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 […]
Phytopharmaceuticals, Standardized and Whole Plant Extracts
These days, supplement shelves are filled with all kinds of different products based on plants. Tinctures, teas, whole plant preparations, standardized extractions, phytopharmaceuticals . . . but what’s the difference between them? These are the most common types of herbal extracts you’ll encounter, and they all have their own unique properties and uses. Each of […]
Herb-Drug Interactions: Fact Fiction or Somewhere Between
Have you ever felt anxious about giving herbs to someone who’s already taking medications? Many herbalists feel hesitant to help people taking prescribed drugs because of concerns about herb-drug interactions. But how much do we really need to worry about this? Herbs can impact how drugs are absorbed and metabolized, which can actually be helpful […]
