Valley woman brings herb store to Mesa

Mike Gould suffered a stroke two years ago and he had no health insurance.

Following a daylong stay in the hospital, his recovery was in the hands of his wife, Kathy, who has practiced and studied herbalism for 25 years.

"When he got out, I had to take him home and had no idea what to do," Gould said, "He couldn't speak. He had lost everything on one side of his body. He was scared to death."

Gould used immense amounts of herbal medicines and teas, and Mike eventually made a full recovery. It's one of the many remarkable healing stories Gould said she's witnessed in her years of studying herbal remedies and lifestyles.

Now, she is turning that knowledge into an East Valley business.

Gould owned two herb shops in southeastern Florida before moving to the Valley in 2005. After three years of searching for retail space here, she found a building at 148 N. Center Street, in the heart of downtown Mesa.

Southwest Herb opened in mid-September. For those who are uninsured, like Gould, the shop offers an alternative way to get and stay healthy.

"As a society right now, and with the economy the way it is with people losing their jobs, people losing their insurance, they are looking to come together," Gould said.

Being in retail is not Gould's first priority, she said, adding that the shop is more of a "gathering place" for like-minded people who want education on ways to stay healthy.

Visitors can come in the shop, soak in the aromas of lemon grass and peppermint, have a glass of tea and be on their way without feeling pressured to buy anything. For those who want more information, Southwest Herb offers a variety of classes on topics such as menopause and the spirit of herbs.

"There is literally an herb for everything," Gould said, "I have used them for everything from colds to cancer."

Rick Herrier, a pharmacist at the University of Arizona's College of Pharmacy, said it's hard to measure how accurately herbal medicines work. Their effectiveness is especially difficult to verify because they don't go through the same extensive testing and controlled experimentation that traditional medicines go through, he said.

Herbs could have a "modest" role in the future of medicine, Herrier said, but his fear is that people will opt to take them instead of prescriptions.

Gould said herbs cannot replace traditional medicines, but a healthy lifestyle in combination with herbs can target the root of health problems instead of simply relieving the symptoms.

Natural healing can be cost-effective, Gould said, especially when money is tight and insurance is not an option.

"If you can show someone how to make something for $50 that will last them a year, then it's worth it," Gould said. "It's more cost-effective than health food stores. It's more cost-effective than medications."

An 8-ounce, pre-blended bag of Allergy and Sinus Tea is $19.95, and the shop sells an 8-ounce Daily Detox Liver Cleanse Tea Blend for $15.95. There are many more items, ranging from PMS-Less Tea to Wonderful Weight Loss tea.

Madalyn Johnson, who handles marketing for Southwest Herb, said those who have found the shop are excited to have it in the community.

"People tell me, 'Gosh, I've been driving to Payson' or 'I've been driving to south Chandler because we didn't know you were here,'" Johnson said.

The shop will hold a grand opening Friday and Saturday with a variety of interactive activities and tea tastings.

"We didn't want to have a boring grand opening where people just come in for two seconds and leave," Gould said. "We want people to come in have a great time and learn about the benefits of herbs at the same time."