herbs

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

by

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

by

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.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

Herbs and Essential Oils for Love

by

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🌿

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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

A Weed Lover’s Manifesto — The Herb Society of America Blog

by

By Andrea Jackson I love weeds. There, I said it. Don’t worry, I do pull them (there’s a reason why they’re called weeds, after all), but I am much more likely to make a tincture or a salve or something good (yes, good) to eat than to discard them completely. After all, weeds were really […]

A Weed Lover’s Manifesto — The Herb Society of America Blog

Rose Water DIY

by

Rose water is lovely to have around for both drinking and using externally in beauty products. Rose is specific to the heart chakra is known to ease depression, anxiety, and grief. It can also relieve headaches, especially those caused by stress. Externally, rose is a skin healer and rejuvenate-r. It is great for mature skin, as well as skin that has blemishes, scars, eczema, rosacea, sunburn, and on and on. Basically, if you have skin, rose water is good for it. In the summer I like to have a little spray bottle of rose water in the fridge for fresh spritzes during the day. I also use it in homemade toners, in a proportion of 50% witch hazel and 50% rose water. It’s easy to make and there is plenty of room for variation. For drinking, rose petals combine well with strawberries for some infused water goodness, or try sprigs of lavender with rose petals in water for a true stress reducing combination.

rose water ingredients

The fastest way to make rose water is to make an infusion on the stove top. This is fine for external uses and in a pinch if you need to drink rose water in a hurry, but I recommend the cold method for rose water if you have a night of sleep to spare. The hot method makes a browner version, while the cold method makes a pure, translucent, rose water.

Hot method beginning
Hot method ending

For the hot method, use half the amount of rose petals as distilled water, (example: 1/2 cup rose petals with 1 cup distilled water,) bring to a near boil but not quite, then simmer until the color drains from the petals into the water which doesn’t take long. You can do the whole process in half an hour. Strain using cheese cloth over a metal strainer so you can easily squeeze out the rose petals. A coffee filter works well if you don’t have a cheese cloth.

Cold method beginning
Cold method ending

The cold method involves the same proportions, but honestly if you want a less potent rose water just use less petals. This is an herbal craft so variation is both expected and encouraged. Place the rose petals and distilled water (half the rose petals as water, so 1/2 cup rose petals to 1 cup distilled water for example) in a glass jar and let it sit overnight. In the morning the color and healing benefits will have moved from the petals into the water. Strain as described above, pictured below.

rose water straining

There are so many ways to enjoy herbs that it’s hard to imagine them not a part of everyone’s life in some way. They offer so much health, beauty, and joy, and it is my greatest hope that you have a variety of ways to have them as part of your life too.

Thank you for reading! Let me know if you make some rose water and if so, what you do with it~ I’d love to hear! 🌹🌹🌹

Trikatu for Digestion

by

I tend to think of trikatu as the sibling of triphala, which I wrote about here. Both are ayurvedic combinations of three herbs which tonify the digestive system. Triphala is for the later end of digestion, toning the intestines and aiding in regularity, while trikatu is for the beginning of the digestive process with firing up the stomach in order to digest food successfully. There is a difference in who should take these formulas though, as triphala is generally safe and helpful for all people while trikatu has a more narrow market it is suitable for. The combination of ginger, pipali (long pepper), and black pepper make it a fiery herbal combo that suits those who have weak digestion and low acid creation. In other words, if you have heartburn, this is not the herbal supplement for you. In ayurvedic terms, if you are a vata or especially kapha predominant person who tends towards coldness and wetness with bloating and a sense of stagnation in your stomach after a meal, then this could be for you. Pitta predominant people (say that three times fast!) should not take trikatu unless told to do so by an ayurvedic professional.

Trikatu is much less well known than triphala, at least here in the U.S., which makes sense since the modern U.S. lifestyle stokes pitta elements in such an overwhelming way that even vata or kapha predominant people can have pitta imbalances such as heartburn and inflammation 🔥. It can be found online though (I’ve never seen it sold at a brick and mortar) and some reputable companies I like are Himalaya and Organic India. It is always important to buy herbs from reputable companies as we have all heard of the herbal supplements marketed and sold out there which have little to none of the herbs in them that they are said to. Stick with quality and not the lowest price with herbs and considering herbs are generally not that expensive to begin with, it should be considered a small investment in yourself.

Take trikatu at the beginning of a meal, much like you would enzymes or bitters. You can even take trikatu up to a half hour before a meal with a large glass of water, but be sure the water is room temperature and not ice water. Ayurveda teaches that cold water reduces the digestive fire so that would be counterproductive.

If you have any experience with taking trikatu, let me know! I’d love to hear about it.