A Quick Introduction to Herbalism

The best kept secret of modern-day wellness is the practice of herbalism stemming from natural resources and medicinal plant knowledge for centuries.

Now, you’re probably asking yourself why this traditional practice isn’t commonly used anymore. The answer is, it is used globally and incorporated into every day practices, but because of modern medicine, people tend to overlook herbalism as a field of wellness practice.

If you are one of those people who have overlooked herbalism in the past, it's not too late to reconsider. Keep reading as we explain in more depth how herbalism can benefit your health and your life.

We will be covering… 

• What’s herbalism?
• The different roles of an herbalist.
• How and why to incorporate herbalism into your everyday life.

By the end, you’re going to know the kickass truth of how to change your life with only herbs and herbalists!

What Are Herbalists and What Is Herbalism

As you have probably guessed based on the name, simply defined, herbalism is the practice of using plants to support our well-being. The people who dedicate themselves to this aspect of healing are considered herbalists. 

Not to be confused with medical doctors who may use plant extracts, i.e. certain parts of plants that are developed in prescription medicine prescribed to patients.

So without further ado, let’s journey back to the roots of herbalism—hah see what we did there.

The first documentation of herbalism was found on clay tablets made by the Sumerians, thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia. Using plants as medicine has contributed to the survival of the human species and has influenced many cultures worldwide such as China, South Africa, India, etc. Over time, different methods and types of herbalism and herbalists originated. This only goes to show that no herbalist is the same, but instead each will create a unique relationship with their plants and community members working with the natural resources of plants, terrain, and climate.

Herbalism in current day is much more common than you would expect, in fact you may already be incorporating aspects of herbalism into your life without even realizing:

• Ever drank some nice calming tea to relax? If you have, you know how good it feels. If you haven’t, don’t worry we got you! Tap here to explore our herbal infusion and caffeinated teas!

Types of Herbalists

There are many different types of herbalists. Each herbalist has their own specialty and depth of knowledge. The common thread is their passion for the plants.

Now you may be wondering, what are all these different types of herbalists and what do they do? The honest answer is that naming every type of herbalist would take all day, so let’s focus on two of the more common types of herbalists.

 

 

Community herbalists often focus on traditional uses of herbs. These are practices that may have been passed down within family members from one generation to the next. Most community herbalists use their herbal knowledge to serve as teachers and healers of their community, such as for friends, family, or neighbors. A community herbalist’s  knowledge, experience and training may vary. Many community herbalists take on  independent study and personal experience with herbs to earn the title. Some may choose to learn from herbal mentors and teachers. The biggest factor in what makes a community herbalist a community herbalist is that they often take a creative approach to practicing herbal medicines with guidance from ancient practices.

Clinical herbalists work with a person’s wellness concerns by taking an in-depth and individualistic approach to their holistic care. Clinical herbalists may start as community herbalists and continue to go through  professional herbal and body systems education and clinical courses. So, what do clinical herbalists do? They may focus on botany and plant identification, human physiology, pathology, nutrition, etc. This wide range of knowledge is what allows clinical herbalists to create herbal remedies that will specifically aid their client based on their specific wellness needs, health, and lifestyle. The relationship a clinical herbalist must have with herbs, their client and their work is extremely intimate on all levels.

 

 

How and Why to Incorporate Herbalism Into Your Everyday Life

The first thing to know is that you deserve your luxuries. Spa days, self care days, these are essential to living a balanced, refreshing life. And you’re in luck because we have just the thing for you!

• If you’re feeling like a self-care day is just what you need, check out some Spring Self-Care Tips (Even When You’re Busy Being Awesome).

• If you’re just looking to lounge around and have a couple drinks, that’s totally cool! The least we can do for you is make sure that the drinks are really good, and we’ve got a list of cocktails and mocktail recipes just for that!

Lastly, if you’re looking for something that will help you cover all these aspects of health and well-being, then you have come to the right place. Consider a clinical herbalist perhaps, who will take you and your needs into account. In many ways herbalists play a supportive role under your medical doctor’s guidance. Clinical herbalists don’t diagnose illnesses, but they can support you in body, mind, and spirit with their holistic approach.

The truth is, adding herbalism into your daily routine isn’t hard at all! The ways to add herbalism into your life are as varied as the number of species of plants in the world! Whatever your needs are, whether they are needing better sleep, reducing stress or perhaps dealing with a deeper health issue, the first step is to find an herbalist who you feel comfortable with and who you are able to be open to. 

Having trouble finding an herbalist? Don’t worry about it! Go to bayareaherbalist.com and schedule a virtual meeting with Bernadette Aguirre, a Clinical Herbalist based in San Francisco and owner of INA Botanicals & Tea.

Are you interested in becoming an herbalist? Visit the link to the Community Herbalist Program at the Land of Verse and receive 5% off.

Don’t ever cut yourself short from living the balanced life you deserve! Find your herbalist and create the blissful life you were destined to have!