The Holidays are over, but winter is still here. The cold is going around again, and many will find that seasonal depression strikes again. I’d like to share some of my favorite herbal remedies for this time of year. Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus, huang qi) If you get sick often, and find yourself feeling run down, [...]
Ginseng is the big herb on the block these days, with crazy claims being made left and right. Who and what is it really good for? Ginseng is considered a tonic herb, and is incredibly popular all over Asia. A tonic herb is one that “Tonifies the Qi,” which put simply means that it boosts [...]
This time of year finds many of us wide awake at three in the morning wrapped in our buzzing minds. Herbal medicine can be incredibly helpful to nudge us into sleep, and much more gentle than pharmaceuticals. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): Valerian is the most classic sleep herb out there. It’s a straightforward sedative. In my [...]
As we enter into the heart of winter, now is a good time to really prepare for the cold. Warming circulatory tonics can be a great way to increase circulation, internal warmth, and increase resistance to colds and flus. Circulatory tonics can be especially helpful for folks whose hands and feet are often cold. [...]
What: dry surface brushing of the skin, enough pressure to make your skin slightly pink, but not enough to cause pain or discomfort. Always brush toward the heart and lymphatic drainage sites. Used historically in India, China, Japan, ancient Greece, and by Native Americans. Why: Dry brushing removes dead skin cells, reduces celulite, improves circulation, muscle tone, and oil [...]
Hawthorn is an excellent cardio-tonic helping both physical and emotional ailments of the heart. Hawthorn nourishes the heart by strengthening the pericardial muscle, improves circulation and blood flow, helps normalize blood pressure, strengthens and heals blood vessels and arteries, improves the contractions of the heart, regulates the heartbeat, and overall helps the heart access more [...]
Autumnal Medicine: Three Fall Roots to Harvest As fall harvest time draws ever so near, we are reminded of all the medicine that becomes available at this time of year. Fall is the best time to harvest roots, as this is the time when plants focus their energy on storing nutrients below ground. Here are [...]
Spring is a time of bursting forth. It takes a surge of upwards-moving energy to produce those buds, and to burst them open into the leaves and flowers they are to become. This energy comes up from a plant's roots, from deep in the earth. Just as the plants are in this process, so are [...]
Mani-pedis: what a guilty pleasure! I’ve had more than a few in my day, and I’ll admit that the pleasure of relaxing as my feet soak is tinged with anxiety about the fumes I’m inhaling. As I debate between my habitual polish choices, I worry whether I’m voluntarily exposing myself to hormone disruptors like phthalates. As I tip my [...]
Here's a fantastic project that you all should support! Our very own Urban Bee Company is leading this brilliant idea to support pollinators and to thoughtfully use land that has previously been stuck in a holding pattern... (haha, pun intended, its on unused airport land!)