Discover how herbs and natural medicine can support you and your family in health and wellness
With over 30 years of combined experience, Santa Cruz Herbalists Darren Huckle DAOM, LAc and Paula Grainger BSc, MNIMH offer a dynamic, intensive and hands-on three month introduction to nature's way to health and wellbeing.
For thousands of years families met their basic health needs through the plants they consumed and used as medicine. This precious and practical knowledge inspires and empowers the healer within, allowing day to day health challenges to be treated with effective, safe and accessible remedies.
Classes take place from 5:30-8:00pm with a 15 minute break.
Jan 12th - Introduction to herbs and natural medicine; general principles; safety; how to prepare and use herbs.
Jan 19th - Digestion part I: Commonsensical nutrition. Maintaining digestive health; food intolerances; looking after your gut's microbiome; leaky gut; the link between the mind and the gut; sorting the dietary fads from the transformational.
Jan 26th - Digestion part II: Herbs and strategies for IBS, infections, diarrhea, bloating & gas, constipation and more; DEMONSTRATION: Making Bitters.
Feb 2nd - Skin & Hair. How to keep skin healthy; herbs and strategies for eczema, acne, psoriasis and more; hair thinning; dry skin and aging; DEMONSTRATION: Making a facial cream
Feb 9th - The Lungs and Sinuses. Dealing with allergies; how to prevent and address cough, bronchitis, sinusitis etc. Taking care of your lungs into older age. Essential oils for the respiratory system. DEMONSTRATION: Using a neti pot, steam inhalation.
Feb 16th - Colds, Flu and the immune system. How to build maximum immunity; preventing colds and flu; dealing with colds and flu; to fever to not to fever?; how to recover from viral infections and prevent post-viral issues.
Feb 23rd - Injuries and Infections: Managing soft tissue sprains, strains, burns, broken bones; infections of the eyes, teeth, gums and ears. DEMONSTRATION: Compresses, poultices, scraping and cupping.
March 2nd - Mental and Emotional Wellness Part I: Preventing and alleviating stress, mild depression and anxiety; balancing rest and exercise; Chinese understanding of stress.
March 9th - Mental and Emotional Wellness Part II: Insomnia and the role of good sleep; protecting the nervous system; adrenal tonics and 'adaptogens'; cardiovascular tonics; grief and bereavement. DEMONSTRATION: Making a stress or sleep tincture.
March 16th - Babies, children and teens. Pregnancy; postpartum health; becoming a family. Supporting the physical and emotional health of younger family members; suitable ways to give children herbs.
March 23rd - Women's Health: Identifying and addressing common menstrual problems; embracing the feminine energy; menopause: pre-, during and post. How to prevent and alleviate urinary tract infections.
March 30th - Bringing it all together. A review of our journey together; class discussion; next steps; pot luck party with herbal inspired drinks and treats.
* Darren and Paula reserve the right to alter or amend class content if necessary.
Venue: Seabright, Santa Cruz
Time: Classes will start promptly at 5:30pm and finish at 8:00. There will be a 15 minute break halfway through so that you can eat (please bring your own food) and enjoy a general discussion. Herbal tea will be served at every class.
Dates: Please see class outline above.
Materials: A printed hand-out will be available for each class as a basis for your notes. Please bring a pen and notebook for deeper note taking.
Class Fee:
$500 If paid in full by cash or check before Dec. 12th
$525 If paid by PayPal before Dec. 12th or cash/check after Dec. 12th.
$550 If paid by PayPal after Dec. 12th
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Paula Grainger BSc (Hons), MNIMH is a clinical herbalist, wellness educator and author. Trained at The University of Westminster in London, England, Paula has many years of experience connecting people and plants through her clinical practice as well as fun and informative classes in herbal medicine and botanical skincare for adults and children. Paula co-authored Infuse: Herbal Teas to Cleanse, Nourish and Heal. As The English Herbalist she creates a range of small-batch, handmade botanical skincare in Santa Cruz.
Dr. Darren Huckle L.Ac., DAOM is a holistic health coach/practitioner. Darren worksin the realms of chinese medicine, acupuncture, energetic nutrition, holistic energy management, qi gong, and western/Chinese herbalism. Darren has been practicing and teaching herbal medicine for over 15 years. Darren enjoys sharing his love of plants and people in dynamic, metaphor rich classes. He is a faculty member at Five Branches University of Chinese Medicine in Santa Cruz.