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ODE Products are developed by Lavender Hill Projects Pty Ltd (LHP) a Research & Development company specialising in herbal skin products. ODE products are tested by clinical research methods to ensure their efficacy. Where possible formulas & methods are commercially protected. LHP does not use animals for research or testing of its products.
Karina Hilterman is a Medical Herbalist who studied at the Waikato Centre for Herbal Studies. She graduated in March 1999 with a Diploma in Herbal Medicine, after having completed three years of intensive study and presenting a thesis on S.L.E (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus).
Karina’s interest in her field of work stemmed from having been diagnosed as having S.L.E herself. In 1990 – following a long period of “unwellness and pain” the only option she was offered was steroid therapy or becoming more crippled. This is where she set her inquiring mind on finding “alternative treatments”, the most positive of these being Herbal medicine. The result of this successful treatment inspired Karina to pursue her passion for wellness.
During 1995, recently separated, Karina juggled caring for her dying father, a rural property and an eight-year-old daughter. She made the decision to study other ways of treating illness. After her father lost his battle with cancer Karina commenced her training. Her three years of study were very demanding on her but her determination succeeded. With graduation she made a commitment to her new career and has developed her own practice.
From her work she has observed that some “hard to treat medical conditions” respond very well to herbal medicines (e.g. Human Papilloma and Epstein Barr viruses and post viral fatigue). With Karina’s curious nature and genuine desire to help people find wellness, she has become focused on developing trials with which she can prove herbal medicines’ effectiveness. During 2001 she set about creating her first controlled Herbal Medical trial.
She conducted a pilot study of H.P.V (Human Papilloma Virus), using a specific herbal formula, under the Bay of Plenty Ethics Committee’s approval.
The report of this research project has been accepted and is about to be published.
The formula used in this study has been proven effective for treatment of this virus and she has applied for a patent and is currently negotiating for manufacturing and marketing of this and other herbal products. A company, Lavender Hill Projects, has been formed to undertake this commercialisation process.
Karina is highly dedicated to her work, her ongoing continuing education, and involvement in Research.
From 1995 Karina was on the Committee of the Herb Federation of New Zealand (she withdrew from this role in 1993 with her move to Melbourne Australia).
At their conference in 2001, she had a remit passed to establish a nationwide ‘Herb Awareness Week’ this included a ‘Herbs In Schools’ programme. She undertook to develop these projects and was the national co-ordinator for the inaugural week, 17 – 23 February 2003. This was very successful as a “Grassroots Education Programme” about herbs and further illustrates Karina’s commitment to “Wellness Education”.
Herb Awareness Week is still successfully running the most recent was in March 2010. For further information contact the Herb Federation of New Zealand www.herbs.org.nz
During 2003 Karina moved to Melbourne, Australia to undertake more study - a post graduate degree, Bachelor Health Science, Natural Medicine. This was completed at the end of 2004. She is currently working on a research degree.
Karina has published her first book, "A Handful of Herbs" and has two other books underway - an expanded second edition to the first and a book about wellness.
Apart from her clinical practice and ongoing research projects Karina regularly conducts ‘Herb Workshops’ teaching a wide range of aspects of identifying, growing and safely using herbs and useful weeds. More recently she has been taking interested groups on ‘Wild Weed Walks’ She is passionate about wellness and wellness education and gardens whenever she can, thoroughly enjoying being able to harvest fresh herbs and vegetables to eat and flowers to brighten her life.