Although they are not medical doctors, herbalists practice the traditional way of healing by using plants.
For thousands of years, herbs have been used to not only heal the body but bring balance to the user as a whole in both Native American teachings as well as traditional Chinese medicine.
Fanshawe Graduate, Adelle Speziale says she is studying herbalism for many of those traditional reasons.
“I found that diving into herbalism they try to look at the body as a whole,” she said. “Herbalism teaches looking at the physical, mental, emotional and the whole energy of the body by finding the root cause and allowing the body to naturally heal.”
Speziale says this was a very important factor to her when beginning to plan for a family and looking out for their health concerns.
“I’m continuing this education for myself but I’m ultimately advocating for my families health,” she said. “I don’t believe herbalism is a replacement for Western medicine, however; if used properly herbalism can definitely compliment it.”
Speziale explains herbalism to be as simple as growing lavender and chamolmille to steam in hot water to drink as a calming aid. Continuing to outline being an herbalist is someone who studies botany and plant science to understand what specific herbs or botanicals can be used for an underlying illness. Creating ointments, capsules and salts to treat someone from the inside out.
Wild Women Herbs
Megan Gurule is a registered nurse turned certified herbalist. Much like Speziale, Gurule decided to move towards a more natural way of healing before the birth of her second child.
With an Ojibway ancestry, Gurule amplifies the importance of what herbalism means to her.
“Working with nature and working with the earth is traditional medicine,” she expressed. “I think it’s really important for us to go back and connect with that because the more we dive into technology and modernism, we lose the relationship we have with land.”
Passionate about caring for others, the environment and healing, Gurule began a small business in 2015 named Wild Women Herbs. She decided to develop her business while working as an Emergency Medical Technician after realizing how far people had come from understanding themselves.
“Coming from the Western healthcare model I noticed so many patients that just did not know themselves and did not know what their bodies were capable of,” she explained. “By no fault of their own. It just showed me how disconnected we are becoming from trusting our bodies natural ways.”