I’m so glad I’ve found your Substack. Much of what you’ve said I have learned and write about in my Substack - Steeped Stories. Though in a different voice. I am a former critical care and ER nurse and I agree- our healthcare system is lacking and is only good at acute care. We encounter the patient at a very late stage. Western medicine does not have all the tools to heal - only some of the tools. The individual has the remaining tools. True health requires nurturing these four aspects: physical, emotional, spiritual, and social harmony. Knowledge and prevention is key. This is in our power. Americans have been trained by Western medicine to take a pill for every ailment instead of doing the work required to regain health. It is our responsibility (healthcare professionals) to reeducate people.
I’m glad you found us too. To be honest, the dysfunction is so high in the system right now. I’m not sure it even functions well in the acute care settings because people can’t access acute care in the clinics and the ERs are often too overwhelmed, but as I said in my other comment, there are those major pillars of health that you mention too that really address much of our unwellness, but right now it’s often hard to know where to start.
Well, for some reason I just found this first text of yours and I'm finding it the most hopeful thing I've read around, both from personal and professional perspective. Thanks so much for this and I'm so glad you're in my radar! I feel like wanting to have a full on podcast with you! I look forward to reading more through your Substack. Hugs!
Thanks Mariana! We should definitely chat sometime. I have a friend that's nudging me toward doing a podcast and my husband's encouraging a YouTube channel. I think we could do something cool together.
Oh that's some good nudging right there then! I'd love to chat. Let's DM and plan a virtual cuppa tea! I've been wanting to experiment with podcast conversations for a long time. You never know! 🥰
I am completely intrigued by your writing. As a retired RN with two genetic diseases and three autoimmune diseases, I score high on the ACE study. (No surprise there.) I write about being a patient now, instead of the caregiving nurse and how the healthcare system is failing me (and everyone else). I have long been a student of mind and body. Your insight may provide me more beyond the IV infusions and myriad of medications that presently dominate my life. Perhaps you can add to my present exercise, meditation, and breathwork.
Hi Jan, welcome! Thank you for your kind words. You know from both ends how the healthcare industry is just an out of control trash ball running over everyone in its path (patients and care providers alike). I'm actually in the early stages of writing a book that dreams it can be another way.
I hope what I write about here can move the dial even a little bit for you. Do you engage in any ancestral connection practices? I think it's really helpful for everyone, but especially if your grandparents or parents weren't as loving and supportive as we might have hoped in life (which I'm inferring from your statement about ACEs, forgive me if I'm wrong).
If you are ever interested in working one one one, I am offering health-coaching and it's steeply discounted right now as I fine tune my approach. Happy to tell you more to help you discern whether it's a good fit.
I first started doing ancestral connection practices with a woman named Lindsay Sudeikis. She trained with Daniel Foor, who has a great book called Ancestral Medicine which guides you in how you could do these practices yourself (which I think you could do if you recorded yourself reading the exercises he suggests). He has also trained a lot of facilitators (including Lindsay). Now, in addition to that, I've been initiated into a West African style of divination that consults with the wild spirits and the ancestors for guidance on rituals or acts that may help to heal these ancestral wounds (or a wide variety of other things). Generally, I find with the former I'm working more with the really ancient "wise and well" ancestors who are a powerful source of love and reassurance and with divination working more with tending to either the here and now or more recent ancestors. Both have a lot of value.
Thanks Marcella, that was the post that started it all here on Substack! I'm starting work on a book about some similar topics (kind of a rewilding of healthcare).
Thanks Doc. Thouroughly enjoyed reading your info-packed post. I'm also somewhat sensitive to the whole discussion of 'healing' since having (totally unexpected) heart bypass surgery earlier this year. I could do with some of your nettles 🙂.
Oh, that's a big surgery. How has your recovery been. If you're interested in herbalism for heart disease, hawthorn is fantastic and is in the plant encyclopedia on my main page. It's safe with most blood pressure and cholesterol medications, but I'd have to double check that it's safe with metoprolol.
I just happened upon your motherwort essay and scrolled through your other writings until I found this one. It almost made me cry. I'm more attuned to the wild; plants, poems and prayer than the medical part of your story, but given a several years health journey, I've spent far too much time in
ERs and doctor's offices lately, but found none with your sensibilities. I can't wait to discover more.
Welcome Camille! I'm glad you were moved by this. There are more doctors and nurses that think this way than you might think (though we're still a minority), but the system definitely constrains how and how much you can integrate that into your practice. Unfortunately, for most of us it's hard to avoid callous treatment at the hands of doctors.
I have only just started reading Substack and found the Nettle Witch via a like from Sally Gillespie. I am a retired doctor in the uk, where medicine and a lot of society has also adopted the “pop a pill and away you go” story, but without the dollar signs, thanks to the NHS, or National Health Service, free at the point of care, funded by government through taxation. This service is very good and fixing the obviously broken, acutely, with no care of any of the other doshas, including simple compassionate care. I have just read Braiding Sweetgrass, and loved every word. Hence my subscription to your site. Thank you for being there.
Welcome Jane, I love to idealize non-US healthcare, but I know that many of the struggles are more universal like the desire for quick fixes and minimizing the importance of our health beyond the material realm. I think as doctors we are probably worst amongst us at tending to the energetic and emotional realms.
Amy. Hi. I'm sorry to say but I need a refund and have to cancel my subscription. I don't know how to do that. I'm a complete idiot with anything computer. I've had some unforeseen expenses recently and just have to cut back. Thank you for your assistance. Carey McDonald
I think I figured out how to do it. This is the first time I tried. The website said it takes 5-10 days to process refunds, so let me know if that doesn't work and I'll just paypal it to you. Let me see if I can figure out how to switch you to the free subscription. You'll still have access to all the content.
I’m so glad I’ve found your Substack. Much of what you’ve said I have learned and write about in my Substack - Steeped Stories. Though in a different voice. I am a former critical care and ER nurse and I agree- our healthcare system is lacking and is only good at acute care. We encounter the patient at a very late stage. Western medicine does not have all the tools to heal - only some of the tools. The individual has the remaining tools. True health requires nurturing these four aspects: physical, emotional, spiritual, and social harmony. Knowledge and prevention is key. This is in our power. Americans have been trained by Western medicine to take a pill for every ailment instead of doing the work required to regain health. It is our responsibility (healthcare professionals) to reeducate people.
I’m glad you found us too. To be honest, the dysfunction is so high in the system right now. I’m not sure it even functions well in the acute care settings because people can’t access acute care in the clinics and the ERs are often too overwhelmed, but as I said in my other comment, there are those major pillars of health that you mention too that really address much of our unwellness, but right now it’s often hard to know where to start.
Well, for some reason I just found this first text of yours and I'm finding it the most hopeful thing I've read around, both from personal and professional perspective. Thanks so much for this and I'm so glad you're in my radar! I feel like wanting to have a full on podcast with you! I look forward to reading more through your Substack. Hugs!
Thanks Mariana! We should definitely chat sometime. I have a friend that's nudging me toward doing a podcast and my husband's encouraging a YouTube channel. I think we could do something cool together.
Oh that's some good nudging right there then! I'd love to chat. Let's DM and plan a virtual cuppa tea! I've been wanting to experiment with podcast conversations for a long time. You never know! 🥰
I am completely intrigued by your writing. As a retired RN with two genetic diseases and three autoimmune diseases, I score high on the ACE study. (No surprise there.) I write about being a patient now, instead of the caregiving nurse and how the healthcare system is failing me (and everyone else). I have long been a student of mind and body. Your insight may provide me more beyond the IV infusions and myriad of medications that presently dominate my life. Perhaps you can add to my present exercise, meditation, and breathwork.
Hi Jan, welcome! Thank you for your kind words. You know from both ends how the healthcare industry is just an out of control trash ball running over everyone in its path (patients and care providers alike). I'm actually in the early stages of writing a book that dreams it can be another way.
I hope what I write about here can move the dial even a little bit for you. Do you engage in any ancestral connection practices? I think it's really helpful for everyone, but especially if your grandparents or parents weren't as loving and supportive as we might have hoped in life (which I'm inferring from your statement about ACEs, forgive me if I'm wrong).
If you are ever interested in working one one one, I am offering health-coaching and it's steeply discounted right now as I fine tune my approach. Happy to tell you more to help you discern whether it's a good fit.
You are correct. I have not done ancestral connection practices but it is interesting. Tell me more.
I first started doing ancestral connection practices with a woman named Lindsay Sudeikis. She trained with Daniel Foor, who has a great book called Ancestral Medicine which guides you in how you could do these practices yourself (which I think you could do if you recorded yourself reading the exercises he suggests). He has also trained a lot of facilitators (including Lindsay). Now, in addition to that, I've been initiated into a West African style of divination that consults with the wild spirits and the ancestors for guidance on rituals or acts that may help to heal these ancestral wounds (or a wide variety of other things). Generally, I find with the former I'm working more with the really ancient "wise and well" ancestors who are a powerful source of love and reassurance and with divination working more with tending to either the here and now or more recent ancestors. Both have a lot of value.
Sounds wild. I have to look into it a bit.
Oh let’s talk about that tomorrow!
Wow I LOVE all of this, Amy! Nodding my head vigorously as I read. Can't wait for our conversation tomorrow! 🎙️ 🪴 🎙️
Thanks Marcella, that was the post that started it all here on Substack! I'm starting work on a book about some similar topics (kind of a rewilding of healthcare).
Thanks Doc. Thouroughly enjoyed reading your info-packed post. I'm also somewhat sensitive to the whole discussion of 'healing' since having (totally unexpected) heart bypass surgery earlier this year. I could do with some of your nettles 🙂.
Oh, that's a big surgery. How has your recovery been. If you're interested in herbalism for heart disease, hawthorn is fantastic and is in the plant encyclopedia on my main page. It's safe with most blood pressure and cholesterol medications, but I'd have to double check that it's safe with metoprolol.
Thanks for the suggestion. Recovery was a challenge. Much, much better now, thank you.
Such a rich and wise distillation of what we know about our health from sources near and far and long ago! 👏
Thanks Baird!
I just happened upon your motherwort essay and scrolled through your other writings until I found this one. It almost made me cry. I'm more attuned to the wild; plants, poems and prayer than the medical part of your story, but given a several years health journey, I've spent far too much time in
ERs and doctor's offices lately, but found none with your sensibilities. I can't wait to discover more.
Welcome Camille! I'm glad you were moved by this. There are more doctors and nurses that think this way than you might think (though we're still a minority), but the system definitely constrains how and how much you can integrate that into your practice. Unfortunately, for most of us it's hard to avoid callous treatment at the hands of doctors.
Wow! I'm so excited to have stumbled upon your post. It is powerful, profound, and eye-opening!
Thank you so much Darcy! Welcome!
I have only just started reading Substack and found the Nettle Witch via a like from Sally Gillespie. I am a retired doctor in the uk, where medicine and a lot of society has also adopted the “pop a pill and away you go” story, but without the dollar signs, thanks to the NHS, or National Health Service, free at the point of care, funded by government through taxation. This service is very good and fixing the obviously broken, acutely, with no care of any of the other doshas, including simple compassionate care. I have just read Braiding Sweetgrass, and loved every word. Hence my subscription to your site. Thank you for being there.
Welcome Jane, I love to idealize non-US healthcare, but I know that many of the struggles are more universal like the desire for quick fixes and minimizing the importance of our health beyond the material realm. I think as doctors we are probably worst amongst us at tending to the energetic and emotional realms.
Amy. Hi. I'm sorry to say but I need a refund and have to cancel my subscription. I don't know how to do that. I'm a complete idiot with anything computer. I've had some unforeseen expenses recently and just have to cut back. Thank you for your assistance. Carey McDonald
I think I figured out how to do it. This is the first time I tried. The website said it takes 5-10 days to process refunds, so let me know if that doesn't work and I'll just paypal it to you. Let me see if I can figure out how to switch you to the free subscription. You'll still have access to all the content.