Herbal Medicine:
the use of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or seeds of plants and fungi to improve health, prevent disease, and relieve illness.
Why Herbal Medicine?
I practice herbal medicine, and more specifically folk medicine, because the body has the ability to heal all on its’ own.
Medicine – whether natural, energetic, western diagnosis, or pharmaceutical – simply offers the conditions to trigger healing within the body.
But each form of medicine comes with potential harm (even natural medicine).
The beauty of herbal medicine is that it evolved alongside our bodies over millions of years on this Earth.
When a plant is in its’ whole, natural form and hasn’t been pulled apart into manipulated constituents (like with many supplements), it will not likely cause side effects or unwanted effects.
The farther you step away from its original state, however, the greater your chance of harm.
Western Medicine:
A system in which medical doctors and other health care professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery.
Sometimes western medicine is appropriate (especially in emergency situations), and there are good people doing amazing work in this field.
Though Western medicine is getting better at individualized therapies (e.g. Immunotherapy and personalized cancer drug therapies), it doesn’t recognize or make space for all aspects of health.
Since the American Medical Association was founded in 1847, it has officially recognized more than 135 medical specialties – allergy, immunology, cardiology, dermatology….and so on.
Instead of seeing the body as an interconnected whole, it reduces the body into separate parts.
Our society sees a problem and creates a consumer product to solve it.
And we’re sicker than we’ve ever been as a country.
Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US.
The number of hospitalized Americans who experience "preventable medical harm" each year.
The number of Americans who die from a preventable medical error" each year.
Approximately 12 people die a year using herbal medicine, usually due to misidentification of the plant or fungi.
Folk Medicine:
Mixture of traditional healing practices, intuition, and energetic healing, combined with herbal preparations and lifestyle recommendation, to relieve or prevent illness.
Just as people have complex personalities and attributes, plants and fungi do, too.
Folk medicine navigates the complex relationships between the individual energies of people, plants, fungi, et.
We hear statements like these all the time:
“Ginger is good for motion sickness;” “Chamomile is good for sleep;” “Rosemary is good for circulation.”
But that’s the same as saying “What are you good for?”
You know you’re far too complex a being to put into one box or category, and so is the rest of the natural world.
I still use some aspects of my training in clinical herbalism – for example, an understanding of anatomy and the body’s systems is an important language to bring into my herbal practice.
But leaning into folk medicine taps into those ancient healing arts and healing’s intuitive aspects, and the recognition of humans and nature as complex, interrelated beings.
It’s time to remember, reconnect with, and re-vision our relationship to the original medicines that have worked since the beginning, and then use Western medicine when appropriate.
It’s time to shake off the belief that artificial drugs or supplements solve artificial problems created by manufactured products and pollution.
It’s time to shift away from the destructive behaviors and mindsets that cause illness in the first place.
Start Your Path to Healing with Herbal Medicine
Healing is a very broad term. It’s not just curing illness or striving for perfect health. It’s about building a relationship with nature and your body.
Our bodies are our greatest ally in life. Our souls came into agreement with this earthly being to journey this life together.
But many people fear, loathe, distrust, and completely separate from their bodies.
And people don’t take care of things they hate.
It’s time to like your body again, maybe even fall in love.
It’s time to root back into earth and hold responsibility for who you are and how you live on this planet, so you can live in the way you were always meant to be here.
Acknowledging and building a relationship with your body is a crucial step in building a relationship with nature’s healing power.
My purpose as a practitioner of folk medicine is to help you navigate that complexity until you see that the solution is actually quite simple:
WE ARE NATURE.
When you remember, reconnect with, and “re-vision” that ultimate truth,
you’ll find true healing.
Herb FAQs
Where do you recommend getting herbs from?
As local as possible.
It’s important to know where your herbs come from, how they were grown/harvested, and if the folks alond the supply chain were fairly paid for their hard work.
Please consider growing and building a relationship with your own plants. There is no better medicine than what you can grow and prepare at home.
I teach classes in Colorado about our local flora to help you get started.
You can also try to find an herbalist in your area that knows how to grow and use your local plants.
Here are some of my favorite companies to source what you’re not able to grow on your own. I also believe in supporting our local farmers!
- Plenty Heirloom Farms for local CSA produce and growing classes https://plentyfarms.org/
- Oshala Farms in Oregon for bulk herbs https://oshalafarm.com/
- Red Moon Herbs for bulk herbs and herbal preparations https://redmoonherbs.com/
- Richters for live medicinal plants https://www.richters.com/
- WishGarden Herbs is a local Colorado company making medicine for Mom and babies for over 40 years. https://www.wishgardenherbs.com/
If you are a farmer and growing herbs, please reach out to me. I am happy to talk about your growing practices and visit the farm. I would love to promote more farms on the site!
I’m also a proud member of United Plant Savers. This is a great resource and organization to donate to. Check out their site for a list of species at risk and how you can be a part of the solution.
How can I schedule a personal consult for a custom formula?
Just send me an email here. I am happy to discuss herbal or mushroom preparations that can work for you.
I accept payment for services via cash, check, PayPal, or Venmo.
@Chrystal-Cocek
@chrystalcocek
Where can I take an herb class?
I teach classes two ways: pre-scheduled classes through organizations (like AIMs College), or by personal request.
To see my currently scheduled classes in the community, click here.
Click here to view the different classes I teach on-demand. Email me to request and schedule a personal/group class.
You can also stay connected for additional opportunities by subscribing to my blog (it’s mainly fun recipes I send out bi-weeklyish, but it’s also used to share updates)!
Discover the healing power of nature.
