Herbs, Heritage & Healing: A Conversation with Jen Nolan

Interview by Angela Laughter at Slow Faith Living

Have you used herbs, for how long, and how often? What led you to use herbs?

I have been using herbs since I was a little girl, even though I didn't really know it. My mom was an avid gardener and very attuned to using food as medicine. As I think about it, she learned this from her mother, who also gardened beautifully. My dad's mother also taught me about the magic of preserving vegetables for the cold winter months in Minnesota; dill, for instance, was always part of the many jars of pickles she made every year.

My mom was growing stevia as a sweetener well before people were using it like they are today. She took courses in herbalism and shared her knowledge with me any chance she could, and even volunteered at a beautiful herb farm. Herbs were a big part of her cancer journey, and she loved her TCM doctor in Minneapolis, though she never loved the taste of the herbs he gave her!

When my daughter was an infant, she had cradle cap, and we used a homemade calendula concoction that worked like a charm. Now I use herbs daily in my cooking, as a flavor enhancer, but also because I know the impact herbs can have on upleveling my health and that of those I'm cooking for.

What herbs do you use, and for what?

I use a lot of tea blends from a local herbalist here in Colorado for sleep, stress, and digestion. One of my all-time favorite herbs is holy basil, because it's an adaptogen and calms my nervous system like none other. I love the taste, too, and mix it with other herbs like peppermint. Holy basil meets me wherever I am in that moment and soothes whatever is needed.

In my work as an Oncology Nutrition Consultant, I'm speaking with people all day long about the power of food as medicine, and I encourage them to add herbs to their diet anywhere they can. Cilantro can be wonderful as a detox herb, peppermint to help with nausea, licorice to soothe the GI, and so on and so on.

How do you get your information about herbs?

I've taken a few mini classes, watched a wonderful program/series about herbs, and I have a few different books on my shelf. But mostly, I love chatting with the local herbalists here in my town. The book I reference often is The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies by Nicole Apelian.

Does your physician know about your herb use?

Honestly, I don't really use a traditional physician much. I have an osteopathic doc who fully gets the power of herbs, as well as a couple of naturopathic doctors. I only use a primary doctor if I must, and knock on wood, that's rare.

My lovely neighbor shared a vase full of herbs with me just yesterday, so this interview was perfect timing!

Answers by Jen Nolan, Lead Oncology Nutrition Consultant, BS, MS, ONC, TAP