Honestly, Just Go Buy WishGarden Herbs: A Chat with Dr. Erin Stokes

26:51And he was like in the weeds of getting the tools to figure that out. So when he started using kick-ass and the daily immunity and he saw how well it worked, I was like, here's your, I was like, you saw how that worked like this. And he was like, oh my God, this is, he was really excited. He was like, clearly that works. So he's like, oh, this will work. And it was really cute. He automatically was kind of like after a couple of dates, he was like, I feel really light. And I was like, yes, like exactly. Like there's just like a, it just like takes the edge off. Yes, that's exactly how to put it.

27:30I think one of the things about deep stress is it has, it's sort of like two parallel paths that I love is it has the adaptogens for that deep stress resilience over time. And that's why it's a good one to actually take daily for, you know, three, four, five, six weeks, maybe even a little longer, depending on what's going on in your life. So adaptogens build up your stress resilience every time. And then there's nervine herbs and nervine, like their name implies, they help calm your nervous system in the moment. So it's a cool formula in the sense of like, you'll feel it in the moment and you'll know that you're building for the future, basically through one formula.

28:11And I really like that. And I like talking about it because it's a good one that fits a lot of people. I've talked about different stress personalities. And we have this whole stress collection. So, for example, we have liquid bliss. Yeah. A liquid bliss that a liquid bliss is a lot of people use in mocktails because it has that like heart opening, oxytocin connecting, or it has Hawthorne in it. It's just a really like Damiana, very like heart centered. I keep going like this to my heart. And then we have emotional ally, which is more, it's nervings. And it's really for in the moment, like stress, overwhelm, grief, transitions.

29:00it's a really good one for when you're just going through big big life stuff that's my xanax that's emotional ally my doctor gave you our daughter has autism and there are moments that are really overwhelming and i i do a really good job of being strong and then i'll i'll freak out and he was like you know i'm gonna prescribe me some xanax like just so you have it and i didn't get it filled i just don't want it in the house at this i was just like i don't um but i've used just it's good to know like I've used emotional ally and like I just was like I'm like I feel sad I'll open the drawer and I'm like oh my god this like it's like funny because it does like it works in the moment and it helps and you know our our feelings like it like just kind of I talk about is like our feelings are all valid and we feel how we feel so people sometimes ask me and I know you're not asking this but I think it's a good question to bring up people will say well wait a minute like what is it doing and in it's just kind of like a softening and for example emotional ally sort of then the next line is a big herbal hug and that's exactly what it's like it's like just kind of like it's it's a it's like so it's okay you know it's like yeah kind of that it's like like it's calming the nervous system and so that you can be in that space of whatever is happening, you can kind of like be more grounded and centered and just feel like, you know, the feeling where you kind of like take a deep breath all of a sudden and you're just like, okay, I can, I can, I, this is still happening, but I can sort of meet it with a little more grace and grounding and, and feeling again, just more like me.

30:45Yeah. And I think that's the whole thing is like, again, when I talk about metamorphosis or transforming, it's like really honestly just getting back to like your core oh i think it's good for everybody to have something because we can work ourselves up so much if you don't have anything any therapist or anybody was you know what's your practice to get you to calm down put your feet on the ground count back from you know beginning a panic attack you have to have tools to get you out of the panic attack so to have yeah to have like an herb that's just nice that allows you to come back to reality a little bit so you can process things and not be in that manic state.

31:21I mean, what a gift. It is a gift. And then you can, the other part is then you can more easily do the work, the breathing, the centering, because I'm a big fan of, you know, we've got, we do, you know, one of my themes, it's a theme today. And it's the theme in general is we have more power than we realize. I mean, we actually do have the power to activate our vagus nerve and to build vagal tone. So when you just do deep belly breathing and you can do that lying down or sitting up sometimes it's easier lying down where you just breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth just that in with like a soft belly it activates your vagus nerve and puts your body into more like parasympathetic parasympathetic mode but sometimes people are like i can't even get they are so how to get there so that it can kind of help you be like okay now i to your point now I can do the work a little more.

32:19I'd love to talk about the herbs that you suggest for the various stages of like a woman's, of all of our hormones. Yeah. A lot for that, right? Yes. Have you had the chance to use or take any of our herbs for hormones? For any of them for the hormones? That's like my next, I'm working with a functional medicine doctor right now. Yeah. to switch functional medicine doctors because I was seeing a man and really glazed over my hormone stuff. And then I had this amazing woman on my podcast and I was like, you're the person I need to work with. So I'm waiting for my next meeting with her to like see where I need to like layer in my hormone stuff.

33:06Yeah. But you know what I use a lot from you, pretty prep is like, you want to say? Good. Well, part of your body, you got to take care of your body. And like, you know, that's actually a great segue because our liver is really important for processing and detoxifying all of our hormones. So I asked in part because we have such a broad and wide collection of pictures for all different phases of a woman's life. I don't know if you know that Wish Garden was born actually out of the midwifery tradition and really around supporting women during pregnancy and postpartum. So just want to put that there as we have like a whole collection of pregnancy and postpartum formulas, but specific around hormones, we have cycle harmony, which is helps to balance hormones.

34:00And then we have specific cycle vitality one and cycle vitality two that are one is for the follicular phase that's more about supporting healthy estrogen levels. And then cycle vitality too, literally supports the luteal phase in progesterone levels. So we have this whole line that I can... Estrogen dominant. Estrogen dominant. Yeah. Well, a lot of people, a lot of women are. And so cycle harmony could be like a really good choice around that to just really help to balance hormones. And then for PMS time, as like women are working on that balance, but still that PMS time can sometimes be really a lot.

34:48We have PMS emotional, which is a beloved formula, just because again, like everything we're feeling is valid. It's just things can feel supercharged during that time. And then we move into perimenopause, menopause. We have cycle changes for perimenopause and menopause kind of when that ships are, those ships are happening. And we even have, I mean, we have a hot flash tamer. So it, it, we go through like the whole here. We were like really like through the whole sequence of hormonal, the woman's hormonal journey. I love that you have tinctures for pregnancy because when you get pregnant and your doctor tells you, you know, if you're not working with the midwife and you have just a regular doctor, which are incredible, obviously, but you just get met with, there's nothing you can take.

35:42There's no support for you. You kind of have to suffer through this. So knowing that there are formulas that you have just feels so nurturing and like such a relief. I completely agree with that. And I'm so glad that you brought that up because, you know, it's been a long time. My son's 19 and he's in business school, he's in college, but I can still, even though it was so 20 years ago, I still remember that feeling. Like I remember when, and I'm a naturopathic doctor and I was then too, but when I became pregnant and pretty much everyone's like, don't do anything. Don't take anything. Don't take too, even too much magnesium.

36:17Don't do this. Don't do that. Don't eat that. Don't. And I'm just, wait, we want to go into this feeling our best, obviously we want to be safe and careful, but also confident, you know? And so I think that having, like, we have immune boost for pregnancy. We have a sleepy nights. Speaking of sleepy nights, it's a different formula for pregnancy. So we do have these different blends and I definitely, we have a morning sickness blend. We encourage women to check out because like I said, we were all about supporting women through pregnancy and postpartum. our after ease formula, speaking of postpartum for that, some of those after birth baby blues traction.

36:59Yeah. We have a, we have a, I took, this is a personal story I took that it's postpartum. I just sort of like had a moment because what back in my day, it was baby blues, not postpartum emotional. And then it says baby blues. And you know, the thing is, is that our hormones drop precipitously after birth and people don't really talk about it. And so some, obviously if it's something more serious and you need to talk to your doctor please do so but some kind of emotional plus you're not getting sleep you know is it's really normal deprivation is and don't you think it's so nice like now that i know you know when i started getting into the herbs the last couple years and i would like to try for a third like that's something that i would take just preventatively you know and i've been so lucky to go through two pregnancies and not, I was really mentally prepared to, you know, feel some blues and I never experienced them.

37:53And I kind of prepared myself. Like everyone would be like, I want to come visit you. And I was like a month after I was like, give it a month. Like that's when things are going to feel really dark. I'm going to be really tired. My hormones are going to I kind of like set myself up, but being able to take something that can help almost like prevent you going into the darkness. What a gift. It is a gift. And I think also, again, it's that sense of they're there to support me. And that's been a theme I've been talking about lately on different podcasts is, whether it's sleeping nights at your bedside table or you know you're going through just a tough phase, you're in a tough season of life.

38:31And so maybe you have emotional ally with you. I know a lot of people that bring it with them on the regular in their bag or purse or whatever, just because they wanna have it with them if they need it. And then to your point of taking postpartum emotional and just having it there and not waiting. And then it goes full circle back to the beginning of our conversation of kick-ass immune is really a formula, a tincture that you want to have in your medicine cabinet or wherever you keep your tinctures or cabinet. You want to have it because when you need it, you need it like right now. And I just had that happen to a friend and she was like, I need kick-ass immune right now.

39:10I think I'm getting sick. Where can I get it right now? And so it's kind of nice if you already have it now. You know what I like about that? And it goes back to what you're saying, even about having emotional ally is like, and then you said the path, like we have more power than we know. Obviously these things work, but I also think the empowerment that they give you shifts your brain so much to feel like, oh no, I've taken something, it's going to be fixed. Like, and it kind of, you get, you, you, you relax that part of yourself. It probably calms your nervous system while the herbs are also doing that.

39:47So it's kind of like probably this really amazing duality of the herbs doing their thing, but you also allow in your brain to be, to chill out a little bit, you know, and kind of be like, like, I feel like I have some sort of armor. You are exactly right. I think you're totally right because, you know, mindset is everything. It really is. I mean, the stories we tell ourselves, the mindset that we're in, and if our mindset is, hey, I've been kind of having a hard time, you know, with sleep lately, but I've got, I've got an ally right here. And I'm also going to, and it's always like, it's always and, you know, it's pairing sleeping nights with a regular bedtime as much as you can.

40:27I mean, our bodies respond and nervous system responds so well to habit. But so, I mean, really that, and that's, you know, we set our children up for optimal sleep. We wouldn't say, oh, well, tonight you're going to bed at eight, but tomorrow night you'll get to bed at nine 30 and maybe like, yeah. Right. So let's do, we do the same for ourselves. So just setting yourself up for success is the theme. So let's say you, you know, are an average gal, in your late 20s, I'm describing our average listener, early 30s, I feel like most women, I've been screaming this from the rooftops forever, should understand where they are on their cycle and do some cycle syncing.

41:11And so let's talk about how, obviously there's a lot of specific and you have the singular herbs. And so I think that's probably like level two, right? Like once you're asking for you. So for our average gal listening, how should we like build out our cabinet with our wish garden herbs? I love that. Well, really think about what you want to bring into your life and what you want to work on. And I think if I ask right now, like, what do you want to work on? Is it, do you want to work on your stress? Do you want to work on sleep? Do you want to work on digestion? We have digestive rescue. Do you want to...

41:48rescue when you have a bloated tummy is incredible. It really is. The ginger, the peppermint, it's, it's, it's a game changer. So like my bag's going to be full now that it's just like, I can hear, I'm going to be like that bag lady that has like all the little clinking. Yeah. You can hear them like going like, like clinking together. Because when, you know, so many, how often do you, your friends or everybody's always like, I'm so bloated. I'm so bloated. I'm so bloated. Or you eat something and you're like, oh, Like that one works so well, the digestive. It does. And so, okay, let's start foundational.

42:20I think it's great to have kick-ass immune. If you, and potentially moving into the season we're in, I gotta mention kick-ass allergy. So, and so, and then digestive, if that calls to you. And then it's, you know, it's really, the idea is that these are here to support you where you're at in your life. And so the question is kind of like, Where are you at? What I find is part of the reason I talk a lot about stress and your stress personality is like almost everyone is looking for support, whether it's deep stress, emotional ally, liquid bliss. It's going to be all of the above. Sorry, that's my dog.

43:02And by looking at that, usually like one of those is going to be important for, again, kind of helping with your nervous system. Amazing. Yeah. What are your top top, like what do you have in your desk cream? Right now I've got Sleepy Nights, Holy Basil, and then I have Liquid Bliss is over there. I love Liquid Bliss. I think in an era when we're trying to be more connected, you know, and want to feel kind of just that sense of connecting with other people. I think it's easy. We're more connected than ever, but it's easy to feel disconnected. Mom, hey, I got to like defend you. Don't you realize what's happening?

43:44Stop talking. I have, I had four. I have three dogs now. And they're really tall. One of them is like really tall. And it's so funny because I'll be in a meeting or on a podcast. And you'll see this like big, like shark head just like enter. I love it. Big dog podcast. We usually record, my husband and I, when we do episodes, we do them in bed. And since I started the podcast in 2020, there's this consistent hum or like of our bulldog snoring in the background of like all of that. That's so cute. I mean, I'm sure everyone loves that. That's so cute. It's so cute. Okay, so I would love to end this by knowing what are some things that you do in your day.

44:30Like you, by the way, your skin looks unbelievable. You have like sparkly eyes, Like clearly the medicine is working, but I'd love to know what are some of your like non-negotiables in the day outside of clearly taking, you know, being consistent with your tinctures and being able to have those as your allies. But like, what are some, you know, of all your years of practice, like some things that you, you know, is it that you see go outside when you wake up in the morning or go to bed at the same time? Like what are some of your daily non-negotiables? Daily non-negotiable is meditating. Oh, cool.

45:02Every day for 15 minutes. I set my alarm early. And even before I get up, feed the dog, do anything because once the day, as you know, PO, like once the day starts rolling, it can be tricky. So that is my biggest non-negotiable. And of course I'm human. So there are days when I miss it. And on those rare days when I don't meditate, it's like my whole day feels so different. And then getting outside. I am a nature girl at heart. I always have been. And so I will, no matter what the weather, I will get outside as early in the morning as I can, because I know that it boosts your serotonin and decreases your melatonin so you feel awake.

45:50So just really connecting with nature. And I will also ground on the regular Like I'll go into a park and sit on the grass or in the backyard. Like I spend, I think, more time than most people on the earth. Like with my feet on the earth, I'm just big into being on the earth. So those would be kind of some of my non-negotiables. And then I'll, you know, I try to drink as much water as I can and eat well. But I'd say like meditating and like the connecting. We are meant to connect to the natural world. and we are, again, our nervous system, going back to that, responds to subtle things like the wind in the leaves of the trees or the sounds of the birds.

46:34It really helps us come back home. And so I'm a big advocate of, even if you only have five or 10 minutes, to just do it. Thank you so much. That's such a great way to end the podcast. It really is the through line of like anyone that we have on here is like, I know it's so simple, but sometimes I just actually was on the phone with a friend that was kind of getting dragged down with working. And I just said, just go outside, please just go for there. There's actual, cause sometimes people need science or studies. There are studies that show, this is a true Pia, that like a five minute walk will boost your mood.

47:17It's been shown. and even also increase like your thought, like problem solving, like say if you're dealing with something stressful, solving problems, productivity, if you're worried about stepping away from work, like go outside because you'll be much more productive and just happy, most important, like happier, more joyful, more yourself. What have you noticed? I actually want to ask you one more question. Sure. My sister is my trainer and one of my best friends and I work out with her twice a week. and I can't remember how it came up, but my best friend who, and she's a life coach and she's very grounded and really connected.

47:53And, you know, she was like, do you know, like the root systems of plants are kind of like always communicating with one another. And if you pull up a root, like the other roots can feel it. And I likened it to like, um, my God, what's it called when, uh, uh, like dolphins and whales communicate with each other in the water. Oh, echolocation. Yeah. I was like, Oh, it's kind of like the way that, and I was like gosh are we like hurting them like when we like pull plants up like they kind of can and it just made me realize and I think like we've categorized this as such like a hippie dippy conversation almost as which is so naive to me because I don't know I believe that there's a greater creator and that we're all part of this like one ecosystem right and so the way that like roots mimic veins in our body.

48:42It all just seems too beautiful and synergetic to ignore the connection. But what have you found in all your years of working with plants? I don't know. I'm just curious about how they mimic us in a way, that connection. What has that been like? Well, first of all, I would say that kind of back to your thing about roots, with the plants and the harvesting is a super important point. It's all about intention and what the practices are. So I just wanted to say that, you know, I think, I know you know, Pia, but we work with organic farmers and then we also work with wild crafters and forest farmers that are ethical.

49:22We've been involved with some different certifications. We won't go into all of it, but including Fairwild, where we're all about the plants and preserving the plants in their natural environment for forever. Energy to them. Energy. Yeah. Consume a plant. I'm sure the way it's harvested affects the tincture. 100 % the way that's harvested. I mean, a lot of people think about what's the soil like in the environment? Yes, all of those in the inputs, but it's also how is it harvested? How is it handled? And we are all, We're using whole herbs and we're all about that. And then there's a really interesting thing called the doctrine of signatures, where a plant, how a plant looks, can often give you clues about what it might be for.

50:13And I'll just, speaking of roots, I'm coming up with something that's more of a food, but beetroot and that like unbelievable, I mean, I'm sure you've gotten it on your hands if you like cut up beets of that red color. beetroot is a traditional blood nourishing food and it's like that color and so sometimes you it's like the plants are communicating with us and clearly back to traditional use that's now in modern times the people that came before us coexisted with these plants and clearly knew what to utilize them for and so i think part of that too was how they were appearing in the natural world.

50:53So beautiful. It is. It really is. What a beautiful, what a beautiful life you get to live doing with like really stunning work where you get to just be like connected with all these beautiful plants that like nourish us so well because we don't, you know, I live in California, right? And I live in a city, so I'm lucky enough to have access to cornwood markets and to have, you know, education around food and all of that. But that comes with so much privilege. So, you know, on a day-to-day basis, we don't think about getting back to what the basis is. It's like the synergy of like these plants and us and us eating them and nourishing them.

51:32You know, it's like, it's so people, I saw some TikTok the other day that some girls were like, it really just tastes different when you grow a tomato in your garden. And I was like, yeah, it does. Oh my gosh. It's like the steps removed. It tastes like the best when you grow it in the garden. And then like, maybe next would be if you get it your local local farmers market and then the next would be like an organic one from a really good you know like air one maybe and then the next you know what i mean it's like there's levels of fully tomato from so sad right because it just yeah it comes out to access and all that but thank you so much for taking the time talking i'm such a fan and i realized during the course of this conversation how much i've been like limiting myself to, I mean, you have so, how many products are in the assortment?

52:14A lot. Like there's so many, I mean, there's, they're like wordy, they're every, like, I don't know. Like it's really just feel like I just want to go buy one of everything and like have a medicine cabinet. That's like this, this, this part of my cycle, I take this. Like when I get, you know, I just, I, it's because they do work so well. And even on just the service level of me taking, you know, party prep before or a drink, or the sleep. Like even if some of this, which is not, but even if anyone's like, oh, this is kind of woo-woo, like clearly they work so well. So I'm so grateful to like enter this new chapter where I like peel the onion back of all these different herbs.

52:56Because I feel like I've been using them at such a surface level, but I really want to deep dive into this more. I think that you're doing amazing, honestly. When you're telling me all the ways that you and your family are utilizing all of these herbal tinctures, I'm just like, wow, this is fantastic. And I would love to come back and talk more. Yeah, absolutely. I would love that, really. Thank you so much. It was - Thank you. Thank you, Pia. I really appreciate it. It was really a treat to talk with you. Thank you. What was your dog's name? Ace. Ace, okay. Shout out to Ace too for making an appearance on the podcast.

53:30Thanks, Ace. Now he's lying on the bed. Thank you. So nice to meet you. You too. All right, have a good day. You too. Thank you, Pia.

53:43And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes this week's episode of Everything is the Best. I hope you enjoyed it. Please rate, review, subscribe, all that stuff. Maybe leave a comment. Go ahead and follow me on Instagram at Pia Barancini. And I hope you have a fabulous, fabulous rest of your day. Love you. Ciao.

54:09Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.