How to Make the Perfect Cup of Chai for Your Dosha
Forget bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens—chai is one of my favorite things. For me, a great cup of chai is right up there with puppies, autumn leaves, and twinkling Christmas lights. I don’t know if it’s the perfect blend of sweet, warming spices, the creaminess of the milk, or the happy caffeine buzz…
26 Handmade Valentine’s Day Ideas: Gifts, Recipes, and DIYs to Show Your Love
Valentine’s Day and flowers go together with delightful ease! This combination is no surprise—flowers and other plants have long been embraced for their beauty and symbolism in romantic relationships. At this time of year, many of us look to spread a little love to those around us, and we might even desire to give ourselves…
7 Ways To Use Tulsi Everyday
There is a reason why “holy basil” is another common name for tulsi (Ocimum sanctum). Hindu culture even considers tulsi to be “The Queen of the Herbs” and a manifestation of the goddess Lakshmi in plant form (Krishna & Amirthalingam, 2014). But why exactly is tulsi considered to be so sacred? With an abundance of…
Herbal Compresses and Fomentations: What They Are & How To Use Them
Pulled muscles and painful spasms, a bad run-in with the pavement, or a nasty cough all call for a little extra loving care—a gentle touch. The somewhat lost art of topical herbal applications can offer that loving care in the soothingly useful form of herbal compresses and fomentations. These applications are simply made by soaking…
Video: How To Make An Herbal Honey
An herbal honey is one of the tastiest herbal preparations one can make. They require little time to create, and they can be used in many different ways. Plus, they’re full of healthy benefits! An herbal honey can be made using fresh or dried herbs, but keep in mind that if you use fresh herbs,…
How To Make Jethro Kloss’s Herbal Liniment
One of the first herbal books I owned was Back To Eden by Jethro Kloss. It was given to me by a friend who knew I was interested in herbalism and wanted to encourage me to pursue this path. At first, I didn’t realize what a treasure I had been given, but over the years,…
Video: How To Make Rolled Herb Pills
Rolled herb pills (also known as pastilles) are quick and easy to make. Not only that, but they’re one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to take herbs! Rolled herb pills only require two things: finely powdered herbs and honey. These ingredients are combined, thoroughly mixed, and then rolled into small balls or pills which…
A New Year Herbal Tonic Recipe
With the dawning of the New Year, many of us seize the occasion to set new intentions, call in new energy, and replace old, stagnant habits with new, refreshed ones. What better way to cultivate new energy in your life than to utilize some of your herbal allies for assistance? We encourage you to give…
Video: How To Make A Calendula Salve
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is an herbal staple that many herbalists include in their herbal toolkits. While this herb has a plethora of uses, one of the most common uses is as a topical preparation for the skin. Calendula is a great herbal ally for the skin as a topical application on a wound, a rash,…
5 Steps To A New Year Skincare Reboot
With the new year upon us, it’s customary to consider ways to make this year better than the last. We use the fresh start symbolized by a fresh year as a catalyst to reassess where we’re at and set goals for the future. We make resolutions that are meant to improve quality of life—many of…
How To Grow Culinary Herbs Indoors During Winter
As I look out at the crisp, white blanket covering what once was a thriving patio garden through July and August, I feel fortunate to have my indoor garden to keep the freshness alive in my apartment. When the days grow colder and seem increasingly short and dark, knowing how to grow culinary herbs indoors…
Sunbutter Cookies: A Tasty Treat
Full disclosure. This cookie recipe was born out of my own laziness. While living in San Francisco, I was lounging on my couch one foggy afternoon, dreaming of fresh baked cookies. The only problem was that I was feeling too cheap and lackadaisical to go to any great lengths to procure baked goods that required…
Doctrine of Signatures: An Introduction to Deepening Our Connection with the Beneficial Properties of Plants
Some ancient methods of understanding the natural world relied on symbology and the unique appearances of plants, animals, and other life form’s signatures. By learning about signatures in nature, we can gain insight into the properties of plants, how they may be supportive to humans, and even glimpse an understanding that all things are connected…
14 Must-Have Supplies For Herbalists (Plus A Free Printable Herbal Toolkit Supply List)
Whether you’re brand new to herbalism or you’re trying to set up your home apothecary, you’ll want to stock up on some particular supplies to support your work with herbs. But which ones are necessary? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a checklist of herbal supplies needed to set up your herbal workstation? We think…
Ancient Lore Surrounding Herbs of Christmas Past
The holiday season is upon us. As we decorate, plan our meals, and decide on gifts―the remnants of ancient traditions linger in many of our celebrations. The shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice, has been acknowledged by various cultures throughout history. While the actual ceremonies for this day are still practiced by a…
How Does Hot Water Temperature Affect The Nutritional Content Of Herbs?
When it comes to health and wellness, herbs can be one of our greatest allies. Herbal tea is a go-to for soothing common ailments like cold and flu symptoms, while herbal infusions are beloved as nature’s “vitamin supplement.” When it comes to steeping nutritional herbs for vitamins and minerals, most of us turn to a…
Introduction to Ayurveda: What’s My Dosha?
Ayurveda and the terms vata, pitta, and kapha are slowly making their way into alternative health lexicons. However, many readers may still be mystified by these concepts, or perhaps this is the very first time you are learning about these terms. This post is intended to provide you with a basic introduction to Ayurveda. However,…
How To Dilute High-Proof Alcohol To Use In Herbal Tinctures
Have you ever prepared to make an herbal tincture and found you were out of your favorite variety of 80-proof or 100-proof tincture-making alcohol? Did you drive to the nearest liquor store to purchase your tincture-making alcohol of choice so you could make your tincture as planned? If so, let me save you a trip…
DIY Hand Poured Herbal Candles
As the winter months draw near, we find ourselves spending more time indoors than outdoors. This lack of time outdoors can create a feeling of disconnect, especially for those of us who love to cook and create with the seasons. Marketing companies have obviously recognized this need. When you turn down the aisles of any…
Coloring to Learn: An Herbal Coloring Book Review
Herbalism is a truly beautiful endeavor. The plants speak to us through our senses with a combination of aroma, taste, color, and form—coming together to create a picture of each plant as a whole. When really learning about a plant, we as herbalists benefit from understanding form of the plant at a deep level. It…
Here’s How To Win A Free Deluxe Herbal Starter Kit And Save On Herbal Academy Courses and Packages!
The holidays are here, and we at the Herbal Academy are working hard to make your celebrations a little more merry and bright. First, we’re giving away one free Deluxe Herbal Starter Kit (a $149 value) this weekend! This Herbal Starter Kit would make a great gift for anyone who’s interested in getting hands-on experience…
8 DIY Herbal Face Mask Recipes for Holiday Gift Giving
The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it the desire to create unique and beautiful gifts for loved ones. If you’re a budding herbalist, combining your herbal passion with holiday gift giving is a great way to make recipients feel special while sharing the gifts of herbs at the same time. Creating herbal products…
What Research Says About Essential Oils For Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Watching a friend or family member suffer from a neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, creates powerful feelings of helplessness, grief, frustration, and even anger. Although our knowledge of the brain is currently growing by leaps and bounds, we still know so little about how our brain creates and processes memories. Since medical research…
10 Botanical Gifts To Give This Year
The gift giving season is here! If you’re stuck for ideas on what to give your botanical-loving friends and family members, we’ve got some ideas for you. We’re sharing ten botanical gifts that are perfect for holiday gift giving this year. 10 Botanical Gifts To Give In 2017 1. Herb Kits by Herbal Academy Our…
12 Herbal Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes For This Year’s Celebrations
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and we’re all planning our big meals. If I asked you to name a few herbs or spices you might be using in your Thanksgiving recipes, sage and cinnamon would undoubtedly be at the top of the list. But there are many other herbs that can be used in…
The Herbal Academy Holiday Pop-Up Shop Is Open!
For the past several months, busy little elves have been hard at work here at the Herbal Academy! They’ve been planning, sourcing, designing, and packaging new items for our Holiday Pop Up Shop—just in time for Christmas deliveries. Now that the work has finished, we’d like to introduce you to the newest items in our…
How To Nip Holiday Stress In The Bud
The holiday season is a double-edged sword—festive and heartwarming on the one hand, a mad dash of colossal proportions on the other. We tell ourselves that all the work is worth the effort, but when we’re left exhausted and crabby, holiday spirit is about the furthest thing from our minds (and hearts). How do we…
Tips For Staying Healthy This Cold and Flu Season
As cold weather arrives, cold and flu virus infections begin to increase in number. Have you thought about what you will do to support your body during cold and flu season? Will you get a flu shot? Will you incorporate herbs into your daily health regimen? Cold and flu viruses are infections spread by…
How To Stock A Vegan Pantry
Just over a year ago, after watching a few documentaries, my partner approached me and suggested we embrace a plant-based lifestyle. The more we weighed the health benefits, ethical implications, and environmental impacts of choosing to eat only plants, the more we were convinced that a vegan diet was a sustainable option for us. The…
Two Personal Inhaler Essential Oil Blends To Help You Through Stressful Times
I think it’s safe to assume that everyone, at some point, feels the weight of stress in his or her life. Whether it’s kids, school, work, or some other demand, stress is an expected part of life. Stress is rarely something that can be avoided, and thankfully, it isn’t always a bad thing. Stress can…
