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
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