one stop shop healing…

Let's talk about the “one stop shop” healing method.

What do I mean by this?

Well, I am referring to the convenience so embedded in our western society that it governs how we respond to health imbalances.

~Already I begin to weave in language that comes more from a traditional western & vitalist herbal lens. 

And this is because in these traditions of herbalism we view health issues, more as imbalances. With this, we are considering the individual rather than just the sickness & symptoms. 
And in our western society, many medical structures focus on the sickness, rather than the individual. 
This is where that “one stop shop healing” mentality comes to play.

I use this phrase to bring attention to the myth, that any imbalance can be “treated” with the same over the counter medications. And when we really begin to break this down we can see the flaw in this method. 

We are used to the convenience of being able to go to the store, and get just what we need.

Our food has become wrapped in plastic coverings, and so has our medicine. 

Cold and flu medicine- a vibrant and fluorescent blue, green and red mimicking no color in nature. Unless we think of the creatures with toxicity- revealing itself in these colors as a warning.
 Wrapped in plastic, and then a box that will claim “this medicine stops these symptoms.” And so there it is, this one stop shop healing method- is no way to treat an individual who is experiencing an imbalance.

I sympathize with the desire to simply make a symptom stop, because when we are experiencing a symptom- all we can think about it is the discomfort it is causing us.

But rather than getting to the root cause of an imbalance, many are popping a colorful magic pill, with the label as a “guarantee” that they will feel better. When this is not in fact true.

In the vitalist and western tradition of herbalism we learn about herbal energetics.

These herbal energetics refer to the way a plant interacts with our tissue states. We define this through the characteristics of temperature, moisture and tone. The temperature of an herb means that an herb is either going to be warming, or cooling in nature. The moisture describes whether an herb is moistening or drying on our tissue states. And lastly, the tone of an herb tells us whether or not an herb will relax, or tone our tissues. 

I think of the phrase “the issues are in our tissues.” Why, yes- they are! 

We are each unique individuals that function differently, and so the things that we are going to need when experiencing an imbalance- are going to be different. In Ayurveda these are described as doshas. And the doshas (vata, pitta, kapha) uniquely combine to make up your individual constitution.

(I am in no way an expert in the ayurvedic tradition, so I will leave that for you to research!)

This is why this “one stop shop healing” does not get to the root cause of a health issue. It simply does not treat the individual, as an individual.

 In some cases it can be a temporary relief from the symptoms, while in other cases it can lengthen the illness & even exacerbate some of the symptoms. Thus, making the overall condition (imbalance) worse.

Let’s look at an example of how we can soothe an imbalance, and identify what herbs/foods to look towards for healing.

Example:

We are entering cold and flu season so let's use this very relevant example.

Imagine a dry cough- the kind of cough that you can hear and feel. It is a wheezing type of cough that literally feels dry, sharp, and painful. This is because when our body is experiencing this tissue state the mucous coating that protects us is thin and dry. 

Mucus helps us with so many of our bodily functions. But in this example mucus coats our sinus and respiratory system, soothing irritated and inflamed tissues. So what happens when we have a dry cough, and we go to the store for some “one stop shop healing.” 

Well, you end up with a liquid cough medicine that claims to stop “runny nose, and cough.” This refers nothing to that oh so important mucus- while a key ingredient in these medicines is formulated to slow or stop the production of mucus.

In fact I have never seen an over the counter cough medicine that says “dry cough” or “wet cough.” These medicines are trying to treat very different imbalances exactly the same. 

Are you following me here?

If we have a dry cough and are treating it with a medicine that in fact reduces mucus, we are going to exacerbate our symptoms rather than soothing them and getting to the root cause. 

So let’s instead look at how we may use herbs and food as medicine to soothe this dry cough. 

Well, first we would look at our herbal energetics and ask, how can I restore balance to a dry tissue state?

We can then begin to look at foods and herbs that are moistening, warming, and relaxant in their energetics. 

(This is with the understanding that the tissue state is in a cold/constricted, tense and dry imbalance.)

Moistening foods and herbs help us to create that protective mucous lining. 

While warming herbs can help us with a very cold and constricted cough. 

Relaxant herbs are going to help to soothe tissues that are tensing up and working over time. 

Rather than just using one of these categories it may be helpful to use a combination of them, mixing together herbs that are all three (warming, moistening and relaxant).

Here are some herbs that may support a dry cough(dry/cold/tense tissue state):

Moistening:

• Marshmallow root

• Mallow

• Elderberry

• Hibiscus

• Dong quai

• Plantain

• Oat

• Slippery elm

• Licorice Root

• Linden

• Mullein

Warming:

• Cinnamon

• Ginger

• Cardamom

• Thyme

• Oregano

• Linden

Relaxant:

• Linden

• Chamomile

• Milky oats

• Lemon balm

Here are some foods that may support a dry cough:

• Nutrient rich bone and/or vegetable broths

• Foods in the mallow family

• Okra

• Aloe

• Warm vegetables

• Zucchini

• Carrot

• Onions

• Sweet potato

• Cucumber

• Nourishing grains

• Farro

• Millet

• Oats 

• Honey

• Berries

Disclaimer:

I am an herbalist, not a licensed medical professional. The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is essential to consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal products, particularly if you have a pre-existing condition, are pregnant, nursing, or taking other medications.