Ruth Blanding on Ancestral Remedies for Everyday Wellness

From our Winter 2024 issue, enjoy our interview with modern herbalist and birth & wellness practitioner, Ruth Blanding.

In an age when traditional remedies risk being overshadowed by convenience-driven solutions, Ruth Blanding is a voice of reconnection to our roots.

As a birth and wellness practitioner, doula, and modern herbalist, Ruth has spent years blending her ancestral influences – drawing from African, Chinese, and Native American traditions – with contemporary approaches to herbal medicine. The result is her much-anticipated book, Herbal Medicine for Modern Life.

In this insightful collection of remedies, Ruth not only shares her expertise but also invites readers into a way of life where plant medicine is integral to daily rituals and family wellness. With the wisdom of herbalists like Rosemary Gladstar and Lucretia VanDyke shaping her journey, Ruth’s book is a heartfelt nod to the power of simplicity, tradition, and community.

In our conversation, Ruth shares her inspirations, her favorite remedies, and the process behind creating this invaluable resource. Whether you’re a parent seeking natural remedies for your family, or simply curious about the art of herbalism, Ruth’s perspective offers inspiration and practical guidance for integrating herbal practices into modern living.

Inspiration for Herbal Medicine for Modern Life

GC: First off, thank you for creating this book. When I noticed old-fashioned remedies disappearing online, I began building my library of physical herbal guides, books by authors like Rosemary Gladstar, and volumes on Traditional Chinese Medicine. What inspired you to put these remedies into book form?

Ruth Blanding: I am so thrilled to have been able to create this collection of remedies and herbal knowledge to share with my community and the world. I was deeply inspired by herbalists such as Lucretia VanDyke, Michele Elizabeth Lee, Enrique Salmon, Thomas Easley, and Rosemary Gladstar.

The work that they have put into the world of herbalism has driven me to reach deeper into the wisdom that is plant medicine. From honoring ancestral, traditional practices and skills to crafting new ways to work with old medicine, these herbalists have helped keep the work of herbalism alive in the modern day world. I am grateful to be among their number.

GC: Your book also includes your ancestral influences of African, Chinese, and Native American cultures. How do you use these traditions to complement modern home remedies? 

Ruth Blanding: I work to include my ancestral traditions and practices into my home remedies by keeping things simple. I love to think about the life my ancestors led, what they had access to, how they might have prepared these herbs without modern tools. It helps me to maintain a balanced relationship with my herbal kin. 

They become part of my daily practices, my family rituals and habits. In this way herbs and remedies are not just my go-to remedies when we get sick, but they become the core pieces of our everyday life.

Natural Remedies Included

GC: The book is 224 pages long and includes so many worthwhile remedies and DIYs. How did you decide what to include? 

Ruth Blanding: I won’t lie, I sat up many nights debating what to include. I had to constantly ask if I could only have so many herbs and so many remedies, which ones would be an absolute must for myself and my family? 

Then I went over the ills, ailments, and health concerns I noticed were coming up for people in my community again and again and worked to address those. I hope that in this way, the remedies and information I share can truly speak to the people who buy my book.

What’s Inside for Parents

GC: What are some of the features parents will find useful? 

Ruth Blanding: I believe that the information about each individual herb and what they can be used for will help parents make informed decisions when picking individual herbs and herbal recipes to use for their home remedies.

GC: Your children are at various ages right now. Do you have any go-to remedies that seem to work for everyone? 

Ruth Blanding: One of my favorite remedies is peppermint tea. I know it seems simple, but peppermint is a powerhouse herb that is so readily available and can help with so many things. Headache? Peppermint. Stomachache? Peppermint. Anxious? Peppermint! 

Two other herbs that I use pretty much daily are turmeric and dandelion root. My kids are all very athletic and deal with inflammation and soreness often. These herbs help to keep the inflammation at bay and help them feel soothed. 

GC: You’ve also been a birth doula for quite some time. How has that impacted your holistic health journey?

Ruth Blanding: I spent 15 years as a birth and wellness professional. I was grateful for the births I attended and the families I was able to support. In my present life stage, I work with the postpartum and holistic wellness community with hopes to return to births once my children are older.

GC: What has publishing this book taught you?

Ruth Blanding: For anyone who would like to write a book and share their own special offerings with the world I say DON’T GIVE UP! I spent so many years “knocking on doors”, reaching out to strangers, asking for connections.

I often felt so frustrated and wanted to give up. But I wanted to share my writings with the world so much more. I wouldn’t let “no” be an option. And finally, things aligned to make this happen. May this be the first of many books for me!

The first of many indeed! Herbal Medicine for Modern Life is available for preorder now.

More Herbal DIY for Families

Find more family friendly holistic remedies:

Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Homemade Herbal Vapor Rub
DIY First Aid Ointment
DIY Iron Syrup