Herbalism A tradition of Healing Linda Diane Feldt Holistic health Practitioner

Outline of this presentation Overview of CAM and alternative healing Overview of CAM and alternative healing What is herbalism? What is herbalism? Training and certification Training and certification My practice and training My practice and training Herbal preparations Herbal preparations Parts of plants used Parts of plants used Timing of harvest Timing of harvest Potency/effectiveness Potency/effectiveness Nourishing/medicinal Nourishing/medicinal What consumers get What consumers get

Major Categories of Alternative Healing Integrated healing systems Integrated healing systems Hands on techniques Hands on techniques Biological substances Biological substances Energy based healing Energy based healing Mind/body spirit awareness Mind/body spirit awareness Adapted from NIH categories

My Practice Student of the healing arts since 1973 Student of the healing arts since 1973 Full time private practice since 1981 (10-20 per week) Full time private practice since 1981 (10-20 per week) Primarily use Herbs, Cranialsacral therapy, Polarity therapy, and massage. Primarily use Herbs, Cranialsacral therapy, Polarity therapy, and massage. Sliding scale Sliding scale Diverse population Diverse population Pain, injury, lifestyle, prevention, with or without conventional medicine Pain, injury, lifestyle, prevention, with or without conventional medicine Age range prenatal to 104 Age range prenatal to 104 Also teach, write, volunteer Also teach, write, volunteer

What makes a professional practice Standards for practice Standards for practice Scope of practice Scope of practice Continuing education Continuing education Code of ethics Code of ethics Association membership Association membership Able to refer, available for referrals Able to refer, available for referrals

My training Example of difficulty in determining qualified practitioners Example of difficulty in determining qualified practitioners Apprenticeship model Apprenticeship model Is self study also legitimate? Is self study also legitimate? Inherited knowledge Inherited knowledge Formal recognition Formal recognition

Herbalism Traditional Healers Traditional Healers Native American, Ayurvedic, Tibb, Unani, Tibetan, etc Native American, Ayurvedic, Tibb, Unani, Tibetan, etc Traditional Chinese Traditional Chinese Western Folkloric Western Folkloric Western Scientific Western Scientific Earth-centered Earth-centered Ethno-botanical Ethno-botanical example categories from the American Herbalist Guild

Herbalism Training and Education College and University courses College and University courses Electives within schools that teach wellness, holistic health, bodywork or somatic practices Electives within schools that teach wellness, holistic health, bodywork or somatic practices Apprenticeship programs both formal and informal Apprenticeship programs both formal and informal Correspondence courses Correspondence courses

Herbalism Training and Education (cont.) Traditional initiation and training often combined with religious/spiritual practices Traditional initiation and training often combined with religious/spiritual practices Self taught Self taught Promotional material and workshops provided by manufacturers Promotional material and workshops provided by manufacturers Multi level marketing materials Multi level marketing materials Certification provided by herb manufacturers Certification provided by herb manufacturers

Western Folkloric Tradition promotes ethical harvesting of plants promotes ethical harvesting of plants uses the whole parts of the plant, in season uses the whole parts of the plant, in season encourages consumer involvement encourages consumer involvement emphasis is on nutritive aspects of herbs emphasis is on nutritive aspects of herbs primarily uses plants that grow locally, and encourages direct involvement with the plants by growing and wildcrafting primarily uses plants that grow locally, and encourages direct involvement with the plants by growing and wildcrafting

Western Folkloric Tradition (cont.) uses a holistic approach to support body systems & the individual uses a holistic approach to support body systems & the individual encourages sharing of information, stories and experience with others encourages sharing of information, stories and experience with others can work in a supportive role with conventional Western Medicine can work in a supportive role with conventional Western Medicine

Concerns and Challenges Herbalism is a very broad term that describes a profession many thousands of years old. Herbalism is a very broad term that describes a profession many thousands of years old. Herbalists and the scientific community have only recently begun to forge mutual respect, goals, and to determine ways of working together. Herbalists and the scientific community have only recently begun to forge mutual respect, goals, and to determine ways of working together. Herbalists must proactively respond to unprecedented consumer interest. Herbalists must proactively respond to unprecedented consumer interest.

Concerns and Challenges Protecting consumers, supporting scientific research, and preserving herbal traditions are intriguing challenges for this profession. Protecting consumers, supporting scientific research, and preserving herbal traditions are intriguing challenges for this profession. Consumers and health care providers may have difficulty determining who is qualified as an herbalist. Consumers and health care providers may have difficulty determining who is qualified as an herbalist. Herbal use is now being driven primarily by advertising and manufacturers, not by health care providers and traditional sources of information. Herbal use is now being driven primarily by advertising and manufacturers, not by health care providers and traditional sources of information.

Nourishing herbs Nutrient rich Nutrient rich Bio-available Bio-available Generally considered safe, side effects uncommon Generally considered safe, side effects uncommon Dosage and strength less important Dosage and strength less important Tend to be local, whole, and common Tend to be local, whole, and common Large amounts used, in contrast to medicinal plants Large amounts used, in contrast to medicinal plants Includes tonics Includes tonics Supportive to body systems Supportive to body systems Long term use is usually beneficial Long term use is usually beneficial

Nourishing Herbs con’t. Internal use Internal use Infusions Infusions Water based Water based Vinegar based Vinegar based Whole plant Whole plant Cooked Cooked Raw (salad) Raw (salad) External use External use Compress Compress Poultice Poultice Salve Salve

Medicinal Herbs Dosage and strength important or critical Dosage and strength important or critical Tend to utilize more toxic parts of plant Tend to utilize more toxic parts of plant Stimulate or sedate Stimulate or sedate More likely to have side effects More likely to have side effects Are often plants that are less common, or rare Are often plants that are less common, or rare Long term use is generally discouraged Long term use is generally discouraged More extensive knowledge is needed to use safely and effectively More extensive knowledge is needed to use safely and effectively

Issues around herbal preparations Common Preparations Common Preparations Capsules and pills Capsules and pills Tinctures and extracts Tinctures and extracts Infusions (AKA teas) Infusions (AKA teas) Poultices and compresses Poultices and compresses Salves Salves other other Effectiveness Effectiveness Herbs in combination and formulas Herbs in combination and formulas Locally grown and wild crafted Locally grown and wild crafted

The following slides describe general tendencies. There will always be exceptions. It is a good model to begin with, and then each herb must be evaluated individually. The knowledge of plant part, type of plant, and season is fundamental to the herbalist. It is also a basic understanding of plants that is rare, and becoming more so as plants are picked, powdered, processed and packaged for us.

Parts of the plant and their different qualities Roots - storage, alkaloid rich, often toxic, often medicinal Roots - storage, alkaloid rich, often toxic, often medicinal Leaves - nutrient rich Leaves - nutrient rich Flowers - some nutrients, energetically powerful Flowers - some nutrients, energetically powerful Seeds - nutrient dense, often toxic, toxins often medicinal Seeds - nutrient dense, often toxic, toxins often medicinal

Type of plant and impact on herbal use Annuals Annuals Root less likely to be used Root less likely to be used Leaves and flowers more valued Leaves and flowers more valued Seeds are abundant, less likely to be toxic Seeds are abundant, less likely to be toxic Harvested typically just before flowering, or just after Harvested typically just before flowering, or just after

Type of plant and impact on herbal use Biennials Biennials Roots often of value, rarely toxic Roots often of value, rarely toxic Root used only in fall of first year, spring of second year Root used only in fall of first year, spring of second year Flowers appear second year, often used Flowers appear second year, often used Seeds appear second year, likely of value Seeds appear second year, likely of value End of second year only the seeds are left End of second year only the seeds are left

Type of plant and impact on herbal use Perennials Perennials Roots used after a couple of years Roots used after a couple of years Seeds often of value Seeds often of value Roots more likely to be toxic or contain helpful alkaloids Roots more likely to be toxic or contain helpful alkaloids Not as much emphasis on leaves Not as much emphasis on leaves

The importance of the season Energy moves through the plant with the season Energy moves through the plant with the season The root stores important constituents The root stores important constituents The herbalist determines the part of the plant desired, and harvests at the peak time The herbalist determines the part of the plant desired, and harvests at the peak time Flowers and seeds are obvious (harvest when present) Flowers and seeds are obvious (harvest when present) Leaves before the plant makes flowers and seeds Leaves before the plant makes flowers and seeds Roots in spring and fall when plant is storing constituents Roots in spring and fall when plant is storing constituents

Accessing what the plant has to offer What is within and outside of the plant cell What is within and outside of the plant cell Breaking the cell wall Breaking the cell wall Preserving unstable nutrients Preserving unstable nutrients affects of light, air, time, processing damage affects of light, air, time, processing damage Ingestion and topical application Ingestion and topical application Absorption Absorption Elimination Elimination

Examples Calendula - flowers Calendula - flowers Burdock - root or leaves Burdock - root or leaves Echinacea - root Echinacea - root Garlic - root Garlic - root St. John’s Wort - flowering tops St. John’s Wort - flowering tops Poke - root or leaves Poke - root or leaves Milk Thistle - seeds Milk Thistle - seeds

Preparations to look for Capsules containing herb extracts Capsules containing herb extracts Ground herbs often less effective Ground herbs often less effective Labels provide lot number, experation dates Labels provide lot number, experation dates Herbal extracts Herbal extracts Tinctures in alcohol Tinctures in alcohol Glycerine esp. from alcohol based extracts Glycerine esp. from alcohol based extracts Bulk herbs of good color, dated Bulk herbs of good color, dated Don’t overlook harvesting by the consumer Don’t overlook harvesting by the consumer

Reputable companies Harvest ethically Harvest ethically Employ herbalists and support professional associations Employ herbalists and support professional associations Access to information on Access to information on where plants are harvested - avoid non US unless using TCM where plants are harvested - avoid non US unless using TCM company philosophy - focus on herbs or marketing? company philosophy - focus on herbs or marketing? control of product - don’t just repackage or rebottle from suppliers control of product - don’t just repackage or rebottle from suppliers Multi-level marketing deserves special scrutiny Multi-level marketing deserves special scrutiny

Examples of companies HerbPharm HerbPharm Frontier Frontier Pacific Botanicals Pacific Botanicals Trout Lake Botanicals Trout Lake Botanicals Scientific Botanicals Scientific Botanicals Phytopharmica Phytopharmica Naturopathic Formulary Naturopathic Formulary Thorne Research Thorne Research Eclectic Institute Eclectic Institute MediHerb MediHerb Bezweken Bezweken Women's Transition Women's Transition Wise Women Herbals Wise Women Herbals And ?? And ??

Herbal certification The bad Prone to consumer confusion Prone to consumer confusion Does not ensure potency Does not ensure potency Does not address processing or preparation Does not address processing or preparation Does not address safety of the herb Does not address safety of the herb Expense may prohibit good companies from using certification Expense may prohibit good companies from using certification The good Helpful to ensure WYSIWYG Helpful to ensure WYSIWYG Raising awareness of importance of herbal quality Raising awareness of importance of herbal quality Important to ensure Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)are used Important to ensure Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)are used Can address the real problem of contaminate Can address the real problem of contaminate

Next week A four hour lab devoted to the hands-on experience of making herbal preparations including tinctures, salves, poultices, infusions, and more. Come prepared to be a bit messy and work with materials new to you as well as familiar. It may recall the early practice of pharmacy, and we’ll have fun in the process. The results will include products you can take home and use.

Dogs harvesting herbs

Contact Information Linda Diane Feldt P.O. Box 3218 Ann Arbor MI Free Herb Class usually 4th Thursday of each month, sponsored by the People’s Food Co-op, at Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, Ann Arbor