May 6, 2025 • 32 mins
Discover the Power of Herbal Medicine in Cancer Care with Petra Sovcov
Join host Ivelisse Page on the Believe Big podcast as she welcomes Petra Sovcov, a clinical herbal therapist and Doctor of Natural Medicine based in Vancouver, BC.
Founder of Healing House Natural Wellness, Petra brings decades of experience helping patients with chronic inflammatory conditions, including cancer and autoimmune diseases. In this enlightening episode, Petra shares practical, science-backed insights on how herbal remedies can complement conventional care to support detoxification, emotional health, and mental clarity.
Petra discusses:
- Why it’s vital to slow down and make informed decisions in a health crisis
- How to source high-quality herbs and read product labels wisely
- Which herbs are most effective for detox and emotional balance
- How herbal tinctures can enhance treatment outcomes
Whether you're a patient, caregiver, or health advocate, this episode is full of actionable tips to naturally strengthen your healing journey.
🎧 Tune in, be inspired, and share this episode with someone who needs to know they’re not alone on the path to healing.
Learn more about Petra Sovcov at Healing House Natural Wellness
Suggested Resource Links:
- Petra's Blog
- Institute of Holistic Nutrition - online
- Wild Rose College of Herbal Medicine
- Herbalists Without Borders
- BC Herbalist Association
- Canadian Council of Herbalist Associations
- American Herbalist Guild
- American Herbal Pharmacopia
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ivelisse Page (00:06):
Hi, I'm Ivelisse Page and thanks for listening to
the Believe Big podcast, theshow where we take deep dive
into your healing with healthexperts, integrative
practitioners, biblical faithleaders, and cancer thrivers
from around the globe.
(00:34):
Welcome to today's episode onthe Believe Big podcast.
My name is Ivelisse Page andit's an honor to spend this time
with you.
Today, you are in for a treat,our friend Petra Sovcov a
clinical herbal therapist andDoctor of Natural Medicine,
who's based in Vancouver,British Columbia is here with us
today.
(00:55):
She is the founder of HealingHouse Natural Wellness, and
brings a decade of experienceworking with individuals facing
chronic inflammatory conditions,including cancer and autoimmune
disease.
Petra also teaches herbalmedicine studies and
environmental nutrition at theInstitute of Holistic Nutrition
(01:18):
and is a contracted facultymember at the Wild Rose College
where she teaches anatomy,physiology, and biochemistry.
She's a graduate of DominionHerbal College and is also the
chair of the board forHerbalists Without Borders
International, and she also runsthe Vancouver's Chapters Free
People's Clinic.
(01:39):
Her passion lies in helpingpeople reclaim their health
through herbs, dietary changes,and sustainable living, always
with a deep respect for thewisdom of both nature and
science.
When she's not in the clinic orin the classroom, Petra enjoys
gardening, preserving heirloomplant varieties, and teaching
(02:00):
others how sustainability beginsright in our own backyards.
Welcome to the podcast, Petra.
Petra Sovcov (02:06):
Thank you so much.
I'm so excited and honored to behere.
Ivelisse Page (02:11):
Well, we always start our podcast with what our
guest favorite health tip, andI'm sure you have many, but can
you share one with us?
Petra Sovcov (02:18):
Yes.
And you know, funny enough, ithas nothing to do with herbal
medicine or natural medicine.
Ivelisse Page (02:24):
Okay, I love it.
Petra Sovcov (02:25):
It's more about the realm in which that I work
and support individuals.
And when I'm working withindividuals, oftentimes with
more complicated scenarios, mybest advice that I can offer is
slow down.
Go ahead and take the time even.
Even when we're in a state wherethings seem very dire and very
(02:46):
sudden and very life changing.
Take the time to slow down andprocess the news before making
decisions.
Ivelisse Page (02:54):
I love that.
Petra Sovcov (02:55):
That's my primary advice.
Ivelisse Page (02:57):
That's great advice,
Petra Sovcov (02:58):
Because these individuals are, whoever who,
you know, many of us has been onon similar paths before, we're
faced with making a decisionright away, that may or may not
alter end results.
Right.
And the other thing is, readyour labels.
Yes.
As far as as as living and ournutrition goes, read your
(03:22):
labels, make yourselves very,very familiar with those
well-known carcinogens,endocrine disruptors, and
neurotransmitter disruptors,because those also have a huge
impact in the long-termprognosis of health because many
of these chemicals are fatsoluble, which mean they build
(03:44):
up in the body over time untilwe reach toxic load and
potentially a health crisis.
Ivelisse Page (03:52):
Very interesting.
I didn't know that they were fatsoluble.
That's very interesting.
So for those who are new to theconcept of, um, herbal medicine,
how would you describe it inyour own words?
Petra Sovcov (04:03):
Oh, this is the foundation of all medicine on
earth.
Right.
Human beings and plants have apartnership since creation.
Our bodies know exactly how touse plants, um, whether it's
through chemistry, whether it'sdigestion, whether it's the use
for, for healing benefits.
And so when I talk about herbalmedicine and the roots of herbal
(04:26):
medicine, what I will say isthat, herbal medicine
encompasses all cultures, alltimes, and all peoples.
It is truly the people'smedicine.
And also current allopathicmedicine sits on the shoulders
of herbal medicine with over 70%of our strong pharmaceuticals
(04:46):
coming from plant constituents.
Ivelisse Page (04:49):
Hmm.
I didn't know 70% did.
That's amazing.
Petra Sovcov (04:52):
It's a lot.
It's a lot.
A lot of our strong medicationscome from plants.
It might not be in the wholesense.
But many of the chemotherapydrugs come from various
constituents and plants.
Many of our very lifesavingcardiovascular medications come
from plants.
A lot of our, um,anti-inflammatories come from
plants and so on and so forth.
Ivelisse Page (05:14):
Yes.
Yeah.
And we, we know mistletoetherapy very well at Believe
big.
And it is such a powerful forcewhen it comes to cancer
treatments.
And here in the United States,it's labeled under the
homeopathic pharmacopia, notunder the herbal medicine, which
is why, uh, integrativepractitioners can use it
off-label for cancer.
(05:35):
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
But in, in general.
A lot of people are sometimesconcerned with using herbal
medicines because theironcologist will say, don't use
that.
It might counteract what we'retrying to do with the
chemotherapy and you know, sowhat would be your best advice
on one?
Yes, it's safe to use or, orwhen should you pause?
(05:56):
Yeah.
in using it in conjunction withchemotherapy.
Petra Sovcov (05:59):
Yeah, so what I'll say first and foremost is
unfortunately, most allopathicpractitioners do not have
adequate training in herbalmedicine.
I would love to change that inorder for there to be a, a
better partnership, and I wouldlove to take the, the mystique
and the shadow off of herbalmedicine.
And allow practitioners to kindof peek behind the scenes.
(06:21):
So what I will say when it comesto issues with cancer and
oncology and herbal medicine is,in my opinion, there is a lot
more fear than facts.
We of course, know that thereare certain classes of herbs and
certain classes of drugs thatdon't go hand in hand, and we've
seen it clinically inindividuals and human beings.
(06:44):
However, a lot of the feararound herbal medicine is around
something called theoreticalconcepts, or it's seen in test
tubes or it's seen in animals,and we know that the human being
is not a test tube or a rat,right?
So when it comes to that, Igenerally will say to
individuals, make yourself aseducated as possible on the
(07:08):
herbs that are being suggested.
And allow for there to beguidance and to make a informed
decision.
Ivelisse Page (07:17):
And so how would, how would someone find a
qualified herbalist if they'renot near you in Canada?
What would be your best advicein order to find somebody that's
trusted.
Petra Sovcov (07:28):
Yeah.
So, you know, I.
I thankfully work withindividuals in Canada, the US,
all over North America.
I have clients also in, inEurope.
Um, so grateful for that.
But if they're looking to seesomeone one-on-one in office,
there are some wonderful,wonderful ways you can find a
certified clinical herbalist.
And this is not dispelling thegeneral herbalist or the
(07:52):
community herbalist, or themaster herbalist.
But if things are more comcomplicated, you may want a
clinical herbal therapist, andthat is the highest level of
education you can go in herbalmedicine.
So the um, American HerbalistGuild is a wonderful resource
that can potentially put someonein, um, contact with a clinical
(08:13):
herbalist.
Of course, Herbalists WithoutBorders International can maybe
help with that as well.
Um, and there are various guildsand I will loosely say governing
bodies for herbal medicine.
The BC Association of HerbalMedicine, the Canadian
Association for Herbal Medicine.
These are places where you getmembership based off of the
(08:34):
standard of education, so youknow that individuals being
referred from these places aregoing to be upheld in that
standard of education and aregoing to have a actual clinical
certification usually from afour year program.
Ivelisse Page (08:47):
Thank you.
Thank you for sharing that.
My pleasure.
We'll make sure to put the thatin our show notes for people to
be able to find easily.
Absolutely.
So her herbal medicine I knowcan take many forms from
tinctures to teas to capsules.
Mm-hmm.
Can you walk us through howthese are made and why different
forms might be chosen fordifferent things.
Petra Sovcov (09:06):
Yeah, of course.
And that's really, actuallyreally exciting.
Herbal Herbal Pharmacy or herbalPharmacopeia.
So you know, a clinicalherbalist is gonna be trained in
how to create these items.
A lot of practitioners willrefer people out to already
created formulations buyingfrom, from health food stores,
and those are fine for generaluse.
(09:27):
They're usually in the scope.
From what I've seen, and this,this is not a blanket statement
by any means, but just from whatI've seen, these are usually low
dose blanketed formulas insteadof specific.
So a clinical herbalist is goingto be able to make something
absolutely specific to theindividual's needs and to the
state that they are in.
(09:48):
So oftentimes, for example.
For example, what I've run intois if someone, for example, has
a very inflamed gastrointestinaltract, and I'm going to make
recommendations for an herbalsupplement that's already
encapsulated, the body's gonnahave to work extra hard to break
that down.
So finding the type offormulation that's going to work
(10:09):
best for the person's stateallows us to then use tinctures,
teas, decoctions, sometimesinhalants, sometimes tablets,
sometimes capsules.
Um.
What's key to know is thattinctures, infusions are, and
decoctions are liquid.
Tinctures are something calledmark to menstrom.
It's a ratio that allows us tomake something very strong or
(10:32):
drop down.
So you have liquid extracts,which are one to one, one to
two, one to three tinctures, oneto five, one to seven, one to 10
on some, uh herbals that areconsidered toxic botanicals or,
um, dangerous botanicals.
We're looking at ratios of oneto 30, one to 50, one to 100,
and a clinical herbalist isgoing to know what best to use
(10:54):
in these situations.
So tincture just means, um,plant matter to alcohol.
Gotcha.
Okay.
Tea means plant matter toboiling water sitting in a cup.
A decoction is plant matter toboiling water.
Cooked for an X amount of time.
Okay.
(11:15):
And then the rest, we knowtablets, capsules, inhalants,
and so forth.
Ivelisse Page (11:19):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We have a local herbalist, um,here in Fort Collins, and it's a
wonderful store because you canwalk in and she, one of the
women there is a clinicalherbalist and you'll, you can
share with her what you'reexperiencing, whether it's
really bad, cold and, andspecify to what symptoms or even
going through menopause and, andneeding relief.
(11:40):
And they can adjust whatever'sin your herbal mix based on even
allergies.
I'm allergic to peppermint andso it's really hard to find
stomach soothing herbs thatdon't contain peppermint or
spearmint, right?
Things like that.
So.
So, yeah, it's really wonderfulto be able to have these
resources that are super healingand, easy for your body to
(12:02):
digest mm-hmm.
And to help your body to, um,absorb well.
In the sense of cancer.
Mm-hmm.
Um, people who are undergoingconventional treatments like
chemotherapy or radiation, arethere certain herbs that should
absolutely be avoided or arethere some that you've found
that really support the bodythrough those treatments?
Petra Sovcov (12:22):
That's a great question.
So, you know, in, in theorythere's certain classes of herbs
that, or certain actions that wedon't want to use with certain
pharmaceuticals.
So for example, if someone whois going through, uh, their
cancer journey is on immunesuppressing drugs.
We then don't necessarily wantto use class of herbs called
(12:43):
immunomodulators or immunostimulants, and a good
practitioner is gonna know notto do that.
There are certainly herbs thatwe have seen potentially in
clinical trials that canactually make these various
class of chemotherapy drugspotentially stronger.
And we have also seen certainclasses of herbs that can help
(13:03):
people recover.
When I'm working with clients,when they're generally in active
chemotherapy, it really dependson what the client is wanting.
So I'm working with individualswhere I'm trying to support from
where they are, and many timesthat is support after
chemotherapy, or afterradiation.
(13:25):
And I'm not, you know, I'm notthe type of client who's going
to argue with the oncologist,right?
Yes.
That's not, that's not my job.
And I have no training as anoncologist.
So, you know, if they say noherbs during chemotherapy, then
I'm going to respect my client'sdecision and not push for herbs
during chemotherapy, obviously.
Yeah.
But, you know, um, we've seen,for example, the herb ganoderma
(13:49):
lucidum, which is reishimushroom.
Ivelisse Page (13:52):
Hmm.
Petra Sovcov (13:53):
From what we can tell right now, no real known
contraindications, of course,safety's sake.
We don't necessarily do it atthe same time, but that's a
really powerful herbal allyafter chemotherapy that can help
bring back vitality, energylevels, decrease inflammation
and so forth.
Mm-hmm.
Ivelisse Page (14:10):
Yes.
Yeah.
I love that.
I, I used to take a mushroomblend mm-hmm.
Even during my cancer journeyall those years ago.
Mm-hmm.
Um, and I know that it w itplayed a huge factor in not only
my healing, but also in myvitality and my energy, so.
Petra Sovcov (14:27):
Absolutely.
There's, there's a lot of herbalallies and, you know, I can't
really say, you know, give afull list because if someone's
listening to this who might havea specific scenario, then I
could actually be, you know,causing potential harm.
But what I will say is, yes,there are herbs that we can use
during various chemo potentiallyor after?
Ivelisse Page (14:48):
Yes.
Everybody's case is different.
And you know, I'm, I'm the sameway.
I am very careful not to shareexactly what I did during my
journey, because people maythink, well, I have stage, I
have stage four colon cancer aswell.
Yeah.
I need to do exactly whatIvelisse did, and, and it's not,
um, there are aspects that arebackbones to treatment like
mistletoe therapy and herbs andhomeopathy.
(15:09):
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
And IV vitamin C, all thosekinds of things are amazing.
Right.
But everybody's an individualand needs to be treated as such,
so I, I appreciate that, thatyou shared that.
You also teach about theenvironmental impact on human
health and how important thedetoxification not only in
cancer care, but in everydaylife.
What herbs do you find mosteffective for gentle yet
(15:32):
supportive detox pathways.
Petra Sovcov (15:34):
Yeah, and it's really interesting that you
mentioned detox because Iactually, I have a talk about
detox and detox myth and uh,environmental factors.
And so what I say to individualslooking for detoxification,
there's detoxification andchelation and let's move things
and let's get it out, which canbe quite uncomfortable.
(15:57):
And then there is detoxificationpathway support where we open
all the channels ofdetoxification and we allow for
the body to do what it doesnaturally.
So these are herbs that are likeoftentimes lymphatics, liver
supporters, blood cleaners,kidney support.
One of my favorites, obviouslyit's used a lot, but Astragalus,
(16:19):
membranaceus, um, it's aadaptogen.
It helps with the creation ofhealthy red blood cells.
It helps with the creation ofhealthy white blood cells, helps
to boost platelets.
Um, so we want things like thatand things that also help with
the proper urination andelimination.
Just opening all channels ofelimination because the body
does know how to detoxify.
(16:40):
So having this conversation inthe spring is actually pretty
funny because this is whenpeople start detox, detoxifying.
And I like to playfully call itdiarrhea season.
People like I'm gonna detoxifyin the spring.
And a lot of these detoxifyingformulas that you see on the
market are actually justglorified laxatives.
(17:02):
With really like you, with Senaand, and all these herbs that
make you go, so it makes youfeel like you're detoxifying.
But a lot of them, in myopinion, and you know, what's an
opinion worth, uh, sometimesmiss the mark with not
necessarily having herbs thatare then going to also support
digestion and circulation andkidney health and proper
(17:23):
elimination of the otherpathways as well.
So, uh, for detoxification, um,take heed and take care.
Ivelisse Page (17:31):
Yes, for sure.
I tell that to a lot of myfriends because yeah, there's
lots of things that are outthere now and parasite cleanses,
you name it.
Mm-hmm.
So many.
And you know, if you're notunder a doctor's care, um, and
this is even outside of a, acancering process, you can
really cause your body to becomevery ill.
(17:51):
And so I really feel it's soimportant to be followed by a
practitioner who knows this sideof care and that can really help
your body to, um, really, likeyou're saying, detoxify in a
gentle way.
Yeah.
That, that your body can handle.
Petra Sovcov (18:04):
And certainly yes and no when it comes to pot
potentials for, for harmbecause, you know.
Our body yes, knows what to dowith herbs, but certain herbs
are considered short term, lowdose.
Right.
And some herbs are, are verysafe for larger doses, long
term.
So it's just knowing and, andworking with someone who knows
(18:26):
how to use those herbs properlyis, is really key.
I'm not certain if there's anysort of long-term, major danger,
but certainly if there'spreexisting complications and
preexisting issues, then youobviously don't want to go and
self dose and, and self.
Self-work.
Ivelisse Page (18:45):
Yeah.
And, and I'm not so much sayingabout herbs that people are
using.
Mm-hmm.
There are a lot of kits that areout there that are, you know, in
capsules and may not be allherbs.
And, I just don't, don't know,what's involved with, with many
of'em that are out there.
But, I do know that some herbal,tinctures for detoxifying don't
taste the best.
(19:05):
So how can one take thesewonderful tinctures and, um,
medicine.
Is there a way that you'vetaught your clients, um, in
order to be able to handle them?
Petra Sovcov (19:18):
I just let them suffer a bit.
No.
So, you know, when it comes tolike chronic, um, chronic
long-term health issues, uh, youknow, there is often the
complaint, oh my gosh, thattastes awful.
And I say, well, it took us along time to get to where we are
now.
And so expecting somethingthat's going to instantly, uh,
(19:40):
eliminate all the problems andtaste wonderful, might be a
little unrealistic.
Mm-hmm.
So what I'll say with the herbsis oftentimes when we're working
with, um, very heavy things andwe're working with, with some
herbs that really don't tastegood, what I'll say it's short
term pain for hopefully longerterm gain.
(20:00):
Um, a tincture, what you do isyou pour your dose in a little
bit of glass and you add a bitof hot water to hopefully burn
off some of the alcohol, andthen you just, you get it done.
You can chase it with somejuice.
You could chase it with someorange juice or something.
But, um, when it comes toindividual individuals, for
example, who need the herbs inthe same sort of, um, strength
(20:23):
as a tincture but cannot handlean alcohol, of course, uh, a
qualified herbalist or clinicalherbalists will be able to do an
extraction, pull the, pull the,the alcohol out, and then
replace it with somethingpotentially better tasting.
My favorite is I use a Manukahoney.
A lot of clinical herbalist willcreate a glycerite, so they'll
(20:44):
replace it with glycerin.
Um, I don't like glycerinbecause I don't always know
what's in it.
Mm-hmm.
It says, you know, variousvegetable, organic vegetable
cellulose or whatnot.
Um, so, but with honey or manukahoney, I know exactly what's
going in it.
So it's, it's much easier for meto do it, to do it that way for
(21:06):
individuals who can'tnecessarily take tinctures.
Believe Big (21:09):
We hope you're enjoying today's episode on
Herbal Medicine with PetraSovcov.
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Ivelisse Page (22:25):
So like with supplements, I often hear that
not all herbs are created equal.
Right?
How is the quality, sourcing, orbrand when it comes to herbal
products?
Petra Sovcov (22:36):
So important.
So important because the worldthat we live in is not the world
that we lived in even 10, 20, 30years ago.
Uh, a lot of our global soilsare, are heavily impacted with
agrochemicals and theseagrochemicals, unfortunately, we
don't necessarily know theirentire lifespan and how long
(22:56):
they go in the soil.
All we know is that they buildup strength over time.
So here's what I will say aboutherbs is in my opinion, is that
it's very important for a couplethings to be front center for
individuals wanting to useherbal medicine.
One is make sure that if you aregetting herbs from a supplier or
(23:17):
a clinician or whatever, thatthey are certified organic and
grown for herbal medicine.
Why is this?
Twofold, one is that many, manyof our herbs are endangered or
heavily impacted in the wild.
It's my opinion that many of theherbs need to remain herbs in
(23:40):
the wild so we have them forfuture generations.
So if growers are growing themon a farm, they're grown for
herbal medicine.
We're not taking them from, fromthe wild.
Now that is this, however, Ialso do wildcraft, but I'm
wildcrafting in a veryrespectful manner for the plant
and for the land not taking fromareas that are heavily impacted
(24:04):
or that have, um, herbs that areendangered.
So I'm, I'm harvesting thingslike dandelion, chickweed things
that are in abundance in thewild, from safe locations.
The other thing is, um, makingcertain that the supplier, if
you're for example, getting afull product, like a, like a,
(24:26):
like a tincture, formulationfrom a supplier, um, pay
attention to the manufacturingfacilities.
Because of the possibility forcross-contamination, um, for
benzene products or otherinflammatory chemicals that are
actually dangerous can bepresent.
So knowing how they'remanufacturing their formulas,
(24:47):
where and what kind of cleanersthey're using, what kind of
lubricants they're using isgonna have an impact because
there is of course, thepotential for cross con
contamination, and that just canpotentially impact the illness
further.
Ivelisse Page (25:02):
Yes.
Yeah.
And, and explain to people too.
I think this is an aspect thatsometimes we don't realize when
we're purchasing herbal, um,teas, um, from, not even just
from the store.
You know, it could be awonderful organic tea, but then
the bag that they put it in.
Oh, they have plastics in it.
Petra Sovcov (25:21):
Endocrin disrupting chemicals.
Is that what we're talkingabout?
Yes.
My favorite topic in the wholewide world.
Ivelisse Page (25:27):
Yes.
And so it's really frustratingthat you have this beautiful
organic herbs and then they'reladen in this plastic teabag or
in a bleached teabag.
So what, what are yourrecommendations for people to
safely take herbs?
Petra Sovcov (25:41):
So, um, formulations in a paper bag
loose
Ivelisse Page (25:46):
yes.
Petra Sovcov (25:46):
Is gonna be your friend, right?
Your herbalist, if you'repurchasing from an herbalist,
uh, it's very good if thoseformulas are stored in glass and
then go from the glass containerto your paper bag.
Doesn't have to be fancy.
It might not have a fancy,beautiful label, but it's
probably gonna be safer.
Herbs coming in tea bags.
(26:08):
That's, that's a tough onebecause oftentimes people don't
have access to an herbaldispensatory or an apothecary.
And so they'll buy things at astore from a great producer.
But those herbal, those tea bagsare often laid, lay, made out of
plastics.
And then you get microplastics,and then you get phthalates, and
(26:30):
then we've got endocrinedisruptors and xenoestrogens and
it's just a big mess.
So, avoid as much as possible,in my opinion, herbs that are in
plastic based tea bags, uh, myown formulations come to people
in, in non, non fancy paper andI actually give everybody
organic cotton tea bags that arereusable.
(26:53):
So, you know, things like thatare a better option.
If you are dealing with achronic inflammatory issue or a,
or a health crisis, we want tomitigate as much environmental
toxin and as much environmentaltoxin exposure as possible.
And it is enlightening, but alsocan be frightening to see just
(27:16):
how polluted our world hasbecome.
And we don't necessarily sharethe information about
microplastics and endocrinedisruptors and how these
literally build up over time.
And our endocrine system is themaster system of our body.
Every single cellular metabolicfunction is driven by hormones.
(27:39):
Yes.
The endocrine system from thethought in your head to the
digestion, to the poop, it's allhormones.
Ivelisse Page (27:46):
Yes.
Yes.
And you just said something, youknow, that I wanted you to touch
on in the last few minutes thatwe have.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
You know, we know that the mindbody connection plays a huge
role in healing.
How does herbal medicine supportthe emotional health, or mental
clarity for someone, let's say,navigating a cancer diagnosis?
Petra Sovcov (28:06):
Oh boy.
Oh boy.
That's, you know, such a hugepart and I see time and time
again.
Um, in cases where trauma is abig driver towards illness, and
we know that trauma isinflammatory.
I'm not even talking aboutherbal medicine right now.
I'm just talking about clinicalscience.
That trauma and unprocessedtrauma is pro-inflammatory and
(28:31):
it sets off the inflammatorysystem.
Eventually that inflammatorycycle becomes self perpetuating
with pro-inflammatorymessengers.
And so part of healing isresolution through somatic
therapy, talk therapy and soforth.
So what herbs can do, what canherbs do in these kind of
situations?
(28:52):
It's kind of a little bit of a,a love letter to chemistry in
that certain herbs can helpmitigate the damage from
pro-inflammatory messengers andcould potentially help turn off
the inflammatory cycle andrestore it to normal function.
However, that's not possiblewithout work from the individual
(29:17):
working through that trauma,processing it, getting it out of
the body as much as possible,which is where herbal medicine
and somatic and herbal medicineand talk therapy can be so
incredibly powerful as acombined force.
Ivelisse Page (29:32):
What herbs are great to combine with somatic
and talk therapy.
Yeah.
Are you talking things likechamomile or different things?
Petra Sovcov (29:41):
No.
No, because chamomile is, is issedating and gentle and it's a
digestive.
I'm talking about bigger gunshere.
Ivelisse Page (29:50):
Okay.
Petra Sovcov (29:50):
Talking about,
Ivelisse Page (29:51):
I wanna hear it.
I wanna hear it.
Petra Sovcov (29:52):
Yeah.
Some of my favorites.
So I'm gonna say these as someof my favorites with the
commentary, please do not selfdose.
Please do not.
Um, self formulate, but some ofmy favorites for chronic
inflammatory, heavy inflammatoryinflammation caused by trauma,
cat's claw, Uncaria tomentosasuper anti-inflammatory.
(30:16):
Herbs like Stachys officinalisnow called stachys bontanica,
this is, um, heartsease.
It's been around, we used itsince medieval times.
Um, wood betony, this, thishelps with, it's traditionally
used to lighten the load oftrauma and heartbreak.
And I don't know if science hascaught up to necessarily how
(30:38):
this works, but what I've seenis it helps regulate the nervous
system, helps regulate, um,nerve responses.
Okay.
And then there's other ones thatwe don't necessarily talk about,
not overly well known.
Um, and a tender plant.
I don't know if I really want tomention this, but I will mention
this for practitioners who areable to get it in a sustainable
(31:02):
way, and that's ghost pipe,ghost pipe mushroom, um, for
complex PTSD and PTSD can helpmitigate or compartmentalize,
uh, some of these traumatic andoverwhelming feelings.
Ivelisse Page (31:16):
Well that's wonderful.
You know, thank you so muchPetra, for all of that you
shared today on the episode, itwas packed with information and
tips that I know is gonna allowpeople to dig into this side of
healing a little bit further.
Um, thank you so much forjoining us.
Petra Sovcov (31:34):
My pleasure entirely.
Ivelisse Page (31:35):
Yeah, so if, if someone would want to reach out
to you to get more informationfor their specific case, Petra,
what would be the best way forthem to reach out to you?
Petra Sovcov (31:44):
Yeah, they can go to my website,
healinghouseherbal.com, or emailat me at
healinghouseherbal@gmail.com.
Either myself or my assistantwill get back and, email is
fine.
There's a number for thewellness clinic if needed, also
on the website and I would behappy to have a chat if someone
(32:07):
needs help.
Ivelisse Page (32:08):
Well, thank you so much and we'll look forward
to hearing from you soon.
Petra Sovcov (32:12):
Sounds good.
Thank you and my pleasureentirely.
Ivelisse Page (32:21):
If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to
help support our podcast, pleasesubscribe and share it with
others.
Be sure to visit believebig.orgto access to show notes and
discover our bonus content.
Thanks again and keep BelievingBig!
Hi, I'm Ivelisse Page and thanks for listening to
the Believe Big podcast, theshow where we take deep dive
into your healing with healthexperts, integrative
practitioners, biblical faithleaders, and cancer thrivers
from around the globe.
(00:34):
Welcome to today's episode onthe Believe Big podcast.
My name is Ivelisse Page andit's an honor to spend this time
with you.
Today, you are in for a treat,our friend Petra Sovcov a
clinical herbal therapist andDoctor of Natural Medicine,
who's based in Vancouver,British Columbia is here with us
today.
(00:55):
She is the founder of HealingHouse Natural Wellness, and
brings a decade of experienceworking with individuals facing
chronic inflammatory conditions,including cancer and autoimmune
disease.
Petra also teaches herbalmedicine studies and
environmental nutrition at theInstitute of Holistic Nutrition
(01:18):
and is a contracted facultymember at the Wild Rose College
where she teaches anatomy,physiology, and biochemistry.
She's a graduate of DominionHerbal College and is also the
chair of the board forHerbalists Without Borders
International, and she also runsthe Vancouver's Chapters Free
People's Clinic.
(01:39):
Her passion lies in helpingpeople reclaim their health
through herbs, dietary changes,and sustainable living, always
with a deep respect for thewisdom of both nature and
science.
When she's not in the clinic orin the classroom, Petra enjoys
gardening, preserving heirloomplant varieties, and teaching
(02:00):
others how sustainability beginsright in our own backyards.
Welcome to the podcast, Petra.
Petra Sovcov (02:06):
Thank you so much.
I'm so excited and honored to behere.
Ivelisse Page (02:11):
Well, we always start our podcast with what our
guest favorite health tip, andI'm sure you have many, but can
you share one with us?
Petra Sovcov (02:18):
Yes.
And you know, funny enough, ithas nothing to do with herbal
medicine or natural medicine.
Ivelisse Page (02:24):
Okay, I love it.
Petra Sovcov (02:25):
It's more about the realm in which that I work
and support individuals.
And when I'm working withindividuals, oftentimes with
more complicated scenarios, mybest advice that I can offer is
slow down.
Go ahead and take the time even.
Even when we're in a state wherethings seem very dire and very
(02:46):
sudden and very life changing.
Take the time to slow down andprocess the news before making
decisions.
Ivelisse Page (02:54):
I love that.
Petra Sovcov (02:55):
That's my primary advice.
Ivelisse Page (02:57):
That's great advice,
Petra Sovcov (02:58):
Because these individuals are, whoever who,
you know, many of us has been onon similar paths before, we're
faced with making a decisionright away, that may or may not
alter end results.
Right.
And the other thing is, readyour labels.
Yes.
As far as as as living and ournutrition goes, read your
(03:22):
labels, make yourselves very,very familiar with those
well-known carcinogens,endocrine disruptors, and
neurotransmitter disruptors,because those also have a huge
impact in the long-termprognosis of health because many
of these chemicals are fatsoluble, which mean they build
(03:44):
up in the body over time untilwe reach toxic load and
potentially a health crisis.
Ivelisse Page (03:52):
Very interesting.
I didn't know that they were fatsoluble.
That's very interesting.
So for those who are new to theconcept of, um, herbal medicine,
how would you describe it inyour own words?
Petra Sovcov (04:03):
Oh, this is the foundation of all medicine on
earth.
Right.
Human beings and plants have apartnership since creation.
Our bodies know exactly how touse plants, um, whether it's
through chemistry, whether it'sdigestion, whether it's the use
for, for healing benefits.
And so when I talk about herbalmedicine and the roots of herbal
(04:26):
medicine, what I will say isthat, herbal medicine
encompasses all cultures, alltimes, and all peoples.
It is truly the people'smedicine.
And also current allopathicmedicine sits on the shoulders
of herbal medicine with over 70%of our strong pharmaceuticals
(04:46):
coming from plant constituents.
Ivelisse Page (04:49):
Hmm.
I didn't know 70% did.
That's amazing.
Petra Sovcov (04:52):
It's a lot.
It's a lot.
A lot of our strong medicationscome from plants.
It might not be in the wholesense.
But many of the chemotherapydrugs come from various
constituents and plants.
Many of our very lifesavingcardiovascular medications come
from plants.
A lot of our, um,anti-inflammatories come from
plants and so on and so forth.
Ivelisse Page (05:14):
Yes.
Yeah.
And we, we know mistletoetherapy very well at Believe
big.
And it is such a powerful forcewhen it comes to cancer
treatments.
And here in the United States,it's labeled under the
homeopathic pharmacopia, notunder the herbal medicine, which
is why, uh, integrativepractitioners can use it
off-label for cancer.
(05:35):
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
But in, in general.
A lot of people are sometimesconcerned with using herbal
medicines because theironcologist will say, don't use
that.
It might counteract what we'retrying to do with the
chemotherapy and you know, sowhat would be your best advice
on one?
Yes, it's safe to use or, orwhen should you pause?
(05:56):
Yeah.
in using it in conjunction withchemotherapy.
Petra Sovcov (05:59):
Yeah, so what I'll say first and foremost is
unfortunately, most allopathicpractitioners do not have
adequate training in herbalmedicine.
I would love to change that inorder for there to be a, a
better partnership, and I wouldlove to take the, the mystique
and the shadow off of herbalmedicine.
And allow practitioners to kindof peek behind the scenes.
(06:21):
So what I will say when it comesto issues with cancer and
oncology and herbal medicine is,in my opinion, there is a lot
more fear than facts.
We of course, know that thereare certain classes of herbs and
certain classes of drugs thatdon't go hand in hand, and we've
seen it clinically inindividuals and human beings.
(06:44):
However, a lot of the feararound herbal medicine is around
something called theoreticalconcepts, or it's seen in test
tubes or it's seen in animals,and we know that the human being
is not a test tube or a rat,right?
So when it comes to that, Igenerally will say to
individuals, make yourself aseducated as possible on the
(07:08):
herbs that are being suggested.
And allow for there to beguidance and to make a informed
decision.
Ivelisse Page (07:17):
And so how would, how would someone find a
qualified herbalist if they'renot near you in Canada?
What would be your best advicein order to find somebody that's
trusted.
Petra Sovcov (07:28):
Yeah.
So, you know, I.
I thankfully work withindividuals in Canada, the US,
all over North America.
I have clients also in, inEurope.
Um, so grateful for that.
But if they're looking to seesomeone one-on-one in office,
there are some wonderful,wonderful ways you can find a
certified clinical herbalist.
And this is not dispelling thegeneral herbalist or the
(07:52):
community herbalist, or themaster herbalist.
But if things are more comcomplicated, you may want a
clinical herbal therapist, andthat is the highest level of
education you can go in herbalmedicine.
So the um, American HerbalistGuild is a wonderful resource
that can potentially put someonein, um, contact with a clinical
(08:13):
herbalist.
Of course, Herbalists WithoutBorders International can maybe
help with that as well.
Um, and there are various guildsand I will loosely say governing
bodies for herbal medicine.
The BC Association of HerbalMedicine, the Canadian
Association for Herbal Medicine.
These are places where you getmembership based off of the
(08:34):
standard of education, so youknow that individuals being
referred from these places aregoing to be upheld in that
standard of education and aregoing to have a actual clinical
certification usually from afour year program.
Ivelisse Page (08:47):
Thank you.
Thank you for sharing that.
My pleasure.
We'll make sure to put the thatin our show notes for people to
be able to find easily.
Absolutely.
So her herbal medicine I knowcan take many forms from
tinctures to teas to capsules.
Mm-hmm.
Can you walk us through howthese are made and why different
forms might be chosen fordifferent things.
Petra Sovcov (09:06):
Yeah, of course.
And that's really, actuallyreally exciting.
Herbal Herbal Pharmacy or herbalPharmacopeia.
So you know, a clinicalherbalist is gonna be trained in
how to create these items.
A lot of practitioners willrefer people out to already
created formulations buyingfrom, from health food stores,
and those are fine for generaluse.
(09:27):
They're usually in the scope.
From what I've seen, and this,this is not a blanket statement
by any means, but just from whatI've seen, these are usually low
dose blanketed formulas insteadof specific.
So a clinical herbalist is goingto be able to make something
absolutely specific to theindividual's needs and to the
state that they are in.
(09:48):
So oftentimes, for example.
For example, what I've run intois if someone, for example, has
a very inflamed gastrointestinaltract, and I'm going to make
recommendations for an herbalsupplement that's already
encapsulated, the body's gonnahave to work extra hard to break
that down.
So finding the type offormulation that's going to work
(10:09):
best for the person's stateallows us to then use tinctures,
teas, decoctions, sometimesinhalants, sometimes tablets,
sometimes capsules.
Um.
What's key to know is thattinctures, infusions are, and
decoctions are liquid.
Tinctures are something calledmark to menstrom.
It's a ratio that allows us tomake something very strong or
(10:32):
drop down.
So you have liquid extracts,which are one to one, one to
two, one to three tinctures, oneto five, one to seven, one to 10
on some, uh herbals that areconsidered toxic botanicals or,
um, dangerous botanicals.
We're looking at ratios of oneto 30, one to 50, one to 100,
and a clinical herbalist isgoing to know what best to use
(10:54):
in these situations.
So tincture just means, um,plant matter to alcohol.
Gotcha.
Okay.
Tea means plant matter toboiling water sitting in a cup.
A decoction is plant matter toboiling water.
Cooked for an X amount of time.
Okay.
(11:15):
And then the rest, we knowtablets, capsules, inhalants,
and so forth.
Ivelisse Page (11:19):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We have a local herbalist, um,here in Fort Collins, and it's a
wonderful store because you canwalk in and she, one of the
women there is a clinicalherbalist and you'll, you can
share with her what you'reexperiencing, whether it's
really bad, cold and, andspecify to what symptoms or even
going through menopause and, andneeding relief.
(11:40):
And they can adjust whatever'sin your herbal mix based on even
allergies.
I'm allergic to peppermint andso it's really hard to find
stomach soothing herbs thatdon't contain peppermint or
spearmint, right?
Things like that.
So.
So, yeah, it's really wonderfulto be able to have these
resources that are super healingand, easy for your body to
(12:02):
digest mm-hmm.
And to help your body to, um,absorb well.
In the sense of cancer.
Mm-hmm.
Um, people who are undergoingconventional treatments like
chemotherapy or radiation, arethere certain herbs that should
absolutely be avoided or arethere some that you've found
that really support the bodythrough those treatments?
Petra Sovcov (12:22):
That's a great question.
So, you know, in, in theorythere's certain classes of herbs
that, or certain actions that wedon't want to use with certain
pharmaceuticals.
So for example, if someone whois going through, uh, their
cancer journey is on immunesuppressing drugs.
We then don't necessarily wantto use class of herbs called
(12:43):
immunomodulators or immunostimulants, and a good
practitioner is gonna know notto do that.
There are certainly herbs thatwe have seen potentially in
clinical trials that canactually make these various
class of chemotherapy drugspotentially stronger.
And we have also seen certainclasses of herbs that can help
(13:03):
people recover.
When I'm working with clients,when they're generally in active
chemotherapy, it really dependson what the client is wanting.
So I'm working with individualswhere I'm trying to support from
where they are, and many timesthat is support after
chemotherapy, or afterradiation.
(13:25):
And I'm not, you know, I'm notthe type of client who's going
to argue with the oncologist,right?
Yes.
That's not, that's not my job.
And I have no training as anoncologist.
So, you know, if they say noherbs during chemotherapy, then
I'm going to respect my client'sdecision and not push for herbs
during chemotherapy, obviously.
Yeah.
But, you know, um, we've seen,for example, the herb ganoderma
(13:49):
lucidum, which is reishimushroom.
Ivelisse Page (13:52):
Hmm.
Petra Sovcov (13:53):
From what we can tell right now, no real known
contraindications, of course,safety's sake.
We don't necessarily do it atthe same time, but that's a
really powerful herbal allyafter chemotherapy that can help
bring back vitality, energylevels, decrease inflammation
and so forth.
Mm-hmm.
Ivelisse Page (14:10):
Yes.
Yeah.
I love that.
I, I used to take a mushroomblend mm-hmm.
Even during my cancer journeyall those years ago.
Mm-hmm.
Um, and I know that it w itplayed a huge factor in not only
my healing, but also in myvitality and my energy, so.
Petra Sovcov (14:27):
Absolutely.
There's, there's a lot of herbalallies and, you know, I can't
really say, you know, give afull list because if someone's
listening to this who might havea specific scenario, then I
could actually be, you know,causing potential harm.
But what I will say is, yes,there are herbs that we can use
during various chemo potentiallyor after?
Ivelisse Page (14:48):
Yes.
Everybody's case is different.
And you know, I'm, I'm the sameway.
I am very careful not to shareexactly what I did during my
journey, because people maythink, well, I have stage, I
have stage four colon cancer aswell.
Yeah.
I need to do exactly whatIvelisse did, and, and it's not,
um, there are aspects that arebackbones to treatment like
mistletoe therapy and herbs andhomeopathy.
(15:09):
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
And IV vitamin C, all thosekinds of things are amazing.
Right.
But everybody's an individualand needs to be treated as such,
so I, I appreciate that, thatyou shared that.
You also teach about theenvironmental impact on human
health and how important thedetoxification not only in
cancer care, but in everydaylife.
What herbs do you find mosteffective for gentle yet
(15:32):
supportive detox pathways.
Petra Sovcov (15:34):
Yeah, and it's really interesting that you
mentioned detox because Iactually, I have a talk about
detox and detox myth and uh,environmental factors.
And so what I say to individualslooking for detoxification,
there's detoxification andchelation and let's move things
and let's get it out, which canbe quite uncomfortable.
(15:57):
And then there is detoxificationpathway support where we open
all the channels ofdetoxification and we allow for
the body to do what it doesnaturally.
So these are herbs that are likeoftentimes lymphatics, liver
supporters, blood cleaners,kidney support.
One of my favorites, obviouslyit's used a lot, but Astragalus,
(16:19):
membranaceus, um, it's aadaptogen.
It helps with the creation ofhealthy red blood cells.
It helps with the creation ofhealthy white blood cells, helps
to boost platelets.
Um, so we want things like thatand things that also help with
the proper urination andelimination.
Just opening all channels ofelimination because the body
does know how to detoxify.
(16:40):
So having this conversation inthe spring is actually pretty
funny because this is whenpeople start detox, detoxifying.
And I like to playfully call itdiarrhea season.
People like I'm gonna detoxifyin the spring.
And a lot of these detoxifyingformulas that you see on the
market are actually justglorified laxatives.
(17:02):
With really like you, with Senaand, and all these herbs that
make you go, so it makes youfeel like you're detoxifying.
But a lot of them, in myopinion, and you know, what's an
opinion worth, uh, sometimesmiss the mark with not
necessarily having herbs thatare then going to also support
digestion and circulation andkidney health and proper
(17:23):
elimination of the otherpathways as well.
So, uh, for detoxification, um,take heed and take care.
Ivelisse Page (17:31):
Yes, for sure.
I tell that to a lot of myfriends because yeah, there's
lots of things that are outthere now and parasite cleanses,
you name it.
Mm-hmm.
So many.
And you know, if you're notunder a doctor's care, um, and
this is even outside of a, acancering process, you can
really cause your body to becomevery ill.
(17:51):
And so I really feel it's soimportant to be followed by a
practitioner who knows this sideof care and that can really help
your body to, um, really, likeyou're saying, detoxify in a
gentle way.
Yeah.
That, that your body can handle.
Petra Sovcov (18:04):
And certainly yes and no when it comes to pot
potentials for, for harmbecause, you know.
Our body yes, knows what to dowith herbs, but certain herbs
are considered short term, lowdose.
Right.
And some herbs are, are verysafe for larger doses, long
term.
So it's just knowing and, andworking with someone who knows
(18:26):
how to use those herbs properlyis, is really key.
I'm not certain if there's anysort of long-term, major danger,
but certainly if there'spreexisting complications and
preexisting issues, then youobviously don't want to go and
self dose and, and self.
Self-work.
Ivelisse Page (18:45):
Yeah.
And, and I'm not so much sayingabout herbs that people are
using.
Mm-hmm.
There are a lot of kits that areout there that are, you know, in
capsules and may not be allherbs.
And, I just don't, don't know,what's involved with, with many
of'em that are out there.
But, I do know that some herbal,tinctures for detoxifying don't
taste the best.
(19:05):
So how can one take thesewonderful tinctures and, um,
medicine.
Is there a way that you'vetaught your clients, um, in
order to be able to handle them?
Petra Sovcov (19:18):
I just let them suffer a bit.
No.
So, you know, when it comes tolike chronic, um, chronic
long-term health issues, uh, youknow, there is often the
complaint, oh my gosh, thattastes awful.
And I say, well, it took us along time to get to where we are
now.
And so expecting somethingthat's going to instantly, uh,
(19:40):
eliminate all the problems andtaste wonderful, might be a
little unrealistic.
Mm-hmm.
So what I'll say with the herbsis oftentimes when we're working
with, um, very heavy things andwe're working with, with some
herbs that really don't tastegood, what I'll say it's short
term pain for hopefully longerterm gain.
(20:00):
Um, a tincture, what you do isyou pour your dose in a little
bit of glass and you add a bitof hot water to hopefully burn
off some of the alcohol, andthen you just, you get it done.
You can chase it with somejuice.
You could chase it with someorange juice or something.
But, um, when it comes toindividual individuals, for
example, who need the herbs inthe same sort of, um, strength
(20:23):
as a tincture but cannot handlean alcohol, of course, uh, a
qualified herbalist or clinicalherbalists will be able to do an
extraction, pull the, pull the,the alcohol out, and then
replace it with somethingpotentially better tasting.
My favorite is I use a Manukahoney.
A lot of clinical herbalist willcreate a glycerite, so they'll
(20:44):
replace it with glycerin.
Um, I don't like glycerinbecause I don't always know
what's in it.
Mm-hmm.
It says, you know, variousvegetable, organic vegetable
cellulose or whatnot.
Um, so, but with honey or manukahoney, I know exactly what's
going in it.
So it's, it's much easier for meto do it, to do it that way for
(21:06):
individuals who can'tnecessarily take tinctures.
Believe Big (21:09):
We hope you're enjoying today's episode on
Herbal Medicine with PetraSovcov.
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Ivelisse Page (22:25):
So like with supplements, I often hear that
not all herbs are created equal.
Right?
How is the quality, sourcing, orbrand when it comes to herbal
products?
Petra Sovcov (22:36):
So important.
So important because the worldthat we live in is not the world
that we lived in even 10, 20, 30years ago.
Uh, a lot of our global soilsare, are heavily impacted with
agrochemicals and theseagrochemicals, unfortunately, we
don't necessarily know theirentire lifespan and how long
(22:56):
they go in the soil.
All we know is that they buildup strength over time.
So here's what I will say aboutherbs is in my opinion, is that
it's very important for a couplethings to be front center for
individuals wanting to useherbal medicine.
One is make sure that if you aregetting herbs from a supplier or
(23:17):
a clinician or whatever, thatthey are certified organic and
grown for herbal medicine.
Why is this?
Twofold, one is that many, manyof our herbs are endangered or
heavily impacted in the wild.
It's my opinion that many of theherbs need to remain herbs in
(23:40):
the wild so we have them forfuture generations.
So if growers are growing themon a farm, they're grown for
herbal medicine.
We're not taking them from, fromthe wild.
Now that is this, however, Ialso do wildcraft, but I'm
wildcrafting in a veryrespectful manner for the plant
and for the land not taking fromareas that are heavily impacted
(24:04):
or that have, um, herbs that areendangered.
So I'm, I'm harvesting thingslike dandelion, chickweed things
that are in abundance in thewild, from safe locations.
The other thing is, um, makingcertain that the supplier, if
you're for example, getting afull product, like a, like a,
(24:26):
like a tincture, formulationfrom a supplier, um, pay
attention to the manufacturingfacilities.
Because of the possibility forcross-contamination, um, for
benzene products or otherinflammatory chemicals that are
actually dangerous can bepresent.
So knowing how they'remanufacturing their formulas,
(24:47):
where and what kind of cleanersthey're using, what kind of
lubricants they're using isgonna have an impact because
there is of course, thepotential for cross con
contamination, and that just canpotentially impact the illness
further.
Ivelisse Page (25:02):
Yes.
Yeah.
And, and explain to people too.
I think this is an aspect thatsometimes we don't realize when
we're purchasing herbal, um,teas, um, from, not even just
from the store.
You know, it could be awonderful organic tea, but then
the bag that they put it in.
Oh, they have plastics in it.
Petra Sovcov (25:21):
Endocrin disrupting chemicals.
Is that what we're talkingabout?
Yes.
My favorite topic in the wholewide world.
Ivelisse Page (25:27):
Yes.
And so it's really frustratingthat you have this beautiful
organic herbs and then they'reladen in this plastic teabag or
in a bleached teabag.
So what, what are yourrecommendations for people to
safely take herbs?
Petra Sovcov (25:41):
So, um, formulations in a paper bag
loose
Ivelisse Page (25:46):
yes.
Petra Sovcov (25:46):
Is gonna be your friend, right?
Your herbalist, if you'repurchasing from an herbalist,
uh, it's very good if thoseformulas are stored in glass and
then go from the glass containerto your paper bag.
Doesn't have to be fancy.
It might not have a fancy,beautiful label, but it's
probably gonna be safer.
Herbs coming in tea bags.
(26:08):
That's, that's a tough onebecause oftentimes people don't
have access to an herbaldispensatory or an apothecary.
And so they'll buy things at astore from a great producer.
But those herbal, those tea bagsare often laid, lay, made out of
plastics.
And then you get microplastics,and then you get phthalates, and
(26:30):
then we've got endocrinedisruptors and xenoestrogens and
it's just a big mess.
So, avoid as much as possible,in my opinion, herbs that are in
plastic based tea bags, uh, myown formulations come to people
in, in non, non fancy paper andI actually give everybody
organic cotton tea bags that arereusable.
(26:53):
So, you know, things like thatare a better option.
If you are dealing with achronic inflammatory issue or a,
or a health crisis, we want tomitigate as much environmental
toxin and as much environmentaltoxin exposure as possible.
And it is enlightening, but alsocan be frightening to see just
(27:16):
how polluted our world hasbecome.
And we don't necessarily sharethe information about
microplastics and endocrinedisruptors and how these
literally build up over time.
And our endocrine system is themaster system of our body.
Every single cellular metabolicfunction is driven by hormones.
(27:39):
Yes.
The endocrine system from thethought in your head to the
digestion, to the poop, it's allhormones.
Ivelisse Page (27:46):
Yes.
Yes.
And you just said something, youknow, that I wanted you to touch
on in the last few minutes thatwe have.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
You know, we know that the mindbody connection plays a huge
role in healing.
How does herbal medicine supportthe emotional health, or mental
clarity for someone, let's say,navigating a cancer diagnosis?
Petra Sovcov (28:06):
Oh boy.
Oh boy.
That's, you know, such a hugepart and I see time and time
again.
Um, in cases where trauma is abig driver towards illness, and
we know that trauma isinflammatory.
I'm not even talking aboutherbal medicine right now.
I'm just talking about clinicalscience.
That trauma and unprocessedtrauma is pro-inflammatory and
(28:31):
it sets off the inflammatorysystem.
Eventually that inflammatorycycle becomes self perpetuating
with pro-inflammatorymessengers.
And so part of healing isresolution through somatic
therapy, talk therapy and soforth.
So what herbs can do, what canherbs do in these kind of
situations?
(28:52):
It's kind of a little bit of a,a love letter to chemistry in
that certain herbs can helpmitigate the damage from
pro-inflammatory messengers andcould potentially help turn off
the inflammatory cycle andrestore it to normal function.
However, that's not possiblewithout work from the individual
(29:17):
working through that trauma,processing it, getting it out of
the body as much as possible,which is where herbal medicine
and somatic and herbal medicineand talk therapy can be so
incredibly powerful as acombined force.
Ivelisse Page (29:32):
What herbs are great to combine with somatic
and talk therapy.
Yeah.
Are you talking things likechamomile or different things?
Petra Sovcov (29:41):
No.
No, because chamomile is, is issedating and gentle and it's a
digestive.
I'm talking about bigger gunshere.
Ivelisse Page (29:50):
Okay.
Petra Sovcov (29:50):
Talking about,
Ivelisse Page (29:51):
I wanna hear it.
I wanna hear it.
Petra Sovcov (29:52):
Yeah.
Some of my favorites.
So I'm gonna say these as someof my favorites with the
commentary, please do not selfdose.
Please do not.
Um, self formulate, but some ofmy favorites for chronic
inflammatory, heavy inflammatoryinflammation caused by trauma,
cat's claw, Uncaria tomentosasuper anti-inflammatory.
(30:16):
Herbs like Stachys officinalisnow called stachys bontanica,
this is, um, heartsease.
It's been around, we used itsince medieval times.
Um, wood betony, this, thishelps with, it's traditionally
used to lighten the load oftrauma and heartbreak.
And I don't know if science hascaught up to necessarily how
(30:38):
this works, but what I've seenis it helps regulate the nervous
system, helps regulate, um,nerve responses.
Okay.
And then there's other ones thatwe don't necessarily talk about,
not overly well known.
Um, and a tender plant.
I don't know if I really want tomention this, but I will mention
this for practitioners who areable to get it in a sustainable
(31:02):
way, and that's ghost pipe,ghost pipe mushroom, um, for
complex PTSD and PTSD can helpmitigate or compartmentalize,
uh, some of these traumatic andoverwhelming feelings.
Ivelisse Page (31:16):
Well that's wonderful.
You know, thank you so muchPetra, for all of that you
shared today on the episode, itwas packed with information and
tips that I know is gonna allowpeople to dig into this side of
healing a little bit further.
Um, thank you so much forjoining us.
Petra Sovcov (31:34):
My pleasure entirely.
Ivelisse Page (31:35):
Yeah, so if, if someone would want to reach out
to you to get more informationfor their specific case, Petra,
what would be the best way forthem to reach out to you?
Petra Sovcov (31:44):
Yeah, they can go to my website,
healinghouseherbal.com, or emailat me at
healinghouseherbal@gmail.com.
Either myself or my assistantwill get back and, email is
fine.
There's a number for thewellness clinic if needed, also
on the website and I would behappy to have a chat if someone
(32:07):
needs help.
Ivelisse Page (32:08):
Well, thank you so much and we'll look forward
to hearing from you soon.
Petra Sovcov (32:12):
Sounds good.
Thank you and my pleasureentirely.
Ivelisse Page (32:21):
If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to
help support our podcast, pleasesubscribe and share it with
others.
Be sure to visit believebig.orgto access to show notes and
discover our bonus content.
Thanks again and keep BelievingBig!
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