By Allison Koch, CNM

Since the government has now forbidden the CDC from making documents and reports that refer to science and evidence and discuss things like fetuses and transgender persons, this article will talk about none of those things – though I could. Instead I prefer to talk about magic and healing and the healing magic that is available to us at the WBWC Boutique every single day.

My plan is to profile some of the magical healing remedies available at the boutique over the next several months and educate you about what they can do for you!

Botanical medicine comes from healing traditions that are steeped in centuries old wisdom (mostly from women healers) working with plants that were well-known, handled carefully, often prayed over and treated with great respect for their healing properties and gratitude for their gifts. I know it sounds a little “woo-woo” but there really is something about crafting a remedy while putting all your thoughts and intention into its healing purpose. For those of us who knit, crochet or quilt, for example, there is a healing purpose “intended” right into that piece while you make it. That’s what prayer shawls are. They wrap the recipient in prayers for their recovery and/or well-being.

There are books devoted to the healing power of intention – and many experiments that prove the possibility of sending healing energies, such as love, gratitude, or forgiveness. And what a great intention! One such book is the classic by Lynne McTaggert called The Field, and that could be another kind of field trip.

Botanical medicine made in a mindful way serves the same kind of healing purpose. This is one of the intangibles that makes studying herbal treatments hard to quantify. Different healers will grow the plant under different conditions, and even if prepared according to a recipe, it will still carry the magic signature and intention of a particular herbalist.

Voluptuous V is a botanical product created by Paula Youmell, a holistic nurse who is also an herbalist, author, and health educator. Paula realized that “personal lubricants” are commonly used by women to address the problem of vaginal tissues thinning at menopause, which, by the way, is a universal experience of menopause. Most lubricants are not made from natural ingredients, friendly to the delicate ecosystem of the vagina. Concerned about this, she created something healthy and safe for use as a lubricant.  Paula and her partner, Shelby Connelly, have decided to market their intimate self-care products through Five Elements Living.com as well as in selected health-related retail outlets.

Voluptuous V is a silky, lovely product made from all natural ingredients. It has a light scent that is nothing like that Petroleum-based product that should never be in your vagina.It’s in a coconut oil base and it’s edible. (Just saying)

And the WBWC Boutique is the only place in North Carolina where you can buy this magical luxe feminine emollient specifically for the tender tissues of the vagina!