Since my first publication in May 2018, to this day I have been able to be a front-row spectator of the extraordinary explosion of content on spirituality and sustainability on the platform, ranging from techniques of connection and spiritual development, ecological production of plant species of medicinal and nutritional interest, to the socialization of homemade recipes to produce plant extracts with curative, prophylactic, and nutritional potential that in one way or another, have the support of great projects with spiritual, humanistic and ecological approaches of communities like @NaturalMedicine and @ecoTrain.
In my particular case, in this period of almost three years I have dedicated myself to publishing in my blog content on the medicinal potentialities that our natural mother offers us, however, the greatest emphasis is still technical, since I have been emphasizing scientific content on the botanical characterization of a certain number of plant species, linking their phytopharmacological effects, clinical responses, adverse and toxicological reactions, as well as their pharmacokinetic profiles when entering the body.
Fig. 2 Capture of the main head on the www.naturalmedicine.io platform. Author: @lupafilotaxia.
Now, even though in my blog still prevails a technical vision that seeks to socialize information of proven experimental and clinical value, however, reflecting I have come to the conclusion that this has meant to be a limiting factor for the content to reach a greater number of readers, in this sense, and thanks to the invitation made by my friend @gentleshaid, a couple of weeks ago I decided to enter the informative context of this admirable community, and since then I have been sharing my notes on herbalism, highlighting the potential and artisanal use of plant species with the greatest beneficial impact on our health.
Fig. 3 Fruits and leaves from my organic cultivation / Capsicum annuum. Author: @lupafilotaxia.
How did your journey in this path/with this practice began?
Practically my relationship, with the use of plant species of healing potential comes from my childhood, since my mother is an inveterate lover of medicinal plants, I comment that I still have beautiful memories of those early years of my life, in my mother's house we literally have a home phytopharmacy, I am the second of 8 brothers, and all my brothers without exception use plant species to prepare infusions and treat our health problems.
Perhaps that extraordinary stage that I lived in my childhood, was the motor so that after finishing my secondary studies, I decided to register in a career of vegetal cut, I graduated as Engineer of Agricultural Production and soon I studied a Masters in Vegetable Production, and I have the satisfaction to have received a university formation attached to the respect of the life, to interpret the cycles of our mother nature, soon to establish more friendly mechanisms of production with the nature, in the search to establish an ecological rationality in the production of vegetal by-products.
Without a doubt, scientists in the pharmacological and agricultural sector have neglected a key point in the development of self-sufficient and sustainable practices. For this reason, a deep knowledge of nature and agro-ecosystems will give us the tools to regulate their functioning, and thus avoid their outright deterioration, and that is precisely the central reason for my thematic lines based on socializing and re-emphasizing the results of the multiple research and practical discoveries, so that the users of the HIVE platform understand the importance of phytopharmacology and agroecology as culturally sensitive, economically viable disciplines, and providers of healthy and natural products.
How have you adapted this practice to your life?
Phytopharmacology and agroecology go beyond a one-dimensional view of the systems or niches of functioning, since from my point of view they encompass a more spiritual and humanistic vision that can provide a harmonious understanding to educate a society with roles that respect our natural mother, I think this goes beyond these superficial hypotheses, because I believe in the real balance of the crops, with the soil, the sunlight, and with the rest of the existing organisms in their environment, and this conception is very deep-rooted in my being, because it prevails in my day-to-day life, to the point of practicing it at home by means of the organic cultivation of species of medicinal interest Asphodelaceae (aloe), Lamiaceae (oregano and lemon balm), Poaceae (malojillo), Costaceae (sour cane), and some of alimentary potential basically Caricaceae (milky), Rutaceae (lemon, orange), Solanaceae (chili and paprika), Amaryllidaceae (chives), and tropical tubers (yucca).
Fig. 4 A day of collecting botanical samples in the company of my eldest daughter. Author: @lupafilotaxia.
In the 15 square meters that I have in my backyard, I only execute alternative management methods to control specific soil problems or pests, but I collect all these guidelines, to educate my 9 year old daughter Luisana Chiquinquirá in a lifestyle attached to a spiritual connection and respect for nature, I am happy that my daughter is now accompanying me on my field trips and working on my botanical collection, and she already has a good command of ecological balance in her vocabulary, to the point of relating some medicinal effects, in addition to the bio-insecticide capabilities and fertilizing action of organic materials, an element that fills me with great satisfaction for adding a child who loves our natural mother.
Fig. 5 My daughter Luisana Ch. with her cousin Saul, planting pea seeds to germinate. Author: @lupafilotaxia.
#Posh Twitter:
Oh wow - this is awesome!! More personal stories please!!!! It's SO great to get to know a little more about you and realise how well studied you are, and how plants are absolute deep in your identity and you are passing this love down to future generations! And I didn't quite realise you were a professor of agricultural botany - that's amazing! Definitely would love more personal stories in balance with Herbalist Space! xx Thanks for joining in!
Plants are my life center, I tell you that these months of pandemic by Covid-19, have been lapses of little technical dissertation with the groups of students, and of greater connection with the specimens that I have been describing. Of course, as time and pace of publication allows, I will answer more questions that break the virtuality, and let see the human side.
Oh and your posts look great on www.naturalmedicine.io too!
I have not used the platform www.naturalmedicine.io I will have to visit it, until now I have uploaded the publications, from the address of the Community hive-120078 Natural Medicine.
Wonderful article, I admire you a lot and your publications are examples of professionalism. You remind me a lot of a cousin I worked with in a shed with compost and compost soil. He was very knowledgeable about this and is a university professor at one of the most important universities in my country in the field of botany. I learned a lot from him, they were the best years of my life and I admire those who with their experience teach others about this beautiful path. Thanks for sharing this article, it's nice to read you.
Thank you for your enriching words. Any field of study, that relates to nature is extremely rewarding. Kind regards, we do not read any further.
Very interesting post.
Greetings @dipro02, thank you for your kind visit to the blog.
I’m a little jealous that you were raised with such a love of medicinal plants but I can definitely see how that shaped the foundations for where you find yourself today. Learning to read the cycles of nature and apply them in our workings with nature are unbelievably important! I learned the other day that there are birds, veeries, who migrate at varying times based upon how bad the hurricane season will be, meaning they are foretelling the future weather! This and many other signs in nature are useful tools for us to adapt with. Thanks for taking a moment to share your personal experiences:)))
@alchemage is rewarding to have your visit on the blog. This is how nature has codified multiple behaviors, but something very regrettable is that we have not been able to interpret them correctly, and with the passing of time our lifestyles only worsen the natural contexts, to the point of creating imbalances that compromise our own existence. Thank you again for your kind visit.
Glad you had such a wonderful upbringing and have undertaken to expand your knowledge base sharing with others, keeping that knowledge alive!
Lovely to see the next generation following in your path with a spiritual connection and respect for nature!
Thank-you for sharing your story and letting us get to know you better!
Greetings @porters, while my creatures are with us, I will give all my effort to form them attached to the respect for nature. Thank you for your kind visit.