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What is Clean?

Our journey to answer this question spans centuries but really took off at the discovery of bacteria, an extremely advantageous development in our ability to survive and flourish as a species.

Form that came the notion of hygiene. So we made sure we had cleaner bodies and cleaner homes – directly resulting in less illness, less disease and the advent of antibiotics.

This last development brought us to a bend in the road with the influx of hundreds of anti-bacterial products. We’ve come to realize that what we call germs (whether viral or bacterial) are organisms that evolve and change quickly. We now know that they have learned to resist the very substances we’ve created to kill them. And they have done this quite efficiently.

We’ve inadvertently started a battle against an adversary that evolves and changes much faster than we can anticipate. It’s a battle that we can’t win. We’ve learned the hard way that sterility should not be our definition of clean.

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Bev McLeish - Chartered Herbalist Aurora - Out of the Woods Wellness, Herbal North

 

 

Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

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Women and Plants Share a Unique Connection

Traditions of Females in Herbal Medicine, natural medicine roots with Herbalist Bev McLeish at Out of the Woods Wellness in Aurora

Although women have been compared to the earth and the powers of creation for thousands of years, there are some other, very tangible reasons why women have an intimate and inextricable connection to the planet and specifically, plants.

Some Obvious Reasons

It makes perfect sense really as both the planet and women have the ability to create life and multiply. We can also feed others from our bodies and provide the love and nurturing that supports life.

Our cycles also mimic those of the moon and we gravitate to qualities like cooperation, interconnectedness and sacrifice, all characteristics we see in nature.

But what’s been lost is how women themselves felt about the environment, how we worked with it to grow food for our families and how we tended the sick as an everyday part of our life.

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Bev McLeish - Chartered Herbalist Aurora - Out of the Woods Wellness, Herbal North

 

 

Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

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How Herbs Work

how herbs works bev mcleish out of the woods wellness herbal north york region

As I continue my practice, I’ve noticed that it’s been difficult for some of my clients to understand the difference between plants and the conventional medication we’re so used to taking.

As a result, the mind shift I went through is something I try to my clients with as well, so they can understand how plants work and how they are fundamentally different from drugs.

Let’s Talk About Plants

Herbs contain a multitude of chemicals and unlike medication, they don’t consist of one concentrated substance. Plant substances can number in the thousands and they all enter the body and work together to offer some of the elements the body needs to bring itself back into balance.

This is why plants take time and work gently. It takes a while for the body to become unbalanced and so it may take a while for the body to recover on its own naturally.

When something takes time to heal it usually means that the healing is thorough. Think of the difference between sleeping for 8-10 hours to become fully rested or drinking a coffee in 10 minutes to get an immediate boost. The sleep will be more productive and enduring in the long run.

Herbalist Principles

Herbalists have strong beliefs about the human body and the ways in which herbs work. We’ve developed these beliefs from collective experience spanning hundreds of years.

1. The Body Responds to Illness as a Whole – this is the premise behind all Holistic medicine. When we get a headache it doesn’t necessarily mean that the cause for the headache resides in the head. There are many reasons for headaches; diet, the liver, the digestive tract, muscular tension or your sleeping routine to name a few. It’s important to find out the underlying cause and not simply suppress head pain by treating the only body part that hurts.

2. Symptoms are the Language of the Body – Herbalists see symptoms as a language the body uses to tell us when it’s out of balance. We will pay very close attention to how you experience your symptom(s) and to the other organ systems within your body to determine the source of the problem.

3. The Body Is Intelligent & Hard Wired to Heal – The body is our greatest ally and it wants to heal itself from any conditions with which it may be afflicted. The body is more intelligent than current science and any practitioner that attempts to help it. Herbalists believe the body knows what it needs and how to use it once it gets it.

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Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

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When Can I Make It Myself & When Should I See an Herbalist?

what can an herbalist help with - when to see an herbalist bev mcleish herbal north york region aurora

I wish I got asked this question more often.

Most people think herbs are easy to understand and easy to take because they grew up immersed in a Western mindset when it comes to substances that affect the body. They think of natural remedies as safe because they’re gentle and not as strong as medicinal drugs. At the same time, they view plants as if they are single substances all to themselves, when nothing could be further from the truth. For instance, many believe when you take an herb labelled for a specific condition it will only work on that condition and a particular part of the body. In addition, many believe that if an herb doesn’t work for them then it doesn’t work for anyone with that condition. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

The reality is that herbs are multifaceted. They contain many chemicals and constituents which work on more than one condition simultaneously. Because there is more to them than one dimension, herbs can work for someone’s joint pain and not another’s. I’ll be touching more on this in next month’s blog.

The main point I am trying to make here is that just because an herb doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean plants are not going to be helpful to you and your situation. This is the very reason why there are herbalists out there. And why some herbs work for some people and not for others.

Small Stuff

When it isn’t serious and happens infrequently, go ahead and use plant remedies for:

  • Colds & Flus
  • Insomnia
  • Headache
  • Aches & Pains
  • Cramps

If there is an issue that has been bothering you for a while or the herb you used did not help or seemed to make things worse, reach out for an herbalist.

We are specially trained to determine which plant would make the best impact based on what you are experiencing – and there are thousands of plants out there.

A WIDE ARRAY OF HERBS IN JARS

When It’s Time to See an Herbalist

If you have any kind of longstanding, chronic or repetitive issue, you should see a medical practitioner. This is to ensure it does not progress into something dangerous; or points to something more problematic going on inside your body.

That being said, plant remedies can do a lot to alleviate discomfort. And can help with any condition the body cooks up.

Menstrual cramps, headaches, long-term insomnia, musculoskeletal pain, digestive issues and nervous system issues are all conditions where herbs can provide a lot of support.

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Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

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Supporting Your Dosha, Supporting Your Health

Ayurveda and herbal medicine - What doshas are you? Bev McLeish, Certified Herbalist with Herbal North in aurora

As we discussed last time, our bodies are not all made the same and an ancient, medical tradition still in practice today, called Ayurveda has isolated three different types of body constitutions called Doshas, Kapha, Pitta and Vata.

These constitutions stem from the belief that our body contains three dynamics of the universal life force and they combine in the body slightly differently each time. What is useful is that Ayurveda also provides the types of diets we should be following based on our predominant dosha.

VATA – The Air Element

Food and personal habits that nourish, ground and moisten are key for this dosha. In order to keep the nervous system working in top condition and to ensure the body remains balanced. Like the mountaineers in the image above, Vata’s tend toward dry, cold, weakness, tension and sensitivity, so they need a nourishing, strengthening diet.

Eating spices like garlic, salt, cumin, fennel, cardamom, cinnamon and coriander help Vata people warm up their core. Gentle massages using heavy oils, like sesame or almond, on a regular basis help to keep tension at bay, increase circulation and keep the nervous system calm.

Consider practicing meditation and letting go of bad thoughts or memories you have already successfully moved past. Adequate sleep with no late nights, mild exercise while filtering social media, tv or news also works to keep the nervous system calm. Vatas should avoid overwork, overthinking, excessive talking/noise and too much travel. These activities keep the nervous system in overdrive, something that easily happens in Vata people.

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Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

 

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The Age Old Practice of Herbal Energetics

Herbal Energetics, Bev McLeish Chartered Herbalist Herbal North Aurora York Region Out of the Woods Wellness in Aurora

The practice of energetics is almost as old as herbal medicine. It has been practiced for thousands of years around the globe, but what exactly is it?

The general idea behind energetics is body balance or homeostasis.  This idea is connected to the herbalist belief that the body can heal itself. That it will do whatever it can to even out its internal processes to come back to its original state of health/balance. Energetics is a method we use to view what’s going on inside the body to help it return to its normal state using herbs.

How the Ancients Viewed Disease

Long ago, disease was seen as a sign that the body was experiencing internal disharmony or imbalance. Symptoms weren’t seen as the problem, but pointed to how the body had to contort itself to continue to function. It was believed that disease, or dis-ease, occurs when one organ isn’t functioning properly. Another organ or function in the body starts to overwork or stops working altogether to compensate instead. Once this happens we start to see or experience symptoms that create pain or discomfort for us.

The symptoms themselves weren’t necessarily seen as the problem but as a sign post or a red flag that communicated what might be going on in the body so that the source of the symptoms could be addressed. The body and disease are seen holistically when using energetics.

The Six Tissue States

Traditional medicines use various ways to understand the body’s language and help the body make the internal adjustment back to health. In those days, we all trusted the plants and our bodies to be on our side. We believed that our body and plant remedies could be trusted and worked together to help us regain a healthy state. We saw these entities as sources of great intelligence.

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Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

 

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An Herbalist’s Perspective on the Legalization of Marijuana

Legalizition of Marijuana, Bev McLeish, Herbal North, Out of the Woods Wellness Aurora

Just like everything else, the legalization of cannabis and its various product derivatives brings both positives and negatives. My perspective as an Herbalist is unique. I work with natural plants every day to help people with their physical concerns. So it probably goes without saying that my opinion will differ from the majority.

Here’s my take on this development and my advice to any who may wish to experiment with these new products.

On the Positive Side…

With this new change in legislation, society is starting to reflect a more open mindset. The idea that the natural world can’t be trusted is eroding away. Ten short years ago, cannabis was seen as an enemy to civilized society, something only the young or rebellious would use. Two decades ago, the idea that we would legalize marijuana was laughable.

Since then we’ve done a lot of changing and we are now starting to recognize that there are viable natural alternatives to address our health concerns. This shift is small but mighty and I believe it’s just a matter of time before other plants finally see their day in the sun.

Once the majority agrees that one plant can support our well-being and quality of life without the scary side effects of man-made drugs, it’s just a matter of time before other plants receive their much due recognition. This is the reason why we’ve used plants for health for thousands of years.

It’s Not All Rosy Though

Being an herbalist, you’d think I would praise CBD, cannabis and marijuana from the rooftops as the next best thing. I won’t. In fact, I have to admit I get a little angry when I see people who don’t know anything about plants selling CBD oil and saying everyone should be taking it.

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Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

 

 

 

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Herbalism –A Holistic Approach

Herbalism Aurora - Herbal North Bev McLeish Herbalist Newmarket - Holistic Health

Most modern Western herbalists would say they practice holistically. We hear the term all the time but what does it really mean? First of all, holistic medicine recognizes that it takes more than a pill or cream to improve a person’s sense of wellness.

Traditional Medicine Models

Holistic approaches to wellness look at the entire person and sees physical health as only one aspect of what creates meaningful health. Traditional medicine models are similar in that they take the entire person and their experiences into consideration. They review a person’s mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual state (which includes morality and ethics) in order to determine what the person needs to come back into balance. A main goal is to get a person to a point where they function productively in all of areas of life so they can reach their full potential.

Native American Medicine is a Prime Example

Native American traditional medicine uses what’s called a medicine wheel representing the four aspects of self and of the life cycle. Their definition of medicine encompasses so much more than what makes the body feel better. They believe medicine can include an idea that gives someone a new, more constructive and compassionate perspective on a problem. Medicine is anything that gives you courage, calms you or teaches you something you didn’t know before. Anything that feeds your mind, body and spirit to bring you back into balance is considered medicine.

How Herbalism Fits

Herbalism, as a form of holistic practice, attempts to empower the individual by treating them as an equal and fully participating partner in the work it takes to get results. A thorough intake (or evaluation) is done usually lasting an hour or more. Personal questions are asked about the person’s past; emotional state; body functions and their regularity; a detailed description of current illnesses and what they feel like; past or present traumatic events; diet; family and family medical history; sleeping patterns and their historical medical conditions.

Everything a person does or experiences contributes to or contaminates the whole. Therefore, separating a person’s illness from everything else disregards a crucial part of the puzzle to help a person regain and maintain wellness.

Click here to read the whole blog post over on HerbalNorth.ca…

 

Bev McLeish
Chartered Herbalist
Herbal North

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