In times past, every Southern home had a closet or cupboard for herbs and other healing remedies. This herbal medicine chest held the essential remedies a family might need to address common, and often acute, health problems such as colds or flu, the aches and pains associated with overwork or arthritis, diarrhea, constipation, women’s health issues, childhood illnesses, digestive disorders, and cuts, bruises and insects bites.

While we still need these acute remedies, in today’s world, we may also need remedies to address chronic health issues such as fibromyalgia, diabetes, chronic digestive complaints and chronic fatigue, to name a few.

Join Phyllis D. Light, Herbalist on Saturday, December 7 from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Nutrition World as she discusses building Your Home Medicine Chest. The class will cover the basic herbs, essential oils, and supplements that can be used in a wide variety of health situations.

The class will also be peppered with bits of Southern Folk Medicine history. Sure to be fun and informative!

About the Instructor:

Phyllis D. Light, MA, RH, is a fourth generation herbalist and healer. She began studies in Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine at the age of 10 in the deep woods of North Alabama with lessons from her Creek/Cherokee grandmother and later with well-known folk herbalist Tommie Bass. She continued her education with a Master of Health Studies from the University of Alabama.

She has been a practicing herbalist for over 25 years. Phyllis has worked in private practice, a medical clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, and was supervising herbalist at Common Ground Health Clinic in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. In addition, she was Director of Herbal Studies at Clayton College of Natural Health, taught CEU courses in integrative medicine for Diversified Nursing Services, and has written many articles for industry magazines.

Phyllis is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild. Currently, she is the director of the Appalachian Center for Natural Health in Arab, Alabama, which offers both online and residential classes. www.phyllisdlight.com She is the author of Southern Folk Medicine, Healing Traditions from Appalachian Fields and Forests published by North Atlantic. This important work chronicles the history of Southern Folk Medicine from the early settlement days of the New World and codifies its principles for ease of understanding.

One of her goals is to be a bridge between traditional knowledge and scientific investigation and to save the traditional use of herbs and other healing techniques for future generations.

– Attendees can expect to get unbiased information in the hopes of facilitating a different paradigm for understanding and experiencing their pain.

– This will be a largely didactic session, w/ mutlimedia powerpoint presentation.

– There will be experiential components including small groups, gentle movement, self-reflection, etc.

– We will have a couple of short breaks to move/stretch and ask questions

– Attendees will leave w/ numerous resources, handouts, and direction for how to further learn and integrate this into their own lives.

– Learn common misconceptions of pain.

– Gain understanding on what the latest in neuroscience research says about what causes and perpetuates this experience.

– Be able to understand the process of neurosomatic sensitization

– Learn how stress and other life circumstances, in past, present, and personality, significantly contribute to this situation.

– Learn lifestyle factors and practices that can sensitize and desensitize the system.

– Anyone, ages 16-110 who has had persistent pain of ANY kind (or other associated conditions, such as anxiety, fatigue, headaches, depression, insomnia, IBS, IC, multiple chemical sensitivities, etc).

– People who have tried numerous other modalities or lifestyle changes but are still suffering and are motivated to know what they can do.

– People who are engaged enough in their health journey to learn why they, or close family/friends, have not improved.

– Professionals who are interested in a basic understanding of pain neuroscience