Dr. Andrew Weil, I want to HUG you

And I mean one of those unapologetic, deathly squeezing hugs you give someone that you uncontrollably admire and know no other way of saying, “thank you.” Words wouldn’t do Dr. Andrew; for your sake, you are lucky that Arizona is just too far of a drive.

So, I read this fantastic article about “How Plants Are (Usually) Better Than Drugs” by Andrew Weil, M.D. I just breathed this sigh of relief along with feeling so excited I could hardly stay in my skin. And I thought YES, this man gets it!

Plants and whole food are indeed the best medicine. Well, along with quality sleep, sunlight, clean water, fresh air, exercise and some good laughter and good times with people you love.

For the record, I am not opposed to pharmaceutical drugs. I absolutely believe there may be a time and place for them (hence the word "usually" in the title of the article); for now, let's talk about how much I love plants.

And...another man I would hug … Hippocrates, "The Father of Medicine," who is famous for many things but for this dear quote: “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” I LOVE THIS QUOTE.

So deep down inside of me, I have this rock hard belief that what we need to sustain a healthy, vibrant life is growing all around us. There is this unique synergy between us and nature, that is far more powerful and effective than anything a very smart man or team of very smart people can technologically synthesize in a laboratory.

If plants, food, animals, us, the ground we walk on, the trees and mountains all around us… we were all handcrafted by the same creator, wouldn’t there be a connection or even a dependence across these created things and beings?

Have you seen Avatar? This movie rocked my world. There were definitely aspects of the film that blew my mind when I observed the culture and connection of the Na’vi people with their planet. It’s most intriguing and something about it resonates deeply.

You will no doubt find more info. on “Pickled” around plants and food as medicine. For now, check out this article by Dr. Andrew Weil.

Here’s a little plant medicine fun fact for ya on the way out:

Meadowsweet – also called “Queen of the Meadow”
Latin name: Filipendula ulmaria (rosaceae family)

The salicylic acid constituent (found in the flowering tops and leaves) from this plant was first isolated and synthesized in 1860, which was later used and developed into aspirin as we know it.

Salicylates: aspirin-like substances that help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

Source: Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier, FNIMH

What did you think of this article?

And is it just me or was anyone else’s mind blown after watching Avatar?