🌿Root Cause Medicine: How Herbalists Heal What Others Mask

Herbalists don’t just treat symptoms—they listen, personalize, and heal at the root.
In this episode, we explore what makes herbal medicine uniquely powerful compared to conventional healthcare. Mel shares why herbalists take the time to hear your whole story—offering individualized, compassionate care instead of one-size-fits-all fixes.

You’ll hear how:

• Western medicine often masks symptoms with prescriptions
• Functional medicine can fall into “shotgun herbalism”
• Herbalists create truly personalized protocols by understanding your full picture—body, mind & spirit
• Two people with IBS might need totally different herbs
• Healing relationships (not rushed visits) lead to real transformation

🌿 Feeling the call to become a community herbalist? DM “Community” and let's chat to see if this is the right next step for your herbal journey.

In this episode: 

00:42 – Mel's own healing journey
03:10 – The urgent need for more herbalists in today’s world
04:17 – Where conventional & functional medicine fall short
06:45 – The problem with “shotgun herbalism”
07:52 – Why deep listening changes everything
10:08 – One-size-fits-all doesn’t work in herbal care
13:11 – IBS Case Study #1: Hormones & herbal support
16:10 – IBS Case Study #2: Chronic stress & the nervous system
18:38 – Building trust with personalized h

If you’ve been dabbling in herbal medicine and now your friends and coworkers come to you for their health woes…
It might be time to take the next step on the herbalist’s path and become the confident community herbalist they already see you as.💚

Feeling the call? Reach out and let’s chat to see if the Community Herbalist Certification Program is right for you!🌿

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome Back to The Herbalist Path
• 6:55 Why Herbal Medicine Is Uniquely Special
• 11:13 The Compassionate Approach of Herbalists
• 16:47 Treating Unique Bodies with Unique Solutions
• 23:08 The Gut-Immune Connection and Healing
• 27:46 Community Herbalist Program and Call to Action
• 30:13 Closing Thoughts and Disclaimer

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:34

Hello and welcome to the Herbalist Path, a podcast where you'll discover how to make your own herbal remedies at home so that you can take better care of yourself, better care of your family and better care of our planet. I'm Mel. I'm a clinical herbalist, environmental educator and mountain-l living mama with this crazy passion for teaching more mamas and their little loves how to use plants as medicine in a safe, effective and tasty way, so that there can be an herbalist in every home. Again, it's an absolute honor to have you on the journey down the herbalist path with me so that together we can make herbalism Hashtag spread like wildflowers. Hello, hello, welcome to this episode on the herbalist path. I don't know about you, but I feel like it's been forever and I'm just now connecting with this long lost friend that I haven't seen in months because I haven't shared a podcast episode in months. So I am really excited to be here and I do think that you are going to love what we're talking about today. But I also wanted to just take a moment to share what's been going on and why haven't I posted a podcast in so darn long. And, yeah, to be real, like I've had a lot of healing to do. I've had to figure out how to react to the current political climate and what is going on in this world, and I've also been taking a lot of time to just love on and nurture my students in Naturally Healed and in the Community Herbalist program, and just a lot of inner healing as well, like both mentally and physically for myself, which has been really, really, really profound, and I think it's what is truly, truly needed for me myself to be able to make the impact and the difference that I wish to make on this planet. And if you haven't gathered like, obviously, I'm deeply passionate about herbal medicine and I'm deeply, deeply passionate about making sure that there's an herbalist in every home again, and I'm also finding how amazing it is to help others on their journey of becoming the healer in their community too, because I feel like right now, with everything happening in our world, we need more herbalists out there. We need them for ourselves, right, because we can do profound healing work on ourselves, but we need them for our friends, for our family, for our community members and, most importantly, for this precious earth, because so many of our environmental protections are being rolled back and so many people are losing so much money right now and they're losing health care. And what we really need are these compassionate, empathetic herbalists coming into the world to guide people, to help people on their healing journey in such beautiful, incredible, powerful ways that hopefully snowballs into this amazing thing where everybody has more of a desire to do the work to take better care of our planet too. So, yeah, that's a lot of me rambling on where I've been, I guess, but really, my passion and the point of my episode today I really wanted to come here and talk about what makes herbal medicine so special and so unique in comparison to so many other forms of healing out there.

Speaker 1: 5:47

And we all know the Western medical system, right, we know it's corrupt, it's broken, it's abused, it's misused, it's overused, it's overpriced. They're not actually helping people heal, right? Instead, they're like okay, here's your seven-minute visit, take this prescription straight to the drugstore and I'll see you in a month or two where I'll give you another prescription so that you can handle the side effects of the other one. Right, they're not getting to that root cause. They are merely masking the issue and, unfortunately, creating even more issues. Right, and when you're in that system, it feels like you're just kind of a number. Like you aren't actually a human being, you aren't being heard. And don't get me wrong, there's for sure a time and a place for Western medicine. I have been working with a Western medicine doctor for already three months this year and she's great and she's helping me for what I need, but I'm certainly not seeing her for preventative measures and the other things that, like, really do get to the root.

Speaker 1: 6:59

Anyways, I think about this also with, like functional medicine. Right, like it's been so exciting listening to all the functional medicine practitioners and how they tout that they are working with natural things and they're working with these herbs. But if you've ever been in that system, maybe you felt like a number there too and you see that, gosh, they're just giving you the same damn protocol that they would give the next person and the next person that has that whatever symptom you go in there to talk with them for. Or maybe they run the lab tests and they're like, oh, your numbers are good. So, like you take this supplement and be on your way, and the supplement is like a $87 bottle of pills and then, if you're a trained herbalist like me and you can look at that ingredient list on those pills, it's like maybe you went to them for a gut issue and you're like, oh cool, here's this groovy new supplement that just has all the herbs for digestive health thrown right at it. Like I call that shotgun herbalism or throwing spaghetti at the wall.

Speaker 1: 8:09

And I was having this conversation with a woman who will be on the podcast soon. Her name's Dr Nikki Deneza and she is brilliant, right, she's the gut microbiome queen and she was talking about how she got into the world of herbal medicine through functional medicine when she recognized that it just felt like here's some scientist or doctor out there reading all these PubMed articles and they're like, oh, these herbs are great for digestive health. And they like, do exactly that, the shotgun herbalism, throwing spaghetti at the wall kind of thing. And honestly, if you want to do true deep healing and really help people, that's not how we approach it in the world of herbal medicine, because what we do as herbal healers is just on a different level.

Speaker 1: 9:04

We are compassionate beings and we take the time to listen to our clients and to truly understand a person's entire story, their whole body, mind, spirit, their emotions, how all of these are connected in such incredible ways. And then, after we take the time to hear those things, to understand this being and possibly even draw out some things from this person that maybe, just maybe, they didn't put on the little clipboard with the checkbox, right? You know the clipboard right? The one that you get at every doctor's visit, right? Do you have this? No, no, no, no, no. And you got like two to three answers Sometimes, maybe no, yes, you know, and that's it right. There's no like, hey, hey, can you tell me about it? Hey, is there a story behind this or anything like that?

Speaker 1: 10:01

And and that's what I teach my students in the community herbalist program is how to work with your clients in a way that makes them feel seen, in a way that makes them feel heard and in a way that allows you to be that detective that helps them get to that root cause of the problem, that helps them uncover the things that maybe they don't even have any idea might be happening in their body. And so often that comes from listening to their story. And that's why, as an herbalist, like you, have a 90 minute to two hour initial consultation with somebody and our like intake forms go way beyond just check boxes. Right, we try to pull that story out, we try to listen to them and we don't just give them the one bottle of herbal tincture that works for your I don't know your psoriasis formula and it's for everybody right? Because we know that herbs work differently for each person, like even inside of our community as we talk about different herbs to recommend for certain scenarios.

Speaker 1: 11:20

I have this one student who's brilliant. She's a horticulturist, she is a mother of two grown adult children. She's a fabulous student and really intelligent. But so many times when I give a recommendation she's like, yeah, that works for me, but not for my daughter. Or my daughter refuses that because she thinks it tastes horrible, but I love it. And like she's like, yeah, that works for me, but not for my daughter. Or my daughter refuses that because she thinks it tastes horrible, but I love it. And like she's this way with almost every single circumstance that we're talking about in the program, and I just think it's a really great way to paint the picture for other people on how herbs aren't an instant fix pill.

Speaker 1: 11:54

Number one. Like this is a whole process. This is diet, lifestyle, emotional health and well-being and all of it. And herbs work different for different bodies and it depends on their constitution or their body type, like are they somebody who tends to run cool and dry, or they're somebody who is very hot and moist, like we need to figure out what herbs might help them there. Or are they coming to you with an ailment that maybe is triggered by stress and they're under chronic stress all of the time? We might want to think about how can we find an herb that can help ease their stress right away, so you can build that trust with them and they can feel that they're actually in the care of good hands and are really truly being helped. And also, yeah, so they're helping them, but also so you can just start doing the work that it takes to get to the deeper core problem.

Speaker 1: 13:00

So, yeah, there's really a lot that goes into it, and also it can still be very simple. It doesn't have to be overwhelming, but as you get deeper into it and you learn more about the herbs and how they work on the body and how they have such an impact, it becomes a really fun puzzle to put together, or like a thing. To dance together is the way I like to think about it. So I guess I just want to encourage you, like the next time you see an herbal recommendation on Instagram or TikTok where they're like hey, take this herb or this thing. I want you to pause and I want you to consider does that actually match my unique story or my unique situation? Or am I choosing an herb that worked for somebody else's body and situation and just take your time to really think about that and like where are you at with it and make your decisions on what herbs are for you from that point of view, what herbs are for you from that point of view? And I want to take it back to like how herbalists, again, are different than so many other healing modalities.

Speaker 1: 14:17

And let's say we're thinking about and say we've got like two different people that come to me for irritable bowel syndrome and this is something which is really really common in women, who tend to be prone to anxiety and depression and nervousness and they can come to you and tell you you know, maybe they've got very severe cramping, they're feeling very, very bloated. When you talk about bowel movements with them, they might be going from diarrhea back to constipation, back to diarrhea and back and forth. And in the Western medical system we'd be like, ok, well, here's the pill to fix all of those problems. But you know that we're just masking those problems and likely creating even more pills Right In functional medicine. They might say something like cool, well, we've got our IBS formula and here's this fancy package of pills for you. Ninety five dollars. Thank you very much. I'll see you in 30 days when these pills run out. Yeah, so we do that.

Speaker 1: 15:25

And then, as herbalists, instead what we do again is we take the time out to see this person as a whole, unique, beautiful individual. We take the time to hear the story, to draw out what things might be contributing to their cramping, to their pain, to their bloating, what could be causing that diarrhea or the constipation? And let's say I have one of the women. She comes in to me and she tells me that her symptoms get much worse, like the bloating and the cramping and the back and forth, the diarrhea to constipation, the diarrhea to constipation. She's noticing that it really happens when she's about to start her menses, like she just knows that's coming with the whole package. So that for me tells me okay, well, there's a lot of hormonal influences and fluctuations happening.

Speaker 1: 16:26

So I think into my herbal toolkit okay, well, what can I do to help with the hormonal fluctuations and, of course, also to ease her pain and discomfort in the moment. But with the hormonal situations, I think, well, maybe I want to bring on an alternative herb, something to support the liver so that it can process the estrogen levels better. Maybe I want to bring on something like wild yam to help boost progesterone and basically help to achieve some hormonal balance. Or maybe I need to bring in those herbs first that are going to ease the digestive upset and perhaps the stress that comes along with so much pain and inflammation, and then I might look to something like chamomile, because you know, it's great for the gut and it is great for the nervous system as well. You get what I'm saying. So like that's one unique scenario. You get what I'm saying. So like that's one unique scenario.

Speaker 1: 17:30

Now let's say I've got this other woman who also is presenting with the same cramping and bloating, back and forth constipation to diarrhea. She knows she has IBS, but she also, as I listened to her, has told me that she works 60 hours a week while trying to raise three kids and has a very unsupportive partner and she is freaking stressed and she is freaking so anxious and over the top and this is what's causing that likely Right? So when I think of that, I'm like, ok, what really is happening with this woman is that she is doing too much, which is so common with so many women. But you know, she probably also feels stuck in her scenario because she's mom and she's got to pay the bills and, you know, she's got all of these other factors that are so hard to navigate.

Speaker 1: 18:21

And in that situation I think, ok, I really need to support this woman with herbs that are going to calm and nourish the nerves. And this is a scenario where I would likely bring chamomile in, provided that it's an herb that works well for her, but I know it's going to calm the nerves and ease the bloating and the gassiness and things like that. I also might bring in something like licorice root, because it is delicious and it's really really good at easing the inflammation in the gut. So it's going to provide some soothing and some coating properties to protect the gut. But then I really want to bring on those herbs that are going to help to nourish and replenish those burnt out nerves.

Speaker 1: 19:11

So our nerving herbs I think about instantly would be milky oat tops. They are a trophic restorative for the nervous system and really help to build and nourish and replenish. I also think about maybe, lemon balm, because it's also a lovely herb for the nervous system, or maybe even linden leaf too. Linden just makes me gush love and happiness when I think of it. I just think of, oh my gosh, I am being hugged by this beautiful tree that is squeezing me and loving on me and letting me know that whatever the heck I am going through in life is going to be okay and like I feel like that's something this particular woman really, really needs.

Speaker 1: 19:59

You know what I'm saying. I hope you do. I hope, like what I'm saying to you makes some sense. And you know, of course, as an herbalist, I'm also going to go in there and offer lifestyle shifts. How can we help that stressed out woman manage some of the stress that she has to deal with? Can she make herself take five minutes to sip a cup of tea alone before she switches from work? Lady to mom Can she just say, hey, family, I love you, I just got home from work. I mom. Can she just say, hey, family, I love you, I just got home from work. I need five minutes to set away, like if that's all she can do. That is the start to a win, and she can build upon those habits and we could also talk about what they are eating.

Speaker 1: 20:44

Right, that is a big, big piece and actually what we're doing inside of the community herbalist program. Right now. We're getting ready to do an elimination re-challenge kind of protocol, and this is something that I was taught by one of my favorite teachers, paul Bergner, way back when I was studying to become a clinical herbalist, and he made us do it, and his reasoning behind that was that I was going to be working with clients one-on-one and more often than not, we would have to find out what is causing inflammation in their bodies, and so in this kind of protocol, what we do is help people identify what is triggering their unique inflammation, and that's where the challenge comes in. It's like nobody's going to have the same thing. We're not going to be like, oh, everybody has to go gluten-free, everybody has to go on the keto diet. It's just not how it works Because, again, we're herbalists, we work with people on a very unique and individualized level. But anyways, I'm super excited to do this protocol because I'm doing it along with the students again, and I haven't done it in a very long time.

Speaker 1: 21:54

And if we were to go back to the beginning of this podcast, where I mentioned I've been doing a lot of healing myself, or if you listen to my podcast a lot and you've heard any episodes where I was speaking back in the fall of 2024. I was sick so much back then and it was crazy Like I'm a person who does not get sick easily Yet everybody in my family was just passing it back and forth, back and forth and I'm like, hold on a second, as I'm like writing these lessons and teaching this curriculum on how the gut and the immune system are so directly correlated and how we can work with those together and that knowledge is herbalist. And I'm like, well, hey, mel, hello, oh, you might need some gut healing yourself. And so, yeah, I'm really excited to do this with my students and to teach them like what it can feel like for them so that they can also build up the necessary resources to be able to support their future clients if they choose to work with clients with compassion, with love, with empathy and understanding, and to build up a resource library of recipes to help make it simpler for their clients and just really to understand the process and understand the impact it can make on people dealing with chronic ailments and conditions if they just choose to do the work to get rid of things causing inflammation in their body right. So we're talking sugar, we're talking alcohol, we're talking gluten, nuts, eggs, beans it could be all of these things, it could be none of these things, it could be a lot of different things and, again, it's unique for everybody. But those are some of the common inflammatory triggers and I know the times that I have done this I have felt incredibly alive and energetic. Afterwards I lose weight, I'm not bloated, my skin feels great All of the good things. And I have walked many other people through this process also who have just uncovered incredible things they never even imagined possible. So, anyways, I'm going on a tangent.

Speaker 1: 24:13

I'm really excited to do this program again and to do it with such an awesome group of students. And if you are feeling called to deepen your knowledge in the world of herbal medicine and you're feeling called to help people in your community to be able to heal themselves and you want to be that community healer, then reach out to me. Just send me a message and let me know. I would love to hear your story. You could just say community, if that makes it nice and easy. But I'd love to chat with you and see if the community herbalist certification program is the right next step for you on your herbal learning journey, you know, so you can get to that place where you, where you feel confident recommending herbs to people where you're like, yes, I know I'm going to make a dramatic impact and we're definitely going beyond elderberry syrup and fire cider, which are so amazing. I love them very much but like they're not going to do the deep healing that we might want to help people with.

Speaker 1: 25:16

So, anyways, if that's you, if you're feeling that call and it sounds exciting to know how to be able to do that, then, yeah, definitely reach out, let's have a talk about it, and I hope that this episode was exciting for you. I know it's a little bit different than a lot of the content I've shared in the past, but really it is the beauty and the power of herbal medicine and how we can help people in such beautiful ways, in ways that are so different, because so many people and maybe this is you, so many people are sick of just being a number and just being a cog in the wheel, and we want to be heard. We want to be heard. Anyways, I really appreciate you and thank you so much for listening to this episode. I hope that your day is amazing and I hope that you get outside and play and hug the ones that you love. Have a beautiful day.

Speaker 1: 26:24

Thank you so much for tuning into another episode of the Herbalist Path. Being on this journey with you is absolutely incredible. If you dig this episode, please leave me a review on your favorite podcast player and share it with your friends so that together we can make herbalism Hashtag spread like wildflowers. On another note, I must mention that, while I know you're getting some good info here, it's important to remember that this podcast is purely for entertainment and educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. While the information in this podcast is absolutely relevant, herbs work differently for each person and each condition. That's why I recommend you work with a qualified practitioner, whether that be another herbalist, a naturopath or your doctor. So thank you again. I am truly honored that you're tuning into these episodes and on the path with me to make sure that there's an herbalist in every home. Again, don't forget to share this episode with your friends, so that we can make herbalism Hashtag spread like wildflowers.