How to Grow Echinacea
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) is an herbaceous, flowering perennial native to North America. This plant has a long history of use and is still a popular herbal supplement today. Unfortunately, over-harvesting and the destruction of its native habitat have affected wild echinacea populations, and it’s now included on United Plant Savers’ list of “at-risk” plants. Learning…
Traditional Mediterranean Recipes: Ancient Favorites from Greece, Rome, and Egypt
Cuisine can tell us so much about a civilization—both past and present. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, who lived more than two thousand years ago, bequeathed to us traditional Mediterranean recipes and remnants of their favored meals. By studying the eating habits of these wondrous civilizations through surviving texts, artworks, and archaeological remains, we…
Homemade Cough Syrup for a Wet Cough
Late winter is the time of year in which heavy, wet conditions can start to really settle in our lungs. Luckily, nature’s apothecary has many beneficial plant allies for coughs and colds that can support you in the form of an herbal homemade cough syrup when you most need it! This herbal cough syrup isn’t…
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, longevity, and immunity is with nourishing herbs. These herbs for deep nourishment are not a quick fix, but rather are most effective if taken over long periods of time. The…
Seed Soaking: Herb Gardening 101
Seed soaking is a method of preparing seeds, specifically those with hard outer shells, for planting. Seeds that need to be soaked are usually wrinkled on the outside, such as peas, fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). That wrinkling happens as the seeds dehydrate, which keeps them free from rot and safe for storage….
Book Excerpt: Sustainable Herbs Project
This excerpt is from Ann Armbrecht’s new book The Business of Botanicals: Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry (Chelsea Green Publishing, February 2021) and is reprinted with permission from the publisher. Globally, some thirty thousand plant species are said to be used for medicinal purposes, and four to six thousand…
Seed Scarification: What Herb Gardeners Need to Know
Seeds are packaged by nature to survive the elements. A tough outer shell protects the tender plant embryo inside. Some seed coatings are tougher than others. Seeds with the toughest coatings can be hard to crack, which is why they germinate at much higher rates when exposed to conditions like fire, freezing, or digestive processes…
Nutrient Deficiencies + 4 Vitamin and Mineral-Rich Recipes
The well-known adage “we are what we eat” is so true when we think about our daily needs for vitamins and minerals. Typically, when we sit down for a meal, we might be thinking about how hungry we are or how good it tastes, not realizing that we are also consuming micronutrients to meet our…
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…
Student Feature Series: Chelsea Stephens (@wildflowerandtherose)
For the eighth installment of our Student Feature Series, we spoke with herbalist and herbal hair color specialist Chelsea Stephens. Chelsea has completed the Introductory Herbalism Course, the Entrepreneur Herbal Course, the Botanical Skin Care Course, and is currently enrolled in our Intermediate Herbal Course. She applies her herbal knowledge toward running her business, @wildflowerandtherose….
Nourishing Herbal Soup Seasoning Mix
A healthy immune system serves as your personal smooth-running militia, with the number one goal of protecting your body from pathogenic invaders. Especially these days, it’s so important to build a stronger immunity and there is a lot you can do so that it can work effectively when you need it. On a cold winter…
Echinacea and Goldenseal: When to Use One Over the Other
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) are popular herbal allies during cold and flu season. These plants can help cope with cold and flu symptoms and aid the body in its recovery process. Both echinacea and goldenseal have antibacterial properties; however, understanding them in this narrow context doesn’t fully inform their whole range of…
Damiana and Vanilla Cordial
Homemade vanilla cordial with damiana is a lovely introduction to using vanilla as a home herbal. While used widely as a flavoring agent and a perfume, vanilla’s other uses are largely overlooked. Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) is purported to sharpen the mind and strengthen memory (McBride, 2010). Vanillin, which is the primary chemical constituent in vanilla…
5 Herbs That Thrive in a Southwest Garden
The first step to growing a successful Southwest garden is appreciating the environment in which you are growing. Depending on where you live, you will have a different distribution of the resources you need to grow, like sun, water, and quality soil. In the Southwest garden, gardeners have an abundance of sun. In the heat…
Black Herbalist Spotlight: Emma Dupree
The woods gal. Little medicine thing. Granny woman. Aunt Emma. To the question, “what’s in a name?,” I would argue that Emma Dupree’s many given nicknames help to tell the story of who she was. Emma Dupree (1897 – 1996) was a Black herbalist whose work touched countless lives in her rural North Carolina community. …
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 requirements is exhausting. Over the past decade, we have continued to experience the erosion of boundaries between work and home life. Yet, today, the impact of a worldwide pandemic has compounded the challenges of maintaining this work-life balance as…
Mugwort Benefits & An Herbal Liniment Recipe
Many people think of mugwort as an herb for sleep and dream support, however, there are many mugwort benefits beyond sleeping and dreaming that are worth exploring. A tall, gangly member of the aster family (Asteraceae), mugwort is the name given to several species in the Artemisia genus, including Artemisia vulgaris, common mugwort, and Artemisia argyi,…
Starting Your Own Herb Seeds? Time for Cold Stratification!
January may not seem like an obvious time for garden work in the Northern Hemisphere, but this is actually a crucial time to prepare the seeds of certain plants for the spring thaw. Successful germination in a controlled environment, like a garden, requires that seeds go through conditions similar to what they would experience in…
Winter Wellness: Fresh Horseradish Recipe & Benefits
The cold, dry winter weather is here and so is sinus congestion. Prevention is the best approach, but there is also much we can do once discomfort hits! Luckily, there is one powerful root you can use to soothe sinus pressure and shorten the duration. Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is not only a delicious condiment for…
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…
Student Feature: Katie Woods @ritual_skincare
For the seventh installment of our Student Feature Series, we spoke with holistic esthetician and massage therapist Katie Woods. Katie is enrolled in our Advanced Herbal Course and she applies her herbal knowledge toward running her business, @ritual_skincare. She’s passionate about helping her clients use herbs to find inner health and balance, which translates to…
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…
Herbal Throat Gargle Recipe: Triphala, Turmeric, and Licorice
One of the great things about this simple herbal throat gargle is that all its ingredients have multiple uses. So, if you keep these herbs in your travel kit, you may be able to use them for other purposes in addition to a throat gargle. Triphala (Emblica officinalis), a combination of three fruits, is a…
Stay Calm Adaptogen Syrup with Ashwagandha and Eleuthero
Provide your body with the tools it needs to improve its stress response through an adaptogen syrup. Adaptogens are those herbs found to promote the regulation of the hypothalamic, pituitary, and adrenal glands (Brusie, 2017). By reducing fatigue and enhancing focus, adaptogens promote a sense of overall wellness. A commonly used adaptogen, ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)…
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…
Mushroom Immunity Broth with Astragalus and Calendula
Make your own mushroom immunity broth by blending nutrient-rich mushrooms with herbs that are well-known for their positive effect on the immune system. Winter is known as the cold and flu season, and supporting your immune system is a must for those wanting to stay productive and healthy during the colder months. This mushroom-laden brew…
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 studies, I kept asking myself, “What do you want to do with this knowledge? Is this something for yourself? Do you want it to supplement your yoga career? Or…
After-Dinner Tea Recipe: Chamomile, Fennel, and Orange
‘Tis the season for digestive problems and the perfect time to try making your own fennel tea with chamomile, orange, and bee balm. Help your body by harnessing the digestive benefits of fennel tea to combat the less than ideal side effects of a rich and varied diet. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seeds are renowned for…
