Western Medical Herbalism		What is a Medical Herbalist? A  Medical Herbalist blends modern scientific knowledge with ancient wisdom to bringyou the best of both worlds. Trained to perform the same external physical examinations to recognize the signs and symptoms of disease as your physician, and using thorough interviewing techniques, she is able to get a complete health picture. Based on this detailed information, you will receive truly holistic recommendations designed to bring about optimal healing. Suggestions may include dietary guidance, supplement changes, lifestyle and exercise strategies, appropriate referral, and more. Although much more than someone who dispenses herbs, central to the profession is the creation of custom blends, expertly formulated to alleviate symptoms and work on a deep level to bring about profound, long term improvement. Your herbalist can interpret your lab test results, help you understand the function, side effects, interactions, and considerations of any pharmaceutical drugs you may be taking and if required, work in liaison with your physician to incorporate natural strategies into your health care picture. Who can benefit? Depending upon the extent to which one is able to incorporate changes and suggestions, there may be complete healing or improved quality of life; everyone stands to gain. Conditions known to benefit from holistic, natural, non-invasive therapy include skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, eczema, and fungal and parasitic infections, arthritis, digestive disorders, allergies and sensitivities, autoimmune disorders, cancers of all kinds, bacterial and viral infections, hormonal imbalances, impotence, mood disorders, fibromyalgia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, impaired immunity, and much, much more!   My Philosophy My philosophy has at its core the knowledge that our bodies want to be healthy; every moment of life, each cell in the body is striving to achieve a state of balance. The best thing we can do is to facilitate that process by removing harmful influences and providing the tools needed. Wellness must follow. To feel better, we need to take responsibility for our own health. Client education is a high priority for me: I will provide the tools and knowledge needed so you can make it happen. I believe that attaining and maintaining a healthy body should be neither complicated nor expensive. My studies focus on Western remedies, those found right here in our own back yard. My commitment to the environment within the body extends to that outside as well. Whenever possible I choose local, organic, and sustainably harvested plants. I can guide you in the choosing and simple preparation of wholesome food choices which can be easily (and tastily) incorporated into your lifestyle. I see the body as an integrated functioning whole, each body system affecting the others in some way. I will work with you as an individual to bring about your optimal health at a pace you are comfortable with. Every remedy and management plan is unique and flexible, formulated around you and your specific needs. Progress is monitored and adjustments are made as is necessary. After raising four children and a husband, and growing and preparing remedies for many years, I decided to embark upon a career path to expand and deepen my lifelong interest and hobby. After five years of study, I completed the Clinical Herbal Therapist program at Dominion Herbal College in Burnaby, BC. During this time I’ve completed hundreds of hours of working clinical practice, delved into the intricacies of in excess of three hundred plants, written a research paper on Herbal Support in Drug Addiction and Withdrawal, attended a cadaver course at Bastyr University in Seattle, and studied pathology, differential diagnosis, chemistry, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, nutrition and much more.