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HomeNewsCommunityThe healing balm of herbs

The healing balm of herbs

Times Team
By Times Team
January 11, 2026
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Plantain, or plantago in Latin, can be found almost anywhere in New Zealand. Photo supplied by Katharina Naran.

An upcoming workshop in Bombay is bringing back herbal remedies and showing kids how useful they are.

Katharina Naran, a certified, registered naturopath and medical herbalist, started practising just over a year ago. She decided to start the workshops after seeing a need to pass on what she knew about plants to other people.

The workshop promises to be a fun, hands-on experience where children learn about common, everyday herbs, brew soothing teas, and even make their own cough syrups to fight colds.

“I see a need for people to learn more about the herbs around them, and how easy it is to treat ourselves.

“What I’m teaching, I learned over a long time, but no one taught me as a kid, and I just see a need for it, to teach kids. For example, there’s a plant called plantain that grows in every lawn.

“It’s great, if we have a bee sting, we can just pick up its leaves (plantain) and apply them to the bee sting, and it immediately takes the pain away.

“But no one knows about it, and that’s the kind of things I’m teaching the kids there,” said Naran.

Besides the plantain, there’s also rosemary, which, besides being a great stuffing at Christmas, can also be used as a tea to help boost brain function, helping people to concentrate and focus for longer.

Other herbs, such as thyme, if cooked into a high-concentration extract, have antibacterial properties to help fight coughs and can help with issues associated with the stomach and gut.

Substantial scientific evidence suggests ginger, turmeric, peppermint, and echinacea can help with nausea, inflammation, and immunity. While scientific studies strongly suggest that lavender, chamomile, and holy basil help lower stress levels and promote relaxation.

The workshop will be held on January 13, at 10.30am at 187 Mill Road, Bombay. Spaces are limited to keep the atmosphere casual and relaxed, so registration is essential and costs $30.

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