Category Archives: Herbal Wisdom

Herbal Intensive July 15th – 18th, 2011

Herbal Intensive: What, Why and How?

 

 

The Cowichan Valley supports a lush growth of plants that have been traditionally used for medicinal purposes, as well as for food. We will study indigenous, wild, and some cultivated botanicals with a Master Herbalist who has 30 years experience.

In this 3 1/2   day Intensive you will learn:

Ø       introduction to botanical terms

Ø       plant families and identification

Ø       medicine wheel & plant energy

Ø       drying and storage

Ø       doctrine of signatures

Ø       harvesting


 

You will also learn how to prepare and apply herbs in a practical and fun “hands on” setting:

Ø       Poultices, fomentations and compresses

Ø       Infusions,  decoctions and juices

Ø       Sweat baths, inhalations

Ø       Herbal oils and salves

Ø       Enemas and douches

Ø       Tinctures, herbal vinegars

Ø       Preparations for eyes, teeth, sinus and nose

Ø       Glycerites, syrups and more…

Someone might get a poultice applied; another a compress. Faces often contort as we taste the various decoctions!

We learn how to prepare and apply herbs in a practical and fun “hands on” setting.

Plus: 1/2 day Medicine Wheel Workshop, July 15th, 1-4 pm

Ø     Understand the 4 element model that has endured from ancient cultures around the world,

Ø     Learn to apply this to 4 pillars of health:

  • physical,
  • spiritual,
  • mental and
  • emotional.

Ø      Learn to understand  herbs and conditions

People can take Medicine Wheel Workshop  on its own, (Contact the office) and those attending the Intensive are encouraged to arrive early and participate in the Medicine Wheel workshop.

One trained practitioner from Calgary, Alberta wrote this in her evaluation:
I learned to identify herbs out in the field, herbs which I have used with people for many years but never knew what they looked like.  It was great to see them in their natural habitat.  It helped me get to know them better as living beings! ”
Monica H.  Calgary, AB.

 

Join us to experience the healing powers we have been provided with by getting in touch with herbs. Feel the peace of nature seep into your cells, guided by one of Canada’s leading herbal experts,  Master Herbalist and Healer of over 30 years.

On beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia – build a holiday of your lifetime around this event! Please contact our office for posters with details.

 

You will keep a minimum of three herbal products you help make.

 

Date: Friday-Monday, July 15th– 18th, 2011

Investment: $475 includes: ½ day Medicine Wheel Workshop Fri, plus 3 full days Sat, Sun, Mon, all supplies, samples, and organic lunches.

Early Bird Discount for payment received by June 15th: save $100!

 

Registration closes July 7th $50 of registration fee is a non-refundable deposit

 

About the Instructor: Lorene Benoit is a Health Educator with a Bachelor of Education in Biology and Physical Education. She has a Master of Holistic Health; is Certified as Herbal Consultant, Iridologist, Contact Reflex Analyst and several Body-Mind Healing modalities.  She has engendered nutrition, lifestyle management and natural therapies for more than 30 years. Her passion is empowering people through down to earth education of   their own bodies, herbs and health on all levels.  In her vision to help people move towards optimum health, she offers consultations in her Vancouver Island office, writes and travels extensively to lecture and teach. This annual intensive is a favourite, where all the connections of healing come together in nature!

 

Location: These courses are being taught on 5 wild and cultivated acres within the temperate rain forest, and riparian (riverside) habitat of the Cowichan River, Vancouver Island.

5175 Bills Road, Duncan, British Columbia, V9L 6S7, Canada

 

Payment:    Money order can be mailed to Lorene Benoit at above address.

 

A list of local accommodations, B&Bs, or camping options & other activities available to help you stay and enjoy the Cowichan Valley paradise!

 

Register: Health Education, 250-748-6802 ;

email: TakeTheNaturalPath@gmail.com

 

 


New Book: Paw Paw Program – A Christopher Columbus Approach To Cancer – The World IS Round and Cancer CAN Be Treated Naturally

New  Release helps people with Cancer : “The Paw Paw ProgramA Christopher Columbus Approach to Cancer”

This book contains  286 pages of well – researched information on the Paw Paw comprehensive program, clearly explains a natural approach to cancer.  Besides the Paw Paw program, it includes dietary suggestions, lifestyle change, recipes and more.  The price is $29.95, plus S/H, with specials available for bulk purchases. Call now to order yours.

I premiered this book at a Convention in Lake Louise from Oct. 21st and had great response, with over 150 sales.

Contact our office if you want to schedule a class or event in your area to introduce the program and book.

To read more about the book, and to order, please go to our separate Paw Paw Program book page, or contact our office with details of your address and payment for prompt service!

UPDATE: 

2nd Edition was released May, 2013 with updated statistics, and recommendations based on successes! Healthful recipes, dietary recommendations  and lifestyle tips are essential for everyone,  not just those wanting to prevent cancer, but ALL chronic and degenerative conditions.

To date we have donated $400 for the Nepal Education Fund, (www.nepaledfund.ca) from book sales for this worthwhile cause.

Ginkgo biloba: Benefits to brain, stroke prevention and treatment and other CV challenges

The herb Ginkgo biloba has a long history as the ultimate brain and memory booster. In China it is considered the Tree of Longevity, some trees living to more than 1000 years old. Significant research has shown it can also protect you from brain damage after a stroke, as well as aiding in prevention of all cardiovascular challenges.

The American Stroke Association says strokes can occur when a clot blocks or bursts a blood vessel to the brain. This damage prevents your brain from getting the blood and oxygen it needs. When your brain is starved of life-giving oxygen, it could lead to seizures, vision problems, memory and speech loss, or paralysis.

According to research completed at Johns Hopkins University there is evidence that Ginkgo biloba may neutralize cell-damaging free radicals.  A research team gave mice daily doses of Ginkgo biloba extract. The mice then had a laboratory-induced stroke. The researchers found these mice suffered about half the brain damage as animals not given the ginkgo.

They also found that mice that were give ginkgo five minutes after the induced stroke sustained nearly 60 percent less brain damage the day after the stroke than those not given ginkgo at all. And when mice received ginkgo 4 1/2 hours after a stroke—they still showed about a third less damage than those not given ginkgo!

“If further work confirms what we’ve seen, we could theoretically recommend a daily regimen of ginkgo to people at high risk of stroke as a preventive measure against brain damage,” said lead researcher Sylvain Dore, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine.

Gingko has also been used to improve concentration and memory, Raynaud’s, and is an effective blood thinner for stroke prevention.

The Ginkgo biloba that I use is a time released concentrate, which is very potent and effective. Contact our office to learn how to order this potent Gingko Biloba.

Herb Gardens and a Great Intensive!

Wow! The gardens, including all those wonderful healing herbs are keeping us busy, and starting to look good and provide us with great food and medicine.

At our Annual Herbal Intensive, we tinctured Lady’s Mantle, Cleavers; made St. John’s (St. Joan’s) Wort sun infused oil, some very strong tinctracts: Burdock, Vervain;  herbal glycerites of Mullein and Heal All (Prunella vulgaris); along with a very healing skin  salve which soothes bumps, bruises, chapped skin…. We also stewed and brewed many infusions, decoctions, made poultices to fix our own cuts and bruises, and draw out a sliver…. all while having a lot of fun learning! Identification terms and learning a few latin names kept everyone on their toes.

Our woofer Monica is enjoying combining her nursing background with the natural healing approach – she is loving it and we are loving her.

What a pleasure to be able to provide these herbs from our own land. I am already thinking ahead about some great ideas for next July’s course.