Building the Body to Optimum Vitality

As summer fades into fall and we head “back to school” (literally for some, figuratively speaking for others), many of us find ourselves looking for that last-minute immune boost or a way to put off that seemingly inevitable cold. So we sat down with Yarrow Willard, co-founder of Harmonic Arts, to better understand the awesome science of plant medicine to not only strengthen our body’s protective barrier but to help us to thrive.

Herbalism as a tool for healing

Cumberland-based Harmonic Arts came to life fifteen years ago in 2009, when co-founders and clinical herbalists Angela and Yarrow Willard struggled to find quality herbal medicine, particularly certain types of plants. “Everything was in a capsule, not fresh, and therefore not as potent or effective,” shares Willard. Harmonic Arts’ tinctures in particular keep the integrity of whole organically grown plants. “The science is really starting to lead us back and away from single compounds to whole plants,” notes Willard. “In most cases, we’re finding it’s not one component (that a drug company might patent), but all of the plant you need to absorb its benefits properly.”

In recent years, there’s been a huge resurgence in plant medicine and the recognition of how plants can support healing and optimum vitality. Biohacking has become increasingly popular as people seek to revitalize the body’s natural wisdom. It’s that wisdom Harmonic Arts taps into, using plants as a tool to unlock and support it. Willard also notes how plant medicine deepens our connection to the natural world, which helps to counteract the “nature disassociation” seen in society today that undoubtedly further exacerbates stress, disease and depression.

Many people come to herbal medicine seeking a cure for what ails them, a “fix” for an auto-immune disease or seasonal cold or flu. However, Harmonic Arts’ tinctures can be used long before we get to a later stage of sickness, as they work to foster peak vitality and strong immune systems in our daily lives so we’re unlikely to get sick in the first place, with the key players being medicinal mushrooms and elderberry syrup.

Creating a protective barrier

Mushrooms have certainly been having their moment, and for good reason: mushrooms are immunomodulators, effectively regulating the immune system’s ability to recognize imbalances in the body. Working with the right mushrooms holistically, they can be used to support both a weakened immune system (which can result in coughs and colds) or a heightened immune system (which can lead to auto-immune diseases, allergies and cancer).

Reishi, chaga and turkey tail are the most potent in supporting the body’s immune system, and Harmonic Arts also have their incredibly popular 5 Mushroom Blend, which comes in a delicious hot chocolate-style mix. Willard recommends starting with medicinal mushrooms in early September to ensure the immune system is already working at its best before we head into the fall flu season. If you’ve already been hit by a cold or the flu however, you'll need to call in the elderberry reinforcements.

Fighting off the flu, naturally

Plants that pack a powerful punch in fighting off unwelcome intruders include echinacea, which is an immunostimulant, goldenseal and astragalus. Then, there’s elderberry. “Clinical trials are showing elderberry syrup is as impactful as cold and flu shots,” shares Willard. One study in 2009 in the Complementary Therapies in Medicine Journal demonstrated elderberry’s capacity to drastically reduce upper respiratory symptoms, replacing the need for antibiotics. “Elderberry is what’s called a biofilm disruptor,” explains Willard. Instead of killing the virus and the cells that hold them, elderberry syrup disrupts the cell’s biofilm lining, tagging the cells so the immune system can identify them and fight them off. This prioritizes the body’s natural function, reminding itself of its innate wisdom and ability to self-heal. Elderberry also has antimicrobial properties and has been tested as an anti-inflammatory. Not to mention, it's far more enjoyable to consume. “It’s really good on pancakes if you’re trying to get kids to love it!” says Willard. “We also have an elderberry mocktail recipe.”

Harmonic Arts’ Cold Defence is a great one for a generalized surface-level cold and flu infection, but there’s also concern-specific tinctures like Immune Depth for deeper degenerative pathogens, a Lung and Cough Syrup for bronchitis and a throat spray. “But again, where we try to get people to work is earlier in the season, so that when that cold and flu comes around, people don’t get it,” explains Willard.

Once people are over the fixation with the “fix it” stage, plant medicine can be a powerful ally in curating optimum wellbeing in the body. It can be a tool to generally lower inflammation, support digestion, help your liver function better and so much more. “It’s for overall system wellbeing, not just the acute stuff,” says Willard. “Our western medicine doesn’t have answers for these things, so people want to come back to this at a deep level, and the science is really starting to reveal [plant medicine's] potential.”

Harmonic Arts is seeing a shift in people curious about plant medicine. “Plant medicine is part of their lifestyle. They’re adding superfoods, medicinal mushrooms, etc., into their wellbeing regime and overall strategy for living well.” And luckily, Harmonic Arts is on hand with plenty of education—including webinars and guides on their website—to match people to the plants best suited to them.