An Herbal Headache Tea Recipe to Soothe Your Mind
Headaches are more than just a nuisance; they’re complex conditions that can truly disrupt your day. The good news? You can be prepared with a well-rounded headache tea blend designed to help your body cope with headaches from a multifaceted perspective, offering comfort and support when you need it most. Headache triggers often include stress…
How to Make Pickled Carrots with Lavender
The book excerpt below is taken from Preserving the Seasons by Holly Capelle. Preserving the Seasons is a straightforward and beautifully photographed guide to boiling water canning; drying, dehydrating, freeze-drying; freezing, infusing, and quick pickling. These are the easiest and most effective methods for preserving produce, herbs, and edible flowers. The recipe below for Pickled…
Breathe Easier This Winter: Make a Lavender and Sage Chest Rub
As the weather shifts and swings from autumn to winter to spring, we need herbal recipes in our repertoire to help combat stuffy sinuses. We have nothing against the standard mentholated chest rubs we all know and love, but they tend to have a very distinct smell that can err on the side of medicinal,…
How to Prepare Herbal Oil for Hair Growth
If you experience hair loss or thinning hair, you are not alone. In fact, an estimated 50% of men and 25% of women will face noticeable hair thinning or loss by the age of 50 (D., 2024). For many, the first instinct is to reach for store-bought products, but these are often costly and full…
Refresh Your Summer: Try This Herbal-Infused Slushie Recipe!
Who needs a summer cool-down treat? This delightful herbal-infused slushie recipe is just the thing you need to beat the heat! Unlike the artificially colored and flavored slushies you may have seen during childhood trips to amusement parks, this frozen treat is made of botanical ingredients that delight the senses and benefit the body and…
A Calming Yet Energizing Lavender Matcha Latte Recipe
Matcha has hit the caffeinated beverage scene with a bright green splash, but most people still don’t know much about it. Matcha is a type of green tea with a long history of traditional use in China that has been popularized in modern Japanese tea rituals. It is made by grinding the shade-grown Camellia sinensis…
Homemade Butter with Lavender, Cardamom, and Fresh Flowers
As we progress into spring and colorful, eye-popping buds open into bloom, you may be inspired to find more ways to incorporate edible flowers into your herbal preparations and culinary creations. Be it sweet or savory dishes, spreads, jams, or chutneys, edible flowers add color, flavor, and wellness benefits to everyday food items. Have you…
Lunar Herbalism: Plants Associated with the Moon
Studying the relationship between our botanical allies and planetary bodies is another way to understand plant energetics from a broad (perhaps universal!) perspective. This article will explore how certain herbs exemplify and express the qualities of one of our most beloved luminaries, the Moon. As we deepen our relationship with plants and nature, we may…
How to Make Lavender Shower Steamers
Shower steamers are like a bath bomb for the shower, and they will elevate your showering experience in the same way a bath bomb levels up your bathing experience. A small scented puck you can put in the bottom of your shower to envelop yourself in scent and transform your bathroom into an aromatherapeutic experience,…
How Does Scent Affect Mood?
On an intuitive and experiential level, many of us are aware of the connection between scent and mood. Though some may tune into the significance of scent more consciously than others, our sense of smell is intimately related to our emotions and even cognitive function and spatial awareness (Fifth Sense, 2021). Furthermore, appealing scents enhance…
Aviva Romm’s Gentle Evening Tea
We are delighted to welcome Dr. Aviva Romm, physician, herbalist, mother, and midwife, as she shares this gentle evening tea, a calming blend that makes every evening a celebration! In this blend, Aviva includes three familiar herbs and shares her blend in the video below. Aviva is the author of multiple books, including Hormone Intelligence,…
Baby’s First Herbal Bath Soak
A bath ritual not only provides cleansing and care for a baby, but also deep relaxation and well-being! Newborns especially feel very comfortable in warm water, as it reminds them of the protected time in the womb. In this article, you will find a recipe for a baby’s very first herbal bath soak with natural…
How to Make Lavender Wands
Extract from The Wild Craft by Catarina Seixas, published in 2022 by Hardie Grant Publishing. Photographs © Ana Zilhão Some years ago, while exploring an old, abandoned house, I opened a drawer and found a lavender wand inside. I brought it up to my nose and instinctively inhaled the sweet fragrance deeply, even though the passing…
Lavender-Lemon Balm Lemonade
Summer is here and so is the time for long hours of gardening, hiking, picnics, and other outdoor activities and events! So what better way to stay hydrated during the day than with a homemade herbal lemonade? The following herbal lemonade recipe is perfect to cool down on a late afternoon, relax the body, and…
DIY Spring Herb Salve With Lavender, Calendula, and Rose
Fresh slow-infused calendula drips through a strainer sending drops of gold liquid splashing to the bottom of the glass. Next to it a jar filled with sweet lavender oil fills the room with a soothing aroma. A glittering of copper paints the wall as the sun hits the lid to my rose-infused oil. This right…
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…
Stress-be-Gone Herbal Bath for New Moms
This relaxing herbal bath blend for the new mother is composed of three well-known aromatic nervines: chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flower, lavender (Lavandula spp.) flower, and linden (Tilia spp.) flower and bracts. Nervines are herbs and botanicals that have a direct effect on the nervous system in some way, including reducing stress and anxiety and bringing…
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…
11 Herbs of King Arthur’s England
In southwest England, in Somerset, sits the town of Glastonbury, a quaint historical town that has been inhabited since 7th millennium BCE (Glastonbury, n.d.). This area has always felt magical to many people as it’s thought by some to be the location of the magical island of Avalon from the famous King Arthur tale that…
5 Child-Friendly Herbs For Topical Use
If you have children (or if you’ve ever been a child, for that matter), you’re familiar with all of the common childhood ailments, from colds and flu to basic boo-boos (like cuts, scrapes, and bruises). As a mother of two, there are a handful of herbs and very simple-to-make topical remedies that I like to…
9 Edible Flowers And How To Use Them
The use of edible flowers in cooking is an act of pure earthly delight! Fragrance and sheer beauty combine to create a truly sensually scrumptious experience right on your plate. You may be surprised to learn that there are a wide variety of flowers to enjoy. Discover how to enjoy using edible flowers and take…
Lavender Sachets and Dream Pillows
A delightful, calming herb, lavender is a great addition to any home during the holidays. Lavender sachets and dream pillows are a very simple yet lovely craft which can be whipped up in a snap as a last minute gift. Whether used to impart a fragrance to clothes or as a nighttime companion, lavender provides a gentle aroma…
Bedtime Herbal Bath Recipe with Linden, Catnip, Lavender, and More
In the very depths of winter, the world becomes sleepy. This cold, dark season is a time for introspection and resting before the life bursts forth again in the spring. Taking good care to get healthy sleep is an important part of self-care. Use this herbal bath recipe which is filled with relaxing herbs to help provide gentle…
7 Herbs to Use for Better Sleep
I used to be a chronic insomniac. I spent many years experimenting with various herbal supports – the following 7 herbs were what I found to be the most effective. Using Herbs for Better Sleep Lavender The soothing effects of lavender have been documented to help everything from hair loss (alopecia) to skin irritation. However, it’s…
Lavender-Infused Oil and Sugar Scrub Recipes
Summer has always been my favorite season. I just love the warmth of the sun, the gardens that come alive, the meadows that fill with wild flowers, birds, and butterflies, and the farmers markets that offer the best of the summer growing season. I enjoy tending my herb gardens as well as the perennial and cut flower…