Where I come from in Africa, herbal medicine has always been regarded as omnipotent for varieties of illnesses and infections.
I remember as a child, when my grandma comes to visit, she brings all kinds of herbal mixtures, leaves and barks which would then be diligently administered by my mum to every kid at home every morning ( and by God they were mighty bitter) claiming it "fortified" our bodies better than the medicine from abroad .
As a young science student, I often try to discourage the unchecked use of these nature's "all-powerful" gifts but was always shutdown by "no way the little ones can be smarter than the knowledge of the ancestors ".

This post has given me a better viewpoint which I can use to enlighten others on the dangers of unchecked use of herbal medicine.
Also, I would like to know your view on the recent claims that "Pumpernickel" slows down the aging process.
This was a very enlightening post @suesa.