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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Hunting the Healing Herb
  • Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 08:47:32 -0600

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=42&Articl
eID=45130

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Hunting the Healing Herb

By CHRISTINA BOYLE | The New Mexican

The thistle plant can be found inside the Santa Fe National Forest, and is
very useful in survival or wilderness living. All parts, less the spines
can be used for food. - Raul Vasquez | The New Mexican
Clinical herbalist Carole Tashel stalks plants in the wild, harvests them
and brings back to her herbal pharmacy at home in Eldorado.

The lithe and vibrant 57-year-old who enjoys dancing calls herself a
student of the school of nature. Tashel works with wild and cultivated
plants as a clinical herbalist. Since falling in love with the powerful
healing essence of plants in 1978, Tashel has used herbal remedies,
poultices, extracts and oils from wild and cultivated plants and herbs.

Teacher, gardener and author, Tashel has explored the Southwest as a
curious herbalist for a good portion of her life.

"I was moved by the beauty, simplicity and effectiveness and potentially
revolutionary aspects of natural healing," she said. "An herbalist attempts
to remove blockages or impediments to health, then tries to recruit the
body's innate healing energy."

Using plants as medicine predates Tashel by thousands of years. Every
culture has used plants to heal wounds, calm nerves or settle tummies. Even
cavemen were drawn to use herbs.

"It's been documented that the Neanderthals used yarrow because the plant
was found in their burial sites," Tashel said. "Yarrow grows here in New
Mexico. In fact, I have some growing under my peach tree."

Yarrow is a perennial plant with flat-topped clusters of white flowers and
fern-like aromatic green foliage. Achilles allegedly used yarrow to treat
wounded soldiers during the Trojan War. Considered sacred by the Chinese,
yarrow can be used to reduce high-blood pressure, ease digestive problems
and can be used as an antiseptic.

"It can also spice up tabouli," Tashel added.

Most plants are multi-functional, and finding herbs is part of the great
fun of being an herbalist, Tashel said. But how do you know what to use and
when?

As part of her services, Tashel offers private health consultations from
her home with an emphasis on specific plant remedies tailored toward a
person's particular concern.

"I like forming an educational partnership with clients," she said. "After
all, the root of the word 'doctor' -- to help clients gain knowledge to
rely on themselves."

In her experience, plant medicine can resolve little health problems before
they become larger ones.

Reducing menopause discomfort, soothing inflammation, improving digestion
and calming nerves are a few symptoms that Tashel has helped people to
treat.

Wild-plant walks take clients out of the office and into the field and
forest to learn how to identify plants for personal use.

"Being with the herbs in nature is very healing for people," Tashel said.
"You begin to see that medicines are literally everywhere. Each plant has a
special personality, posture or color, and people enjoy learning to spot
them."

Learning to use plants as hikers' first aid can be useful throughout the
outdoor season. Part of the wild-herb walk is devoted to showing hikers how
to spot green first-aid help on the side of the mountain path. Tashel shows
the inexperienced how to put them to work. Whether bug sting or scrape to
the more complicated ailments, the right plant taken internally, or crushed
or slightly chewed and applied topically, can provide pain relief in the
middle of nowhere, Tashel said.

Growing your own herbal pharmacy is one of several public workshops Tashel
offers year-round.

Though there is no formal certification to become an herbalist, becoming
skilled in plant knowledge took years of study and work under several key
mentors along Tashel's journey.

"In 1978, I began studying seriously in Los Angeles, and in 1981 took a
course with Herb Pharm founder Ed Smith in Oregon," she said.

"In 1982, I came to Santa Fe to study with Michael Moore, one of the
co-founders of the Institute of Traditional Medicine. Plants have an
intelligence that our bodies understand and can work with. I believe
everything on the planet has intelligence."

For eight years, Tashel worked as an herb consultant at Herbs Etc. in Santa
Fe, where her main focus was teaching the herbal arts.

In June, Tashel is teaching herbal classes at the Santa Fe Community
College, including Grow Your Own Herbal Pharmacy June 12, and Staying
Healthy in An Unhealthy World June 19.

An herb walk is scheduled May 29. For more information, call 466-6153.





  • [Livingontheland] Hunting the Healing Herb, Tradingpost, 05/28/2004

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