HERBALIST
JOURNEY
Hello, my name is Salih D. R. Erschen. I grew up in South-West Wisconsin by the Mississippi River. We were a bigger family and thusly had to live off the land eating from the garden, collecting edible vegetation from the wild, and even fishing & hunting. It was through this approach to existence that led me to appreciate the medicinal value of common plants. When I started to study herbal medicine I was always amazed that most of what people call weeds were actually very beneficial to health and wellbeing. Later as a young adult, I actually began to study traditional medicine as an apprentice to a healer who had been a nurse before having begun her practice in alternative medicine. she introduced me to the basics of gathering, preparation, and herbal therapeutics. After this, I made contact with an Hakim or practicing Unani healer. I studied in Scotland directly with the Hakim for a month, being introduced to a more formal clinical practice and further developed my understanding of various herbs, Unani treatments, and diagnostics.
Honey-Based herbal Formulas
Holistic Healing
Unani Herbal History
Fitra Wellness Center decided to host the Unani Herbal Store in June of 2019, as part of their new website.
OUr
Approach
Unani Medicine is very much a nutritive approach to holistic health. Often the treatment plans will begin with an assessment of diet and normal body functions. Food therapy is foundational and herbals will be used also to assist the body by making available the vitamins, minerals, and vital supplements. Commonly honey is used as a medium for delivering the herbal formulas as it is a superfood in itself. Life comes from One Universal Source and all that is needed for balance in living is provided from the same source of existence. In this way, it offers hope that for every disease there is a cure. There are several other therapies employed to help assist in bringing about health among which are: detoxification, aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture, cupping, exfoliation, hydrotherapy, and many others. It is important to have someone involved in helping to guide through disease allowing to gain a healthful balance in life. Yet an education process happens along the way which offers the individual to learn how to maintain their own health. This truly empowers people to make good decisions for themselves and develop a responsibly healthy lifestyle
HONEY IS THE KEY
Unani Herbal Honey-Based Formulas are made of powdered herbal blends mixed together with honey. We use honey as the base for several reasons, the main one being the many nutritional benefits of this valuable superfood known for its many positive assets. Beyond that, honey is a natural antibacterial preservative assisting in preserving the helpful properties in the herbal blends. Finally, honey is a great medium for delivering the wonderfully unique values of the Unani Formulas and stands as a traditional component of the Unani system. Simply stir the honey-based formula into hot water and it becomes a fine tea.
NATURAl,
NUTRITIONAL HEALTH
Every individual has their own needs for health. Taking into account the unique humoral character type of each individual allows an understanding of the baseline normal state of health. Many elements of daily life need to be assessed to properly understand any given imbalance. Emotional states, nutritional base, breathing, environmental, physiological and biological functions, exercise, sleep and rest are all important factors when considering a plan for balanced health. We like to do a thorough assessment and begin to educate towards personal balance. We work with our clients to develop a plan to reach optimal goals of well-being, the whole time teaching the intuitive way of self-healing by adjusting life patterns to achieve balance and harmony that leads to happiness.
OUr
History
Unani Herbal has been in business since 1999. While studying herbal medicine and looking into the history of its use, the Unani Herbal topic became very interesting as it seemed to be built from a combination of all the most traditional approaches to medicine. First, it helps to know what Unani means... this word is Arabic for Greek and it refers to Greek medicine which was adapted from the teachings of Hippocrates and Galen among others. Some of the principal teachings were used to develop a method of diagnosis based off of the Humor of the body. This is an understanding of chemical reactions in the body that correlate to the essential character of the individual. This gives a baseline for understanding what would be "normal" for the person's health and then it is easier to discover what imbalance is causing disease in or around the body. It also gives an indication of how to counterbalance the dis-health with opposite treatments to reestablish harmony and wellness.
After returning I completed a course through Dominion Herbal College receiving a certificate of Chartered Herbalist. I gave some talks on herbal medicine, treated some clients, and started developing some honey-based formulas for common ailments. After this, I took a path for acute medicine and became an EMT-Paramedic working on an ambulance and taking people to the emergency room for immediate care. That whole time I was happy to help patients on a regular basis, but I found often that many people needed more supportive proactive care. Also, the emergency medical approach was very protocol driven and based on the allopathic methods rather than holistic. All the while I have longed to be a traditional healer, taking into consideration peoples healthy bodily functions, psycho-social considerations, nutritive balance, and spiritual wellbeing as a full picture of one's health.