The Holistic Herbalism Podcast

Latest Episodes:

[REPLAY] Resilience Not Dogma Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at the end of the month!
Katja shares a hard-fought lesson: that health is not equivalent to merit, and that as herbalists it’s important for us to stay away from idea that there is A Right Way and We Know It. Instead our role should be to offer a wide variety of tools to try that can help build greater resilience, and provide guidance on those the client is most interested in. Herbs help out in a variety of ways to compensate for the impacts of a suboptimal situation.

Mentioned in this podcast:

The Twenty-Four Hour Mind, Rosalind D. Cartwright – An elucidation of the mood-regulating functions of dreaming and the importance of dreams in our emotional lives.
Behave, Robert Sapolsky – A cross-discipline deep dive into the current best scientific understanding of the complex web of interactions we call human behavior.
Four Keys To Holistic Herbalism – our free mini-course outlining the fundamental determinants of health and the basic philosophy behind our approach to herbalism.

We really appreciate it if you can take the time to subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

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Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

[REPLAY] How Herbs Enhance Holistic Lifestyle Interventions Aug 14, 2020

Show notes

In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at the end of the month!

This week we're airing a replay, but it's one you may not have heard yet even if you've followed our podcast from the start. That's because this episode originally aired on the HerbRally podcast - it was episode 102 over there, and it aired in December 2018.
This one's about a fundamental idea that shapes our practice from top to bottom: that herbs are more effective when paired with holistic lifestyle interventions to accomplish shared health goals.
We really appreciate it if you can take the time to subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

[REPLAY] Alternatives to Adaptogens for Burnout Aug 09, 2020

Show notes

In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at the end of the month! This week we're running a replay of episode 014 from February 2018.
Adaptogens are marketed as a solution to stress, burnout, hormonal imbalances, and a lot more. They can help a lot! But they’re not always appropriate. Today we discuss a few cases in which adaptogens might not be the best solution for feelings of burnout and exhaustion, and offer some alternative herbs you might consider instead.

We really appreciate it if you can take the time to subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

[REPLAY] Vacation Is Mandatory & Jiaogulan Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at the end of the month! This week we're running a replay of episode 032 from June 2018.

Katja this week reflects on a bit of wisdom surrounding downtime, and on the ways in which stress management can sometimes be the most difficult of our fundamental pillars of health, or the one that gets sacrificed first. Ryn shares his love of jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum), a particularly excellent adaptogen for the dry and tense people in your life.

Herbs discussed this week include our Wedding Tea blend – wood betony, tulsi, rose, spearmint, & violet – along with jiaogulan, goji, & kelp.
We really appreciate it if you can take the time to subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Accessible Herbalism for Sleep Jul 26, 2020

Show notes

We work with herbs for sleep improvement purposes very frequently, because sleep is so critical to good health. During sleep, your body works through a to-do list, including: detoxification, hormone ‘balancing’, wound healing, muscle growth, immune surveillance, fat burning, clearing inflammation, cleaning wastes from the brain, and even mood regulation!

Lots of things in the modern world interfere with sleep, and lots of people have insomnia or sleep disruptions of one kind or another. Since sleep is so important to stay healthy, it’s a big problem when you can’t get enough quality rest. But your body is resilient, and herbs can help!

We’re sharing strategies in two categories:

What to do when you can’t fall asleep. A few new bedtime habits and some supportive herbs can we make the transition from waking to sleep easier & smoother.
What to do when you can’t get more sleep than you’re already getting. This is about finding other ways to support what the body would normally be doing during sleep time. Herbs can help reduce the sleep time to-do list & make the body more efficient at getting through it. They can also help out as we build resilience to stress – including the stress of sleep debt.

Herbs discussed include: chamomile, wild lettuce, tulsi, peppermint, cinnamon, nettle, dandelion, hibiscus, green/black tea, cayenne.

This is part 6 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors. The safe, accessible tools of holistic herbalism can fill in the gaps left by uneven access and affordability of conventional care. Working with easy-to-find, inexpensive herbs, with low risk of adverse effects and drug interactions, is something anyone can do.

We’re building a community health collective organizing tool out of this material as we go through the series. You can learn more about the project and find all the collected resources here:

Mutual Aid Resources

As always, please subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Accessible Herbalism for Pain Management Jul 17, 2020

Show notes

“Pain is a signal to change your behavior.” This motto comes from our friend the herbalist Tammi Sweet, and perfectly sums up the holistic approach to working with herbs for pain. Something’s gotta change!

In this episode we’re particularly focusing on recurring & chronic pain, but these strategies help acute pain as well. What we want to do is threefold. First, let’s change the pain signal – we can slow it down, or overwhelm it with other signals. Second, we need to quell excessive inflammation, because while inflammation is a necessary part of healing, too much or too long and it can slow healing down, or even initiate pain on its own. And last, we’ll need to release tension, since tension too can drive pain or impair recovery.

As usual we’ve got strategies that revolve around making healthy changes to food, movement, and sleep habits. Less sugar, more veggies, some walking & stretching, good restorative sleep: these are foundational necessities. Herbs for pain – and seaweeds too! (order seaweed online here) – multiply and deepen the effects of these interventions.

Herbs discussed include: chamomile, ginger, kelp & red seaweeds, wild lettuce.

This is part 5 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors. The safe, accessible tools of holistic herbalism can fill in the gaps left by uneven access and affordability of conventional care. Working with easy-to-find, inexpensive herbs, with low risk of adverse effects and drug interactions, is something anyone can do.

We’re building a community health collective organizing tool out of this material as we go through the series. You can learn more about the project and find all the collected resources here:

Mutual Aid Resources

As always, please subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Accessible Herbalism for Weight Management Jul 11, 2020

Show notes

The holistic approach to herbalism for weight management doesn’t start with a search for “fat-burning herbs”. Instead, we focus on building health first & foremost. As we build good health, losing weight becomes easier and more permanent.

In this episode we’ll explain why it’s hard to lose weight – there’s an evolutionary, physiological basis for it. It’s not just about calories in & calories out! Weight management can be stalled by issues with the thyroid & other hormones, insufficient sleep, and even meal timing.

Of course, what’s in the meals matters too! Unforunately, the food that’s most easily available & cheap isn’t what’s healthy. The good news is, it is possible to eat healthy on a budget. Try reading through our tips for finding low-cost high-quality food, for a start.

And there are helpful herbs for weight management too. Medicinal plants can help on a hormonal level, reduce sugar cravings and improving the hormonal aspects of blood sugar regulation. Herbs and seaweeds (order seaweed online here) can also provide a ton of nourishment – vitamins, minerals, plant-powered antioxidants, and lots more – in case you didn’t or couldn’t get enough vegetables and nourishing foods.

(Our discussion of herbs starts around 41:10 if you’ve got food, sleep, & movement all dialed in and just want to hear about the plants.)

Herbs discussed include: cinnamon, tulsi, kelp & red seaweeds, nettle, dandelion, & parsley.

This is part 4 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors. The safe, accessible tools of holistic herbalism can fill in the gaps left by uneven access and affordability of conventional care. Working with easy-to-find, inexpensive herbs, with low risk of adverse effects and drug interactions, is something anyone can do.

We’re building a community health collective organizing tool out of this material as we go through the series. You can learn more about the project and find all the collected resources here:

Mutual Aid Resources

As always, please subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Accessible Herbalism for Edema Jul 06, 2020

Show notes

Edema is stuck fluid: stagnant blood and lymph that isn’t flowing the way it should be. Puffy ankles and swollen fingers are just two ways this might show up for someone. It’s not just cosmetic – stagnations like this impair wound healing and healthy cellular function, and can put strain on the heart and kidneys. Fortunately, there are many common and inexpensive herbs for edema, and some of them might already be in your kitchen! You can start today to drain the excess fluid and restore healthy conditions to the body.

Along with a bit more movement and some changes to the diet, herbs can help with edema in a variety of ways. Some of them stimulate the kidneys to filter out more fluid from the body. Others give the blood circulation a kick, to disperse pooled fluids. Certain herbs even help to circulate lymph, the “second” circulatory system in the body. And of course, there are topical astringents that can work on the outward expressions of puffiness, restoring healthy skin tone.

Herbs discussed include: dandelion, parsley, nettle, calendula, red clover, ginger, garlic, witch hazel, willow, oak, rose.

This is part 3 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors. The safe, accessible tools of holistic herbalism can fill in the gaps left by uneven access and affordability of conventional care. Working with easy-to-find, inexpensive herbs, with low risk of adverse effects and drug interactions, is something anyone can do.

We’re building a community health collective organizing tool out of this material as we go through the series. You can learn more about the project and find all the collected resources here:

Mutual Aid Resources

As always, please subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Accessible Herbalism for Diabetes Jun 28, 2020

Show notes

Diabetes is very common and can lead to a number of serious health issues. Holistic methods can improve diabetes by correcting what’s wrong at the source: too much sugar in the blood. These methods will include making changes to the diet – reducing sugar and refined carbs, getting more vegetables – as well as building more movement into your day.

Working with herbs for diabetes doesn’t have to be difficult. Simple common spices and herbs you may already have in your kitchen can help out a lot! Herbs can improve your blood sugar regulation, and your blood circulation – and herbs can reduce sugar cravings, too! Listen in to learn how to get started today.

Herbs discussed include: cinnamon, tulsi, parsley, mulberry, blueberry/bilberry.

This is part 2 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors. The safe, accessible tools of holistic herbalism can fill in the gaps left by uneven access and affordability of conventional care. Working with easy-to-find, inexpensive herbs, with low risk of adverse effects and drug interactions, is something anyone can do.

We’re building a community health collective organizing tool out of this material as we go through the series. You can learn more about the project and find all the collected resources here:

Mutual Aid Resources

As always, please subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Accessible Herbalism for High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol Jun 20, 2020

Show notes

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two very common cardiovascular issues that you can safely improve with herbs. You can reduce your risk and improve your resilience with inexpensive medicinal plants and foods. These safe, abundant herbs can help release stress-induced tension, reduce fluid retention, and protect against the inner damage that drives cholesterol up. With a little more (or different) movement in your day, and a little more sleep at night, they’ll work even better!

Herbs discussed include: chamomile, tulsi, dandelion, parsley, garlic, hibiscus.

This is part 1 in our Accessible Herbalism series! We’re sharing strategies for safely improving some of the most common health concerns, especially for marginalized communities. We want to empower people to take action in support of their own health and the health of their neighbors. The safe, accessible tools of holistic herbalism can fill in the gaps left by uneven access and affordability of conventional care. Working with easy-to-find, inexpensive herbs, with low risk of adverse effects and drug interactions, is something anyone can do.

We’re building a community health collective organizing tool out of this material as we go through the series. You can learn more about the project and find all the collected resources here:

Mutual Aid Resources

As always, please subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen, so others can find it more easily. Thank you!!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

You can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!