Results for Category: Live Well
Opportunities for the Herbal Entrepreneur
Herbalism is a unique niche for the aspiring entrepreneur. Herbalist entrepreneurs can create their dream job by turning a passion for herbalism into a living. We’ve done it here at the Academy! Creating a line of herbal extracts, body care products or tea blends, growing or wildcrafting herbs to sell, or creating monthly herbal CSA […]
Strengthening The Roots of Our Herbal Practice
We can work on many levels as herbalists, but at some point it becomes important to go deep down into the depths of our tradition ...
Connecting With The Season of Roots
The herbs in our gardens and the wild places around us live a year that is marked by the ritual of necessity. Each season has uniq...
Herbal Vinegar Hair Rinses
Every season provides a new way to strain and damage your hair. The sand and salt water of the ocean in summer can leave you with lusterless locks. The winter winds and ice leave your hair crispy and exhausted. The humid days bring frizz and fuss to anyone who dares step outside. Whenever I notice […]
12 Best Botany Words for Your Herbal Studies
Most of the time, the words we use to describe our herbs are fairly straightforward: calendula petals, mint leaves, and ginger root. Leaves, petals, and roots are parts of plants familiar to most people, even if they aren’t gardeners, herbalists, or botanists. And for most purposes, that’s as technical as you need to be. Other […]
Giving Thanks for the Fall Harvest
The time has come again. Fall is right around the corner and it is time to start collecting and harvesting what Mother Earth has g...
Relieving Stress through Yoga – 9 Useful Tips
For me, setting aside every task and “to-do” I have for the day to take a yoga-break is indispensable. Sometimes, I wonder wha...
Health Benefits of Popular Autumn Spices
Soon the air will turn crisp and the leaves will begin to change colors. And along with these wonders of fall come the smells of apple and pumpkins as well as cinnamon, nutmeg, sage, and other popular autumn spices. In addition to the fact that these spices are delicious and autumnal, they also boast some […]
7 Herbal Preparations For Kids
Delightful herbal preparations make using herbs pleasant and fun. Every parent knows that it can be difficult to get kids to try new things, let alone to consume something that may be less than enjoyable. We are lucky indeed that there are many wonderful herbal preparations that will leave your kiddos asking for more while […]
Choosing Safe Herbs for Your Kids
Herbs and kids go together like two peas in a pod, with many lovely, gentle herbs that children readily respond to. These botanica...
Basic Botany: Describing Leaves
There’s a lot going on in a leaf. Thousands of chemical reactions occur in each one as part of photosynthesis – the proces...
Botanical Families: How Herbs Are Related
The number of distinct botanical species recorded in the world is impressive. 500 species of conifers, 12,000 species of ferns, 14,000 species of mosses, and a staggering 300,000 different species of flowering plants. Most of our herbs are flowering plants, but how can we make sense of such an overwhelming diversity? Within that giant group […]
Prepare for Fall with an Herbal Transition Kit
Late August is a time of transition, as summer is drawing to a close and a new school year begins. We know that many herbs are important allies during transitions, easing the stress and helping us settle into new routines. Creating an Herbal Transition Kit With that in mind, we can assemble an herbal transition […]
How to Plan a Seed Swap in Your Neighborhood
Seed swaps are an excellent way of sharing your plant knowledge—and your seeds—with your local community. What’s more, seed ...
Local Herbs for the Home Apothecary
With so much interest in the local foods movement and how it benefits the environment, our local economies, and food security in o...
Herbal Support for Back to School
The hot, lazy days of summer are swiftly flowing by and many students are already getting ready to go back to school. As with any big transition, this time of year can bring forth challenges for students big and small. Herbal support may be useful in lending a helping hand during this exciting time and ease […]
Creating Your Organized Apothecary
Building a home apothecary is an exciting part of learning herbalism. There is a sense of satisfaction that comes from having everything on hand and ready so that you can mix up the perfect herbal tea blend or formula at a moment’s notice. But as your home apothecary grows from a few herbs to a […]
Learning About The Rose Family With Kids
Did you know that the beautiful rose is part of a large family of plants that many of us know and love? The Rosaceae family, among...
7 Herbs to Use for Better Sleep
I used to be a chronic insomniac. I spent many years experimenting with various herbal supports – the following 7 herbs were...
Art of the Alcohol-Free Apothecary
Extracting herbs in alcohol is a quick and simple way to preserve their benefits for later use, so it’s no wonder that the little brown bottles of extract have become ubiquitous. Pre-made extracts are available for sale in almost every herb shop, and it’s easy to mix up a batch at home using vodka or […]
Herbal Comfort for Aches and Pains
New Warnings on OTC Pain Relievers Over the counter NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like naproxen (Aleve), and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) are what many people reach for when they need temporary relief from back pain, a toothache, sore muscles, or a headache. NSAIDs have recently been in the news as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) […]
Host A Kid’s DIY Spa Day In Your Backyard
When you are a kid, nothing is much more fun than making a mess! A squishy, messy backyard DIY spa day party full of wet fun is a ...
Learning Botanical Names
If you have spent time reading about or studying herbs, chances are you have come across botanical names. Usually in italics, bota...
Garden Of Whimsy, Making A Fairy Herb Garden
Invite the whimsy and magic of fairies right into your garden by creating a lovely place for them to live. Make your little garden useful too by choosing edible and medicinal herbs which will fill it with beautiful fragrance to enjoy. Making a fairy herb garden is all in fun and a wonderful way to engage […]
Six Botanical-Based Air Freshener Ideas for Your Home
Are you tired of synthetic air fresheners that pollute the air with harsh and hazardous compounds? With a few simple, inexpensive ingredients, you can create effective botanical-based air fresheners that delight your senses. All air fresheners require two components. First, an air freshener must have a way of neutralizing existing odors. Second, it must be […]
The Herb Safety Continuum Scale: A Guide to Herbal Safety Use
Herbal safety is an important consideration when it comes to determining which herbs to use, and it’s important to thoroughly re...
One Herb at a Time: 7 Ways to Inspire Your Herbal Studies
When you begin your herbal studies, the sheer number of herbs you encounter can be intimidating. While it’s useful to learn...
Stress Management for Parents: 3 Ways To Deeply Care For Yourself
“Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others. Anytime we can listen to the true self and give it the care it requires, we do not only for ourselves but for the many others […]
Herbarium Project for Children
An herbarium is a collection of dried plants that botanists use for studying, identifying, and classifying plants. Making an herbarium is a great way for kids and their parents to learn about botany and the plants used in herbalism. An herbarium will help you and your child get to know what plants look like, along with […]
Can Reiki Support Us? An Alternative Approach in America
The United States has become a place where people are quick to pop a pill for everything that ails them. There seems to be a pill ...
