Page 70 - Panama City Living Magazine

HERBS AND THEIR BENEFITS
Everyone talks about CBD nowadays.
What are your thoughts?
CBD is really taking off now and there is a lot of hype surrounding its benefits. Some people have great results with CBD. I think the popularity of CBD has been beneficial for the herb world because it has opened people’s minds to the healing power of herbs. I see the same thing with essential oils. This is all plant medicine. Cannabis is just one plant. It has its benefits and limitations. I hope that people continue to learn and be open to exploring all the plants and herbs we have available to us. Two comments or concerns I have with CBD is the cost relative to all the other plants we have available for healing. Also, the perpetuating idea that it is a cure-all.
What do you think about the legalization of marijuana?
I don’t have any problems with it except for the two things I mentioned above. I personally never felt like the plant spoke to me. Yes, plants pick people. It’s not something I use, but I want to have access to it, if I need it. There are other herbs that are very useful that have become illegal or are in danger of being illegal and that’s unfortunate for the herbal community. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, marijuana is considered heating to the Liver (TCM organs) and can cause derangement of the Shen (spirit of the heart). Heating to the Liver sounds unusual, but it is a way of describing in TCM the condition of our individual bodies. Ideally, we want to be in homeostasis or balance. TCM uses words like dry, hot, and cold to describe a condition or someone’s constitution. A simple way to understand this concept is to think of a burn. If you’ve burned yourself, it’s hot, so you want to cool the burn down with cooling herbs. The same is true for the Chinese system of organs like the Liver. The TCM concept of the Liver incorporates all the functions of the Liver as we know it and more. We use capital letters to distinguish between talking about the concept of organs’ fiction according to TCM. In my practice, marijuana is not something I would recommend on a regular basis, unless it seemed like the only option.
What health tips or small, simple changes could
our readers make at home to live a healthier life?
Get good sleep, seven to eight hours a night. The body goes through cellular repair when it’s resting. Drink plenty of water. Water can reduce pain, help digestion, and clear the skin, among other things. Get 15–20 minutes of sunshine a day. Spend time in nature. This has been shown to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. Eat the best quality, whole food, you can afford. It’s a worthwhile investment. Eat lots of vegetables, some fruit, good-quality protein, and a variety of different kinds of foods. Stay away from sugar, fried foods, and processed foods. Incorporate simple herbal teas into your diet. Herbs that help reduce stress—aka adaptogens—are a good start, for example, reishi, ashwagandha, tulsi, and rhodiola.
What herbs do you personally take?
I believe herbs should be thought of as food. There are also the herbs we take for more serious healing. The herbs I take on a daily basis change over time and through the seasons. During flu and cold season, I take a traditional Chinese formula called Jade Screen. It’s three simple herbs that help boost the body’s natural immune response. I practice martial arts. I’m older than my teacher, so I need all the help I can get. For this I take specific herbs to help with flexibility, breathing, and joint health. I’m also a big fan of adaptogens. These are herbs that help the body deal with stress and aging. Some of my favorites are Reishi, Cordyceps, Rhodiola, Tulsi, and Ashwagandha. Most of the herbs I take are in the form of decoctions (teas) or tinctures that I’ve made myself. I really enjoy the process of medicine-making and find that there are benefits in the process of creating. It’s about slowing down and finding time to help the body repair. One of my herb teachers says the ultimate Yin (all the parasympathetic functions) restorative is sleep. Dr. Peter Attia, M.D. says the best medicine he has found is good sleep, good food, and good exercise. Herbs help people live better lives, and they can work like magic, though good health takes work.
To get in touch with Chandra Hartman, email her at chandra@wildrootlife.com
Wild. Root. is now in two locations. Visit the Panama City Beach location at 707 Richard Jackson Boulevard, next to Lotus Café, or the Lynn Haven branch at 830 Florida Avenue. Find out more online at wildrootlife.com
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70 • March—April 2020 • www.PanamaCityLiving.com