Usnea: from fairy potions to womb healing - part II
- Kalila Ceccarelli
- Apr 1
- 8 min read
Healing Cervical Dysplasia with Usnea
The Call...
For many of us, if not most of us, there is a moment when all that we know falls away: reality collapsing, convictions being stripped, certainty evaporating into uncertainty...
For me, this moment came on 9/19/ 2019:
The airport’s shuttle bus crawled toward Hollywood Boulevard like blood through clogged arteries. I was nestled in my seat, looking out upon the sprawling city, and asking myself why humanity was living such a fast paced, and disconnected life.
The phone rang, and I answered immediately.
A woman asked, “Hello, is this Kalila?”
It was St. Vincent’s Women’s Clinic calling.
She told me that I had severely abnormal cells on my cervix, and that “as soon as possible, I should come into the office for another exam.”
For an instant, every cell in my body surged with emotion, and I was completely present in a grief and shock that transcended words. Panic, and a strange elation, bubbled up from my stomach, and I thought, “I knew it.” Then I began to cry, because it hit me that I had“known it” and allowed it to get to the point of being in absolute disorder.
I had been diagnosed with Cervical Dysplasia, a condition that is caused by the HPV virus, which anywhere from 50 to 90 percent of adults contract during their lifetime; when left untreated, it is one of the leading causes of death for women in many communities.
The doctors, as Western doctors typically do, told me that given how quickly and aggressively it had progressed, I should have the cells surgically removed. Though I was terrified, I realized that my body was sending me a very clear message: there is an imbalance that will not be resolved by surgery, because removing the issue will not heal its root. So, I refused, and I told them that I would check in after 6 months after learning all that I could about cervical dysplasia, and attempting my own approach of bringing my body back into balance.
So, what exactly is cervical dysplasia, and how is it healed?
What is HPV?
Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV, is a common virus that comes in over 100 strains, and affects approximately 80% of the sexually active adult population of the United States. Most of the strains of this prolific virus are harmless and asymptomatic. However, a number of these strains can cause warts that can be transmitted through skin to skin contact, especially during intercourse; and an even smaller portion of the HPV strains can cause abnormal cells and cancer in the reproductive system, most commonly on the female cervix. The strains of HPV most commonly linked to cervical abnormalities and cancer are 16, 18, 31, 33, and 35. Statistically, only 5% of HPV cases will develop into cervical lesions or cervical dysplasia. If low grade changes occur, in 70% of these cases, the body will clear the virus within 2 years, allowing the cellular changes to regress, and the tissue to heal without treatment. The higher the grade of dysplasia, the higher the likelihood of it progressing into cervical cancer; therefore, the importance of regular cervical screenings (PAP), and timely action, are essential.
How are HPV and Dysplasia Addressed?
In Western Medicine, the course of action is determined by the severity of the cellular changes. If someone presents with HPV and no cellular changes, or low-grade changes, the recommendation is to do a repeat PAP in 6 months to a year, as these changes will often resolve themselves. If moderate to high grade changes are present, the recommendation is to perform a colposcopy, a procedure in which the cervix is magnified and visualized with a vinegar solution to illuminate cellular changes, and a biopsy performed. If the changes are deemed to be high grade, CIN II or CIN III, the recommendation is a LEEP procedure or a cone biopsy if needed. Both of these procedures entail the surgical removal of the affected tissues. They are highly effective; however they can cause cervical scarring and complications with fertility, pregnancy, and birth.
Alternative Approaches to Healing HPV and Dysplasia:
The intention of natural methods of healing is to address the cause of the body’s susceptibility to HPV and dysplasia, and to fortify the body’s natural ability to suppress the virus and heal abnormal cellular changes. This approach is not a substitute to conventional approaches, nor can it guarantee success; however, it offers many of the key ingredients to facilitating healing. The principles of healing the cervix naturally are to fortify the immune system so that it can suppress the virus, to use herbs to target the virus directly and facilitate cellular healing, and to create a container in which underlying emotional causes can be addressed.
How Does Usnea Support the Healing of Cervical Dysplasia?
So, we might be asking, how can a wee plant help to restore balance to a condition that can become so severe?
Well, let us return to the properties of Usnea, namely the compound Usnic Acid. Usnic Acid, as we explored before, is a powerful antiviral, antibacterial, and natural antibiotic. These properties can all be applied to the healing of HPV, which is a virus.
Usnea, according to the Doctrine of Signatures, has a particular affinity for tackling viruses and infections, which could perhaps come from the plant's tendency to live upon trees and help to regulate and purify the ecosystems it enters. Additionally, because Usnea is made from the symbiotic relationship between a lichen and an algae, it can help us to delve into the "hidden aspects" of a disease.
On a physical level, Usnea supports the healing of cervical dysplasia through the potency of its constituents. On a spiritual/emotional level it uses its affinity to tackle imbalances to help us to restore equilibrium mentally, physically, and emotionally. In creating harmony on all levels of being, we can create the right conditions for health and wellbeing.
Ways of Using Usnea as Medicine...
During my healing journey, I was called by intuition and through deep research, to incorporate Usnea into my healing regimen as a tincture and as a suppository.
How to work with tinctures
A tincture is an alcohol based remedy that uses the extracting qualities of alcohol to pull the chemical constituents from a plant, and store them in the alcohol substrate. The alcohol, which has an affinity for the liver, will rapidly bring the chemical constituents from the plants to the liver, who can then spread them through the body as needed. In this way, alcohol tinctures are very effective and fast working remedies. Most tinctures are made with vodka, brandy, or a higher proof alcohol such as ever clear. Liquid extracts can also be made with vinegar or glycerin, which still harness the plants medicinal properties, but may lose some of the potency the alcohol provides.
Making an Usnea Tincture
Due to the chemical constituents and makeup of the lichen, usnea must be double extracted.
cut usnea into small pieces, fill a sterilized mason jar. Cover usnea bits with vodka or brandy until fully submerged. Store in a dark place for 1 month, shaking as often as you remember.
After 1 month, strain vodka from plant matter, set aside in a jar.
Place plant matter in a crock pot or instant pot, add 2 mason jars of water. Cook down for 24-48 hours on a slow cook setting until the liquid is ¼ or ½ of starting amount.
Strain usnea from water decoction.
Combine water decoction with alcohol extract to create your double extracted Usnea Tincture.
I do recommend that as you create this plant medicine you create the time and space to speak with this plant: introduce yourself, tell it about what you're healing, praise it and thank it for helping. This is an age old practice that DOES make a difference and encourages us to interface with the deeper, truer realms of healing.
Herbal Suppositories
Suppositories are a form of medicine that is made from powdering a medicinal plant and infusing it in cocoa butter to support the healing and balancing of vaginal tissues. This is a very effective and localized way of healing abnormal tissues and encouraging the affected cells to be replaces by new, healthy cells. Suppositories are intended to in the container of a specific regumen, with a PAP at the end of the cycle to assess for improvement in HPV / dysplasia. If there is positive change, this protocol can be continued until the dysplasia has reversed entirely, and the HPV is dormant. If there are no changes, or the condition has worsened, it is recommended to pursue a traditional medical approach, including a colposcopy, and LEEP or Cone procedure if indicated.
I have a suppository recipe that I used in my own healing journey, and have adapted for use with other women traversing healing cervical dysplasia and HPV. Each of the ingredients were chosen for their antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic properties. I have personally experienced their effectiveness in healing CIN III, or high grade cervical dysplasia twice, once at 21 and again at 27. This treatment was done in addition to the lifestyle, supplement, and dietary changes named above. I can only attest to my healing journey, and cannot guarantee that it will work for you as well.
If you desire to work with me to heal cervical dysplasia, please fill out the contact form below!
Other elements of healing cervical dysplasia:
In addition to a dedicated regimen of working with usnea for the 6 months between my initial PAP and the followup, I also implemented a number of other techniques into healing plan:
clean diet with no processed foods, and little to no red meat, and no sugar of any form, alcohol, etc.
tailored supplement regimen
yoga and dance
introspection, prayer, journalling
time in nature
daily movement
chi nei tsang abdominal massage
Each of these practices and modalities supported physical and spiritual aspects of healing, and I truly feel that working with all of these elements together facilitated whole human healing by restoring balance. If you feel called to being supported in your own healing journey, please do not hesitate to reach out. I have guided a number of women through healing cervical changes and bringing HPV into remission, and it is the work that I love most.
While this natural approach has brought healing and renewal to many, I want to emphasize that it is never meant to replace or contradict Western medicine. Rather, this approach serves as a complementary practice to allopathic care, offering a holistic framework to support your healing from all angles. Please keep in mind that these methods are intended to work alongside the guidance of your healthcare provider, not as a substitute for medical treatments.
The Integration...
6 months after my HSIL CIN 3 pap, I returned to the clinic for a follow-up examination. The doctors performed an exam and were very surprised to find that all of the abnormal cells were gone. “Spontaneous remission.” The doctors attributed this change to my age and strong immune system. However, I know in my heart that healing did not happen because of my age or some spontaneous fluke, rather, it was because of the care and attention I put into alchemizing the imbalance. I used the cervical dysplasia as a messenger....as my body's way of asking me to come closer to my essence and follow the truest path that I can in this life.
Cervical Dysplasia was actually the biggest gift that Life has offered me: it encouraged me to leave the aspects of my life that were not in alignment, and pushed me into the arena of women's health, and ultimately, to my path as a midwife.
Thank you, from the deepest stratums of my heart, for taking the time to learn about Usnea, and about my healing journey. I hope that this entry will reach those of you who are also tending to your wombs, and I pray that it comes as a supportive resource.
If you desire to connect, to share your story, to receive support with your own healing, reach out using the consult link below.
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