October 15, 2025 • 60 mins
Today, Dr. Erin Stokes, naturopathic doctor and medical director at WishGarden Herbs, explores how herbal wisdom can help us reconnect with our most authentic selves, which means restoring balance, bringing calm, and really amplifying the resilience we have for our everyday life. Devi and Dr Stokes discuss the journey of healing, transcending through nature, and the significant role that plants play in our physical and emotional well-being. Dr. Erin shares her path into natural medicine, the importance of understanding our body’s stress responses, and how herbal remedies can support us in our daily lives. They also touch on the significance of creating a supportive lifestyle and the joy of personal discovery through interacting with plants. Filled with practical insights and a deep appreciation for nature’s gifts, this episode encourages listeners to embrace a holistic approach to health, self-care and also announces the new partnership between WishGarden Herbs and Devi Brown.
Connect: @DeviBrown @ErinStokesND
Learn More: WishGardenHerbs.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Take a deep breath in through your nose. Holds it.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Now, release slowly again, deep in, helle.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Hold release, repeating internally to yourself as you connect to
my voice. I am deeply well. I am deeply well.
(01:22):
I am deeply.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I'm Debbie Brown and this is the Deeply Well Podcast.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Welcome to Deeply Well, a soft place to land on
your journey, a podcast for those that are curious, creative,
and ready to expand in higher consciousness and self care.
This is where we heal, this is where we transcend.
Welcome back to Deeply Well everyone. Of course, as always,
(01:57):
I'm your host, Debbie Brown. I am all as so
honored and so grateful to be here with you, whether
I am coming into your ears or you are watching
us on YouTube. Thank you for letting me and this
beautiful work into your space. On today's episode, we are
exploring how returning to herbal wisdom can help us reconnect
(02:20):
to our authentic selves, our most authentic selves, which means
restoring balance, bringing calm, and really amplifying the resilience we
have for our everyday life. Joining me today is doctor
Aaron Stokes, a naturopathic doctor and medical director at Wish
Garden herbs who's passionate about helping people live healthier, more
(02:44):
vibrant lives through the healing power of plants. So excited
for this one, and I am so delighted to announce
to everyone on the show today that we are in
partnership together. So thrilled to be working with Wish Garden
and to share more.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Throughout this episode of all the ways that.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
The beautiful work that they do their creations, just the
way that it has really aided and supported me on
the health journey that I know everyone who listens to
the show has really been hearing from from me for
the last couple of years. So I'm so excited to
dive into the crevices and bring out.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
The tools for all of us.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So let me introduce our guest doctor, Aaron Stokes ND
believes that transformation begins when we reconnect with the healing
power of nature. As a naturopathic doctor for twenty plus years,
Aarin has dedicated her career to translating complex health concepts
into actionable insights that empower individuals to be active participants.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
In their own healing.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Her journey into natural medicine began early planning her first
HERB Garden in High Goal. While growing up in a
family steeped in medical tradition, with both her father and
grandfather as surgeons, she chose a revolutionary path that honors
both scientific rigor and nature's wisdom. Since earning her naturopathic
(04:17):
medicine degree in two thousand and one, Doctor Aaron has
remained true to the foundational principles that drew her to
this field, honoring the body's innate healing capacity, treating the
whole person rather than isolated symptoms, and serving as both
doctor and teacher. Her passion for education has shaped every
(04:38):
aspect of her career, from her early days teaching at
Southwest Acupuncture College to providing personalized health consultations as a
lead practitioner at Pharmica. In a grative pharmacy, she discovered
her gift for making complex medical knowledge engaging, inspiring and practical.
(04:58):
Currently serving as a medical director at Wish Garden Herbs,
Doctor Aaron Stokes is at the forefront of innovative herbal education.
She is a media spokesperson and frequent podcast guest, being
featured in Forbes Well and Good Eating, Well Medium Britain
Co and The Every Girl podcast. Doctor Aaron is known
(05:19):
for engaging personal style and deep scientific knowledge to create
an environment where learning becomes both inspiring and actionable. Welcome
to the show, Doctor Erin. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Thank you, deb You've just read that so beautifully. I
don't know that I've ever heard my bio read. It's
such grace and passion and so thank you. I'm just
delighted to be here.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Thank you, Oh, thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I know, like I think the thing that I'm most
excited as a lifelong learner about this episode, and I
want to let everybody know, get your notebooks, get your
pin this is a learning and teaching episode.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
There will be.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Things that you will want to write down and places
that she'll go and tools that she'll get. So, doctor Stokes,
you know, I love the theme of this.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Conversation that we're going to have. There are so many.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Pathways and crevices and places that we can go, but
coming back to our authentic selves through nature and the
wisdom of herbs. Like wow, you know, I think something
that I share on this show a lot that even
in some of the challenge and hardship around all the
(06:34):
stresses that our body goes through in today's day and age,
both environmental stresses to the actual stress of being alive
and the challenges that are happening around us. You know,
this idea, especially now, of connecting with your authentic self,
I think for some people feels both really inspiring and
(06:54):
also feels really out of reach, because you say, how
do I even kind of get into that GUI center
when I have to fight through all the walls that
I'm building up just to get through my day?
Speaker 1 (07:07):
What is the pathway to that?
Speaker 4 (07:10):
You know? I believe that pathway is always found through nature,
and no matter where you live, in who you are,
you can always come back to nature. It can be
a moment of sitting in a patch of grass in
your backyard and looking up at the stars after a
really long day. It can be a walk around the
(07:31):
block where you hear the birds singing, or you maybe
notice a plant blooming, or this time of year the
leaves changing.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
But we are part of nature.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
We have been, We've co evolved in the natural world
with plants forever, and so when we come back to nature,
we come back home to ourselves. Yeah, and so it
doesn't have to be too complicated, And I get that,
like coming home to your authentic self, that could feel
a bit overwhelming.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
It feels like big work.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
It feels like big work.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
And I think it is in its big opportunity. And
I would say the place to start is getting grounded
with who you really are and just returning to the
natural world and returning to nature in whatever way that
looks like. And I do believe that no matter who
you are and where you live, you can find those
small moments to do that.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, truly.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I mean even in cities like New York. Right, it
may be like a much smaller park, but it is
access to green, it is access to soil, It is
access to even the sense that plants make when they're
you know, breaking down on the ground and everything else
around it. Something you said I find so fascinating because
(08:47):
I don't know if I've ever really looked at evolution
in those terms, you know, Like I think about how
humans evolve, and we've been taught that in school. Sure,
we think about how, you know, different speed sees of
animals have evolved over time.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
We've learned that.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
But this idea that like also plants, like the actual earth,
the green, the soil, it's been evolving next to us
at the same time. What does that mean and how
has that worked? And like, what are plants becoming?
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Well, they've been evolving next to us. An excellent question,
and we've been such a part of it. And so
you can look at ancient texts from literally all over
the world. It's one of my favorite things to learn
about and also talk about, is sort of this ancient
wisdom and how it applies in modern times. And so
(09:39):
when you look at writings, you'll see that whether it's
Hippocrates or whether it's Ayurvedic medicine in India, words have
been written about these plants, uses of how the plants
were utilized, in how people existed with the plants, and
they're in poems, they're in literature, they're science, and so
(10:02):
people were intimately connected with these plants in the past.
And often what we find is that modern science is
validating what the traditional new use of a plant was,
and so people were aware of that long before now,
(10:22):
and so it's almost really a return to plant wisdom.
And I really like to look at plants on the continuum.
I think it helps people understand. All of us are
really familiar with nutrition. Yeah, we know, for example, blueberries
are very healthy for us and blueberries have a beautiful
(10:43):
blue color from a compound called antiscionins, And so we
know about things like that, you know, nutrition, phytonutrients. Certain
plants are high in vitamin C, and so when you
look at the continuum of plants as nutrition to really
plants is herbal remedies and it's still plant power. And
one of the things I really return to is I
(11:04):
believe in the power of plants. I mean, I believe
in the power of people. And I think that the
power of plants and the power of people can come
together and it's like this really exciting, largely untapped world
that some people are utilizing on a regular basis, but
many people aren't. And so that's this opportunity through a
(11:27):
podcasts like yours, where you're reaching so many people to
share this.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Yeah, And I think that's it's something I really love
and find sacred about doing this show. And definitely when
I hear back from the audience, it's we are creating
the new recipes of our lives, you know, through tools,
through process, through self evaluation, and through really learning how
what our body needs and how we can find more
(11:55):
support supportive structure for those kind of more heart centered
goals you may have in the world. You know, I
really want to know, because it's just so this work
is so fascinating, and even feeling your energy and your
reverence for the work, I think is so deep.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
How did you decide that this was your path.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Especially coming from a household where you easily could have
gone maybe the surgeon route, yes, but you had both
and this was where you felt most led.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
I really I think again it goes back to nature.
I just kept getting drawn towards nature and the natural world,
and learning from a really young age about other alternatives.
And I have deep respect for the legacy of medicine
and surgeons, my dad, my grandfather, and I was different,
(12:50):
and I think I knew that from a pretty young age,
talking about planning my first herb garden and growing acnetias.
I was just fascinated. I just kept being drawn in
that direction. And I think that sometimes we pay attention
to where we're being drawn in life, and there are
certainly times when I have not paid attention, But in
(13:11):
this case I did, Thank Goodness, and I knew that
there was a different path for me. And when I
discovered that I could sort of bring both together and.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Also use my voice. I love the education part.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
I love do Sarah doctors teacher and it doesn't even
have to be doctor, it's just people as teachers, well
being educators as teachers. Like I think that there's so
much power. You know, I talk about the power plants,
but I also believe that knowledge is power, and when
we can help give people tools and information, there's actually
(13:50):
nothing that gets me more excited because it's just like
this metamorphosis that can happen in people.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, totally, totally.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
You know, so as are kind of like, really we're
moving into some juicy parts of this interview. You know,
something that we have talked about and that you talk
about is returning to authenticity requires both inner work, but
it requires outer support. I think, you know, without having
(14:19):
a lifestyle that really holds up those deeper goals and
desires we have for ourselves on these journeys that we
take ourselves on, you know, the work remains incomplete. We
have to bring it into our bodies. Can you share
what it means to you to have outer support to
that inner work and how do herbs play a role
(14:40):
in that?
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Yes, well I'll give you an example if that.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Yeah, so I think that plants can really be our
allies in this work, and it can be through a
single herb, and it can also be through a blend.
And so one of the things that I love to
talk about our nervings and their whole category of herbs
(15:05):
that help to calm and soothe.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Our nervous system.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
And believe it or not, milky oat tops, So milky
oats oats are what's called a nervous system tropho restorative,
and what that means is it really helps both calm
and soothe and restore the nervous system. Because I think
there's like this element of calming and also restoring.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
And so you could be.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Someone that's doing the work of meditating and yoga and
some of these practices that you talk about in your
book and that both you and I do on a
daily basis, and then the plants, like a plant like
milky oats, milky oat tops can really then soothe and
(15:55):
nurture your nervous system. And then there's a bigger formula
that contains that and more called emotional ally. An emotional
ally is just that it's an ally in those times
of stress or duress that can really help you and
help guide and soothe their nervous system while you're doing
(16:17):
that inter work. So it's kind of like that idea
of you don't need to go it alone. Yeah, that
really applies of course to other people in our community.
But you don't need to go it alone, meaning you
have one of the sort of subheading of emotional ally
is a big herbal.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Hug, because that's literally what it is.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Those nervings help to soothe and ground and it doesn't
it's not like it takes something away.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
It's not meant to numb or or change.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
It just helps to you to feel a little bit
more like I can do this, I got this.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
I really want to ground, like really ground in this
for a moment, because this is the piece where a
lot of people perhaps make choices that take them away
from what their desires are for themselves, right like when
we are just feeling sometimes like for example, myself and
(17:22):
I've shared this on the show and I think in
my book, but you know, sometimes I'd be going through
so many things and I'd have so much stress and
my body was just having such strong reactions that you
just try to even go take a class like a
meditation class, a yoga class, or sit down in your
house to do it, you know, alone, and it's like
(17:46):
you can't get your body or your brain or your
heart to calm down enough to get into your practice.
So then you tell yourself things like okay, well, so
then I'm just not going to do it because you
don't know how to get past that part of the limit.
And usually that limit is so triggering, right, like when
you're in process with yourself and you don't yet know
(18:08):
or understand that you have to build tolerance for peace,
You have to build you have to practice what it
feels like to relax. That all of that is not
innately natural, especially in today's day and age, to just
be like kind of your through line feeling. But when
you have a companion for the journey, when you have
(18:30):
an ally you know, on the path with you, really
like through tinctures, through herbs, through getting into nature, through
these things that have existed as long as we have
that's what keeps you in the room. That's what keeps
you in your practice. That can keep you showing up
as the truth of who you are, not the dysregulated
(18:53):
version of who you are in each moment in a
natural way, you know, in a way that is not
habit forming in a way that is really heart opening
and also teaching you. You're learning, you're learning how to
meet your needs. I think to me that's one of
the most remarkable parts of the journey. When you get
to this stage where you're able to start working with herbs,
(19:15):
where you're able to start, you know, creating your own
little kind of cocktails in the moment of what you need.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
You start to feel so powerful you.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Do because I think part of it is acknowledging yourself
in where you're at. And for example, I talked about
emotional ally and that sort of overwhelmed or grief or stress.
But another one that really another blend, and these are
masterfullet crafted herbal tincture blends that our formulator, our founder,
(19:53):
Catherine Hunzig Are she put these together and I as
a naturopathic doctor, I can say that when I first
learn about Wish Garden Herbs, which I want to tell
you actually just about real quick I the very first
tincture I took from Wishgarden IRBs, so as a naturalathic doctor,
I've known them forever twenty years, was the postpartum Emotional
(20:16):
Baby Blues tincture. My son is nineteen and I took
that after.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
He was born.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Wow, and it really met this true need of it's
sort of like an acknowledgment of what is it's natural,
you know, when those hormones really drop after childbirth to
have some of those feelings and feeling on this wave
of hormones and emotions and all the things, and so
(20:47):
it's meeting you. It's these blends can meet you in
these moments of your life. And there's different ones for
different times in your hormonally life, and then different times
in kind of more what we're talking about today's kind
of like your nervous system, whether that's overwhelm or liquid
(21:11):
Bliss was one that came to mind because it has
these heart centering and opening herbs. And when you were
talking about that feeling of I've got so much going on,
like I.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Don't even want to go to the yoga class, Like.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
That's how where some people are out there, like I
don't even want to show up for this dinner party tonight.
And of course you need to check back in with
yourself and decide it's best for you. But and sometimes
it's just about feeling. Like we talked about liquid Bliss
a little bit before the podcast that there's heart centering
herbs in that sense of giving you a feeling of
(21:46):
groundedness and safety to go out and do maybe.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
The things you want to do. And so it's like,
how can.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
These these blends meet you in these different moments of
your life to support you in being your highest, most
authentic self.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Deeply?
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Well, what is happening in that moment? Like you know,
some terms that a lot of us are used to
hearing now are things like fight or flight that that
happens when stress happens, or you know, your cortisol levels rise.
What is happening in your body and what is the
herb doing to your body to create.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
A different experience grit.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
That is a great question.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
So first I kind of want to reframe for a
minute of our stress response is intended to protect us,
because not all stress is bad necessarily or good. It's
just we haven't We have an innate stress response. It's
hardwired into our system. And fight or flight, which we
(22:56):
often talk about, is a negative thing because in modern
times we experienced it over and over, but really it's
intended to save us. So we all probably had a
moment when maybe actually, I just had one the other
day where someone was merging onto excuse me, onto the
road and they I don't know, they just didn't see me,
(23:16):
and all of a sudden, they were sort of merging
into my car, and I just moved really quickly without
even thinking about it.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
I just moved like immediately. My heart was pounding and
all the things.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
I got really sweaty, but I did exactly what they
needed to do, and there wasn't a car accident, and
thank goodness, everyone was fine.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
So we can all think of a moment.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Or make the moments where our stress response has protected us.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Thank you for explaining it like that, because yeah, there
is like, let's have some respect for you know, the
way our body is meeting that need.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Yeah, you got it, because we're really elegantly designed to
do those things. So what happens in modern and keep
saying modern times, but we're not facing a tiger. I
mean these kind of like these the proverbial fighter flight
where there was a true real.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Threat you're gonna get eaten.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yes, yeah, so that's not happening.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
But what we don't do is then you are supposed
to ideally go into fight or flight and then come
back to not exactly homeostasis, but the more relaxed rest
and digest state. And that's why parasympathetic mode is called
rest and digest. If you're in that fighter flight state
(24:37):
over and over for now, it gets triggered about you know,
I just was lucky enough to fly here to day
to be with you. But it could get triggered by
you know, I'm late for my flight right right, or
I have got a work deadline, or I just had
a you know, fight with my significant other, and we
(24:57):
just trigger it over and over. And what happens over
time is that we go even beyond the adrenaline of
fight or flight to cortisol. And so cortisol A lot
of people know about cortisol, but they might wonder what
exactly is going on. This is when really our stress
response is activated long term and we have high cortisol
(25:21):
and it leads to a whole host of issues that
we could talk about now and maybe even its own podcast.
But it really relates to our immune system not working
as well. Is it needs to sleep issues, poor concentration.
(25:42):
It really messes with our energy levels. It affects our
cardiovascular system. I mean, really, Debbie the list goes on,
and so I want us to respect our stress response,
but they also want us to take it seriously because
I think a lot of times we almost override our ourselves,
we override our nervous system. We just say I got
(26:04):
to get this done and then maybe I'll rest next week,
next month, next year. But our invitation now is to
really say, you know what, we can do this better today.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Oh that's so that.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
I mean, it's just so deeply true because that piece
especially of like I can get to it next year,
or like I'll get to whatever it.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Is when the stress comes down.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
And I think something that we're all as a species
learning to navigate is well, stress may be the constant,
you know, it really may be in this world that
we're all trying to we're living into worlds. We're living
in our technology world, we're living in kind of our
natural life. But that's going to stress our you know,
(26:49):
absolutely highly intelligent, genius, miraculous human bodies and brains out
you know, we weren't designed to do as much as
we're doing right now now.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
So I really love that.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
I love the framing of that because again, like these
are the things that we do have control over and
these are the ways we can really develop profound learning
about our own bodies, like studying how your body responds
and then knowing how to.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Meet the need and what to meet the need with.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yes, it's both, and I think it's a combination. Yeah,
of I do soft belly you know, deep belly breathing
to try to really activate the vagus nerve and bring
that parasympathetic mode. I do that really intentionally on a
daily basis. And so it's not you know, as a
(27:42):
natraatic doctor, I'm always thinking of the whole picture. So
the herbs are such valuable allies and think you were
asking about you know, they have really specific constituents in them,
but yeah, help calm the nervous system. Sometimes there there's
an interplay with neurotransmitters even like gabba or serotonin. I mean,
(28:08):
there's really these profound ways that they're helping our system
on a phytochemistry level, and so there is science to it.
It's so I think sometimes people wonder how are they
working well? They have they all the different plants have constituents.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
What does that mean?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Constituents sort of like Okay, I think of one that
a lot of people know so turmeric. Yeah, Tumeric is
this gorgeous orange root really a riz on that's related
to ginger. And so you've probably heard of kirkcumin. Yeah,
but kircumin is not turmeric. Kircumin is a part of tumeric.
(28:52):
It's a compound in tumeric. So all of these plants
have different compounds in them.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Does that mean?
Speaker 4 (29:00):
So, so there's the plant itself, and then there's all
the pieces of the plant. There's all the parts of
the plant. It's a little bit analogous to there's broccoli
and then there's vitamin C actually in broccoli. There's also
public acid in broccoli. That the herbs are similar, it's
just some of their constituents like curcumin or something may
(29:23):
not be as well known, but they have like holy
basil has or solic acid, ashwaganda has something called wa
thanolides that a lot of you know, it's kind of.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
Like a marker.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
And so these are different like parts of the plant,
and some of the parts, like curcumin and tumeric is
very widely studied. The wathanolides and are very highly studied,
and some of them are more study than others.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Well, it's in and it's interesting too. Because especially the last.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Handful of herbs you named, you know, use you've been
seeing those names since antiquity, you know, like Holy Basil,
like Ashwagonda especially, you know in my like that the
dating back of that as such a useful tool for
the human you know, the human body. It's been very documented.
(30:17):
Are we seeing you know what is it that's happening
right now? Or even in the last maybe forty fifty
years where it almost felt like there was like a
pushing away of like no, all of that stuff, no,
go this way, you know, go into more of it,
the industrial complex of medicine, and then now we're seeing like,
oh my god, no, all these things like they've always worked,
(30:39):
they still work.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
What are you noticing?
Speaker 4 (30:42):
So what I'm really noticing is that people want to
be more connected to there what they're taking in their bodies.
So if we even just look at the resurgence of farmers' markets.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Right, yeah, I was just talking about that. That's so funny,
you are.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Yeah, it's happening because it's exciting to know these carrots
were grown at a farm fiften to fifteen miles from here.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
I'm meeting this farmer. These are local to me.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
People are just I think in this era of technology
and always being connected, ironically, people are feeling more disconnected
than ever and also just wanting to just get back
to understanding both where things are coming from and taking
(31:39):
back power.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I mean, that's honestly sort of almost the bigger picture
that even connects with know your farmer or know where
your herbs are coming from. You know, we work with
these amazing organic farms and wildcrafters that are sustainably harvesting
the plants. Is that that knowledge again, and going back
(32:03):
to that theme of knowledge is power is there's also
just taking back power for your health, in your well being.
And so if you know, for example, like the other day,
I don't know, I ate something that just didn't really
agree with me, and so Gi Tractor was feeling a
(32:24):
little off, and this is going somewhere. So in addition
to taking probiotics, which I do every day, I reach
for my digestive Rescue from wish Carden and I know
it has peppermint and ginger, and I even as I
was taking it, I thought, this is going to help me,
and it did. This will help soothe whatever is going on,
And so it's part of that taking back that power.
(32:46):
So if you're in that state of overwhelmed, like I
know a lot of people that carry emotional ally in
their backpack or their their purse or their bag or pocket.
It's that idea of have a resource. Yeah, I can
do lots of different things to whether it's the deep breathing,
(33:09):
taking the tincture, doing the thing like I can take
back power for my health and well being.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, God gosh, I think it's just
so important for people to hear that because this is
a time, this is an era where we have to
learn how to care for ourselves and we have to
learn how to take our emotional power back, you know,
how to be with just whatever is true and real
(33:38):
about our lives. And this piece of it, really, I
can't understate how much it excites me. And I feel
a very emotional connection because a lot of people know
who listen to this show. I have been on a
health journey my whole life, but especially this last couple
of years, and so I first got connected to your
products as I was like in Sprouts, like looking trying
(34:03):
to find things to help me.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
I didn't know that yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
And Spouts and you just saw wish Grinian tinctures.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Absolutely, I was starting my journey with tinctures, and I
was starting. I'm I'm such a nerd. I love to learn.
I'm a metal learner. And so I was studying a
few years ago herbs, and I was studying how as
I was building my garden that I have what kinds
of things that I could plant that my son and
(34:31):
I could learn how to use over time.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
And so I.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Started planting some different herbs for teas and berries and
things like that, and the garden is expanding. But I
knew it would be you know, I didn't have to
figure it all out in one weekend, and I didn't
have to read one book and know how to do
all of it.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
But I was like, how can.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
I slowly learn to really give my unique body, my
son's unique body, our brains what they need. And so
we were out it at a time where I was
traveling so much for work, which for those that travel
a lot, whether work or pleasure, you know you have
to protect your immunity.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Like you got it, like you gotta fight for it.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
And then having a young elementary school child when I
kind of started this journey, he had started kindergarten and
when you put your kid in.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
School, Oh, the whole house is getting sick.
Speaker 5 (35:24):
It's real. It's all the time in everybody.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
I mean it's Oh.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
I was getting knocked down like full blown, like flu
symptoms once a month.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
You're out for a week.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
And that's hard, travel and all of everything you're doing.
I mean, it's hard for anybody.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
But that's so I was fed up.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
I was like, you will learn how to care for yourself, woman,
But so yes I did, yeah, I and I found
daily immunity and so using those and I then you know,
now I know gratefully all how all the products are working,
and that you have products for kids which have been
really wonderful for quests too, because Lord knows they're not
(36:07):
going to take what you take. But if he has
his own kids, one, yes, it's good. So I was
just sharing with you. Inside my house, we have an apothecary,
and so he has his little station, he has his
wish garden products, he has his own magnesium and the
things that he does, and then I have my little section.
And part of our ritual every single day in our
(36:31):
home is we start our morning there and we end
our day there. And we give ourselves what we need
and we do a body scan, we check in with our.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Bodies, like what do I need today?
Speaker 2 (36:41):
You know?
Speaker 3 (36:41):
For me, sometimes it's immunity or feeling a little grief,
you know from my lived experience. Or I know I'm
about to get on a plane, I'm going to move
through a couple hundred people, you know in a few hours.
So let me have a little bliss in my cup.
And so it just you know, I I know we're
giving everyone so much information, but no, you don't have
(37:06):
to figure out all the like perfect ways to care
for yourself. But by connecting with like true like companions
for the journey, like true support as you learn yourself
and then notice the nuance, you know, like notice that
when you did feel at a high and then maybe
you know you did have a couple pumps of the
(37:27):
bliss in your water, what did it feel like afterwards?
And how soon did you feel a difference? And then
at the end of the day did you feel a
difference And notice for yourself, Okay, that worked, That's going
in my kit, that's in my arsenal for how I
care for myself, you know, or hey, maybe I'm going
to try this one next time, because maybe I was
actually experiencing this. But one of my teachers said many
(37:51):
years ago, I say this quite a bit, but be
a scientist in your life, you know, be a scientist
of yourself. And I think working with products like this,
it really gives you that opportunity to start learning yourself,
to start knowing, you know, how how that inner space
really works, what's going on in there, and then to
(38:13):
how to develop because I think with anything new that
we try, and I hope I'm drilling this home in
the right way for whoever needs to hear it, to
really hear it, know that it can absolutely be valid
that it feels overwhelming to learn how to care for
yourself and care about yourself. That is a big part
(38:35):
of what the journey is, what the work is. But
especially when you're noticing pains or discomforts or anxiety in
your body, that can be really challenging and it can
bring up a lot of judgments. But I think it's
so important for us to know that when you start
this journey, you have the rest of your life to
learn it. You don't have to figure all of this out,
(38:58):
you don't have to know every name for everything and
where it goes and what it does. You know, in
a weekend, in a day like let yourself have some
creative fun with this process too, and know you know
it's gonna take a little time, but once you do,
you actually develop relationship with whatever is in front of
(39:18):
you that is meeting your need, that's your companion for
your body for the journey. You're developing your own personal
relationship of knowing when to take it, you know, knowing
how much you need knowing. Hey like myself personally, I
know I always have immunity and bliss in my bag
every time I travel for work. It's packed, it's ready
(39:40):
to go. I would love to bring the whole line.
I don't always have that much room, but I know
if I have those two things, that's what I need
and that allows me to continue to be who I
really am as I'm moving through the world and just
navigating the very honest and true natural stressors of my
life and of being alive on earth in this year.
(40:02):
So it's going to be like a special process figuring
out what helps me be my most ideal, authentic self,
and it's going to be unique for each of us.
So I wanted to make sure that I shared that,
because that is also part of the joy of the
process when you gather this info and then how many
of us learn these things and then we teach them
(40:25):
and we share them and we give that kind of
inner freedom to another person.
Speaker 4 (40:30):
I think you touched on something so important of just
it can be really overwhelming, and it's this also this
great opportunity.
Speaker 5 (40:40):
So I think if.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
It's like we're sort of just like hopefully opening the
door and to kind of find some joy and have
some fun with it. Yeah, of just finding what works
for you, Like you were saying you always travel with
kick ass immune in liquid bliss, and for me, like
I will not walk out the door for a trip
without sleepy nights, which we haven't talked about yet, but
(41:04):
for me, sleep is so important and sleeping when I'm
traveling is not always the greatest, but with sleepy nights,
it's just an ally for me, again going back to
just knowing that I have it, it just provides a
sense of ease of Okay, I've got this blend I
can take right before bed, and even if you wake
up in the middle of the night, you can take it.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
What's happening into your body when you take it.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
So it's a really gentle formula, gentle and effective formula
of three herbs, skull cap, passion, flower and hops. And
you may know like hops is isn't that like sleep
and it's a beer?
Speaker 3 (41:43):
Yeah, yeah, that's all I remember hearing it.
Speaker 4 (41:45):
Yeah, sure, And those herbs just kind of help you. Catherine,
who is our founder and master formulator, talks about just
sort of go over almost like the bridge from like
wakefulness to sleep, just kind of like walking over to
just a calm. It sort of helps your nervous system
calm those three herbs in particular, and so it's soothing
(42:09):
without sedating.
Speaker 5 (42:11):
And so that doesn't have any.
Speaker 4 (42:13):
Melatonin in it, which I knows some people like to use,
but that's just a totally different thing. It doesn't have
any Valerian, which is sort of a heavier plant with
like sort of a stronger energy that may and not
just energy, but can constituents. Again that may make someone
(42:34):
even feel a little grogging the next morning. So it's
just this elegant blend of just three herbs. And I
mean I have it right now for you know, being here,
And so it is just that idea that we're all
individuals and we'll each find our own path and find
(42:55):
some joy and really realizing of what you need. I
know other people that will not leave without digestive rescue.
For me, I'm okay. I mean, but I have it
at home in my medicine cabinet. So we all are
so unique, and there's such opportunity with plants in plant
medicine to sort of find your path, whether you know
(43:20):
your stress however manifests, like for example, in the muscular
skeletal realm, we have a blend called serious relax, so
it's more about the physical realm. So we just really
find our way, and I just invite people it's it's
to enjoy the journey and recognize that there are their
(43:42):
teachers on the path and to find resources and hopefully
you know, one of the things I try to do
is not make it it's too overwhelming, because you really
want it to be accessible for.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
It, yeah yeah, and feel fun and feel creative.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
And be like wow, that helped me, that really you
That's that's one of my favorite parts of what I
do is when someone goes, wow, that really made a difference,
or I have a friend it's like the editor lives
in the South, and I sent him sleeping nights and
he texted me and he said, gosh, you know, that's
(44:17):
like the most rest And he didn't say thatt even best.
He said, the most RESTful sort of calming nights sleep I've.
Speaker 5 (44:25):
Had a long time.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (44:27):
And it was I think it was just because it
actually just helped him just calm a little bit.
Speaker 5 (44:32):
Yeah, so he could so he could get the rest
that you need it.
Speaker 3 (44:36):
Yeah, yeah, and we deserve it, and we deserve it.
Speaker 4 (44:41):
We just deserve the sleep well, to eat well, ye,
do all the things, you know.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
The feeling good in our bodies.
Speaker 4 (44:48):
Sit in the sun like it's it's all good medicine.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Yeah, truly, listen to good music, put on a good playlist.
Everyone knows that is my cham Go out ground your feet,
feel the sun on your face, feel the freedom in
your body. That's right, deeply well, I am so very
(45:17):
very very very like like very pristine and strict. I
feel like about like what I put in my body,
like where you know, what I choose to kind of
even physically like be around in the world. You know,
Like I think we have to really think in those terms.
And I think one of the things I was so
(45:38):
excited when I first discovered your company, and then when
we were starting to begin our relationship together, was this
is a fully like woman owned business. It is you
all are based out of Colorado, it's woman owned, it's
family run, and it's about what is real, which is
that level of this authenticity is extremely important to me
(46:02):
because now wellness is this massive, multi trillion dollar industry
complex in its own and we have to be connected,
I think, to the best ingredients, especially in the space
of homeopathic, of organic, the best ingredient and a high
level of integrity of product and mission and intention.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
So I was like thrilled.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
I was like, woman owned, family run in Colorado. So
I was just imagining you all. I'm like, they're probably
sitting outside listening to the trees, developing formulas. What first
connected you with wish Garden and if you could please
share with us just a little more background about the company,
how it came to be and what is the mission?
Speaker 4 (46:47):
Absolutely so really, I think the mission is around empowering
people with verbal remedies. And Catherine is our founder. I
met over twenty years ago and she's a really special
person and Wishgarden Nerves is forty six years old. So
I gives of the history and tradition. And I met
(47:10):
Catherine and she was talking with me about her formulas,
me being a natur traffic doctor in Boulder, Colorado, and
I knew right away what a special person she was
and is. And she's really started as an activist. She's
deep in the midwif free tradition and all about empowering
(47:32):
people and especially women because we have a long history
of tinctures both for pregnancy, postpartum, different hormonal phases and stages,
and that's really a passion of hers.
Speaker 5 (47:45):
And who she is.
Speaker 4 (47:46):
She also is a master formulator.
Speaker 5 (47:49):
I mean when I every time.
Speaker 4 (47:51):
I look at these blends, I just think how elegantly
and honestly smartly designed they are. And so it's really
a privilege to be a part. When you said real
the words that we're coming to mind is like wish Gardens,
the real deal.
Speaker 5 (48:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (48:07):
I'm fortunate to get to work with them.
Speaker 5 (48:10):
It is Colorado.
Speaker 4 (48:11):
Born, woman owned, family run and I get to work
with Catherine's son and daughter on a regular basis, and
so I just feel I feel blessed, honestly to be
a part of it. And I think it's part of
a bigger movement to bring you know, these these rbal
remedies in these fast acting liquid orbal tinctures. And that's
(48:35):
the great thing about them is that I'm just gonna
bring one up here. This daily immune is the one
I happen to have in my hand. But we have
this pump top is you know well, Debbie, because you
take these but you can just take.
Speaker 5 (48:46):
It right in a little bit.
Speaker 4 (48:47):
Of water and you just put it directly. You know,
the directions are right on the label, in a little
bit of water and you take It's easy, you know,
and easy is important so important our health and wellness.
It can't be too complicated now or too hard to
do because then people aren't going.
Speaker 5 (49:08):
To stop tunity idea.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
And so these fast acting liquid or wiltinctures, these plants
that are grown with the highest integrity, and you know
it's about the best ingredients. But you were also recently
decorp certified, which is honestly just really bringing into sort
of making it official of what Wish Garden has been
(49:30):
doing all along of working with our people, like the
farmers that grow the plants, the wildcrafters that they're aren't
earning a fair and living wage. I mean, it really
goes out into the whole world that they're being grown
and harvested sustainably in a way the honors the earth.
And so it's really from the very beginning to what
(49:52):
is actually in the bottle. And I can just say
that Catherine and the whole family like they they have
the highest standards. And I feel really lucky because living
in Colorado, I get to work hybrid model, which I
really like. So I'm I'm home working a few days
(50:12):
a week, and I'm in the office two days every week,
and the tinctures are.
Speaker 5 (50:18):
Being made in the same building.
Speaker 4 (50:19):
We're all in the same building together, so the plants
are all coming in and the tinctures are being made,
and the people are.
Speaker 5 (50:27):
In the you know, like me, are doing work on
the computer.
Speaker 3 (50:30):
Andcle I can't wait to take a tour. I'm like,
I need to see all of this magic, Fay for
you to.
Speaker 5 (50:35):
Come and take a tour.
Speaker 4 (50:36):
And we all actually meet like daily in the kitchen,
you know, and see each other in walk and so
it's it's it's the real deal, and it's a it's
a special place to be a part of. And I
think that the collection of tinctures that we have to
meet real life moments make it special.
Speaker 1 (50:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (51:00):
Yeah, Wow, Well, I am just I'm so honored and
I'm so thrilled to be in partnership with you all.
I believe in this so deeply, so much, And you know,
I really know and understand my life's work to be
about helping people alleviate internal suffering and find the tools
(51:23):
that work best for their unique bodies, brains and hearts
and lived experience.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
So I'm just really honored to be with you all.
Speaker 4 (51:32):
We're really honored to work with you, Deb And I
think it's just such a powerful partnership because the practices
that you are bringing into the world through your voice,
through your book, through your work. I feel like it's
just a it's a great collaboration. I mean, they come,
they come together, Yeah, and I think you and I
(51:55):
are both living that. And all we would like to
do is invite more.
Speaker 5 (51:59):
People people, yeah, to do that. Yeah, just to share it,
to share.
Speaker 3 (52:05):
Yeah, to heal to share, and to feel like truly
you know, and not in the kind of cheesy New
Year way, but to feel like our best selves whatever
that best can be for each moment. Can we rise
to the heights of whatever each unique moment can bring
us inwardly and outwardly.
Speaker 4 (52:27):
Absolutely, And I think I hear you because sometimes you
feel like you don't want me to say best self
or authentic self. You know, you want that to have
integrity and to feel real. But the thing is is
that it's humans. We have this incredible capacity to grow
and change.
Speaker 5 (52:48):
It is in so true every.
Speaker 4 (52:50):
Single person on this planet. And I am fortunate to
see it all the time, and so I really do
believe in you know, these for example, that every day
is you start, every moment is honestly, and you start,
you wake up in the morning, it's a fresh day.
Like we we can do that, and it often happens
(53:13):
not in some kind of overnight change, but in these
these steps that we can take, these moments where we
maybe start to actually meditate and we only start for
like ten minutes a day in the morning, but we
do it, and we show up and we meditate, or
then we maybe integrate an urbal tincture into our lives
(53:36):
that makes us feel better or even like one of
the things I love about liquid bliss, I think is
this it sort of invites a little more joy more joyful,
and then that's good. And then maybe we just we
eat a healthy breakfast, or maybe we don't eat breakfast
because life is crazy, but we eat a healthy once
(53:56):
you know, it's like, yeah, we just try to like these,
like these micro moments, and then we will find ourselves, yes,
actually truly changing. And it.
Speaker 5 (54:10):
Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter where anyone is in their life.
Speaker 4 (54:13):
It doesn't matter how young old they can do it.
Speaker 1 (54:17):
Yeah, yeah, yes, yes, yes we can. Doctor Aaron.
Speaker 3 (54:23):
I love how your work reminds people that healing is
not about fixing.
Speaker 1 (54:29):
It is about.
Speaker 3 (54:30):
Remembering what's already inside of us, and then finding the
support and the companion in all of our allies and
the earth and in nature that bring everything else to
bloom inside of us. Before we wrap up this beautiful episode,
what is one practice or plant ally that you think
(54:51):
that everyone could begin incorporating today to help them feel
more grounded, authentic and deeply.
Speaker 4 (54:59):
Well, wow, that is an excellent question. I don't so
it's interesting for me because the nature of the work
that I do is not really one size fits all,
and so it's hard for me to say one thing,
but I do will say I'll say, first like a practice,
(55:23):
and then I'm going to say a plant to answer question.
Speaker 1 (55:27):
Perfect, yes, give us the soul work.
Speaker 4 (55:29):
Yeah, okay, So for practice, I was tempted to same meditation,
but I'm going to say something different. For practice, I
would say to really make your sleep a priority now,
which means making some kind of shift, like just some
shift like going to bed earlier, or maybe taking back
(55:50):
before bed, just doing something to honor and sort of
what you say, create like a soft space. Is that
the right learn, Yeah, the right phrase a soft space
around sleep. So something softening around sleep. It could even
be like buying new sheets or something something like it
really makes you feel.
Speaker 5 (56:07):
Good about sleep.
Speaker 4 (56:09):
And then for the plants, is that I do believe
that part of changing our relationship with plants, and honestly
just strengthening our relationship with plants is finding a plant
ally like this idea a lot and so to explore
the idea. And I mean wishguard Nerves is a good
(56:31):
resource wish gardennerves dot com. Of like finding a plant
like holy basil. But I can't say one size fits
all or motherwort. These are the two that are coming
to mind. Motherwort, is this really beautiful herb, especially for women.
It is a classic nerving that helps really calm and
(56:53):
ground the nervous system. It's really good during times of transition,
like for example, perimenoplause menopause.
Speaker 5 (57:03):
But it doesn't even have to be that.
Speaker 4 (57:04):
It could be like a transition to a new home
or a new job, or so motherwort, Leonora's cardiaca lion
hearted herb. It is literally like the lion hearted plant.
So that's one that could be a single ally. Another
could be Holy basil. Holy basil is a little more
(57:24):
of just for the uplifting. It's an adaptagen that helps
the body adapt to stress. But I see this unlock
happen around plants. We've talked a lot about combination formulas,
which are amazing, but when somebody finds a plant, skull
cup could be another frazzled nerves, kind of wired caffeinated energy,
(57:48):
even if you haven't had caffeine. But the plants. The
really unique is you can hear me saying it as
a naturalropic doctor, I will actually pair people with a plant.
And then when someone starts taking a single plant like that,
it sort of opens up the whole world more to
even more of like some of these other blends that
(58:11):
I love so and we have those singles you can
you can check them out and find the right one
for you and if a blend is calling you instead,
go for that.
Speaker 5 (58:22):
But finding a way to connect.
Speaker 1 (58:23):
To the plants amazing.
Speaker 3 (58:26):
Thank you so much, Thank you for that soul work.
And doctor Aaron Stokes, thank you so much for joining
us again. Doctor Aaron Stokes is the medical director at
Wish Garden Herbs. So excited for everyone to be on
this journey with me, with us, and thank you so
much for coming to the show.
Speaker 5 (58:43):
Thank you for having me, Debby.
Speaker 4 (58:45):
It was great to sit with you and I hope
we'll be able to do it again sometime.
Speaker 1 (58:49):
Yes, yes, thank you everyone.
Speaker 3 (58:51):
Catch you next week now, Mistay stay. The content presented
on Deeply Well serves solely for educational and informational purposes.
It should not be considered a replacement for personalized medical
or mental health guidance and does not constitute a provider
patient relationship. As always, it is advisable to consult with
(59:15):
your healthcare provider or health team for any specific concerns
or questions.
Speaker 1 (59:21):
That you may have.
Speaker 3 (59:23):
Connect with me on social at Debbie Brown that's Twitter
and Instagram, or you can go to my website Debbie
Brown dot com. And if you're listening to the show
on Apple Podcasts, don't forget. Please rate, review, and subscribe
and send this episode to a friend. Deeply Well is
a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect Network. It's
(59:43):
produced by Jacquess Thomas, Samantha Timmins, and me Debbie Brown.
The Beautiful Soundbath You Heard That's by Jarrelen Glass from
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app or wherever you listen to your your favorite shows.
Take a deep breath in through your nose. Holds it.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Now, release slowly again, deep in, helle.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Hold release, repeating internally to yourself as you connect to
my voice. I am deeply well. I am deeply well.
(01:22):
I am deeply.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I'm Debbie Brown and this is the Deeply Well Podcast.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Welcome to Deeply Well, a soft place to land on
your journey, a podcast for those that are curious, creative,
and ready to expand in higher consciousness and self care.
This is where we heal, this is where we transcend.
Welcome back to Deeply Well everyone. Of course, as always,
(01:57):
I'm your host, Debbie Brown. I am all as so
honored and so grateful to be here with you, whether
I am coming into your ears or you are watching
us on YouTube. Thank you for letting me and this
beautiful work into your space. On today's episode, we are
exploring how returning to herbal wisdom can help us reconnect
(02:20):
to our authentic selves, our most authentic selves, which means
restoring balance, bringing calm, and really amplifying the resilience we
have for our everyday life. Joining me today is doctor
Aaron Stokes, a naturopathic doctor and medical director at Wish
Garden herbs who's passionate about helping people live healthier, more
(02:44):
vibrant lives through the healing power of plants. So excited
for this one, and I am so delighted to announce
to everyone on the show today that we are in
partnership together. So thrilled to be working with Wish Garden
and to share more.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Throughout this episode of all the ways that.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
The beautiful work that they do their creations, just the
way that it has really aided and supported me on
the health journey that I know everyone who listens to
the show has really been hearing from from me for
the last couple of years. So I'm so excited to
dive into the crevices and bring out.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
The tools for all of us.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So let me introduce our guest doctor, Aaron Stokes ND
believes that transformation begins when we reconnect with the healing
power of nature. As a naturopathic doctor for twenty plus years,
Aarin has dedicated her career to translating complex health concepts
into actionable insights that empower individuals to be active participants.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
In their own healing.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Her journey into natural medicine began early planning her first
HERB Garden in High Goal. While growing up in a
family steeped in medical tradition, with both her father and
grandfather as surgeons, she chose a revolutionary path that honors
both scientific rigor and nature's wisdom. Since earning her naturopathic
(04:17):
medicine degree in two thousand and one, Doctor Aaron has
remained true to the foundational principles that drew her to
this field, honoring the body's innate healing capacity, treating the
whole person rather than isolated symptoms, and serving as both
doctor and teacher. Her passion for education has shaped every
(04:38):
aspect of her career, from her early days teaching at
Southwest Acupuncture College to providing personalized health consultations as a
lead practitioner at Pharmica. In a grative pharmacy, she discovered
her gift for making complex medical knowledge engaging, inspiring and practical.
(04:58):
Currently serving as a medical director at Wish Garden Herbs,
Doctor Aaron Stokes is at the forefront of innovative herbal education.
She is a media spokesperson and frequent podcast guest, being
featured in Forbes Well and Good Eating, Well Medium Britain
Co and The Every Girl podcast. Doctor Aaron is known
(05:19):
for engaging personal style and deep scientific knowledge to create
an environment where learning becomes both inspiring and actionable. Welcome
to the show, Doctor Erin. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Thank you, deb You've just read that so beautifully. I
don't know that I've ever heard my bio read. It's
such grace and passion and so thank you. I'm just
delighted to be here.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Thank you, Oh, thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I know, like I think the thing that I'm most
excited as a lifelong learner about this episode, and I
want to let everybody know, get your notebooks, get your
pin this is a learning and teaching episode.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
There will be.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Things that you will want to write down and places
that she'll go and tools that she'll get. So, doctor Stokes,
you know, I love the theme of this.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Conversation that we're going to have. There are so many.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Pathways and crevices and places that we can go, but
coming back to our authentic selves through nature and the
wisdom of herbs. Like wow, you know, I think something
that I share on this show a lot that even
in some of the challenge and hardship around all the
(06:34):
stresses that our body goes through in today's day and age,
both environmental stresses to the actual stress of being alive
and the challenges that are happening around us. You know,
this idea, especially now, of connecting with your authentic self,
I think for some people feels both really inspiring and
(06:54):
also feels really out of reach, because you say, how
do I even kind of get into that GUI center
when I have to fight through all the walls that
I'm building up just to get through my day?
Speaker 1 (07:07):
What is the pathway to that?
Speaker 4 (07:10):
You know? I believe that pathway is always found through nature,
and no matter where you live, in who you are,
you can always come back to nature. It can be
a moment of sitting in a patch of grass in
your backyard and looking up at the stars after a
really long day. It can be a walk around the
(07:31):
block where you hear the birds singing, or you maybe
notice a plant blooming, or this time of year the
leaves changing.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
But we are part of nature.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
We have been, We've co evolved in the natural world
with plants forever, and so when we come back to nature,
we come back home to ourselves. Yeah, and so it
doesn't have to be too complicated, And I get that,
like coming home to your authentic self, that could feel
a bit overwhelming.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
It feels like big work.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
It feels like big work.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
And I think it is in its big opportunity. And
I would say the place to start is getting grounded
with who you really are and just returning to the
natural world and returning to nature in whatever way that
looks like. And I do believe that no matter who
you are and where you live, you can find those
small moments to do that.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, truly.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I mean even in cities like New York. Right, it
may be like a much smaller park, but it is
access to green, it is access to soil, It is
access to even the sense that plants make when they're
you know, breaking down on the ground and everything else
around it. Something you said I find so fascinating because
(08:47):
I don't know if I've ever really looked at evolution
in those terms, you know, Like I think about how
humans evolve, and we've been taught that in school. Sure,
we think about how, you know, different speed sees of
animals have evolved over time.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
We've learned that.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
But this idea that like also plants, like the actual earth,
the green, the soil, it's been evolving next to us
at the same time. What does that mean and how
has that worked? And like, what are plants becoming?
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Well, they've been evolving next to us. An excellent question,
and we've been such a part of it. And so
you can look at ancient texts from literally all over
the world. It's one of my favorite things to learn
about and also talk about, is sort of this ancient
wisdom and how it applies in modern times. And so
(09:39):
when you look at writings, you'll see that whether it's
Hippocrates or whether it's Ayurvedic medicine in India, words have
been written about these plants, uses of how the plants
were utilized, in how people existed with the plants, and
they're in poems, they're in literature, they're science, and so
(10:02):
people were intimately connected with these plants in the past.
And often what we find is that modern science is
validating what the traditional new use of a plant was,
and so people were aware of that long before now,
(10:22):
and so it's almost really a return to plant wisdom.
And I really like to look at plants on the continuum.
I think it helps people understand. All of us are
really familiar with nutrition. Yeah, we know, for example, blueberries
are very healthy for us and blueberries have a beautiful
(10:43):
blue color from a compound called antiscionins, And so we
know about things like that, you know, nutrition, phytonutrients. Certain
plants are high in vitamin C, and so when you
look at the continuum of plants as nutrition to really
plants is herbal remedies and it's still plant power. And
one of the things I really return to is I
(11:04):
believe in the power of plants. I mean, I believe
in the power of people. And I think that the
power of plants and the power of people can come
together and it's like this really exciting, largely untapped world
that some people are utilizing on a regular basis, but
many people aren't. And so that's this opportunity through a
(11:27):
podcasts like yours, where you're reaching so many people to
share this.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Yeah, And I think that's it's something I really love
and find sacred about doing this show. And definitely when
I hear back from the audience, it's we are creating
the new recipes of our lives, you know, through tools,
through process, through self evaluation, and through really learning how
what our body needs and how we can find more
(11:55):
support supportive structure for those kind of more heart centered
goals you may have in the world. You know, I
really want to know, because it's just so this work
is so fascinating, and even feeling your energy and your
reverence for the work, I think is so deep.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
How did you decide that this was your path.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Especially coming from a household where you easily could have
gone maybe the surgeon route, yes, but you had both
and this was where you felt most led.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
I really I think again it goes back to nature.
I just kept getting drawn towards nature and the natural world,
and learning from a really young age about other alternatives.
And I have deep respect for the legacy of medicine
and surgeons, my dad, my grandfather, and I was different,
(12:50):
and I think I knew that from a pretty young age,
talking about planning my first herb garden and growing acnetias.
I was just fascinated. I just kept being drawn in
that direction. And I think that sometimes we pay attention
to where we're being drawn in life, and there are
certainly times when I have not paid attention, But in
(13:11):
this case I did, Thank Goodness, and I knew that
there was a different path for me. And when I
discovered that I could sort of bring both together and.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Also use my voice. I love the education part.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
I love do Sarah doctors teacher and it doesn't even
have to be doctor, it's just people as teachers, well
being educators as teachers. Like I think that there's so
much power. You know, I talk about the power plants,
but I also believe that knowledge is power, and when
we can help give people tools and information, there's actually
(13:50):
nothing that gets me more excited because it's just like
this metamorphosis that can happen in people.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, totally, totally.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
You know, so as are kind of like, really we're
moving into some juicy parts of this interview. You know,
something that we have talked about and that you talk
about is returning to authenticity requires both inner work, but
it requires outer support. I think, you know, without having
(14:19):
a lifestyle that really holds up those deeper goals and
desires we have for ourselves on these journeys that we
take ourselves on, you know, the work remains incomplete. We
have to bring it into our bodies. Can you share
what it means to you to have outer support to
that inner work and how do herbs play a role
(14:40):
in that?
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Yes, well I'll give you an example if that.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Yeah, so I think that plants can really be our
allies in this work, and it can be through a
single herb, and it can also be through a blend.
And so one of the things that I love to
talk about our nervings and their whole category of herbs
(15:05):
that help to calm and soothe.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Our nervous system.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
And believe it or not, milky oat tops, So milky
oats oats are what's called a nervous system tropho restorative,
and what that means is it really helps both calm
and soothe and restore the nervous system. Because I think
there's like this element of calming and also restoring.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
And so you could be.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Someone that's doing the work of meditating and yoga and
some of these practices that you talk about in your
book and that both you and I do on a
daily basis, and then the plants, like a plant like
milky oats, milky oat tops can really then soothe and
(15:55):
nurture your nervous system. And then there's a bigger formula
that contains that and more called emotional ally. An emotional
ally is just that it's an ally in those times
of stress or duress that can really help you and
help guide and soothe their nervous system while you're doing
(16:17):
that inter work. So it's kind of like that idea
of you don't need to go it alone. Yeah, that
really applies of course to other people in our community.
But you don't need to go it alone, meaning you
have one of the sort of subheading of emotional ally
is a big herbal.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Hug, because that's literally what it is.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Those nervings help to soothe and ground and it doesn't
it's not like it takes something away.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
It's not meant to numb or or change.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
It just helps to you to feel a little bit
more like I can do this, I got this.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
I really want to ground, like really ground in this
for a moment, because this is the piece where a
lot of people perhaps make choices that take them away
from what their desires are for themselves, right like when
we are just feeling sometimes like for example, myself and
(17:22):
I've shared this on the show and I think in
my book, but you know, sometimes I'd be going through
so many things and I'd have so much stress and
my body was just having such strong reactions that you
just try to even go take a class like a
meditation class, a yoga class, or sit down in your
house to do it, you know, alone, and it's like
(17:46):
you can't get your body or your brain or your
heart to calm down enough to get into your practice.
So then you tell yourself things like okay, well, so
then I'm just not going to do it because you
don't know how to get past that part of the limit.
And usually that limit is so triggering, right, like when
you're in process with yourself and you don't yet know
(18:08):
or understand that you have to build tolerance for peace,
You have to build you have to practice what it
feels like to relax. That all of that is not
innately natural, especially in today's day and age, to just
be like kind of your through line feeling. But when
you have a companion for the journey, when you have
(18:30):
an ally you know, on the path with you, really
like through tinctures, through herbs, through getting into nature, through
these things that have existed as long as we have
that's what keeps you in the room. That's what keeps
you in your practice. That can keep you showing up
as the truth of who you are, not the dysregulated
(18:53):
version of who you are in each moment in a
natural way, you know, in a way that is not
habit forming in a way that is really heart opening
and also teaching you. You're learning, you're learning how to
meet your needs. I think to me that's one of
the most remarkable parts of the journey. When you get
to this stage where you're able to start working with herbs,
(19:15):
where you're able to start, you know, creating your own
little kind of cocktails in the moment of what you need.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
You start to feel so powerful you.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Do because I think part of it is acknowledging yourself
in where you're at. And for example, I talked about
emotional ally and that sort of overwhelmed or grief or stress.
But another one that really another blend, and these are
masterfullet crafted herbal tincture blends that our formulator, our founder,
(19:53):
Catherine Hunzig Are she put these together and I as
a naturopathic doctor, I can say that when I first
learn about Wish Garden Herbs, which I want to tell
you actually just about real quick I the very first
tincture I took from Wishgarden IRBs, so as a naturalathic doctor,
I've known them forever twenty years, was the postpartum Emotional
(20:16):
Baby Blues tincture. My son is nineteen and I took
that after.
Speaker 5 (20:22):
He was born.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Wow, and it really met this true need of it's
sort of like an acknowledgment of what is it's natural,
you know, when those hormones really drop after childbirth to
have some of those feelings and feeling on this wave
of hormones and emotions and all the things, and so
(20:47):
it's meeting you. It's these blends can meet you in
these moments of your life. And there's different ones for
different times in your hormonally life, and then different times
in kind of more what we're talking about today's kind
of like your nervous system, whether that's overwhelm or liquid
(21:11):
Bliss was one that came to mind because it has
these heart centering and opening herbs. And when you were
talking about that feeling of I've got so much going on,
like I.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Don't even want to go to the yoga class, Like.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
That's how where some people are out there, like I
don't even want to show up for this dinner party tonight.
And of course you need to check back in with
yourself and decide it's best for you. But and sometimes
it's just about feeling. Like we talked about liquid Bliss
a little bit before the podcast that there's heart centering
herbs in that sense of giving you a feeling of
(21:46):
groundedness and safety to go out and do maybe.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
The things you want to do. And so it's like,
how can.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
These these blends meet you in these different moments of
your life to support you in being your highest, most
authentic self.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Deeply?
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Well, what is happening in that moment? Like you know,
some terms that a lot of us are used to
hearing now are things like fight or flight that that
happens when stress happens, or you know, your cortisol levels rise.
What is happening in your body and what is the
herb doing to your body to create.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
A different experience grit.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
That is a great question.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
So first I kind of want to reframe for a
minute of our stress response is intended to protect us,
because not all stress is bad necessarily or good. It's
just we haven't We have an innate stress response. It's
hardwired into our system. And fight or flight, which we
(22:56):
often talk about, is a negative thing because in modern
times we experienced it over and over, but really it's
intended to save us. So we all probably had a
moment when maybe actually, I just had one the other
day where someone was merging onto excuse me, onto the
road and they I don't know, they just didn't see me,
(23:16):
and all of a sudden, they were sort of merging
into my car, and I just moved really quickly without
even thinking about it.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
I just moved like immediately. My heart was pounding and
all the things.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
I got really sweaty, but I did exactly what they
needed to do, and there wasn't a car accident, and
thank goodness, everyone was fine.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
So we can all think of a moment.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Or make the moments where our stress response has protected us.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Thank you for explaining it like that, because yeah, there
is like, let's have some respect for you know, the
way our body is meeting that need.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Yeah, you got it, because we're really elegantly designed to
do those things. So what happens in modern and keep
saying modern times, but we're not facing a tiger. I
mean these kind of like these the proverbial fighter flight
where there was a true real.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Threat you're gonna get eaten.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yes, yeah, so that's not happening.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
But what we don't do is then you are supposed
to ideally go into fight or flight and then come
back to not exactly homeostasis, but the more relaxed rest
and digest state. And that's why parasympathetic mode is called
rest and digest. If you're in that fighter flight state
(24:37):
over and over for now, it gets triggered about you know,
I just was lucky enough to fly here to day
to be with you. But it could get triggered by
you know, I'm late for my flight right right, or
I have got a work deadline, or I just had
a you know, fight with my significant other, and we
(24:57):
just trigger it over and over. And what happens over
time is that we go even beyond the adrenaline of
fight or flight to cortisol. And so cortisol A lot
of people know about cortisol, but they might wonder what
exactly is going on. This is when really our stress
response is activated long term and we have high cortisol
(25:21):
and it leads to a whole host of issues that
we could talk about now and maybe even its own podcast.
But it really relates to our immune system not working
as well. Is it needs to sleep issues, poor concentration.
(25:42):
It really messes with our energy levels. It affects our
cardiovascular system. I mean, really, Debbie the list goes on,
and so I want us to respect our stress response,
but they also want us to take it seriously because
I think a lot of times we almost override our ourselves,
we override our nervous system. We just say I got
(26:04):
to get this done and then maybe I'll rest next week,
next month, next year. But our invitation now is to
really say, you know what, we can do this better today.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Oh that's so that.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
I mean, it's just so deeply true because that piece
especially of like I can get to it next year,
or like I'll get to whatever it.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Is when the stress comes down.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
And I think something that we're all as a species
learning to navigate is well, stress may be the constant,
you know, it really may be in this world that
we're all trying to we're living into worlds. We're living
in our technology world, we're living in kind of our
natural life. But that's going to stress our you know,
(26:49):
absolutely highly intelligent, genius, miraculous human bodies and brains out
you know, we weren't designed to do as much as
we're doing right now now.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
So I really love that.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
I love the framing of that because again, like these
are the things that we do have control over and
these are the ways we can really develop profound learning
about our own bodies, like studying how your body responds
and then knowing how to.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Meet the need and what to meet the need with.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yes, it's both, and I think it's a combination. Yeah,
of I do soft belly you know, deep belly breathing
to try to really activate the vagus nerve and bring
that parasympathetic mode. I do that really intentionally on a
daily basis. And so it's not you know, as a
(27:42):
natraatic doctor, I'm always thinking of the whole picture. So
the herbs are such valuable allies and think you were
asking about you know, they have really specific constituents in them,
but yeah, help calm the nervous system. Sometimes there there's
an interplay with neurotransmitters even like gabba or serotonin. I mean,
(28:08):
there's really these profound ways that they're helping our system
on a phytochemistry level, and so there is science to it.
It's so I think sometimes people wonder how are they
working well? They have they all the different plants have constituents.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
What does that mean?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Constituents sort of like Okay, I think of one that
a lot of people know so turmeric. Yeah, Tumeric is
this gorgeous orange root really a riz on that's related
to ginger. And so you've probably heard of kirkcumin. Yeah,
but kircumin is not turmeric. Kircumin is a part of tumeric.
(28:52):
It's a compound in tumeric. So all of these plants
have different compounds in them.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Does that mean?
Speaker 4 (29:00):
So, so there's the plant itself, and then there's all
the pieces of the plant. There's all the parts of
the plant. It's a little bit analogous to there's broccoli
and then there's vitamin C actually in broccoli. There's also
public acid in broccoli. That the herbs are similar, it's
just some of their constituents like curcumin or something may
(29:23):
not be as well known, but they have like holy
basil has or solic acid, ashwaganda has something called wa
thanolides that a lot of you know, it's kind of.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
Like a marker.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
And so these are different like parts of the plant,
and some of the parts, like curcumin and tumeric is
very widely studied. The wathanolides and are very highly studied,
and some of them are more study than others.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Well, it's in and it's interesting too. Because especially the last.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Handful of herbs you named, you know, use you've been
seeing those names since antiquity, you know, like Holy Basil,
like Ashwagonda especially, you know in my like that the
dating back of that as such a useful tool for
the human you know, the human body. It's been very documented.
(30:17):
Are we seeing you know what is it that's happening
right now? Or even in the last maybe forty fifty
years where it almost felt like there was like a
pushing away of like no, all of that stuff, no,
go this way, you know, go into more of it,
the industrial complex of medicine, and then now we're seeing like,
oh my god, no, all these things like they've always worked,
(30:39):
they still work.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
What are you noticing?
Speaker 4 (30:42):
So what I'm really noticing is that people want to
be more connected to there what they're taking in their bodies.
So if we even just look at the resurgence of farmers' markets.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Right, yeah, I was just talking about that. That's so funny,
you are.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Yeah, it's happening because it's exciting to know these carrots
were grown at a farm fiften to fifteen miles from here.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
I'm meeting this farmer. These are local to me.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
People are just I think in this era of technology
and always being connected, ironically, people are feeling more disconnected
than ever and also just wanting to just get back
to understanding both where things are coming from and taking
(31:39):
back power.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I mean, that's honestly sort of almost the bigger picture
that even connects with know your farmer or know where
your herbs are coming from. You know, we work with
these amazing organic farms and wildcrafters that are sustainably harvesting
the plants. Is that that knowledge again, and going back
(32:03):
to that theme of knowledge is power is there's also
just taking back power for your health, in your well being.
And so if you know, for example, like the other day,
I don't know, I ate something that just didn't really
agree with me, and so Gi Tractor was feeling a
(32:24):
little off, and this is going somewhere. So in addition
to taking probiotics, which I do every day, I reach
for my digestive Rescue from wish Carden and I know
it has peppermint and ginger, and I even as I
was taking it, I thought, this is going to help me,
and it did. This will help soothe whatever is going on,
And so it's part of that taking back that power.
(32:46):
So if you're in that state of overwhelmed, like I
know a lot of people that carry emotional ally in
their backpack or their their purse or their bag or pocket.
It's that idea of have a resource. Yeah, I can
do lots of different things to whether it's the deep breathing,
(33:09):
taking the tincture, doing the thing like I can take
back power for my health and well being.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, God gosh, I think it's just
so important for people to hear that because this is
a time, this is an era where we have to
learn how to care for ourselves and we have to
learn how to take our emotional power back, you know,
how to be with just whatever is true and real
(33:38):
about our lives. And this piece of it, really, I
can't understate how much it excites me. And I feel
a very emotional connection because a lot of people know
who listen to this show. I have been on a
health journey my whole life, but especially this last couple
of years, and so I first got connected to your
products as I was like in Sprouts, like looking trying
(34:03):
to find things to help me.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
I didn't know that yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
And Spouts and you just saw wish Grinian tinctures.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Absolutely, I was starting my journey with tinctures, and I
was starting. I'm I'm such a nerd. I love to learn.
I'm a metal learner. And so I was studying a
few years ago herbs, and I was studying how as
I was building my garden that I have what kinds
of things that I could plant that my son and
(34:31):
I could learn how to use over time.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
And so I.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Started planting some different herbs for teas and berries and
things like that, and the garden is expanding. But I
knew it would be you know, I didn't have to
figure it all out in one weekend, and I didn't
have to read one book and know how to do
all of it.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
But I was like, how can.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
I slowly learn to really give my unique body, my
son's unique body, our brains what they need. And so
we were out it at a time where I was
traveling so much for work, which for those that travel
a lot, whether work or pleasure, you know you have
to protect your immunity.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Like you got it, like you gotta fight for it.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
And then having a young elementary school child when I
kind of started this journey, he had started kindergarten and
when you put your kid in.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
School, Oh, the whole house is getting sick.
Speaker 5 (35:24):
It's real. It's all the time in everybody.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
I mean it's Oh.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
I was getting knocked down like full blown, like flu
symptoms once a month.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
You're out for a week.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
And that's hard, travel and all of everything you're doing.
I mean, it's hard for anybody.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
But that's so I was fed up.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
I was like, you will learn how to care for yourself, woman,
But so yes I did, yeah, I and I found
daily immunity and so using those and I then you know,
now I know gratefully all how all the products are working,
and that you have products for kids which have been
really wonderful for quests too, because Lord knows they're not
(36:07):
going to take what you take. But if he has
his own kids, one, yes, it's good. So I was
just sharing with you. Inside my house, we have an apothecary,
and so he has his little station, he has his
wish garden products, he has his own magnesium and the
things that he does, and then I have my little section.
And part of our ritual every single day in our
(36:31):
home is we start our morning there and we end
our day there. And we give ourselves what we need
and we do a body scan, we check in with our.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Bodies, like what do I need today?
Speaker 2 (36:41):
You know?
Speaker 3 (36:41):
For me, sometimes it's immunity or feeling a little grief,
you know from my lived experience. Or I know I'm
about to get on a plane, I'm going to move
through a couple hundred people, you know in a few hours.
So let me have a little bliss in my cup.
And so it just you know, I I know we're
giving everyone so much information, but no, you don't have
(37:06):
to figure out all the like perfect ways to care
for yourself. But by connecting with like true like companions
for the journey, like true support as you learn yourself
and then notice the nuance, you know, like notice that
when you did feel at a high and then maybe
you know you did have a couple pumps of the
(37:27):
bliss in your water, what did it feel like afterwards?
And how soon did you feel a difference? And then
at the end of the day did you feel a
difference And notice for yourself, Okay, that worked, That's going
in my kit, that's in my arsenal for how I
care for myself, you know, or hey, maybe I'm going
to try this one next time, because maybe I was
actually experiencing this. But one of my teachers said many
(37:51):
years ago, I say this quite a bit, but be
a scientist in your life, you know, be a scientist
of yourself. And I think working with products like this,
it really gives you that opportunity to start learning yourself,
to start knowing, you know, how how that inner space
really works, what's going on in there, and then to
(38:13):
how to develop because I think with anything new that
we try, and I hope I'm drilling this home in
the right way for whoever needs to hear it, to
really hear it, know that it can absolutely be valid
that it feels overwhelming to learn how to care for
yourself and care about yourself. That is a big part
(38:35):
of what the journey is, what the work is. But
especially when you're noticing pains or discomforts or anxiety in
your body, that can be really challenging and it can
bring up a lot of judgments. But I think it's
so important for us to know that when you start
this journey, you have the rest of your life to
learn it. You don't have to figure all of this out,
(38:58):
you don't have to know every name for everything and
where it goes and what it does. You know, in
a weekend, in a day like let yourself have some
creative fun with this process too, and know you know
it's gonna take a little time, but once you do,
you actually develop relationship with whatever is in front of
(39:18):
you that is meeting your need, that's your companion for
your body for the journey. You're developing your own personal
relationship of knowing when to take it, you know, knowing
how much you need knowing. Hey like myself personally, I
know I always have immunity and bliss in my bag
every time I travel for work. It's packed, it's ready
(39:40):
to go. I would love to bring the whole line.
I don't always have that much room, but I know
if I have those two things, that's what I need
and that allows me to continue to be who I
really am as I'm moving through the world and just
navigating the very honest and true natural stressors of my
life and of being alive on earth in this year.
(40:02):
So it's going to be like a special process figuring
out what helps me be my most ideal, authentic self,
and it's going to be unique for each of us.
So I wanted to make sure that I shared that,
because that is also part of the joy of the
process when you gather this info and then how many
of us learn these things and then we teach them
(40:25):
and we share them and we give that kind of
inner freedom to another person.
Speaker 4 (40:30):
I think you touched on something so important of just
it can be really overwhelming, and it's this also this
great opportunity.
Speaker 5 (40:40):
So I think if.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
It's like we're sort of just like hopefully opening the
door and to kind of find some joy and have
some fun with it. Yeah, of just finding what works
for you, Like you were saying you always travel with
kick ass immune in liquid bliss, and for me, like
I will not walk out the door for a trip
without sleepy nights, which we haven't talked about yet, but
(41:04):
for me, sleep is so important and sleeping when I'm
traveling is not always the greatest, but with sleepy nights,
it's just an ally for me, again going back to
just knowing that I have it, it just provides a
sense of ease of Okay, I've got this blend I
can take right before bed, and even if you wake
up in the middle of the night, you can take it.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
What's happening into your body when you take it.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
So it's a really gentle formula, gentle and effective formula
of three herbs, skull cap, passion, flower and hops. And
you may know like hops is isn't that like sleep
and it's a beer?
Speaker 3 (41:43):
Yeah, yeah, that's all I remember hearing it.
Speaker 4 (41:45):
Yeah, sure, And those herbs just kind of help you. Catherine,
who is our founder and master formulator, talks about just
sort of go over almost like the bridge from like
wakefulness to sleep, just kind of like walking over to
just a calm. It sort of helps your nervous system
calm those three herbs in particular, and so it's soothing
(42:09):
without sedating.
Speaker 5 (42:11):
And so that doesn't have any.
Speaker 4 (42:13):
Melatonin in it, which I knows some people like to use,
but that's just a totally different thing. It doesn't have
any Valerian, which is sort of a heavier plant with
like sort of a stronger energy that may and not
just energy, but can constituents. Again that may make someone
(42:34):
even feel a little grogging the next morning. So it's
just this elegant blend of just three herbs. And I
mean I have it right now for you know, being here,
And so it is just that idea that we're all
individuals and we'll each find our own path and find
(42:55):
some joy and really realizing of what you need. I
know other people that will not leave without digestive rescue.
For me, I'm okay. I mean, but I have it
at home in my medicine cabinet. So we all are
so unique, and there's such opportunity with plants in plant
medicine to sort of find your path, whether you know
(43:20):
your stress however manifests, like for example, in the muscular
skeletal realm, we have a blend called serious relax, so
it's more about the physical realm. So we just really
find our way, and I just invite people it's it's
to enjoy the journey and recognize that there are their
(43:42):
teachers on the path and to find resources and hopefully
you know, one of the things I try to do
is not make it it's too overwhelming, because you really
want it to be accessible for.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
It, yeah yeah, and feel fun and feel creative.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
And be like wow, that helped me, that really you
That's that's one of my favorite parts of what I
do is when someone goes, wow, that really made a difference,
or I have a friend it's like the editor lives
in the South, and I sent him sleeping nights and
he texted me and he said, gosh, you know, that's
(44:17):
like the most rest And he didn't say thatt even best.
He said, the most RESTful sort of calming nights sleep I've.
Speaker 5 (44:25):
Had a long time.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (44:27):
And it was I think it was just because it
actually just helped him just calm a little bit.
Speaker 5 (44:32):
Yeah, so he could so he could get the rest
that you need it.
Speaker 3 (44:36):
Yeah, yeah, and we deserve it, and we deserve it.
Speaker 4 (44:41):
We just deserve the sleep well, to eat well, ye,
do all the things, you know.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
The feeling good in our bodies.
Speaker 4 (44:48):
Sit in the sun like it's it's all good medicine.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Yeah, truly, listen to good music, put on a good playlist.
Everyone knows that is my cham Go out ground your feet,
feel the sun on your face, feel the freedom in
your body. That's right, deeply well, I am so very
(45:17):
very very very like like very pristine and strict. I
feel like about like what I put in my body,
like where you know, what I choose to kind of
even physically like be around in the world. You know,
Like I think we have to really think in those terms.
And I think one of the things I was so
(45:38):
excited when I first discovered your company, and then when
we were starting to begin our relationship together, was this
is a fully like woman owned business. It is you
all are based out of Colorado, it's woman owned, it's
family run, and it's about what is real, which is
that level of this authenticity is extremely important to me
(46:02):
because now wellness is this massive, multi trillion dollar industry
complex in its own and we have to be connected,
I think, to the best ingredients, especially in the space
of homeopathic, of organic, the best ingredient and a high
level of integrity of product and mission and intention.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
So I was like thrilled.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
I was like, woman owned, family run in Colorado. So
I was just imagining you all. I'm like, they're probably
sitting outside listening to the trees, developing formulas. What first
connected you with wish Garden and if you could please
share with us just a little more background about the company,
how it came to be and what is the mission?
Speaker 4 (46:47):
Absolutely so really, I think the mission is around empowering
people with verbal remedies. And Catherine is our founder. I
met over twenty years ago and she's a really special
person and Wishgarden Nerves is forty six years old. So
I gives of the history and tradition. And I met
(47:10):
Catherine and she was talking with me about her formulas,
me being a natur traffic doctor in Boulder, Colorado, and
I knew right away what a special person she was
and is. And she's really started as an activist. She's
deep in the midwif free tradition and all about empowering
(47:32):
people and especially women because we have a long history
of tinctures both for pregnancy, postpartum, different hormonal phases and stages,
and that's really a passion of hers.
Speaker 5 (47:45):
And who she is.
Speaker 4 (47:46):
She also is a master formulator.
Speaker 5 (47:49):
I mean when I every time.
Speaker 4 (47:51):
I look at these blends, I just think how elegantly
and honestly smartly designed they are. And so it's really
a privilege to be a part. When you said real
the words that we're coming to mind is like wish Gardens,
the real deal.
Speaker 5 (48:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (48:07):
I'm fortunate to get to work with them.
Speaker 5 (48:10):
It is Colorado.
Speaker 4 (48:11):
Born, woman owned, family run and I get to work
with Catherine's son and daughter on a regular basis, and
so I just feel I feel blessed, honestly to be
a part of it. And I think it's part of
a bigger movement to bring you know, these these rbal
remedies in these fast acting liquid orbal tinctures. And that's
(48:35):
the great thing about them is that I'm just gonna
bring one up here. This daily immune is the one
I happen to have in my hand. But we have
this pump top is you know well, Debbie, because you
take these but you can just take.
Speaker 5 (48:46):
It right in a little bit.
Speaker 4 (48:47):
Of water and you just put it directly. You know,
the directions are right on the label, in a little
bit of water and you take It's easy, you know,
and easy is important so important our health and wellness.
It can't be too complicated now or too hard to
do because then people aren't going.
Speaker 5 (49:08):
To stop tunity idea.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
And so these fast acting liquid or wiltinctures, these plants
that are grown with the highest integrity, and you know
it's about the best ingredients. But you were also recently
decorp certified, which is honestly just really bringing into sort
of making it official of what Wish Garden has been
(49:30):
doing all along of working with our people, like the
farmers that grow the plants, the wildcrafters that they're aren't
earning a fair and living wage. I mean, it really
goes out into the whole world that they're being grown
and harvested sustainably in a way the honors the earth.
And so it's really from the very beginning to what
(49:52):
is actually in the bottle. And I can just say
that Catherine and the whole family like they they have
the highest standards. And I feel really lucky because living
in Colorado, I get to work hybrid model, which I
really like. So I'm I'm home working a few days
(50:12):
a week, and I'm in the office two days every week,
and the tinctures are.
Speaker 5 (50:18):
Being made in the same building.
Speaker 4 (50:19):
We're all in the same building together, so the plants
are all coming in and the tinctures are being made,
and the people are.
Speaker 5 (50:27):
In the you know, like me, are doing work on
the computer.
Speaker 3 (50:30):
Andcle I can't wait to take a tour. I'm like,
I need to see all of this magic, Fay for
you to.
Speaker 5 (50:35):
Come and take a tour.
Speaker 4 (50:36):
And we all actually meet like daily in the kitchen,
you know, and see each other in walk and so
it's it's it's the real deal, and it's a it's
a special place to be a part of. And I
think that the collection of tinctures that we have to
meet real life moments make it special.
Speaker 1 (50:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (51:00):
Yeah, Wow, Well, I am just I'm so honored and
I'm so thrilled to be in partnership with you all.
I believe in this so deeply, so much, And you know,
I really know and understand my life's work to be
about helping people alleviate internal suffering and find the tools
(51:23):
that work best for their unique bodies, brains and hearts
and lived experience.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
So I'm just really honored to be with you all.
Speaker 4 (51:32):
We're really honored to work with you, Deb And I
think it's just such a powerful partnership because the practices
that you are bringing into the world through your voice,
through your book, through your work. I feel like it's
just a it's a great collaboration. I mean, they come,
they come together, Yeah, and I think you and I
(51:55):
are both living that. And all we would like to
do is invite more.
Speaker 5 (51:59):
People people, yeah, to do that. Yeah, just to share it,
to share.
Speaker 3 (52:05):
Yeah, to heal to share, and to feel like truly
you know, and not in the kind of cheesy New
Year way, but to feel like our best selves whatever
that best can be for each moment. Can we rise
to the heights of whatever each unique moment can bring
us inwardly and outwardly.
Speaker 4 (52:27):
Absolutely, And I think I hear you because sometimes you
feel like you don't want me to say best self
or authentic self. You know, you want that to have
integrity and to feel real. But the thing is is
that it's humans. We have this incredible capacity to grow
and change.
Speaker 5 (52:48):
It is in so true every.
Speaker 4 (52:50):
Single person on this planet. And I am fortunate to
see it all the time, and so I really do
believe in you know, these for example, that every day
is you start, every moment is honestly, and you start,
you wake up in the morning, it's a fresh day.
Like we we can do that, and it often happens
(53:13):
not in some kind of overnight change, but in these
these steps that we can take, these moments where we
maybe start to actually meditate and we only start for
like ten minutes a day in the morning, but we
do it, and we show up and we meditate, or
then we maybe integrate an urbal tincture into our lives
(53:36):
that makes us feel better or even like one of
the things I love about liquid bliss, I think is
this it sort of invites a little more joy more joyful,
and then that's good. And then maybe we just we
eat a healthy breakfast, or maybe we don't eat breakfast
because life is crazy, but we eat a healthy once
(53:56):
you know, it's like, yeah, we just try to like these,
like these micro moments, and then we will find ourselves, yes,
actually truly changing. And it.
Speaker 5 (54:10):
Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter where anyone is in their life.
Speaker 4 (54:13):
It doesn't matter how young old they can do it.
Speaker 1 (54:17):
Yeah, yeah, yes, yes, yes we can. Doctor Aaron.
Speaker 3 (54:23):
I love how your work reminds people that healing is
not about fixing.
Speaker 1 (54:29):
It is about.
Speaker 3 (54:30):
Remembering what's already inside of us, and then finding the
support and the companion in all of our allies and
the earth and in nature that bring everything else to
bloom inside of us. Before we wrap up this beautiful episode,
what is one practice or plant ally that you think
(54:51):
that everyone could begin incorporating today to help them feel
more grounded, authentic and deeply.
Speaker 4 (54:59):
Well, wow, that is an excellent question. I don't so
it's interesting for me because the nature of the work
that I do is not really one size fits all,
and so it's hard for me to say one thing,
but I do will say I'll say, first like a practice,
(55:23):
and then I'm going to say a plant to answer question.
Speaker 1 (55:27):
Perfect, yes, give us the soul work.
Speaker 4 (55:29):
Yeah, okay, So for practice, I was tempted to same meditation,
but I'm going to say something different. For practice, I
would say to really make your sleep a priority now,
which means making some kind of shift, like just some
shift like going to bed earlier, or maybe taking back
(55:50):
before bed, just doing something to honor and sort of
what you say, create like a soft space. Is that
the right learn, Yeah, the right phrase a soft space
around sleep. So something softening around sleep. It could even
be like buying new sheets or something something like it
really makes you feel.
Speaker 5 (56:07):
Good about sleep.
Speaker 4 (56:09):
And then for the plants, is that I do believe
that part of changing our relationship with plants, and honestly
just strengthening our relationship with plants is finding a plant
ally like this idea a lot and so to explore
the idea. And I mean wishguard Nerves is a good
(56:31):
resource wish gardennerves dot com. Of like finding a plant
like holy basil. But I can't say one size fits
all or motherwort. These are the two that are coming
to mind. Motherwort, is this really beautiful herb, especially for women.
It is a classic nerving that helps really calm and
(56:53):
ground the nervous system. It's really good during times of transition,
like for example, perimenoplause menopause.
Speaker 5 (57:03):
But it doesn't even have to be that.
Speaker 4 (57:04):
It could be like a transition to a new home
or a new job, or so motherwort, Leonora's cardiaca lion
hearted herb. It is literally like the lion hearted plant.
So that's one that could be a single ally. Another
could be Holy basil. Holy basil is a little more
(57:24):
of just for the uplifting. It's an adaptagen that helps
the body adapt to stress. But I see this unlock
happen around plants. We've talked a lot about combination formulas,
which are amazing, but when somebody finds a plant, skull
cup could be another frazzled nerves, kind of wired caffeinated energy,
(57:48):
even if you haven't had caffeine. But the plants. The
really unique is you can hear me saying it as
a naturalropic doctor, I will actually pair people with a plant.
And then when someone starts taking a single plant like that,
it sort of opens up the whole world more to
even more of like some of these other blends that
(58:11):
I love so and we have those singles you can
you can check them out and find the right one
for you and if a blend is calling you instead,
go for that.
Speaker 5 (58:22):
But finding a way to connect.
Speaker 1 (58:23):
To the plants amazing.
Speaker 3 (58:26):
Thank you so much, Thank you for that soul work.
And doctor Aaron Stokes, thank you so much for joining
us again. Doctor Aaron Stokes is the medical director at
Wish Garden Herbs. So excited for everyone to be on
this journey with me, with us, and thank you so
much for coming to the show.
Speaker 5 (58:43):
Thank you for having me, Debby.
Speaker 4 (58:45):
It was great to sit with you and I hope
we'll be able to do it again sometime.
Speaker 1 (58:49):
Yes, yes, thank you everyone.
Speaker 3 (58:51):
Catch you next week now, Mistay stay. The content presented
on Deeply Well serves solely for educational and informational purposes.
It should not be considered a replacement for personalized medical
or mental health guidance and does not constitute a provider
patient relationship. As always, it is advisable to consult with
(59:15):
your healthcare provider or health team for any specific concerns
or questions.
Speaker 1 (59:21):
That you may have.
Speaker 3 (59:23):
Connect with me on social at Debbie Brown that's Twitter
and Instagram, or you can go to my website Debbie
Brown dot com. And if you're listening to the show
on Apple Podcasts, don't forget. Please rate, review, and subscribe
and send this episode to a friend. Deeply Well is
a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect Network. It's
(59:43):
produced by Jacquess Thomas, Samantha Timmins, and me Debbie Brown.
The Beautiful Soundbath You Heard That's by Jarrelen Glass from
Crystal Cadence. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio
app or wherever you listen to your your favorite shows.
Host
Devi Brown
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