Welcome!
Earth and Bone Botanicals is located on a little Island off the West Coast of British Columbia, known as SḴŦAḴ in SENĆOŦEN, or Mayne Island in English. I want to express my deepest gratitude to be able to practice herbalism and live on the unceded homelands of the W̱SÁNEĆ, and other Coast Salish peoples. I acknowledge that this is all stolen land.
About me
My name is Sierra Steele, I am a Clinical Herbalist who completed my academic training at Pacific Rim College, in Victoria, B.C. Pacific Rim College is a leader in integrative and natural health programs, and has one of the most comprehensive western Herbalism programs in North America. I graduated in 2021 with a Diploma of Phytotherapy, an intensive three year program that includes over 500 hours of clinical training, 480 hours of biomedical/ biological sciences, 195 hours of professional development, and 765 hours of western herbal sciences. This diploma is unique as it both trains students in both scientific and traditional approaches to herbalism. I have been passionate about health sciences, gardening, biology, and nature, from a very young age. My first introduction to herbalism came from spending summers in my childhood helping my parents in the garden; learning the identities and characteristics of many edible and medicinal plants. I started my journey into health sciences through a love of cooking and biology, which led me to enrolling in the Holistic Nutrition program at Pacific Rim College. After One year, and several herbalism classes later, I decided to switch programs. I quickly found myself entangled in the world of medicinal plants and fungi.
What is Herbal Medicine?
Plants and fungi have played a crucial role in human cultures for thousands of years, providing us with food, medicine, and overall well-being. Herbalism, the study and use of medicinal plants and fungi, has been passed down through generations and is still widely used today. Humans acquired the therapeutic uses of plants over thousands of years of trial and error, and much of our known herbal knowledge was collected by women, and village healers of all genders, who cared for their families and communities. In fact, herbal medicine is found across the majority of people groups, and remains the primary source of healthcare for much of the world's population. It's also worth noting that many modern pharmaceuticals are also directly derived from, or based on natural compounds. Plants have evolved to be master biochemists, using complex molecules to communicate, heal, and defend themselves. Our bodies have evolved alongside plants, learning to recognize and use many of these compounds to assist in healing.
With medical systems around the globe struggling, many people are beginning to turn back to traditional herbal practices. Medical plants and fungi can assist in maintaining overall health, or help the body heal a very wide range of medical conditions and ailments, including; skin conditions, digestive disorders, mental health issues, sleep problems, cold and flue, autoimmunity as well as many more . .
