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Diary of a Trainee Herbalist

Chassidy collecting cures
Chassidy Fitkin is learning to be a herbalist. She plans to keep a diary of her education so we can all benefit from it. Here she explains why she started down this road.

“The seed of this idea was blown through my life in the beginning by lack of time. It was like I was in a daze created by the rush of daily “life”. Only if your not living it, really why is it called life?

It weighed on me every morning when I was pushing my kids to finish breakfast quickly so we could get to school on time, so that I could, in turn, speed to work- praying I wouldn’t get a ticket that I couldn’t afford. That thought would snowball into what bills were due & how I could arrange them to be paid on certain days…. This giving you a headache yet?

Welcome to what has become life for so many..including me. Days fly by as I try to hold on to the moments with this amazing family I was blessed with, but I find that more of my time and energy goes toward my job…there’s something wrong with that. Not being able to enjoy a their smiles or a walk because we’re constantly preparing for the next day.

As these thoughts crowded my mind more and more, something else happened…our family of five started coming down with something, we each had some sort of sickness. It started with an infection from a root canal I had done that ended up bruising the tissues in my face which landed me on two antibiotics, then turned into sinus infections, colds, and a stomach bug running rampid through our family for almost two weeks. At this point I started researching herbal medicine because all the different medicine we “needed” to get better came with it’s own 20 side effects.. That breeze blowing the seeds of new ideas turned into a gale force wind. Where all I can think about is being with my family and finding the resources to stop being dependent on a system.

It occurred to me during my research… We could take care of ourselves! Feed ourselves and be our own doctor, starting with a healthier life style that promotes good health. Then I ordered a kit offline to get me started making and understanding herbal remedies and started my research on what herbs can do for us. I was hooked. God had guided me right into a calling I have a true passion for by using my greatest love; my family.

My first project was a recipe for a healing salve. I slow cooked herbs for an hour in olive oil, mixed them with some beeswax, and WaLa! With the smell of herbs cooking through my house and the independent feeling of making a natural “medicine” for my family, my mind was made up that this is the way for us. No preservatives or additives, just healing. I like the way that sounds! On a funny side note, as I was making the healing salve, I burned myself. Ironic? I was straining the herbs and grabbed (with my bare hand) the rag I was using and squeezed…not a good idea. Plus side? The salve works! The burn went right away! One of the herbs in the salve is Calendula. I’ll be doing a lot more research on this one as it is thought to have regenerative action on the skin, helping new tissue to grow to heal a wound. An interesting thing I’ve noticed using the salve that it has a slightly numbing effect, making it great for sunburns.

Happy healing, Chassidy

9 Responses

  1. I have just started reading, A Mother’s Guide to Herbal Extract. I am finding it very intersting. But I do have some questions in regards to the Author’s qualifications. She states that she has had no formal training past the eighth grade. This leaves me wondering how she is allowed to sell her products without having the training or the license to do so. Personal research is fine, But when you start making claims that these herbs will cure everything know to man, that she seems to tote about in her book. That is where people will stop taking thier doctor prescribed medications and take her words as the God’s truth. Don’t get me wrong I am all for alternatives to taking prescription drugs But I would just like to know more about her background in Herbal medicine, Which there doesn’t appear to be any availible. I am not a skeptic or out to discredit her. I am just a consumer who has concerns over her not having a formal education Or training in her craft. I would just hate to see someone make a dangerous decision with out research first. And yes I do know that she has a warning label on her tinctures about consulting a doctor first before you take her extracts.

  2. I tend to agree with Joe. If you can hunt & fish or if you have someone in your family that does, the meats are much healthier than the hormonally enhanced meats available at the average grocery store.

  3. Larry you are dead wrong about meat and animal fats. They are the only reason I am getting my health back. Of course anything conventionally grown including meats is bad but we sure as hell aint vegetarians

  4. I just discovered this wonderful book, A Mother’s Guide to Herbal Extracts, Saving Tristan by Kathy Garber. You can get it at Mountain Meadow Herbs along with many tinctures and salves. She saved her son’s life using herbs. It’s an easy read. Also, Kathy recommends a wonderful, informative software at Hyperhealth.com. I’m also new to this but am anxious to no longer support the pharmaceutical companies who appear to be trying to kill us, not heal us. Good Luck!

  5. Agreed! There is inorganic substance in most of the stuff we eat, not just meat, that our body can’t eliminate. It sits in our body building up, causing sickness. To find the kit I got started with simply google herbal remedy starter kit. It was fun and simple, and comes with everything you need for four projects.

  6. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT If you want to stay healthy. Stop eating meat and all of the animal fats. We are not carnivores like everything else we have been lied to. See (therealfoodchannel.com) (Dangerous Foods)…effects of animal fats on the human body.

  7. But…. how will all those people who’s pension plans rely on pharma profits make enough to pay for the extra meds they need in later life if you stop supporting the big pharma companies?

    My son is hyper-sensitive to meds……

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