The Herbal Woman | Teen Ink

The Herbal Woman

May 15, 2012
By steph.rox GOLD, Madison, Alabama
steph.rox GOLD, Madison, Alabama
10 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You haven't lived until you've found something worth dying for"


Forty-six year old Amy Thornton considers herself an expert on herbal remedies and treatments. She hardly ever goes to the doctor and pretty much only relies on herbs and "home remedies" to cure her illnesses. Amy is a former elementary school teacher but is now earning her income as a part-time real-estate agent. She's learned about the remedies/cures through her friends and family. Ms. Thornton is unmarried and grew up in Athens, Alabama and still lives in Limestone County.

"I started experimenting with my herbs when I moved in to my house in Limestone County, Alabama five years ago." Says Thornton. "My neighbors were, and still are very knowledgeable about remedies and cures." Amy's neighbors are your stereotypical doomsday preppers and are preparing for the supposed upcoming apocalypse. "They've taught me how to take care of myself and others medically, without needing a doctor." Says Thornton. "I've also discussed herbal cures and remedies with my friends in my book club. We read books about herbs and home cures all the time."

Currently, Amy Thornton rarely goes to the doctor but did many times as a kid even though she claims she wouldn’t have needed to if her parents were more familiar with herbal remedies. "As a child, the doctor was the first person my mother would call if me or my sisters were ill with something that my mother couldn’t cure with her own remedies." Says Amy. "I've actually learned many home remedies from my mother that have actually worked, but she's never been too familiar with herbs. If she had been, she probably could’ve saved a lot of money on medical bills!"

Amy Thornton has a cure for pretty much anything you can think of; even the common cold. "To cure a cold you just take a netti pot and fill it with salt water, and lavender or mint leaves. Then you just suck in the solution via the pot and you're cured. Works for me every time!" Says Amy. "For a headache you take lavender and mint leaves and boil them in a pot and inhale the steam and if that doesn’t work drink some herbal chamomile tea with menthol. For the flu I always drink mint tea with valerian root extract. It'll be cured within ten hours. And for plantar warts you take a garlic clove and tape it to the wart; leave it there for three days and it will be gone." When Thornton was asked about her herbal remedies not being FDA approved, she did not want to discuss it. "Just because one remedy or drug has certain side effects on certain people does not mean it should be taken off the market." She says sourly. "I also think that the FDA doesn’t and has never bothered to learn or know anything about herbs and how they can cure people. I mean, look back at the ancient Indian tribes; they survived the worst illnesses because of the herbs that were available to them. They didn’t have doctors or chemically made medicines sold at the pharmacy!" In conclusion, Amy Thornton doesn’t believe in modern day medicine and hasn’t taken any non-herbal pill since she's become an herbal activist.


The author's comments:
I interviewed my aunt on her views on herbal medicines and remedies and she had quite a lot to say about it

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