So many people come to me asking for an herbal remedy to treat a certain symptom or ailment. Is this possible? In many cases, yes, sure. However, I urge those same people to begin to step away from that mindset.
Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy to see more and more people turning away from big pharma and focusing on herbal and natural remedies. But if you carry the pharma mindset with you, you will not reap all the benefits of herbal medicine. The Western medical system is not built to treat the whole person, and as a result, pharmaceutical medication is commodified and designed to offer immediate, short-term relief for myriad symptoms that over time can cause additional harm or dependence.
Does this mean I am against pharmaceutical medicine? Absolutely not. #IBelieveInScience, and I will not argue with you about the efficacy of vaccines or whether or not certain mental or psychological conditions "really exist." I operate under the philosophy that everyone should make the best choice for themself at the time within the context they're given. Sometimes that includes pharmaceutical prescriptions, sometimes that includes absolutely no medicine at all, and other times it means having pizza and Cheetos for dinner to boost your mood. I'm not kidding when I say, "You do you."
The discrepancy is in assuming one healing system can simply replace another. Because that is what they are: healing systems. There is no tit for tat. Under the best circumstances, they operate parallel to one another.
Holistic treatment means finding consistent balance to support the whole body's needs. In discovering the root imbalances in body and spirit that cause the symptoms we feel, herbal products can be used to support the inherent systems in our bodies that have evolved to help us live and thrive. Read that again: herbs don't typically "fix" anything. Rather, they support our body's systems in doing what they're already built to do. More than "the thigh bone's connected to the hip bone" - the nervous system's connected to the adrenal system, the adrenal system's connected to the digestive system, the digestive system's connected to the lymphatic system...and so on. [But keep in mind that this does not speak to major mental and physical health conditions - in those cases I urge you to please see a qualified and licensed medical professional.]
To take holism a step further, zooming out on the bigger picture and seeing how larger systems affect our health is the foundation of decolonized healing. This is where Dandelion Collaborative comes in - to help guide you through the process of shifting your mindset to see all of the pieces of the puzzle so you too can begin to make more informed self-care decisions in alignment with your individual needs.
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