Welcome to The Passionate Herbalist blog, where I share what I’ve learned on my journey through clinical herbalism, nutrition, and holistic health. My goal is to make whole-body healing easier to understand and more accessible for anyone who wants real depth, not quick fixes.

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Whole Body Wellness, Modern Medicine Vanessa Lamothe Whole Body Wellness, Modern Medicine Vanessa Lamothe

Why Your Labs Can Look Normal When You Don’t Feel Well

Ever been told your labs are “normal,” yet you know something is off? Your body will sacrifice hydration, minerals, and tissue elasticity just to protect your blood values. Bloodwork reflects survival. What you are experiencing in the NOW reflects truth. If you don’t feel well, your body is speaking and you’re not imagining it.

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Wellness Culture Vanessa Lamothe Wellness Culture Vanessa Lamothe

What Holistic Really Means (and How Herbal Fads Have Twisted It)

Using a natural remedy without asking why a symptom is happening is not holistic. You are just using natural remedies and that’s it. Holistic is a method and not the remedy itself. Trendy fads reduce herbs into quick-fix solutions, ignoring their complexity, traditional uses, and how they work differently for each person. True holistic health looks for underlying patterns, matches remedies to the individual, and supports deeper healing that actually lasts.

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Wellness Culture Vanessa Lamothe Wellness Culture Vanessa Lamothe

I Know You Love Matcha, But Hear Me Out

Matcha has become the symbol of modern wellness, clean energy, aesthetic routines, and plant-based health. But when a concentrated herbal drink turns into a daily habit, it raises bigger questions about dose, ethics, and the assumption that natural always means harmless. This reflection explores the matcha trend, wellness culture, and why discernment matters more than following the latest ritual.

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The Best Books to Learn Herbal Medicine (Without Superficial Knowledge)

Many people begin their herbal education with books that offer extensive information but little guidance on how to apply it. Without an understanding of terrain, the internal environment of the body, herbal medicine can feel inconsistent, confusing, or overly dependent on trial and error. This post outlines five books that teach true clinical thinking, along with examples of common herbal texts that often leave readers stalled at a superficial level. The goal is not to criticize popular books, but to clarify what kind of education actually leads to confident, individualized herbal practice.

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