J.J. Pursell - The Womans Herbal Apothecary: 200 Natural Remedies for Healing, Hormone Balance, Beauty and Longevity, and Creating Calm

The
Womans Herbal Apothecary

200 Natural Remedies for Healing, Hormone Balance, Beauty and Longevity, and Creating Calm

JJ PURSELL

L EARNING ABOUT HERBS felt to me like remembering something from long ago. Everything I read made sense both logically and intuitively. Although I grew up loving science, it was always something I had to work hard to fully comprehend. This was different. The information flowed in and miraculously stayed. Not only that, I could access it whenever I needed it. It was a love affair of sortsand one Ive held in wonder. I hesitate to use the word magic, but to me that is what herbal medicine manifests. Once I opened my herb shop and began to teach about herbs, I noticed the same thing was happening with my students. I call it the herbal awakening. I start each new herb class by asking students what brought them to it. Most want to help themselves and others, and using herbs just makes sense to them.

If you go to any herb conference, women will most likely surround you. Many men have also embraced herbal studies of course, but women seem to have a strong calling to it. Even though women have historically been restricted from training at the schools of medicines, they have always been the lifeblood of the home, farm, and community. Knowing that yarrow flower tea could be used to break a fever, for example, or that wormwood would dispel worms from the body was imperative to survival. In fact, herbs were so important in many circles that they were viewed as sacred, and only an indoctrinated priestess could gather them. When youre out in the woods, away from it all, it is easy to visualize that beautiful blend of gathering healing plants and ritual, and that era doesnt seem far away.

There are countless books on the history and usage of herbs in various cultures. Much of the information they contain is still relevant today or can be easily modernized. It has led to the creation of pharmacognosy, the branch of knowledge concerned with medicinal drugs obtained from plants or other natural resources. Today, we can all give thanks to healing plants and the scientists that study them. Many of our modern life-saving medications originated from them. The key to consider here, though, is that herbs, in their natural state, still work. Although science has expanded by leaps and bounds, discarding the use of herbs in their whole form is shortsighted. Having a well-rounded education in both modern and traditional medicine creates a treasure trove of options.

It can be difficult to stand up for what we believe in, whether it is how we choose to care for ourselves or against any type of injustice. Finding communities to support us can be hard. Our societys view of women, for example, needs to be reshaped.

Addressing discrimination effectively has proven challenging and is often met with judgment. But strengthening and unifying our female communities through self-acceptance is one way to shift the current paradigm. That is what this book is all about: teaching you about your body, showing you how to care for it naturally, and encouraging you to know yourself inside and out. When we do this, our power increases. Your decisions are driven by who you really are, not by what society expects you to be or do. Your self-worth is a measurement you create while striving to be the best you can be without allowing others to weigh in. When we view ourselves as worthy, we afford others the same respect. When we view ourselves as worthy, great things can happen, and we can allow ourselves to be seen and shared with the world.

The Womans Herbal Apothecary teaches the foundations of herbal medicine and womens health. The words women and woman are not intended to limit those lessons to those who have an anatomical uterus. I use these words to impart feminine energy, power, and healing to anyone who wishes them. If you are looking for herbal guidance and have an anatomical uterus, but you dont relate to the word woman, you can still use this information to care for your physical body. I honor my womanhood and balanced masculinity and femininity, so this book is written from that perspective, but I do not intend to exclude anyone from the healing wisdom of herbs with the language I use.

This book will guide you through the years of your life, offering insights and self-care all along the way. Ive also included pearls of health so that you can fully understand how the female physical body works and functions. The more we know, the more empowered we are and the less room there is for fear, shock, or bewilderment when our body starts to act in a new way. It is my hope that the information contained within these pages will empower you in a multitude of ways. Perhaps it will unlock the passions of herbal medicine or provide you with the support you need to honor all of your glorious body. At the very least, it should give you plenty of context to know your body better and to support it from day to day.

CHAPTER 1

W ELCOME TO THE WORLD OF HERBS! These pages contain endless opportunities for you to learn about the healing arts of herbal medicine. When we learn how to use herbs in our daily lives, we are creating a relationship and a higher level of confidence with our body. Make this book your go-to for how to support and care for a womans body. I encourage you to feel safe enough to try the recipes. Even if you havent used herbs before, Im going to give you the guidance you need to jump in.

Ive been using and practicing herbal medicine for more than twenty-five years. Ive worked on herb farms, in herb shops, and in practice as a naturopath/acupuncturist/herbalist. But all that began one winter day after I had just moved to the Pacific Northwest. I was a young, interested herbalist simply standing in my kitchen, looking at vitex berries. Id read they were supposed to help regulate the menstrual cycle, something Id been struggling with. But now what? I looked at the little plastic bag that had 1 ounce (28 g) of berries in it and decided to dump them into a bowl. I smelled them and even tasted one, and then I decided to make a tea per the instructions I had received from my local herb shop. Mind you, at the time I was used to tea bag tea that came perfectly blended to please my palate. What I quickly learned from drinking this vitex tea is that there was a whole range of taste that Id never known. And that was itmy first experience with herbs. Your first experience may be that simple, or it may be more like the time I decided to brew hops for a bedtime tea and steeped it for fifteen minutes. It was far too bitter to drink! But it is still a funny experience to think about. Youre not always going to get it right the first time when you are learning something new. But isnt that the point? Its the act of trying thats so important. You can do this, just as I did many, many years ago.