The Holistic Herbalism Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Herbalism & Mutual Aid Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

What do we want to build in place of the unjust systems we are living in? Everyone plays a role in deciding. Let’s do it consciously. The role of herbalists and of herbalism in mutual aid is to share knowledge, skills, and materials – and there are lots of ways to do it.

Community care systems have lots of moving parts, lots of places you can contribute. If we can all learn the basic skills required to care for regular problems – common infections, minor wounds, daily management of prevalent chronic illnesses – that counts for a lot. If we can also grow, share, and work with accessible herbs in every community, that’s mutual aid for real.

Herbalism as mutual aid might look like making tea and sharing it with neighbors. It might look like welcoming community members into your garden. It might look like sharing One Cool Herbal Trick that really works! But it’ll always look like a team effort if you look closely, because none of us are in this alone, and that’s the whole point.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

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Herbs for Trauma Recovery & Resistance Jun 05, 2020

Show notes

America is blanketed in righteous protests against police brutality and impunity. This is necessary. In the course of this work many people are being traumatized, whether through direct violence or by observing violence inflicted on their friends, comrades, and communities.

Herbs can’t solve systemic racism, but they can support recovery and build resistance. We can work with herbs for trauma processing and stress reduction, we can work with herbs for pain relief and tension release, we can work with herbs for comfort and self-care, and community care.

Take this information, use what helps you, share it with anyone who might need it. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, drink some tea – and keep up the good fight.

Mentioned in this episode:

Herbs discussed include: plantain, nettle, blue vervain, linden, wild lettuce, California poppy, tulsi, eleuthero, rhodiola, st john’s wort, yarrow.

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.

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

The Fifth Pillar Is Community May 30, 2020

Show notes

Our model of the primary determinants of health is the Four Pillars: food, sleep, stress, and movement. These things are in our individual control – or at least, that’s how we think of them and talk about them, most of the time. But the truth is, there’s a fifth pillar, and it can directly impact how an individual person eats, sleeps, and moves, as well as what stressors they are subject to. It’s community.

In our society, systemic oppression in the form of racism, sexism, heteronormativity, ableism, and other such forces mean that minorities and oppressed groups are subject to greater health risks than their privileged peers. This remains true even if we compare individuals with similar socioeconomic status, health history, etc. The health impacts of systemic oppression are something that holistic practitioners cannot ignore if they truly want to work to heal “the whole person”.

Our work must go beyond the individual, and address injustices at the community and societal levels.

A small sample of the research on racial health disparities and the social determinants of health:

Uprooting Institutionalized Racism as Public Health Practice, Bassett & Graves. American Journal of Public Health. 2018 April; 108(4): 457–458.
Structural racism and health inequities in the USA: evidence and interventions, Bailey et al. The Lancet. 2017; 389(10077): 1453–1463.
Vital Signs: Racial Disparities in Age-Specific Mortality Among Blacks or African Americans — United States, 1999–2015, Cunningham et al. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2017 May; 66(17): 444-456.

Resources to learn more and get involved:

Anti-racism resources for white people, compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker & Alyssa Klein
Campaign Zero – Proven policy solutions to end police violence.
Prison Policy Initiative – Research & advocacy on mass criminalization & incarceration.
Integrative Medicine for the Underserved
Toi Scott’s list of POC Healers, herbalists, herb schools, etc
Northstar Health Collective
Mutual Aid Hub – Find mutual aid networks and other community self-support projects near you!

Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.

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

This Is Not The Practice Of Medicine May 24, 2020

Show notes

The pharmaceutical model is the dominant paradigm for medicine in our culture. For those of us who grew up in this culture, it shapes our expectations of what medicine is and how medicine works. Everyone is susceptible to this, including herbalists and students of herbalism. Even if, in the front of our minds, we recognize the limits of a drug-oriented approach, it lurks in the mental undergrowth. It shapes the way we form our questions and the types of answers we look for.

In herbalism, though, we are doing something different. Herbs are not drugs, they’re herbs. Herbalists are not doctors, they’re herbalists! Understanding the differences is important because it allows us to better assess when each strategy is most appropriate. Sometimes, you do need a pharmaceutical. Sometimes, a diet change and a daily pot of tea would actually be more effective. Being able to tell the difference is what allows us to integrate holistic and conventional methods successfully.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 101: How Herbs Are Different From Drugs
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 75: Foundational Health Strategies & Evolution’s Expected Inputs
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 100: The Definitive Guide to Herbalism
Herbalism and the Law: The Practice of Medicine in Massachusetts

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.

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

A Holistic Herbal Tick Bite Protocol May 15, 2020

Show notes

Finding a tick embedded in your skin is distressing, even without the spectre of Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens. But if you find one after your next hike in the woods, don’t panic! A simple herbal tick bite protocol like the one we outline in this episode can put your mind at ease and give your body the best fighting chance.

Herbs discussed include: cat’s claw, astragalus, oregano, thyme, propolis, pine resin, echinacea, poke root, garlic, cedar/thuja, blue vervain.

If you want to learn more about our methods of working with Lyme (and other tick-borne illnesses), check out Katja’s course A Holistic Approach to Lyme Disease. It outlines strategies for all stages of the illness, from prevention through post-Lyme syndrome / chronic Lyme presentations, based on building resilience and adaptability in the body.

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.

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Support the show

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

Four Herbs for Moms May 09, 2020

Show notes

Happy mother’s day, 2020! The truth is, any herb could be an herb for moms, because not all moms are alike, in their needs or their preferences. These four, though – linden, dandelion, yarrow, and violet – are really worth knowing and sharing with the mothers in your life.

These plants are abundant, so you know you’re being sustainable and responsible. They’re resilient, and can pass that resilience on to us when we work with them. And they’re especially relevant to a mom’s life in the world today, too! Linden can help us release tension in the body and in the mind, and soothe frazzled nerves. Dandelion is irrepressible and sunny, and provides rooted nourishment when you’re feeling trampled. Yarrow is a warrior’s herb, and sometimes moms need to put on their armor and go to battle – whether that’s for the kids, or against them! 😉 And violet helps you soften your heart, remember yourself, and take delight in simple pleasures.

Whatever kind of mother you have – or whatever kind of mother you are! – we’re sure that one of these herbs for moms will be a welcome gift and become a lifelong ally.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 079: Motherwort for Mother’s Day!
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 016: Emotional Support for Mothers & Teens

One thing most moms could use help with is getting more sleep! Whether it’s worry keeping you up at night, disruptive midnight waking, or a mismatched circadian rhythm, our newest short course Holistic Help for Better Sleep has solutions for all your sleep troubles. Get some Zs and rest easy!

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!

Where Do We Go From Here, Corona? May 04, 2020

Show notes

The battle’s done, and we kind-of won… Well, actually, the battle’s not entirely done either. But things are certainly shifting into a different mode. So, here are our top five everyday things you can do to stay healthy as this pandemic shifts into a new phase.

Eat good food.
Get more sleep.
Move your body.
Get herbs into your everyday life.
Do an herbal steam occasionally (or frequently).

Sounds pretty boring, right? But everyday stuff should be boring – because it’s for every day. And that foundation of good habits is what everything else depends on.

We don’t know exactly what form the next crisis that affects each of us will take. It could be the same old ‘rona, it could be a new pandemic, it could be a natural disaster or something entirely personal. To prepare for the broadest array of possibilities, we need to support the broadest forms of resilience.

Herbs discussed include: nettle, calendula, reishi, angelica, elecampane; sage, oregano, thyme, & other aromatics; hibiscus, rosehips, sumac, & other “vitamin red” herbs; orange peel.

Trouble sleeping? Anxiety keeping you up at night? We’ve got a plan for that. Our newest short course, Holistic Help for Better Sleep, will teach you key strategies for lengthening and deepening your rest each night. You’ll also meet our favorite herbs to help with sleep disturbances and insomnia, and how to choose the right herbs for your own personal sleep needs.

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

Six Herbs for COVID Anxiety Apr 25, 2020

Show notes

The pandemic has got all of us in a heightened state of alert. The news changes fast, stories come and go before we can fully process them, and every day there’s another set of statistics that are hard to mentally translate into real human lives. It’s stressful. Even if we’re not actively doomscrolling through Twitter, this background noise of fear and worry is elevated. So, this week, we’re sharing some of our favorite herbs for COVID anxiety – for any kind of anxiety, really, but specifically the ones we ourselves have been relying on lately.

Ryn has been making a daily tea for himself with st john’s wort and friends, and has found it helpful in steadying out emotional peaks & valleys. He’s also been making sure to get some preparation of marshmallow in every day, because as a person with a dry constitution, it’s easy for him to get frazzled and frayed when anxiety is elevated. And when things are most acute, he’s turned to kava for a quick and comprehensive relaxant effect, often in the form of a rich hot chocolate blend.

Katja finds herself turning to motherwort these days. It’s an herb we often turn to when we need help holding or building up emotional boundaries, and she’s recently found it helpful to put some boundaries around anger. Not to eliminate it – anger is important and can be helpful – but to direct it appropriately. She’s also been working with blue vervain as an anchor point to her daily tea blends, an herb which can help decouple the concepts of self-worth and productivity, and let her set down some mental burdens. And, she’s turned to linden, our favorite ‘hug in a mug’ herb, to help build emotional resilience through compassionate offering. Lessons learned from trees are lasting.

If you’re feeling edgy and unsettled lately, try out some of these herbs for COVID anxiety and see if they don’t help you out! And remember, none of this is about suppressing or turning off ‘bad’ emotions, it’s about helping you move through the flow of emotional states more smoothly. Whether its these herbs or your own personal allies, turn to them: the plants will help you.

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!

How To Practice Herbalism Every Day Apr 04, 2020

Show notes

Last week we urged you to look at learning herbalism like learning a language or instrument – something that requires daily practice. This week, we’re sharing some specific practices you can do to build your herbal skills on a daily basis!

You can take lessons in herbalism, and study to learn – but the key here is, a little bit each day is better than “a lot” which happens only rarely. Building a habit of reading a few pages of an herb book, watching a half hour video lesson, or listening to an audio lesson on your commute every day will serve you well.

Another way is to make space to experience your herbs daily. Drink tea, take tincture, taste them, smell them. Even better, do this while you’re studying to enhance your learning, to root it in your body and give your mind a touchpoint to return to. This strengthens memory!

A helpful motto (especially for those who are allergic to regimentation) is “Don’t miss an opportunity.” Whenever something new-to-you comes up, take the chance to come up with an herbal plan of resolution. First, learn all you can about what’s happening. Then, try to identify energetic patterns; that helps you select applicable herbal actions. Then you can come up with a set of herbs to do the job, and finally you can decide how those herbs will go to work – what preparations and formulations will best match the situation. (Then you start that cycle over again, to expand or refine!)

It’s all about building habits – whether habits of daily activity, or habits of response to new events. Put those habits into place now, and your confidence and capability will grow every single day.

Did we mention that studying individual herbs every day is a great habit to get into? With our Holistic Herbalism Materia Medica course, you can do just that! Each of the 90 herbs we cover in this course has a video lesson, plant profile document, and a quiz to test your knowledge. It teaches you much more than “just” the individual plants, too – key concepts in herbal energetics, medicine-making, and pathophysiology are woven into every lesson. Check it out, and watch the first video (all about ginger) for free!

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!

Learn Herbalism Like an Instrument or Language Mar 30, 2020

Show notes

Herbalism is experiential: you have to DO it to KNOW it.

It’s like learning to play a musical instrument – you’re going to sound bad at first! That’s necessary. If you refuse to play anything that isn’t perfect, you’ll never play anything. In herbalism, if you wait until you know everything there is to know, or until you’re 100% sure “it’s going to work”, you’ll be waiting all your life!

Learning herbalism is also a process similar to that of language acquisition. No one can absorb all the grammar and tone of a new language without speaking it. As a beginner you’ll stumble over words, conjugate wrongly, and need a lot of slow, patient repetition from native speakers. As a new herbalist, you’ll mix tea blends that don’t taste good, or try to make a tincture that just doesn’t come out strong enough. That’s ok! In fact, it’s necessary for you to make mistakes to learn well.

A lot of hesitation and uncertainty is driven by negative self-talk, so identifying and quarantining those thoughts is an important skill to develop, too. And of course, throughout all this experimentation, we need to stay responsible. That means building the majority of your work around safe, gentle herbs – and learning your herbal energetics adds a helpful boost here, too.

If you’re looking for experiments to try, why not check out our Herbal Medicine-Making course? It’s full with more than a dozen different methods for going from plant matter to finished remedy. Try a new method today!

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!