 Movement Matters is designed to bring you not only the most effective physical therapy tips but also holistic information to help you achieve total body wellness. Have you been feeling more stressed lately or anxious with the future holds during this pandemic? Many of us have been as we go through this challenging time together. So what can we do to quell these feelings? Today we'll be talking about how to find calm naturally through using herbs and lifestyle changes from someone who has herself succeeded in doing so. Let me welcome my dear friend Blair Townley, founder of Get Salty, a Hawaii based surf and sailing hat and apparel company, and founder and owner of Wildcraft Herbs, a boutique wellness practice that focuses on personalized herbal formulations and lifestyle modification to help you achieve optimal wellness. Aloha and welcome, Blair. Aloha, thanks for having me. Thank you so much for coming on Movement Matters. So for the audience, Blair and I met in my PT clinic when I first moved to Hawaii. And we became fast friends. But she also took note of the fact that I was having vicious allergies and everyone told me it was the vibe. But I'd also been suffering them for a couple of years before moving to Hawaii. So she told me about herbal medicine. I'd kind of heard of it, but I didn't really know much. And I got this acute allergy from her. I dove in because I tend to be more holistic, being a physical therapist. I like to have simple solutions to solve problems. But I was amazed and it really rescued me. And since then I've been thriving in Hawaii. So Blair, I know we've talked a little bit about it, but how did you get into herbalism? How did that start for you? Well, when I was growing up, my dad was, I guess, one of the original bio-hackers. You know, that wasn't even a term then. But he was always into alternative solutions to things. Like, for example, we had a flotation tank in our basement when I was like 10. He was doing biofeedback on the computer with all these things stuck to his head. And I thought, man, my dad's weird. But now looking back, I appreciate that he was always willing to try different things, things he'd read about, things that worked for other people that might be out of the mainstream. And so even though at the time I thought it wasn't that cool at all, now I think it's really cool. And I understand where I got my desire to always kind of question what types of things might be appropriate for me when I had a health issue come up. And I worked in an acupuncture office when I was in my early 20s, and that was sort of my first experience with seeing herbs being used. But at the time, you know, they helped me a lot, but it was still like a foreign thing to me. Like the labels, I couldn't really read them. They were plants that didn't grow here necessarily. And so I just sort of thought that these were these very exotic, specialized formulas that I really wouldn't have a connection to other than maybe once in a while being told that they would be helpful. And then I would say about five years later, I was living in Hawaii by that point. My mom had passed away and I was going through a really stressful period in my life. I had never been really taught how to deal with maybe something as significant as like a loss of a loved one. And so I was really dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety, grief, and didn't really have any tools to do anything with it. And ironically, I wasn't looking for herbs for stress. I was looking for herbs for acid reflux. So I had developed acid reflux because of all of the stress. And the doctor wanted me to take a bunch of drugs. And that was a little bit of a wake-up call. Like, ooh, do I want to go that route? I don't know. And so I started googling around and found a pretty simple idea of bitters. And so Whole Foods had bitters. And I thought, I'll try it. And it made a really big difference for my specific case. And then it was like a rabbit hole. I thought, wow, if this little bottle of something could help me with this problem that had been really significant now for a few months, I had been to like three or four doctors. They put a thing down my nose. It was like a lot. And I thought, well, what else can herbs do? This is cool. And another cool thing about it was I read the herbs on the bottle and I recognized them. So it was things like orange peel, fennel. What else was in that one? Chamomile. And those are things that you're familiar with. And so for the first time, I thought, oh, these are things that I know and recognize and could grow here. And that felt very empowering. It wasn't maybe an ingredient that was from the Amazon or some other place where we really would rely on sourcing that we just didn't know where it was coming from or it's expensive. So that was a wake-up call for me. Like, oh, this is neat. And yeah. So then I thought, well, what else can herbs do? And I figured out that you could do this as a career, that there were herbs for all these other things, like allergies. And so I couldn't get it out of my head. Like I thought, this is something that not only I should know, but we should all kind of know, at least a little bit, that we can go to these things that are affordable and accessible. And in some cases, might be all that you need. And in some cases, might be just part of a multi-pronged approach to a solution for people. Yeah, that's wonderful. I actually didn't know that you could take herbs for reflux or to help with the acid reflux. Or is it helping with the stress that's causing the reflux? In that case, that was actually dealing with the digestive process itself. They weren't helping with the nervous system. And I'm going to talk about herbs that will help with the nervous system later in the show. But in that case, I was dealing with sort of a Band-Aid approach, even though it was herbs, it was still a Band-Aid. And in my case, I was underproducing acid, because I was so stressed. And we'll talk about how that stress can cause the digestive system to underperform. And so for me, those bitters actually boosted my ability to digest food, which was the issue for me. And so I used them for many years. And now I don't need them as much now that I have my stress under control. But yeah, there's herbs for many things. I like to joke, there's an herb for everything. And that might not be totally true, but there really are so many herbs for so many different applications. It's a nice slogan, though. So you brought it up. Let's talk about stress and anxiety. Yeah. Also about that. So stress and anxiety is definitely something that is near and dear to my heart, because so at the same time I had developed acid reflux, I also developed my first panic attack. And I never, I didn't even know what it was. I didn't know what happened. And in the moment, I thought I was dying, which is kind of a classic, now I know it's a classic symptom of a panic attack. So I developed panic disorder from there, because it was so terrifying that I then became terrified of getting more panic attacks and triggering more. It was just a terrible spiral. And so I at the time was told take some pharmaceuticals, go to a therapist and that kind of thing. And I didn't really understand that there might be something in the middle, a middle ground for people to experiment with. At this time, I was going to herb school. So I had gone to Berkeley and started studying. So when I started my education, I actually was still dealing with a lot of the anxiety and stress and discovered a whole class of herbs called nerveines, which we will touch on. And so I guess where I'd like to start is the idea of the energetics of anxiety. And there's a slide, frenetic first grounded that I'd like to pull up. So to just understand anxiety and stress, I wanted to mention that anxiety and stress can kind of feel like the word on the left, frenetic. And I chose this font because it kind of has movement. It's like there's not a whole lot of solidness to it. And then versus the opposite energetic, which is this grounded energetic. And when people have a lot of stress and anxiety, they often almost feel disembodied. Like their brains have just, you know, I felt like that. I was like floating. And so it's important to note that whenever you have stress and anxiety, let's always look at things that bring you back down to a grounded space. And so that might be lifestyle modifications, that might be herbs, that might even be foods that have a grounded quality to them. And so it's really important to just have that always as a big picture. So when our bodies go into stressed states, there's the rest and digest versus the fight or flight moment. And we have a slide on that as well. So when we're really stressed out, our pupils expand actually so they get really big. We start to breathe really shallowly fast. Heart pumps, of course, faster. But then this really interesting part is the gut becomes inactive. So that's what I was experiencing with the acid reflux. It was closed for business. And then when we're really relaxed, the opposite happens. Our heart is slow and rhythmic. And then we also have very good digestion and that kind of thing. And so really important to think about just how impactful stress is on our bodies, not just in the moment it's inconvenient, I'll say. But then also it can have these systemic effects, not just even acid reflux. Maybe that's not even that big of a deal. But down the line, you're not digesting your foods properly. You become nutrient deficient. Then you're even more likely to have more stress because your body's deficient. And then not running optimally, you have all these red flags going off. And it's really kind of a spiral. It makes a lot of sense. And when you said frenetic, I think of like with that little picture that it was kind of blurry. I think of frenzied. You're frenzied. Your brain is bouncing inside of your skull like crazy. And I guess I didn't really realize that your gut shuts down. And it makes a lot of sense for people when they do feel overtired when they're stressed or they just can't seem to get any energy, even though they feel like they're sleeping. And if you're not getting the nutrients from your food because your stress is so severe or so prolonged that you can't pull the nutrients, you're going to feel more tired, whether you're sleeping or not. And I think that's a great point. That's a really good point for me and everyone to absorb. Yeah, and it's funny too, because some people will really focus on eating the perfect diet all organic, perfect foods, but then not maybe address the stress component. And then they're not really absorbing all the nutrients that they're paying good money for and maybe spending a lot of time cooking from scratch. But if then they're eating it on the run in a frantic panic or they have this undiagnosed panic disorder or whatever these things are that they're kind of shoving to the side, because it's scary to deal with. It really is. It's a very isolating issue. I felt very alone, even though I had lots of friends around and a partner. It was a rough period. And so I didn't want to tell anyone about it. And so on the outside, I was probably doing pretty well and eating well. And I've always been interested in that. But I wasn't digesting anything, probably. Well, I think that's a good point. I will never, I'm going to say never, I will never run out the door and eat my breakfast in the car ever again because I do tend to do that. On the days I go to work early, I tend to do that. I tend to sleep to the last second and rush out. And it's a bad habit that I've gotten into. I never used to do that. I used to wake up early, do some breathing or some yoga or take a walk quickly. And now I don't. And so I am going to sit down and eat my breakfast because I think I think that's so important. What you just said is so important. I need those nutrients so I can give back to people during the day. And on the outside, maybe you're doing OK and people don't know. But I want to get those nutrients because I need to stay healthy to help people. Yeah. No, it's a huge concept in a lot of traditional medicine, Ayurveda, TCM. They all mention the importance of sitting, prayer before the meal, or just a moment to smell the food. And that actually helps to get your digestive system going, just smelling the food, having a moment of anticipation with the food. And there's also a book called The Slow Down Diet that a friend recently gave me that talks all about this concept of eating slowly, the opposite of eating in the car running out with the breakfast burrito in hand or smoothie. We're all guilty of it at some point. Don't feel too bad. Our lifestyles now really kind of demand that. So we really have to set our boundaries around these gems of wisdom that have been passed down to us that we should pay attention to at least giving ourselves a few minutes for each of our meals. So where can people get started? I know how you have your business wildcrap. But where can people get started for everyone that's watching, like myself, and learning about these things that we can actually change lifestyle modification? Where can we try herbs? I know that I've been wanting to get more of my allergy relief. Just now these trees that are blooming are starting to bother me. I'm OK. But how can someone get started learning about herbs or seeing you? Or what did they take? You went and googled it and started taking some pills. How do you get started if we're all like, most of us are so stressed right now, even if we don't feel like that's what's making us short fused or irritable because of this COVID. We're locked in. We're not seeing our families. We're not flying to see our loved ones. I know I'm not. I would have gone home twice to Connecticut. And I'm missing them. And it's causing me some feelings of stress and regret and wanting to be with them. But even if I saw them, I can't hug them right now. So how can I and everyone else who maybe is in the same shoes, what can we do to help support our system or get the process started of adding some herbs into our lives? Sure. So there's a few ways to get into herbs. Of course, there's going to the health food store, looking at that aisle. For me, that was overwhelming. There were so many options in the aisle. And it's like where to start. So I think I became an herbalist because I became the practitioner I wanted to see when I was struggling. And what I strive to do is to sort of demystify the holistic wellness aisle with about 10,000 items and say, you know what? Maybe only like two or three of these might be a good idea based on a few things. And so I actually drew up this thing because I didn't have time to digitize it. But there's kind of a way to choose herbs based on your constitutional energetics. So that's something you're born with. You're just naturally a cold-natured person, naturally dry. And then you have your current energetics. So that's where you're at right this moment with your health. And then the plant energetic. And so where these all three overlap is kind of how you want to choose your herbs. So that's kind of a lot of variables. And so that might be why you want to see an herbalist, a naturopath, a midwife, someone trained in herbs that can help you combine those three elements into the right choice. There's a slide on the energetics of neurovines I want to bring up. This one, I just wanted to show this, not so people need to memorize this necessarily, but to see there's different herbal energetics for each plant. And so based on your own body's natural constitution and where you're at right now, one plant might be appropriate, where another might be really inappropriate, when they both are nerveines. And a nerveine is something that calms the nervous system. So this is the class of herbs I didn't know existed when I was having panic attacks, and I wish I had. But if you look at that slide, it shows milky oats is more moistening and warming. And so a person that is naturally, let's say, cold-natured and dry skin, milky oats is a good choice. But then on the bottom, lemon balm is like cold and dry. That would be an incorrect or less optimal choice for that person, because they're already cold and dry. And then let's say they start taking it regularly, then they might even be more dry. Dry skin gets worse. And they're like, oh, well, what's going on? And so that's why it's helpful to not necessarily just say, I'll just go pick up a nerveine at the store. And it might not necessarily do great damage, but you might be missing an opportunity to really rebalance in a more holistic way by choosing plants or a formula that is going to fit you much better for where you're at that moment. Wow. I'm impressed with the depth of herbalism. I've always loved homeopathic remedies or naturopathic. I've kind of been like that all my life. I had to upset someone when I was younger, and they wanted me to take a pill before meals. And it was fine. It didn't bother me. I just was the worst at doing something like that. And I've always kind of veered all my life towards a natural remedy, not because of anything I've learned, but just because I think that's my inherent nature to try to come from within to heal the body. And always, at some point, you may need that things. And I'd be happy that the medicine is there for me. But I think I've just, by nature, always drifted towards more natural remedies. And being in physical therapy, too, I drift towards how can you help your own body with simple tips. And let's work with your doctor and your massage therapist and your chiropractor and everybody to help your body so that you can be whole again. And I think that herbalism plays a huge role in from the inside out, especially digestive system that controls our immune system. And I know a lot of people right now are very worried about their immune system with COVID-19 and making sure their immune system is strong and washing our hands and covering our face so we don't touch our face and get a germ in our eyes or our nose or our ears or somewhere that we can absorb this disease. Is there anything that's like a, what do you call it, like a pre-made? Like not that this is pre-made, but is there anything that you can buy in a bottle like I did with this when I don't wanna go to Whole Foods and be overwhelmed by all those things? Or if I don't know if I'm dry or constitutional and current, I don't know all those things right now. Is there anything people can get that's already pre-made that's just maybe an immune supporter or a general comer? Is there something like that that's kind of safe for everybody? Can you just, is there? I don't know. No, it's a valid question. And it's, I think that is an inherent human characteristic to want something that's going to work for everyone. And let's put it in the water and why not? So what you're describing is kind of like a tonic herb. So a tonic herb is an herb that you can take every day and it's gentle, it's nourishing, it's fairly neutral in energy. So they do exist. Are all tonic herbs appropriate for all people? No. There are always contraindications. So that is something I wanted to mention. So contraindications are anything that would make an herb unsafe for you to consume. So that might be pregnancy, breastfeeding, certain pharmaceuticals, certain health conditions, pre-existing health conditions. And so again, this is why it's helpful to do your due diligence. I'm not saying you have to see an herbalist to go pick anything up at Whole Foods, but if you do have any sort of health conditions or you are taking even just one pharmaceutical medication, it is not a bad idea to always talk with someone, a professional that is going to clear that for you. And then also just do your own research. I think it's really important to, no matter what any health professional says to you, it's important to also embody that knowledge, do your own research, Google it, see what else is out there in terms of information on any herb you're taking, any medication you're taking because you are your best advocate for your health. If I hadn't advocated for myself for so long, I would definitely be in a very different space. And so I try and empower people to also take that responsibility. It does take time, it does take persistence. Maybe you read a couple of books on something, certain conditions or on certain herbs or lifestyle things. So I'm not saying it's easy, but it's worth doing, but let's say that you do that and you figure out, okay, you're pretty good for taking some gentle herbs, tonic herbs are great. Most nerve-in herbs are fairly benign, I would say specific ones that are really nice are milky oats. I actually have a bottle of that right here. So this is a really nice one, wait, wrong way. So this is a really nice one. So this is what's called a simple, meaning it's one plant. So one plant extracted in alcohol. So that's a simple herb. And then you might get like a formula and that means it's multiple herbs in one bottle. And so this is the mellow mind formula I have that combines, and I think there's like four nerve-ine herbs in here. And the reason that you might combine herbs versus just take one at a time is because of those energetics. So vervein, for example, or lemon balm, very cooling. And so for me, I'm on the colder spectrum of constitution naturally. So if I wanna take those herbs, I might combine them with other herbs that are more warming or more neutral to offset that. And then you can take it regularly without having to shift too much in one direction that you don't wanna go. I like that. So we have about two minutes left. And I wanted to, darn it, that's okay because for everybody watching, we are gonna have vervein again in two weeks to talk about lifestyle modifications as well, as you can see, she has a very calm space behind her. And that's so important for us to be in a calm space to be calm. But Blair, how do people get in touch with you? So I know it's very important for us to take ownership of our health and do reading and get online and talk to people and get well-versed on what we need, but how do they get in touch with you if they're busy and they just wanna go see you and say, okay, let me get a consultation. Let me find out from an expert what kind of person I am and what kind of energetic I am so I can get started on something like this week because they're really having a hard time. Sure, yeah, I understand that. And that is the benefit of seeing a professional as they kind of do a lot of the legwork for you, right? So I have a practice called Wild Craft Herbs. That's W-I-L-D-K-R-A-F-T, herbs.com. And so you can set up a one-on-one session with me. We can Zoom now. There's my website. And basically, I formulate custom formulations for people based on their constitution and where they're at and then those get mailed to the home. And then also, you know, any lifestyle recommendations or other recommendations are always offered as well to be holistic. Well, this is great. I know I'm going to be wanting to schedule my appointment with you. So we're out of time, but thank you so much, Blair, for coming on today. This is such a tough time for all of us and we need to figure out how to find, come and get a handle on our anxiety. And thank you so much to Think Tech and our sponsors for allowing us to be here today. So everyone that's watching, if you stay tuned in two weeks, we're going to have Blair back on and we're going to revisit herbalism and lifestyle modifications to help find, come and improve our health, improve our immune system. As you can see behind her, sometimes decorating or keeping a very uncluttered space can help us to find that calm. So thank you for joining us. We'll see you in two weeks. Aloha, everyone.