Garlic: Vampires, You've Been Warned!

Garlic
(Allium sativum)

Garlic: Love it or hate it, there is no in-between. Much has been written about garlic; it is one of the oldest healing plants known to human kind. In ancient Egypt, slaves were given daily rations of garlic to keep their strength up while constructing the pyramids. Clay models of garlic were discovered in an Egyptian tomb dated 3750 BCE, as well as in the tomb of the infamous King Tutankhamen. Throughout history, garlic has been revered and maligned. It was praised in the most ancient of medical texts, from the oldest Sanskrit manuscript in existence to the most famous Ben Cao Gang Mu -The Compendium of Materia Medica written by Li Shi Zhen during the Ming Dynasty.

Contrarily, Mohammed forbade anyone who had eaten garlic from entering a mosque. In Tibet, monks were officially prohibited from entering a monastery, even to save it from burning, if they had eaten garlic (this restriction, I am told, was generally ignored). It was condemned as an evil plant in a Mohammedan legend whereby Satan, upon leaving the Garden of Eden, caused garlic to spring from the ground where his left foot had trodden and onion sprang forth from his right footprint.

Garlic’s pungent aroma is the cause of its reputation, for good or evil, as well as the source of its medicinal value. Perhaps it is the sulphurous quality of garlic that brings Ol’ Scratch to mind, but it is these very compounds which contribute to the array of health benefits that garlic offers. Garlic contains a compound called alliin; when fresh garlic is chopped or crushed, this compound is released and converted to allicin, the most well-known and bio-active component in this powerful herb.

Many studies have been done to ascertain the medicinal benefits of allicin and it has been shown conclusively that Garlic interferes with platelet aggregation; in other words, it makes the blood less sticky and prevents blood clots. The blood’s fibrinolytic (clot-dissolving) ability is increased within 1-3 hours after garlic is consumed; it gradually returns to previous levels after about a day, so taking garlic three times daily is preferable when the objective is to keep thrombosis at bay. It has been shown in other studies that as little as 1/3 a clove of garlic taken daily is enough to prevent blood clots from forming. Although large quantities of garlic may be taken without danger of excessive bleeding, it is prudent to avoid medicinal doses prior to surgery.

In Ayurvedic medicine, garlic is known for improving circulation and reducing fat in the blood. In fact, science has been researching garlic for the purpose of reducing cholesterol levels in the blood. Aside from helping the body shift the balance of cholesterol from LDL to HDL, garlic can actually help prevent the liver from producing excess fat and cholesterol. An obvious benefit of using garlic to keep cholesterol levels lowered is its safety. Garlic is very safe to take, especially when compared to the myriad of side effects that cholesterol-lowering drugs are known to cause.

In one of the several studies available for review, volunteers were given a breakfast rich with butter and fats, naturally their cholesterol levels were slightly increased when tested a few hours later. The same experiment was conducted again, but this time the volunteers were given garlic with their meal; the results showed a 10-15% decrease in cholesterol-lower than if they had not consumed the fat at all. That’s not to say that garlic is a substitute for healthy eating, or a panacea for a diet of French fries, gravy and ice cream, but when taken regularly as an addition to a good diet, garlic can really help offset those occasional binges.

Research has shown promise for the use of garlic as an adjunct therapy in cases of hypertension, cancer as well as diabetes, and many herbalists employ the judicious use of garlic for fungal infections, particularly Candida albicans. One of the most famous medicinal uses for garlic remains its powerful anti-bacterial properties. In laboratory trials, garlic was shown to be as effective as penicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin and chloramphenicol and showed no evidence of bacterial resistance.

More effective as a broad-spectrum antibiotic than modern antibiotics that target specific pathogens, garlic is especially useful for chronic, low-grade and recurrent infections. Garlic has been shown to kill particularly virulent bacterial strains, including, bacillus, staphylococcus, escherichia, streptococcus, vibrio and mycobacteria. It seems that the sulphides in garlic interfere with sulphuric enzymes that bacteria require for growth and reproduction; at a lower dose, garlic inhibits bacterial reproduction, and at high doses, it will kill the bacteria. Because it can cross the blood brain barrier (BBB), garlic is used frequently in the treatment of Lyme disease when there are neurological symptoms and is beginning to be studied for certain brain cancers.

Garlic performs well for infections such as cystitis, works admirably in cases of food poisoning, treats the poisonous toxins created by E. coli, and has even been used successfully for tuberculosis. Garlic is an effective remedy for coughs with excessive sputum and can be taken as syrup with honey for that purpose. Dr. Albert Schweitzer reportedly used garlic at his mission hospital in Africa for typhoid and cholera, and due to its effectiveness, it was used by Soviet troops at the front line during World War II and became known as “Russian penicillin.”

In Serbia, the concern about H1N1 has caused an increased demand for garlic, as it has been shown to be extremely effective when taken preventatively or when symptoms first appear. From my own experience I can tell you that while the flu was making its way through our home, my sweetheart ate copious amounts of raw garlic, and despite being up close and personal with me during my battle royale, he never even managed to get a sniffle. I was too late with the garlic and had to resort to different herbal remedies to kick the swine out, however, I succumbed to the dreaded virus for only 3 days! Hooray for Herbs!

Garlic works best at the very onset of a pathogen when taken in fairly high doses. For this, one to three freshly crushed or chopped cloves of garlic taken raw is most effective. In order for the alliin to break down through oxidation into the bacteria-fighting allicin, it is best to wait about 10-15 minutes after chopping or crushing to get the most benefit from the garlic. For daily maintenance, you can then choose to cook the garlic, but if you are going for the big guns, add the raw garlic to hummus or a bowl of soup to make it easier to take.

Hummucillin

1 16oz. can organic garbanzo beans

6 medium cloves fresh organic garlic, crushed

3 Tbs. tahini*, more or less to taste

3 Tbs. organic lemon juice, or to taste

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, or to taste

½ teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper and cumin seed to taste

Place first 4 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl and gently stir in olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and cumin.

*tahini is a paste of ground sesame seeds

During the fourteenth century, garlic was heroic in keeping The Plague away from those who consumed it in generous amounts. There is a tale of Four Thieves who were released from jail in order to bury victims of the Black Death, after all, as criminals, they were expendable. Incredibly, none of these men fell ill, and it was discovered that daily they drank a potent concoction of powerful herbs, vinegar and two whole heads of garlic. It is well known that garlic is repellent to nearly all insects and vermin, so it is surmised that the biting fleas that carried The Plague simply didn’t favor the flavor of the Thieves’ blood and therefore they avoided giving them an infected bite.

When it comes to bites, garlic has long been applied as a healing poultice. Generally used for venomous bites, the sting of a scorpion is reputed to be soothed by the application of crushed garlic. It is the sulphides once again responsible for detoxifying the site. When a sting or bite is painful because of inflammation, garlic is not the best choice but it can prevent mosquito, tick and flea bites by making the blood unappealing to biting insects-even lice- if consumed regularly. Throughout history, people have known that vermin are repelled by the pungency of garlic; this includes parasites such as ringworm, lice and intestinal parasites such as threadworm as well as rats, mice and…no kidding: vampire bats!

Garlic is incredibly potent; in herbal pharmacopeias, it is considered to be very hot energetically (as you can see for yourself if you chew a fresh piece), and very drying. Because it is so hot, garlic is inappropriate when there is a high fever, inflammation, red rashes or eruptions, or when the tongue appears scarlet in color. Some people with a tendency toward acid reflux, or burning in the stomach will likely find garlic to be too harsh digestively, but for those with weak digestion, poor appetites and chronic loose stool, garlic may be a short term pick-me-up.

Garlic has somehow received the name “The Stinking Rose,” but the origins of the nickname are dubious. If you have ever eaten a great deal of garlic, you may have gotten a whiff of another notorious quality that garlic has and begin to suspect a rather sophomoric source for the moniker! Despite it all, it was recently reported in The Scientific American that cows given a dietary supplement of allicin showed a marked decrease in pathogenic bacteria and a subsequent 15% reduction of methane gas due to the infamous cow flatulence. Now we know that garlic can help reduce greenhouse gasses too!

It is believed that garlic originated in Asia, but it has been cultivated worldwide for so long, that it is no longer possible to propagate by seed. The bulb of garlic, made up of individual cloves is actually an extension of the stem, with rootlets bunched beneath. Single garlic cloves are planted; one clove will produce one head of garlic. Approximately 90% of all garlic is grown in California, and most of that in the city of Gilroy.

There are two main types of garlic that are cultivated for the market; generally the soft-neck variety is what one will find in a grocery store (it is also the type that can be braided), and the hard neck variety is found at farmer’s markets. The hard-neck garlic also produces an early-season treat: the garlic scape. A scape is a twisted/curly green stem of garlic that will produce a flower, but no viable seed; however, its flavor is bright, crisp and garlicky, but not overpowering. What a treat garlic scapes are in June when my garlic stores from the winter have long since run out!

One can feel the robust effects of garlic as soon as it is tasted, so it should come as no surprise that garlic is also a famed aphrodisiac, which may be one of the reasons it was eschewed by Puritans. Pliny the Elder wrote in his famous herbal treatise that it should be pounded with fresh coriander and taken with neat wine for that purpose. Garlic is pretty sexy actually, and if you eat some, please be sure to feed some to your lover also; it is well known that it’s much easier for your partner to tolerate your garlic breath if their mouth reeks of it too! If that fails, chewing on a good amount of parsley or cardamom may help reduce the rankness of your dragon breath, but remember the old saying, “Garlic is as good as ten mothers…for keeping the girls (and boys) away!”

Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG) is a nationally board certified Chinese Herbalist, and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Lisl is also a certified Medicinal Aromatherapist, a level II Reiki practitioner, an Acupressurist, an Auriculotherapist, a photographer, a renowned diagnostician, a teacher and a published writer in private practice for over a decade. She is available by appointment. HerbaLisl.com

Please call 8 6 0 - 4 8 0 - 0 1 1 5 or email HerbaLisl@hotmail.com if you have any questions, would like to schedule an appointment, attend meditations, weed walks, or are interested in taking classes.

Frankincense: Humanity's Ally for Millennia

Frankincense

(Boswellia carterii)

We may think we know her. Frankincense has accompanied our human race for thousands of years; we have burned her sacred incense for religious ceremonies, we have used her essence for wounds and injuries, her medicine has helped to heal cancers, her very presence has helped human civilization advance and expand, but do we really know her? For as much as she has been by our side for the entire span of our existence, she holds herself in quiet dignity…a stark tree that grows in the arid desert, with us and yet isolated.

Frankincense (Olibanum) is a resinous tree that grows only at the most southern part of the Arabian Peninsula and the extreme northeastern tip of Somalia. Its value as a commodity opened trade routes as far away as China and Europe more than five-thousand years ago according to many sources, and created great wealth for Southern Arabia. The Silk Road, The Incense Road and The Spice Road among other trade routes connected the region to cities and kingdoms more than two thousand miles away and served to enrich cultures, religions and traditions of healing throughout the entire continent.

The domestication of the camel was a necessary innovation for traveling such arduous paths, and it is believed that written communication was also developed and expanded as a direct result of the wide-ranging commerce. Ship-building burgeoned as a new skill, and the talent for that craft augmented trade via shipping routes and further increased prosperity for the country. It has been suggested that greed contributed to the fall of Rome; a high tariff was placed upon Frankincense - up to 25% tax was charged for this precious resin.

In southern Mesopotamia, archeologists discovered Cuneiform tablets dating back to 3200 BCE (before current era), that referred to Southern Arabia, strongly suggesting a trade market for Frankincense. An incense burner from the Bronze Age, (2,200 BCE) found in Oman had residue from burned Frankincense; current speculation dates the use of this sacred resin to 6,000 BCE or even earlier.

Of course, one of the most well known stories of Frankincense involves the blessed birth of a certain Child who was given the gift of Frankincense Myrrh and Gold by three Magi priests. Frankincense was found in the tombs of King Tutankhamen and Queen Hatshepsut not only to preserve the mummified corpses, but as an offering to accompany their souls’ journey to the Other Side.

Boswellia carterii (or B. sacra) had long been used as an embalming agent, not only to cover the unpleasant odor, but to also help preserve the body. To prepare a body for mummification, ancient morticians packed the empty cavities with the resinous tears after internal organs were removed. Frankincense was also quite valued for ritual burials, particularly when a person of high status passed on. At the funeral of his favorite concubine Poppaea, the Roman emperor Nero burned and entire year’s harvest of Frankincense, disrupting trade for several seasons.

The fragrance of Frankincense- mysterious, deep, and pleasant to our senses, is notably unpleasant to insects. The exotic aromas wafting from the garments of people in Arabia serves a very practical purpose: to repel disease-carrying mosquitoes and other insects. It is customary to suspend clothing upon specially crafted frames in order to impregnate the fibers with smoke from the burning incense.

Given the historical associations of this treasured substance, it is no surprise that in China, the name originally ascribed to Frankincense was fan hun xiang, meaning “fragrance to call back the soul.” Later the name was changed to ru xiang, or “fragrant milk,” and was historically used for a variety of ailments including leprosy, tuberculosis and gonorrhea. Frequently paired with Myrrh in medicinal formulas, this valued medicine addressed all levels of pain, trauma and injury, particularly as a topical remedy. The famous formula Qi Li San was known as “Seven-Thousandths of a Tael Powder” for the minute internal dosages that were measured out. This preparation is likely the predecessor of a popular patent formula known today as Yunan Bai Yao.

Frankincense, also referred to as mastic, is still used in modern Chinese herbal medicine for injury, trauma, rheumatic pain and arthritis. Generally applied externally, it has a pronounced Blood-invigorating quality that relaxes tendons, eases pain, reduces swelling, and promotes tissue regeneration. It enhances the flow of Qi (vital energy) throughout the meridians and its energetic warmth is especially welcomed when treating stiff, achy joints that tend to worsen in cold, damp weather.

Its ability to generate the flesh is particularly useful for sores, abscesses and carbuncles, and the pain-relieving properties extend to chest pain, colic, abdominal and epigastric discomfort-especially when the pain is sharp. Encouraging and vitalizing blood circulation makes Frankincense helpful for amenorrhea, dysmennorhea and post-partum issues of Blood-stagnation; obviously this is not an herb to be taken during pregnancy.

Its uses outside of Traditional Chinese Medicine are as an astringent to stop discharges and contract tissues; cosmetically it addresses acne for the youthful and dry, chapped skin for the more mature consumer. The high verbenone content indicates its anti-fungal quality, making it a good remedy for external complaints like athlete’s foot and ringworm as well as certain intestinal, vaginal and other internal fungal infections. Frankincense can stimulate energy, invigorate the mind, strengthen the body and promote feelings of well-being while also relaxing irritability, soothing anxiety and calming nervous tension.

The Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory for Immunology newsletter (May ’05) reveals that Frankincense has been shown to exhibit strong immunostimulating activity, having a pronounced regulating effect on the immune system. Further study, according to The American Society for Microbiology, indicates that its “chemical structure closely resembles anti-inflammatory steroids.” In their trials, it was suggested that Frankincense prepared by an ethanol extraction actually led to cellular toxicity, while the cleaner preparation had only positive effects. This strongly indicates that it is of the utmost importance to use only the purest, steam-distilled and medicinal-grade essential oil of Frankincense available-generally purchased from a practitioner and not at a retail establishment.

Recent scientific data shows that Olibanum not only powerfully inhibits the growth of cancerous cells; it also promotes apoptosis (programmed cell death) of malignancies. Promising studies are being done that spotlight the ancient resin in the treatment of a variety of cancers including cervical, colon and even Leukemia. Some of the most publicized information to date regarding the use of Frankincense with cancer treatment has been its potent inhibition of bladder cancer.

For brain tumors, Frankincense helps to hinder growth and reduces cerebral edema. In the treatment of colitis, Olibanum has been shown to be a better choice than the popular drug sulfasalazine. It is also one of the top three CAM choices (complementary and Alternative Medicine) for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Disease in Germany along with acupuncture and probiotics.

On a spiritual level, Frankincense slows and expands breathing, calms the mind and facilitates deep meditation. Her spirit allows one to become completely present and frankly aware of one’s senses. Her fragrance encourages peace, opens the mind and stimulates the higher chakras, while resonating a calm tranquility deep within. Inhalation of her divine perfume comforts grief and can connect ones heart and soul to the love of their departed. Access to higher realms of consciousness demonstrates why the smoke from her incense carries prayers to Heaven.

Burning the sacred incense was once a ritual shared by most religions, and the demand for Olibanum was unbounded; Dhofar at one time exported 3,000 tons annually. The Babylonian Temple of Baal burned 2 ½ tons of Frankincense a year and over-exploitation began to lessen the population of trees. Boswellia needs to be at least eight years old before it begins to produce resin, and a tree needs to be rested for a while if it has been tapped for more than 6 years. When a tree is frequently tapped, germination ratios for their seeds drop dramatically from 80% viability in the seed of an untapped tree to only 16% in the seeds from tapped trees.

Today, most Frankincense going to commercial markets is harvested in Somalia. The range of Olibanum’s habitat, dependent upon specific ecology and climate, is also subject to political climate for its distribution to consumers. The religious demand for the holy incense has certainly declined since its peak some two thousand years ago, however Frankincense has recently been seeing a resurgence in popularity; perhaps our return to natural medicines is driving that demand.

The name Frankincense is simply descriptive of what it is: true or real incense. This authentic incense is wild-harvested by indigenous people using the same methods that have been used for millennia. Twice a year, January-March and again from August-October, careful incisions are made into the outer bark of the mastic tree with a blade called a mingaf. Sap oozes out of these cuts, collects into larger lumps and often falls to the base of the short tree. The sun dries the pellets of resin and these “tears” are gathered approximately two weeks later. It is necessary for the luban (tears) to be completely harvested before the start of the monsoon season in April or May.

A medicinal-grade essence of Frankincense is produced by steam-distilling a resinous block of these tears, and this thin essential oil is marvelous for the treatment all types of pain, injury and swelling. Additionally, it has been found to be a potent adjunct in any complementary cancer protocol. Perhaps most significantly, her serene spiritual presence is more than palpable when her sweet aroma is inhaled.

Frankincense has maintained a frank and deliberate presence in our collective consciousness for the past several thousand years. Her significance in our history cannot be denied nor be dismissed as folklore, myth or erroneous religious belief. We have only been married to the predictability and false security of logical reason for a few hundred years, obsessively so for less than fifty. Many people are coming to realize that a balance between reason and enchantment creates a much more fulfilling existence. By allowing a space for Frankincense in our hearts we may at last penetrate her secrets and completely open our spirits to holier realms where peace presides.

Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG) is a nationally board certified Chinese Herbalist, and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Lisl is also a certified Medicinal Aromatherapist, a level II Reiki practitioner, an Acupressurist, an Auriculotherapist, a photographer, a renowned diagnostician, a teacher and a published writer in private practice for over a decade. She is available by appointment. HerbaLisl.com

Please call 8 6 0 - 4 8 0 - 0 1 1 5 or email HerbaLisl@hotmail.com if you have any questions, would like to schedule an appointment, attend meditations, weed walks, or are interested in taking classes.

Nettles - A True Herbal Friend

Stinging Nettle
(Urtica dioica)

I’m thinking that this series of articles aught to be renamed “Weeds to Know” for the fact that most of them are written to clear up the horrible slander imposed on our leafy green friends. I am in love with Nettles. Some call it “Seven-minute-itch” for the itchy rash the plant’s stinging hairs cause on the skin; this rash is quickly cleared up by applying the crushed leaves of curly dock, plantain, jewelweed or violet. An old rhyme is a reminder of the cure for nettle-itch: “Nettle in, Dock out. Dock rub Nettle out!” Many people avoid it like the plague while out hiking, but most folks aren’t even aware of it at all. This is heartbreaking because Nettles are the most fabulous remedy for seasonal allergies, make a delicious herbal tea, are a fantastic cooked green vegetable, have sturdy fibers for making superior cloth and rope, and are really gorgeous (in my opinion). No kidding, I am in LOVE with Nettles!!!!

Okay, okay, so they sting a little. This is due to the small amounts of formic acid in the tiny glass-like stinging hairs found all over the leaves and stem of the plant. Once these beautiful greens are cooked, dried, or cut and stored in the refrigerator for a day or so, they lose their venom. Some people claim to never get stung by them at all; according to Stalking Wolf, a legendary Apache scout and medicine man (known to the fans of Tom Brown Jr.’s books as Grandfather), if you show no fear and talk to them, the nettles won’t sting you. I sing songs of gratitude to the nettles when I pick them and I don’t fear them, but that doesn’t stop me from wearing gloves…just in case!!

The sting isn’t even all bad; people have used the topical application of the stinging plant (called urtication) to treat arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatism and numbness. It was often used by warriors to encourage circulation in order to help keep them warm in cold, damp environments or to keep them awake if need be. According to the Doctrine of Signatures which shows us how the “personality” of a plant will dictate its uses, the stimulating effect of Nettles on the skin reflects its invigorating effect on the internal organs. It has been long used as a spring tonic that jump starts the organs and promotes energy after a long winter’s rest or general fatigue. It is very helpful for stimulating the thyroid, libido and the brain, encouraging hair growth and building tissue strength. It removes old, stagnant mucous, uric acid, stones and other wastes from the body while improving liver function and regulating metabolism. It’s like an herbal “kick-in-the-pants.”

As a potherb, Nettles easily rivals spinach in taste, texture and nutrition. It has very high protein content for a vegetable- up to 24%, plus significant amounts of iron, silicon, potassium and other minerals, as well as heart-healthy fats, chlorophyll, vitamins A, B and C. It is best eaten in the spring when the leaves are still tender, but when the leaves are tougher before flowering, cut the plant tops on an arid day after the dew evaporates to hang dry for nutritious teas… you may even be rewarded by tender new growth for another chance at a culinary treat. Its flavor pairs well with eggs, leeks, mushrooms, goat cheese and potatoes, and when combined all together, make a savory quiche. You could also opt to make a creamy nettles soup, or saute with garlic, mushrooms and white beans for a hearty side dish.

 Nettles tea is also delicious; it’s like a meal in a cup. Medicinally, this is the best form to take it in, other than freeze-dried capsules. I have often prescribed Nettles for all types of allergies, including some types of dermatitis. Nettles taken medicinally naturally decongests the sinus, opens the lungs to stop wheezing asthma and shortness of breath, and acts as an expectorant. It helps rashes that are red and itchy; it’s especially helpful for eczema that causes fingers to swell.

Nettle has an impressive record. It is frequently and successfully used for the treatment of gout, gangrene, chronic cystitis, dysentery and various ulcerations and is recommended in the treatment of tumors and cancer. In cases of “Blood Heat” in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where blood appears inappropriately in the stool or urine, nettles controls bleeding when taken internally; the juice or powder is applied topically, as with nosebleeds or bleeding hemorrhoids.

For women, nettles can also be used to promote the menses, for excessive menses, post-partum hemorrhage, or in a formula for bleeding associated with endometriosis. Wise women will also find it to be a useful galactagogue when nursing, helpful for regulating milk when weaning a child and supportive for building blood post partum or in cases of anemia. It is also valuable in the treatment of leucorrhea, edema and various types of urinary dysfunction.

Men need not feel left out, the root is effective for prostate health; the high amount of sterols improves the white blood cell count, which in turn reduces infection and inflammation of the prostate. As a remedy for alopecia, comb in nettles juice daily and wash the hair with nettles tea. If you’re brave enough, urtication of the scalp stimulates the follicles and is sure to impress the ladies as well!

Though often associated with simple country folk, nettles was prized as a home remedy, as food or beverage (including the famous nettles beer), for its strong rope and waterproof netting and rivaled flax in durability and smoothness for linens and cloth. It was cut and added to fodder for all manner of livestock to improve their coats, their health, milk production in heifers and egg production in fowl, and it made all the animals fatter and happier.

Each year, I gather shopping bags of these goodies to feed my family, friends and give away to clients. I harvest a lot, and I always think that there will be plenty dried to last over the winter for tea. That almost never happens; come February, there is never a surplus. Imagine my delight when I discovered  two new patches in the fields around the property that were only a small handful of plants last year. Now I will certainly be able to gather enough to eat AND dry!!!

Did I mention that I am in LOVE with Nettles? I hope that you, gentle reader, will find some to strike up an affair with and then, you too, will fall head over heels.

Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG) is a nationally board certified Chinese Herbalist, and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Lisl is also a certified Medicinal Aromatherapist, a level II Reiki practitioner, an Acupressurist, an Auriculotherapist, a photographer, a renowned diagnostician, a teacher and a published writer in private practice for over a decade. She is available by appointment. HerbaLisl.com

Please call 8 6 0 - 4 8 0 - 0 1 1 5 or email HerbaLisl@hotmail.com if you have any questions, would like to schedule an appointment, attend meditations, weed walks, or are interested in taking classes.