herbs

5 Ways to Incorporate More Herbs into Your Daily Life

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Herbs host powerful health boosting nutrients. At the very least they all have vitamins, minerals, and fiber that support optimum health. Additionally, each herb has unique affinities for specific areas and/or systems of the body which it supports, and they can contain ingredients that aid digestion, fight viruses, bacteria, and other toxins, boost immunity and even support beauty and healthy aging.  

Herbs can be placed on a continuum from food to medicine, and fall anywhere on it depending on how much is taken, how often, and for how long. For example, let’s look at turmeric. If you drink golden milk once, it’ll probably be a pleasurable food experience with possibly some immediately felt benefits. If you drink it every day, that moves it a bit towards the medicine end of the scale because the opportunity for long-term benefits is there in terms of anti-inflammatory actions, digestive aid, and joint pain. If you have it everyday plus take in turmeric through curries a few times per week, and maybe add in some turmeric supplements, then there is potential for even more pronounced affects which nudges the turmeric even further towards medicine. The more we incorporate herbs into our lives, the more benefits we will notice in our health and wellbeing.

Here are some ways to add these health boosters to your day that can be easily incorporated into what you already do.

  1. Add tinctures, syrups, and/or glycerites to the drinks you already consume. Hot teas, coffee, smoothies, cocktails, juice, all can handle tinctures. For example, if you want to boost immunity you can add elderberry syrup or astragalus tincture to a drink.
  2. Add powdered herbs to your smoothies or other drinks. Smoothies are a great way to incorporate powdered herbs and tinctures both, and you don’t have to choose between them. I always switch my adaptogen mixes every month or two, and add digestive spices to the mixes as well. Powdered tulsi is a great herb to add to tea or coffee. Try 1/2 teaspoon per cup.
  3. Add fresh herbs to your salads and sandwiches. Do you love basil? Use the fresh leaves in your salad or as part of your greens mix on a sandwich. Are you team cilantro? (I know it’s either you love it or hate it and I’m a big fan myself.) Add the fresh leaves to your rice noodle soups or on tacos. When you think of herbs as ‘greens’ you can start to find ways to use them along with your lettuces and spinach.
  4. Add dried or fresh herbs to soups, sauces, stir-fries, etc, including the foods you aren’t making from scratch. Just because you are using canned or frozen food, doesn’t mean you can’t add some thyme and oregano! A bouquet garni is an option for using fresh herbs in soups, or if you are roasting or steaming veggies, add an herb or two along with the salt and pepper.
  5. Drink at least one herbal tea (a tisane) per day. This is easily done with yogi teas or traditional medicinals, or a plethora of other herbal teas companies out there, or you can make your own. I tend to drink a digestive, detox, or relaxation tea in the evenings after dinner. It’s a ritual that settles me down and I usually put a teaspoon of a tincture or glycerite in the cup as well.

When we incorporate herbs into our daily habits, we move closer to holistic health. Ideally, these herbal additions will help prioritize health and taste on a daily level and move us out of thinking in modern medicine terms of ‘take this herb for that problem” which is how many people first approach herbs. (Totally understandable! It’s the paradigm we live in.) Herbs don’t work that way though, or at least that is not how they work best. They are part of a holistic paradigm and it takes time to understand the subtle shift in thinking that is required to make the most of herbs in your life. The effort in exploring that shift is more than worth it though, and quite tasty and pleasurable too!

Herbally Yours,

Kristen🌿

Evening tea and me

Slow Health – a Continuing Conversation

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The other day I was looking through some of my older blog posts and this one from 2018 surprised me with this foreshadowing statement (the italics are new):

Technology, and especially social media, are pushing images and information onto us and into us at an ever-increasing rate, leaving everyone a little on edge, if not completely frantic, and feeling always and forever behind. The laws haven’t kept up so how could our long-evolved emotions, our sense of time and space, our ideas of community, morality, humanity? They haven’t had the time and the future certainly isn’t carving out space for us to collectively take a time out and regroup, unless something major happens which certainly wouldn’t be pretty, so the best thing I can think to do is to try to be mindful of it all and not get swept up and away into the vacuum of a false reality.

The pandemic lockdowns certainly shook up our perspectives quite a bit, and one thing that seems to have amplified is polarization. People have been picking sides, as if there are only two options: follow modern medical protocol, or use only natural methods to keep oneself healthy. Anyone who claims there is only one right way to move through this quickly changing landscapeof the pandemic is clinging to a notion that there is a truth and they know it and it keep them afloat in this storm despite the flood of (mis)information. I understand the need to feel some control in this new situation, but clinging to one notion can become a sinking weight instead of a safety float.

I absolutely believe we can and should do all we can naturally to keep ourselves healthy. I think of this as ‘Slow Health” in the model of Slow Foods, where we each our accountable for the foods we eat, the activities we engage in, our rest and well-being, and the herbs and supplements we incorporate into our lives. This is long-term thinking with an adult mindset, able to distinguish and choose between what we want now, and what want most, with the understanding that we need to keep in touch with our changing needs, aging bodies, and shifting priorities. We are accountable for all our choices in life, so why wouldn’t we be accountable for self-care? Yet in our modern paradigm it is common for that responsibility to have shifted solely to the doctors and other health professionals so fully that it seems we forget we are the ones who have to live with our bodies, minds, and emotions, and we along with everyone in our lives are the ones who are affected by our emotional, mental, and physical health. In the ages before this modern time, people, mainly the women, knew how to support their and their families’ health through the seasons and over the years, but there were also always healers in the communities to offer additional tonics, support and guidance, and perhaps a chant, prayer, or ritual, depending on the time and place in history we are discussing. There have always been times when above and beyond actions are needed, such as when there is a broken bone involved, cancer has taken hold, or a deadly virus has shut down the world. Modern medicine is not perfect but it is a system based on vigorous scientific research and the Hippocratic oath and it’s essential to recognize we are blessed to have this tool when needed. It seems so odd to me to see “natural health experts” claiming modern medicine is evil or junk or untrustworthy when they are using modern technology build on the same scientific principals to shout their messages. It’s science that created computers, science that made social media possible, and science that built all the modern technology that we use all day long without even thinking about it. This all to say that when it comes to optimal health, there is no black and white choice between being ‘all natural’ or being a believer in modern medicine.

The more we integrate the lessons of history with the advances of today, the more we can evolve and create a better world. Personally I hope that means a slower world, where everyone has the chance to connect with themselves, nature, and their communities, and make healthy decisions that support their long term goals and the health of the planet. That certainly is a viewpoint that leans more towards the lifestyles of the past, but modern medicine and modern technology are useful tools that can be used for positive gains. Jumping on every new app or technology won’t foster that kind of thoughtful, pursposeful living, but thinking through what you truly value and want in your life on adaily basis is available to you and will ideally allow for the right mix of technology and non-technology to support you without distracting and overwhelming you. That’s my goal anyway. And I’m totally down with chants, prayers, and rituals being thrown in for good measure too. (Did you know those chants and prayers over herbal concoctions were how time was passed down in oral traditions? They didn’t have watches back then so “stir for 45 seconds” tuned into something like, “stir while saying three Hail Marys”. Pretty clever, eh?) Who’s to say that we can’t have it all?

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season and taking time to experience the twinkling moments to their fullest.

Repost from Halloween 2019

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Herbs for Halloween

October 30, 2019 by Kristen

In doing some research for the ESL class I teach, I found out some interesting things about Halloween. Most people know the beginnings of Halloween started as Samhain by the Celts and was brought to the USA by Irish immigrants, but what was news to me was the story behind “Trick-or-Treat-ing”. Apparently, as my reputable web sources tell me, it was common to do pranks on Halloween night which during the 1930s depression turned into all out sanctioned hooliganism. It became downright dangerous so people started setting out food to bribe the youngsters (usually teens) to leave their property alone. As that bribery took hold, the greeting became ‘trick or treat’. It was at this same time that there was also a public effort to make Halloween a less scary (and dangerous) night, and more about parties, candy, and costumes. This is how we’ve ended up with superheroes, princesses, and cuddly critters roaming the streets instead of solely ghosts, werewolves, and other terrifying creatures. Of course that’s just for the kids. Any adult female knows that they are supposed to look like a hyper-sexual version of something, anything~ a cat, a housekeeper, a chicken nugget, whatever, but I digress.

Herbs have been used since the beginning of humanity to ward off sickness from colds to plagues, but they have also been used to keep away evil spirits, witches, vampires, elf pranksters, ghosts, and all manners of bad juju. Of course some herbs have been used to invite these entities near, but more often the action has been repulsion, not an e-vite. Oftentimes the herbs used for potent anti-microbial aspects are the same ones used to keep the supernatural entities away, such as garlic. Garlic has a long history of repelling vampires and witches alike, and is of course a strong germ fighter in every sense. According to the Herb Society for America,  in Sanskrit garlic represents “slayer of monsters,” and hanging it around your door brings good fortune.

Another herb that can be hung around your door for keeping evil spirits and witches away is fennel. Of course your door frame might be getting crowded so perhaps planting some near your front door that you can actually use in your kitchen might be a more modern and functional way to go. Fennel is excellent for gas and bloating.

While you are planting front yard herbs (or potted planters by your front door), you might want to consider rue which also has a reputation for protection against evil, trickery, and witchcraft. Salespeople will ‘rue’ the day they approached your home!

Mugwort is an herb known for helping one to remember their dreams and perhaps even facilitate lucid dreaming. It also has been traditionally used as a protective herb against evil spirits, and according to The Herb Exchange, St. John the Baptist wore a girdle of mugwort for protection in the wilderness.  This is an herb that is generally burned as incense before bed for the dreaming effect, or worn in a sachet for protective use.

And the last one I’ll mention is the magical Elder tree. This legendary tree is a protective keeper-away-of-all-evil and was revered by the druids who considered the tree to be inhabited by an old sage soul. This is the same tree that has the reputation of being a gateway to the land of the fairies and it is considered quite lucky to have one growing on your property, just don’t cut off a branch or even a twig because that is considered bad luck! Gathering the fallen twigs or branches is perfectly fine though and can bring protection into your home.

Enjoy your holiday and although I’m honestly not really feeling into Halloween this year, I do like the holiday and a good costume. Isak Dinesen wrote: “Truth is for the tailors and shoemakers…I, on the contrary, have always held that the Lord has a penchant for masquerades.” Happy Halloween. masked

Documentary Series that is Free this Weekend (6.12-6.13.2021)

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This is a documentary series by Nick Polizzi that has been airing for free with an option to buy it and have it forever. If you are interested in any of the below the topics, you can watch the episode(s) free this weekend at this link: https://proven.thesacredscience.com/proven-replay-page. Basically they all talk about the latest therapies that have studies and proof behind them in these various health areas. Herbs are discussed, as is nutrition, movement and exercise, and many other modalities. I’ve watched a couple and they are interesting so thought I’d share.

Episode 1: The Root Cause Of All Disease

Episode 2: Reversing Autoimmune Disorders & Healing Your Gut


Episode 3: Brain Health & Restoring Cognitive Function


Episode 4: Solving Fatigue & Insomnia

Episode 5: Healing Heart Disease, Diabetes and Obesity

Episode 6: Overcoming Pain


Episode 7: Healing Emotional And Physical Trauma

Episode 8: Cancer Breakthroughs


Episode 9: Intimacy, Fertility and Hormone Health

Let me know if you watch any of the episodes and what you think!

DIY Herbal Oil Quick Method

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Happy Equinox Weekend everyone! I decided to make some video tutorials that correspond with recipes in my book since the pictures aren’t necessarily step-by-step visuals of the process. I haven’t made a how-to video in over a year so this one is pretty rough. I’m feeling inspired to get back into the groove though so it feels significant that I restarted on Spring Equinox. This corresponds to page 94 of my book.

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Herbs and Essential Oils for Love

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This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission or other incentive for purchases made through these links.

Happy Valentine’s weekend! If you are snowed in and worried about not having a gift yet, my post about making your gifts might come in handy. Love is a full time preoccupation though so this information is hopefully for the long-term, not just on special occasions. This won’t be a NSFW post btw, it’s more of a look at how health affects our love life, especially our mental/emotional health, and what we can do to help ourselves be healthier. I was thinking along these lines for two reasons, the first being that I wanted to recommend an herb to someone who is still a teenager and I knew that particular herb was also recommended for adult men for sexual health, so I had to do a bit of research to see if it would be a problem. (I’ll give more info about that herb in a moment.) The second reason is because I’m starting to do some marketing around my book about essential oil perfumes and the topic of which essential oils are aphrodisiacs often comes up, especially this time of year. (More on that below as well.)

When it comes to herbs, although there are some recommended for aiding sexual pleasure, such as damiana (more specific to women but either gender can get benefits) and Horny Goat Weed, subtle name, I know, this one is more specific to men but again, both genders can benefit from it. The herbs that are going to provide more long-term sexual health are the ones that are going to work deeply on our stress response, anxiety, and hormones. Which herbs do that? The class of herbs that are adaptogens are the ones that will have the most long-lasting health giving affects in terms of sexual health and I’d argue, even love. Adaptogens, such as ashwagandha, eulthero, and rhodiola work on our endocrine system which houses our organs which make and transport hormones. Hormones are involved with our entire body and are responsible for our stress responses. Most people have heard of cortisol, which is the fight or flight stress hormone that is activated more than ever in our modern world, and most have heard of ‘adrenal fatigue’ from too much stress responders firing at all times. Stress plays a huge role in not only our health, but also our relationships. Any bartender can attest to the aphrodisiac affects of lowering stress through having a drink or two, and this is often the go-to way to socialize and date. Taking adaptogenic herbs can help the body have more moderate and healthy stress responses and also recover from stress more quickly, and by stress I mean all kinds, such as physical, mental, emotional, financial, environmental, relationship, and on and on. It’s no wonder we could use some extra herbal support and rely on alcohol as much as we do! I’m not knocking alcohol by the way, but the more we can do for ourselves on a daily basis that has multiple bonus benefits, then we won’t need alcohol quite so much which has multiple negative side effects.

The herb I was talking about above that I questioned if a teen should take is ashwagandha, and the conclusion I came to was yes, teens can take it. (Though if you have a teen with a high libido already, choose a different adaptogen.) This is an herb traditionally used to balance emotions and moods, improve well-being, reduce stress, improve focus and dispel brain fog. It is often also used in men’s ED herbal products and can increase libido. Ashwagandha should be avoided by those with hyperthryoidism. To learn more about adaptogens, I have a free mini-class about them that you can access through the classes tab on the top of the page.

This is getting to be a rather long read so I might make a video as a companion, but in the meantime I’ll just bullet point other herbs to consider:

For women~ Raspberry leaf is overall reproductive health tonic, as is shatavari which roughly translates to “having many husbands”. Damiana was mentioned above, and having the tea of it with cinnamon can be a great way to try it out.

For men~ Saw Palmetto (remember this was the hot herb for prostate cancer for a while) is an overall sexual health tonic. Gingko Biloba can help with ED. Horny Goat Weed has already been mentioned but bears repeating. Pine has traditionally been used to help with low testosterone.

For everyone~ Eleuthero can strengthen the reproductive system and is another adaptogen. Ginseng is only recommended for adults and in Asian countries it often only given to adults over 60. (I’ve also read over the age of 40 so it depends, I assume, on what country we are talking about.) It is known as a libido and energy enhancer but is not to be taken long term nor by those with high blood pressure. Two months on, one month off, is a traditional way to take it, but listen to your body. Cacao is a relaxing mood booster which is often included in aphrodisiac concoctions.

Essential oils:

The focus should be on what relaxes you and makes you feel good. There are some that are traditional aphrodisiacs, but, just as above where the focus is on stress relief, essential oils can aid in relaxation and help fight anxiety which, let’s face it, is often involved in dating and relationships. The more you can take anxiety out of the equation, the more open you are to your intuition, to the other person, and to the reality of what is taking place. If you are operating in a state of stress and anxiety, you are not going to be your authentic self and will instead be either performing in hopes of being chosen, or so focused on being chosen that you hide your true self and ignore red flags. Being relaxed and in a state of authenticity is how to best connect without losing yourself. Essential oils can help you do that by diffusing them or wearing them as perfume, and I mean all the essential oils. Whatever resonates for you will be supportive to you, and will help you show up ready for the connection in front of you and not creating a false storyline due to stress and anxiety. Notice I said supportive, not a cure-all. If you have chronic anxiety or other mental/emotional issues, please seek the advice of a therapist and/or doctor.

Traditional Aphrodisiac essential oils:

Vanilla, although not a true essential oil, has been rated the number one aphrodisiac scent and is also known as a relaxing scent. I use it by making the base of my perfumes either vanilla extract or vanilla oil, and add vanilla absolute to the oil based perfumes. Rose essential oil is known for supporting all kinds of love and heart chakra health. Jasmine is a scent associated with romance, and the spicy essential oils like cinnamon and nutmeg can indeed add spice to your love life.

Thank you for reading and Happy Lunar New Year too!🐂🎆🎇

Botanical Artist Opportunity🌿

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Calling All Artists and Designers — The Herb Society of America Blog

The Herb Society of America is Seeking Design Art! Organizers for the Virtual Educational Conference and Annual Meeting of Members (EdCon) to be held June 10th – 12th, 2021, invite artists and designers of all ages and abilities to submit artwork for consideration for the 2021 EdCon logo. The theme is, of course, HERBS! To […]

Calling All Artists and Designers — The Herb Society of America Blog

HSA Webinar: Hamlet’s Poison: The Mystery of Hebanon & Shakespeare’s Other Deadly Plants — The Herb Society of America Blog

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By Jen Munson, HSA Education Chair ‘There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember: and there is pansies. that’s for thoughts.’ (Hamlet 4.5.248) William Shakespeare’s poetic plays are filled with dramatic imagery and references to plants, herbs, trees, vegetables, and other botanicals. Shakespeare’s awareness of the botanical world was near the level of herbalists of […]

HSA Webinar: Hamlet’s Poison: The Mystery of Hebanon & Shakespeare’s Other Deadly Plants — The Herb Society of America Blog

This👆 look like such a good webinar! It’s free for Herb Society of America members and $5 for nonmembers. I am thinking of taking it myself and would love to hear if you tune in too! The only issue I have with the announcement though is where it says that Shakespeare’s herbal knowledge was ‘near the level of herbalists’, because everyone back then had herbal knowledge and Shakespeare would not have used esoteric things in his plays since he wanted them to be widely understood. Maybe she meant his knowledge rivals modern day herbalists…? Even so, that wasn’t unique to him, despite the man being beyond brilliant and the greatest contributor to English in the entire history of the English language, his herbal knowledge was simply on par with the times. Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone still had this knowledge? I can’t imagine how different that would make our modern world…it’d make it better, that’s for sure.

What are you doing for Halloween this year? Our neighborhood is filled with cute decorations but I don’t think there will be many costumed visitors.

Take care friends! 🎃

Adaptogens Reminder

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It’s been a while since I wrote about adaptogens but if any year could use some adaptogenic help, 2020 surely is it. Adaptogens have that word ‘adapt’ as a root for two reasons: 1. Adaptogens help the body adapt to stress. This includes all stress such as mental, emotional, physical, and environmental stress. (More info on that further down). 2. Adaptogens adapt to the person’s needs in the body. Many herbs have adaptogenic qualities, but to be labeled first and foremost an adaptogen, the herb must ’cause no harm’ meaning most people can take adaptogens and only ever experience benefits. (There are always exceptions due to individual allergies or other personal conditions so check with your health professionals if you have any concerns.) This means if you take an adaptogen such as Tulsi (also known as Holy Basil) for its mood balancing effects but you also have low blood pressure, it will not lower your blood pressure further even though another person with high blood pressure might take the same herb to help lower theirs. These herbs are balancing and are best taken over a long period of time, mixing up the herbs instead of just taking one for years on end. The best way to take adaptogens is take one or a blend for a couple of months, then switch to a different one or blend for the next couple of months, and so on.

Back to that first point of adaptogens helping the body adapt to stress. That can sound very non-specific but all herbs have affinities for certain bodily systems, and adaptogens work mostly on and through the endocrine system. The endocrine system involves the organs that create and transport hormones, such as cortisol known for instigating the fight or flight response. Adaptogens help create balance in the hormonal system, therefore adapting to stress in healthier ways. They replenish exhausted adrenals, lessen the peaks of stresses, and are known to nourish energy levels for the same reason. If your energy is not being sharply peaked and lowered as much as what happens each time cortisol is activated, then that energy is more balanced and can support stamina better. Adaptogens are in fact used by athletes to encourage stamina and lessen recovery time.

To learn more about adaptogens and how to take them, check out my post from a couple of years ago or watch my mini-class on them for free.

Take care of yourself this crazy year in any and every way you can.

💜🌿

Lung Herbs

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If you are on the west coast, you have likely just experienced the worst air quality of your life. I don’t know how Oregon and California are doing at this point, but we’ve had rain in Washington for the last 24 hours that has thankfully cleaned the air to its almost normal freshness. This past week introduced me to a website called airnow.gov where you can track your air quality in real time. I’m kind of obsessed with that site now! Check out your zip code if you are in the U.S. and see if you are surprised by what you find. This was our smoky sky:

I was going to put together a lung herbal blend of my own, but I stumbled upon a great tincture at Whole Foods today and I’m so grateful that it exists! I will use it daily until it is empty to try to reverse some of the toxic buildup that surely happened over the many days of smoke. This blend is from a Seattle company, The Herbalist, but you can order it online as well, or perhaps your local Whole Foods carries it like mine does…? I’m not sure about that though so online might be your best option so I’ve linked to it (no affiliation). If you just want to throw together your own herbal lung blend, this product’s ingredient list is pretty much all you need to look to for the best herbs for lungs. Here’s the list: Elecampane fresh root (Inula helenium), Grindelia fresh flower & leaf (Grindelia integrifolia), Yerba Santa fresh-dried leaf (Eridictyon californicum), Pleurisy fresh-dried root (Asclepias tuberosa), Marshmallow fresh root (Althea officinalis), Usnea fresh-dried tree lichen (Usnea barbata), Lobelia fresh-dried herb (Lobelia inflata), Yerba Mansa fresh root (Anemopsis spp.), Pure grain alcohol, Distilled water.

I hope you are healthy and safe wherever you are, breathing clean air and drinking clean water. It’s a strange year and I hope everyone is holding up as best as they can. I’m honestly of the (unfortunate) opinion that these issues are here to stay though, at least for a while. We are experiencing the effects of global climate change and that includes the pandemic because overpopulation and changing climates puts wildlife and humans into closer and closer contact. I hope we can collectively take steps towards climate awareness and support laws that prioritize our environment. I’d say, ‘it’s time’ but the truth is that it is way past time.

Breathe deep. Take your herbs. XOXO