For most of my life, I suffered with a lot of problems like headaches, fatigue, depression, insomnia, a lot of joint pain, and stomach problems.
I was wrongfully diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis as a kid. The doctors told me to take more aspirin than any child should take, basically adult doses. Which resulted in no relief, but hurt my stomach and gave me a lifelong problem with tinnitus.
My Story
Little Mo in 2nd grade! I love this picture because my mom told me I insisted on doing my own hair for school pictures and she let me! I was already becoming the independent, strong person I am today.
In my 30s,
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and was given pain relievers and of course that didn’t help my stomach pain or relieve any of my pain.
In 2003, I was lying in an oncologist’s exam room, recovering from a needle biopsy.
All I could think about was how unfair it was that I was only 40 and facing breast cancer. While I was on the phone crying to my girlfriend, she said, “Why don’t you see my naturopathic doctor? He’s helped everyone in my family, and he might have some ideas for you.”
A few weeks after my first appointment, my chronic stomach pain, headaches and fibromyalgia-like symptoms were 80% better, a result of the natural supplements he gave me. I maintained my weight through the chemo treatments and never developed an infection or serious side effect.
A few months later,
I started seeing a counselor to help me cope with the stress of chemotherapy and radiation. She made what seemed like a strange suggestion at the time – stop eating ‘white foods’.
What she meant was eliminate grains that had all the fiber removed (processed food) and cut out sugary food as much as I could.
I wondered, “What does food have to do with feeling stressed?” But I followed her instructions anyway – which included a few simple supplements from the health food store. I went from feeling exhausted nearly all day, every day to having a radically higher energy level in a short 2-3 weeks.
I could finally sleep because pain wasn’t a constant part of my day and night anymore. I could say “yes” to ordinary activities that were once too strenuous and exhausting, like gardening and college classes.
Becoming an Herbalist
Regaining my strength with herbs and diet changes had a profound impact on my calling to be an herbalist. I suspected there was something my physicians didn’t understand about health and healing, and it was time for me to find out.
I read every book I could find and started looking for work that would let me immerse myself in holistic health knowledge on the job.
That’s how I ended up at a busy, Midwest herbal clinic where I learned beside a respected herbalist and eventually built my practice over the last 20+ years.
In 2018, Wild Roots People’s Clinic was founded.
Wild Roots is a non-profit organization I co-founded to provide accessible herbal and alternative health care to everyone who walks through our doors!
In a world where access to healthcare is often limited or transactional, Wild Roots offers donation-based herbal care to adults and children.