The Fifth Pillar Is Community

The Holistic Herbalism Podcast

Our model of the primary determinants of health is the Four Pillars: food, sleep, stress, and movement. These things are in our individual control – or at least, that’s how we think of them and talk about them, most of the time. But the truth is, there’s a fifth pillar, and it can directly impact how an individual person eats, sleeps, and moves, as well as what stressors they are subject to. It’s community.

In our society, systemic oppression in the form of racism, sexism, heteronormativity, ableism, and other such forces mean that minorities and oppressed groups are subject to greater health risks than their privileged peers. This remains true even if we compare individuals with similar socioeconomic status, health history, etc. The health impacts of systemic oppression are something that holistic practitioners cannot ignore if they truly want to work to heal “the whole person”.

Our work must go beyond the individual, and address injustices at the community and societal levels.
A small sample of the research on racial health disparities and the social determinants of health:

• Uprooting Institutionalized Racism as Public Health Practice, Bassett & Graves. American Journal of Public Health. 2018 April; 108(4): 457–458.
• Structural racism and health inequities in the USA: evidence and interventions, Bailey et al. The Lancet. 2017; 389(10077): 1453–1463.
• Vital Signs: Racial Disparities in Age-Specific Mortality Among Blacks or African Americans — United States, 1999–2015, Cunningham et al. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2017 May; 66(17): 444-456.

Resources to learn more and get involved:

• Anti-racism resources for white people, compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker & Alyssa Klein
• Campaign Zero – Proven policy solutions to end police violence.
• Prison Policy Initiative – Research & advocacy on mass criminalization & incarceration.
• Integrative Medicine for the Underserved
• Toi Scott’s list of POC Healers, herbalists, herb schools, etc
• Northstar Health Collective
• Mutual Aid Hub – Find mutual aid networks and other community self-support projects near you!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!