It's Wednesday! The week is almost halfway over!
Today's topic is an extension of what I discussed yesterday surrounding plants helping with stress management!
Herbal Remedies and Medicine
**I would like to disclose now that I am in no way a doctor or health practitioner and all information is provided for knowledge building only. Please see your doctor or Naturopath before taking any new supplements or herbs.**
My journey with herbs has been one of great discovery and enjoyment! It has bestowed me with a deeper connection to the natural world and a more positive connection with myself!
I have found that herbal medicine and supplements offer support instead of treatment. I started listening to a podcast called "The Practical Herbalist" about two years ago while commuting back and forth to Brampton to visit my partner. This podcast really set in motion the idea for me that herbs are nature's medicine and that there is so much to be learned from the natural world. Now two years later I actively grow my own herbs for teas, tinctures, cooking, and am fully immersed in a Herbal Diploma program!
Going back to the idea that herbs are supportive. Western medicine (for the most part) treats patients based on symptoms. If you have a tummy ace you would be given something to calm your stomach ie. gravol. However, what actually caused the tummy ache in the first place? Herbs are fantastic to help support a healthy balanced body, gently! So for that same tummy ache, ginger would also be a great option to soothe your indigestion. Ginger however has so many other benefits to aid your sore tummy.
Here is a link to a great read about ginger for more info! https://www.thepracticalherbalist.com/…/ginger-best-herb-h…/
What I find most exciting about herbs is that they are so accessible if you wanted to have them close by. Yes, you can always head over to your local health food store to pick up a supplement container but you can also grow them right in your back yard! Plants like mint, oregano, basil, lemon balm, and thyme are all accessible during the spring months whether you're looking for seeds or established plants. Most also do quite well in container gardening. Something as simple as picking spearmint to make yourself a warm herbal tea does wonder for the body and mind!
Now there are so many herbs that you can dive into learning about and growing but I have found that the most impactful way of learning and getting to know herbs is by working with them one at a time. Start with something easy like mint. Take the time to sit with it, learn how it grows and what it can aid you in. Enjoy the experience while you do so. Maybe you want to grow different varieties and see what type of flavour combinations you like best?
I'm going to leave the link to the home page of the Practical Herbalist here for those to explore. It is run out of the US but most of the information can be crossed over to North America.
https://www.thepracticalherbalist.com/
Another note I just want to address too before closing this post is that there is so much herbal knowledge that comes from Indigenous Tradition and Culture. I would just like to acknowledge this and show my gratitude for these teachings. An amazing book to read is called "Plants Have So Much To Give Us, All We Have To Do Is Ask". Link to find it will be below. https://www.amazon.ca/Plants-Have-Much-Give-All/…/0816696764
I hope this gets you all interested in herbal medicine as it has been such a wonderful movement in my life these past two years. Happy planting everyone!
Looking for herbs? Try Richters!
https://www.richters.com/
Originally published by Botanical Jewels : https://www.facebook.com/botanicaljewels.plants/posts/2716581238573512
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