The Holistic Herbalism Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Herbal Home Nursing Basics Mar 22, 2020

Show notes

It’s not just coronavirus, there’s a lot going on right now! Between the usual circulating strains of flu, some spring colds, and the stirrings of allergy season, plenty of folks are feeling rough. But it’s up to all of us to reduce strain on the medical system right now, so it’s more important than ever that we learn some herbal home nursing basics. These skills can help us to deal with minor issues on our own, so the health care workers can focus where they’re really needed.

Staying hydrated is super important, and herbs can help the water to “stick” much better than plain water on its own. Managing fever is another key function that herbs can support – and these don’t need to be “fancy” herbs, either! Garlic, lemon, ginger, and thyme are enough to cover a lot of bases. A dry cough with a hot fever might mean COVID-19, or it might not, but either way, common herbs and kitchen items can help to relieve the symptom and address the root cause of it.

The core of herbal home nursing basics is to keep vigilant, or attentive to the needs as they change and evolve over time. That, and some simple, easy-to-forget stuff like changing the sheets! Knowing all about these likely needs ahead of time will enable you to prepare with what YOU have for what YOU need. Nothing better than that!

Mentioned in this episode:

The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 108: Herbs to Supercharge Your Bone Broth
Florence Nightingale, Notes on Nursing & Notes on Hospitals – Two excellent & essential books – and not merely for “historical interest”, either! We think every herbalist should read these.

Herbs discussed include: hibiscus, marshmallow (and common mallow and hollyhock), lemon, ginger, elderflower, lemon balm, mint, skullcap, yarrow, pleurisy root, wild cherry, garlic, onion, & thyme.

You can learn more about supporting sick people with herbs in our Immune Health course. Get beyond echinacea and learn the full complement of herbal actions and nutritional strategies that can build immune resilience, fend off pathogens, or reign in an overactive system.

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 Week In The Life Of Two Herbalists Mar 15, 2020

Show notes

Whew! There’s a lot going on right now. Between coronavirus, the election cycle, and the approach of spring, we’ve been extra busy and under more stress than usual. This week we wanted to share with you some of the herbs we’ve been relying on to get through. It’s a bit of a smorgasbord!

First up, a friend of ours is undergoing laser eye surgery, and we have some herbs to help make the healing process as quick & comfortable as possible. Supplements, compresses, and gentle healing sprays are all part of the plan.

Then, there’s been a death in Ryn’s family – his grandfather passed away. There’s grief, as well as other emotions, to process and work through. There’s also the funeral! With family & friends coming in from across the country and the world, we’re looking at a large gathering – and of course this is during the coronavirus outbreak. So we’re thinking a lot about community immunity, and daily active immune defense measures we can put into place. Herbs are coming in as steams, decoctions, infusions, fire cider, incense, and room spray!

As if that weren’t enough, allergy season is starting around here, and we’re looking to get our supportive herbs in as soon as possible. Nettle & eyebright tinctures are extra helpful lately.

And finally, we’re taking extra steps to support digestion right now – bitters are front & center.

Herbs discussed include (get ready!): bilberry, chamomile, calendula, marshmallow, hawthorn, linden, motherwort, blue vervain, lemon balm, elder, tulsi, thyme (& friends), lavender, garlic, elecampane, ginger, cinnamon, angelica, reishi, mullein, lungwort, boneset, yarrow, tarragon, nettle, goldenrod, eyebright, & calamus.

We mentioned several of our courses in this episode:

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!

Herbs for Coronavirus Preparedness Mar 03, 2020

Show notes

The new pandemic coronavirus, COVID-19, is on everyone’s minds lately. As herbalists, we’ve been asked a lot about our thoughts on working with herbs for coronavirus preparedness, so that’s our topic today!

First, we try to understand the virus and some facts about the illness it causes. How does it compare to “normal” flu, to H1N1, to SARS? Estimates and projections are in flux and will continue to evolve, but we share what seems most clear so far about the potential risks & severity of corona.

There’s no benefit to be gained from a panic about pandemic. (Remember, the term “pandemic” doesn’t actually say anything about the severity of an illness – only its novelty and rapid spread.) The best way to avoid panic? Be prepared!

There’s a lot more than herbs for coronavirus preparedness, though. We discuss why handwashing is so important (and why masks aren’t), and why it’s good to be ready for a period of self-quarantine. To that end, we cover how to stock up with immune-boosting nutrition – more than just calories – while also avoiding things that’ll deplete immunity. And how to “stock up” on intangibles like sleep and community support.

And of course, we highlight our favorite herbs to build immunity, mitigate symptoms, and combat the virus at every stage of illness.

Mentioned in this episode:

Most Essential Prevention Against Coronavirus COVID-19? – an excellent handwashing demonstration with blue ink, so you can really see what parts get missed with normal handwashing movements.

Herbs discussed include: thyme, elder, elecampane, angelica, ginger, garlic, pleurisy root, marshmallow, cinnamon, licorice, sage, monarda, pine, peppermint, yarrow, catnip, boneset, codonopsis.

As you can see, there are really a lot of immune-supportive herbs that could be relevant in COVID! Our Immune Health course is a great way to learn them in detail and really understand how they work together with your own immune system to combat infections. The course also covers imbalances and dysregulations in immunity – allergies, autoimmunity, immune deficiency, etc – that affect an enormous number of people. Immunity is complex, but really worth understanding!

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!

Rebecca Altman & The Wonder Sessions Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

Join us for a discussion with our friend Rebecca Altman about the importance of self-awareness in the practice of herbalism – but also an exploration of vulnerability and in rebuilding our connection to the natural world.

Some of the things we discuss are what it means to take responsibility for our health, how to build trust for experimenting in our lives, and the trouble with living in a society that prioritizes productivity over curiosity and wonder. We also focus on the importance of allowing ourselves to start from scratch and learn slowly, and to cultivate ever-expanding relationships with plants, instead of “knowledge” about them. These are important issues for any herbalist to explore, and especially for those interested in clinical practice.

Mentioned in this episode:

Wonder Botanica – get on Rebecca’s newsletter today, so you can be notified as soon as enrollment is open for the next round of The Wonder Sessions!
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, episode 65: How To Not Be A Guru
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.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

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

Formulating Cocktail Bitters for Flavor & Action Feb 22, 2020

Show notes

This week we took a trip to New York City, because we were invited to teach a workshop on formulating cocktail bitters for our friends at Kindred, a restaurant in the East Village. Our social media posts about it were popular, with lots of commenters saying that they would love to learn how to make their own bitters. Well, you can!

The process of making herbal cocktail bitters isn’t too complicated: make a tincture, decoct the marc, mix the liquids and add a little sweetener. Today we want to get past the basics and talk a little bit about the way we formulate cocktail bitters. In some ways, it’s not too much different from other kinds of herbal formulation (and we have a whole online training course about herbal formulation for those who need it), but there are some special considerations for cocktail bitters.

First of all, it ought to taste good! Building your formula around flavors is the standard way bitters blends are invented today, in the hip bars and restaurants that are reinvigorating cocktail culture. But we’re herbalists, and that means we’re also thinking about the medicinal actions of the herbs in our formulas. Our medicines are foodlike, and our foods are medicinal – so when we say “that’s herbalism, too” about our bitter blends, we really mean it!

Listen in for some guidelines to follow, and some examples of our own successful (delicious and effective) cocktail bitter formulas.

Herbs discussed include: chamomile, blue vervain, wood betony, mugwort, tulsi, gentian, artichoke, centaury, angelica, elecampane, calamus, citrus, ginger, hawthorn, motherwort, anise, cardamom, fennel, pine, & lemon[balm|grass|verbena|thyme].

Want all the details on how to make your own cocktail bitters? You’ll find a complete instructional video in our Herbal Medicine-Making course. In this online course there are more than 45 close-up, step-by-step videos showing how to make all the kinds of herbal preparations – plus recipes, printable instruction cards, and more. You can ask us questions on anything you’re wondering about, both in the discussion threads or in our twice-weekly live Q&A web conferences. Progress at your own pace, learn on your own schedule, and get direct access to Katja & Ryn! You’ll be crafting your own signature cocktails (and mocktails!) in no time.

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!

Grow Your Own Herbs Feb 15, 2020

Show notes

It might seem difficult to grow your own herbs, but like so many things in herbalism, it’s all about being open to experimentation and maintaining good observation. And for the herbalist, there are great reasons to do it! Not only will you be sourcing your herbs as local as it gets, you’ll learn a lot about the plant from tending it, supporting it, and nourishing it as it grows. Then, when you make medicines from it later, it will tend, support, and nourish you in turn – an intimate cycle of life.

Growing herbs for yourself can be simple, especially if you start with the “easy mode” herbs and methods. There’s no shame at all in having your garden live in 5-gallon buckets, whether you live in a city apartment and have only a small porch to work with, or because you’re new to some land and not sure how its ecosystem works yet. Prolific, weedy herbs are not only very easy to grow, they’re also some of our best medicine plants – so they’re a great choice for beginners too.

In this episode we share some experiences with small-scale herb growing at home. We hope to inspire you to get started this spring. Start simple, start small – but start! When harvest time comes around, you’ll be glad you did. 🌱

Herbs discussed include: lemon balm, calendula, evening primrose, mugwort, fleabane, solomon’s seal, sunflower, basil, sage.

Once you’ve grown your herbs, you’ll want to make remedies from them! It’s not hard, and it’s very rewarding to produce your own herbal medicines from seed to sip. You can learn everything you need to make over two dozen different types of preparations in our Herbal Medicine-Making course – check it out 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!

Working With Herbs For Chronic Pain Feb 08, 2020

Show notes

Pain is complex. Many factors can contribute to pain, or worsen it, including the food we eat, the sleep we do or don’t get, and the stresses we experience in our lives. When pain is chronic, we need to think outside the “painkiller” box and think more broadly. This is also the best method of working with herbs for chronic pain conditions. Herbs with anti-inflammatory effects might achieve this by nourishing, improving digestion or circulation, or supporting specific needs in a particular body. To choose the right one for the person in front of you, you need to know their whole context – more than “where does it hurt?”

Moreover, from the perspective of your cells, pain itself is not a single state with a single cause. A sprained wrist may involve tissue swelling, stagnation of fluids, nerve impingement, and of course, inflammation. Awash in this complex context of states, the nerve sends a pain signal to the brain. If all we do is “kill the pain” at the nerve, without correcting any of those other states, the pain will come back as soon as the herb wears off! Instead, we can combine analgesic or anodyne herbs with others that address stagnation, tension, and agitation; addressing both the superficial symptoms and the fundamental causes at once.

All that and more, in this episode!

Herbs discussed include: cayenne, goldenrod, kava, ginger, chamomile, tulsi, kelp, meadowsweet, willow, alder, birch, wild lettuce, passionflower, Jamaican dogwood, clove, & ghost pipe.

As you can see, so much of your success when working with herbs for chronic pain effectively depends on your familiarity with a diverse array of herbs to help you target the specific tissues and states contributing to the pain. So you’ve got to really know your herbs – and our Holistic Herbalism Materia Medica course can help with that! It includes 89 video plant profiles, along with printable monographs and quizzes to check your learning. Plus, you get access to our twice-weekly live Q&A sessions so you can get direct contact with Ryn & Katja. Dive in and get to know these herbs personally!

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!

Handmade Herbal Aphrodisiacs for Valentine's Day Delight Jan 31, 2020

Show notes

There are a lot of myths about herbal aphrodisiacs – they don’t make you into an irresistible sex monster, let’s get that out of the way right up front! But they do help you release tension that can distract you from your partner or from the present moment. And they do help you feel more comfortable in your own body, so you find & share enjoyment with yourself & others.

In this episode we share some of our favorite valentine treats. We’ve got recipes for a lovely damiana-cacao-cayenne infused wine, a rose-chamomile elixir, a raspberry-chocolate cordial, some lovely truffles, and a sun-kissed massage oil. And, just in case Cupid hasn’t visited lately, we have a tea formula for broken & healing hearts. 💔+🌿=💖

Herbs discussed include damiana, cacao, cayenne, rose, chamomile, raspberry, vanilla, lemon balm, cardamom, ginger, kava, angelica, evergreens, hawthorn, linden, tulsi, betony, yarrow, & lady’s mantle.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chocolate Sensual LOVE Elixxxir from Herbal Revolution
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 035: Cinnamon, Vanilla, & Cacao

Wondering where can you learn how to work with herbs? In the Herbal Medicine-Making course, of course! There are 47 close-up, step-by-step videos showing how to make all the kinds of herbal preparations – plus recipes, printable instruction cards, and more. You can ask us questions on anything you’re wondering about, both in the discussion threads or in our twice-weekly live Q&A web conferences. You get to learn on your own schedule and have live access to Katja & Ryn! It’s the best of both worlds.

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!

Sustainability for Herbalists Jan 17, 2020

Show notes

There are many facets to sustainability for herbalists to consider, from maintaining your personal energy reserves to establishing sustainable working conditions for the workers who bring herbs to us. Today we’re focusing on direct sustainability of the plants themselves. How can we make sure that, as interest in herbalism and demand for herbs grows, we’re not exhausting our plants and soil?

We start with a cautionary tale from 200 BCE, in which poor soil quality, degrading growing conditions, overharvesting, and “trendiness” all came together to result in the first documented extinction of a medicinal plant. There are lessons to be learned here that apply directly to our world, and to considerations about sustainability for herbalists, today!

Have you ever heard the rubric that suggests you “take 1/3 for yourself, leave 1/3 for the animals, and 1/3 for the plants to grow back”? It’s been a mainstay in herbalism schools for several decades. Today we’re recognizing that some harvesting practices and wildcrafting guidelines that have been widely adopted in American herbalism are no longer sufficient. We need to change our habits, as our world is changing.

Herbs discussed include “giant fennel”, mugwort, evening primrose, Canadian fleabane, & pine.

Mentioned in this episode:

Silphium, laserwort, or “giant fennel” – possibly humanity’s first recorded victim of overharvesting, soil degradation, and hype.
HerbalGram’s 2018 Herbal Supplement Sales Report
Cultural Burning is about more than just hazard reduction, Shaun Hooper – on Aboriginal Australian fire management practices and their relevance to today’s wildfires.
Native Land
Indigenous environmental activists on Twitter: @indigenous_land, @gindaanis, @dandantransient, @indigenousX, and many others!
Medicine for the Resistance – an excellent podcast with Indigenous and Black hosts.

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!