Eager to know what you'll learn in this program? Here's an outline. The program includes 26 units, described below. 

1. Germ v Terrain Theory:
Our introductory unit provides a solid foundation in natural wellness philosophy that is necessary for all holistic care. This unit covers the popular germ theory, including its origins, prevailing thoughts and flaws, contrasting it with the more proactive terrain theory, which focuses on health and prevention.

2. Holistic Nutrition Part One Macronutrients:
The basic elements in food are fats, protein and carbohydrates. Yet so few individuals understand the importance of each and how to make healthy choices of each. These myths are covered in this unit, as well as healthy options, food and nutrition history and how to ensure sufficient intake of the correct

3. Holistic Nutrition Part Two Micronutrients:
In lesser amounts throughout our foods and herbs are vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants and other micronutrients. These are essential to health and should be well understood. In this unit each nutrient is thoroughly covered, as well as the unknown factors of food, ideal intake, whole food solutions and outlines for changing to real foods.

4. Bread: The Staff of Life:
Bread is filled with carbohydrates, gluten and other substances that contribute to ill health among modern civilizations. Yet, in generations past, bread was the staff of life. What changed? This unit covers the basic ingredients in bread, leavening options, celiac disease, history of yeast, and bioavailability of vital nutrients.

5. Body Chemistry:
Understanding the optimal functioning of the body is essential to understanding how to achieve proper balance when things are out of place. This unit covers the digestive process, bodily pH, microbial life, causes of disease, disease myths, elimination and detoxification, foundations of wellness and the Enteric Nervous System.

6. Prevention in Childbearing:
Prevention does not begin at birth - it begins long before. This unit covers the effects of prenatal - and preconception - health on a baby. Topics include epigenitics, pregnancy nutrition, drugs in pregnancy, botanical contraindications during pregnancy, solutions to common pregnancy complaints, prevention during childbirth, sonography, inductions, pain relief and botanical solutions for cesarean births.

7. Prevention for First Year and Beyond:
Within the first year of life, critical foundations are laid that will impact one’s lifelong health. This unit covers those important concepts and how to best establish a healthy terrain from day one. Topics include the fourth trimester, infant nutrition, sleeping myths, bacterial colonization, antibiotics, infant health, botanical administration and dosing.

8. Vaccinations
This controversial topic greatly affects one’s health and our balanced, informative approach helps parents and educators provide informed consent or refusal. Topics include vaccine myths, pros and cons of vaccines, risks, and autism. Each vaccine is covered individually, with side effects, risks, benefits, potential concerns and the history of the illness / vaccine.

9. Modern Childhood Epidemics:
Currently, 1 in every 3 American children will face one of the modern childhood epidemics. These disorders, which include autism, allergies, asthma and ADHD, are relatively new health concerns. Each disorder is thoroughly covered with a history of the concern, previous beliefs and treatment measures, current statistics, emerging science and botanical / lifestyle / supplemental treatments that are promising hope. Additional topics include elimination diets, essential childhood nutrients, food sensitivities, intestinal health and genetics.

10. Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine
Medicinal plants contain a vast array of compounds, chemicals and other substances that can contribute to health - or cause harm. This unit covers the ingredients in whole herbs to establish a working knowledge of the many chemical classifications such as alkaloids, resins, saponins, mucilages, glycosides, flavonoids, volatile oils, camphors and many others. Topics also include botanical research organizations, pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, absorption, distribution of active ingredients, drug elimination and customization of recommended dosing for individual health.

11. Body Systems
Each individual body system is susceptible to its own health concerns. This unit covers the various systems of the body, their organs, common elements of imbalance or disease and valuable herbal classifications for each system. In addition to the individual system listings, topics include cellular health, excesses and deficients, single remedies, chief herbs and supportive herbs. Western herbal medicine and Eastern herbal medicine are also contrasted, with prevailing treatment philosophies for each.

12. Herbal Home Use
Phytotherapy treatment measures in the home are dramatically different then conventional measures. The Family Herbalist is in a unique position as the primary care provider. This unit covers important elements to botanical family care such as diagnostic skills, recording and interpreting  illness progression, evaluating health history, symptomology, detoxification, fasting, flushing and evaluating medicine chest staples.

13. Herbal Preparations Part One
While our students learn how to evaluate quality and suitability of store bought supplements, creating one’s own custom remedies is a valuable aspect of herbalism and natural health. This unit covers over 25 natural preparations and teaches the techniques for 11 of them - complete with sample recipes. (The remaining techniques are covered in the Advanced preparations unit) Additional topics include assessing suitability of preparations, benefits of preparations, whole herbs, additional ingredients, readying the herbs for preparations, resources and labeling guidelines. (Many preparations in this unit can be prepared with ingredients in the herb kits included with the course.)

14. Common Childhood Illnesses
This unit covers pediatric pathophysiology. An A-Z index of common childhood concerns is included, along with a comprehensive overview of the disorder, prevention measures and treatment options. The treatment options include not only specific recommendations, but classifications of botanicals that would be valuable, enabling the student to utilize a wide variety of remedies for each condition. Information also includes warning signs that advanced treatment is necessary and signs of disease progression that would indicate the need for a different treatment protocol, as well as identifying factors for patterns of illness that signal underlying factors that should be addressed.

15. Adult Illnesses
This unit covers general pathophysiology. An A-Z index of common health concerns is included, along with a comprehensive overview of the disorder, prevention measures and treatment options. The treatment options include not only specific recommendations, but classifications of botanicals that would be valuable, enabling the student to utilize a wide variety of remedies for each condition. Information also includes warning signs that advanced treatment is necessary and signs of disease progression that would indicate the need for a different treatment protocol, as well as identifying factors for patterns of illness that signal underlying factors that should be addressed.

16. Other Illness and Difficulties
This unit covers more in depth topics such as cancer, weight loss and fungal overgrowth. These complex situations require a working knowledge of natural health, and cooperation with other resources, such as conventional medicine, lifestyle changes and other factors. Each of the three are covered in depth, including common myths, appropriate goals and proper identification of needs.

17. Herbal Classifications:
Herbs are classified based upon the actions of their primary constituents. These classifications are essential for a working knowledge of herbal medicine. Understanding the classifications and their uses enables our students to properly evaluate any new remedy with sufficient understanding and background to assess its ideal use(s). This unit covers the classifications shared with conventional medicine as well as those unique to herbal medicine. Over 80 classifications are covered from adaptogen to vulnerary.

18. Materia Medica I
Literally meaning: the scientific study of medicinal drugs and their sources, preparations and use. Units 18-20 cover over 100 herbs with in depth profiles that include botanical names, common names, plant composition, plant history, actions, uses and indications, contraindications and other precautions, additional effects to be considered, interactions, dosage as determined by review of clinical evidence and method(s) of administration. For ease of study, the herbs are broken into three units and listed alphabetically by common name.

19. Materia Medica II
see above description

20. Materia Medica III
see above discription

21. Advanced Herbal Preparations
This unit builds upon unit 13 with fifteen additional preparation methods covered. Techniques include sample recipes to master, with information on other suitable herbs for similar preparations.

22. Aromatherapy I
Volatile oils are a popular aspect of herbal medicine, but often misused. This unit covers the history of aromatherapy, quality and sourcing of oils, composition of oils, chemical families and classifications, chemotypes, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

23. Aromatherapy II
This unit provides a comprehensive materia medica for 28 volatile oils. Each profile includes common and botanical names, primary composition, history of the oil, primary effects, indications, contraindications, additional effects, interactions, administration, ideal blends and other notes useful for applying the oil.

24. Aromatherapy III
This unit covers application methods and the science of blending volatile oils. Topics include diffusion, topical applications and carriers, synergy, aromatherapeutic safety and aromatherapy for pregnancy. (Over 30 therapeutic blends are included.)

25. Prevention in Homekeeping
The Family Herbalist has the unique ability to enable prevention measures in the immediate environment. Many environmental factors can play a critical role in health, yet are often overlooked by the disease + treatment model - even in natural health. This unit covers clinical ecology, air quality, environmental toxins and their removal. Dozens of practical natural alternatives are covered, with formulas for homemade care.

26. Contacting Outside Help
To ensure family health, the Family Herbalist must work with a network of other professionals. This unit covers the professionals that could provide assistance to the Family Herbalist, how to locate them, and when to utilize their services.


End of Unit Materials:
The learning does not end with the lesson! Each unit also has additional end-of-unit study material to enhance and further your understanding of natural health. This includes an in depth review of over 150 real foods and how to use them nutritionally and medicinally, further study into each body system, identifying potential concerns and remedies, and ten unique case studies to challenge your knowledge and build your skills.

Each unit also includes a featured hands on project, which could range from research papers to creating custom remedies. Many units include several projects throughout their pages. Several units contain “terms to know” for building your vocabulary, further research materials and overviews, and handouts of relevant information. All units conclude with an online quiz to test skills and understanding.