Today's blog post is an EPIC Q&A with herbalist jim mcdonald.
A while back we asked the HerbRally audience if you could ask your favorite herbalist just one question, what would it be?
Well, jim took the initiative to ask ALL of the questions (80+), both in written and in audio format.
Please join me in giving jim a huge THANK YOU for taking the time to share this wisdom, the stories and all of the herbal knowledge in this blog post.
You can visit jim online at HerbCraft.org
Also, be sure to check out his herbal intensive, Lindera.
jim offers Lindera as both an online and in-person apprenticeship.
He is a true master when it comes to energetics, and Lindera goes in depth in this comprehensive herbalism course.
LEARN MORE ABOUT LINDERA (IN-PERSON)
LEARN MORE ABOUT LINDERA (ONLINE)
MORE LINKS
Thanks again to jim for sharing, and thanks to y'all for reading!
Talk to you soon,
Mason
www.herbrally.com
What is the first plant you remember having a relationship with as a kid?
jim: Hmm, this is tough because although I certainly played a lot outside in “the woods” or “the field” by my house, my parents weren’t really outdoorsy in any way, and I didn’t think of plants individually a lot as a child. I remember reading Stephen Buhner once write something along the lines of knowing little plants as “plants”, medium sized plants as “shrubs”, and big plants as “trees”. I was like that.
But: my mom once asked me to dig up a yucca plant that grew in the lava rocks (it was the 80s) in our backyard. Gadzooks, what a deep root (taproot, I understand now)! That was a long, tedious, intense experience with one plant. I did my best to get it all out. The next year, it came back like I never touched it.
If you could only have five herbs growing in your backyard, what would they be?
jim: These "name X number of herbs" questions are impossible!
But, how ’bout:
1.) plantain
2.) echinacea
3.) violet
3 ⅔.) solomon’s seal
4.) mullein
5.) kava
(I know, I cheated…)
What can I do to support you for once?
jim: That is so kind (and as this question was asked generally, and not specifically to me, apply the answers to all)!
Some ideas, all of which help:
• Take a class, purchase some stuff we make. This will help us pay the bills, cover our expenses, and take care of ourselves and our families.
• Share or speak well of an herbalist/their work/their classes/offerings in person and on social media… basically: spread the word about what we do!
• If you can and as you’re able, if you ask an herbalist something via email or phone or after classes or however, and you feel they go the extra mile, maybe consider offering them a tip or donation. So many of us like to and want to answer questions and be of help and share about herbs, and we don’t want to feel like we have to “monetize” that in any way, or withhold information. A lot of herbalists give info out freely, and want to, but when we do this, we’re spending time and energy and maybe not getting other more practical or “financially responsible” work done. Seeing a tip or offering come through can feel really gratifying and supporting. Once, a student who owned a cabin made it available to me and my family for a weekend. That was SO kind, and so deeply appreciated. Because I often extol the use of handmade soap, I've often been given a bar here and there... made me happy and less smelly!
These are just some ideas... I think, ultimately, a great way to address this is to think, "Is there something that's doable to me and feels good that might support this herbalist?"
How do I find out what can I take while breastfeeding?
jim: This can be pretty challenging. There absolutely are resources, and some good resources, that look at data and studies to quantify/support assertions of safety or risk, but it's simply the case that:
• many herbs haven’t and won’t ever be studied
• sometimes herbs are considered unsafe because of a constituent that, in the whole plant, might not be problematic (like, in my opinion, the cyanogenic glycosides in wild cherry syrup). That said, some constituents in a plant might indeed pose risk (like pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey), so we can’t just rule out certain constituents being problematic.
• we also need to think about what dose a plant is being used at, whether its part of a formula, how long we’re taking it.
Basically, we need to think about it from multiple angles, and with nuance, and understand that it's unlikely that a simple chart that says “These are safe, these aren’t” will really be adequate. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, always look to herbs that are the gentlest, most “foodlike”, and have an established history of use. Then look to see whether there's any research or recent info that might exclude some of these herbs (like those containing PAs). If there's some reason to consider using an herb that's been suggested to be contraindicated, look to see if there might be a gentler herb with a more established safety profile that can be used in its place, and/or if formulation, using it in small doses, or for a limited duration of time might be a reasonable strategy (it may be, it might not be). When in doubt, if possible, seek out an experienced practitioner.
Oh, also: Try to see if the person offering information about safety has any experience with herbs at all. There's a *very* popular site addressing this issue which, when discussing herbs that decrease milk supply, states to avoid: "stinging nettles (not nettle – that increases milk supply)". Umm.... that's the same plant. The person who wrote it doesn't know enough about herbs to know this, and that makes me wonder what else they're getting wrong.
What is your favorite resource for learning?
jim: Oh there are so many! I rely heavily on other herbalist's experiences using plants. Consider lots of ideas and differing opinions, try to understand people's reasoning, look for patterns. I would love to list my favorite herbalists who excel in areas I don't (love those people!), but I'd inevitably leave important people out.
I'll say that as an herbalist working in a western herbal model, Henriette Kress's website is one of my absolute favorites to reference: https://www.henriettes-herb.com
I love and miss herbal conferences. The classes, of course, are great, but just being in the milieu of lots of plant people allows for lots of interstitial learning.
Always remember to try to connect any "thinky" learning with experiential learning. Taste, smell, touch and engage the plants you're learning about in all the ways you can think of (obvious exceptions for things like poison ivy and water hemlock).
Also: stay open to revision. Don't learn to "know" something, learn to expand your understanding over time, and always be open to growing ideas, or letting them go if they no longer serve.
What difference and/or similarities do you believe herbalism has in the present day compared to 50, 100, or even 200 years ago?
jim: There are a lot of ways to think of this inquiry, related to context. In the context of western herbalism, there has been both growth and setbacks. A look at herbals/materia medicas will show we use our herbs a lot less dynamically than, say, the Eclectics or Physiomedicalists did (for example, the Eclectics note using goldenseal for cardiac issues, something I never see mentioned anymore). But the Eclectics and Physiomedicalists were also predominantly white men, and representation across the gender/cultural/ethnic/racial spectrum is much better now than it was then (and hopefully will become increasingly better over time).
In what ways has herbalism changed your life big and small?
jim: A love of plants and nature has become, alongside a love of my family and friends, the foundation of my life. It's woven into all I do and am. I've used herbs in nuanced ways for major health crises, and found deeply profound medicine just munching on trailside black raspberries. I hope to increasingly embody the resilience of weeds. My relationship with plants has literally supported my family, and allowed me to support, to the best of my ability, my community. It's been big and small and everywhere in between!
What was your most profound journey with a plant?
jim: Early in my explorations of herbalism, I started chewing on calamus root. In doing so, I learned more about its virtues from chewing it than I did in any book I read. It wasn't a "journey" like a kind of trip or isolated spiritual experience, it was something that laid a foundation for me that made me understand plants can be understood through the experience of them. That's a "journey" I'm still actively taking!
How do you work the business side of herbalism?
jim: Depending on how I think about it, either "not so good" or "not so bad"!
I don't love having to think about money. If money wasn't a requirement in this society, I'd be delighted to just teach anyone interested in learning what I have to share. I'm not great at or especially interested in "marketing". I sometimes struggle with thinking "Maybe if I did this better, I could buy that really expensive awesome 16 pound solo canoe I've been coveting!" Or, you know, maybe something much more responsible and less hedonistic, like plan my retirement.
But then again, over decades of effort and hard work, I've been able to support my family by sharing my love of herbs, and, I think, doing so in a good way. For several of those years I had another job, which allowed me to build up my "herb gig". Supporting my family of five (plus a dog, cats, ferrets and fowl) as an herbalist is not failing at business.
It's a journey I'm still very much on.
Funniest and most memorable herb moment of experience! These are some of my best teaching moments.
jim: I really, really, really loved surprising Rebecca Altman while we were teaching by opening a bottle of Squirt! in class. We had to stop for a bit so she could breathe again. Also, once time teaching in Vermont Larken Bunce walked up and put a bunch of random objects on the table next to me. I asked, "What are these?" She replied (knowing my love of oddball teaching props), "I just want to see what you're going to do with them." That was a blast.
How do you find a healthy balance in your life?
jim: Hmm... do I find a healthy balance in my life? I think it's more of an ebb and flow than something I've found. A LOT of people who work in health know a lot of things about health and wellness that we have a hard time applying to ourselves. A lot of the things I tell the people I teach and work with are things I need to keep telling myself as well. Sometimes I'm better at it, sometimes I'm not so great. I try to both do better and have the same compassion for myself that I hope others can have when they feel they're not doing a good enough job.
An important factor to consider is that a lot of what inhibits our ability to have a healthy balance in life, and to practice self care (and self celebration) are dysfunctional social systems that actively make this all more difficult than it should be. It's not entirely about what we're doing or not for ourselves. Sure, it's important to do what we can, but maybe it's kind of like pollution/climate change: The ability of the individual to implement what is needed is impaired by the dysfunction of the larger systems (and corporations) around them. I think this is helpful to keep in mind if a person is critiquing themselves too harshly without looking at the larger systems they're a part of.
What's your best piece of advice for running a clinical practice?
jim: Maybe not the best question for me to answer? While I do work with people, I do so on a part time, "as I can pull off being organized" manner, and "formal" clinical work has never been a mainstay of what I do. I LOVE informal herbalism!
Which herb is your least favorite and why?
jim: While I don't dislike it in any way as a plant, if I never smell cilantro again I'll be delighted.
How did you become an herbalist?
jim: It kind of happened around me, without me really ever deciding "this is what I'm going to do." I got interested in herbs, and just kept progressively getting more interested and doing more with herbs. At some point, I was kind of nudged into teaching classes by people around me. I kept doing that. My cupboards (and counters, and closets, and hallways) filled up with herbs and oils and salves and potions. Someone asked me "Are you an herbalist?" and it made no sense to answer anything but "yes".
(I kind of think the plants decided for me)
What is your COVID protocol?
jim: Because my big focus in using herbs is on the energetics of people and plants, I don't really have a "protocol" for COVID. Instead, I offer suggestions for individual people who have COVID to consider. There may be a lot of overlap, there may be just a little. I suggest D3, vitamin C, and zinc to pretty much everyone. I've suggested echinacea to a lot of people. Elderberry can be nice for a lot of people. Steams and onion syrup are common suggestions. From there, though, it tends to get to individual recommendations. A lot of people have had lung stuff, but how did they have it? Do they need demulcents for dryness, aromatics for dampness, relaxants for tension/spasm or some combination of these? Do they have significant GI symptoms, or none? Do they have a fever? If so, hydration is as important as any herb. Look at the person and assess what they need.
How long did you study plant medicine before feeling qualified to call yourself an herbalist?
jim: This is addressed to some degree a couple of questions above. I probably called myself an herbalist before some people think I should have. But, I feel that a lot more people should take ownership of "herbalist". Saying you're an herbalist doesn't need to imply you're a clinical herbalist, or a brilliant herbalist, or a this or that herbalist. It means you work with plants to help yourself and others. Beginning/learning herbalists are still herbalists. And hey; I don't have any kind of formal training either.
How has herbalism enriched your life?
jim: probably addressed above under the question "In what ways has herbalism changed your life big and small?"
What was your most profound experience with a plant?
jim: Kinda covered above with regards to calamus, but let's just pick another:
The very first plant I harvested from the wild as medicine was burdock. I dug up the root with a too small hand trowel, chopped it up and made tea. I knew, very simply, that burdock was "very good for you". I sat and waited for something to happen.
I think all the rest of my workings with plants from then on are what happened from those sips of tea.
I feel like I rely a lot on my books and notebooks. How long did it take before you could remember independently and project confidence with your herbs?
jim: There's a lot to think about here, especially different learning/presentation styles, strengths and predispositions. I, for example, can blather on and on and on about plants for hours with no notes. I know some people who can cite studies and remember numbers and know how to say (out loud, no less) what DHA and EPA stand for. And I know people who use notes or powerpoints or outlines. None of them are necessarily better teachers than the others, Different styles and presentations work for different people.
There are things I know backwards and forwards in my head, and things that, no matter how many times I look them up, I always need to look up again. That's totally normal.
For some people, they have a hard time keeping stuff in their head because they may be learning too much (for them) to keep in their head all at once. It's totally okay to learn more slowly and progressively. A lot of people I know (and love and respect) have 2 or 3 year clinical herbalism programs, and people go through them and learn and retain LOTS. Personally, I don't know that I'd be great at that. I've learned slowly over decades. I know some things really well, and I have holes in my knowledge elsewhere. It's really easy for me to, in classes, answer a question with "I don't know" or "I'd need to look that up" or "That'd be a great question for ______."
What herb introduced you to the healing world of plants, and why?
jim: burdock; story offered a few questions above.
Why? It was growing next to the barn and was also at the Beal Botanical Gardens with a sign saying what it was.
Why isn't the importance of herbal energetics stressed more in each and every video posted on any particular herb more? People watch videos on YouTube and think they're qualified to recommend herbs right away. What about the energetics of the herbs?
jim: I'm with you! This is pretty much the foundation of everything I do.
What is the most vital /often used (both) herb in your First Aid Kit ?
jim: Can I offer three?
Plantain: poultices, tinctures, salves, soaks. Heals injuries to skin and mucosa.
Echinacea: tincture, strong infusions or decoctions, soaks. So great for all manner of infections.
Propolis tincture: An amazing "liquid bandage/wound dressing". Protects and fights infections. Since it's alcohol based (usually high %), it'll sting going on.
What Northeastern herb is comparable to or equal to Osha root?
jim: not a wild plant, but lovage root, I think, addresses a lot of the ground covered by osha.
What is the one thing you do daily to practice your craft?
jim: Though I've always struggled with routine and discipline (sanguine temperament), I've been quite good at taking my heart herbs since almost dying. It's a motivator, for sure.
Also, open endedly thinking about plants all. the. time.
If you only had room to plant three herbs, which three would you choose and why?
jim: Impossible! But... I suppose I still get to use all the wild stuff? In that case:
• milky oats
• orange mint
• I'm going to pretend I can grow kava here!
What herbs would be good for a child recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, but not yet taking medication for it?
jim: I would call Thomas Easley!
What are the tells that indicate switching herbal remedies might be in order when treating a person?
jim: Is it working as you expect it would/should? Are there signs the person is getting worse as opposed to better? Is the person sick of taking what you gave them (maybe, for example, they need a tea with different plants that do similar things...)
I keep hearing that local herbs are the most potent. Is it possible/reasonable to find or grow everything you need for health in your locality?
jim: I don't necessarily think local plants are inherently the most potent. Maybe, because of freshness (like, freshly dried violets from your yard will probably be better than commercially cut and sifted violets from somewhere far away)? But plants from michigan (my home) are not more or less potent than plants from the desert, or the rainforest, or southeast asia.
For me, personally, the majority of stuff I use is collected or grown locally (SE Michigan or somewhere in Michigan). Some plants I can't gather ethically/sustainably or grow here and I try to get them directly from individual herbalist growers/wildcrafters (whose ethics and practices I feel confident in), mostly around the US. Some things just don't grow here (or I haven't connected with sources for), though. For example, black pepper, or star anise, or vanilla, or chocolate. I'll get those commercially. In traditional societies, most herbs used would have been local, but herbs have always been objects of trade across great distances. They even found evidence of cross Atlantic trade between South America and Egypt by confirming the presence of tobacco and coca in mummies).
This is how I feel good about doing things, but if someone is into Ayurveda or Chinese medicine and feels best using herbs from India or China, good for them, though it's still important to be mindful about sustainability, ethics and impact.
Do dried herbs lose their potency over time? If so how long?
jim: Yes, to varying degrees. Some herbs hold potency for a long time, some lose potency pretty quickly. You have to assess different herbs individually. For example, old oregano is usually better than old basil. Look at, taste and smell stuff. If an herb is supposed to be aromatic, does it still smell the way it should? If it's supposed to be bitter, is it still? If it's supposed to be demulcent, does it get slimy in water? If it's supposed to be astringent, can you feel your mucosa tighten when you taste it? These are common ways I assess my dried herbs.
How do you know when is the right time to supplement herbal remedies with modern western medicine?
jim: This depends so much on individual circumstances it's hard to answer generally, but I'll say this:
It's not uncommon for people who feel idealistic about natural medicine to feel that using conventional medicine is kind of like admitting natural medicine failed them, or they failed natural medicine. This is neither true nor helpful. "Holistic" means inclusive of *all* modalities, not just "natural" modalities. I encourage you not to let idealism make taking care of yourself or others harder than it needs to be.
What has been the most important aspect and most important plant in your practice?
jim: the most important aspect might be to wait till I can actually sit/talk with someone before I come to "conclusions". There have been a lot of occasions where I looked over intake forms or "synopses" of what's going on with someone and made some guesses that I had to entirely revise once we talked. Always focus on the person.
Plant question again, eh? I've answered this in a few different ways, but maybe this time I'll say how much I love milky oats as a nervine tonic/trophorestorative. Most of my nervine blends for people are formulated around milky oats as a base.
What does being an herbalist mean to you and your life?
jim: There are some people I've learned a lot about plants from, some people I've learned a lot about energetics from, some people I've learned a lot about health conditions from.
When I think about people I learned about how to be an herbalist from, I think of Rosemary Gladstar and Christopher Hedley. These are both people who, right from the get go when I met them, were all about supporting me, all about encouraging me, all about helping me in the ways that they could. They've both only ever treated me, and to my knowledge countless others, with kindness. They were both devoted to a respect for plants as equals and elders and teachers. I've been lucky to have had other people like that in my life (again, I'd love to name more names, but that'll only result in me leaving important people out).
I hope, as the herbalist that I am, to give back the kindness that was shown to me, and continue that tradition.
An added note: If you have a herbal teacher who doesn't appreciate you, doesn't appreciate your support of them as a teacher, and isn't kind to you: you deserve better than that. I know that there's a whole "they were tough on me for my own good" thing, but really: people can support you through kindness and respect, too. Consider choosing that.
What are your favorite smoking herbs and what is their intention?
jim: While I don't think it makes sense to smoke tobacco regularly/habitually/in quantity (that is astoundingly dangerous/self abusive), used occasionally/with reverence and intention it can be powerful.
I like cornsilk better than mullein leaf as a smoking base. I learned that from Michigan herbalist Joyce Wardwell She's brilliant.
Howie Brounstein tip: astringents add flavor and body (you don't need to, and probably shouldn't try to get all your flavor from aromatics). Howie has a great smoking herbs article online, and sometimes he does classes.
How did you first start incorporating herbs into your daily life?
jim: Spending time in nature with the plants.
Preparation wise, my first herbal preparations were teas. When I started making more tinctures; I didn't use tinctures in place of teas (and infusions/decoctions), but rather as compliments.
What do you think is the most effective way to start communicating with plants?
jim: Strong opinion: I think "communicating with plants" is often presented in a less than empowering manner. If you spend time with plants in nature, if you give attention to their physical form, and the conditions they thrive in, and the way they smell, taste and feel in your body, you are communicating with plants.
I think a lot of people present communicating with plants as an esoteric/spiritual experience that is limited in its scope. For example: a plant appeared to me as a green skinned person and told me something profound about my life/existence/whatever.
Absolutely, if this happens, it's cool. No denying that. But a plant never gets more spiritual/meaningful by presenting itself in human(ish) form and speaking in human(ish) language. Plants are profoundly spiritual as plants, existing in the profoundly spiritual manifestation that is the nature around us. Their language is their form and flavor and feel. And EVERYONE is able to perceive them this way
If some people are able to visualize/perceptualize them on top of this, great, but that's not the way everyone should or needs to communicate with plants.
So, simplest answer to the question: spend time with plants.
How do you retain so much information regarding clinical herbalism, and how do you store it? I.e. notebooks, flags in reference books, or just memory?
jim: a combination of all these things, plus enough open tabs on my computer to slow its processing speed down. The more my knowledge is experiential (tied to a case with myself or someone else) the easier it is for me, personally, to keep in my head. I like to make up stories and analogies and use props to keep concepts in my head.
What does healing mean to you?
jim: Taking care of yourself and others, wherever they are at. It really helps if judgment and idealism are kept in check.
How do you know what the potency of your herbal concoctions are?
jim: primarily by taste, smell... things discernible to the senses; what we would call organoleptic assessment.
It's totally possible and certainly sometimes likely that I may misjudge things. It's not like I have the means to assess the berberine content in my barberry stem tincture (but it sure tastes berberiney).
Who do you go to for health advice?
jim: It depends on what's going on. There are oodles of people who know certain things better than I do, or who may be able to see patterns I can't. I try to ask people who I think are more knowledgeable than I am in a given area.
I feel the spaces surrounding herbalism are being infiltrated with a plethora of "self" described herbalists. What do you do personally to ensure the information and guidance you are seeking/using is from qualified, endorsed, and recognized sources?
jim: So, because I have no formal "training" of any kind, I probably fall into being a "self" described herbalist myself, so there's that.
Relevant to what you're asking, if I'm looking up information and I come across, let's say, an article by someone I've never heard of, I read through it and try to assess what's there. Is it written from experience? Is it a collection of quotes and citations from other sources? How does it jive with what I think or know (or think I know!)? I want to read their "about" page. I'll maybe look to see what they say about a plant I feel I know well. I might consider who they studied with. I look to see how they phrase things... do they talk in absolutes (this plant *will* do this or that if you take it), do they use words like "cure" too liberally? Are they dogmatic about stuff?
I've been known to contact people and ask questions. People used to do that to me. When I first started posting a lot on herbal email lists, I used to have my phone number in my email signature. One day the phone rang. I picked it up. This voice said, "Is this jim mcdonald?" I said it was. The voice said, "This is Michael Moore down in New Mexico..." I'd like to say I was totally smooth and cool, but I think I stammered a lot and was thrown because Michael Moore called me. Reality of it was he was trying to find out whether I actually knew stuff or was just good at writing stuff. Sometime later he added me to his links page. I was, at the time, blown away.
What is your vision or dream for the future of herbalism and herbal medicine in the United States?
jim: Greater integrated inclusivity. It's sometimes stated how "white" herbalism in this country is. I don't really think that's entirely true, if you were to think about who uses herbs. It's certainly the case, though, that the more structured, organized "western herbal community" in the US is predominantly white. It would be great, for all of us, if we connected with and included and learned from other established traditions that exist in this country (and the world). I often struggle, when I'm writing or teaching or citing sources, with how much less diverse my sources are than I wish they were. When I think about why this is, I understand that one reason is because most of the books and websites and conferences I've read/been to highlight predominantly white herbalists. I've just had less exposure to more diverse voices and traditions than I wish for. Now, I'm a western based herbalist with a strong grounding in greek medicine, european folk herbalism and eclectic and physio-medical traditions. That's all pretty darn white. It's not my intention to start teaching the herbalism of other cultures, but I do want to see, more and more, the way the herbalism I practice has its roots and branches in other traditions. More than that, I want to see the herbalism of other cultures celebrated and valued in the way they deserve.
What is your favorite herb that you use most often?
jim: Ooh! Seeing this question worded differently a few times allows me to answer with a different herb each time!
Plantain! Vulnerary = tissue healer!
In your opinion, what is the most versatile herb that you have used personally & would highly recommend due to its versatility?
jim: And again! This time: Mullein leaves, flowers and roots! Long winded monograph here: www.herbcraft.org/mullein.html
What herbs and practices do you recommend to improve focus [seriously, I wrote this far, got distracted by something, and now half an hour later, I returned to this page, surprised that this email is still incomplete and unsent. Send help!!]. I was going to say: to improve focus and a centered feeling. I have felt tempted lately to ask my doc about ADD medication, but I really feel that with herbs and meditation, I feel I could find a more lasting, healthful path to help me.
jim: people can have trouble with focus in different ways. If you lose focus because your thoughts fog out into a cloudy haze, aromatics like calamus, damiana, rosemary (or lots of others) make sense. If your mind is like a ball pit full of ferrets where one thought jumps to another and then another and then another, I like milky oats.
Omega 3 EFAs, magnesium and essential nutrients are probably going to be important, too.
If you could only save one medicinal plant, what would you choose?
jim: only save one? egad, the responsibility and ethical implications... I'm not sure I can answer that...
Is there ever a place in life for modern medicine or is eating our weeds the answer?
jim: totally simplified for brevity, but a few years ago my heart kinda sorta exploded, and I'm only here because of incredibly intense and traumatic medical intervention, so I'm gonna say there's definitely a place for modern medicine.
Are there any herbs that can help with kidney failure?
jim: A short and possibly helpful answer is that it would make sense to look into the use of nettle seed (https://pkdiet.com/pdf/alkalizers/nettlecreatinine.pdf).
A responsible answer is that it would be a very complicated situation that would really be best addressed with the help of a knowledgeable, experienced herbalist.
Of all the herbalism books on the market, what are the top five books experienced herbalists would recommend for the beginning herbalist?
jim: 5?
1.) Body into Balance by Maria Noel Groves
2.) Wild Remedies by Rosalee de la Foret and Emily Han
3.) The Modern Herbal Dispensatory by Thomas Easley and Steven Horne
4.) A Modern Herbal (Vol I & II) by Maude Grieve
5.) Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West by Michael Moore
5.) The Book of Herbal Wisdom by Matthew Wood
(yup, cheated again)
How has herbalism and using herbs in your practice deepened your relationship to the earth and sourcing plants in a respectful way? Alternatively, how have you incorporated sustainability (reducing waste, less plastic, intentional sourcing of herbs) into your practice?
jim: I wildcraft a LOT of what I use, with strong emphasis on sustainability. I replant seeds, do root divisions, and plant out at risk plants not just on my land but in the area where I live. I grow some things. I get a lot of stuff from other growers/wildcrafters, with great attention to assessing their ethics around sustainability.
I use a lot of weeds, nonnatives and invasives.
I limit the use of plastic (lids and lid liners are problematic, but I don't use plastic bottles).
When did you first feel validated as an herbalist? I've been dabbling in herbal medicine-making for ages and am currently undergoing a more formal education, but still struggle with nay-sayers and self-doubt.
jim: Really, try your best to ignore the nay-sayers. It's too commonly tolerated for experienced herbalists to be down on beginning herbalists for not knowing this or that. Yes, it is absolutely the case that there are people giving oversimplified and reckless information around health issues, or who promote irresponsible and unsustainable use of plants, but I think it's just as easy to give direction and encouragement as it is to criticize. Not only that, it can change behavior.
I've had, numerous times, people say to me something to the effect of "These newbies are out there teaching classes and they don't have any training or haven't been doing it long enough..." to which I respond "You know I don't have training, right? And I didn't when I started teaching classes about threeish years into my study of herbalism?" Often people respond with, "Well, you're different", or something along those lines, but I'm not, really. I just benefited from people offering me good information to help me grow instead of being down on me. Props to Paul Bergner for being one of those folk.
What is the most significant story about a health issue you helped to solve for someone, using your knowledge of herbal medicine?
jim: Hmm... I don't know if I can think of something that counts as "most" significant. But maybe if I thought about it it's that I helped my girlfriend (now wife) resolve chronic sinusitis?
(I don't think that's the only reason she married me...)
What does the herbalism industry need most right now to evolve positively (besides more herbalists)?
jim: A "Cottage Herbalist" exemption to the GMPs (modeled after cottage food laws that allow people to make foods in home kitchens for farmer's markets).
Did you realize that herbalism was greatly an entrepreneurial field when you decided to pursue it?
jim: Not at all, but it sure is!
When teaching a group, how do you handle someone who questions the material that you are teaching?
jim: It depends on how it's done. Ideally, nicely, since yelling at or being rude/dismissive to students is never a good strategy to employ.
Hear them out. Let them say their piece, acknowledge it (and acknowledge that there WILL come a time when they might be right and you might be wrong), and move on. It's never my goal to convince someone I'm right. My understanding of what's happening in a class is that people are coming to hear my ideas so they can think about them and process them and apply them as they see fit. Sometimes people don't agree with me. Sometimes people take my ideas and apply them in a way they see fit that I don't agree with. But ultimately I do what I do, and I need to be confident in it.
One time a student in a class I was teaching stated that "Soy made kids gay". I just had to shut that down by saying "That is 100% not true, end of discussion." I don't like having to be really blunt like that, but I do have some responsibility as the teacher when someone is saying that in my class.
As for measuring herbs for teas: How much herbs would I measure for a recipe with Chamomile flowers and Holy Basil herbs for a gift bag, for multiple cups? I want to put together a few tea treat bags together for gifts. Thinking Chamomile flowers and Holy Basil would be good for the immune system/belly (hope it makes sense).
jim: I'm so terrible about measuring out stuff in recipes for tea, but this is what I'd do: pour some chamomile in a big bowl and then pour some holy basil in that bowl and mix them up. I'd assess how I thought the yellow to green ratio looked... needs more yellow? Add more chamomile. Needs more green? Add more holy basil. Once it looks right, I'd make some tea, see how it tastes, and tweak as needed.
(I cook like this, too...)
What herb do you think is the most valuable to use regularly and why?
jim: how about this time instead of a specific herb I just say "bitters" (and include in that bitter herbs, bitter leafy green veges and yummy bitters blends with aromatics)! Why? www.herbcraft.org/bitters.html
As a newbie herbalist, what is the most important action I can take to learn, promote, live an authentic herbalist life?
jim: this is really hard because being an herbalist means different things to different people, but I would say, from my point of view, "Make relationship with and tend to the land that surrounds you."
My big question is how to get your herbal business set-up, going and growing? Like, the business forms and licensing needed… straight forward information.
jim: I am so not the best person to answer this question! Sorry!
My question would be what five herbs would you consider vital for their ability to address multiple health issues that every person should have in their apothecary?
jim: asked again, I get to think of new ones (obviously with some overlap):
1.) plantain
2.) milky oats
3.) marshmallow
4.) orange mint (my favorite Mentha)
5.) dandelion
If you are already inspired by plants, herbs, mushrooms and their healing properties, how do you portray this excitement to other people in your life so that they too will understand the joy or herbal healing but also believe you when you tell them about the healing properties of plants?
jim: This is a huge reason I am ever and always offering plant walks. Getting people out with the plants they see around them and sharing my excitement about and experience with them is awesome. I never am not fulfilled when I see people getting turned on by plants.
(that last sentence is... interestingly worded. I should probably change it, but let's just leave it be...)
Did you choose this path or did this path of a Herbalist choose you?
jim: Totally picked by plants, and happily so!
What experience in your life motivated you towards Herbal Medicine over Allopathic medicine?
jim: Plants are so much prettier than tablets! We really do have the most beautiful of all healing modalities.
What was turning point, the catalyst, the light that directed you to the dedicated path of learning, absorbing and being skilled in provision of medicinal herb?
jim: I think it's the endless awe I have for nature.
What advice do you wish you had as an herbal student?
jim: It's not a contest. It's not a competition. Take your time and learn at your own pace. You don't need to know everything. You don't need to compare what you know and how you know it to others. Our herbalism is an art. The medicines we make are a form of creative expression. Practice/teach within your scope of knowledge. Knowing you don't know is knowing.
Hmmm I would probably ask them a question about dreaming with plants. There is a legend that you are initiated into herbalism when you have been visited in your dreams by a plant. I would be curious which one (if any - not gatekeeping).
jim: I've dreamed of plants, but not in this way. There are many ways to be called to plants. Mostly, if someone is a plant person, that part of them will wake up when exposed to plants and draw them further in.
I am new to Herbalism as a practice. I am starting with the master plant Cannabis indica. She definitely has lessons for me.
jim: I feel like I used to understand cannabis much more than I do now. With so much hybridization and straining out of varieties (not to mention that less and less of it is actually growing in nature in soil), there's just so much "new" going on with that plant I haven't kept up with. Tammi Sweet is someone I know offers solid info on it.
But there's no denying that Cannabis inspired many people to look deeper into plant medicine.
I wonder what the best way is to add or blend? Feeling conflicted about merging properties, considering Hops or Valerian but am literally paralized about how or if I can merge these essences? To me it's not as simple as just "creating a blend '' We need to be in balance with these plants...I'm sure that sounds bizarre to you...I'm stumped...mired in the weeds....lol.. I could go on.
jim: I think about formulation like cooking. We blend herbs and spices and flavors and smells (and with all that phytochemicals) all the time when we cook. Some things, like dark chocolate and blueberries make all the sense in the world, and taste divine. Some things, like ketchup on cheesecake sound absolutely wretched (though probably someone has done it). You have to know plants individually to understand how to blend them well; some things look good on paper, but don't work in a mug.
If you could only have the use of one herb, which would it be and why?
jim: Hmm... what this time?
I could linger a long time in the peaceful bliss that is kava.
How do you absorb it all and keep it absorbed? There’s so much information and even if I feel like I’ve memorized it, when I need to I can’t seem to remember it all.
jim: I often (though not always) feel I absorb what I need and what's relevant to me when I need it. Take your time learning; it's not a race. Also, try to use more than your brain when learning. If you try and try to remember what an astringent is and it's not clicking, make some really crazy strong astringent tea and swish it around in your mouth, or bite into a green banana. If the difference between aromatic and acrid has you stumped, compare the taste of, say, a drop of fennel tincture with a drop of lobelia tincture. Use all your senses to learn. Your body memory will help trigger your brain memory.
As a Herbalist, how can you best address climate change and global warming ?
jim: favor the use of local plants, especially weedy ones, and plant things!
How do you as an herbalist work the business side of "things”?
jim: Probably answered as well as I can above...
I would like to ask an herbalist what's your favorite way to introduce children to herbalism?
jim: It often depends on the child. Some will really be into it, some not so much (and that's okay; my parents really wanted me to work at GM, and that clearly didn't pan out). Make yummy stuff. Maybe get the Wildcraft! game from Learning Herbs, or read the Herb Fairies books from Learning Herbs. Let them see you drinking teas and taking syrups. Go for walks and look at plants. Teach them about plantain poultices for bites and stings. Teach them how to recognize poison ivy.
Be sure to, while doing this, tell them not to eat anything without asking. Young kids may not really get the idea of "poisonous". I often tell kids about how someone I knew ate a plant that made them throw up and have diarrhea at the same time... that creates a pretty good mental picture of something you don't want to have happen to you.
I was recently diagnosed with osteopenia. There are too many side effects from taking the prescription drug. What herbs are great for bone health?
jim: Osteopenia is the loss of bone mass, which results in weaker bones. It would be sensible to say that there's more to this, and potential causes should be looked into so it can be addressed at a causal level. It makes less sense to just say "do this".
But: while you're looking at potential root causes, it makes sense to ensure you're getting all the nutrition you need. Omega 3 EFAs, D3, K2, magnesium, boron and silica all help the calcium you consume get where it needs to go. And although calcium is indeed an essential mineral through bone health, it is best consumed in foods (and via things like strong herbal infusions), and not, in most cases, as a supplement (there are numerous studies showing calcium supplementation is problematic).
If you're not veg/an, I feel that bone broth is helpful as well.
How do you keep your focus and keep from getting distracted by all the wonders every piece of plant life on the planet?
jim: There's a very simple way to do this; you just have to... WOW LOOK AT THAT BIRCH TREE IN THE SNOW!!!
What is your favorite part of being an herbalist and what's your big "why" that keeps you learning and growing?
jim: Nature is amazing, and its limitless awe provides for endless inquiry.
What herb surprised you?
jim: Nettle, when I was sneaking into a Natalie Merchant concert through the dark woods behind the amphitheater.
I would ask what herbs are good for osteoarthritis and the best mechanisms for delivering them to the body by constitution?
jim: This is probably more complicated that I can get into here (I'm largely trying to give briefer answers). Though I don't discuss osteoarthritis by name, I do discuss the energetic indications for back and joint injuries here: www.herbcraft.org/backpain.html
What is the difference between catnip and catmint? Also, are there any courses or teachers you would recommend who focus on herbalism for animal and tree spirits?
jim: Catnip and catmint are, I believe, different species. And though I've learned this almost EVERY YEAR I've studied herbalism, I can't for the life of me clarify the Latin right now as I'm thinking about it (I figured I'd just be honest about it rather than google it and act like I knew...).
Not entirely sure on the latter, but listening to Kate Gilday talk about trees is the best.
What is the one herb or herbal product that you always have on hand and would never be without and why?
jim: I think we all need to have a good all purpose, cuts & scrapes & chafes kinda salve around. Good for bites, stings and minor skin irritations. Good for chapped lips. Helpful for hemorrhoids. The possible ingredients are endless, but mine, among other things, has a lot of plantain and chickweed.
What do you do when you see someone you don’t know well dealing with an issue that you’re pretty sure you could help with, but they haven’t asked for help?
jim: This is totally, in most cases, a bite your tongue moment (even if you do know someone well). If people aren't asking, and especially if they know what you do, they may not want to feel proselytized to. I know; it can be super hard.
What is your favorite resource when using herbs?
jim: Mentioned above, but I ADORE Henriette Kress's website, which is rife with eclectic and physiomedical tomes.
What would a herbalist need in a first aid kit- Since I live in Hurricane Valley New Orleans!!!
jim: some things, like an all purpose salve and a salve/oil for injuries and propolis tincture and echinacea make sense for all first aid kits. But also think: what kind of stuff do you tend to get? If you have allergies, have something on hand for that. If you get GI distress, something for that. Headaches? Something for that. 7Song's website has a great quantity of info related to herbal first aid, and there's a whole herbal first aid series with him for free on youtube.
For someone like me who's just starting out, aside from teas, infusions or decoctions, what would be the best type of plant medicine to practice making?
jim: Teas and water based preparations are a mainstay, but tinctures sure do come in handy. Glycerites and acetums (vinegar extracts) and oxymels (vinegar honey extracts) are also worth exploring, though they're not necessarily interchangeable with tinctures just because they're often found in dropper bottles. But also explore things like steams, eyewashes/nasal rinses. Make some syrups, make some oils, make some salves. Steep yourself in baths of herbs. There are so many ways to use herbs and they all compliment each other. Plus: making stuff is fun!
My question to herbalists in general is now that many people are getting into herbalism, how do we keep plants mostly for other species survival and not human consumption? Over-harvesting is happening at rapid rate, and to be honest, I don’t put up a lot of tinctures and salves because I can’t justify my needs over pollinators. I propagate as many plants as possible, and I still can’t bring myself to harvest St. John’s wort!
jim: This is important, and there are a lot of things to think about. Some of them:
• It's not enough to know that an herb is not threatened or endangered, or not the united plant savers at risk or to watch list. We need to know their status in our ecoystems, what plants are common, what plants aren't and best practices for harvest if appropriate. This requires learning some bioregional naturalism in addition to herbalism.
• Sustainable ethical harvesting needs to be a forethought, and not an afterthought. That means we apply ethical/sustainable harvesting practices to everything we gather. It doesn't make sense to wait till something is at risk before we think about sustainability.
• We need to focus a lot on weedy, non-native and invasive species.
• We need to both harvest AND plant.
• We should always remember how powerful it is to support small, herbalist owned herb farms.
More thoughts: https://hub.wildremediesbook.com/what-wildcrafting-has-taught-me/
What herbs would you recommend for chronic hemorrhoids? Herbalist podcasts and blogs I’ve read cover the upper GI and general upset that can be directly related to food, but what about the painful, persistent end side of GI problems?
jim: For hemorrhoids, I tend to use a blend of stone root, yarrow, & blueberry internally and a salve with stone root, yarrow and witch hazel topically. These are "base formulas", and quite tweakable. Apply the salve often and liberally. Wash your hands afterwards.
