The Holistic Herbalism Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Three Sleep Strategies + What I Should Have Done Mar 02, 2018

Show notes

This week, Ryn shares some strategies he turns to when (as frequently happens) he recognizes that he needs to sleep, but can't quite convince himself to go to bed. Katja relates what happened earlier this week, when polyurethane fumes from a home improvement project in our apartment building gave her a massive headache and made it hard to sleep - both what she actually did to cope in the moment, as well as what, in hindsight, would have been more effective. Herbs discussed include mugwort, wild lettuce, hops, ginger, chamomile, linden, mullein, marshmallow, st john's wort, and milk thistle.

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

Emotional Support for Mothers & Teens Feb 23, 2018

Show notes

This week, Katja discusses several herbs to help support mothers and teens who are coping with the difficulties of the adolescent years - especially in the face of the stressors unique to today's world. Herbs discussed include motherwort, rose, hawthorn, yarrow, tulsi, milk thistle, and st john's wort. Mentioned in this podcast:

Herbs for Psychological First Aid - Katja's free video class on working with herbs for acute mental and emotional difficulties.
March For Our Lives - On March 24th, 2018, in DC and throughout the country, kids and families will take to the streets to demand real change to end gun violence and prevent mass shootings. Sign up for more info or to find a local event!

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

Harm Reduction Herbalism + African Ashwagandha Feb 16, 2018

Show notes

This week, Katja describes a way of working with herbs to reduce the harm done when lifestyle factors like diet, sleep, and movement are less-than-ideal. (Because really, how often is everything in your life perfectly "right"?) Ryn identifies a mental blind spot in the course of "discovering" that aswhagandha is in fact native or naturalized in large parts of Africa and has a long history of use there. (Did you, too, think of it only as an Indian/Ayurvedic herb?) Mentioned in this podcast:

Ashwagandha monograph from the Plant Resources of Tropical Africa project
Ashwagandha monograph from the PlantZAfrica project at the South African National Biodiversity Institute
this Global Mapper from Discover Life can display worldwide plant distribution maps!
Krystal Thompson's ashwagandha monograph at HerbRally
Production dynamics of Withaferin A in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal complex., Kaul et al (Nat Prod Res. 2009;23(14):1304-11. doi: 10.1080/14786410802547440.) - one investigation into the differences in chemotypes within the Withania somnifera species.
African and Vedic ecotype ashwagandha seeds from Strictly Medicinals

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

Alternatives to Adaptogens for Burnout Feb 09, 2018

Show notes

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.

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

Herbs & Strategies for Physical Labor Feb 03, 2018

Show notes

We moved! We made it with just a few bumps & bruises and some sore muscles. That was no accident - we thought ahead and stayed mindful with some mental, physical, and herbal supports to make our moving week as smooth as possible. Mentioned this week:

Kings Road Apothecary - maker of the lovely kava & vanilla massage oil, among other wonders.
Atlantic Holdfast - highest-quality seaweed straight from the pristine waters of northern Maine.
Instinctive sleeping and resting postures: an anthropological and zoological approach to treatment of low back and joint pain, Michael Tetley (BMJ) - this is the article Ryn mentioned; also check out this podcast from Katy Bowman for more on sleep and alignment.

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

Simple Herbs for Digestive Health Jan 19, 2018

Show notes

This week we’re sharing a class Katja delivered recently about basic applications of herbal remedies to improve digestion and relive digestive discomforts. Enjoy! We’ll be off next week as we are moving from one apartment to another. We’ll return the following Friday, don’t worry!

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

Our Students Love Linden Jan 12, 2018

Show notes

This weekend we kick off the year for our Advanced Studies Program, so we invited our students to participate in the podcast. Somehow, without any prior coordination, everyone seemed to have linden on the mind! Listen in and hear a few different formulas and perspectives on this helpful friend.

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

Simple Herbal Self-Care Tips + A Joint Support Decoction Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

Katja shares three simple ideas for integrating some herbal self-care into your life, especially during the work day, which have helped us a lot during the writing of our forthcoming book. Ryn's taking a MovNat certification course this weekend, so he offers a formula for supporting joint health.

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

Year-End Reflections Dec 29, 2017

Show notes

As 2017 draws to a close, we look back over our year and some of the herbs who helped us get through it.

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

Goldenrod for Hanukkah + A Solstice Elixir Dec 22, 2017

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Katja draws parallels between the Hanukkah story of unexpected abundance, and the gift of goldenrod for helping us persevere through adversity and exhaustion. Ryn shares this year’s solstice elixir formula and the medicine of captured moments.

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