The Roots of Wellness: 8 Indigenous Plants Still Healing Us Today
|
|
Time to read 11 min
It starts with gratitude.
Before “holistic” was a trend, it was a way of life — cultivated, observed, and passed down through generations by Indigenous peoples across the world. Many of the Indigenous plants that continue to support our well-being today trace back to these original stewards of the land — who taught us that true healing begins with harmony: with self, community, and Earth.
Long before modern laboratories, there were forests, fields, and mountains — sacred pharmacies tended by those who understood that medicine could be found in every leaf, root, and seed. These Indigenous plants weren’t discovered; they were shared. Passed hand to hand, generation to generation, they carried both healing properties and cultural meaning.
At Dragon Hemp, we honor that lineage. Our practitioner-formulated therapeutics bridge ancient herbal traditions with modern plant science — not to appropriate their wisdom, but to amplify it with respect and precision. This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we pay homage by exploring seven enduring Indigenous plants — sacred across continents — that continue to restore balance, vitality, and connection between body and soul.
Table of Contents
1. Exercise Regularly for a Natural Boost 2. Eat Tryptophan-Rich Foods 3. Sunlight Exposure for Vitamin D 4. Manage Stress for Better Serotonin Production 5. Social Connections: A Key to Mood Regulation 6. Massage Therapy for Physical and Mental Relaxation 7. Supplements to Support Serotonin Levels 8. Avoid Alcohol 9. Optimize Sleep Quality Additional Considerations for Balanced Serotonin Levels
1. Willow Bark — The Original Pain Reliever (North America)
Long before aspirin lined pharmacy shelves, the healing properties of willow bark were known to Indigenous peoples across North America. Tribes such as the Cherokee, Ojibwe, and Blackfoot brewed its bark into teas or poultices to relieve pain, fever, and inflammation. Its key compound, salicin, later inspired the synthesis of aspirin — one of modern medicine’s most widely used drugs.
But beyond its chemistry, willow bark represents something deeper: a partnership with nature. Indigenous healers didn’t extract, they collaborated — understanding that each plant, like each person, exists within a greater balance. Today, willow remains a testament to that wisdom: a reminder that some of the world’s most advanced medicines began with Indigenous knowledge of the land.
2. Cannabis — The Plant of Balance (Global Indigenous Lineage)
Few plants embody global Indigenous wisdom as profoundly as cannabis. Across Asia, Africa, and the Americas, it has been cultivated for thousands of years — valued for its versatility, vitality, and capacity to heal. In early Chinese medical texts dating back to 2700 BCE, the seeds were prescribed for digestive and menstrual health, while the leaves and flowers were used to ease pain and calm the mind. Ancient Indian Ayurvedic practitioners prepared cannabis in tonics and elixirs known as bhang to enhance meditation and spiritual awakening. In Africa, traditional healers used the plant to treat malaria, dysentery, and respiratory ailments, while in the Americas, Indigenous peoples wove hemp fibers into textiles, used its oil for nourishment, and incorporated it in purification and healing rituals.
Across every culture, cannabis has symbolized balance — between body and mind, earth and spirit. It was never viewed as a single-use medicine, but as a multidimensional ally that supported both daily life and sacred practice.
Today, modern research continues to illuminate the wisdom our ancestors already understood. Cannabis is now known to contain over 100 unique cannabinoids, each interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system — a vast network of receptors that helps regulate mood, sleep, pain, inflammation, and overall equilibrium. Among the most studied compounds are:
-
CBD (cannabidiol): Celebrated for its calming, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties — supporting relief from pain, anxiety, and inflammation without psychoactive effects. Found in all Dragon Hemp formulas.
-
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol): Known for its therapeutic potential in pain management, appetite regulation, and sleep. Found in Leisure Gummies.
-
CBN (cannabinol): Naturally sedative and restorative, often used to support sleep and relaxation. Found in all Rest & Restoration formulas.
-
CBC (cannabichromene): Shown to support mood balance and enhance the effects of other cannabinoids through the entourage effect. Found in Leisure Gummies and Energy Gummies.
-
THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin): Emerging as a focus for energy, metabolism, and focus enhancement. Found in Energy Gummies.
- CBG (cannabigerol): Often called the “mother cannabinoid,” it serves as the chemical precursor to other cannabinoids and is being studied for its potential to support cognitive function, gut health, and overall cellular balance. Found in Leisure Gummies.
Together, these compounds demonstrate what Indigenous healers long practiced — that the whole plant is greater than the sum of its parts.
Cannabis is not a trend; it’s a teacher. Its ability to soothe pain, reduce inflammation, and restore equilibrium reflects what traditional healers understood long ago: that wellness is a state of balance. At Dragon Hemp, we carry that wisdom forward — transforming ancient plant knowledge into modern therapeutics that restore balance and address the root cause of discomfort. We honor the plant in its entirety, drawing on its diverse cannabinoids to meet the needs of modern life while preserving the harmony that has defined its use for millennia.
3. Corydalis — The Ancient Analgesic (China)
In the mountains and valleys of China, corydalis has long been revered by Indigenous herbal practitioners as a natural pain reliever. Known as “the morphine of herbs,” it was used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to invigorate blood flow, ease discomfort, and calm the nervous system. Unlike modern pharmaceuticals, corydalis was never meant to numb; it was meant to restore balance — to help the body remember how to heal itself.
Dragon Hemp’s Aches & Pains formulas (Recovery Tincture, Warming Balm and Cooling Balm) draw from this same philosophy, blending corydalis with next-generation cannabinoid extracts to create targeted relief that’s both powerful and harmonious. It’s an example of how ancient herbal knowledge can meet modern innovation — without losing the reverence tha
4. Yerba Mate — The Energizing Leaf (South America)
Lionel Messi drinking mate.
Among the Guaraní and Tupi peoples of South America, yerba mate wasn’t just a drink — it was a ritual of connection. Brewed communally in a shared gourd, it symbolized respect, unity, and vitality. Its stimulating properties come from natural caffeine and theobromine — offering sustained energy without the jittery crash of coffee.
Centuries later, that tradition endures. Across Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, and Uruguay, yerba mate remains a daily ritual. Made by steeping the leaves in hot water, mate is sipped in the morning, shared among friends, and passed hand to hand in quiet conversation. Even global icons like Lionel Messi are frequently photographed with a gourd in hand, proof that this ancestral practice remains woven into modern life.
Find yerba mate in our newly upgraded Energy Gummies — launching October 2025 — pairing it with cannabinoids THCV and CBC and Lion’s Mane. A modern expression of an ancient tradition that celebrates clarity, connection, and sustained vitality.
5. Frankincense & Myrrh — The Sacred Resins (Africa & the Middle East)
In the arid lands of Somalia, Oman, and Ethiopia, Indigenous tribes have harvested frankincense and myrrh for over 5,000 years. These aromatic resins, drawn from the bark of sacred trees, were used in ceremonies, healing rituals, and everyday medicine. Frankincense was believed to cleanse the spirit and ease inflammation, while myrrh was valued for wound care and its grounding, protective qualities.
In Dragon Hemp’s Recovery Tincture, Warming Balm and Cooling Balm, these same resins continue to deliver their natural anti-inflammatory benefits. Their enduring presence in our modern formulations is a reminder of the timeless interplay between the physical and spiritual — a bond that Indigenous cultures understood intuitively. To use them is to participate in a lineage of care that spans continents and millennia.
6. Sour Jujube Seed — The Restorative Seed (East Asia)
For over two thousand years, sour jujube seeds have been prized in East Asian traditions for their ability to calm the mind and nourish the heart. Ancient herbal texts describe their use in supporting deep, restorative sleep — a bridge between body and spirit. Known as Suan Zao Ren in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the seed was often prescribed for those burdened by stress, anxiety, or insomnia.
At Dragon Hemp, sour jujube seeds continue to inspire our Sleep Tincture. Their inclusion speaks to a universal human truth: rest is not indulgence; it’s restoration. When we honor sleep as sacred, we honor ourselves.
7. Turmeric — The Golden Healer (India & Southeast Asia)
For over four thousand years, turmeric has held a sacred place in the daily lives of the Indigenous peoples of India and Southeast Asia. More than a culinary spice, it was — and still is — a symbol of purity, prosperity, and protection. In Ayurveda, turmeric is believed to cleanse the body and strengthen the spirit. Traditionally, it’s applied to the skin before weddings and births to bless the body and ward off illness, a ritual that continues in many regions to this day.
In recent decades, turmeric has transcended cultural boundaries to become one of the most studied and celebrated botanicals in the world. Its active compound, curcumin, is recognized for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, with research exploring its potential to support joint health, cognitive function, and even mood balance. Once reserved for apothecaries and ancestral kitchens, turmeric now appears in everything from tonics and capsules to lattes and skincare — a testament to its enduring power and versatility.
In Dragon Hemp’s Aches & Pains Collection, turmeric continues its legacy, helping to soothe discomfort, ease inflammation, and promote natural healing. In fact, it's what gives our Recovery Tincture and balms their golden hue. We honor this golden root not as a passing trend, but as an enduring emblem of the connection between ancient ritual and modern remedy — one of the world’s most beloved Indigenous plants still guiding us toward balance today.
8. Maca Root — The Sacred Root of Vitality (South America)
High in the Peruvian Andes, where the air is thin and the soil is rich with minerals, maca root has been cultivated by the Quechua people for over two millennia. Revered as a source of stamina, fertility, and resilience, it was traditionally consumed before long journeys or battles — believed to fortify both body and spirit.
As one of South America’s most enduring Indigenous plants, maca continues to symbolize strength drawn from the earth itself. Modern studies have shown it may help support energy, mood balance, and hormonal health, echoing what Andean healers have long understood: that true vitality begins with equilibrium.
Today, maca root remains a cornerstone of Peruvian agriculture, grown high in the Andes and exported worldwide. It’s widely available in powders, capsules, and adaptogenic blends — a reminder that this sacred root, once reserved for highland healers, now supports modern vitality across the globe.
Honoring Indigenous Plants: The Roots of Healing
Each of these seven Indigenous plants carries more than chemistry — they carry history, meaning, and humanity. They remind us that wellness isn’t new. It’s ancient. It’s shared. And it’s deeply intertwined with the Earth and those who first learned to listen to it.
At Dragon Hemp, we exist at the intersection of that heritage and innovation. Our formulas — from tinctures to balms to liniments — are designed to bridge time-honored herbal wisdom with modern plant science. Every blend reflects respect for the origins of its ingredients, crafted not to appropriate tradition, but to elevate it.
To learn more about all of the herbs in our formulas, explore our Ingredients Index.
This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we pause to acknowledge the healers, herbalists, and communities whose ancestral knowledge continues to guide modern wellness. Their work laid the foundation for every natural remedy we use today — and for every person seeking to feel like themselves again.
Our Story.
Dragon Hemp is the practitioner-founded apothecary that produces plant-based therapeutics formulated with a proprietary blend of next-generation botanicals and time honored herbal remedies.
For people seeking treatments that give relief & address the root cause.
Our herbal remedies are innovative and user-friendly, with wellness benefits that are effective & accessible to everyone.
So you can feel like yourself again.
Our Founder.
Kevin Menard, LAc., is the leading practitioner in Sports Medicine Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine on the East End of Long Island, with clientele ranging from business executives and fitness professionals to wellness gurus and weekend warriors.
As he cultivated his practice, Kevin began integrating CBD & other cannabinoids, native botanicals, and herbs into his treatments, addressing conditions like pain, musculoskeletal injuries, insomnia, overall wellness, and so much more.
Following the promising results from his herbal and CBD-infused treatments, Kevin expanded his work, introducing Dragon Hemp to support patient wellness beyond his clinic's walls.
Our Apothecary.
Our Apothecary in Sag Harbor, New York was conceived as a beacon of rejuvenation and wellness in the Hamptons. Much more than a dispensary, at the core of the Dragon Hemp Apothecary is a commitment to education and understanding the benefits of time-honored herbal remedies synthesized with today’s advancements in cannabinoid research.
Offering an array of products designed to align with the wellness needs of the Hamptons community, the store seeks to bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and modern applications, making herbal medicine more compatible with our lifestyles today. Our unique apothecary in Sag Harbor not only represents a physical space but also embodies Dragon Hemp's ethos of premium, all-natural, effective wellness solutions, drawing from the rich heritage of the Hamptons and the innovative spirit of New York.
Not your conventional dispensary, our first-of-its-kind retail location, harmoniously balances tradition and innovation with an emphasis on experience and education. We invite you to step inside and let our herbal experts guide you on an exploration of the rejuvenating power of cannabinoids and traditional herbs in a setting that feels both timeless and contemporary.
Designed in collaboration with renowned Alfredo Paredes Studio, the apothecary embodies a sophisticated fusion of old-world tradition and contemporary application. Known for his 33-year tenure as Ralph Lauren Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Alfredo Paredes, a master of crafting memorable retail experiences, helped transform the space into a shining gem of Sag Harbor. Reflecting the premium, natural, and therapeutic essence of Dragon Hemp, every aspect of the store, including the unique furniture pieces from Paredes' line, contributes to an ambiance of refined tranquility and wellness. The design echoes a classic herbal pharmacy blended with a modern aesthetic, mirroring our brand ethos of contemporizing ancient herbal medicine for today’s applications. Read more about our Apothecary design in Forbes.
Standing out on Main Street in Sag Harbor with the glow of our distinctive neon sign, our unique retail store has become a design destination of its own -- beyond just wellness -- in one of the Hamptons’ most popular villages. Whether you’re looking for potent natural therapeutics to tackle pain & inflammation or legal THC products to enhance mood or improve sleep, our apothecary is your safe haven at 108 Main Street.
Our Products.
Our products are formulated to serve the four crucial daily needs most often seen in Kevin’s practice—Essential Wellbeing for comprehensive health, Rest & Restoration to foster rejuvenation, Aches & Pains for relief from discomfort, and Liniments for body care that enhances both physical and emotional wellbeing.
Available in four versatile forms—swift-absorbing tinctures, targeted balms, discreet gummies, and moisturizers—we ensure a suitable choice for every lifestyle and wellness routine.
Our Ingredients.
We carefully select our organically grown ingredients, emphasizing sustainability to protect Earth's biodiversity.
We believe in transparency in all our processes, from ingredient selection to the methods used by our CBD farmers, who lead the sustainable agriculture charge and concentrate on ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration.
We're not just about products but about nurturing an understanding of traditional herbal practices and helping people make healthy decisions.
With respect, we introduce newcomers to the benefits of age old herbal wisdom.
Our aim is a future where well-being stems from nature, combining timeless knowledge with today's research.
Discover the distinctive characteristics of each herb in our Ingredient Index.
