June 3, 2008 |
| Herbal Studies, Ann Arbor, at Gaia School |
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Medicinal herbs share their many valuable uses with those who listen
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Welcome... here at Gaia School of Herbal Studies and Natural Therapeutics clinic
June 3
Tomorrow evening, 6-9, I give a talk at Washtenaw Community
College on the topic of Natural Healing for Women's Health.
Cultivating herbs and the work it takes to plan, create and work on botanical sanctuaries has been taking much of my time, along with a new biodynamic food garden, about 300 sq feet, I have put in this year. I may not have a lot of health related entries on this page for awhile, but, if anyone is actually reading this, and you do have health related questions, I offer to consider them and answer them here .
My private practice work has turned a corner , more accurately yet another corner, after 17 years. I am more actively combining bodywork therapies directly with traditional naturopathy consultations and in this regard seeing less people , although following through with them over a longer time. This feels right to me, as most of my recent work is with clients wishing to heal long term chronic issues involving hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue, " fibromyalgia" - and these simply are not "in and out" cases where handing out a tincture or a health program will do much good. I am integrating everything I know into one holistic approach. I had been trained, as many of us have, to keep the boundaries around the various disciplines (ie: this is bodywork, that is naturopathy....) but in our current times a multidimensional approach is needed. I like the way this feels as an approach to client health care from a traditional natural healing perspective; it expands and facilitates the pathway to healing.
May 26
We just completed a first session of the 6 month Medicinal
Herbalist Certification program - ending on Sunday with a dozen students abuzz with inspiration for the herbal world of health. It is fresh in my mind what we did during this heavenly-weather weekend so I will share: first of all - Great Group ! a matrix of harmonious good energy. Friday afternoon was spent in an important orientation, giving students time to get to know one another, and me time to explain the program, give a walk-about, and for all of us to imagine and say and write down our personal Mission Statements for the program journey in the Gaia Journal. Here is one: "I aspire to become a medium of healing for myself and my community, and to provide a healing space for the city and its' inhabitants to thrive".
Saturday, after circling up with a grounding meditation, we began our focus for the month- which is field identification of therapeutic plants - by doing exercises with our Peterson field guides. This was followed by a walk for about an hour or so to challenge ourselves to use those books to identify a variety of plants growing nearby: chickweed, catnip, dandelion (of course!), shepherds purse, 3 species of nettles, mullein, horsetail, wild strawberry, the plantains; and a number of wild flowers such as goats beard, field mustard, nannyberry, and pineapple weed. Much more is waiting in the wings that is not in flower yet: red clover, wild carrot, Monarda fistulosa, blue vervain, gravel root....
Then inside for some rawsome chocolate chip pecan cookies and an herbal tea and a break. In the afternoon we moved into learning some foundational skills for making plant medicines, with the newly empowered students gathering herbs for the infusion demonstration, which includes sensing and tasting each one. I will have to say that the catnip infusion brought everyone to the floor with it's calming influence, surprising even me. 12 new converts to the nervine properties of catnip for humans!
Dandelion flowers were gathered to make an oil infusion, to be used at completion for massage into muscles and tissues, with the healing intention of release of stuck emotions- the essence offered by Dandelion. Saturday afternoon led to time for questions and sharing which is such an important part of a learning community.
Sunday offered us morning time to discuss ethical wild gathering, at-risk plants, the United Plant Savers organization initiatives, and conservation and Earth stewardship in general. With this obviously accelerated group, this is important information to start out with- I can see they will be quite active in the field and in the home Apothecary this season.
Next a tour of our cultivated plants, including "whats up' in the medicine wheel garden. We all had name sticks for the plants which were installed during the talk about growing patterns, soil types, harvest methods, plant uses, seed gathering, and ecological health of cultivated spaces. Before we knew it , it was time for lunch- sunning on chaises, spreading out on blankets on the soft May grass, or under the maple and pine trees for shade. For me as a teacher, a very high level good omen is to see an entire group of students flipping through herb books and field guides , avidly, and by no directive on my part, less than 24 hours from the beginning of the program on a beautiful sunny weekend day in May....during their breaks and free time!
Sunday afternoon presented us with a live , experiential use of our newly learned skill of making infusions, extended to the application of a Fomentation to one of the students who was healing from a broken foot (she kept saying, at work, for months before "I need a break, I need a break"...). Students gathered comfrey leaves, yarrow leaves, and peppermint sprigs , and a pair of students made a strong infusion while cloths, including a wood insulated cloth, were gathered for the treatment. With a hot cup of infusion in hand, the same infusion was applied to the foot and ankle, and one happier student was propped with pillows and onto a chaise, while the rest of us went off to a different habitat to ethically wild gather , returning later to learn the skills of drying herbs properly for later use. More time for questions, and then a go-over of the assignment for the month- until we meet again on the Solstice for our next gathering !
May 19
This week I am busy preparing for our 4th annual Medicinal
Herbalist Certification Program to begin this Friday afternoon. There is still time to register if that is your heart's desire ! Most of the activities of this past week and this current week concern spring planting, orienting work study students, and giving the medicine wheel garden it's spring beauty treatment.
Health-wise I would draw your attention to the opportunity to safely gather tasty dandelion leaves, which can be rinsed off and chopped into salads as the French do. This is a tonic for your liver /gallbladder and kidneys. Be generous- you can easily take in 1/2 cup of these chopped greens in salads and casseroles several times per week, or even daily. Cleavers is another herb and wild edible which is perfect for gathering now , but will be past it's prime in a couple weeks, in our area. I gather this for lymphatic tonics every year, and every year I use all the medicines and tonics I have made because it is such a useful herb for the health of my client base.
May 12 Update on herbal treatment of cats with URI
I offer this information more as insight into the thought process of a medicinal herbalist than as a formulaic protocol for issues of your own of the same nature. All five of my cats were stricken with upper respiratory infection and they all got better fairly quickly with herbs and rest, with the exception of my little velveteen rabbit, Teddy (a 12 year old tomcat). He had more distressing symptoms, which dragged on. After a few days of this, administering echinacea, even a small amount of ephedra which brought relief (I am not recommending you do this without a thorough background of experience), plus massage with hot lavender compresses, and other measures, including brief fasting and chicken soup, I administered warm chicken soup (homemade broth) to which raw garlic and powdered cayenne was added. I added about 1/16 of a teaspoon to 2 tablespoons of broth, and he has taken only 1/2 of that total over 24 hours. He seemed to take to it well, and within a few hours presented very significant relief. I took this route because I felt he presented as sluggish and stagnant, compared to the other 4 cats whose movement through this infection was much quicker, and I feel the cayenne broke this quality up and brought flow and circulation so necessary for the healing process. It could be said that it was also "drying" , but to me this was not at all the main motivation or the main result, although nasal congestion did break up, I believe it was due to the overall movement the cayenne facilitated within his overall holistic system. The cayenne was also a carrier for garlic to enter into systemic areas previously too stagnant to receive them. He turned , without debate, a major corner, and received this broth two more times, with great results and more relief each time, now within a 24 hour period. Now all of the cats are better and fully recovered.
May 4 Herbal Treatment of Feline URI
I have 5 cats , ages 11- 6 months. This past week a slight upper respiratory infection of some kind spread through them all. It began with Hermione, a little black long haired female- the symptom was lots of sneezing, but not much more. Granted, we cannot notice the same types of things we do in people, nor can cats talk to us about it. Just when Hermione was getting better on her own- within 3 days, as I was not going to rush to any vet just for a little sneezing in an otherwise fine cat - Mitch, a two year old black tomcat came down with the sneezing. A day later he was breathing through his mouth and showing signs of having trouble swallowing, or perhaps I should say discomfort with that, not "trouble". Seeing Mitch with his mouth hanging open scared me, and the other unknown factors indicated I should get him checked out, so I decided to take him to a vet. To make a long story short, the "mouth open when breathing" was only intermittent , and he sprung his cage on the way to the car, so the mother of invention forced me to take herbal action until the next day. I immediately made up a water extract of echinacea root to be used the next morning, and gave him some powdered (1/8 t. ) "Siberian ginseng" aka Eleuthero root and some powdered rose hips (1/4 t) in a little mooshy food. He gobbled it up , and a crucially sick cat would not have eaten. There was hope. He got the same treatment plus the echinacea liquid twice the next day, was symptom free by that evening. He rested more for 2 days and now, about 3 total days later he is 100% better. I would certainly have taken him to the vet if his symptoms persisted or got worse, but this was a bit of a false alarm, even though he WAS sick. The other 3 have all gotten the same thing; with one, Daisy, there was also a bout of trying to cough up phlegm. All of the kitties are getting the same protocol- echinacea extract, mixed in with mooshy food, along with the bioflavinoid and vitamin C rich rose hips, and the adaptogen Eleutherococcus senticosis (aka Siberian ginseng but not actually a ginseng at all). It should be noted that information about which herbs to use is not a universal rule of thumb- this information came to me as appropriate for this particular case and set of symptoms. In another, yet slightly similar case, it is quite possible I would get different information, including additional information. Looking back, the fact that eleuthero is anti-inflammatory (those poor kitty throats...) and immunogenic , and rose hips is such a superior NATURAL source of bioflavinoids and vitamin C, (in my opinion, and again when in the natural unprocessed state), they also seemed synergistic (and I base that on the rapid disappearance of symptoms , including those for Mitch within 14 hours) with the echinacea.
April 29
There is almost nothing better to eat this time of year, in terms of health, delicious flavor, density of nutrition including protein, cleansing power and rejuvenation - than NETTLES ! They are young and tender , no more than 4-12 inches high in their colonies amid the grasses. I have been carefully harvesting wild nettles in safe organic places for days now, making primarily a Cream of Nettles soup which I can freeze as well as eat liberally for meals now.
Wear rubber gloves to prevent getting stung, and go out with snips , collecting about a full paper bag (the kind at the supermarket, the brown paper bag if you have any saved, because by now you are all using canvas totes to shop , aren't you?) loosely , not packed. Just snip and toss , stems and all.
Bring to a boil in a large pot 5 cups of purified water. Add the
nettles quickly; it is kind of like making spaghetti as you must stir in the stiff stems and then they quickly wilt in the hot water.
Stir them in, and take the pot off the heat, set the pot aside
with the nettles and cover it. Let it sit overnight, which will help extract more goodness from the plant, or until cool, then blend in a blender. To this you can add a can of cream of whatever soup, or even two. Mushroom goes well with nettles. And if you have culinary talent you can make a roux with onions and seasonings , adding the pureed nettles to make a cream soup.
About 3-4 tablespoons of flour to 2-3 tablespoons of butter or oil would do for the roux. Wisk well, season to taste, but only warm up - nettles do not benefit from boiling or overcooking, as their heavenly robust and earthy flavor and nutrition will be lost.
You do not need dairy to make a "cream of " soup, although you could add some, or you could add soy milk. You can make this soup entirely vegan with a stock , and you of course can also add other vegetables- just remember it is best NOT to keep cooking nettles, so add those vegetables already cooked and just warm up.This makes a delectable and unforgettable soup that nothing commercial can even come close to, and you may feel the vitality in your very blood for hours. bon appetit
April 28 DONATIONS
While we know that donations of time, money and energy are already given to us in the spirit of appreciation for our mission, we want to continue to express our thanks for the help we have received for the past four years. The growth of our school and the lives we continue to touch in service and health is made possible in part by this generous energy and these blessings.
April 21 FINDHORN COMMUNITY IN SCOTLAND
The health of our planet and the very existence of healthy life is at risk in our times. We need our outer ecology to be healthy if our inner ecology (body) is to be healthy. I recently visited a place of planetary acclaim, the Findhorn Community, located for 46 years in the north of Scotland. I read about Findhorn in 1976 in a book which was newly out at that time - "The Findhorn Garden". It made a huge impression on my consciousness, and validated experiences I had and inner truths I felt I had access to at the time. Findhorn quietly continued to grow all those many years, it's primary driving force and foundation being a quest to receive and put into action guidance from God, the divine, Spirit, angels, the Light....our loving creator. It preaches no doctrine; it doesn't preach - and the key word here is action. Today Findhorn Foundation is a community, a spiritual retreat and also an international educational center with ties to the United Nations and a designation as being the world's foremost example of a sustainable ecovillage community. They live their guidance, and walk their talk. The vibrations there were very high , and very healing to all who come. I witnessed several instances of heart chakras opening in our very diverse group of people from all over the world. Many of us needed extra sleep in order to integrate the new energies coming in. Old blockages were released. When one is in resonance with higher vibrations, healing and evolution can occur, if one is open. We were ! More on this experience and the variety of aspects it touched which relate to your life and mine, as well as all the planet.... in later writings.
April 20
It is always wonderful and validating to receive a personal testimonial , regardless of the many years I have been practicing medicinal herbalism and my unshakable confidence in natural healing. This is primarily because I hear someone has gotten better, out of pain, healed tissue, healed emotionally, back into balance, and so on - I am always gladdened to hear that someone who was suffering is now no longer ! On this case it is a dog, someone came up to me at a Polarity workshop and related that her older female dog was suffering from vulvar ulcers, and that nothing in the field veterinary medicine had helped at all. I suggested and gave her St. John's Wort ointment, made from our own harvested herbs infused properly in oil and then made into a spreadable ointment which would hold it's place upon the tissues- even those tissues. I suggested this because this preparation is anti inflammatory (inflammation almost always is painful), antiviral (the sores may have been viral in origin, and there was absolutely no harm in using the ointment before finding out- why wait?? We did not need expensive tests to proceed ahead), and tissue healing.
If you want to see what this herbal formula looks like when it is in the process of creation, look on this site's "Work Study" page
and there is a photo of two jars of St. John's Wort oil macerating on our kitchen windowsill.
The next time I saw the dog's "mom" , a few weeks later, she told me that within 3 days the ulcers cleared away completely.
Again, they were GONE. They gradually faded away under observation. So this was not a palliative , band-aid treatment,
it was a complete cure for this condition in this case.
The secondary reason I love to hear feedback and testimonials is that we are always hammered in the media with this brainwashy concept that "herbal medicine has not been tested" , and of course the implication of these statements is that therefore it does not work. We don't need this testing, for the most part- I am satisfied with this story of the dog- aren't you? And millions of other similar testomonials over thousands of years . . . . the cost was 12$, the dog is better, feeling great, there were no side effects - I 'll take it !
March 31
Has anyone noticed that our pharmaceutical drugs are failing us left and right , in addition to causing massive serious side effects, in the past several years? Many doctors will not allow themselves to even take them. The latest headlines today come from Chicago with "Popular cholesterol drug fails to improve heart disease".
I write these entries not to be divisive, but out of frustration to ask when, Oh when are we going to grow up (evolve, mature) as a culture , past greed, past horse blinders , and implement natural healing into our lives and culture (yes, yes, I know there can never be huge profits for anyone by doing that.... gee, could that be why the stall?) . I find it interesting, and sad, the correlation between heart disease and a cold and loveless conventional health care system. Diet , such as the diet plans Dr. John MacDougal, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Gabriel Cousens, and others are excellent to support the health factors needed for a healthy cardiovascular system. Such diets , I will point out are about the same as vegetarian "health nuts" (as we used to be called....) have promoted for decades before these diets were promoted by doctors. Still , they are very good, and anecdotally, if we must use that word, I have observed populations, such as the residents (300 people ) of Kripalu Center back in the early 1990's when I lived in and studied meditation and bodywork there, who were free of disease, full of vitality, looked 10-20 years younger, and happy because they followed a lifestyle not dictated by doctors but by common sense and following natural laws: sensible whole foods diet, daily exercise, meditation, and emotional support through the practice of positive energy, which wasn't even a popular book title back then. Every one of those factors are important in maintaining health and rejuvenating the body mind.
Herbs, such as Hawthorn berry, Motherwort, Lemon Balm, Linden, (all also very tension reducing herbs let us all notice) are heart healthy, as is cayenne. But herbs alone will not put off deterioration caused by a heart ravaging lifestyle and culture. They WILL , however, gently and without side effects (we are not talking digitalis from foxglove here) truly nourish the tissues of the heart and blood vessels on a cellular level, bring about the tone and tissue health that is missing in pathological conditions. Other safe and common herbs used properly, such as dandelion leaf, are superb in the action of reducing edema and fluid build up , while supplying and balancing potassium INSTEAD of depleting it as chancy expensive drugs do. In addition, supportive herbal care for the blood supply, (blood building is what we call this in natural medicine), the digestive organs, and the nervous system all play key roles in rejuvenation of the overall system of internal ecology which lives inside of us.
It IS POSSIBLE to reverse and heal heart disease - I just hope the voices of experienced and educated holistic practitioners will continue to be heard more clearly in the times to come.
March 27 again
Wish I could give herbal health advice over the phone, (but I really cannot, unless I have already seen a client and have taken an intake and I am doing follow up) and calls do come in weekly with various messages asking what to take for what and asking for recommendations. In general one reason off -the -cuff recommendations (and "off the magazine article sound bytes" for that matter) do not work out is that the full context of the question is not or cannot be explored with one question and one answer. So in the meantime I can offer:
1. You can make an appointment for a consultation. Consults are highly educational and the information given is with you for life, as well as addressing immediate needs in proper context. And it is what I do professionally for nearly 20 years now. More information is at the web site for my private practice:
www.marylightnaturalmedicine.com
2. Have on hand in your home some reliable reference books such as Rosemary Gladstar's Family Herbal which gives preparation, dosage, frequency, and other health advisory for common conditions of children and men and women. It, along with her (Rosemary Gladstar) Herbal Healing for Women is focused, giving specifics and often answering the big question,
"Why". Her books are great home reference books , compared to others which ramble on with too many suggestions that are not tied together, or authors who refer to a few case histories without really teaching the home reader what to do in common situations, or books which give interesting tidbits about herbs, much of which is not related to the ailments the householder is trying to reference.
Another extremely helpful reference author to collect books from is Juliette de Baircli Levy with books for both people and animals including pets and farm animals, all based on foundational theories of natural health (tried during her nearly 100 year lifetime, so reliable enough for me ! ) - with many of the herbs reference being in our own backyards or otherwise commonly known such as thyme and rosemary.
One common inquiry is for children suffering from colds/flu, and with these "bugs" (which are generally viral and not bacterial and therefore antibiotics simply weaken the child's system without doing anything at all to help the body heal. The best course of action is to encourage as much rest as possible rather than pushing or suppressing symptoms. There is a difference between SUPPRESSING symptoms and reducing the discomfort of symptoms. Here are some actions you can take to reduce discomfort while going through the natural healing and cleansing process of one of these viral meanies, which I myself personally came down with this year mid February so I know how rough they can be:
1) Lemon balm tea (strong! not weak) OR tincture (a well made tincture such as those from Herb Pharm or from my own apothecary could dose a child at 1/4 teasp. in a little cup of hot tea and an adult at 1 teasp., as often as 4 times a day.) - reduces spasming from lungs so makes coughing more productive and less wracking on the body. Induces sleep and relaxation.
2) Ginger tea with honey and lemon: again grate that fresh ginger generously for a strong tea to reduce nausea and queasiness, cleanse the stomach, reduce spasming in the GI system and warm the lungs. Several cups per day and can mix with mints, licorice root and whole flax seed to soothe throat, as well as fresh thyme leaf to reduce episodes of secondary infection such as the opportunistic strep which sometimes appears with these "bugs". I got the strep and headed it off without the need for medical attention by resting, working with herbs, and self care. I was fine within 2 days strep wise although this particular flu dragged on for about 3 weeks presenting fatigue, intermittent weakness, slight shortness of breath or perhaps better put, respiratory weakness.
3) Chest poultices of castor oil mixed with a few drops each per 1/4 cup of oil of rosemary and lavender essential oil, with a cloth and then a hot water bottle in place for about an hour. Adding to the healing room a vaporizer with eucalyptus and thyme essential oil, or what I did, which was a cheap and small crock pot filled with water, with the essential oils added, lid off, left to add humidity and molecules of the essential oils to the room.
4) A few days into the flu, when the acute symptoms have subsided , Swedish type massage of long effleurage and kneading petrissage strokes (anyone can learn these applications from a book to use at home with family and children) - a massage per day of 15 minutes or so in duration with slow gentle but firm strokes using a light almond or sunflower oil . These massages move along lymphatic circulation , reduce pain through various physiological actions including soothing the nervous system, encourage deeper restful and healing sleep, at the very least.
5) Go easy on the animal products in the diet. There is plenty of protein in plant foods , and there are also some unusual natural cravings during some of these flus which I believe should be given in to. Our dietary needs change during such great times of bodily and emotional stress as a flu or severe cold . You might even crave meat, but what I advise is go easy instead of heavy portions and include more juicy mineral rich fruits and vegetables in as whole a form as possible during this time.
Sensible bath soaks and hot showers can be helpful . I personally craved to go to the sauna for several cycles of sauna alternating with a 180 degree sauna for 10-15 min and then a cooling shower, but children will do fine if they are not acclimated to this kind of hydrotherapy at home with a nice soak followed by a brisk but light toweling off which in itself is a massage. Hydrotherapy is profoundly effective to our circulatory system and I predict we will see it re- emerge in the next ten years as a healing modality.
March 27
Water infusions of therapeutic herbs are not visible in stores, because they have no shelf life - yet they are among the most effective and , at times necessary forms of medicinal formulation for a given condition. Today I will focus on one common and important health need- that of women's reproductive health, including fertility and general uterine health beyond concerns for fertility. Water infusions over the long term- tonic doses nearly daily for several months , and on and off over a year- of herbs such as red clover flower, lady's mantle, red raspberry, calendula and others , within an overall, assessed, holistic context have proved in my clinical practice to result in improvements in uterine health and fertility. Meaning endometriosis heals, the uterus and other reproductive organs and general pelvic tension improve in structure and function, and other beneficial changes. The "holistic context" I refer to means the more we improve other aspects of a healthy lifestyle- diet, exercise, psychological and emotional issues- certainly the more herbal actions will be supported , and the quicker healing and rejuvenation may occur for the long term. We grow and teach others to grow, evaluate, and harvest these beneficial herbs and how to prepare them for health tonic use- as well as offer consultations for health goals by appointment. Men are not left out either ! Many beneficial herbs, sometimes the exact same ones as women typically use, boost their stamina, health, tone and endurance.
Look for our Women's Health series of classes this summer as well as the Women's Health class at Washtenaw Community College this spring in the continuing education catalog.
March 25
Many people have questions about herb dosage- that is very understandable. The average person, looking at the rows of extracts on more rows of shelves, thinking, "which herb will help me with my case of ________" has about a 50% or more chance of being disappointed or mis-led , because herbs are 1) being marketed to consumers with little or no background of how to use them, {and some of the companies are clueless, too !} and 2) plagued by the slander and misinformation of industries who fear losing their "health care" turf, and so diss herbs by employing fear tactics and scaring the public and 3) dosage is not a "mass" concept - dosage is often highly individual although there are a few ground rules to guide us.
Several common mistakes are: a) to fail to take an herb long enough, over a proper duration of time so as to interact with the body to effect change. b) to take the wrong form of an herb - some treatment for example may be best taken topically or as a pessarry , rather than ingested. Some herbs are best as tinctures and others perform best as water infusions.
When in doubt, consult a trained herbalist . And , we at the school exist - it is our mission - to offer classes and programs for lifelong wisdom, learning, and information about this aspect of life. And all of this is really not difficult- using herbs therapeutically at home becomes second nature quickly!
March 22
We had a great Open House today with quite a few people
braving the latest snowfall to come out to the country, look around, pick up literature, syllabus, and to register for programs while enjoying hot tea and looking about the apothecary. We now have 6 people registered for work study and all raring to get at the land ; our first meeting is 4/19 at 1130 a.m.
Earlier in the morning while I was awaiting the Open House to begin, I strained 1/2 gallon of fresh Vitex tincture, decanted blackberry root extract, put up a new batch of blackberry root extract, filtered some lovely golden calendula infused oil, bottled a ginko extract, and a few other apothecary tasks.
In the next week I finish a few tasks here, whilst packing and preparing for the trip to Scotland. I will be bringing back news of the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine, in Glasgow, as well as photos and information from Findhorn, where I will spend a week or so. I will do reconnaissance for the formation of a group trip for 2009 from this area - local herbs, sacred sites, and connection with the famed Findhorn. I am committed to finding inspirational and life expanding ways for Gaia School to help people connect with nature, energy, plants, and healing through pilgrimages, travel and journeys to other parts of the world. Check out www.findhorn.org
for more information or read the classic, "The Findhorn Garden"
which tells about this magical place which has grown from an isolated seaside caravan village to an organization of international acclaim in the ecological, spiritual and healing arts communities.
More entries to this page when I return !
March 17
A note about digestive problems- and so many people have them: bloating, distress, poor digestion, food sitting in the stomach like a rock, constipation (about 75% of people have this including 100% of those who think they don't) - if any of this sounds familiar, and it has been going on for more than one year (and for many this has been going on for, well, like, life) then it often leads to : fatigue, lethargy, hormonal imbalances, skin problems, lack of nutrient assimilation , liver/gallbladder/pancreas issues (they share a common bile duct so their ecology is interrelated, not alienated from one another) and nervous disorders, and emotional imbalances - to name the very beginning red flags which can and do lead to chronic disease down the road. Why suffer?
Herbs and herbal nutrition assist greatly with balancing out these problems, including blood sugar problems. Diet and exercise are supremely important yet much facilitated and supported by the energy and therapeutic action which herbs supply. A consultation may bring clarity and huge insights into this problem while helping to prevent further breakdown. This is truly a foundational area of well being and healing.
March 15
Three days later- feedback on the case of the eye with an aggravated corneal ulcer which had gone on for several months getting worse, with conventional medical treatment: I saw the client and was pleased to observe she was holding her face normally, the eye able to do it's job without squinting, gaurding, frowning and otherwise facially protecting a painful and inflamed situation. There was no pain. Irritation was gone. Eye feeling good day and night. This, readers, is how the pathway to healing is cleared and then taken. Herbs and the many healing actions they offer assist in essential ways with this process.
What next? Keep it up ! Keep caring for the eye, allowing the oils, herbs and washes to gradually facilitate the healing of the tissues, which is able to occur now that irritation and pain is gong. The very energy is cleared up in a formerly blocked and congested area. Vascular tissue serving the tissues with blood supply is flowing and healthier now, and getting even more healthy with the toning rinses. Yes, the body heals itself, but not if something is standing in the way, and often, not without facilitation. And this is what we teach you to do here at Gaia School- how to understand and use herbs and natural therapeutics for healing self and others.
March 12
More on the "What do you do?" question. This morning I had to step out because my apothecary was out of goldenseal, and purchase some for an afternoon client - at 367.00$ per pound - yes you read that right- I bought one teaspoon (7.25$) to make an essential decoction for an eye wash, since this consultation involved a scarred corneal ulcer . I returned to make the formula, and also decanted some beautiful fresh Bilberry extract, as well as mix and decant a ginko and prickly ash extract mix for this client. I then measured out some rich golden calendula oil , to accompany a small jar of bright deep red Saint John's Wort oil, and then packed up some plastic pipettes for this client.
St. John's Wort is antibacterial, antiviral , anti inflammatory, tissue healing, and pain relieving; all reasons why it was chosen for treatment in this case.
Getting the apothecary sorted out for the needs of one client can take time. Other protocols were involved with the consultation which I won't go into, but I will report that even one drop of SJW oil applied to the eyeball brought relief immediately. Yet a case such as this has some consistent healing work to undergo. Medical treatment a few months ago made it much worse, and I wish I had been more insistent at that time - before the winter holidays - that natural treatment be followed diligently, but we don't always know what any given client may be given as treatment by a subsequent practitioner. I also measured out a few ounces of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) from our medicine wheel garden, still a beautifully fresh stock, for this client to make her own eye wash batches as needed.
March 10
Great morning! The apothecary is busy producing another fresh batch of Calendula Cream, which has been so popular with women for many reasons. Here are 3- customers return repeatedly for the cream because they love it for facial care. I do, too and I like mine with lavender essential oil added, or a blend of rosemary and lavender for my not so young skin. So many women over 40 love this cream, but really it is for any age- for speaking of ages, many mothers use it for their babies, as well as early into post natal breast feeding efforts. The cream soothes breasts and mothers report it helps latch on. 3rd reason is - this cream is used as a soothing and healing household balm for the entire family, for rashes, wounds, itching, abrasions, and to keep skin soft and pliable.
I want to describe the rich golden oil we start with, which is made here on the premises from organically grown calendula flowers which our students and staff harvest each year. That oil, and how lovingly it is made, is the foundation for the cream- we infuse it 2 months or more. It is the essence of what calendula has to offer therapeutically and spiritually. We then use organic beeswax (creams are often made with wax, or cocoa butter) . To some but not all batches we add essential oils so that the creams have additional therapeutic value, plus these oils preserve without chemicals. We do not use borax. Baby creams are made without essential oils. Gaia School will double the calendula beds this year, and , we also have some wonderful seeds and plantettes for you to get you started- you too can make this cream and oil if you wish ! We show you how in many of our classes.
March 7
Here is some valuable insight into how natural medicine and herbal healing work- if a client has chronic issues, such as thyroid imbalances (often made worse through pharmaceutical use, which clearly does not restore the thyroid) - it is ESSENTIAL to recognize that treatment requires patience, commitment, and effort on the part of the client. Clients who return for follow up appointments, follow their programs, refill their formulas, give me feedback, and work co-creatively with me to bring up their life energies get well. Sure, some issues do well with an extract, tincture, or capsule- such as certain sleeping and nerve issues, some pain issues, minor skin problems. Herbs can relieve pain, soothe, and ease in relief of all kinds. But true healing requires effort and showing up. Hormonal imbalances, chronic digestive disorders, and profiles which present a constellation of symptoms, (ie: tired, skin rashes, anxiety, sleep poorly, constipation, hair falling out, menstrual imbalances - this is a very common list coming from one person at any given time) - show me that health imbalances have gone deeply into systems and will require months of gentle, intelligent, co-creative work. it doesn't cost a lot, but does require that changes are made and consistency is applied.
ON the bright side of this story, anyone who does follow protocol gets well, and often way beyond their original expectations. I just received very good news from two fertility clients who really applied themselves, and also drank the Fertility Tea blend, and are both healthfully expecting , when previously they both spent several years in fear of never conceiving. Bravo ! We will be harvesting fresh organic herbs for this blend again this late spring, as our own personal Apothecary is out. We are able to make new blends to order through our network of sources in the meantime.
March 6
I get a lot of questions along the lines of "what does an herbalist do?". Fair enough. I am going to contribute some insight on this from my perspective (what I do), and also ask other herbalists, most specially our school graduates, what they do. Likely people are asking for many reasons: such as, What will I do if I go this route? What will my life be like? or - (to borrow a line from the movie, Office Space), - "What do you do?" I probably do things
differently mainly because I direct an herb school, yet I think these posts will give a good idea.
Well, yesterday I put together a gallon batch of Damainia extract, because I am making a version of the Rosemary Gladstar recipe of "Chocolate Love liquer" to bottle and have on hand in our apothecary , to sell and experience and for research, of course. This process has a variety of other steps, so I also listed and purchased whatever ingredients I needed beyond what I have here.
I also mixed two raw herb formulas , one for a toning hair rinse for a client who requested it, to strengthen her scalp, follicles, and nurture her hair/scalp tissues. We call it Hair Strengthening formula. Then I mixed a Fertility formula for women from red clover flowers, lady's mantle, and lemon balm among other ingredients, bagged and weight it to have on hand in the apothecary.
Next I created an entirely new formula never before seen which I call "Bowel Sweetener" , which is designed to tone, strengthen, and support bowel tissues and function. It is capsulated and made from powdered herbs I ordered from Mountain Rose, 5-6 different herbs. It is intended to be taken over a relative long period of time - 6 months on average- with of course the customary "pulses" to integrate the effect on the body. I get frequent queries via phone for colonics, which I do not offer, feeling that there are much better ways to assist colon function , which begins with digestive awareness and other baseline natural therapeutics such as - exercise ! Bowel Sweetener has a natural probiotic action as well- and our friendly bacteria (aka probiotics) sweeten our entire body). The formula gently rebalances peristalsis (colon tissue movement) without even coming near "purging"- I said re balance, not force.
During the day I spent time receiving phone calls and getting back to callers who are interested in the School, our programs, the Home Study course, and even a scar massage call from
California (how DO people find me ! yet thank goodness they do. The internet is an amazing thing). Then I spent time sending out literature and materials , some of which was based on those calls.
I have a fully scheduled day of Iridology Readings at Claudia's
Natural Foods Market in Toledo/Sylvania, OH this Saturday, so I filed and packed away materials for those brief consults. Ohio and southern Michigan readers, take note that Gaia School and myself and staff are creating a schedule of regular classes and assessments at Claudia's, which has spent the past year settling into its new and expanded space , after a spring 2007 move. They have a lot to offer the area , including a Saturday morning radio show : 830 a.m. till 930 a.m. (clear channel in the area ) called Breakfast with Claudia, intended to raise awareness for the good cause of natural healing , both personally and politically. Let's protect our health freedoms !
More time yesterday was spent creating and writing up material for
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