herbs, herb formulations and new herbal theories, check out their Articles and Resources section and sign up for their newsletter.