Healing with Oregon Grape / Barberry
This article is for informational purposes only ~ it is not intended to diagnose or treat. As always, do your own research, consult your own Healer of choice, or book a consultation before exploring any of the medicines mentioned on this site.
I wild harvested this Oregon Grape / Barberry Root Bark in the forest & am just so amazed by the beautiful golden colour of its essence!
The Medicine
The part of the plant that we harvest for medicine is the bark from the stem, root and rhizome. When you peel the strips off the plant, a bright yellow / gold flesh is revealed ~ this is what we want to harvest. The bright colour is indicative of the Berberines, which are the potent and bitter tasting alkaloids of the plant.
The power of the Berberines is that they are anti-microbial, anti-pathogenic, anit-fungal and anti-parasitic. The bitterness tells us it is medicine and it works primarily on toning the liver by helping to remove stagnation, or toxic build-up and is believed to help us to rebuild healthy emotional and psychic boundaries.
Barberry is healing for the entire digestive tract - breaking up stagnation and stimulating proper digestion of foods. It increases blood flow to the spleen and is helpful for a variety of digestive issues, such as IBS, Chrohns and Colitis. Barberry works to heal mucous membranes within the digestive tract ~ it is known for re-establishing healthy boundaries ~ meaning that as it cleanses any harmful bacteria, parasites or infections, it helps re-establish a proper flow. Therefore, it helps in the uptake of proper nutrients while assisting the liver and intestines in elimination of what we don’t want.
Barberry is used as a tonic to help those suffering from “depletion”, “weakness” and therefore, a lack of energy and vitality. The same way that it helps with our internal, physical boundaries, it is said to help us emotionally and psychologically with energetic boundaries. For those of us who are very open, such as sensitive Empaths, it may help us to rebuild the energetic boundaries we need to protect ourselves from other people’s energies.
You may have also heard of “Oregon Grape Jelly” as is popularly made with the berries!
NOTE: An alternate medicine with similar qualities is Goldenseal ~ available at most health food stores. Goldenseal is considered somewhat endangered; therefore, look for an organically cultivated variety or grow your own!
The Call…
I felt the call from this medicine recently when learning more about it myself.. as I was studying its many healing properties, all the lights on my deck started flashing really fast and they don’t blink.. so, I took note… My body was vibrating in response to the info so I studied carefully & then set out to forage. Luckily Barberry is prolific on the West Coast & wild harvesting is not a threat to the species, so I headed off the path to find an abundant grouping of this shrub where I could harvest some without harm.
I have personally been challenged for a while with proper absorption of nutrients - this is really frustrating when consciously choosing to eat nutritionally potent, high energy foods but not feeling the results, but challenges come for all of us at different times in life for different reasons. From an Ayurvedic perspective, the lack of nutritional uptake is evidenced by the vertical ridges in my fingernails which have been present for some time. Though the medicinal mushrooms I work with have helped a great deal, I’ve been asking for additional guidance as clearly something is in the way...
I made my offerings to the plant and thanked it for its medicine. As I connected with the plant, I felt the same kid of energy run through my body as I had the night I was reading about it.
I gently harvested the root & rhizome bark from one plant with love & gratitude. I immediately began nibbling on the bark in the forest and noticed a positive effect.
After stripping the rest of the root at home and drying the herb, I made the tea & am over joyed with its resonance!
Working with Barberry / Oregon Grape
🌿 Barberry is definitely bitter, which means it’s good for the liver - toning & removing stagnation
🌿 it helps heal mucous membrane inflammation, which can prevent proper absorption of nutrition
🌿 it is an immunomodulator, helping to rebalance the immune system
🌿 makes an excellent tonic for feeling “depleted”, “weak” & lack of energy
🌿 aids in a wide range of digestive issues as it helps with creating healthy boundaries
🌿 it is anti-microbial, anti-pathogenic, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic
🌿 it is a tonic for the digestive system and the urinary tract
🌿 it may help in rebalancing candida in the system
🌿 it is know for helping with “tourist diseases” when exposed to new foods & bacteria
🌿 may be taken as a tonic or a tea
🌿 may be powdered and used externally to treat wounds and prevent infection
*NOTE: Because of its anti-microbial nature, it is not recommended to use this medicine all the time or for extended periods simply to avoid a depletion in healthy bacteria; therefore, it is to be used only as needed for specific purposes.
*NOTE: Not to be used while pregnant or breast-feeding.