Introduction to Healing with Herbs

It's no secret that I love herbal medicines, but it can be overwhelming when you first start out. There's no substitute for a good textbook on the matter, and trust me, even I'm looking up details when I consult with clients. No one remembers everything.

Fortunately, nature has some clues built in that can help you to remember what different foods are useful for, and has all the basics covered. Traditional cultures used to believe that the creator designed these features so that we could 'read' nature and understand how plants are used for our benefit. Nowadays science has found that many of these plants do assist in the ways that traditional cultures have been using them for.

Learning by Colour

The colour of herbs, fruits and vegetables, can often give a clue to some of their benefits. For example, red beetroots and hawthorn berries are traditionally used for heart and blood disorders. Yellow flowers and roots, such as dandelion or turmeric, are good for the liver and benefit those with 'yellow' conditions, such as jaundice or hepatitis.

Learning by shape

Walnuts are well known to promote healthy brain function (they're packed with omega 3s) and look, well, a little like a brain.

Fresh ginger root looks a lot like the shape of the stomach, and is known to be a great digestive tonic.

Garlic has hollow stems, mimicking the airways and is fantastic for respiratory disorders (it is anti inflammatory and has fantastic anti-microbial properties)

Gotu Kola leaf looks like a cross section of the brain and has a long history of improving memory and enhancing cognitive function.

Learning from environment

Aloe Vera grows in the desert and can help with dry conditions, like eczema and dermatitis.

Herbs that grow in cold environments, like ginseng, are warming for the body, whilst those that grow in hot climates (like neem and andrographis) are cooling.

Willow thrives in damp waterlogged places and is great for arthritis which is exacerbated by damp conditions.

There are actually quite a lot of exceptions to this rule in particular, but it helps to remember connections, rather than being a doctrine.

How do I use them?

I rarely recommend supplements for herbs, particularly for generally healthy people, but rather ask that clients try to incorporate more of those herbs that they feel would be beneficial into their everyday lives. Herbal teas are a fantastic way to do this. Warm and comforting, they are a brilliant way to include herbs in your daily routine. Herbal tea when you wake, before bed, or simply bring a bag to work to enjoy on your coffee break.

You can also use essential oils. I only recommend therapeutic grade oils, such as the ones you can purchase through doTERRA as most essential oils on the market are made up of perfumes or fragrances (it only needs to be 30% pure to claim to be '100% pure essential oils'). Oils like ginger and peppermint can be found in ready diluted blends and are perfect for little ones with tummy aches.