Show 78: Finding the Herbal Tradition That Works for You and Angelica

judsoncarroll4

https://www.spreaker.com/user/13414994/finding-the-herbal-tradition

Torey

I'm in agreement with you, Judson.

When I do plant walks I try to impress upon people how many useful species are right around us. Some people tell me that they are a bit overwhelmed with how much info I am sharing but that is part of what I want them to realize; just how many medicines are at our fingertips. These medicines are going to be better for us cause we walk the same earth, breathe the same air and drink the same water. We are in tune with them, energetically. And they are, for the most part, free!

That's not to say that I don't use herbs from around the world. Ginger is an awesome herb for many things. Wild ginger grows a few hours from me but it is rare enough that I wouldn't harvest it, so I substitute imported ginger. I don't often recommend Turmeric cause there are several local anti-inflammatories but it has one use that I haven't found in any other plant. It can help remove excess iron from the system in cases of hemachromatosis. But Ginger and Turmeric are excellent herbs to use for someone who is from southeast Asia. So we do have to keep that in mind when treating people with ethnic diversity.

I had to take classes in TCM and Ayurveda as part of my training (I still attend some of KP Khalsa's webinars) so I use part of that; is a person very hot or cold, are they heavy or thin and wiry, etc. as part of the picture to choose different herbs, but the herbs that I use as my go-tos are mostly local.

I agree on the herbals written by First Nations. They are such gems! I have several.

The book you mentioned about plants of the south written by the French botanist; what an excellent volume that must be. I have copies of some of the writings done by the Jessup expedition to the Pacific Northwest between 1897 and 1902. They recorded many of the plants (and other substances) that were used for food, medicine and technology. Its something I refer to frequently.

We have a wild angelica species here; two actually, A. arguta and A. genuflexa. But they are rare enough that I have only come across A. arguta once.

I did not know that it was a specific for Bueger's disease. Thanks for that tidbit.

judsoncarroll4

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/912626#Comment_912626

Thanks, Torey! This is really becoming my system... or at least working theory/framework, of Herbal Medicine. I also take into account body type, pale or red skin, personality type, etc. But I think when I begin doing plant walks and teaching classes around here, my focus will be much like yours. We are simply surrounded by food and medicine. I think we have become far too reliant on exotics.