Tending Seeds Transcript - Episode 33
Herbal Support for Your Body Systems with Leah Larabell
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Sara Schuster 0:08
This is Tending Seeds, a podcast about my adventures and homesteading and herbal ism. I'm Sara Schuster, and I'll be your host. Thanks for being here today. Hey friends. I'm actually bringing you a second episode this week because I have just been itching to release this one and it's very topical as we head into cold and flu season, so I didn't want to wait to get it to you. I am so honored to have Leah Larabell of High Garden Tea on the show today. Those of you in Nashville knew high garden tea as a wonderfully cozy and lovely shop to spend an afternoon reading a book and sipping a gorgeous cup of tea. I unfortunately say knew in the past tense here, because an early March a tornado destroyed many homes and businesses here in Middle Tennessee, including high garden. This was right as the pandemic was kicking off here. And we were under stay at home orders by the end of that month. I'm glad to share that Leah and Joel are still offering beautiful teas through the high garden website, even as this year has certainly been one a huge, huge change for them. We'll touch on all of that in our interview today, and how these changes have impacted Leah. And I feel that this is so relevant to share because all of us have been impacted by the events of 2020. So many of us have felt our worlds drastically shift during this year of a pandemic and uprisings. And I know that for me personally, the question of how to nourish myself and my loved ones right now has been a huge priority and definitely has weighed on my mind points. Today in our conversation, Leah has so much to share about how COVID can impact the different systems of our body. As well as ways we can work to support those same body systems. She'll share herbal support that we should focus on before we get sick with anything as well as herbal support for during and after an illness. A short disclaimer here just to remind you all that neither Leah nor I are doctors and we are not giving medical advice here. Everything shared here in this episode is for educational purposes only. Everyone's body is different and responds in different ways and you know your body best. So please always do your own research before making changes to your current wellness routine. Alright, without any further ado, let's get to it. This is such a great in depth conversation and Leah shares so much with us. I hope you enjoy it and that you get a ton out of it.
I'm here today with Leah Larabell from High Garden tea. She is above all a nature loving wife, mother and daughter who finds a great deal of purpose and satisfaction and sharing her love for the land. She is descended from a long line of Celtic cunning folk and has found her ancient gifts within the world of herbalism. After awakening this passion, she became obsessed with learning as much as possible, and has dedicated over a decade of her life to rigorously studying and diligently practicing the art of herbal ism. She has been taught by renowned herbal elders as well as Mother Nature herself. And she feels very fortunate that each has shared with her a piece of their own distinct knowledge and viewpoints on herbalism expanding her vision to see multiple layers in the field of plant wisdom keeping. Leah, thank you so much for being here. And just Welcome to the show on so glad to have you here today.
Leah Larabell 3:26
Thank you. It's quite an honor.
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Sara Schuster 3:29
I'm really excited to talk with you. You're someone I considered to be one of my herbal teachers, just from the workshops and classes that I've been able to take with you here in Nashville over the past couple years and looking forward to more. But for those that don't know you, can you talk a little bit about what this year has been like for you in terms of caring for yourself, your family and your herbal business during the tornadoes as long as the pandemic.
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Leah Larabell 3:56
Yeah, wow. Absolutely. Sorry. It's funny. I kind of faded as my dogs barking loudly in the back. You'll hear all kinds of left behind me today because that's just real. Love it. Yeah, the Hmm. I guess the best way I mean, it's such a complex, you know, reviewing 2020 man it's, that's that's a doozy. But the best way that I can think of it is kind of maybe what it's been for. For a lot of people it's it's a breakdown and anytime that I feel like there is a breakdown or a composting of self or whatever, I see it as an opportunity for growth and who better to look toward the nature and so I basically kind of taken broken down and decided what what has to regrow what pieces of have to regrow, we need to eat we need shelter, you know our basic needs and then the part of myself That I want to regrow or I want to be new. And, and it's been a really, really beautiful opportunity to do that. Because I would have never chosen to have broken parts of my world down, that did kind of break apart with a tornado and so forth. But I was so lucky to have my husband by my side and my baby. And we still have our home. And so we were so lucky, we were able to pull up, I was able to keep the hab twos, and we get to choose the want twos, we are choosing a simpler life one closer to nature. And and one of the biggest message that came through to me was humble. And I'm not quite sure what I've been doing that needed to be taught such as this, but let me let me tell you, that was a message that came through loud and clear, and I've listened. And so we're kind of sitting back and in trying to be a lot more trusting in the great mystery, and the magic of life. And yeah, go with the flow while trying to create things that I'm passionate about. I know that's a really roundabout answer. But
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Sara Schuster 6:10
no, that's that's beautiful. Thank you. I mean, I think like you said, Everyone has had such a transformative year. Your story in particular, I think has been just kind of, you know, one thing after another for people like yourself that were impacted by the tornado, and then the pandemic, and it's been really amazing to watch you all emerged from that with sort of, I always felt y'all had a very focused vision of what you wanted highgarden to be. But seeing that get even somehow even more clarified this year has been really amazing to watch
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Leah Larabell 6:45
it here because I'm gonna tell you I had a major identity crisis. Major. I was an herbalist. You know, I've been an herbalist at heart since I was a little one. I didn't know what to call it. And I didn't know what it was, but I'm an herbal person. I'm a plant person. And but for the past 10 years, I was a plant person who was running a shop and it takes I'm going to say 90% of my efforts were to run a shop and run it well because we love that shop. Oh, we loved it. And 10% of my efforts went to you know that the plant person within me just that piece of me and so when the shop that 90% was truly just swooped there went and there with the money to revisit anytime. So you know, we absolutely were given a GoFundMe, and that got to rebound herbs so we could do an online program and stuff. But then I just found myself sitting there feeling like, Man, I'm not even that good of an herbalist. Man, I don't even I'm not even good at growing food, like all I could see is all of my, where I lacked.
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Sara Schuster 7:46
Yeah. And like that imposter syndrome kind of Korea
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Leah Larabell 7:50
was just a little bit of feeling. Yeah. And so then I had to do that, I'd be like, Okay, well, who are you then I went out and I said in nature a lot. And I realized there was nothing mediocre about how much I loved these plants in this earth in nature, there was nothing mild or minor about that. And that's all that we brought back up. And that's all it really matters, you know, sharing our love, and how much nature and herbs have changed our life. And sharing that and that's where humble came in. And what we're trying to really focus on is an accessible way for people because sometimes things will really overwhelming like, seeing all these herbalists that know so much, how could you ever get started? You know, that kind of thing? I just, we just want to get that out of the way are these people that can grow all these things that you can barely even grow? You know, a tomato, how can we ever get there, we're really trying to get to just this most entrance type space to help people connect to nature and whatever their footing whatever their path may be, we're calling it feral footsteps just steps in. And I think that's where the humbleness came in, and where we got kind of broken down a little bit. And I like it. I like being right here.
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Sara Schuster 9:02
I love I love the idea of just really starting with beginner steps for people and making things accessible. Because so many people are turning, you know, towards the plant path right now, for a variety of reasons and and turning towards like you mentioned growing tomatoes like getting to grow food. And I know for most listeners of the podcast people are interested in in both, you know, getting connected to nature, homesteading, getting into herbalism and plant medicine. And yeah, it's just it's amazing just to be able to dig down and get back to like, what is the core of of what y'all want to be doing? And so thinking about that, and then how people are all kind of turning towards this right now, kind of as the topic for our conversation today was I know you've done so much research to talk about what are some of the ways that people are having their health impacted right now, even if they haven't actually contracted COVID?
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Leah Larabell 9:57
Yeah, it's um
Leah Larabell 10:02
I don't know. It's so big. This is unlike anything seen in a very long time to mean we're, we're social creature, we've turned into a very social creature and the isolation that some people experience. And the, you know, just my, one of my dear friends, she's a teacher, she's trying to teach online and both of her children are going or once in kindergarten was in preschool, they're going to school online. And so she's trying to manage them to an online learning at home, while she's trying to be a teacher online, like this is, this is new stuff, you know, our nervous systems probably are, I mean, they're taking a hit, you're taking a hit, and our immune systems, they got to get ready, because there's cold and flu season is coming. I'm not saying this to be scary, but cold and flu Seasons come and on top of that Cove is with it, right. And so our systems really, really need need some extra support and attention right now. And what's cool is immune, nourishing, immuno modulating, or what's called immune balancing herbs also tend to be adaptogenic, or at least Nervous System nourishing. So a lot of herbs that we can talk about contend to both of those needs. But ultimately, what it boils down to, is this can be as we're saying, we can grow from something like this, that breaks us down. And I mean, as we've all broken down, it's showing people go to the earth, when you get broken down, you go to the earth and people like oh, I want to grow food, oh, I want to you know, just lay down on Mother Earth here, and she held me. And there's just this immediate connection that people felt out. One part was fear of like, Oh, I can't get groceries, I need to learn how to do this. But the other part is who is always there for us, it's the earth. And so that connection, can really beautiful. And that opportunity for reconnection has been lovely. But another opportunity is to not just focus on not being sick anymore. That was a sickness in itself, in our culture, if you ask me was people tended not to focus on being healthy. Because health is something you can't buy, you can't buy your health back, you can't bargain your health back, you either have it or you don't. And so people were more just focused on not being sick. So when something was wrong, we tended to it. But that's not too late. But it's it is later than we should have acted you try to stay healthy. And so with COVID and coming into cold and flu season and so forth is showing and highlighting the need to be healthy. Reason being is modern medicine doesn't have answers yet. They're only making advancements as quickly as they can. But this thing's new. And so thank goodness for all the advancements and all this hard work that's being put in but still right now, ultimately, it's up either your body can find it for it can't. That's what it boils down to, they can absolutely help you and herbs can help you and modern medicine can help that your outcome is going to be so much better if your body is healthy. Right? So
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Sara Schuster 13:13
it's going to like our wellness ahead of time. Before we get the flu before we get anything, it's just so important. And like you said, you know, most modern medicine, it's reactive rather than proactive.
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Leah Larabell 13:27
Absolutely, absolutely. And, and so even as we talk about herbs for a second, I do have to mention if people are new into herbs are interested in herbs, there's two things within the herbal world I'm trying to be very protective of not, it's not my place necessarily, I guess to be protected. But I kind of can't help it of herbal ism. There is a lot of attention on it right now because it does show a lot of promise and it can really, really help our health and even with symptoms and so forth. But there's things called fight of hysteria. And on the other end of that sensationalism and so fight on the stereo is kind of what's always been around or not always but for as long as I could remember and people are just terrified of herbs. I don't know why. But it's just kind of like if something went wrong and you're on an erg the herb is going to be the first thing that's looked at but we forget that coffee is an herbal tea bazel added to your food is an herbal additive food is herbs. And so just kind of we need to re acquaint ourselves with the fact that plants are plants whether you call them food or you call them herbs plants or plants and to take away this like weird divide from them. So just for an example is like the elderberry calls and cytokine storms and it just flew everywhere. elderberry don't do it with COVID it causes a cytokine storm makes inflammation worse and and we herbalists that it that didn't match at all traditional information that I didn't speak against I don't know hardly anyone that did because we're so used to being kind of hit back with a very heavy hand behavior we trained to just say, Okay, nevermind, I'm not gonna say anything. But we need to say who is the source? Why do you have the authority to say that turns out it was some I'm not even going to say, but speaking just out of zero context, completely, not even connected to the, what they were saying it was supposedly a source and so forth. It's just misinterpreted data, and elderberries, an awesome Allah. But because a fighter was stereo, we so quickly turned against it, or was just afraid of it. And so just kind of a stereo something to recognize and be like, why am I so afraid of these things? But on the other end is sensationalism. And I see it and it bothers me like, just because something's herbal or natural product doesn't mean it's good or ethical. What you need to look at is who is offering it is an experienced herbalist, is it a natural path is a farmer you know who is offering this. And if you see like, it works 10,000 times better than regular elderberry. This is super elderberry. I'm good. Just know that but sensationalism. So fast experts and information all over Instagram and Facebook and blogs and all this kind of stuff. Just it's kind of unfortunate for the plants. Because we do need to be humble and realize that it's the plants doing the work. And we are lucky to be messengers and matchmakers. And so if you hear something that's just like, someone's just pushing something in your face, is it still thing? No, no, it's not.
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Sara Schuster 16:39
Right. Yeah, exactly. I mean, 10 years ago, it was poor coconut oil on your problems. And then it was essential oils. And now CBD cures everything under the sun. And yes, there's always a flavor of the week.
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Leah Larabell 16:53
salutely Absolutely. And it's just important. If we're all going to connect back to finding our own strength and our own connection and our own wholeness through our plant family, then we have to build a trusting and respectful relationship with them. So yeah, I don't even know where I'm rambling with that. But
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Sara Schuster 17:14
no, no, I think I think that's a really good point to make is that, you know, so often the truth is in between those two extremes that you just outlined, and we just need to be aware and have some common sense. And as you said, question where information is coming from before we jump in and buy whatever the hot thing is on Instagram this week that everyone's posting about?
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Leah Larabell 17:34
Yeah, yeah. So what was your original question before I went on a rant?
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Sara Schuster 17:40
Well, I think you covered it, we were talking about the ways that that people are having their health impacted. Right now, you mentioned sort of like the social isolation, the stress. But we were also going to talk directly about COVID. Because I know that you have already done a lot of research and put a lot of time into looking at how COVID impacts our different body systems. And so I wanted to kind of let you dive into that and and speak to what it is that you've learned and put together.
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Leah Larabell 18:04
Yeah, absolutely. And so to backtrack, to answer that question a little bit better is how are people being affected. And that's the thing everyone is individual, every single day, I don't know how Person A and Person B are being affected, maybe one person is having to be more stagnant during the day. And so their lymphatic system is taking a beating. And so it's important for them to create a relationship with lymphatic tonic herbs and getting movement however possible. Whereas another person may be barely keeping their, you know, their bills paid. So their nervous system is just taken a beating. So it's from person to person. And that's where everything we do kind of is upon is within our own, our own needs to find the right herbs and the right food and the rights, everything for ourselves. But herbalist and resources are certainly out there. And that's a really good opportunity to sit down with yourself and say, How am I impacted? What is it? That is what part of me isn't healthy right now what part of me if I were to get COVID would take the beating, or what part of me 10 years from now is going to feel this year and start researching or ask some questions as to how to nourish that system. I hear a lot of people talking about heart, and whether it's brief heart or the physical heart, and I will say COVID does definitely have some concern with heart health and so forth. But yeah, that's just a moment and it can be just just sitting there staring outside, but that's something to offer yourself is to look inside and ask what part of me needs nourishing right now. Anyway, so
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Sara Schuster 19:43
that's beautiful. Thank you.
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Leah Larabell 19:45
Yeah.
Leah Larabell 19:48
Now people are understanding what it's like to take a class with me.
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Sara Schuster 19:52
Like, it's so important and you always do emphasize that Yeah, we are as herbalist. We're matchmakers and we understand every person is Different and the plants that might help them are going to be different. A cough for me is a different than a cough for you, right?
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Leah Larabell 20:06
Absolutely, absolutely. And so and so is COVID. And so we can get into that. It's important, though, obviously, that I'm not speaking from a place of direct experience. I have not cured COVID. Hey, I know right? So I mean, herbs are not medicine, they do not want to be medicine, herbs, they are plants. I think it was Yes, definitely. Stephen Stephen buehner. He says plants are ecological modulators or balancers both have large systems like the earth and smaller ones like our body. So they act to move systems, basically, irrespective of size back to hell to reestablish balance, and they're very good at this. They've been doing it for, I don't know, several hundred million years. And so plants are ones that work with our bodies, and your body works with the plants to reestablish health in a state of balance. So ultimately, it is your body doing it. But the herbs because it is food is feeding whatever specific system that is to be able to do it better. That's why you see that herbs take longer to work. And people are like, why do they take so long? Well, it's because it's feeding your body for the body to do it isn't doing something to your body. And so modern medicine does things to you. And sometimes you need so if you can't make insulin, you need insulin. But if you can make insulin, there's just something a little off with your pancreas and so forth, I can give you an herb or someone could give you an herb that nourishes the pancreas, and the pancreas can start doing its job more effectively, hence, better blood sugar regulation. And so that's just kind of where to think about with herbs as they nourish different systems and to establish balance, they are not drugs. So I'm not trying to diagnose, treat, or prescribe any of that kind of stuff. And to always use things with with your own intuition and your own common sense. And we got to give the plants that respect. So with COVID, the big key, strengthen and protect, there isn't even prevention, there isn't prevention, I'm not even gonna say prevent, because it doesn't exist, this thing is so contagious. But what you can do is strengthen your body system so that when it needs it, it can handle it at its best at its best performance will say it's important to wind strengthening, that's where you look at your body system and figure out what is it within me that needs strengthening so that I can handle it better. Some people have heart issues. So you're really going to want to pay attention to your heart. Some people have kidney issues, some people have inflammatory issues, these kind of issues. Right now it's time to nourish and take care of yourself to get yourself in the best state of balance possible. And this goes hand in hand with going into cold and flu season anything. So all of this is the same story, of course, was a little different. And what really surprised me man, it surprised me when I first really dug into this COVID information for myself, for my family for my loved ones is it was really scary at first how it actually utilizes Ace two receptors, which is a receptor on so many cells in the body. And so, I mean, they're like 40 trillion, it's so many that it gives this virus basically is just pick all of your body, it's not a respiratory virus, it's not a duck, it's not a gastrointestinal virus. This is this can be a systemic virus, because h2 receptors are all over the body, even in fat cells. That's why it said that it goes harder on people who are heavier, it's because you have a two receptors on fast sales. Because that's the the h2 receptors, what it uses to attach to that sale. And I'm not sure if you or anyone listening, I'm sure many of you are familiar with how a virus works, but I'm going to bore you really quickly and remind you of how it works.
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Sara Schuster 23:57
Go for it.
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Leah Larabell 23:58
A virus is like a little freakin zombie. And so it can't reproduce itself a bacteria can reproduce itself a virus cannot. And so a virus will let's say someone sneezes and you breathe it in. And there's that dadgum little virus, and it's going to attach to a cell, typically within your mucous membranes and your nose and so forth. So it attaches to those cells is what's called now a host cell. So that virus takes that host sale, kind of it pretty much kills it, and it turns it into a virus making factory. And it starts making all its new little virus parts in that cell. And then that cell breaks open. That's no longer doing the job it was supposed to do now it's just the virus making factory it splits open and shoots out hundreds of thousands more viruses that then go further into the system, finding more of your own body cells to attach to turn to host cells which are Essentially virus making factors make hundreds or thousands more viruses sheets out and the story continues. And so it's it can go as far as whatever receptor sites are offered and with it being Ace to receptors which are all over the body, even the brain and fat cells everywhere. It can spread like wildfire. And so that is just an immediate thing to think okay, what some herbal laws regarding Ace to receptors then like this is just how kind of herbal good smart herbal ism good smart taking care of your health can work is, what about this Ace two receptor Is there a way that I can, you know, protect it. And the best that I've found with that herbs that I'm not going to say block viral attachments is to linkages, but I have been shown benefit within that. Or something as simple as licorice elder something that elderberry syrup that you've been taking each year, don't stop. There is not a time to stop taking elderberry syrup, horse chestnut, Japanese knotweed and then another one that I found really interesting was cinnamon, add cinnamon to your food, you know, these are really simple things that can help protect those tasty receptors. And then as it goes down the body, we have to start looking at what's going on. So there's the virus going into the respiratory system or system. And I just want to kind of pay attention to this really quickly because it's first gets into like the upper respiratory system, that's just basically your nose and that kind of area. And it, there's two receptors that we've talked about on certain sales, like the ones that produce mucus, and the ones that kind of move stuff up and up and out particulate matter and mucus. And so it attaches to those. And once it gains entry, there you go, it can produce all the way down and it can be in there. And often this is where there's no symptoms for almost a week, it's in there. And there's something very smart about this virus that the immune system isn't alerted quite quite immediately. And so you have no symptoms A lot of times, but this thing is reproducing, and that's why it's important before you're even sick to be doing daily protocols of protecting these organs that may need protecting if you are sick. And so the something really important is to protect the epithelial cells, those little local column mucus cells and ciliated cells. And because if they're dry and cracked and everything, that's when they're even more exposed and can viruses can latch on even easier. And so you know, like when you hear that your air is really dry in the house and stuff that you can get catch things much easier. And it's because of the dry mucous membranes. And so something as simple marshmallow root planting, slippery elm, I'm not gonna pull that back on that's, that's a little earlier
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Sara Schuster 27:51
talking about with the epithelium is being dry. And that being a danger sign for a possible infection. Is that why we're predicting COVID possibly getting worse as we head into, you know, a dry winter?
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Leah Larabell 28:05
Well, it's just that's where like colds and flus and flu season flourishes, and then people are more susceptible due to these dry tissue states. And if your body's already fighting a lot of immutable, like, immune challenges and so forth, then we can be a little more. If you have the flu, and then you catch COVID on top of the flu or you have a cold and you catch COVID on top of the cold and there's then that's going to be a little bit more challenging outcomes, right. And there's a reason during those cold months that colds and flus really prosper. But it's important to just that's why use humidifiers. That's why you keep those nice and moist. And something you know, if you don't want to use our Speedo craft, that's fine too. Anything mucilaginous to keep nice and moist humidifiers and things like that. And I mean, I could go on forever about herbs and the different systems but I'll just mention some of the systems that are really showing to take the have the largest kind of risk, we'll say, Lou the lungs, and we all know that we've heard that and it could be just the fact that the abdollah that these little balloons, the ferien that help to your body to absorb oxygen and so forth. That there's like 300 million a viola and they all have h2o receptors on so there you go. And so it's really important to really nourish your lungs because if you were to get COVID you really want your lungs to be as strong as possible. And so probably my favorite herb for that. There's a few but I really do love astragalus root because it's an immune modulator and with COVID we are seeing that the immune system you're hearing like cytokine storm and this and that, where the immune system was kind of on a lag because it didn't know anything was going on when it gets alerted when the little messenger sales are like, wait, somebody's here the virus, you know, the zombie attack is here, the immune systems like what? And so what kind of jumps into overgear. And inflammation is just a natural immune response. It's an important immune response. But if it's overactive and as in any autoimmune situation when the immune system is overactive, and that's when you can have a cytokine storm or whole systemic inflammation to a very dangerous point. And so you want to nourish the immune system so that even if it does go on this super high alert, it is feel strong enough that it may not panic, we'll say. And so you'll want immune modulators or immune balancing herbs, not immune stimulants, but I mean balancing herbs and I love stragglers because it's one of my favorite immune balancing herbs, it's a really gentle, it's safe for children and elderly. And it's just this lovely herb and it's also a long tonic, just so happens perfectly along tonic, so we're getting his lung support with his struggles and his immune system support. And we're gonna Yeah, I'm not going to mention if you did get it, because that gets into a whole world of what we were saying, like how different coughs can look, and so forth, we can go there and a little bit if you want to,
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Sara Schuster 31:16
we want my questions that guy will get
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Leah Larabell 31:19
a minute, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna keep riding this train.
Leah Larabell 31:24
And another one that's really surprised to me through all this research for working with the lungs is eleuthero root. This was a really cool one, because it's an adaptogen. So eleuthero root is this amazing adaptogen You know, we're all kind of our nervous systems don't know what to think right now. So we could get adrenal burnout, we could, you know, be experienced in a variety of things, and adaptogens. That's a newer classification of herbs. That basically means it helps the body to get to a balanced state and respond to stressors in the most appropriate way. That is a very popular right now. So you've probably heard of them. I know you have Sarah. Oh, yeah. Preach their prizes. But this is my this was the original adaptogen. This is Oji adaptogen, with very first one was eleuthero root all other adapters in the mid based upon this one. And it just so happened, it's not overly stimulating. It's not overly that's why some people it's kind of fallen out of the graces is because it's just this nourisher that doesn't do like these really exciting things. It just nourishes the materials. It's not
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Sara Schuster 32:30
super flashy.
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Leah Larabell 32:32
Yeah, yeah. But that's really great. Right now, when we're needing something just on this daily intake that isn't too flashy, the bodies look cool. All right. But it's also a really neat thing that has been found there was a study that showed it to be extremely effective for the lungs lymphatic system, and we want the lungs lymphatic system to be really, really healthy and operating well, because you don't want fluid to build on the lungs. You want the lungs to be able to get rid of all the debris and do everything that it needs to do so really nourishing the lungs lymphatic systems important and Eleuthera route shows to be one of the best herbs at that right now. So it's doing a whole twofer. One. I'm gonna go ahead and just like put five stars by this right now since I've said lymphatic system, yes, nourish the lymphatic system. If you were to pick one system, you're like, ah, Leah, I love the idea of going out and sitting on my front porch and asking my body system needs nourishing, but I've got 50 other things I need to do. And I'd say cool, I get it. Then nourish your lymphatic system. And because the lymphatic system is okay, the best way that I can explain this is Do you know where your immune system is located in your body?
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Sara Schuster 33:48
I know a lot of it's in our gut, right? Maybe, but sort of it's kind of all over right?
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Leah Larabell 33:54
Yes, exactly. That first thing is like I don't know where we hear this thing called an immune system. And we you know, we use the digestive system and the urinary system. And when you start saying okay, immune system, and then some puts you on the spot. They're like, Where is it? And even though you understand it, you're like, Oh, well, everywhere, everywhere. Yeah, every piece of your body acting properly makes your immune system more effective. One of the key pieces to it though definitely good but also the lymphatic system or embedded system moves. It's kind of like your other blood system, the white blood system instead of the red and so it's really really important to getting rid of cellular debris and to fighting in the sending out the proper immune system cells and so forth. And so lymphatic system and right now if you do find yourself more sedentary Guess how you get your lymphatic system to work well movement. And so if you're leaving a little bit more of a sedentary lifestyle, your lymphatic system is definitely feeling that and getting on Little bit more bogged down. And so if you see any fluid retention or just low energy or anything like that and really got to get the lymphatic system pumping, there's so many lymphatic tonics that are so easy to get ahold of cleavers is one of the powerhouses, and that can be a tea it can be a tincture. Violet leaf is an amazing one. And that is also it violently happens to gently moisten your mucous membranes and it's a gently moistening respiratory tonic. So there's this little side benefits or red clover kind of does a similar thing. It's a respiratory tonic, calendula it's this beautiful lymphatic tonic that's really great at helping remove cellular debris. And cellar debris means if your body's had to kill viruses kill bacteria, you'll even get rid of shedding in itself. It doesn't just say there it has to wash through the system. So that's what cellar debris is. And our lymphatic system helps to move that out. And so calendula it also helps to restore tissues and everything that's, you know, maybe in like gut issues you've heard people using calendula burdock root, it's great great for establishing bowel Flora in this supportive liver tonic, it's also lymphatic tonic. And maybe one more I'll think of yellow Doc, oh my gosh, yellow doc. It's a GI tonic. It contains also in moden, which was found highly effective to get SARS and no covid isn't SARS, but there's enough kind of overlap in some areas that it sure certainly don't hurt, you know, the modem can be a great benefit. And it's just this amazing gi type liver tonic and lymphatic tonic. So anyway, the lymph system super important to notice right now and movement, movement movement, do whatever you got to our cardiovascular system is used by our heart. But I like to remind people that like your lymphatic system, like it doesn't have a built in Oh,
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Leah Larabell 36:59
yeah,
Leah Larabell 37:00
exactly. It's moved by you. And so moving on. COVID also, systemic inflammation is a thing. Because of that, if there's, it's just not quite sure why but it can really cause systemic inflammation. And there's a lot of specific systemic inflammation already happening within people. It's a very common issue right now. So do whatever you can to get that inflammation down, whether it's diet changes movement, and some herbs I really love here are tumeric and Reishi, mushroom Reishi. Also being an adaption helps the nervous system it's a, it's a slightly soothing herb and calming quarter steps a little harder to get your hands on some time. And I do have to mention tree of heaven here because it's an invasive, and it's the inner bark, that white inner bark that makes a pretty powerful anti inflammatory. You know, anytime that you can look toward an invasive and be a beautiful piece of nature helping to bring balance to that is and honeysuckle is a really wonderful anti inflammatory in a lot of parts of the body. And it can tend to take over some areas. And then just quickly beyond that you need to like I said, nourish your immune system. And so we love a straggler. So I thought like I talked about other options here could be schizandra berries or Holy bazel ashwagandha. So if you've heard any of those, you're already taking those or enjoying those Keep it up. blood clotting is a concern. I don't have a lot of answers here. Because even like warfarin is showing like really strong medic modern medicine, blood thinners are barely able to battle it. So right here just be really protecting your circulatory system. Whether it be like ginkgo or Hawthorn horsetail that any of these like heart tonic herbs that appeal I'm finding a lot of people are very drawn to right now. Anyway, there might be a lot of reason other than just the heart but also assured that that blood is pumping, you know. And so making sure to really, yeah, Hawthorne is just huddle and been speaking to me a lot lately. And it's really appropriate for a lot a lot a lot of people and it'd be lovely here.
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Sara Schuster 39:14
I love these herbs like that. You're saying they overlap between multiple systems. It's always so nice like it
Leah Larabell 39:22
exactly. It's a nerve vein as well and we're seeing the nervous system being go you've got it, it's like they suck, they know what they're doing or something. And, and that's that's another thing about herbs that it'd be a great to say right now is like, people ask, like, what's the side effect of this herb? like none. Herbs have side benefits. And so they can do so many different things like can some herbs make you thirsty? Yeah, if they're drying, but if you are getting super thirsty from this herb, then that's probably not the one you needed because you're already drying up. You don't need to dry that system anymore. So It's given you a note saying, hey, this mucus member or your mouth is getting dry, you've taken enough of me. So it's giving you a hint, you know. And even with the most dangerous of herbs, like there are herbs that are fully toxic, some of which I have formed really good relationships with and if you put the time in, you can understand how to work with them as medicine. But never fear an herb. Never fear nature, period, respect it. Do your homework, great relationship with it. Don't ever fear it. But respect and fear can look similar, but they're very different. Just perspective, don't just go around grabbing stuff. They're like I made a tincture out of it and made me sick. Well, did you do your homework, you know, so just really appreciate and respect and take opportunity to, to know that they do so many things. So funny, St. John's wort, the happier and this and that it's kind of more of an antiviral, and it's in a good tonic. And if your depressions bait was gi based, and yeah, it probably did, the depression and so forth. But yeah, there's there's so many sad benefits herbs to so many different things at once. And so move in saying that about like, the kidneys get affected. And one of the things that is so wonderful right now is stinging nettle, it nourishes you at tonifies you It builds a healthy system, and it also nourishes the kidneys, horsetail nourishes you and helps to feed the whole system and nourishes the kidneys. And so a lot of a lot of these things can tend to be systems that you might be concerned about long answer to a short question.