Thirty-year-old Rochelle Carvalho has managed to make a business out of every health intervention she has done for both family members and others who needed her expertise in the use of herbal products. Every one of her products was first created to meet an exclusive need of her clients.
A Christian since age 12, it was when she was 18 years old that she really considered and embraced what being a born-again Believer really meant to her. “My faith grows deeper every day,” she is emphatic. “Our sheer purpose in life is to be a living expression of God, and it’s indescribable how He sustains us.”
Operating from the mantra that “herbs are for the healing of the nation,” Carvalho has put it to great use and so far has been creating a big impact in the industry with her products.
Since 2020, she has been the owner/operator of the holistic wellness company called Sentient Herbs LLC, a herbal enterprise dedicated to the overall healing of people, including those she has been actively practising and assisting for the past 10 years.
Carvalho tells us about her lifelong journey and how she is currently pursuing an alternative medicine programme in clinical herbalism while running her business with her fiancé.
EARLY DAYS
A huge influence on her road to herbalism was being born in Saint Andrew, Jamaica and spending some time growing up in Portmore, before moving to the United States.
“In the Islands, we are surrounded by an abundance of medicinal herbs and plant allies that God has blessed us with, so even after migrating, utilising herbs and plant medicine remained an integral part of my life as that is simply the natural way of our culture,” Carvalho notes. “I use Jamaican herbs such as hibiscus and blue vervain, sarsaparilla, and cerasee in my preparations.”
Putting culture aside, the entrepreneur says that God is the reason she is so passionate about the path she is on. She says that she has always been drawn to natural and holistic ways to heal herself and those around her.
“For 4 years, I attended Florida Gulf Coast University to study Forensic Science, and actually minored in criminal justice, too. During that time, I learned about the scientific aspects of the body and how it functions. While in college, and doing 2 jobs, I simultaneously studied herbalism through the Herbal Academy and how plants can truly heal us.
I combine my scientific knowledge of the body, with my knowledge of the healing properties of the herbs to assist others in healing themselves holistically,” Carvalho declared.
Commenting on her products now on the shelves, Carvalho chuckled: “For every single one there is a story behind it,” and she proceeded to highlight two.
PRESSURE PERFECT AND LONGJACK TINCTURES
Pressure Perfect Tincture was initially made to help her mother, who had high blood pressure. This intervention was so successful that she decided to offer it to other clients, who have had similar results; some have even been able to stop taking their medication.
Another tincture she created and sells is called Longjack tincture. It is the alternative name for the herb tongat ali which is featured in the tincture. The Longjack tincture is formulated specifically for men who are dealing with low testosterone and a sluggish energy system, amongst other male issues.
Explaining that it was created for a client, when she saw the success he enjoyed with it, she started producing it on a large-scale basis.
“The client reported that he now wakes up at 4 a.m. every morning revitalised with energy to go to the gym, has more stamina, and has shown more virility overall, and Longjack is now one of Sentient Herbs’ number one best-selling products in general,” she says.
POWER OF SENTIENT HERBS
Sentient Herbs carries products that assist with and target pain, inflammation, menopause, PMS symptoms, acne, anxiety, brain health, and more!
One of the most frequent questions she gets is about skin issues, so she decided to leave a tip with us: “For eczema, I like to recommend cleansing from the inside out first by using our glow skin tea or liver lover. After that, you can follow up with our body butter and ultimate skin oil for external use.”
Carvalho says that since every client’s concern is different, she prefers working one-on-one with individuals to target their specific health needs, which is ultimately where her product inspiration and passion to promote healing in people come from.
HOBBIES
Much as she is passionate about what she does, she makes time for her other pastimes, which include foraging (finding and sourcing wild medicinal herbs and plants); nature photography; learning about new aspects of nature; and cultivating a deeper relationship with God as He is her daily sustenance.
“Gratitude truly can transcend us, and I am grateful for this journey and the path of healing that God has put me on through alternative and complementary medicine,” she concludes.
Does she think about returning to Jamaica? “I do hope and intend to return to Jamaica outside of just visiting family,” she answers. “I’d like to someday start a free herbal clinic there actually.”