How to Make an Herbal Decoction
That simple, tasty cup of tea is only one way of extracting the many virtues of herbs into water. Other ways include the making of infusions and decoctions. Today I am going to share how to make an herbal decoction and which herbs are used for this type of herbal preparation. Infusions are used with…
Lemon Balm: The Immortal Life of Bees
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) goes by many names: bee balm, Melissa, heart’s delight, and sweet balm. Whatever we call it, bees adore the plant. Lemon balm has been used enthusiastically by beekeepers since ancient times. And it’s no wonder. This member of the mint family has an irresistible scent—the leaves smell both minty and lemony at…
Teacher Feature: Marlene Adelmann
Today, we would love to introduce you to someone we hold very dear here at the Herbal Academy: our Founder and Director, Marlene Adelmann! Little did Marlene know that the first local herb classes she taught in the Boston area would one day grow up to be a global online herb school. We’re so glad…
Lavender Essential Oil: A Must-Have For Every Natural Medicine Chest
The lavender essential oil botanical family “Lamiaceae” is prolific in its production of aromatic and medicinal plants. One of its most famous members is lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia), one of the most widely researched and commonly used essential oils in our modern pharmacopeia. It is so useful, in fact, that it is often called…
How To Make and Use Ginger Syrup
Ginger is a great herbal ally that should be a part of every home herbalist’s apothecary. Not only does it have many health benefits, but it can be used in a variety of herbal preparations. Today, I want to show you how to easily make and use ginger syrup in your daily life, but first,…
How Autumn Energetics Affect Our Self-Care
Summer is officially a wrap. The barbecues and pool parties have ceased, children are back to school, and you might be reminiscing over your vacation experiences (or looking longingly at others’ vacation photos on social media!). Gardeners have harvested their peak season of tomatoes and melons, while the lettuces and leafy greens emerge from their…
12 Traditional Herbs That Ease Pain
Over-the-counter pain relievers are a modern invention, but before they were available people relied on many different herbs to bring comfort during injury and illness. This article looks at twelve traditional herbs that ease pain and how herbalists approached their use. Many of these herbs have full profiles in our online learning resource, The Herbarium,…
Student Share: Shaili Sutaria & Island Kiss
It is a joy to watch our students gain confidence as they explore their herbal studies. As teachers, we love to see the many ways our students take what they’ve learned and then go on to blossom on their own unique paths as herbalists.That’s just one of the many reasons we love staying in touch…
25 Free Herbal Resources To Help You Grow As An Herbalist
As an herbalist, I’m always gathering things, be they herbs, jars, or books. I’m also constantly searching for more information, various ways of using the herbs that grow around me, and the wisdom of those that have gone before me. While I purchase many things myself, there’s much wisdom to be found in the various…
How To Use Herbs For Pickling
Walk out in the vegetable garden at this time of year and panic at the bounty!! Soon gardeners will be overwhelmed with produce. We can make lovely salads, freeze, and can the produce…but we can use cucumbers and herbs for pickling, too. Is there anything more pleasing than gleaming jars of pickled onions on the…
8 Everyday Herbs of the Caribbean
Three months ago, my son and I came to live in Manzanillo, Costa Rica, a small beach town on the southern Caribbean coast. As a Western-trained herbalist, this for me has meant a daily education on an entirely new materia medica featuring herbs of the Caribbean—virtually none of my familiar temperate-climate plants thrive here! Fortunately, there…
Herbs and the Chronic Pain Puzzle
In our series on herbalism and the problem of pain, we’ve already looked at An Herbal Perspective on Managing Pain, and at Herbalism and Acute Pain. Today, we will be investigating Herbs and the Chronic Pain Puzzle. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, there are many smaller pieces that make up the big picture of what…
Tips On Balancing The Heart Chakra
Our fourth or heart chakra is the middle chakra. It brings together the three lower chakras: root (survival), sacral (sexuality and creativity), and solar plexus (personal power and identity) with the three higher chakras: throat (truthful speech), third eye (intuition and knowing), and the crown (spirituality). As you might suspect, the heart chakra has much…
Get Cooking With Herbs! (Family Herbal Summer Series: Part 6)
Welcome to the last week of our Family Herbal Summer Series! It has been quite an adventure so far and I am excited to share this last part of our journey. This week is all about something that most of us love dearly—tasty food! Cultures around the world enhance both the flavor and health of…
Teacher Feature: Bevin Clare
We are blessed with many wonderful teachers at the Herbal Academy, and we are delighted to help you get to know each of them through a series of interviews here on the blog! Recently, you met one of our teachers through an interview we shared with Maria Groves. Another one of our Associate Educators, Bevin…
How To Use Essential Oils For Scarring
Essential oils are an excellent component in any first aid kit, as their antimicrobial qualities are well known, both traditionally and through scientific research, but their ability to help with wound healing and scar tissue formation, in particular, has not been as well established. While there is some anecdotal evidence that there are helpful essential…
Creating a Local Materia Medica With Motherwort
Motherwort is the gift that keeps on giving in my garden. A member of the tenacious mint family (Lamiaceae), she self-seeds herself prodigiously. Her tenacity is nothing a little weeding can’t take care of, and in turn, I have set aside a designated patch where she can reseed to her heart’s content. Let’s learn how…
6 Tips for Storing Dried Herbs
When putting together an herbal apothecary, dried herbs take center stage. Dried herbs are the first ingredient in so many different herbal preparations like herbal teas, infused oils, and tinctures. As one starts amassing a collection of dried herbs, it becomes increasingly important to be sure that you are storing dried herbs properly to ensure…
7 Tips That Will Help You Stay Cool During Menopause
Summer can be a particularly rough time for menopausal women who experience menopause symptoms such as hot flashes. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to cool down if you are in this season of life. Below you’ll find several tips that can help you stay cool during menopause and an herbal hot flash…
Kid-Friendly Body Care (Family Herbal Summer Series: Part 5)
It’s week five for our super fun Family Herbal Summer Series, and I am so glad your family is joining us. This week we get to incorporate all of our learning into good, squeaky-clean fun by making kid-friendly body care! Herbs are great fun to use in body care products, easily lending their beneficial properties…
Herbalism and Acute Pain
The topic of herbs and acute pain is an important one for many herbalists- family herbalists and advanced herbalists alike! After all, everyone gets aches and pains or bumps and bruises occasionally. Generally, it’s much simpler to unravel the threads that lead to acute pain than it is to address chronic pain. Acute pains will…
Is Red Clover Safe During Pregnancy And Breastfeeding?
Sure, it’s a valuable herb for women (and men too), but is using red clover safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding? Generally, red clover is a safe herb to use, however, when it comes to this season of a woman’s life, there are a few important things to consider as there are many conflicting views surrounding the…
Essential Oils for Insect Bites and Stings
I love this time of year—the trees, the flower, the sunshine…the bugs. While I accept that they are an important part of our ecosystem, I am not a huge fan of insects. Unfortunately, they seem to love me, which is why I rely on essential oils for insect bites and stings. I am a friend…
Tips On Balancing the Solar Plexus Chakra
Looking at the ancient Eastern chakra tradition, we’ve reviewed some of the basic information about the first or root chakra (red, earth element, sense of smell) and the second or sacral chakra (orange, water element, sense of taste) and how they correspond to parts of the body, and the importance of balance. This month we’ll…
Stocking the Family Herb Cabinet (Family Herbal Summer Series: Part 4)
Welcome back to the Family Herbal Summer Series at the Herbal Academy! I am so happy you and your family are here to join us for our fourth week of camp. This week during our Family Herbal Summer Series we are going to get crafty and enjoy making some wonderful herbal preparations to stock the…
Epic 5 Days of Giveaways by Herbal Academy
It’s been done just once before, the 5 Days of Giveaways is back, and this year it’s bigger than ever! As part of this year’s Epic 5 Days of Giveaways, we are opening up awesome prizes each and every day from Monday, July 18th to Friday, July 22th. Here’s what you can look forward to…
An Herbal Perspective On Managing Pain Using Herbs
How does an herbalist use herbal theory when managing pain using herbs? Most of the time, people tend to think of pain as a simple experience, one that is isolated within itself. We think to ourselves that “the problem is that I am in pain,” rather than “pain is a signal of something else.” Over…
Creating a Local Materia Medica With Plantain (+ Plantain Salve Recipe)
Part of the beauty of a local materia medica is its humility, and you can’t get much more humble than plantain (Plantago spp.). Considered a weed the world over, this tenacious and resilient plant steadfastly grows in lawns, fields, roadsides, disturbed land, sidewalk cracks—you name it. And while plantain is often overlooked today (saved by…
Teacher Feature: Maria Groves
We are fortunate to have many amazing herbalists as Associate Educators here at the Herbal Academy. They share their knowledge and expertise for our online herbal courses, contribute articles and other resources to The Herbarium, and are often active members of our MyHerbalStudies communities on Facebook and Instagram, as well. We are delighted to share…
The Truth About Phototoxic Essential Oils & How To Use Them Safely
As you look out the window, you see that it’s another beautiful summer day! You anticipate feeling the warmth of the summer sun’s rays on your head as you spend the afternoon with your friends who are coming over to share tea with you in your beautiful, blooming garden. Before leaving the house, you smile…
