1 00:00:17,130 --> 00:00:16,289 green blessings I'm so glad to be here 2 00:00:19,830 --> 00:00:17,140 with you today 3 00:00:21,510 --> 00:00:19,840 I'm Susan weed and I live in Woodstock 4 00:00:23,249 --> 00:00:21,520 New York and the beautiful Catskill 5 00:00:26,370 --> 00:00:23,259 Mountains and the Hudson River Valley 6 00:00:28,830 --> 00:00:26,380 I'm an herbalist I teach people how to 7 00:00:32,370 --> 00:00:28,840 maintain and regain their health using 8 00:00:34,889 --> 00:00:32,380 the wild plants that grow all around us 9 00:00:37,290 --> 00:00:34,899 herbal medicine is people's medicine 10 00:00:39,330 --> 00:00:37,300 it's the medicine of the people by the 11 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:39,340 people and for the people 12 00:00:44,580 --> 00:00:41,050 herbal medicine is the medicine that 13 00:00:47,549 --> 00:00:44,590 grows right at your backdoor you may 14 00:00:49,770 --> 00:00:47,559 wonder how does that not get started in 15 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:49,780 working with herbs and teaching herbal 16 00:00:56,430 --> 00:00:53,410 medicine and all had to do with my 17 00:01:00,060 --> 00:00:56,440 daughter needing new shoes let me start 18 00:01:03,209 --> 00:01:00,070 back a little ways from that when I was 19 00:01:05,310 --> 00:01:03,219 a single mom I soon realized that I 20 00:01:07,590 --> 00:01:05,320 didn't want to do it the way I was being 21 00:01:09,350 --> 00:01:07,600 told that I should do it which was that 22 00:01:11,820 --> 00:01:09,360 I was supposed to go out and get a job 23 00:01:14,490 --> 00:01:11,830 so that I could pay another woman to 24 00:01:16,830 --> 00:01:14,500 take care of my child and that made no 25 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:16,840 sense at all to me I decided I would 26 00:01:21,110 --> 00:01:19,090 rather stay home with my child and that 27 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:21,120 meant I needed to apply for welfare 28 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:24,370 which I did and received and it's 29 00:01:29,670 --> 00:01:27,250 adequate but it's certainly not anything 30 00:01:32,340 --> 00:01:29,680 extra and back in the days when my 31 00:01:33,900 --> 00:01:32,350 daughter was young she's 50 now back in 32 00:01:36,990 --> 00:01:33,910 the days when she was young shoes were 33 00:01:39,210 --> 00:01:37,000 very expensive for children and I just 34 00:01:41,820 --> 00:01:39,220 didn't have the money and she outgrew 35 00:01:44,460 --> 00:01:41,830 shoes like most children do at what 36 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:44,470 seemed to be an enormous rate I was 37 00:01:49,110 --> 00:01:46,570 complaining to a friend one day about my 38 00:01:50,820 --> 00:01:49,120 inability to buy my daughter's shoes she 39 00:01:52,980 --> 00:01:50,830 wore a lot of rubber boots because they 40 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:52,990 were inexpensive and this friend said to 41 00:01:56,910 --> 00:01:54,610 me well you know Susan if you taught at 42 00:02:00,570 --> 00:01:56,920 this local community college they would 43 00:02:04,290 --> 00:02:00,580 pay you $25 per class to teaching you 44 00:02:05,700 --> 00:02:04,300 could do a 6 class series and get 150 45 00:02:07,890 --> 00:02:05,710 dollars that would buy her several pairs 46 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:07,900 of shoes and I was really struck with 47 00:02:12,059 --> 00:02:10,810 that idea it seemed great but I didn't 48 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:12,069 think I was gonna be able to do it I 49 00:02:15,900 --> 00:02:13,930 said ah and I don't think they'd hire me 50 00:02:16,979 --> 00:02:15,910 because you know I dropped out of high 51 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:16,989 school and then I dropped out of college 52 00:02:20,820 --> 00:02:18,970 I don't have any decrease of any kind 53 00:02:22,410 --> 00:02:20,830 and they said dad don't worry about that 54 00:02:24,059 --> 00:02:22,420 they're not interested in your 55 00:02:26,190 --> 00:02:24,069 credentials they threw interested in 56 00:02:27,330 --> 00:02:26,200 your enthusiasm even you're very 57 00:02:29,190 --> 00:02:27,340 enthusiastic person 58 00:02:32,190 --> 00:02:29,200 if you propose something to them they'll 59 00:02:34,380 --> 00:02:32,200 probably accept yourself I said alright 60 00:02:36,089 --> 00:02:34,390 I'll give it a try so I got in touch 61 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:36,099 with that Community College and I said I 62 00:02:40,890 --> 00:02:38,170 wanted to teach about whole-wheat bread 63 00:02:43,050 --> 00:02:40,900 baking I called my course the best bread 64 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:43,060 you ever ate you make it yourself with 65 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:45,910 love and we got a really good time and 66 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:47,530 it's a very successful class and they 67 00:02:51,630 --> 00:02:49,090 invited me to teach it again the next 68 00:02:53,070 --> 00:02:51,640 semester and they also said to me you 69 00:02:54,570 --> 00:02:53,080 know a lot of people are asking us about 70 00:02:56,670 --> 00:02:54,580 mushrooms do you know anything about 71 00:02:58,170 --> 00:02:56,680 mushrooms I said well I actually know a 72 00:02:59,550 --> 00:02:58,180 lot about mushrooms they said would you 73 00:03:02,339 --> 00:02:59,560 teach a class on mushrooms whereas I 74 00:03:04,050 --> 00:03:02,349 said hey no problem sure so now I have a 75 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:04,060 bread baking class and the mushroom 76 00:03:10,530 --> 00:03:06,130 class whoa we're gonna be on shoes I 77 00:03:12,119 --> 00:03:10,540 could buy her a dress and then next 78 00:03:13,380 --> 00:03:12,129 semester they said we want you to teach 79 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:13,390 the bread baking we want you to teach 80 00:03:16,770 --> 00:03:15,250 the mushroom foraging and people are 81 00:03:19,020 --> 00:03:16,780 asking about homesteading could you do 82 00:03:22,530 --> 00:03:19,030 that I said yes I could teach 83 00:03:24,420 --> 00:03:22,540 homesteading so one of the weeks of the 84 00:03:26,220 --> 00:03:24,430 home setting curriculum was about herbal 85 00:03:28,289 --> 00:03:26,230 medicine because I consider it part of 86 00:03:32,670 --> 00:03:28,299 the skill set of somebody who wants to 87 00:03:35,039 --> 00:03:32,680 live off the land meanwhile I'm driving 88 00:03:36,750 --> 00:03:35,049 to town one day and beside the road is a 89 00:03:38,490 --> 00:03:36,760 woman who appears to be I don't know 90 00:03:40,229 --> 00:03:38,500 maybe 11 months pregnant she's enormous 91 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:40,239 like pregnant of course you can't really 92 00:03:44,370 --> 00:03:42,010 be 11 months pregnant and she has two 93 00:03:46,470 --> 00:03:44,380 huge bags of laundry with her and a baby 94 00:03:48,569 --> 00:03:46,480 that she is holding so I do the only 95 00:03:51,180 --> 00:03:48,579 thing that one can do in such a 96 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:51,190 situation which to stop but her the baby 97 00:03:54,509 --> 00:03:52,510 the laundry in the car take her to the 98 00:03:56,460 --> 00:03:54,519 laundromat to her laundry with her and 99 00:03:58,530 --> 00:03:56,470 bring her back home again what else 100 00:03:59,879 --> 00:03:58,540 could one possibly do well of course we 101 00:04:02,069 --> 00:03:59,889 got to talking while we're doing the 102 00:04:05,699 --> 00:04:02,079 laundry and it turns out she was really 103 00:04:08,309 --> 00:04:05,709 interested in plants too so we started 104 00:04:10,979 --> 00:04:08,319 forming this little friendship around 105 00:04:13,050 --> 00:04:10,989 the plants now this is back in the 60s 106 00:04:15,330 --> 00:04:13,060 and she was married to nice enough man 107 00:04:16,949 --> 00:04:15,340 but he had come home after work he put 108 00:04:19,170 --> 00:04:16,959 his feet up in the coffee table demand a 109 00:04:21,690 --> 00:04:19,180 beer and say house is a mess what do you 110 00:04:23,430 --> 00:04:21,700 do all day while I'm at work she's got 111 00:04:26,670 --> 00:04:23,440 two babies and diapers come on what does 112 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:26,680 she do all day well he doesn't know so 113 00:04:32,159 --> 00:04:30,970 she says to me I'm gonna kill him you 114 00:04:33,900 --> 00:04:32,169 may feel like you're in jail but if you 115 00:04:37,230 --> 00:04:33,910 kill him you'll really be in jail and it 116 00:04:38,909 --> 00:04:37,240 won't be fun I said you just need some 117 00:04:40,070 --> 00:04:38,919 time away you need to leave him with the 118 00:04:42,499 --> 00:04:40,080 cancer an hour too 119 00:04:44,119 --> 00:04:42,509 she says he'll never go for it won't 120 00:04:45,529 --> 00:04:44,129 happen she and I used to go to 121 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:45,539 consciousness-raising meetings together 122 00:04:49,580 --> 00:04:47,370 and she would say to him can they go to 123 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:49,590 the consciousness rating raising meeting 124 00:04:54,379 --> 00:04:51,810 with Susan and he would say are my shoes 125 00:04:56,869 --> 00:04:54,389 shined is my shirt pressed is my or my 126 00:04:58,820 --> 00:04:56,879 clothes laid out is my breakfast ready 127 00:05:00,290 --> 00:04:58,830 is my gonna the whole thing and people 128 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:00,300 look at me now and they say come on I 129 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:03,090 think no this was normal in the sixties 130 00:05:08,029 --> 00:05:05,250 and it was like fine marriage for the 131 00:05:09,439 --> 00:05:08,039 sixties so she said he's not gonna let 132 00:05:12,980 --> 00:05:09,449 me get out of the house like that I said 133 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:12,990 what have you made money yeah if I was 134 00:05:15,499 --> 00:05:14,310 making money I could guess it good 135 00:05:17,300 --> 00:05:15,509 you're gonna teach at this local 136 00:05:18,860 --> 00:05:17,310 Community College she said I can't teach 137 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:18,870 it Community College I don't have any 138 00:05:22,370 --> 00:05:20,370 degrees they said but you're 139 00:05:24,350 --> 00:05:22,380 enthusiastic said why don't I teach us 140 00:05:26,089 --> 00:05:24,360 it I don't know she said herbal medicine 141 00:05:27,529 --> 00:05:26,099 I said that's a really good idea I don't 142 00:05:29,390 --> 00:05:27,539 have anybody teaching herbal medicine 143 00:05:30,710 --> 00:05:29,400 you should do that so she got in touch 144 00:05:32,749 --> 00:05:30,720 with the college and the college said 145 00:05:33,830 --> 00:05:32,759 sure and this was in May and she said 146 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:33,840 all right Susan you and I were gonna 147 00:05:38,330 --> 00:05:36,690 have to study hard now so every day she 148 00:05:40,070 --> 00:05:38,340 and I and our three girls went out with 149 00:05:41,510 --> 00:05:40,080 our books we identified plants we 150 00:05:44,330 --> 00:05:41,520 harvested those plants we made things 151 00:05:46,879 --> 00:05:44,340 people soon stopped dropping by around 152 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:46,889 dinnertime when soup didn't taste so 153 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:50,490 good it was a great more cleaner so we 154 00:05:55,490 --> 00:05:53,849 learned a lot May June July August and I 155 00:05:57,980 --> 00:05:55,500 September she was ready to teach her 156 00:06:00,969 --> 00:05:57,990 first class in herbal medicine it was an 157 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:00,979 astonishing success mostly at home 158 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:03,210 because when she got home from teaching 159 00:06:08,689 --> 00:06:05,849 that class he knew what she did all day 160 00:06:10,820 --> 00:06:08,699 long and their relationship really 161 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:10,830 became much better she taught the class 162 00:06:14,719 --> 00:06:13,050 again the next semester and then summer 163 00:06:16,129 --> 00:06:14,729 was there and she and her husband 164 00:06:17,629 --> 00:06:16,139 decided they were gonna build a camper 165 00:06:19,370 --> 00:06:17,639 on the back of their truck and go off 166 00:06:22,430 --> 00:06:19,380 adventuring there in relationship but 167 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:22,440 gotten really tight and delicious and I 168 00:06:26,450 --> 00:06:24,330 said well I'll really miss you but have 169 00:06:28,189 --> 00:06:26,460 a great adventure two weeks before her 170 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:28,199 herbal medicine class was due to start 171 00:06:31,820 --> 00:06:30,210 the following September I got a phone 172 00:06:35,300 --> 00:06:31,830 call from her and she said we found 173 00:06:36,649 --> 00:06:35,310 paradise and we're not coming home what 174 00:06:38,089 --> 00:06:36,659 do you mean not coming home I mean 175 00:06:39,740 --> 00:06:38,099 obviously friendship wasn't gonna get 176 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:39,750 her home so I tried guilt I said you 177 00:06:42,439 --> 00:06:41,130 have a class starting in two weeks you 178 00:06:43,070 --> 00:06:42,449 have to come home she said I'm not 179 00:06:44,420 --> 00:06:43,080 coming home 180 00:06:45,709 --> 00:06:44,430 it's not gonna happen I said what are we 181 00:06:47,269 --> 00:06:45,719 gonna do about your classes already 182 00:06:48,550 --> 00:06:47,279 people enrolled she said you'll have to 183 00:06:51,589 --> 00:06:48,560 teach it 184 00:06:53,310 --> 00:06:51,599 not me I cannot teach class about herbal 185 00:06:54,780 --> 00:06:53,320 medicine and not gonna happen 186 00:06:57,350 --> 00:06:54,790 forget it we'll just have to cancel she 187 00:06:59,850 --> 00:06:57,360 said no you're gonna teach that class 188 00:07:02,430 --> 00:06:59,860 she believes and we're still in touch to 189 00:07:04,830 --> 00:07:02,440 this day that her real purpose for being 190 00:07:07,710 --> 00:07:04,840 here was to get me to teach that herbal 191 00:07:10,830 --> 00:07:07,720 medicine class and Here I am all these 192 00:07:12,950 --> 00:07:10,840 years later still teaching herbal 193 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:12,960 medicine what a surprise 194 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:16,090 one of the reasons that I say herbal 195 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:18,010 medicine is people's medicine is that 196 00:07:23,340 --> 00:07:20,410 the vast majority of people already know 197 00:07:25,140 --> 00:07:23,350 how to use herbs many people already 198 00:07:27,900 --> 00:07:25,150 know if they choose some parsley it'll 199 00:07:30,420 --> 00:07:27,910 make their breath smell good many people 200 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:30,430 already know that garlic is wonderful 201 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:33,370 for the cardiovascular system most 202 00:07:38,340 --> 00:07:35,890 people have eaten basil pesto so right 203 00:07:41,910 --> 00:07:38,350 there we already have three herbs that 204 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:41,920 people know how to use the vast majority 205 00:07:45,990 --> 00:07:43,450 of people if you ask them to point out 206 00:07:47,970 --> 00:07:46,000 dandelion they could point out dandelion 207 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:47,980 that bright yellow flower in the spring 208 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:50,890 that's lion tooth the leaves they can 209 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:53,770 recognize dandelion and dandelion is one 210 00:07:58,980 --> 00:07:56,530 of the most generous of the plants any 211 00:08:01,590 --> 00:07:58,990 part of dandelion harvested any day of 212 00:08:05,820 --> 00:08:01,600 the year and prepared in any way at all 213 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:05,830 is effective medicine Wow you don't need 214 00:08:12,060 --> 00:08:08,770 to know much of anything to start using 215 00:08:14,070 --> 00:08:12,070 herbal medicine Euell Gibbons used to 216 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:14,080 teach people about eating wild foods and 217 00:08:18,180 --> 00:08:16,330 people would say to him you oh you're 218 00:08:19,620 --> 00:08:18,190 gonna poison people gonna set them out 219 00:08:22,410 --> 00:08:19,630 there they're gonna eat the wrong thing 220 00:08:24,990 --> 00:08:22,420 and die and you will sit know you learn 221 00:08:27,930 --> 00:08:25,000 plants one at a time and you work with 222 00:08:30,330 --> 00:08:27,940 what you know many people say to me you 223 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:30,340 know I use mostly traditional medicine 224 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:32,050 and I say no you don't use traditional 225 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:34,450 medicine you use modern medicine 226 00:08:40,740 --> 00:08:37,930 traditional medicine is what I do and it 227 00:08:44,130 --> 00:08:40,750 can be kind of scary for people if 228 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:44,140 they've used conventional modern 229 00:08:48,690 --> 00:08:46,810 medicine their entire lives that's what 230 00:08:50,490 --> 00:08:48,700 they're used to doing if they have a 231 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:50,500 problem they go to the drug store if 232 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:52,570 they go to the doctor and they buy a 233 00:08:59,280 --> 00:08:54,690 drug or they're prescribed a drug and 234 00:09:03,000 --> 00:08:59,290 they just depend on using drugs and the 235 00:09:05,340 --> 00:09:03,010 idea of using herbs instead can be 236 00:09:06,540 --> 00:09:05,350 off-putting or kind of scary how do we 237 00:09:09,180 --> 00:09:06,550 know they work 238 00:09:11,550 --> 00:09:09,190 I know it's safe how do I do it how do I 239 00:09:14,699 --> 00:09:11,560 use it and these are really valid 240 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:14,709 questions for each one of us one of the 241 00:09:20,940 --> 00:09:17,110 things that I suggest that people do is 242 00:09:23,699 --> 00:09:20,950 to start with what grows right around 243 00:09:25,410 --> 00:09:23,709 you what grows outside your back door of 244 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:25,420 the violets blooming outside your back 245 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:27,250 door in the spring is the dandelion 246 00:09:32,430 --> 00:09:29,410 blooming there do you have garlic 247 00:09:34,050 --> 00:09:32,440 mustard growing what is in your garden 248 00:09:35,970 --> 00:09:34,060 do you have chick weed growing in your 249 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:35,980 garden is there yellow doc in your 250 00:09:41,540 --> 00:09:37,810 garden is there burdock by your garden 251 00:09:45,350 --> 00:09:41,550 all of these or medicinal plants and 252 00:09:48,030 --> 00:09:45,360 edible plants as well there are over 253 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:48,040 10,000 different plants currently used 254 00:09:56,910 --> 00:09:52,690 worldwide in herbal medicine some of 255 00:09:58,860 --> 00:09:56,920 them are quite dangerous and small 256 00:10:02,699 --> 00:09:58,870 amounts some of them even touching the 257 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:02,709 plant can give adverse reactions up to 258 00:10:07,530 --> 00:10:04,690 and including death if they're misused 259 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:07,540 but the vast majority of these plants as 260 00:10:13,710 --> 00:10:09,910 we've just talked about like dandelion 261 00:10:16,110 --> 00:10:13,720 and garlic and basil are plants that are 262 00:10:19,740 --> 00:10:16,120 already in our diets and are really 263 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:19,750 quite safe to use that's not to say that 264 00:10:24,810 --> 00:10:22,570 we couldn't have a very strong effect 265 00:10:28,110 --> 00:10:24,820 there's a certain way that parsley can 266 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:28,120 be used to terminate a pregnancy basil 267 00:10:31,980 --> 00:10:30,370 also can be used in that way but there's 268 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:31,990 this specialized preparation the way 269 00:10:36,810 --> 00:10:34,510 that we usually use them is not going to 270 00:10:39,569 --> 00:10:36,820 do that so what I suggest is that we 271 00:10:43,410 --> 00:10:39,579 first bring the plants in from our 272 00:10:46,050 --> 00:10:43,420 gardens from our byways as additions to 273 00:10:48,180 --> 00:10:46,060 what we're already eating can you add a 274 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:48,190 little chick weed to your salad can you 275 00:10:53,069 --> 00:10:50,050 add a little garlic mustard do you sell 276 00:10:56,819 --> 00:10:53,079 it once you start doing that you start 277 00:11:00,329 --> 00:10:56,829 to get into being with the plants and 278 00:11:03,329 --> 00:11:00,339 noticing the plants and experiencing 279 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:03,339 what it is to have more plants in your 280 00:11:08,430 --> 00:11:06,370 life we've been asking Americans for 281 00:11:10,110 --> 00:11:08,440 close to 50 years to eat more plants 282 00:11:12,210 --> 00:11:10,120 what we say is eat more fruits and 283 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:12,220 vegetables but I think that's somewhat 284 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:14,170 off-putting to people and I think eating 285 00:11:20,199 --> 00:11:18,010 plants is perhaps a better way to say it 286 00:11:22,319 --> 00:11:20,209 even as little as what day 287 00:11:25,569 --> 00:11:22,329 de Lyonne leave in your cell and we'll 288 00:11:30,639 --> 00:11:25,579 change what's happening in your body it 289 00:11:36,369 --> 00:11:30,649 doesn't take a whole lot now a drug is 290 00:11:39,579 --> 00:11:36,379 one substance and it has a direction of 291 00:11:41,769 --> 00:11:39,589 action so if I give you a drug because 292 00:11:44,230 --> 00:11:41,779 your blood pressure is high that drug 293 00:11:45,999 --> 00:11:44,240 should lower your blood pressure in an 294 00:11:48,220 --> 00:11:46,009 ideal world that's all it would do is 295 00:11:50,079 --> 00:11:48,230 lower your blood pressure but the drugs 296 00:11:52,269 --> 00:11:50,089 most commonly used to lower blood 297 00:11:54,609 --> 00:11:52,279 pressure or diuretics and those 298 00:11:57,579 --> 00:11:54,619 diuretics leach potassium out of the 299 00:11:58,900 --> 00:11:57,589 body so it not only does what it's 300 00:12:01,419 --> 00:11:58,910 supposed to do but it does this other 301 00:12:05,439 --> 00:12:01,429 thing which then causes us to have to 302 00:12:08,619 --> 00:12:05,449 take another substance to make up for 303 00:12:11,259 --> 00:12:08,629 what the drug is doing in fact the 304 00:12:14,980 --> 00:12:11,269 current statistic is that more than half 305 00:12:17,079 --> 00:12:14,990 of people over the age of 50 in the 306 00:12:20,619 --> 00:12:17,089 United States are now taking five or 307 00:12:24,220 --> 00:12:20,629 more drugs on a daily basis this is an 308 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:24,230 awful lot of drugs and it is as we have 309 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:27,170 just said often that we take a drug to 310 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:28,970 counter the side effects of that drug 311 00:12:32,590 --> 00:12:30,290 and then another drug to counter the 312 00:12:35,829 --> 00:12:32,600 side effects of that one and so on and 313 00:12:38,739 --> 00:12:35,839 an endless kind of quest for health that 314 00:12:41,439 --> 00:12:38,749 we can never quite establish an herb 315 00:12:44,590 --> 00:12:41,449 works in a very different way because an 316 00:12:47,169 --> 00:12:44,600 herb is a complex combination of 317 00:12:50,710 --> 00:12:47,179 hundreds of different constituents and 318 00:12:53,650 --> 00:12:50,720 those constituents work in a way in 319 00:12:56,829 --> 00:12:53,660 which the whole gives a greater effect 320 00:13:00,009 --> 00:12:56,839 than any individual parts taken out of 321 00:13:02,859 --> 00:13:00,019 it could be so the drug doesn't have a 322 00:13:07,090 --> 00:13:02,869 direction of that gin it has a sphere of 323 00:13:11,889 --> 00:13:07,100 action the drug works directly the herb 324 00:13:14,859 --> 00:13:11,899 works in a global fashion so if you were 325 00:13:16,449 --> 00:13:14,869 asking me what herbs could be used if 326 00:13:19,150 --> 00:13:16,459 you had high blood pressure 327 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:19,160 I wouldn't prescribe an herb because 328 00:13:23,319 --> 00:13:20,569 herbs aren't prescribed they're not 329 00:13:26,139 --> 00:13:23,329 drugs but I would invite you to become 330 00:13:28,689 --> 00:13:26,149 friends with a common herb in most 331 00:13:31,749 --> 00:13:28,699 Gardens which is motherwort Lee ownerís 332 00:13:33,340 --> 00:13:31,759 cardiac a Leo of course is the lion and 333 00:13:36,340 --> 00:13:33,350 cardiac is the heart so 334 00:13:38,500 --> 00:13:36,350 this is a lion-hearted plant a tincture 335 00:13:45,210 --> 00:13:38,510 of the fresh flowering top of mother 336 00:13:48,550 --> 00:13:45,220 board is tremendous for helping the 337 00:13:50,530 --> 00:13:48,560 cardiovascular system to find that good 338 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:50,540 place of blood pressure so that the 339 00:13:55,810 --> 00:13:53,210 blood pressure is neither too low nor 340 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:55,820 too high this is very confusing to be 341 00:14:01,000 --> 00:13:57,770 able to use drugs because they're used 342 00:14:02,590 --> 00:14:01,010 to a drug having this direction and if I 343 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:02,600 say oh well if you have high blood 344 00:14:05,830 --> 00:14:04,370 pressure you can take this if you have 345 00:14:07,510 --> 00:14:05,840 low blood pressure you take the same 346 00:14:09,070 --> 00:14:07,520 thing and they're kind of scratching 347 00:14:11,620 --> 00:14:09,080 their hands and can't quite figure out 348 00:14:15,570 --> 00:14:11,630 how that could be and this is because 349 00:14:19,450 --> 00:14:15,580 the plant has within it things that are 350 00:14:21,820 --> 00:14:19,460 constituents that are in in movement 351 00:14:24,310 --> 00:14:21,830 with each other so that it acts with 352 00:14:27,300 --> 00:14:24,320 your body to bring about a greater state 353 00:14:31,330 --> 00:14:27,310 of health rather than pushing your body 354 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:31,340 to achieve a certain number and this is 355 00:14:34,630 --> 00:14:32,810 what the drugs are about the drugs are 356 00:14:36,430 --> 00:14:34,640 about achieving numbers we're gonna 357 00:14:38,530 --> 00:14:36,440 measure your blood pressure we're gonna 358 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:38,540 give you a drug we're gonna measure your 359 00:14:42,010 --> 00:14:39,890 blood pressure after you've taken it for 360 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:42,020 a while and we're gonna see if that drug 361 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:44,210 was effective now we could do the same 362 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:45,650 thing with herbs we can take your blood 363 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:47,690 pressure we can have you working with 364 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:49,610 the herbs that will improve the 365 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:50,690 effectiveness of the cardiovascular 366 00:14:56,020 --> 00:14:53,930 system and we can see usually within six 367 00:14:58,380 --> 00:14:56,030 to eight weeks a lowering of high blood 368 00:15:01,060 --> 00:14:58,390 pressure but it's not because the herb 369 00:15:03,190 --> 00:15:01,070 forced your body to lower blood pressure 370 00:15:05,380 --> 00:15:03,200 it's because the herb improves the 371 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:05,390 functioning of the body and so now your 372 00:15:10,660 --> 00:15:07,610 blood pressure is lower as a consequence 373 00:15:13,300 --> 00:15:10,670 of your being healthier when I first 374 00:15:16,900 --> 00:15:13,310 started teaching herbal medicine back in 375 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:16,910 the early 70s I thought that I would 376 00:15:19,570 --> 00:15:17,930 teach the four people who were 377 00:15:20,770 --> 00:15:19,580 interested in herbal medicine and then I 378 00:15:23,110 --> 00:15:20,780 would go back to teaching about bread 379 00:15:26,020 --> 00:15:23,120 baking it never occurred to me that more 380 00:15:28,030 --> 00:15:26,030 and more and more people would become 381 00:15:31,150 --> 00:15:28,040 interested in herbal medicine of course 382 00:15:33,550 --> 00:15:31,160 in the 70s we were still in our romantic 383 00:15:35,590 --> 00:15:33,560 love affair with drugs and we truly 384 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:35,600 thought that we would eradicate all 385 00:15:41,170 --> 00:15:39,170 disease with the use of drugs as the 386 00:15:44,170 --> 00:15:41,180 years have passed as the decades have 387 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:44,180 passed we are more and more beginning to 388 00:15:50,620 --> 00:15:47,570 understand that drugs are 389 00:15:53,110 --> 00:15:50,630 the answer to everything drugs certainly 390 00:15:55,390 --> 00:15:53,120 have their place my grandfather died of 391 00:15:57,640 --> 00:15:55,400 diabetes he did not have any insulin 392 00:15:59,560 --> 00:15:57,650 available to him how wonderful that we 393 00:16:02,080 --> 00:15:59,570 have insulin available now there's 394 00:16:05,050 --> 00:16:02,090 certainly some drugs that are extremely 395 00:16:08,770 --> 00:16:05,060 useful for people but the vast majority 396 00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:08,780 of drugs that people are using we would 397 00:16:14,830 --> 00:16:10,910 find that they would be healthier if 398 00:16:17,020 --> 00:16:14,840 they used herbs rather than those drugs 399 00:16:18,940 --> 00:16:17,030 and again not that I'm saying that the 400 00:16:20,410 --> 00:16:18,950 herbs are drugged with a green codon I 401 00:16:24,010 --> 00:16:20,420 am saying that the herb is quite 402 00:16:27,070 --> 00:16:24,020 different let me say however that still 403 00:16:30,430 --> 00:16:27,080 the vast majority of our drugs are made 404 00:16:34,180 --> 00:16:30,440 from herbs and that process is a process 405 00:16:36,610 --> 00:16:34,190 of extracting a particular constituent 406 00:16:39,130 --> 00:16:36,620 from the plant then concentrating that 407 00:16:43,150 --> 00:16:39,140 constituent and then purifying that so 408 00:16:46,420 --> 00:16:43,160 that we have only one constituent from 409 00:16:48,790 --> 00:16:46,430 the plant rather than this lavish 410 00:16:52,660 --> 00:16:48,800 symphony of different things that the 411 00:16:55,090 --> 00:16:52,670 whole plant can do one of the the 412 00:16:58,360 --> 00:16:55,100 wonderful things about growing older and 413 00:17:00,220 --> 00:16:58,370 the being seventy is that is that you 414 00:17:02,410 --> 00:17:00,230 are not over the hill but you're on the 415 00:17:04,780 --> 00:17:02,420 hill and you can look back over your 416 00:17:07,300 --> 00:17:04,790 life and as I look back over my life I 417 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:07,310 see that I've had three very good ideas 418 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:11,450 over my life one of those ideas I called 419 00:17:15,699 --> 00:17:13,850 the three traditions of healing the 420 00:17:17,829 --> 00:17:15,709 scientific tradition which measures and 421 00:17:19,870 --> 00:17:17,839 fixes the heroic tradition which 422 00:17:21,730 --> 00:17:19,880 balances and cleanses and the poised 423 00:17:24,730 --> 00:17:21,740 woman tradition which nourishes 424 00:17:26,949 --> 00:17:24,740 wholeness I am the voice of the wise 425 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:26,959 woman tradition bringing this ancient 426 00:17:32,050 --> 00:17:29,570 wisdom of nourishing ourselves to 427 00:17:33,790 --> 00:17:32,060 wholeness rather than trying to achieve 428 00:17:35,530 --> 00:17:33,800 the impossible we cannot ever be 429 00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:35,540 balanced and we cannot ever be clean 430 00:17:40,270 --> 00:17:38,510 those in fact only occur when we're dead 431 00:17:42,310 --> 00:17:40,280 or just about to be dead so they're not 432 00:17:44,350 --> 00:17:42,320 things that promote life and of course 433 00:17:45,790 --> 00:17:44,360 we don't want to be fixed because that's 434 00:17:47,290 --> 00:17:45,800 good for machines but it's not good for 435 00:17:49,690 --> 00:17:47,300 living people so the ones I'm in 436 00:17:52,210 --> 00:17:49,700 tradition which nourishes wholeness and 437 00:17:54,390 --> 00:17:52,220 that's one of my very good ideas I talk 438 00:17:57,940 --> 00:17:54,400 about it in my green book healing wise 439 00:18:00,310 --> 00:17:57,950 my second very good idea is called the 440 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:00,320 seven medicines or the six steps that 441 00:18:04,210 --> 00:18:02,330 healing you might wonder how seven and 442 00:18:05,769 --> 00:18:04,220 six could be the same but when it's the 443 00:18:07,330 --> 00:18:05,779 six steps of healing I start with steps 444 00:18:10,539 --> 00:18:07,340 zero to nothing 445 00:18:13,210 --> 00:18:10,549 step one collect information step two 446 00:18:17,740 --> 00:18:13,220 engaged the energy step three nourish 447 00:18:21,669 --> 00:18:17,750 and tonify step four stimulate in sedate 448 00:18:27,399 --> 00:18:21,679 step five use drugs and step six break 449 00:18:29,529 --> 00:18:27,409 and the enter my other books are based 450 00:18:31,930 --> 00:18:29,539 on this so I have a book about 451 00:18:34,269 --> 00:18:31,940 childbearing I have a book about breast 452 00:18:36,369 --> 00:18:34,279 health I have a book about menopause and 453 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:36,379 I have a book for all of us about 454 00:18:42,039 --> 00:18:40,250 everything below the belt new menopausal 455 00:18:44,590 --> 00:18:42,049 years the wise woman way breast cancer 456 00:18:46,180 --> 00:18:44,600 breast elf the wise woman way wise women 457 00:18:48,490 --> 00:18:46,190 herbal for the childbearing year and 458 00:18:51,460 --> 00:18:48,500 down there sexual and reproductive 459 00:18:55,419 --> 00:18:51,470 health for men and women the wise woman 460 00:18:59,080 --> 00:18:55,429 way so these books are problem oriented 461 00:19:01,659 --> 00:18:59,090 you have prostate enlargement you have 462 00:19:02,950 --> 00:19:01,669 PMS you have a problem that you're 463 00:19:04,990 --> 00:19:02,960 dealing with you want to get pregnant 464 00:19:07,749 --> 00:19:05,000 and you can't get pregnant there's no 465 00:19:12,159 --> 00:19:07,759 lump in your breast and we look at those 466 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:12,169 problems in this pattern of the six 467 00:19:19,619 --> 00:19:16,129 steps of healing so that the first thing 468 00:19:23,049 --> 00:19:19,629 that we do is we do nothing which is not 469 00:19:26,259 --> 00:19:23,059 ignoring the problem but going into 470 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:26,269 quiet going into meditation sleeping a 471 00:19:30,999 --> 00:19:28,610 few extra hours really giving ourselves 472 00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:31,009 the rest that we need I also call it 473 00:19:36,940 --> 00:19:33,710 serenity medicine and then we move into 474 00:19:39,509 --> 00:19:36,950 information story medicine what kind of 475 00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:39,519 stories do we have about this and then 476 00:19:45,759 --> 00:19:43,370 the energy medicine I'd engage the 477 00:19:48,490 --> 00:19:45,769 energy there also called mind medicine 478 00:19:51,279 --> 00:19:48,500 placebo medicine a lot of different 479 00:19:52,330 --> 00:19:51,289 names nourish and tonify of course it's 480 00:19:54,070 --> 00:19:52,340 lifestyle medicine 481 00:19:55,450 --> 00:19:54,080 how are you exercising what are you 482 00:19:57,730 --> 00:19:55,460 eating we're looking at all of these 483 00:19:59,740 --> 00:19:57,740 things and how they relate to your 484 00:20:01,629 --> 00:19:59,750 particular problem there's a great 485 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:01,639 divide there because these four 486 00:20:06,190 --> 00:20:02,450 medicines 487 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:06,200 serenity medicine story - and energy 488 00:20:10,299 --> 00:20:07,970 medicine and lifestyle medicine they 489 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:10,309 build health whether they resolve your 490 00:20:13,420 --> 00:20:11,450 problem or not you're going to be 491 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:13,430 healthier if you do 492 00:20:18,130 --> 00:20:15,890 these things then the last three 493 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:18,140 medicines which are alternative medicine 494 00:20:22,750 --> 00:20:20,810 stimulates sedate pharmaceutical 495 00:20:23,950 --> 00:20:22,760 medicine used drugs and high-tech 496 00:20:27,340 --> 00:20:23,960 medicine break-and-enter 497 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:27,350 these can restore health but they also 498 00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:30,770 injure health at the same time so when 499 00:20:35,950 --> 00:20:33,710 we are engaged in surgery drugs or 500 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:35,960 alternative medicine we know that we 501 00:20:41,050 --> 00:20:38,570 need to return to the previous four 502 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:41,060 medicines and that's that's our goal is 503 00:20:46,690 --> 00:20:43,610 to move back over that great divide and 504 00:20:48,100 --> 00:20:46,700 my books then help you by laying out all 505 00:20:49,390 --> 00:20:48,110 of this people say here they herbal stay 506 00:20:50,950 --> 00:20:49,400 simple yes they're herbal but I also 507 00:20:52,990 --> 00:20:50,960 tell you what drugs are used in this 508 00:20:54,460 --> 00:20:53,000 condition what surgery is used for this 509 00:20:56,500 --> 00:20:54,470 condition what the side effects of those 510 00:20:58,840 --> 00:20:56,510 drugs on that surgery is there's a 511 00:21:01,930 --> 00:20:58,850 surgeon said to me people believe that 512 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:01,940 surgery will be a cure but it never is 513 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:04,610 because we always damage something when 514 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:06,650 we do the surgery once you have surgery 515 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:08,930 you will probably be coming back for 516 00:21:16,570 --> 00:21:12,010 more surgery for the rest of your life 517 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:16,580 by using these seven medicines we find a 518 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:19,370 way to move ourselves out of this going 519 00:21:22,570 --> 00:21:20,690 back for surgery for the rest of our 520 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:22,580 lives we find a way to move ourselves 521 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:24,770 out of this taking a drug to deal with 522 00:21:29,740 --> 00:21:27,170 the side effects of the previous drug we 523 00:21:32,230 --> 00:21:29,750 find ourselves not needing to rely on a 524 00:21:34,630 --> 00:21:32,240 chiropractor or an acupuncturist or even 525 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:34,640 an herbalist for our day-to-day health 526 00:21:39,100 --> 00:21:36,890 but to have those things for the times 527 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:39,110 when we do need them for the acute or 528 00:21:43,540 --> 00:21:42,050 the chronic difficulties so the six 529 00:21:46,210 --> 00:21:43,550 steps of healing the seven medicines 530 00:21:49,090 --> 00:21:46,220 that's a really good idea and it's in 531 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:49,100 all of my books and my third good idea 532 00:21:54,250 --> 00:21:52,010 is drink nourishing or herbal infusions 533 00:21:56,020 --> 00:21:54,260 I have a youtube channel and I hope you 534 00:21:58,330 --> 00:21:56,030 come and visit me and my youtube channel 535 00:22:01,090 --> 00:21:58,340 there's over 225 youtubes there where 536 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:01,100 you can see me go right out identify 537 00:22:05,890 --> 00:22:03,530 plants harvest those plants and prepare 538 00:22:08,350 --> 00:22:05,900 them and you can follow along I'm with 539 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:08,360 my granddaughter she starts being with 540 00:22:12,100 --> 00:22:10,610 me as soon as she can watches by nine or 541 00:22:14,950 --> 00:22:12,110 ten months old and she's up against big 542 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:14,960 dandelions she's eight now and she's a 543 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:17,210 really knows a lot about the plants and 544 00:22:21,820 --> 00:22:19,250 how to work with them and you can see 545 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:21,830 her growing up you can work right with 546 00:22:26,700 --> 00:22:24,730 us to do these things and 547 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:26,710 part of my YouTube channel talks about 548 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:28,690 these nourishing or herbal infusions 549 00:22:34,130 --> 00:22:31,090 which are one of the mainstays of what I 550 00:22:37,890 --> 00:22:34,140 do and what I like to give to people 551 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:37,900 because we want so much to be healthy 552 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:40,570 and and it's so confusing for many of us 553 00:22:45,900 --> 00:22:42,910 so now how do we get to be healthy and I 554 00:22:48,510 --> 00:22:45,910 say all I want you to do is to take one 555 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:48,520 ounce of dried stinging nettle put it in 556 00:22:52,020 --> 00:22:50,530 a quart jar fill that jar right after 557 00:22:54,510 --> 00:22:52,030 that up with boiling water screw a lid 558 00:22:56,820 --> 00:22:54,520 on it and go to sleep let it sit on the 559 00:22:58,680 --> 00:22:56,830 counter all night next morning strain it 560 00:23:00,480 --> 00:22:58,690 out squeeze the herb to get all the good 561 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:00,490 out of it and put it in your composter 562 00:23:03,510 --> 00:23:02,290 sling it out on the lawn and then that 563 00:23:05,669 --> 00:23:03,520 liquid is what you're gonna drink 564 00:23:07,289 --> 00:23:05,679 refrigerate it because it's very high 565 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:07,299 protein and it will spoil if left at 566 00:23:11,549 --> 00:23:09,250 room temperature and over the course of 567 00:23:14,010 --> 00:23:11,559 the next 24 to 48 hours tricked that 568 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:14,020 nourishing herbal infusion tens of 569 00:23:18,270 --> 00:23:16,090 thousands of people are now drinking 570 00:23:19,919 --> 00:23:18,280 nourishing herbal infusions that they 571 00:23:22,049 --> 00:23:19,929 make themselves from herbs that they buy 572 00:23:24,930 --> 00:23:22,059 or from herbs that they harvest and dry 573 00:23:26,909 --> 00:23:24,940 themselves either way is perfectly fine 574 00:23:29,159 --> 00:23:26,919 I drink a quart of nourishing herbal 575 00:23:31,169 --> 00:23:29,169 infusion a day and none of us have to 576 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:31,179 take any supplements of any kind because 577 00:23:36,830 --> 00:23:32,850 the nourishing herbal infusions are 578 00:23:39,990 --> 00:23:36,840 loaded with minerals vitamins proteins 579 00:23:42,630 --> 00:23:40,000 polyphenols all kinds of active plant 580 00:23:45,380 --> 00:23:42,640 constituents that don't just help us 581 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:45,390 regain health they help us maintain 582 00:23:51,780 --> 00:23:49,570 health verbal medicine is people's 583 00:23:54,750 --> 00:23:51,790 medicine it's the medicine that grows 584 00:23:58,200 --> 00:23:54,760 right outside your door I hope if you're 585 00:24:01,409 --> 00:23:58,210 interested that our conversation will 586 00:24:04,140 --> 00:24:01,419 continue on because I have so much to 587 00:24:07,799 --> 00:24:04,150 share with you visit me at susan weed 588 00:24:09,750 --> 00:24:07,809 calm and there's over 5,000 pages of 589 00:24:12,090 --> 00:24:09,760 free information there you know also 590 00:24:13,590 --> 00:24:12,100 find that I have a blog talk show you 591 00:24:15,870 --> 00:24:13,600 can find information about that at my 592 00:24:19,380 --> 00:24:15,880 Facebook page and that's every Tuesday 593 00:24:22,919 --> 00:24:19,390 evening where I pick up people's calls 594 00:24:24,390 --> 00:24:22,929 and do whatever I can to help them with 595 00:24:26,250 --> 00:24:24,400 their individual problems there's no 596 00:24:28,650 --> 00:24:26,260 charge at all for the service because 597 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:28,660 the apprentices listen in and it's part 598 00:24:33,659 --> 00:24:31,450 of the apprentice training so come and 599 00:24:36,060 --> 00:24:33,669 visit me online come to the Catskill 600 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:36,070 Mountains in the Hudson River Valley my 601 00:24:40,430 --> 00:24:38,490 little farm in Woodstock in 602 00:24:42,530 --> 00:24:40,440 come and make a wild salad with me 603 00:24:45,380 --> 00:24:42,540 coming apprentice with me I have many 604 00:24:47,570 --> 00:24:45,390 many ways for you to study for you to 605 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:47,580 learn one of my favorite ways is my 606 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:49,770 correspondence courses and once you 607 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:50,970 enroll is a correspondence course 608 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:52,770 students you're a student forever 609 00:24:57,980 --> 00:24:54,450 each correspondence course student gets 610 00:25:00,500 --> 00:24:57,990 three hours of direct time with me by 611 00:25:02,750 --> 00:25:00,510 writing by telephone and a discount on 612 00:25:04,820 --> 00:25:02,760 classes as well not to even mention 613 00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:04,830 their correspondence course which comes 614 00:25:12,830 --> 00:25:08,370 with books audio-visual materials and a 615 00:25:16,250 --> 00:25:12,840 host of other things I want you to feel 616 00:25:19,010 --> 00:25:16,260 confident and good knowing that cream