Results for Category: Live Well
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. Like honey, propolis offers a myriad of scientifically researched benefits. Propolis is a sticky “bee glue†that is used inside honey bee colonies. Composed of tree resins, wax, essential oils, pollen, and other…
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, â...
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 lavender, patchouli, or marjoram could even help us get a good night’s sleep? There is research to suggest that aromatherapy can help reduce insomnia. In this article, you will learn about the scientific…
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) ha...
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 hibernating, and the people have wrapped themselves in their thickest wools. (The lucky ones are reading herbals by the fire while sipping spiced cider!) This time of year calls for an extra…
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 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 for you. With this delightful recipe simmering on the stovetop, your whole home will smell like a freshly baked apple pie—with only a fraction of the work! This dried blend also makes a wonderfully…
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 kno...
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 light. This floral mist is a sneak peek into our Natural Perfumery Course, and it combines the fragrant aroma of jasmine and rose with the citrusy cheerfulness of bergamot. The end result…
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 tig...
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 few parchments that have survived, a person named Theophrastus (c. 370 BCE – c. 287 BCE) reportedly wrote 227 books about animals, trees, shrubs, fruits, and flowers. Although he wasn’t the only scientific writer at…
DIY Natural Citronella Candles
We have finally started to feel the warmth of summer. It was 80 degrees Fahrenheit here in the Midwest yesterday, and you can bet ...
How and Where to Buy Herbs in Times of Upheaval
At the outset of the current global pandemic, herbalists were more grateful than ever for the revered roots in our own apothecarie...
5 Aromatherapy Mood Sprays for Summer
Summer is right around the corner here in the Northern Hemisphere, and if you can’t wait for it to get here, an aromatherapy mood spray may be just the thing you need to give you that summer feeling right now! In this article, you’ll learn how scent can help put you in a positive frame…
Stress-Be-Gone Balm Recipe (and Video!)
In trying times, it’s inevitable to feel anxious and stressed. When we are burdened with these emotions, everyday tasks often become more difficult and we don’t feel like ourselves. While there are many ways to ease stress and anxiety, including nutrition, exercise, and various herbal preparations, it’s nice to have something on hand that’s quick…
Best Herbs for Lungs and Respiratory Support
When addressing viral respiratory infections, we want to think about herbs that have strong immune or antiviral actions in additio...
COVID-19 School Lunch Programs: Keeping Children Fed
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we’ve become particularly aware of the simple, daily blessings that we take for granted, includi...
A Heart-Warming Herbalist Day
April 17th marks Herbalist Day — a celebration of the many teachers, peers, and herbs that have guided you through your journey as a herbalist thus far. As we all navigate a time of uncertainty, one thing that remains vital is the need to tend to the heart, both physically and energetically. This Herbalist Day,…
Safe Antiviral Herbs for Autoimmune Disease
Immune support is on everybody’s mind right now, and not just for our own benefit but also for the greater good! The changing news and recommendations during the current outbreak of viral illness is enough to make even those who are generally well a little bit uneasy about what to do. For individuals who have…
Why We Need To Care About Animal Adoption and Rescue
It is important to remember that human beings share the planet with countless other inhabitants. As one part of a larger whole, we...
