Herbal Medicine 101 Basics
Herbal Medicine is really easy. It was second nature to our ancestors and somewhere along the way, we lost it. There is a lot to it, but this is something that we don’t have to learn overnight. I have been studying herbal medicine now for about the past six years and I still feel like there is A LOT to learn. I know there are probably herbalists out there that have been studying for the past 20 to 30 years and still feel there is a lot to learn. That is the real fun part. There is always something new to learn and discover.
Why should we be using herbal medicine? I believe that we need Western medicine, however, I use Western medicine as an emergency, the last resort, and to get diagnosed. I can’t diagnose you and I wouldn’t want to. If you break an arm or are having a heart attack, please go to the hospital instead of calling your herbalist. For the illnesses and struggles that are not emergencies, I encourage you to try herbal medicine first.
Western Medicine stops the symptom, which is good sometimes. However, with herbal medicine, we try to discover what is causing the illness and struggles. If you are having a fever, Western medicine stops the fever, and herbal medicine pushes it out. If you are having anxiety, Western medicine prescribes you medication. In herbal medicine, we try to figure out what is causing the problem and use herbs the earth provided us. A lot of times illnesses are caused by deficiencies. With herbs, we can get you the right nutrients that you are looking for.
What are the basics you need to know about herbal medicine:
You need to know all about plants. Sounds scary, but it isn’t, I promise. This doesn’t have to be done overnight. Get to know one plant at a time. If you are anything like me, once you get started, you will become addicted. I am going to be holding monthly Plant Identification Classes for Wild Rose Members and above, each month and I’ll show you how to get to know plants.
You should have a good idea of what the Latin name is. Truth is, I cannot pronounce most of the herb’s Latin names. However, I can read a good portion of them and know what they are. This is something that you don’t need to know right away, but knowing that plants have Latin names and why it’s important matters. Most of the time we use their common name. However, there are some things out there that share common names with our plants. One of my favorite herbs is called Plantain, but it isn’t a banana, So this is where the Latin name comes in handy. Another favorite herb is called Licorice Root, but it’s nothing like candy. Or there is Marshmallow that is not white and puffy. Also, let’s take lavender for example. There are over 45 different species of lavender, if you want a specific one, the Latin name is going to be needed.
You need to know their Therapeutic Actions. I will be making different posts about therapeutic actions, what they do and which herbs have these therapeutic actions. All herbs have multiple therapeutic actions.
What Organ Affinity do they hold. If you are having respiratory trouble, more than likely you will not want to be using an herb that is for the digestive system. Then again you might, it really depends on the situation.
You will want to know the energetic properties. This is all about tissue state. If you are experiencing a dry cough, you are not going to want to use a herb that dries out the lungs. If you are experiencing inflammation, most of the time you are not going to want to use an herb that provides heat on the inflammation that is hot, unless you want to draw the heat out with heat. Sounds confusing, I know, but it will become clearer as time goes on.
You will want to know how to make medicine. Herbal teas, nourishing infusions, tinctures, oxymels, salves, syrups….I’ll be sharing A LOT of this!
You will want to take precautions. Some herbs have a conflict with certain medications, So if you are on medication, it would be a great idea to do some research to make sure that the herb you want to try doesn’t conflict with your medications. There is a decent amount of herbs that shouldn’t be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding. Some herbs shouldn’t be used if you have certain health conditions. Most of the time, I share gentle herbs that don’t have this conflict. There are some herbs I love and will share that have precautions. However, I do encourage you to do your own research, just in case I slip...because I am human.
You will need to know the dosage, however most of the time with the gentle herbs I try to use my intuition. Unless you are using an herb that has really strong medicine, this is something I don’t want you to stress out about too much. This is something I used to stress over. If you go a little over or a little under it’s okay. Most herbal dosages are suggestive because everyone is different.
Experimenting is encouraged. Get curious and have fun!
