Herbalism vs Allopathy, Dosage, Shelf Life & the Power of Affirmations
In honor of officially launching my website, I wanted to create a space where I could share a bit of the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained through studying the forever-evolving world of herbalism, specifically in regards to what I’ve learned and experienced through creating intentional ritual and just purely pouring countless of hours into connecting with these plants and their essences. I’m so grateful, and quite honored, to be a conduit of such potent healing.
A great place to begin is by diving into the differences between herbalism and allopathy in order to build a foundational understanding of how we can commune and interact with herbal medicines. Allopathy is a system (most popular in western practices) in which the main objective of doctors and professionals is to diagnose and treat symptoms via pharmaceuticals, procedures, surgeries, etc. So, for those of us that have been raised to rely on these systems, it is very natural for us to want to follow the same routines, feel the same way when using herbal medicines.
However, natural approaches at their core are not meant to just treat symptoms or to be used with identical intentions. These plants and their medicines support us in becoming aware of and working towards healing the underlying, root cause of the dis-ease we experience.
That being said, it’s also worth noting that it can take our bodies a bit longer to respond to and embody the healing effects herbal remedies provide, due to both the nature of their process and the pure fact that each of our systems AND each of these plants are so unique. Knowing and understanding this proves to us that we cannot approach herbal medicine with the same mentality as most western/allopathic practices. What works for me and my unique physical, physiological, and energetic constitution or ‘bodily makeup’, may not support you or the next person the same way. It is true that many plants have affinities for certain things, such as wound-healing, circulatory stimulant, digestives/carminatives, nervines… of course… this knowledge has been communicated and cultivated between humans and the natural world for millennia and I honor this connection more than anything. However, human beings also cover such a wide spectrum of physiology- combined with our diets, environments, upbringings, traumas, and lived experiences- so, it only makes sense that we would benefit greatly if our herbal medicines were also tailored to our unique needs, desires, routines, and intentions.
❁ Each plant is made up of its own unique essence, just like we are. ❁
Dosage
Dosing with tinctures:
It is always best practice to slowly introduce these remedies to your body, whether using externally or ingested.
For tinctures (and other alcohol extracts) I always recommend starting with one drop. Begin by noticing how the medicine feels in your body. Taking a few minutes to get quiet and create an intentional space with yourself while taking a tincture or drinking tea for example, has become one of most cherished rituals.
Once you’ve tried 3 times a day. Trust your intuition. You know your body more than anyone.
Most importantly, this also ensures if the medicine is right for you and your unique constitution. I have rarely found that a medicine doesn’t settle well, yet I am grateful for the awareness this practice has added to my life.
Dosing with teas and steams:
One of the first lessons I learned in the herbal world was to cover my tea! Whether we are steeping a cup tea or a steam, it is important to cover your herbs. This keeps the steam in your water. The steam is where the volatile oils live, which is where loads of medicine sits.
Tea: 1 tsp - 1 tbsp of dried blend steeped and covered for 5-10 minutes (depending on preferred strength).
Steam: ½ cup - 1 cup of dried blend steeped and covered for 5-7 minutes (I’ve noticed the longer I let it cool, the less steam is present, and for this reason, I don’t let it steep as long as a tea, since we want all the steam we can get!)
If you are unfamiliar with facial or yoni steaming practices, I will be posting another blog on this soon. In the meantime, I encourage you to find more information about it or feel free to reach out to me. I will I am always happy to share what I’ve learned along the way.
Shelf life
These guidelines can vary depending on weather and climate of your local area and storing in a cool, dry place as often as possible is definitely key. That being said, they are completely natural and with natural products, they do inevitably go bad over time. (You can also smell them to check.) This is okay. I would rather use something I know has an expiration date, wouldn’t you?
Dried herb blends- anywhere from 1-3 years
Tinctures- 2-5 years (this also varies on type of alcohol or other ingredient used to extract)
Oil-based- 6 months - 2 years
Affirmations - The Power of Spoken Word and Ritual
Over the course of my journey, I’ve learned just how powerful our thoughts and our words are. I have especially found this to be true through years of study and application of the law of attraction. The more intentional we are with our thoughts, words, and actions, the more potential for healing there is.
Each of these medicines include an affirmation that I’ve created based on my own connection to the unique essence of the plant or blend. I wholeheartedly believe that when these medicines are used with intention, we are connecting our spirit to that of the plants’, and through that, we begin to experience healing.
I encourage you to create a ritual or intention around these affirmations when taking and communing with these medicines. I like to take a moment, close my eyes, and repeat the affirmation 3-5 times out loud (or to myself) and create an intention around the support I’m desiring to receive.
Find what works for you.
“Your word is your wand. The words you speak create your own destiny.”
-Florence Scovel Shinn
Thank you for being here with me on this ever-evolving journey of mine.
I can only hope that through sharing my lived experiences, I inspire others- so that they too,
feel empowered to create the life of their dreams.
With love + gratitude,
Lindsay
