Results for Category: Live Well
Can You Be Green and Glamorous? Part II
Editorial Note: This is the second part of a two-part post focusing on the use of cosmetics and personal care products. This post examines natural products and environmental impacts; the first part explored the subject of animal testing and cruelty-free alternatives. For many people, the idea of natural health and beauty products conjures up images of hippies…
Introduction to Herbs for Kids: Meet My Friend, Herb!
Meet My Friend, Herb! Part One Hi Kids! I am so glad you are joining us! We are about to go on an adventure. An adventure into th...
9 Herbal Remedies for a Toothache
If you’ve been plagued with a sore tooth or swollen gums, you know that the pain it can cause is often completely unbearable. To...
Natural Homemade Lip Balm for Kids
Do you remember Lip Smackers? I can remember a time in my life as a kid that I had a necklace full of lip balms of every different flavor and color of the rainbow. It was the cool thing to have all your favorites on hand and my mom, always wanting to substitute real gifts…
Love It Up With Herbal Aphrodisiacs
In herbalism, aphrodisiac herbs aren’t just a means to an end! Aphrodisiac herbs nourish the nervous, heart, and reproductive systems on both physical and energetic levels. Physically, they tonify the body and support balanced function, enhance physical desire (libido), and improve performance. Energetically, they balance and love up the heart and sacral chakras and increase…
Every Herbalist Should Set Goals
We look out our windows at the bare trees and snow-covered ground, and it is evident that winter is upon us. We’re only a little...
5 Herbs that Attract Beneficial Insects to the Garden
If you’ve been interested in organic gardening but are wondering what to do about pests, consider planting herbs! Many herbs enc...
5 Natural Ways to Relieve Stress During the Holiday Season
Thanksgiving is over and we are now officially in the middle of the holiday season. With the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, work, family, and keeping the whole family healthy through the cold and flu season, stress can really take a toll on our bodies. Without proper relief, stress can build up until it…
Bee Warm: Wintering Honey Bees
This time of year, I get a lot of questions about wintering honey bees. Most people are under the misconception that bees hibernate, which is simply not true. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are eusocial insects. Eusocial insects share three characteristics: A. Cooperative care of their young B. Overlapping generations C. Reproductive division of labor For…
A Child’s Winter Herb Garden
One of the things we all miss most once the snows fall in our home town is the bounty of the herb garden. The herbs grow sort of g...
Green Travel Tips for Happy Vacationing
For me, travel can be a double-edged sword—relaxing and blissful yet stressful and anxiety-inducing. With that in mind, I used a...
7 Tips from Nature for Keeping Healthy this Fall
Ayurveda: the science of life. Not everyone is familiar with the term, but that doesn’t discredit the physical and mental benefits that can accompany Ayurvedic practices. Ayurveda is an ancient holistic science — dating back at least 5,000 years — that focuses on finding harmony with one’s environment. It’s not hard to find the goodness…
A Closer Look at Essential Oils and Safety
Last week, the FDA sent warning letters to two very well-known essential oil companies. Here we would like to take a moment to take a closer look at essential oils and safety as well as explain what these letters mean for EO users. In the two documents (Letter to Young Living and Letter to doTERRA), the FDA…
Taking Time for Self-Care
Our world is moving quickly. Many of us have very little down time and lots of pressure to constantly perform at a high level. We ...
What do you know about the Practice of Herbalism?
Herbalism is so much more than taking herbs to address symptoms. Part of becoming an herbalist is shedding this simplistic mindset...
What do you know about Weeds?
Humans have cursed, pulled, cut, fought, mowed, poisoned, and — yes — even waxed poetic about weeds for centuries. It seems there are almost as many definitions for a weed as there are actual weeds! Ralph Waldo Emerson questioned, “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” Most herbalists would…
What do you know about Herbal History?
Herbalism is a practice found in every culture around the world, and in some continents up to 80% of people still used herbalism as their primary form of health care. Herbalists today are able to draw from Native American, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Siddha, Middle Eastern, the Eclectics, South American, Celtic, and many other herbal…
An Ayurvedic Approach to Staying Balanced in Autumn
Fall is such an exciting time of year in New England. Unlike many parts of the world, we get to experience a transitional season, ...
What do you know about Tree Medicine?
Trees are a critical member of ecosystems, providing habitat, stabilizing soil, moderating climate, and filtering air. They produc...
How Much Do You Know About Popular Herbs?
Almost everyone has heard of them, the popular herbs promoted in mainstream press and hyped by marketers. But every “herb du jour” has a fascinating story that just may surprise you! If you’re interested in learning more than just hype, rooting and sprouting herbalists herbalists can start their journey in the Online Introductory Herbal Course,…
Goldenrod vs. Ragweed: They’re NOT the Same Plant!
Many of us who suffer from hay fever—allergic rhinitis—typically associate this annoying affliction with the spring. And yet, the late summer and early fall yields abundant amounts of ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya), a plant that possibly creates the most allergic reactions of any of the flora that grows throughout the country. This parade of sneezing and…
How Much Do You Know About Herbal Preparations?
Making herbal medicine is easy! While it may seem overwhelming at first, a little coaching from a book, friend, or online r...
Five Fun and Fascinating Facts about Honey Bees
I love honey bees! I love to work around them, talk about them and observe their behavior. When it was suggested I come up with f...
Safely Using Essential Oils for Children
With all the conflicting information out there about children and aromatherapy, it’s easy to feel confused. I hope the information in this post will help you to feel confident about using essential oils for children safely. What’s the big deal about using essential oils for children, anyway? Children are more sensitive in general to aromas…
Promote Healthy Gut Flora With A Prebiotic Herbal Electuary
As a health conscious person, you are likely aware of the fact that digestive health is directly linked to overall health. This means that keeping our digestive systems healthy must be a priority in our lives if we want to be healthy and feel good. You may also know that a diet rich in probiotics is…
A Deeper Look at Herbal Infusions
Water is a very commonly used solvent that extracts herbal properties in the form of herbal infusions, or tea. Most people associa...
Understanding The Simplicity Of Herbs
Some herbalists use a healing art called “simpling,” referring to the use of one herb at a time rather than in formula...
Flying and Traveling with Herbs
It’s easy to use herbs at home but what about traveling with herbs – especially plane travel when there are restrictions with space, weight, and size? How can you fly with enough herbs to address your needs and stay healthy while traveling without weighing you down? It’s easier than you think! I’ve been flying a…
3 Ways To Prevent A Sunburn Naturally + A DIY Sunburn Relief Spray
Sunburns are such a bummer, but if you’re like me and you enjoy being outside when the weather is nice, getting a sunburn is a likely possibility. Today I’m sharing some tips that could help you to naturally prevent a sunburn as well as sharing a DIY herbal sunburn relief spray with you that you…
How To Use Lemon Balm As A Natural Bee Sting Remedy
When it comes to natural bee sting remedies, what herbs do you think of? I’m sure there are many, but the first one I’...
