Results for Category: Live Well
Ayurveda and Yoga: Yoga for Your Constitution
“Ayurveda is a paradigm, not a prescription” is a phrase that I commonly emphasize in my introduction to Ayurveda public lectures. Ayurveda is integrated into the medical system in India and if you work with any ayurvedic practitioner anywhere in the world, they will likely suggest herbs, dietary modifications, and other practical measures. However, Ayurveda […]
How to Use Dye Plants: Plant Projects for the Home
This book excerpt is taken from A Woman’s Garden: Grow Beautiful Plants and Make Useful Things – Plants and Projects ...
Mood and Mental Support for Pitta Dosha
Pitta dosha, the most fiery of the three ayurvedic types, relates to solar energy and rules the summer season. Pitta types run war...
An Anti-Inflammatory Approach to Eating + a Wild Greens Smoothie Recipe
Whenever the topic of nutrition is brought up, the conversation usually becomes very passionate. Since we all need to eat, nutrition concerns all of us. As a nutrition and lifestyle practitioner, I am passionate about helping people learn the unique language of their bodies so they can discover what’s helping or heeding them on their […]
Strategies for Creating a More Gender-Inclusive Herbal Practice
This post is co-authored by Linden de Voil R.H. You are reading Part 2 of a series on how to make your herbal practice, classes, or books more accessible to transgender clients. In Part 1, we talked about the harms trans people experience in conventional health care and the difficulties in even accessing that care, […]
Growing a Gender-Expansive Herbal Practice
This post is co-authored by Linden de Voil R.H. For most trans/non-binary and gender non-conforming folks, medical care is a horro...
Cooling Recipes for Managing Pitta Dosha
“The brilliance of a raging fire dragon in the city of sparkling gems—such is the nature of pitta” (Tiwari, 1995, p. 48). Ay...
Essential Oils in Pregnancy
What makes an essential oil safe to use during pregnancy? Essential oils are potent extractions of the most volatile components found in plant matter. Thus, each botanical species should be carefully considered before use. Further, essential oils should be more heavily diluted for use during this time—one important aspect of safe essential oils for pregnancy. […]
How to Schedule Your Day Based on Energy Levels
Ayurveda teaches that one of the root causes of health imbalances is living out of harmony with nature. However, living in harmony with nature is no small feat, especially in the modern day. Furthermore, what exactly does it mean to “live in harmony?” Fortunately, Ayurveda offers a rich perspective on this. Your constitution, the seasons, […]
Bee Propolis: The Honey Bee’s Secret To Hive Health
We all know that honey bees create delicious honey and beautiful wax, but they also make a fantastic substance called bee propolis...
Nourishing Herbs for Optimal Wellness
As mentioned in my previous article, How to Boost Immunity from the Inside Out, one of the best ways to take care of your vitality...
Community Herbalism: 3 Ways to Make it More Accessible
Awhile back, I was sitting outside and thoughts tinged by panic began to pop up, seemingly out of nowhere. A voice inside asked, “isn’t your business just participating in capitalism? Is there any community in your community herbalism practice? Do your personal values match your business values? Upon considering this message, I had to admit […]
Ayurvedic Tips to Boost Immunity from the Inside Out
Maintaining a healthy immune system has become a high priority for a lot of folks in recent times. If you are inclined toward herbalism and natural approaches for immune boosting, you may turn to immunostimulants such as elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and garlic (Allium sativum), immunomodulants like astragalus (Astragalus mongholicus) and reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), and antimicrobials […]
Essential Oils for Sleep: Aromatherapy and Insomnia
It’s amazing how certain aromas can help boost our alertness or calm our stress. But is it true that essential oils like lavende...
Herbs and Lifestyle Tips for Work-Life Balance
We live in challenging times; for many, balancing work, childcare, parental caretaking, and overseeing children’s education requ...
Mugwort Dream Pillow for Natural Sleep Aid
Everybody wants to have good dreams, so what about combining good dreams with a natural sleep aid? Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) has been classified as an herbal oneirogen, which is a plant that produces or enhances dream-like states of consciousness (Barrett & McNamara, 2012). Unfortunately, most of the oneirogenic benefits of mugwort have not been scientifically […]
Lifestyle and Nutrition Tips for a Vitamin D Deficiency
As we head into deep winter, boosting immunity is on a lot of peoples’ minds. Global pandemic aside, the darker months are the time of year in which many of us are thinking more about nutrition and lifestyle practices that support a robust immune system. One nutrient that people commonly turn to for immune support […]
Evergreen Forest Bath Salts Recipe with Juniper and Pine
As we head into the new year, winter has deeply enveloped many parts of the country. Most plants and animals are dormant or hibern...
The Highs and Lows of Opening a Brick and Mortar Herb Store
Owning an herbal store is not for the faint of heart, yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. As I began digging deeper into my st...
Best Herbal Oils for Homemade Soaps
In my five years of professional soapmaking, I’ve discovered herbal oils are a true luxury that adds vitality to homemade soap. Our skin is alive, but lifeless chemicals cannot give back life to the skin. To be “alive,” beauty products and topical formulas should be made purely of plant-based and natural ingredients (Raichur,1997). As the […]
Our Guide to Finding the Perfect Gifts for Herbalists
Holiday shopping season is upon us! Do you have an herbalist or two to shop for this season? Or maybe you’re building your own holiday wish list? If you’re unfamiliar with herbal practices, or if your herbalist loved one seems to already have everything they could possibly need, look no further! We’ve rounded up the […]
Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri Blend
If you love the smell of freshly baked apple pie (honestly, who doesn’t?), then this Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri Blend is ...
3 Stovetop Potpourri Recipes for Winter
Don’t you just love the smell of the holidays? Fresh evergreen trees, cinnamon-covered desserts, and spiced cider all mingle tog...
Woodland Winter Stovetop Potpourri Recipe
A long walk in the woods is good for the body and the soul. If you’ve ever walked through a dense evergreen forest, then you know just how rejuvenating it can be to take deep breaths of the fresh, piney scent. Just the smell itself can boost your mood! To bring the smell of the […]
Citrus and Spice: DIY All-Purpose Cleaner
Crisp cool air and tree colors turning to auburn and golden hues welcome the arrival of autumn and winter months. Tis the season to enjoy the comforts of home, like a crackling fireplace, a cozy couch, or a clean kitchen that’s ready for cooking up hearty recipes. And speaking of recipes, have you ever tried […]
Floral Mist: DIY Room Spray
A few spritzes of our DIY Room Spray will transport your mind and spirit to bright and colorful gardens bursting with flowers and ...
Roots of African American Herbalism: Herbal Use by Enslaved Africans
This article cannot possibly cover more than 400 years of herbal use and knowledge by enslaved Africans and their descendants. Thi...
Homemade Sunburn Spray for After-Sun Care (With Video!)
Many a fun summer day has ended with the sting of a sunburn. Maybe you could have seen it coming, but now what can you do? The tight, hot, burning feeling is not only uncomfortable, it can prevent us from savoring long summer days and enjoying further outdoor activities. Thankfully, our herbal allies can help […]
Handmade Floral Paper: A Family-Friendly Project
Herbal craft projects help fuel our creativity and reinvigorate our connection with the natural word. Like all plant lovers, our hearts skip a beat whenever we’re presented with just-for-fun herbal creations, like homemade floral cookies and pressed flower arrangements. As such, you can imagine our excitement when a few of our resident herbalists presented the […]
Botany Beginnings: Who was Theophrastus?
Approximately 2,300 years ago, a time which we can somewhat imagine through the marble monuments still standing and the relatively...
