Rene McHugh-Rodrigo: Healing Naturally

Building family wellness with herbal medicine, lymphatic drainage, and natural modalities with Rene McHugh-Rodrigo

As a mother of three, certified and clinical herbalist, Rene Rodrigo has built a life and a platform around natural healing. Through her passions and businesses—Bere Spa, Face Sculpt, and Oh Holiday—she’s become a trusted resource for parents seeking sustainable ways to raise resilient, thriving, healthy children.

From healing her own reproductive health through plant medicine to advocating for natural wellness rooted in natural modalities, Rene’s journey is one of personal transformation. It now informs her mission: to make holistic, natural healing accessible, practical, and preventative—starting at home.

A Lifelong Curiosity for Healing

Rene’s path to holistic healing wasn’t sparked by one moment but, rather, a lifetime of quiet nudges. “I’ve always been into wellness—even as a preteen, I was exploring spirituality, meditating, even doing yoga by 16,” she recalls. “My mom didn’t go straight to traditional medicine when we were sick. She used what was in the pantry—garlic soups, healing foods.”

A pivotal moment came when she was diagnosed with endometriosis after her first child, and was told she might not be able to have more children. “Doctors told me at the time that my chances of having any other children would be 50% or less, because one of my fallopian tubes was completely blocked, and there was nothing they could do about it,” she confides. “But I knew the body could heal itself.”

“I knew other women with my case would have gone the route the doctors were telling me to do: get on all these meds, do these surgeries—these are going to cost you, and they could also wreak havoc on your body even further. My why was this: if I could do it, others could too,” Rene says. “I went into herbal medicine because I knew it worked for me, and I wanted to share that with everyone.”

From Spa Rituals to Lymphatic Healing

Long before becoming a clinical herbalist, Rene was already integrating herbal remedies in the spa space. “I opened Bere Spa after I met my husband, and we’ve been operating for about 15 years already. I used plant botanicals in spa remedies, creating pastes and masks, working off of what I knew in nutrition,” she says.

Her experience in the spa world eventually led her to manual therapies, where she trained alongside massage therapists and discovered a natural affinity for touch-based healing. “I would train with them, see how the sequencing went, and eventually I went into Bowen and fascia manipulation, which is a very hard therapy to get out trigger points in the body.”

This led her to lymphatic therapy, where she found another calling. “When I found lymphatics, I just knew it was for me. I had the perfect hands for it. I already understood the lymphatic system from my herbal medicine courses, and I excelled in it.”

But she emphasizes that lymphatic health isn’t only for medical cases—it’s something that everyone can (and should) nurture. “Number one is gently massaging your neck down towards your collarbone every day. Then, if you have a rebounder or one of those mini trampolines, just jump on it for five minutes in the morning to get the lymphs moving. Hydrotherapy is another one: go swimming in a pool, or soak in a bathtub—just make sure to get water up to right under your chin,” she advises.

Why Go Natural With Wellness For Kids?

Rene believes natural wellness doesn’t have to be intimidating or overly complicated—and that families benefit most when it becomes part of everyday life. “I do it similar to the way my mom did it, because I feel it takes the pressure off of having to be healthy,” she says.

Nutrition plays a big part in her household, but she takes a balanced, practical approach. On special occasions, she lets her kids enjoy treats like McDonald’s, but balances it out later with lighter meals, such as fish and vegetables.

“Training their palates early gets kids accustomed to eating healthy,” she explains. “My children even started drinking tea as early as three months old—herbal teas that could taste bitter and earthy!” she laughs.

When illness is coming on, echinacea can help strengthen the immune system—used carefully. “It’s great at the onset, but it stops being effective after a few days. Some people will continually take it, even if they see they are not improving, and this is actually bad as it could be heavy on the liver. It’s not for long-term daily use.”

Advice for Parents Starting Out

With so much information out there, where should parents begin? “It’s always best to get information from a reputable source,” Rene says. “That could be me—or someone else you trust who has really studied herbal medicine, and start asking your questions.”

Many parents only explore plant-based remedies once their child is already sick, sometimes when traditional ways have not worked. “Don’t wait until your child is sick.

It’s always better to practice medicine that is more sustainable. Consult with a licensed herbalist when your child is still healthy, and we’ll give you preventive ways to cope with pain during fever, build a better immune system—things like that.”

A Vision For Healthy Kids Everywhere

Rene is now expanding her advocacy through Woods & Wonder, a daycare concept she’s launching with her sister-in-law this year—with branches opening at Parqal and The Peninsula Manila.

There, she’ll also launch a line of specially crafted teas for the whole family—kids and parents alike. “We have colic tea, calm time tea, a mood and focus tea, and other herbal options for kids,” she shares. “The mood and focus tea is really good for attention spans, restless energy, and even depressive states. We’ll also have lactation tea for breastfeeding moms.”

Through her growing platform, she not only promotes natural wellness—she builds a community and a safe space where families can reconnect, restore, and raise their children, to experience that power, too.

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