09/01/2026
Doctor says, “Wait and see.”
But you’re about to fudge around and find out because “watchful waiting” can mean two very different things.
For you, it should never mean: sit at home and do nothing.
It may mean what you have going on is likely self-limiting: a virus or another acute issue your body can often resolve on its own without unnecessary medication, testing, or intervention.
Or, it may mean your symptoms, labs, or imaging do not yet give your doctor enough information to make a diagnosis, order additional testing, or recommend treatment.
In other words, the condition may need more time to become clinically clear, aka worse.
But when they say “wait and see,” do not translate that to mean: do nothing.
In many instances, it is the perfect window to learn herbalism.
And notice that I did not say, “Go take some random herbs TikTok made you buy.” 😂
Learn herbalism. Research, study, apply and let it become part of your daily life.
Because while your doctor may be monitoring a symptom, a lab value, or an imaging result, you can be learning what your body needs, tracking patterns, asking better questions, and building sustainable habits that support your health.
Our medical system does not invest enough in preventive care. So if you are on your way toward a diagnosis connected to a preventable or lifestyle-responsive condition, early intervention may help slow progression and, in some cases, substantially change the course.
For example, structured lifestyle intervention for people with prediabetes reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% in the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program. That is why a creeping A1C is not merely a number to recheck later. It is a warning sign, information, and an opportunity to act.
Remember your legacy. We come from a long line of people who knew how to take care of themselves at home. I invite you to read the narratives from our ancestors.
From medical care being sought to preserve our labor—not our humanity—to medicines being used as punishment for disobedience; from egregious medical experimentation to being denied adequate care altogether; from delayed diagnosis to dismissal and neglect today—our relationship with the health care system has always been complicated and, in many ways, unreliable.
Is this an indictment of the entire system? No. The medical system has and continues to save lives. We can hold multiple truths at once.
But when you already carry medical mistrust, feel that something is off in your body, and your doctor says, “Wait,” it can be a recipe for your stress to skyrocket.
Enter herbalism. The practice our ancestors relied on then remains relevant now.
Not because herbs replace emergency medicine, diagnostic testing, surgery, or necessary prescriptions.
But because herbalism gives us another way to participate in our health: to build daily support, recognize patterns earlier, and make informed choices before we reach a crisis.
If your A1C is creeping up, this is your warning sign and your opportunity to make dietary shifts, learn what affects your blood sugar, and study herbs that have been researched for metabolic support, including gymnema, cinnamon, and milk thistle.
If your blood pressure is creeping up, please do not wait until you need two medications to keep it stable before you look at your sodium intake, sleep, stress, movement, alcohol intake, and daily food patterns.
This is also a time to learn about gentle stress-supportive herbs, such as linden, as well as traditional cardiovascular herbs like hawthorn and hibiscus.
If your periods are getting heavier, your cramps are worsening, or you have growing-but-still-small fibroids, this is the time to build a thoughtful support plan. Track your cycle, your bleeding, and your pain and build an inflammation-conscious herbal plan that also support hormone metabolism and iron levels.
You do not have to wait until the pain, exhaustion, bleeding, or anemia becomes your normal.
From the beginning, herbs have been among the most steady and reliable forms of support available to our communities.
The biggest difference between our ancestors and us, however, is that many of us have lost the skills to use them well.
So much of my work is about helping us reclaim autonomy in our health care choices by encouraging us to become more educated, more observant, more prepared, more herbally skilled and therefore more capable participants in our own care.
Let "wait and see" become an invitation to course-correct.
This is exactly what I teach inside my intermediate herbal program, Family Farmacy.
This is where we bridge the healing knowledge our ancestors had with the research, safety awareness, and practical skills we need today.
Because confidence does not come from having a cabinet full of herbs. It comes from knowing how to use them wisely. 😘
