**First and foremost, no hate to you naturopaths out there! You are doing an amazing job in educating and addressing patients concerns while supporting them when conventional medicare couldn’t. You are the bridge we need in leading integrative healthcare.
Anytime I have been asked about what I do, the most common response I get (I am sure you other herbalists agree) is “so your like a naturopath?”. Sometimes I just don’t get into it and nod along if I just know my explanation will go in one ear and out the other, but it is in my best interest (and others) that I try at least to explain the main reasons we differ.Â
If your wanting your niche blood work done, hormones + thyroid meds, or to be treated more for your physical symptoms, you’ll need a naturopath for that. They are like the bridge between modern medicine and natural wellness and are great for those who are just coming out of pharma imposed rose coloured glasses. While not every naturopath works more allopathic than holistically, many can and do fall into that way of thinking. Of course, herbalists can fall into this trap too (depending on their training), but it is much more common for naturopaths as they work more with supplements/nutraceuticals.Â
No hate on the supplement world, as I have worked half a decade in that sort of industry, but I have seen the negative pit-holes that it brings people into. I have seen people turn incredibly hypochondriac about their health (including myself) and fall into the trap of “this next pill will fix me” while spending hundreds of dollars on them. This isn’t to say that supplements aren’t needed, in fact, I go through cycles on different supplements myself. The problem is a lot of times they can be masking the real issue going on inside — like emotional or spiritual issues.Â
Cue herbalism. While not exactly honoured the same way as a doctor or naturopath, herbalism is literally the most ancient form of medicine. Those pharmaceuticals you get prescribed? Many of them are derivatives of plant or fungi medicinal constituents. However, the difference between using whole herbs vs standardized herbs or supplements, is that an herb will contain a plethora of medicinal components to it, their actions could be working on multiple bodily systems and symptoms at once. Take dandelion root for example, dandelion has inulin that promotes it’s gentle laxative effect, sesquiterpene lactones that gives it its liver support, and tons of other constituents that work to do many other actions in the body. So what does this mean? Basically working with an herb or a herbal formula can address multiple health issues in one. This can majorly cut the costs of some of the supplements and are normally a lot more affordable.
But the main thing that separates an herbalist from a naturopath, is that herbalists are trained to understand the living spiritual component or offering of a plant. We believe that plants contain specific sorts of characteristics or personalities that can shape your energetic body and address emotional or spiritual concerns. No this isn’t some modern age woo-woo nonsense, this has been consistently documented throughout history and through many different cultures.Â
It is not uncommon to study the history and folklore of a specific herb and find that the ancient spiritual uses of the plant were used very similarly in separate cultures. For example, in Persian cultures borage would have traditionally been used to calm the heart and the mind, while in Europe or Celtic cultures it was commonly used for the same purpose and to bolster courage. In both ancient Greek, Roman, and Elizabethan British Culture, it was used for sorrow, melancholy by lifting the spirits. It is where it coined its phrase “Borage for Courage”.Â
While most of modern medicine focuses on symptom management, herbalists learn about the ecosystem of the body. We learn about ancient bodily channels, somatic correlation with physical symptoms, and how there really isn’t just one root to fixing something that may be caused by multiple stressors. Those gut issues you’ve been having, heaviness, lung issues, and heart issues–maybe those are from unexpressed or unprocessed grief? That eczema you keep getting? That may be from boundary issues. The body is always speaking to you, and sometimes it is more complex and tangled because of trauma or major life shifts — but even if it’s more than one emotional issue going on, it can be processed and treated.Â
Herbalists will commonly not only use certain herbs depending on what specific medical condition you have, but also what you may be emotionally processing. If there is grief going on, hawthorn has a huge history of aiding grief. Or perhaps you are someone who struggles to turn off at the end of the day, always making lists upon lists, vervain may be a great support as it helps those with wiry nerves. Perhaps you are recovering from a broken heart, rose could be added into your formula to nourish and calm the heart while also protecting it’s boundaries while it heals. Each formula is carefully and thoughtfully chosen based on each patients individual physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This can be incredibly successful for those types of people who have a hard time shifting their belief systems or perspectives — as some herbs can work wonders on shifting a persons energy.Â
If your having trouble believing this sort of mechanism, I want you to think about coffee. That first morning cup of coffee, how does it make you feel? Most people say happy, energized, or like they can tackle the world. That is a mind shift. Think about psilocybin mushrooms, they can make you hallucinate, shift perspectives, or feel deep seated emotions. While these examples are more in your face than an herb like chamomile, it shows that a plant is capable of creating these sorts of energetic shifts–and when accumulated and taken over a certain amount of time, it can have lasting effects.Â
We are at a time where the world needs to wake up and understand that both science and spirituality are both two sides of the same coin. Be it the plant has a personality or it has specific scientifically studied constituents that carry out certain actions on the body, its overall outcome is a shift in either a persons emotion state, symptoms, or spirit. Once we as a society can stop fighting, thinking each modality is the best one, and instead, come together to use all our skills in treating a patient with what they need–that honest healing can truly begin. Energy work is as valid as modern medicine. One treats the immediate, and one can prevent or treat the chronic or emotional. The body needs to be seen as an ecosystem, where all health professions create a perfect balance to sustain our human needs and desires.Â
