About 30 years ago Kuni Frith Black started using herbs for medicinal purposes rather than the drugs most doctors recommended.

It served her so well she decided to pass on the knowledge to others.

The 61-year-old has been busy this past year. Her new shop, Herb Goddess, has a range of teas for improved health; she spends her Sundays in the Botanical Gardens highlighting plants and herbs that can be used for medicinal purposes.

It’s how she’s lived her life since the 1980s, when a specialist highlighted the health benefits for her.

“From there I became a convert,” she said. “There wasn’t a lot of information available back in the 1980s, but this gastroenterologist changed my entire diet. There were lots of things I couldn’t eat, like fried or processed foods or anything with artificial ingredients in it.

“It was a lot more natural foods — fresh fruits and vegetables, salad and raw yoghurt. My digestion quickly improved, but it took about a year-and-a-half.”

Visits to the doctor were rare for her as a child, Ms Frith Black said. She was raised on Bermuda folk medicine.

“My mom had herbs and natural remedies for everyday childhood illnesses like the mumps, flu, cold, sores and bruises — things that children get.

“And certainly we didn’t have antibiotics for every little thing. Children just had natural childhood diseases and it helped build and develop their immune system. We didn’t have all these vaccines like you hear about today.”

It’s a way of life she’s passed on to her daughter, Alexis Swan.

“To this day, whenever she has anything wrong with her, Alexis will call me anytime of day or night and has a medicine shelf of herbs,” Ms Frith Black said.

“She grew up with it and has watched me help people over the years and has attended so many of my talks and presentations. She has worked really closely with me over the years. She’s definitely my partner in all of this.”

She opened Herb Goddess in the Washington Mall this year. According to Ms Frith Black, it was a dream come true.

“Now I can connect on a deeper level with the community,” she said. “People from all walks of life come in here — from the corporate world to civil servants to the average man on the street.

“Being able to identify with others about what’s going on with them, not just on a physical level, but an emotional, spiritual and mental one, is really important. Many of them have health imbalances and are looking for alternative ways to address those issues.

“We have so many people here that don’t have insurance and can’t afford prescription drugs. We have so many people who’ve had adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals and are looking for preventive measures when it comes to their health. If they already have health challenges they are looking to deal with that in a less invasive manner.

“The big reward is when people come back and give me positive feedback.

“It takes building a rapport with an individual and establishing a trust level for them to open up. I believe that if they follow my directions there’s a good chance they can address the health imbalance they’re dealing with.”

Ms Frith Black’s herb lectures start at 2pm. Admission is free, courtesy of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. The two-hour presentation, which runs through March, includes a light tea.

“I’ve been trying for some time to host a tour at Botanical Gardens because there’s more medicinal plants there in a concentrated area,” she said. “People will get the same hands-on experience as in my other tours.”