I was introduced to Dr. Christopher’s teachings years before I graduated from his school’s Master’s Herbalist program. His teachings immediately resonated with me, so I started my herbal medicine closet and bought many of Dr. Christopher’s formulas. I wanted to be prepared for any sickness that could affect my family and friends. A few years later my parent’s chihuahua Taz fell whimpering while he was on a walk with my dad. Taz’s episode lasted about one minute, he then got up and acted fine, so they finished their walk with no other incidents. A few weeks later Taz suffered another episode, so my parents took him to a local veterinarian. During the exam, the veterinarian discovered that Taz’s heart was failing. Taz was sent home with heart medication and little hope. When my parents told me about Taz’s diagnosis I immediately remembered Dr. Christopher’s teachings on hawthorn being food for the heart, cayenne to increase the power of the heart and correct circulation issues, and motherwort being one of the best-known heart tonics. I then recommended a tincture of each of the three herbs from my homemade herb closet instead of the heart medicine the vet sent them home with. They agreed and after a few weeks on the herbs, Taz’s fainting episodes began to gradually disappear. Three years after the initial veterinarian visit, they took Taz back to the same vet. They asked the vet to check his heart, so he did and told them that his heart sounded healthy. The vet then looked at Taz’s case history and looked puzzled. He asked my parents if Taz was on any heart medicine. They told him they were giving him herbs instead of the medicine he recommended. The vet looking astonished simply said, “Well, keep doing what you are doing.” 

A few years later my chiropractor developed some heart arrhythmia problems that he believed were connected to a 30-day antibiotic regimen that he was on for a severe prostate infection. His heart episodes were severe and could last up to one hour forcing him to lie down so that he wouldn’t pass out. His doctor said that there was nothing to worry about. Easy for the doctor to say, but to the chiropractor, his heart episodes were very scary and they were affecting his ability to do his job. So I gave him the same three tinctures and dietary advice. After some time passed his heart episodes started to reduce in frequency until eventually, they went away completely. During this time we both learned a fact new to us. He told me early on when his heart would speed up and go into arrhythmia if he took 1 - 2 droppers full of cayenne tincture within five minutes his heart would slow down and go back into its proper rhythm. I am just one of many who have been blessed by Dr. Christopher’s teachings and I will continue to teach and help those in need as long as I live.