Herbalista doesn’t recognize a line between herbal medicine and politics. When practicing as a community herbalist, we see first hand that political decisions have real world consequences and can have dramatic impacts our health.

If we truly believe in preventative and holistic healthcare, we must not only face these issues, but put on our critical thinking hats and get involved.

The roots of ill health have been repeatedly linked to the challenges we face in our daily lives. I’ve always appreciated these words by Dr. Sandeep Jauhar, written in a NYT’s article entitled When Blood Pressure is Political.

“The body doesn’t so much defend a particular set point as allow it to fluctuate in response to changing demands, including those of one’s social circumstances…Today it is clear that chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and heart-failure are inextricably linked to the state of our neighborhoods, jobs and families. We must use this information in the fight against rising income inequality, high imprisonment rates and other social problems.”

In order to promote vitality and wellness within our communities, we must become active participants in untangling the social barriers that stand in the way of respectful and loving interactions. We must honestly assess the economic, environmental, domestic and foreign policies that are polluting the earth while creating unbreakable cycles of poverty and oppression. We must stand together as community herbalists for a more vibrant and equitable world.

From time to time I receive responses to my newsletter that tells me either I have no business bringing politics into the world of herbal medicine or simply throws venomous insults my way, which I assume to mean they disagree with me. In case there has been any confusion about my understanding of what it means to be a community herbalist, to be an HERBALISTA, I would like to state clearly my definition

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herbalista noun

US /ˈhɜː.bəl.ˈiːs.tə/ Ireland /ˈɜː.bəl.ˈiːs.tə/

a person who practices the healing uses of herbs within their community; AND addresses the root causes of illness and imbalance (including societal and political factors); AND freely shares their knowledge with others; AND works to keep herbal medicine accessible to all.

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Now, if this perspective isn’t for you, you are under no obligation to work with us, to study with us, or to read our newsletter. The choice is yours. Because in addition to believing in freedom of access, I also believe in the freedom of chioce