Yesterday we took our first real dive into alternative medicine. Though we have used chiropractic care for awhile now it is almost more mainstream (after all it’s covered by our insurance). Honestly we do most of our healing at home with diet, rest and water, this has worked really well for us. Every time one of us gets sick I feel so blessed that I am able to be home with my babies and help them heal naturally at home.

My sister works at a daycare and the previous one she was at parents were always trying to sneak in sick kids just because they couldn’t afford to take the time off with them.

Anyway I digress. Yesterday we all went to our local herbalist. I had met Erin Piorier through Le Leche League and taken a couple classes with her before life got crazy. Now I am renewing my interest in herbs and am planning no less then 4 classes this fall. I am really hyped about it. Avril had been suffering from eczema for awhile behind her knees and in her elbows. Mavis also seems to have some of the same but less severe.

The first part of the appointment was the consulfation and medical history. We are fortunate both girls are very healthy, “robust” as Erin called it. Avril’s body type tends to be more hot and dry. So Erin felt that increasing the moinsure was important for Avril.

After the consultation Erin began selecting herbs from her tincture supply. Erin makes her own medicines and each tincture is hand crafted from wild or organically grown plants.

Then Erin began the “taste test” so to speak. With her hand on Avril’s pulse she tested each one by one on the inside of her arm to see which would have a beneficial result. She said, “until you have it done to you and you feel the reaction you wouldn’t believe it.” She was looking for a noticeable relaxing of the pulse.

Avril is enjoying all the one on one treatment even with her siblings playing in the backyard. She even selected her favorite one–yellow dock. When Erin put one drop of this tincture on her arm she got all peaceful and said, “I like that one.” This was after about 10-15 herbs and she selected it.

Erin refills a tincture bottle from a fresh batch.

After going through the herbs she selected once and taking out the positive ones we washed Avril’s arm for a 2nd try before finally selecting 4 to be mixed into Avril’s very own medicine.

Elderblossom–increases circulation to the periphery, opens pores
Yellow Dock Root–cooling and moistening skin needs (also a blood cleanser)
Chickweed–moistening and cooling
Burdock–moistening and cooling

Mavis wouldn’t sit for the consultation but Erin said since they were sisters we would make a similar mixture for her. Erin just left out the yellow dock for Mavis’.

Avril colors her own label. For those we haven’t indulged in more holistic medicine it is such a treat and so relaxing. The children are getting used to it and not worried at all about going to the doctor now. 

Our medicines. Erin did a joint 1 hour long consultation for the girls. She charges $35 for children. The tinctures and salves were each $6 (not bad for hand made personalized medicine!). and she threw in the soap because I mentioned I was running out of the soap that I made last year. Our co-pays for “1st tier” doctor’s office is $15 otherwise it goes up to $25 for like 15 minutes.

All in all it was a wonderful experience. No fussing going to the doctor. Her house was laid back and comfortable and smelled wonderful. Birds visited at her bird feeder outside and we drank delicious cold tea. I could have stayed much longer and talked herbs, but I’ll see her again tomorrow for class.