The Concept of Wholeness

What does it mean to be whole?

Wholeness is a guiding light throughout my life. In my public health career, my herbal practice, my kitchen.

The way I practice public health emphasizes the need to address basic needs and lack of access, to improve population health overall. Can people afford what they need? Can get they get there easily? Are there resources within a reasonable distance? If not, how can we address those concerns to make sure people have the ability to make different choices?

When it comes to herbalism, I wholeheartedly believe in whole plant medicine as opposed to extracts that focus on one constituent in a plant. Plants are a unique combination of plant constituents, and extracts can’t be compared to the impact of the whole plant. This also means that, when possible, I like to combine different plant parts for strong spiritual and physical effects. For example, hawthorn berry, leaf, and flower for grief, or echinacea root and leaf for immune support. Also, I think eating the herb is the most beneficial way to consume herbs (with some exceptions).

I believe that herbalism works best when it addresses the whole person. Herbal protocols should not based in “this herb for this illness”, but instead based on the person’s constitution, symptom expression, history, habits, and tastes.

Like I said on my About Me page:

In the kitchen, I use everything from root to leaves. From head to tail. A whole chicken gets broken down and the backbone is saved in the freezer for stock. Veggie scraps are saved and frozen of veggie and chicken stock. Citrus peels are frozen and used to make DIY cleaning products, syrups, etc. Apples that are a few days from going bad are sliced then and dehydrated to use in baked goods, oatmeal, yogurt, herbal tea blends, etc.

Almost a decade ago, I decided to start limiting food and herbal waste and since then, I have frozen, dried, and preserved so many things that have been so fruitful months later. The concept of wholeness is all throughout my posts — the topics I’m passionate about, the recipes I’ll share, the tips I’ll post. I hope this becomes a place that helps you become whole, whatever that means to you, in a world that is desperate chip away at us piece by piece.

With love,

Rebecca

Chicken stock made from frozen veggie scraps and frozen chicken bones