It’s far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has. – Hippocrates
Western herbalism is a holistic approach to health involving herbs, nutrition and lifestyle adjustments. The use of plants as medicine is as at least as old as humankind. I say “at least” because there are many examples of animals who eat certain plants outside of their usual diet when they have a particular illness or need. Western herbalism has it’s roots in the traditions of native North Americans and of Europe. It represents a practical approach to wellness and illness prevention that is accessible to folks both conceptually as well as financially.
Western herbalists use many local plants, but also draw on plants from other traditions. Unlike the dominant allopathic system of medicine in the US, herbalists generally work in the context of a person’s constitution, meaning that their approach is tailored to the physiological, emotional and energetic makeup of the client. The goal is to reestablish homeostasis in the body, promoting health and preventing disease. Medicinal plants do this by activating the body’s own healing ability.
This site is about medicinal herbs, essential oils and well-being, with some medicinal mushrooms and bit of science nerdiness tossed in. It’s but a seedling (or maybe spore?), but will grow and bear fruit that I hope is useful. This is also a gateway for those wanting to schedule a wellness consultation and for information on classes that I offer regularly in the Durango area.
Western herbalism offers support for many health issues, including:
- Colds, Flu
- Allergies, Asthma
- GERD, indigestion, IBS, IBD
- Blood sugar regulation
- Cardiovascular health
- Cancer – support during treatment, preventative work
- Autoimmune disorders
- Musculo-skeletal injuries
- Arthritis
- Nerve pain
- Reproductive health
- Migraines
- Hormonal imbalances
- Insomnia
- Stress, Anxiety
- Emotional balancing
“What commercial drug dealer is going to want to prove that saw palmetto is better than his multimillion dollar drug, when you and I can go to Florida and harvest our own saw palmetto?”
-James Duke, Ph.D., a scientist and USDA specialist in the area of herbal medicine