3 Tips on Managing Vata Dosha During Autumn
Ayurveda teaches that we each have an inherent prakruti, which is our natural, unchanging nature. Our prakruti is our unique balance of vata, pitta, and kapha doshas and is unaffected by phase of life, seasons, or any other external factors. If you’re interested in finding out what your dosha is, read our article, Introduction To…
3 Calming Herbs to Support ADHD & Cognition
Many different herbs can be incorporated into a successful herbal protocol that helps support attention, cognition, and mood in those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Whether it is you struggling with ADHD or you are working with a child, family member, or a client, approach the topic with compassion and an open mind. In doing so,…
3 Last-Minute Ways To Use Sage Before The Growing Season Ends
Three years ago, my partner and I went out for a night on the town. He took me to a lovely Italian restaurant where we shared a bottle of wine and started our meal with a decadent charcuterie board. He ordered lasagna, and I branched out from the traditional by ordering pumpkin sage ravioli. As…
Herbal Beer: An Ancient Drink for Modern Times
It’s funny — I never thought I would write anything positive about beer. My husband homebrews, so it has always been his thing. It was never something I cared too much about since I’ve never had much of a palate for beer. I’ve always preferred wine as my alcoholic beverage of choice — until recently…
An Herbal Approach to Children with ADHD
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an increasingly common condition in the United States with nearly 10% of American children (more than 6 million) having been diagnosed with ADHD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). In addition, children with ADHD often experience coexisting mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, substance abuse, behavior, or conduct disorders…
How To Make An Oxymel
A classic but often overlooked herbal preparation, oxymels have been used for ages for a variety of respiratory and immune system issues including coughs, mucus, and difficulty breathing (Hippocrates, 400 B.C.E.). Made from vinegar and honey, oxymels are a tasty and simple herbal preparation to make. Keep reading to learn how to make an oxymel…
6 Best Places to Find High-Quality Herbal Studies
Staying abreast of herbal research is a worthwhile undertaking for any herbalist, but knowing where to look for high-quality herbal studies can be a challenge. To find relevant research on herbs for your practice, consider the following six places where high-quality herbal studies can be found. 6 Places to Find High-Quality Herbal Studies 1. The…
How to Make A Homemade Flower Essence
I never understood the potency of flower essences until I made one myself — carefully picking each beautiful, delicate flower from the plant, intentionally setting it in spring water, and placing the bowl under the sun in the center of my garden. It was a magical meditation as the golden rays of the sun penetrated…
Nettle Plant Walk Video: Identification, Uses, Preparations, & More!
Join herbalist and Herbal Academy Assistant Director, Jane Metzger as she explains how to identify and use nettle in this plant walk video. Not only will you learn how to identify this plant in the wild and some common ways to use it, but you’ll learn a bit about nettle’s energetics and actions as well. Just…
10 Simple Vitalist Practices To Support Well-Being
We are a part of nature, and nature is wise. The Vitalist tradition of herbalism honors this innate wisdom and connection. The Vitalist tradition is a type of herbal practice that looks at the whole person — deeply investigating, looking beyond surface symptoms alone, until the root cause of why a client has come to…
This Versus That: How To Choose The Best Herbal Preparation For Your Needs
One of the most commonly asked questions new and old herbalists ask themselves is “what is the best herbal preparation to use in this situation?” With so many traditional and modern ways to prepare herbs, determining the best herbal preparation to use can feel overwhelming. In this article, we’re here to help break down some…
5 Herbs To Help You Transition Seasons From Summer To Fall
Although the days still feel long and hot, the crisp air of fall is right around the corner. There is a tendency for many of us to say that fall simply “snuck up” on us! Since weather patterns can be somewhat unpredictable at times, it can be helpful to utilize herbs that ease the transition…
Find The Right Herbal Course For You With This Herbal Academy Course Comparison Chart!
There is one week left during back to school season, so it’s decision time! Which Academy course is right for you? Deciding on a course can feel like a difficult choice, but it doesn’t have to be! We are here to help you find the best program fit for your educational needs. In this post,…
What Every Herbalist Should Know About Herbal Preparation Shelf Life
Have you ever pulled an older herbal salve out of your bathroom cabinet and wondered if it was still effective? Or perhaps you’ve thought about making a large batch of herbal tea to store in the refrigerator and drink over the course of several days, later second guessing yourself because you weren’t sure how many…
8 Of Your Most Frequently Asked Herbal Questions, Answered
In the spirit of Back to School Season, we thought it would be fun to take on common student questions in a really quick Q&A fashion. We know you’ll find these topics helpful because we get questions about them all the time! Grab a box of #2 pencils or your favorite ballpoint pen, a notebook,…
Strawberry Basil Infusion: A Last Taste of Summer
Who says tea always needs to be sipped hot? Infusions, like the one below, are a great way to rejuvenate your body after a hot day in the sun while also imparting the flavors and benefits of these hydrating summer edibles! August is a busy time of the year! Harvests are gathered and prepared for…
Ayurvedic Guide to Building Digestive Power
If you consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner, don’t be surprised if she asks you a hundred and one questions about the state of your digestive system—no matter what brought you into her office! Regardless of where your imbalances manifest, Ayurveda places incredible emphasis on the state of digestion, also known as agni. According to the…
8 Best Herbs For Seasonal Lethargy & Fatigue
With the summer heat waves starting to set in, there is no better time to turn to herbs that can cool us down and help re-energize the body for all of our hot weather adventures! During the hot months of summer, we can accumulate excess heat in the body, resulting in symptoms such as hot…
Urban Farming in Nashville, Tennessee: A Family Lineage
If you find yourself in Nashville enjoying one of its hippest neighborhoods, East Nashville, you may stumble upon an unexpected, yet welcome, attraction: Double N Urban Farm, home to Stomping Ground Herbals. Amidst this growing city that draws new inhabitants estimated at close to 100 people a day (Reicher, 2018), Nashville native, Nicole Mattingly, runs…
5 Herbal Lifestyle Books To Read This Year
There are many paths to herbalism. Some of us may have had a more direct path stemming from a pure interest in botany, foraging, or making herbal preparations. Others, in efforts to nourish our bodies with more natural, simple ingredients, may have stumbled across the herbal approach as a happy accident. As our understanding of…
Turmeric Lemonade: Health Benefits & How To Make It
There is something so beautifully simple about using herbs and roots to live a healthy life. The familiar adage, eat the rainbow is apropos – it is not hard to imagine the health benefits of ground beet root powder with its bright red color or the beautiful blue-green shade of the superfood spirulina. Turmeric is…
3 Steps for an Herbal-Infused Pedicure for Beautiful Nails and Soft Feet
Do you live in a warm climate and sport sandals daily or tread often in bare feet? Regardless of the climate you live in or the frequency with which you walk barefoot, your feet can easily become tired and worn. Don’t neglect the bottom of your soles, heels, or nails! Each can truly benefit from…
Curious About Becoming An Herbalist? Here’s What You Need To Know First!
Have you ever daydreamed about becoming an herbalist? Perhaps in your dream, you’re standing in your herbal garden, basket in hand, wind blowing through your hair as you gather flowers, leaves, and roots to take home and prepare for later use. Maybe you’re standing in your kitchen, your counters covered with supplies and materials to…
How To Make Framed Botanicals to Decorate Your Home
Framed botanicals in your home can conjure up memories of summer’s floral bounty, even in the depths of winter. Try framing a collection of wellness supporting herbs to serve as a decorative herbarium or frame culinary herbs to hang in the kitchen or give as a gift to a food-loving friend. Framed botanicals can also serve…
5 Best Places to Sell Herbal Products
One of the biggest questions facing an entrepreneur is, “How do I make money?” The key difference between being a hobbyist and an entrepreneur is just that: money. If you are an herbalist, you most likely didn’t get into this line of work for money; you came into this field with a passion for plants,…
12 At-Risk Plants NOT To Harvest This Year
Late spring and summer are ideal times for harvesting plants. This is because, by this time, most plants have developed to the point where their identifying characteristics are obvious—leaves are often fully grown, flowers have blossomed, and some plants are already forming seeds, each of which makes plant identification easier. While most in the herbal…
Free Ebook Download: Herbal Tea Throughout The Seasons
Do you love drinking herbal tea? Or perhaps you’d like to incorporate a daily tea ritual into your routine? If so, you’ll love our newest ebook offering: Herbal Tea Throughout The Seasons, which is now available as a free download! No matter what the season, sipping a cup of tea can allow you to pause…
Learn To Identify Cleavers In Our Newest Plant Walk Video
We’re back with another plant walk video from Herbal Academy Assistant Director, Jane Metzger. In this video, Jane will be showing us how to identify cleavers as well as sharing some common preparations this plant is used in. Just click play on the video below or watch it on our YouTube channel. Cleavers Name/Family: Cleavers, Galium aparine…
FairWild Week: Go Wild for Wild Plants
You may not realize just how many plants you come into contact with on a daily basis, but for most people, it’s a lot. Whether it’s food, drinks, cosmetics, medicines, or lifestyle products, wild plants can be found in hundreds of thousands of products worldwide. In fact, around 30,000 different plant species have been documented…
5 Ways To Use Hollyhock In Your Materia Medica
You may have admired hollyhock (Althaea rosea) already in gardens, along bike paths, or in other sunny locations as a beautiful and commonly used ornamental. After all, its gorgeous tall stalks with large and vibrant rose-esque blooms tend to demand attention! But did you know that these stunning blooms are also an herb that can…
