Herbal medicine has been used by cultures around the world for thousands of years. Long before modern pharmaceuticals, humans were developing relationships with plants, observing their properties, and learning how to work with them to support health and wellbeing.
Today, herbal medicine is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. From social media detox trends to supplement aisles overflowing with herbal remedies, it seems there's a plant for just about every symptom imaginable.
But just because an herb is natural doesn't necessarily mean it's right for you.
In my practice, I approach herbal medicine differently. I don't believe we should reach for herbs simply to silence symptoms or search for the next supplement that promises to fix us.
I believe plants are living, dynamic beings that can serve as powerful allies in our healing and personal evolution. But to work with them effectively, we need to approach them with discernment, intention, and respect.
So how do you know if herbal medicine is right for you?
The answer is more individualized than you might think.
Herbal Medicine Isn't One-Size-Fits-All
One of the biggest misconceptions about herbal medicine is the idea that we can simply match an herb to a symptom and expect it to resolve the problem.
Experiencing anxiety? Take this herb.
Struggling with digestion? Try that supplement.
Feeling fatigued? Here's an herbal formula that promises more energy.
While certain herbs have well-documented traditional uses and some have demonstrated therapeutic effects in clinical research, that doesn't mean they're appropriate for everyone experiencing a particular symptom.
Two people can present with seemingly identical symptoms while having entirely different health histories, contributing factors, and needs.
When considering herbal medicine for a client, I look at several factors:
Their symptoms and overall health history
Current medications and potential herb-drug interactions
Individual sensitivities and contraindications
Physical, mental, and emotional patterns that may be contributing to their concerns
Priorities I identify through muscle testing during our sessions
Rather than assuming a particular herb will fix a particular problem, I want to understand the person as a whole.
And sometimes, that means herbal medicine isn't what we focus on at all.
How I Use Muscle Testing to Explore Herbal Medicine
As a Certified BodyTalk Practitioner and applied kinesiologist, muscle testing is an integral part of my work.
Within my practice, I use muscle testing as a form of neuromuscular biofeedback to explore what I understand as the body's innate intelligence and its priorities for support.
I don't begin sessions with predetermined protocols or lists of herbs I think someone should take.
Instead, I begin by listening. I begin by asking.
Sometimes the priorities we explore relate to physical concerns. Other times, we address energetic imbalances, subconscious emotional patterns, or lifestyle habits that may be influencing someone's wellbeing.
When herbal medicine seems appropriate, I may use muscle testing to explore which plants or formulas appear most compatible with that individual's needs.
I believe plants are living, dynamic organisms with unique energetic properties. From my consciousness-based perspective, I think of the relationship between plants and people in terms of resonance: the possibility that a particular plant may be especially supportive to someone at a particular point in their life.
To me, choosing an herb isn't simply about identifying which chemical compounds might influence a symptom. It's also about approaching the plant consciously and considering the relationship we're entering into.
A Client Experience: Looking Beyond the Symptoms
I once worked with a client who was experiencing anxiety, intermittent flank pain, gut dysbiosis, and brain fog.
During our work together, muscle testing suggested a sensitivity to oxalic acid.
Oxalic acid is a naturally occurring compound found in many plant foods. It can bind with calcium to form calcium oxalate, the primary component of many kidney stones. In my practice, I interpreted this finding as a reason to explore her kidney health more closely.
I also considered her symptoms through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which associates kidney energy with foundational vitality and certain emotional patterns, particularly fear.
Why I Considered Uva Ursi
Based on my assessment at the time, I recommended a formula called Uva Ursi Supreme alongside dietary changes aimed at reducing oxalate intake.
Uva ursi, also known as bearberry, has traditionally been used for urinary tract concerns. It should only be considered with appropriate medical guidance, particularly when kidney problems are suspected.
Following these changes, my client reported improved daily energy, better digestion, clearer thinking, and feeling more emotionally grounded. What this experience reinforced for me was the value of considering the whole person rather than approaching every symptom as an isolated problem.
Sometimes the Right Herb Is No Herb at All
This may surprise some people, but I don't believe everyone needs herbal medicine.
In fact, there are many sessions where herbs aren't part of my recommendations whatsoever.
When someone comes to me seeking relief, my first priority isn't finding something to give them. It's exploring what may be most supportive in that moment.
Sometimes that involves addressing what I interpret as energetic imbalances through BodyTalk. Sometimes it means bringing awareness to subconscious emotional patterns that may be influencing how someone experiences stress, relationships, or their physical body. Other times, we discuss gentle lifestyle changes that could make a meaningful difference over time.
I don't want to encourage someone to take an herb as a quick fix when there may be deeper patterns in their life that are contributing to the symptom on a root level.
This doesn't mean symptom relief is unimportant. Appropriate medication, herbal treatment, and conventional medical care can all have valuable roles.
But I believe we do ourselves a disservice when suppressing symptoms becomes our only goal.
Why I Don't Recommend Following Every Herbal Trend
We're constantly exposed to new detox protocols, supplement recommendations, parasite cleanses, and herbal trends promising dramatic results.
I see a problem with this.
Not because I believe herbal medicine is ineffective, but because I think we've begun approaching it with the same mentality we often bring to pharmaceuticals.
We identify a symptom, find something that supposedly treats it, and hope it makes the problem disappear. But herbs are not interchangeable, and natural doesn't mean “magic pill”.
Herbal preparations contain biologically active compounds. They can interact with medications, influence bodily processes, and sometimes cause significant adverse effects.
Before starting a new herbal supplement, I encourage you to ask yourself:
Why am I taking this? Am I responding to a trend or making an informed decision?
Do I understand the plant's traditional uses, potential benefits, and risks?
Is the product from a reputable manufacturer?
Am I also considering the habits, stressors, and patterns influencing my wellbeing?
Working With Plants Rather Than Expecting Them to Fix Us
This is where my philosophy becomes a little more unconventional.
I believe plants are living, dynamic, sentient beings that are here to assist us in our personal evolution. While plant sentience in the sense of subjective consciousness remains a questionable standpoint to mainstream medicine, this belief profoundly influences how I relate to the natural world.
I don't see plants merely as resources to extract from or substances to consume.
I see them as allies.
And I believe there's a meaningful difference between taking an herb because we expect it to fix us and consciously working with a plant as part of a larger healing process.
The first approach places responsibility entirely outside ourselves.
The second invites participation.
It asks us to become more aware of our bodies, our patterns, our choices, and our relationship with the world around us.
Healing Isn't Something We Chase. It's Something We Return To.
One of the most important lessons I've learned through my personal experiences and work with clients is that healing isn't necessarily something we can force by doing more, buying more, or trying harder.
We live in a culture that encourages us to constantly search for the next solution. The next supplement. The next protocol. The next practitioner. The next breakthrough.
And while these things can have their place, I believe there's a point where the endless pursuit of healing disconnects us from the very thing we're seeking.
For me, healing is ultimately about returning to greater coherence with ourselves, nature, and God.
Plants can accompany us on that journey, but they cannot do our inner work for us.
We cannot outsource responsibility for our wellbeing to herbs, supplements, medications, practitioners, or anyone else.
That doesn't mean illness is a personal failure or that medical treatment is unnecessary. It means we can accept support while remaining active participants in our own care.
We can seek relief while cultivating awareness.
And we can work with plants without expecting them to be our saviors.
So, How Do You Know If Herbs Are Right for You?
I wish I could give you a simple list of symptoms and corresponding herbs, but that would contradict everything I believe about individualized care.
Herbal medicine may be helpful for some people and inappropriate for others. Its suitability depends on the person, the preparation, their health history, and the other treatments they're using.
I believe the more useful question isn't simply, "Which herb should I take?"
It's, "What does my body need, and how can I best support it?"
Sometimes the answer may involve herbal medicine. Other times, it may involve nutritional support, emotional awareness, lifestyle changes, other modalities, or a combination of approaches.
In my practice, I use BodyTalk, applied kinesiology, and other complementary approaches to explore these questions with clients, incorporating herbal medicine when appropriate and with intention and awareness.
My goal isn't to give everyone another supplement to take. It's to help people become more conscious participants in their own wellbeing.
Because ultimately, I don't believe healing is something we chase.
It's something we return to.
And the right plants, approached with intention, knowledge, and respect, may be valuable allies along the way.
Interested in Exploring Whether Herbal Medicine Is Right for You?
If you're navigating unresolved health concerns or curious about a more individualized approach to your wellbeing, I'd love to connect.
Through my BodyTalk sessions, we explore the interconnected relationships between body, mind, and spirit, incorporating herbal medicine and other complementary tools when appropriate.
