Lemon Balm: The Happiest Plant on Earth

Lemon Balm, the “happiest plant on Earth,” enchants with its vibrant lemony aroma and taste. Beloved for its calming effects, this aromatic herb brings a sense of peace and serenity, along with an uplifted feeling to the spirit. Loved for its calming and relaxing properties, this aromatic herb soothes tense digestion and eases an anxious […]

Anatomy of a Formula

Materia Medica

Have you been studying herbs for a while, but you still feel unsure about how to combine them into an effective formula?  Or maybe you’re newer to herbalism and ready to dive into the art and science of formulation? Formulation is one of my favorite parts of herbal medicine, so I’m excited to kick off […]

Mugwort: The Herb of Dreams

Mugwort is a plant famed for its effects on dreaming, but its medicinal properties and actions do so much more than that. With a distinct effect on the nervous, digestive, hepatobiliary, and reproductive systems, Mugwort navigates, regulates, and balances the highways that connect them all. In today’s plant profile, you’ll discover: Mugwort’s unique flavor profile […]

Elecampane: The Deep Breather

Elecampane has become one of my personal favorite respiratory remedies over the years, not just for its medicinal benefits for many of the common respiratory woes people face today, but as a choice restorative agent. Whether you make it into a tincture or enjoy the syrup, Elecampane is a remedy every herbalist should know.  In […]

How to Strategically Study Herbs

Have you ever crammed for an exam, only to forget everything a few weeks later? Cramming never works, especially in herbal medicine. Memorizing facts might get you through a test, but it won’t prepare you to help real people. If you want your knowledge to stick—not just in your mind but in your heart—there’s a […]

Keeping Warm: Countering the Cold with Warming Herbs

There’s something about winter that makes us want to bundle up and get warm. And while many of us do this with sweaters, a beanie, and thick wool socks, there’s another critical way we stay warm: Through the herbs and food we eat. In many herbal traditions, plants are often split into warming or cooling. […]

The Ginkgo Myth

Ginkgo is famous for its ability to boost your memory, focus, and concentration . . . but if that’s true, why didn’t I feel any of these results when taking some Ginkgo tincture?  The truth is, there’s a big misunderstanding about Ginkgo and the way it works. Understanding the Ginkgo myth makes the difference between […]

5 Ways Vitalism Transformed My Life

Diving into the world of herbal medicine and the traditions that have carried it for a long time often introduces us to new concepts, principles, practices, and ways of seeing the world around us that aren’t often taught to us in our modern world. And sometimes there’s something there that changes your life forever.  For […]

The Danger of Herbal Fads

If you walk into a hip smoothie shop or health food store, you’ll undoubtedly be flooded with the newest “superfoods” and cure-all herbs. Like so many things in our modern culture, herbal medicine also has its own “fads,” as it seems as if there’s almost a new one in style each season. Although it may […]