At this time of year, I regularly return to the “Thanksgiving Address” …

I find journal notes helpful.

The short answer is “No!”.

A longer answer is that the most functional medicine cabinets contain ingredients that meet the wants and needs of those for whom they’re intended.

As springtime temperatures tease us into a season full of new adventure, we can pause and take a moment to ask ourselves, ‘Are we ready?’. Are we really ready? …

It’s both an interesting and amusing question, is water a medicinal herb? A medicinal herb is any plant including trees, shrubs, algae, and fungi of which the whole or part (leaf, stem, flower, fruit, seed, bark, root, sap, or resin) has medicinal properties.

When we explore medicinal herbs across a variety of traditions, we also see a reliance on minerals and animal products in many forms.

Many people don’t yet understand how to support their own health over both the short and long terms.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes five flavors. In Ayurvedic Medicine there are six; in Cherokee Medicine seven and David Winston* teaches about 10 flavors.

There are many words that we speak as herbalists which are specific to our work with people and plants.

Beginning an herbal journey does not require an expensive suite of tools.

Work life! Being an herbalist is the best and most wonderful mix for me for 10,000 reasons. If I listed them all, this would indeed be a very long journal entry. Instead, I hope that the highlights that follow offer some insight.

Let’s not forget that the skin is the largest organ in the body ~ We can rely on our skin to absorb/adsorb the medicinal qualities of our tea as we reap the benefits.

“What’s a “good sized” herbal storehouse?” I get that question a lot. “What herbs should I get?”

As herbalists, we employ a lot of skills from planting to dispensing, from calculating costs to refilling herbal formulas.

When it comes to studying herbalism, starting from wherever we are recognizes our individuality and our life experiences.

One would think that all herbal monographs would be the same, embracing the details of an herb, from A to Z. However (!), this is not the case, and personally, I think the heterogeneity is absolutely marvelous.

… Think about establishing a joyous routine! … (read more)

Is oral care INTERESTING? … Imagine! (read more …)

I first met Alice in the summer of 2006 after receiving her letter typed on onion skin paper and asking that we come together as “plantswomen”. She was 81.

There is an inseparable link between our mouths, our oral microbiomes & the health of our bodies!

Mark your calendars: February …