Welcome to the Wise Cat Apothecary website and welcome to this blog! When I started dreaming of opening my own herbal apothecary, I decided that I not only wanted to create herbal products to support the health and well-being of my clients, but I also wanted to educate my clients about herbs and all the riches they have to offer. I’m a plant nerd since childhood, and I’ve been a teacher for most of my adult life. Writing a blog seemed like the perfect way to combine my passions and skills.
But as I prepared to write my first blogs, I found myself stumped. There are so many ways to talk about herbs—do I focus on a particular herb, its uses, how to identify it? Or, since I’m also a science geek, do I share information from peer-reviewed studies of herbs? Should I write about my successes and failures in the garden? Or how to use herbs for simple home remedies that anyone can do?
So, why not all of these? Herbalism isn’t limited to just knowing what herb is good for treating a bee sting (That would be plantain—it grows in your yard. Chew a few leaves and place the mess on the sting. The pain and swelling will reduce shortly. Note: if you’re allergic to bees, please go to the ER. Plantain will not work in your case).
Herbalism includes growing, harvesting, and storing your herbs. It’s understanding botany and basic chemistry. It’s knowing basic human physiology. It’s knowing what herbs work well together and which don’t. It’s understanding how herbs interact with modern pharmaceuticals—did you know that ashwagandha has been found to make a particular type of chemotherapy more effective? (More about that in a future post). But it’s also knowing that some herbs need to be avoided in the case of certain medical conditions—licorice root tea is contraindicated if you have high blood pressure, edema, or congestive heart failure.
The study of herbalism is as old as the human species, and it is as rich and fascinating as human history. Herbalism can also be overwhelming at times because there is so much to learn and know. But there is joy and satisfaction in working with herbal products. Whether I’m in the garden coaxing my plants not to give up in the Oklahoma heat or reading herbal books to create a tea or extract for a client’s concern, I feel connected to the earth and to the past in a deep and meaningful way. I hope I can share what I’m learning, as well as that sense of joy and connection, with you through these blog posts.
Again, welcome!
0 Comments