Confession of an HERBALIST

Sometimes life throws you a curb ball to see if you are truly committed to your own values and believes.

The last few days were definitely my testing period about the healing power of my herbs that I love and know so well due to my Herbalism education.

Long story short, I came down with the worst fever and cough. Usually before I get sick I experience little warning signs like sluggishness, little scratchy throat, little heavy mucous in my throat, but this time it came from feeling fantastic to absolutely terrible.

This was a new scenario since herbs work the best when taking at the first sign of discomfort and sickness. I am talking specific about Echinacea, Olive leaves, ginger, mullein and peppermint tea.

Well this time around I had no time to nip it in the butt, it was a full blown cough with very high fever.

So I did what most herbalist do, sweat out the fever. This belief is not new, your body increases its body temperature to kill off the virus.  But be hold, my fever kept rising and rising, so I tried more potent herbs but nothing. I even wear apple cider vinegar socks (you soak the socks in Apple Cider Vinegar you put them on and then you should be able to lower your temperature) nothing,

Around a temperature of 104 F I realized I needed something more powerful, so I found an IBUPROVEN but it expired 2007, but I tried it anyway – well nothing. Here I am finally committing an HERBLISM SIN of taking medication and it did not even work.  Finally it came to me I am going to take one of those fantastic cure it all TYLEONOL COLD AND FLU MULTISYMPTOM LIQUIDS, it gets rid of your cough, stuffy nose, achy pains in  your joints and it can even reduce your fever and put you to sleep.

I told my husband to run over to Walgreens and get me one of those heavily advertised bottles. I have seen those advertisings a million times on TV in the past 5 years but never once did I think I would ever need it.

Well I am sad and happy to tell you it worked. It erased all my symptoms and within an hour I got out of bed and started doing laundry- just kidding with the last part.  

 I haven’t taken medication for a long time so I forgot how quick and powerful medication can be.

Herbs are gentler and slower with its healing powers but at the end you can actually heal the body with the herbs not just cover up the symptoms but in this scenario I knew I needed something stronger.

As an Herbalist we are proud to constantly tell everybody and anybody that we never take any medication, and in case we do we are trying to keep it a secret.

We are living in such a dualistic world.  Yes, it is true that in today’s world too many people take instantly a pill for any kind of bodily discomfort without ever giving the body time to heal itself. But on the other hand there are extremists in the holistic field, who risk their own health before they would ever take a synthetic medication.  

As an herbalist in the 21st century we should reflect to our clients and the public that it is possible to live in harmony with the pharmaceutical and herbal world. 


Birgit your Herbalist 

Usually we don’t think of September being a month of new beginnings but for all the teachers and school children September is a month of the unknown and new beginnings.

It is fun to watch my children getting all excited at the first day of school. They are excited to meet their new friends, new class rooms and new teachers. New beginnings are filled with fear and excitement. Unfortunately we as adults are more likely trained to avoid anything new and unknown due to old and not so good memories from childhood.

I have been very adventurous as a child (moved to America all by myself for a whole year than I was 20) but now in my 40s I rather like safety and security. But with that mindset I might not discover new interests, new friends or new hobbies.

I was once reading that only a mind that keeps learning new things stays healthy, young and joyful.

My husband and I just moved into a new neighborhood. Now I get lost on the roads to find a Starbucks, I don’t remember the names of my neighbors even if they told it to me several times, I don’t know where my nearest mailbox is and I don’t know where to go for a short run or walk.

I am completely lost but in a good way. Anytime I go shopping, or run errands I have to plan or ask to find my way. Every day is new.  Even in the morning when I get up, I try to figure out how to turn on that new dishwasher or cook on that new stove.

Life is definitely not on autopilot.  Going through some changes like this makes me realize that we sometimes live a life with the least resistance which means we rather do the same things over and over again instead of having to go through the struggle of adopting new habits and routines.

Every day I ask my clients to adopt new eating and lifestyle changes. Most of my clients struggle for app. 21 days, but once they get through the first 3 weeks they feel more in ease with their new routine and habits. Scientifically it is proven that we can break any bad habits within 3 weeks. But within those 3 weeks we need to be completely focused of making that change.

So remember if you think you can’t get rid of your daily coffee, try it for 21 days and I bet with you the coffee that you will drink on the 22 second day might not be as tasty anymore as you remember.

Come and discover something new this month, be more adventurous with your daily choices. You never know if you like to eat mushroom ice cream if you never try.   (Yes, I tasted it and it was actually amazing, at the mushroom festival last Sunday)

Birgt your Herbalist

Today is the first day of January 2014 and most of us are already starting our New YEARS resolutions.  It is proven that the majority of New Year’s Resolutions are broken within the first 3 weeks of January.  Looks like the odds of keeping   new resolutions are very slim.

Most of you already know that I have a 4 year old daughter Lisa.  My 4 year old teaches me every day to use my words wiselyJ.   If I happen to say “Don’t slam the door”! Well, all of you Mom’s out there know that this just triggers a respond that will make her SLAM THE DOOR.

Unfortunately our sub consciousness is not any better than a 4 year old. Just think of a statement like: “I won’t eat any cookies this year”! Well the moment you made this decision, your sub consciousness will want to have a cookie. You might spend more time thinking about eating cookies than you have ever done before.   

Success lays in the way we phrase our New Year Resolution. If we start our New Year with something negative, we will be doomed to fail.  Start your Year with something positive.

Here is an example:

I will eat more vegetables to feel healthier, happier and lighter--- INSTEAD OF ----I have to lose 5 pounds!”

The difference between the two statements is energetically.  Losing weight is always a slight threat for our sub consciousness since naturally our bodies are meant to hoard fat in case we won’t have any food in the future. By trying to focus on LOSING, you are already in an internal debate. The body does not want to lose fat but your mind does. Internal conflicts always end up bad.

But what if you focus on feeling lighter and healthier? Both our sub consciousness and consciousness are concerned about the wellbeing of the whole body.  The promise of feeling healthier and happier is appealing for the body and mind. Most likely you will be more successful with a statement like this since there wasn’t a threat against your nature.

Rephrase your New Year’s Resolutions and keep your focus on something positive, affirmative and loving. Positive statements are naturally more energetically.  How do you know if your statement has a higher energy vibration?  Well, think of a baby that smiles at you!  It makes you feel warm within your heart and it might even bring out a smile. Right?   Well, now think of a dead tree? This image made you feel empty and sad within your heart, almost to the point that you did not want to finish the thought of that imagination. Well. Your New Year’s Resolution should make you feel warm and happy within your HEART.  

Once you can feel it within your HEART your resolution won’t just happen, it actually will transform your whole body and wellbeing. Stay on the positive vibration of things and you will have a fantastic YEAR 2014!

Happy NEW YEAR to all my crazy friends who actually read what I am writing :)
Birgit your Herbalist 

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Today is Dec.10th and I am forced too slow down due to a snow blizzard. Most of my clients had to reschedule which suddenly freed my usually very busy calendar.

The first thing I realized was that I have had hardly time to get into a Christmas Spirit.

I associate Christmas Spirit with listening to Christmas Music, planning Christmas Dinners, playing with my children, and finding enough time to meet friends at a Christ Kindle Market.

Unfortunately there are lots of things that I have to take care of during this special time that does not keep me in a calm, relaxed Christmas Spirit.  And I am sure that I am not alone with this.  We all get so distracted with shopping, baking cookies and making our holiday cards that at the end we are looking forward to having this time pass by as quickly as possible so we have some sort of normalcy again.

Most of my clients are constantly in a waiting or holding pattern of their life. What I consider a holding or waiting pattern is to wish for tomorrow or for the end of this year due to some hard emotional or physical struggles. 

Some people know that I have been a flight attendant for several years.  During those years as a flight attendant I learned some of the most valuable lessons of life, which was to never expect you arrive on time or even at your planned destination.  Yes, that’s right sometimes we planned to arrive in L.A. but ended up in Baltimore due to some mechanical problems.

Life is just like the airport business. Yes, it is good to make plans but it is even better to live moment for moment. Every single day is different. Most of us have some idea of what we will accomplish today but at the end of the day we weren’t able to follow through due to physical, emotional or other bigger circumstances. Situations like this can bring up anxiety. And anxiety is a physical form of feeling out of control. 

So today I will start to take each moment as a gift. Each day I will focus on the things I almost finished instead of thinking of all the things I still have to accomplish. 

I will take time out of my hectic schedule to enjoy the laughter of my children. I will enjoy a moment alone with my old dog KEKO since I am not sure how many more months or years I will have her on my side. I will stop whatever I do right now to give gratitude to all the great things I was able to experience  this year.    Today, I will dance in the SNOW instead of waiting to have it stop snowing.

I no longer want to be in a RACE instead I like to be part of something great called “LIFE”.

Merry Christmas and  may this holiday bring peace and comfort to you all.

Birgit your Herbalist