Incorporating Herbalism Into Your Daily Life
Herbalism is something that has piqued my interest in the past few months. While I already consume mostly plant-based foods and really look at the things I am consuming as medicine, I have become fascinated with herbalism and learning more about how I can add in supplements, herbs, adaptogens, etc. into my diet to aid specific things and overall boost my well-being.
In the blog post, I partnered with Mu Healing, a women-founded, New York-based herbal company that I connected with via Instagram. They were so kind as to gift me a couple of their products to try out and tell me more about herbalism and how to incorporate it into my daily life.
What is Herbalism?
According to the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, herbalism is, “Herbal medicines are plant-based medicines made from differing combinations of plant parts e.g. leaves, flowers or roots. Each part can have different medicinal uses and the many types of chemical constituents require different extraction methods. Both fresh and dried plant matter are used, depending on the herb.”
Herbal medicine is really just plant medicine and can be taken/used in many forms from brewed teas, tinctures, capsules, topical treatments such as salves, etc. While many people think of herbal medicine as something really complicated and expensive, there are a lot of herbal remedies you can use with things you already have in your kitchen. More on that later :)
I asked Sarah from Mu Healing what the biggest misconception about herbalism is and she said,
“Some people may think that herbalism is inaccessible and unaffordable. Herbalism is actually the people's medicine, it is our ancestor's medicine, it is food as medicine...
...Herbalism is so special because it re-connects people to our plants, and therefore the earth, reminding us to steward the land that we live on instead of merely existing on it and reaping its resources. With the convenience of pharmaceutical drugs, we forget the fact that everything comes from the earth and plants. All medicine, including pharmaceuticals, are derived from plant compounds. Herbal medicine, however, is less harmful because it isn't as concentrated and meant to be taken long term as preventative medicine as well as treating acute ailments. It is more accessible because it is cheaper, grows sometimes as weeds right in our own backyards, and therefore abundant and easy to harvest or buy from farmers' markets and apothecaries alike. All of our ancestors had their own remedies using local herbs, treatments passed down orally, and implemented instinctively. In modern-day, we have lost touch with some of these remedies but ask your mother or grandmother and they are sure to remember.”
My Experience with Herbalism
As I have become more aware of the healing properties of food, I have also become more mindful of what I was consuming. It is fascinating that there are so many plants that people have used for hundreds and thousands of years to treat ailments. People had to survive somehow before western medicine came into the picture. And I’m not dissing western medicine, I just think there are a lot of things we can do before medicine to keep us healthy.
For the past few months, since moving back home, I have experienced both feelings of anxiety and depression. These feelings usually come in waves, only lasting a few hours of days but I’ve found it difficult to maintain a sense of equilibrium within my body. When I connected to Mu Healing, I knew I wanted to try out some herbal medicine that would help with anxiety and also on those days where I have very low energy. Lucky for me, they have two products just for that. Their Mood + Energy Boost capsules contain maca root, gotu kula, ginkgo biloba, and cordyceps which are all a dynamic blend of energy-enhancing adaptogenic herbs that supports cognitive function. Then for the anxiety, I decided to try their Om Tincture which is specifically for anxiety relief and contains CBD hemp flower, chamomile, lemon balm, tulsi holy basil, and brandy.
What is a tincture? I asked myself the same thing. Tiffany from Mu Healing wrote a blog post on their website allll about tinctures. You can check that out here.
I’ve been taking both of these products pretty regularly for the past few months and it may just be a placebo but I feel so great. I usually take the Om Tincture about an hour before bed to help me wind down but I’ll take it throughout the day, too, if I’m feeling extra on edge. I take the Mood + Energy Boost Capsules in the morning and I’ve noticed they help me maintain stable energy throughout the day.
In addition to these two products, I have also set out to explore my own herbal path. I have been researching a lot and being more intentional about using both fresh and dried herbs that I have in my backyard and kitchen. Lately I have been loving fresh mint tea, I made a delicious fresh oregano pesto, and I am steeping an immunity boosting oregano oxymel. It’s not only fun to experiment but it makes me feel a lot more connected to the foods that I am eating.
How to Incorporate More Herbs into Your Life
- Talk to plants!
- Sarah from Mu Healing says, “they are listening and their energetics will communicate back with yours. Choose one plant to walk with and instinctively listen to all its teachings. There is no need to google or even read up on a plant you are walking with, just listen and observe. Ask the plant if you can harvest just what you need, walk with it, sleep with it, carry it on you and write down the lessons.”
- Plan fresh herbs in your backyard or on your window sill and use them as garnishes or as seasonings in your dishes.
- Research the herbal benefits of each one and use the herbs more intentionally. Well, I believe that if you’re craving an herb or a flavor, it’s because your body needs it whether you know what it’s good for or not.
- Brew herbal tea
- At most health food stores, you can buy herbal tea. I really like the brand Traditional Medicines
- You can also make your own! Buy single dried herbs and create a blend that will meet your needs.
- Add in supplements and tinctures
- Check out muhealing.com if you’re interested in Mood + Energy Boost or the Om Tincture. They also have products for immune boosting, lung health, skin, and pain. Their website is a great resource as it also has a really extensive herbal directory.
- Visit an herbalist
- It’s always extremely important to consult with your doctor and/or a herbal practitioner before you incorporate new medicines (herbal or not) into your life. Especially if you are taking any medications, consult a doctor before anything else.
- An herbalist is a really great place to start if you have on-going issues you’d like to try and solve with herbal medicine. They will be able to give you a treatment plan as well as guide you on any other lifestyle changes that might support your healing.
If you’re interested in doing some of your own research into herbalism, here are from great books that Mu Healing suggests:
- Little Herb Encyclopedia
- Botany In A Day
- Working the Roots: Over 400 Years of Traditional African American Healing
- The Web That Has No Weaver
Have you tried any herbal supplements or tinctures before? Let me know in the comments below!
All my love.
Xx, Nikki