The Art of Herbal Harmony: Ensuring Safety and Quality in Your Remedies with Demetria Clark

What if you could harness the healing power of nature while ensuring the safety and quality of your herbal remedies? Join me, Demetria Clark, as we unravel the essential wisdom of herbal safety and quality in practice. We start our journey with well-known herbs like chamomile, peppermint, and lavender, discussing their safe usage and the importance of accurate identification through Latin names. For those pregnant, nursing, or caring for children, understanding dosages and potential toxicity is crucial. We'll explore why opting for organic and sustainably sourced herbs ensures a chemical-free experience, emphasizing the mantra of quality over quantity.

In this episode, we also highlight the individuality of herbal experiences—what works for one may not work for all. I'll share insights on integrating herbs into daily life, whether in cooking or skincare, and how education in herbalism can foster a deeper connection with nature. If you're pondering an herbal business, understanding product sources and labeling is vital. Together, we'll inspire informed and cautious use of herbal remedies, providing foundational knowledge to safely incorporate herbalism into everyday life. Tune in for a conversation that blends safety, personal health, and the enduring wisdom of nature.

Heart of Herbs Herbal School 
The Heart of Herbs Podcast with Demetria Clark! 🌿 Tune in for herbal wisdom & wellness tips!

Welcome to the Heart of Herbs Herbal School Podcast, www.heartofherbs.com where we explore the world of herbal remedies and natural health solutions. Before we dive into today's episode, If you want to enroll, use code PODCAST to save 20%.

The content provided in this podcast is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. It is always recommended to consult with a qualified healthcare professional

Chapters

• 0:00 Herbal Safety and Quality in Practice
• 16:05 Understanding and Safely Using Herbs
• 23:09 Safe and Effective Herbal Usage

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:37

Hi, this is Demetria Clark, the director of Heart of Herbs Herbal School, and today you're listening to the Heart of Herbs Herbal School podcast Today. Now, this episode may be a little bit shorter than some of the normal ones I guess it just kind of depends on how we go with it but today I am going to talk about something that's really close to my heart, and it's something that I based the premise of a lot of my work on, and one of the reasons why I base so much of my work on this is because I work and have worked exclusively at times with individuals who are pregnant, nursing, trying to get pregnant or working with children. Although those are not the only clients that I've had throughout my career, I do seem to attract a lot of people who are pregnant or have small children, and so the issue that's really close to my heart is herbal safety, and I think now you know we are at a point where we're seeing a lot of AI generated books on herbalism and they're oh, these are so great and they're literally people are poisoning themselves because these are not written or overlooked or overseen by someone who actually knows what they're talking about. We have an idea in our culture that herbalism is just something that's really easy to be self-taught. It is not easy to self-teach yourself. Herbalism Can it be done Absolutely.

Speaker 1: 2:24

But you have to start with good resources, and so in herbal safety, a lot of resources come into play. So when we embark upon our journey into herbalism, it's essential to carry with us the wisdom of safety. Nature provides us with a rich tapestry of healing plants, each with its unique properties and potential. Now, you have to remember, these plants have developed over a millennia to not get eaten by us and other predators, and we are plant predators. So some of the most beautiful flowers in the world are totally toxic. So understanding herbal safety is really important, and it's crucial for anyone interested in herbal medicine.

Speaker 1: 3:21

So what you're going to want to do is to start off with familiar herbs first. So what are familiar herbs? Well, those are herbs that you know you can find in your grocery store. Those are herbs that you've had experience with. They're herbs that you can find wherever you are. They're herbs that you can find wherever you are, pretty much all over the world, and I have seen this myself personally.

Speaker 1: 3:49

You can find chamomile, peppermint and lavender herb and herbal products. The reasons why is because generally, overall, these are very safe. They're generally regarded as safe and you'll sometimes see that written as G-R-A-S, and that's what that means in an herbal description or herbal product. These are excellent choices because they have a long history of being safe. They're gentle and versatile and they're suitable for various applications, such as teas, compresses, tinctures and even in cooking. A lot of your cooking herbs are generally regarded as safe and they're generally safe, and when they become unsafe, it's when we're taking them in dosages that they're not supposed to be taken in and we're taking them in amounts or in ways they're not supposed to be taken. So something like nutmeg can potentially have issues if you use tons and tons of it. The amount that you would use in a food or in herbal application can generally be considered safe, but if you're using you know tablespoons of this herb, or you're snorting this herb or you're eating this herb at those quantities and higher, you could potentially have issues.

Speaker 1: 5:10

That's why we have to be familiar with these herbs. That's why we have to learn about these herbs and not just go by something we find on the internet and I know you're finding me on the internet. How rich of me, right? We also need to understand that there are Latin or scientific names. Those are something that you need to know. So a lot of people will be like well, what do I need to know those for? I'm not an herbalist, or a lot of herbalists will be like well, what do I need to know those for? I'm not an herbalist, or a lot of herbalists will be like well, I don't need to put the Latin name on my product. Well, first of all, you do. That's something that is mandated by the FDA in their food product. It's not really okay, mandated by the FDA. It was an improper way to say it, but it's how you properly label herbal products. So don't buy herbal products where the herbalist cannot be bothered to put the Latin or scientific name on it. That is part of proper labeling. So you have to be safe when you're purchasing products too.

Speaker 1: 6:18

I remember being on a food event and someone was there selling beverage teas and they looked beautiful and they looked really exciting, but half of them, you know they didn't have any of the Latin names. Well, you know, I think one of the herbs was like blue something and I'm like seriously Like I don't remember what it was. It was like blue star flower or something I'm like like I don't remember what it was, it was like blue star flower or something. I'm like, okay, that could be lots of different herbs, lots of different flowers are shaped that way, and so that's not an appropriate way to label something. So you're going to want to make sure that, from the beginning, start with herbs that you're comfortable with and that you've heard about your whole life, because those are a great gateway to get in there and to learn.

Speaker 1: 7:08

The next thing that I really want you to think about and to consider is quality over quantity. The quality of herbs can seriously impact their effectiveness and safety, so always opt for organic, sustainably sourced herbs. This assures that your remedies are free from pesticides and other toxic chemicals, allowing you to harness their whole healing possibility. Look, herbalists and herbal students have a huge problem with buying way too much of something, and then they'll be like um, this was so expensive and I'm like why did you buy two pounds? Oh well, I thought maybe that's what I need. You're making tincture and then you want some for tea. Like that's a lot of herb. Like two pounds of nettle dried is a massive amount of nettle. You can reorder it again in a few months if you need to. So you don't.

Speaker 1: 8:04

I don't suggest bulk buying herbs unless you run like an apothecary or something. I don't see why students are or individuals are purchasing massive amounts of herbs. Of course that's going to cause your price tag to go up significantly, even if they're like oh, if I buy five pounds of red clover it'll save me, you know whatever amount per pound or per ounce, but that's like a garbage bag size. So it's like that's a lot. I'm not really sure we need that much. Do you need that much in your personal herbal inventory? And maybe look at things like that, because you will allow yourself to buy higher quality if you buy it in the quantities you will actually use.

Speaker 1: 8:52

Now, if you are an individual who goes out to eat or you know, purchases coffees you know expensive coffees or goes out shopping like once a week at different stores just for fun, I don't want to hear you complaining about not being able to afford your herbs, because those are choices and we have to remember that's quality over quantity. So it's like how much do we need, how much do we need to consume, and that we all have to take responsibility for our choices. Obviously, if you don't have any money at all. This is a very hard thing, and sometimes you will have to go with a lesser quality to be able to get what you need. But the reality is, is this taking a step back and saying, okay, this is how I'm going to budget this, this is how I'm going to budget this, this is how I'm going to work with this, and maybe I don't need 50 herbs, maybe I can start with five, and that's a great way to look at it and that's a great way to really give yourself some ability to experiment.

Speaker 1: 9:56

Now you can also buy herbs with friends and do like a co-op and break it up. Buy herbs with friends and do like a co-op and break it up. There's lots of things that you can do. Mountain Rose Herbs has a lot of bulk herbs and they have you know they have different ways that you can purchase them and you know so. Their shipping is like real, so this isn't like ordering off of. You know that store online that everybody orders everything from. So when you're working with a real herbal company and real herbalist, they're not going to get you stuff there in 12 hours. So you have to be realistic too. But I think sometimes knowing the quality is much more important than the convenience.

Speaker 1: 10:40

Now I will say one of the things that I appreciate about places like Mountain Rose Herbs is that they tell you where it comes from. So when it comes to me and quality, I do not purchase herbs from countries that I do not buy other things from. I don't care If that's the only place I can get the herb from, I'm not buying it. So I don't care if that's the only place I can get the herb from, I'm not buying it. So I don't purchase herbs that from countries that do not share similar values on protecting the land. So like, look, if they've gotten in trouble for putting melamine in infant formula or in trouble for not keeping surfaces clean and drug manufacturing, and if it's just a place that's always having a problem, problem, problem lead and herbs that that has happened recently, I will not purchase from them because obviously there's a quality control problem from the source to the export. So someplace in there some serious stuff's happening. So if I'm not picking it myself, I'm not, I'm not ordering from those places. And I understand that a company may have like a source problem and address it and that's wonderful. But I don't believe that that places where the government owns a part of every business or the military owns a part of every business, that it's in my best interest to necessarily have a one-on-one trustful relationship with them. I want to be able to talk to someone if there's a problem, and so that's why I always look at the source too.

Speaker 1: 12:17

Where does it come from? What is that area's practices? What does organic mean to them? Because it's different all over the world. When we lived in Europe I mean the way that things are cows needed this much sunshine for the butter and they were spent this much out, so it was definitely like a completely different kind of environment. So you know the French fries even at the fast food place, all the potatoes had to come from that country. I mean, the sourcing was much different than here, and it's different in Canada and it's different in Mexico. So just learn a little bit about that when you're thinking about your quality over quantity. And then, of course, we already mentioned this know your herbs, so know what you're taking Latin names. Understand what it is, so understand its benefits, side effects and any reasons you shouldn't use it.

Speaker 1: 13:16

Use books and trustworthy online resources or talk to experienced herbalists to gather this information. Knowledge helps you make smart choices about your life. Look, I have books. Lots of herbalists have books out there those go through a process of like more than one person before the information gets out there right. A lot of these AI generated resources, a lot of these books that are out there that are being written by AI or people's blogs or postings on social media those aren't necessarily good research and people you know. I remember once some guy was like I was giving away our book and some guy was like, well, has it been double blind studied? And I was like, yeah, a lot of this stuff has, so there's resources out there if you want to find it. I understand herbal research is not as prevalent as drug research, but the reality is, if something's being used for 300 years, if there's a significant problem, we're probably going to know about it by now.

Speaker 1: 14:28

Another thing is to listen to your body. Our bodies are incredible communicators, so pay attention to how you feel when using an herb. If you notice an adverse reaction like oh my gosh, every time I take this, I don't feel good or I get diarrhea. Gosh, every time I take this, I don't feel good, or I get diarrhea, or I get flutters in my chest or I get flushed, or I get this or I get that. Stop using it. This isn't a healing crisis. This isn't. You know, and lots of things don't work for people for different reasons. Some people can't, you know, digest certain kinds of grains and if that herb is from that grain family, maybe it's not going to work from them. You know, like it's really practical stuff here, right? If something isn't working, ask yourself why. If it isn't making you feel good, ask yourself why. Maybe there's a reason for that.

Speaker 1: 15:19

A lot of people will say, oh, it's a healing crisis and you need to get a lot worse, to get a lot better, or you need to purge your body's toxic. First of all, bodies are not toxic. We may have toxic stuff and have been putting toxic stuff into them, but the best way to clean out your body is by taking care of it, of it. So the reality is is that, you know, I really don't like it when people are like oh, I, you know, I got a really bad rash taking this, you know infused oil or something. And then people are like, oh, it's just a healing crisis, you're fine, keep putting it on your body. No, that's your body saying this isn't working for me now for one reason or another. So each person's body is different and what works for one may not work for another.

Speaker 1: 16:05

So people also get really offended if they suggest something to another person that works really well for them, and they almost get mad at the other person if it doesn't work for them. So some people can use something for a headache and their headache's gone and you know, like a tincture of rosemary, and it works really well for them and other people it does nothing for them and they need a different kind of herb, but that has nothing to do with the person that suggested it to you. So don't take it personally. If you, you, you know you make a suggestion or you're working with someone and you're or you're researching something and you're like it works for, like all these 50 other people, why doesn't it work for me? Well, it could be quality, it could be how it's formulated. It could also be that it's just not the right fit for your body, and so really having some respect and listening to your body is really important. We believe in one one shot, real quick fixes, and the reality is is those don't? Those don't really exist. The way that those exist are through surgery right, we are incredible surgical mechanics, but drugs, herbs, foods all interact differently, so we need to make sure that we understand the herb and respect a person's response to offer them a safe and effective herbal experience, and so you do that for yourself too.

Speaker 1: 17:41

Another great way to work with herbs safely is to incorporate them into your daily life, so herbs can seamlessly be integrated into your daily routine, and the best way to do this is cooking. If you're not sure about cooking with herbs, then go buy some spice blends to start. I give gifts out to people who are. You know they'll eat something at my house and I love cooking, like food from all over the world, and I use all kinds of herbs and spices. You know, I sometimes joke that I would have loved to have been like a chef, and being a chef and being an herbalist in some ways are very similar with the way that you find things that work synergistically together to create a different kind of experience, and so I will send people like herb spice kits, like you know, mediterranean blend and this blend and this blend. And Northern, you know, moroccan, you know this, you know.

Speaker 1: 18:47

So people can have the experience of really learning about herbs and cooking. And then there's also the health benefits of those herbs and they become part of your food, part of your nutrition. It's super easy for people and then you have success, you feel good. So you're like okay, maybe I'm going to try making some teas, maybe I'm going to try to make some homemade skincare, and it's really an easy way, when we start incorporating herbs into our daily life, to take the next steps. It kind of opens people up to different ideas of what herbalism is, because herbalism isn't just one thing. I have heard that herbalism is everything from witchcraft to bunk science, to the thing that saved and gave me back my life, to the way I control my hormones or my depression or whatever. Herbs are different to everyone. So incorporating them into your life in a way that works for you not only holistically supports your body and your health, but it deepens your connection with nature, because maybe you'll notice more herbs when you're out and about or plant some more in your garden or, you know, you'll just have a little bit more fun with herbs and look at and use herbs in a different way.

Speaker 1: 20:16

The next is to learn. So if you want to use herbs safely and you want to use them more in a bigger scale capacity or run an herbal business, get some education and I'm not just saying this because I run an herbal school. I mean there's a lot of. I mean, if you know anything about herbs and you hop on some of these different places where people are selling stuff, even big box store places, there's a lot of stuff that's really not safe out there and often that's because the person was just like, well, I'm going to throw this together and sell it and they don't know what it does and that's dangerous. And in a lot of professions if we're doing stuff like that, it would be problematic.

Speaker 1: 21:03

Herbalism is kind of a world that's self-policing. So if nobody's saying anything to anyone and if everyone's ignoring this problem, then it actually gives herbalism and herbalist a bad name, because that's what people see first. People see those kinds of products first and or go to you know different places where people are selling things that aren't properly labeled, that don't have usage instructions, that are leaving out ingredients, and so we talk to our students all the time about label, label, label, label correctly, label properly, have a batch number. You know all the stuff that they suggest that you do have a chain of. You know where it started and how it ended up, and I think that that's really important because you are living in a world where you can't go back necessarily and find the person who made something and ask questions when you need to. You know, a few hundred years ago you would be buying from someone who was nearby. You weren't necessarily going to be buying from someone who gives you this beautiful story who's actually not even in the same country as you and it doesn't look like that. Based on what they're saying and how they're selling their items, you actually think like you're buying from someone local and you're not. So definitely, definitely, learn.

Speaker 1: 22:31

So as a consumer. Learn what we were talking about and if you want to be a practitioner, enroll yourself in some kind of education program. Start reading, start listening to webinars from respected herbalists, start going to this source of where this information is from. Look at different you know studies and databases and learn how to read a study. I mean, that's really important. Maybe that's a good podcast topic. So just spend some time learning and educating yourself and learning what is an actual way that you want to work with herbalism.

Speaker 1: 23:09

Again, you know, start with cooking, start with making teas, start with skincare products. You know things that you can use easily and safely and then learn what's safe for different conditions and different stages in life. But overall, the thing that you need to do is to purchase safely, to source safely and to use safely, and those are the best things that will help you use herbalism in a way that's safe and effective for yourself and for your family. Thank you so much for listening. I hope you have a wonderful day and I am definitely running my cogs in my little brain thinking about other great things to talk to you guys about, because just the topic of safety has given me so many ideas. So, thank you, I love you. Have a wonderful day.