Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is the vast and beautiful art of understanding the pattern language of nature, of seeing the root imbalance in a person, and matching custom formulated remedies that work with the vital force for deep healing. When it’s all in alignment herbal medicine can offer powerful support that goes where no other medicine can touch, it is used for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Often herbs and acupuncture are both used in treatment, we begin with an initial appointment and see what is most needed, there are certain conditions in which each is best.

Truly holistic herbalism is rooted in a medical system that views the entire world as alive, it acknowledges the intelligence of nature. This force directs life within a medicinal plant, the organ systems and tissues of the body, and all disease processes as well. We explore the holistic expression of the person first, then do the same with plant remedies, then pair them together to restore harmony. Each plant has unique qualities, actions, and intelligence, and when aligned to a person’s constitution and specific condition herbal medicines offer profound support and healing. We need to stay connected and followup when working herbal treatments to ensure the formula is still appropriate and helpful. There are many treatment options that best fit your life.

Thomas has deeply studied Western herbal medicine for many years and growing, being in relationship with, and sharing plant medicine is his true passion. He spent a year apprenticing on a medicinal herb farm, followed by many years of self exploration, took many courses at Pacific Rim College, engaged in another year long apprenticeship, and most notably completed a program with the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, one of the most comprehensive online training available in Western herbalism. However there is still so much to learn, he will be studying his entire life, and while we do offer herbal medicine our focus is currently acupuncture as the clinic is still establishing.

Every living thing contains this vital spark and it is the herbalist’s work to support the intelligent responses of the body. Each person has a unique constitution which instills us with our essence and qualities. We all have a baseline of health that is different from everyone else. We must consider your body type, personality, predispositions, temperature, moisture, and tone of the tissues.

When any system within us shifts too far from equilibrium we cannot maintain balance and the vital force intelligently responds to restore harmony. All symptoms and signs are a language used by the body, and the very same patterns are expressed in nature. By perceiving this holistic pattern language we may understand the state of the vital force, the systems involved, and the qualities of the tissues that are trying to return to balance. 

We explore the holistic expression of the person first, then do the same with plant remedies, then pair them together to restore harmony. Instead of thinking in terms of this plant is good for that symptom, rather by understanding their essential nature and properties we can use them holistically and effectively. Taste is one of the most important sensory means that informs us of the medicinal properties in a plant. Sweet is moistening and building, pungent is warming and moving, sour is cooling and constricting, bitter is cooling and draining, salty contains minerals and penetrates, and astringent tightens tissues. Then each remedy has specific affinities in the body, each plant influences specific tissues, organs, or systems. Each plant also has specific actions, this is related to its chemical constituents and causes certain results in the body such as stimulating circulation, hydrating mucosal membranes, or increased detoxification processes. Essential and often missed in herbalism are the energetics, each remedy has a unique combination of hot or cold, damp or dry, and tightening or relaxing, and this must be in alignment too. Then there is always the special qualities that are the spirit of each plant that are beyond logical understanding.

Then comes the art of creating a herbal formula, a harmonized medicine that helps the vital force return to normal, oftentimes there are multiple actions needed, it must be balanced, directed to the right areas, taste good, and be in a form that it will actually be consumed. On top of understanding the foundational holistic nature of plants, we must also consider how to best extract their medicine. Extensive study is essential to ensure herbal medicine is safe and effective, and herb to drug interactions must be considered and modifications made. Herbal medicine can help support people in most situations and conditions. We typically only recommend custom herbal medicines after a consultation, although we do also offer some basic prepared blends for common issues.

Eastern versus Western herbalism

Most acupuncturists who offer herbal medicine use specific classical formulas using Chinese herbs and are trained and regulated by our Chinese medicine governing body. Thomas has chosen a different path, he feels the way Chinese herbal medicine is taught is quite disconnected from the roots of true holistic herbal medicine. Most Chinese herbs are shipped from China, quality is a serious concern, herbalists often have no idea where or how they are grown. They also lack a personal relationship with the medicine and are not able to create as potent medicine as a herbalist who is more involved with the entire process from growing, to harvesting, to medicine making, to healing. Thomas has instead intensively studied Western herbal medicine as well as some Chinese herbal medicine. He is passionate to bridge these systems, to apply the rich history and incredible depth of Traditional Chinese medicine that is a truly holistic medicine system with medicines that are able to grow where we live.

We want to be clear and express is that while acupuncture and Chinese herbalism is a regulated profession in many places, Western herbal medicine is not. Registered Chinese herbalists can prescribe herbs, but Western trained herbalists instead only recommend, we are still insured, we are skilled in our craft, and we believe it simply comes down to efficacy and safety.

Drop dosing during an acupuncture treatment

We often explore sample drops of potential medicines together to find the best fit, this informs the take home formula as well as the session. We can amplify the benefit of the acupuncture treatment by taking a small energetic dose of a herbal remedy which supports the acupuncture, it’s a unique and potent blending you won’t likely find at other clinics.

A big part of the Heart Radiance mission is to help reconnect people with nature, and we look forward to sharing together in the future herb garden that will be just outside the clinic, together we can touch, smell, feel, and form a relationship with the medicines that are healing our lives.