The current practice of clinical herbalism in the United States focuses on supporting wellness as opposed to fighting disease. The strength of botanicals lies in their capacity to support the body as it finds a healing path. In other words, herbs assist the body by “nudging” it back into balance. While they may sometimes take longer than pharmaceutical drugs to achieve maximum efficacy, the longer-term benefits are often more lasting because herbs act by helping the body help itself to heal.  That is, herbs can assist in restoring innate physiological function such that the body can eventually ‘do it on its own’. Additionally, herbs are generally very safe* and have low-to-no side effects. *when used appropriately.