Herbs are our day-to-day helpers, Katikati Herb Society says

Jenny Ager-Pratt in her backyard, her go-to for health and food. Photo / Rebecca Mauger

You won't find Jenny Ager-Pratt sitting in a doctor's office with a tickly throat ... she'll be foraging in her backyard for the medicine she needs.

She sees food as medicine and knows what she's looking for. With fellow members of the Katikati Herb Society, she wants to share her knowledge with others.

Jenny says their aim is to educate and empower others. She's a medical herbalist so her focus is on herbs for health.

''As a committee we want to provide continuing education on cultivating herbs, identifying them and discovering everything they have to offer the body. Finding out where to get them from and having them available at a reasonable price as well -especially when the supply chains break down.''

Society members hope to re-educate people about shopping for things they don't need and say it starts with listening to your body.

Jenny questions why we get ourselves tested when we know we're sick.

''We know if we're sick. And off we go to the doctor instead of thinking 'what have I got in my garden?' Thyme and sage is a powerhouse for when you're run down. If you have a sore throat and you have thyme and sage in your garden, make a really strong tea and gargle it.''

She sees herbs as our day-to-day helpers.

''Kawakawa is plentiful around here. Raw garlic has amazing antibacterial qualities. Dandelion is great for kidneys, liver and heart ... why are people choosing to spray dandelion?''

There are loads of things we can eat that people just don't know about, she says.

''If you're making chips you could have rosemary and pizza thyme through it.

"I make a wild-weed pesto from wobbling out there, not necessarily in my garden. Parsley and rocket might come from my garden - but the rest of it is out of the lawn.''

Jenny talks of germ theory and terrain theory.

''Terrain theory talks about the Earth but if we talk about it in terms of the body we're looking to nourish the terrain and support it every day through eating and drinking. If the terrain was looked after, would we actually get sick?"

She thinks it's crazy to see people driving in their cars with their masks on during these Covid-19 times.

''I'm just trying to say there's another way to potentially feel empowered and you could look after yourself in a better way.''

If you have things in your house and in your garden, you can be aware of your body and you just nail it before you get sick.

Jenny Ager-Pratt

Jenny has been interested in natural health since she was a teenager. She suffered from infections as a teen and was prescribed antibiotics, which always had an adverse reaction.

She thought there had to be a better way.

''There was also book series called The Valley of Horses, which inspired me. It was written about caveman times and the woman in the book used herbs. All the way through the stories you'd be guessing what sort of herb she'd be using for wound healing and all sorts of things, but it got a lot of us thinking.''

■ Katikati Herb Society meets once a month at St Paul's Presbyterian Church. It has an AGM coming up and members encourage anyone interested to join.