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3 Effective Herbalist Protocols for Mind & Gut Health

Cole Schoonover

Updated: Jan 31


herbal medicine protocols for digestive impairment, nervous exhaustion and chronic stress
 

Celebrate the new year by committing to one of your personal goals! Many people have gone through profound stress over the past few years making it easier for those healthy habits to slowly erode. 


If you’re interested in diving deep into your health this year here are a few diet and herbal medicine bundle recommendations I suggest for noticeable changes in chronic stress, digestive impairment, and nervous exhaustion.


 

3 Effective Herbal Medicine Protocols

If you have been struggling with stress, digestion, or nervous exhaustion and haven’t had much luck with different supplements, it might be worth trying a more targeted approach. My products are designed to support each other, and when taken together can effect change through different mechanisms. Each bundle will cover between 3-4 weeks of use.


While you should notice a positive change in your condition, it may take more than one round, or one bundle, to achieve long-lasting health. My top recommendation is to listen to your body and find out where your thresholds lay; by identifying the initial signs or triggers of a condition, you can comfortably stay within the limits of what you can manage so that health is maintained.


effective herbal medicine strategies for mind and gut health

 

Nervous Exhaustion

Medicinal Tea: Warm Embrace

Fresh Plant Tincture: Nerve Ease

Functional Powder: Enter Serenity


Take 1-2 droppers full of Nerve Ease in the morning, drink a cup of Warm Embrace sometime between mid-day and dinner time, and drink one cup of Enter Serenity until you have completely used everything.

When we are unable to take the time to rest and reset our nervous system it runs in a sympathetic nervous system state. The sympathetic nervous system lives in a state of stimulation, meaning there is no time for the nervous system to do all of the maintenance work because it is always reacting to its environment. This formulation for nervous exhaustion reminds the body of what calm feels like, the more often the body enters this state the easier it is to enter again in the future. Therefore, this formula helps to rebuild that pattern of calm in the body, work towards restoring nerve stability, and bring in vital sunshine with plants harvested in the peak of summer.


 

Digestive Impairment

Medicinal Tea: Bye-Bye Bloat

Fresh Plant Tincture: Gut Healing

Functional Powder: Barrier & Biome


Take 1-2 droppers full of Gut Healing in the morning, drink a cup of Bye-Bye Bloat sometime between mid-day and before bed (drink when symptoms are worst), and drink one cup of Barrier & Biome* until you have completely used everything. 

*If you know you will be eating a meal that will negatively affect your digestion, drink the Barrier & Biome before this meal to provide a soothing barrier for your gut mucosal tissue.

Chronic inflammation is the driver of digestive impairment, of which there can be many causes. This bundle addresses mucosal membrane stability, soothing the smooth muscles of the gut, and encouraging a healthy microbiome so that you don’t have to live in the daily discomfort of digestive issues. I’ve been there!


 

Chronic Stress

Medicinal Tea: Restore Vitality

Fresh Plant Tincture: Inner Sanctum


Drink a cup of Restore Vitality in the morning (don’t drink past 3pm - Yerba Mate), take 1-2 droppers full of Inner Sanctum sometime between mid-day and end of work-day, and drink one cup of the above functional powders until you have completely used everything

I’ve spoken about chronic stress before and the implications to your health (see here) but I wanted to provide a bundle specifically for stress because I have seen such amazing results with the help of herbal medicine, and so many people are suffering! Stress causes impacts felt throughout our body, that is why in the functional powder category I suggest three different options. All three powders contain adaptogens to improve our resistance to stress, then they each have a system affinity. So if you experience stress with autoimmunity or frequent illness then I would recommend the Mushroom Immunity Hot Cocoa. However if you experience stress with menopausal symptoms, low libido, or hormonal imbalances then I recommend the Awaken Sensuality Chai Latte. Whereas if you experience stress with mood changes or cognitive impairments then Enter Serenity is the powder for you.


Of course these are just suggestions, you can mix and match as needed. I list the known contraindications for my products so if one is not a good fit there may be another product that fits your need - feel free to email me with questions about which product would be right for you!


 

Achieve Health with Whole Food

For the above conditions I suggest very basic things for diet - whole, unrefined foods. I have found that in many clients while the initial concern may be nerves, or immunity, there is also usually some component of digestive impairment. Therefore, eating nutrient dense organic whole foods and pasture raised meats is the goal, but if that is not within reach growing your own fruits and vegetables can be a really accessible way to get high quality produce - for cheap! My top recommendations for the beginner grower are:


Herbal medicine and whole foods for systemic health
  1. Swiss Chard

    This grows year-round in our climate here on Vancouver Island. I have harvested this plant in all weather conditions, even the snow, and the variety in colour makes it beautiful to grow. The harvests are large and the seed goes a long way, this is a very cost effective plant to grow.



growing herbal medicine and food in Canada can save a lot of money. I recommend Swiss Chard, Cucumbers and Raspberries



  1. Cucumbers

    Cucumbers take up minimal ground to grow, and produce like crazy. From purely a cost savings and flavour improvement standpoint home-grown cucumbers are on my list every year. Remember to consistently water and pick the cukes!





A canadian gardener's favourite fruit the Raspberry is a must for everyones garden. I love growing Vancouver Island's native black Raspberry!
  1. Raspberries

    These delicious berries belong in every Canadian garden! The taste of freshly grown Raspberries does not compare to store bought raspberries. My canes produce from early June until the end of October and taste delicious the whole season. When you grow Raspberries at home you can get unique varieties like Golden Raspberries or our native Black Raspberry.




If you want a really low maintenance garden these three plants should be on your list. The absolute easiest way is if you have a strip that gets mid-full sun you could plant these three in a row or interspersed, weave a soaker hose between the plants, cover with mulch, and then just turn the hose on when the top of the soil becomes dry. The maintenance after that is just picking off any dead or unpleasant leaves and harvesting your food regularly.


 

I will always recommend local, organic, and as minimally processed as possible foods and medicines. I aim to harvest and process all my herbs so that they retain as much medicinal potential as possible. Thus, by enjoying Fleurish Botanical Medicine products you get to taste these potent medicinals given life by the rich soils of Vancouver Island and Canada. Surrender to the wisdom of nature.


local, canadian grown and made herbal medicine with Vancouver Island herbalist Cole Schoonover


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