Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz is a kitchen curandera living in Rio Verde, Arizona "reclaiming the healer approach to community health with Indigenous wisdom and whole food cooking". On Speaking Broadly, Ruiz shares her journey to becoming a healer through food. "Being an Indigenous person and taking a class on foraging or wild-crafting from a white person, it was really hard for me. The teacher would refer to the Indigenous tribes that were using plants in the past tense. Saying 'they used them,' as if they were no longer being used, or if the people themselves were extinct." Ruiz is now teaching workshops using her ancestors' approach: we are a part of nature. The plants are our relatives and deserve our respect. Listen in for insights on herbal medicine, Indigenizing the diet, and traveling in a food truck to the tribal nations in the Southwest to share and absorb the wisdom of the elders.Want to stay up to date on the latest Speaking Broadly episodes? To hear more conversations with Dana Cowin and her fierce guests, subscribe to Speaking Broadly (it’s free!) on iTunes or Stitcher. If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate + review us on Apple’s podcast store and follow Dana on Instagram @speakingbroadly and @fwscout. Thanks for tuning in!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Speaking Broadly by becoming a member!Speaking Broadly is Powered by  Simplecast.