The Ginger plant, Zingiber officinale, is native to southeast Asia, and its pungent roots have a long history of culinary and medicinal use. The gnarled, beige rhizomes also grow wild in Africa and Australia, and it is cultivated in many other warm climates of the world. You can easily grow ginger in a pot at…
Ginger, Zingiber officinale, is a root with a characteristically spicy flavor used in cooking all over the world. Gingerol, one of the identified essential oils in the fresh root has many soothing and anti-inflammatory properties that make it a very useful substance. According to Ayurvedic medicine, which has used ginger root for centuries, the fresh…
The Ginger plant, Zingiber officinale, is native to southeast Asia, and its pungent roots have a long history of culinary and medicinal use. The gnarled, beige rhizomes also grow wild in Africa and Australia, and it is cultivated in many other warm climates of the world. You can easily grow ginger in a pot at…
The benefits of ginger extend beyond the flavor it imparts in Indian and Asian cuisine, as it also has medicinal qualities. Ginger grows as a rhizome. You can slice, dice or grind it to realize certain health benefits from it. Just read on to learn some of these benefits.
Here comes the season that brings strong feelings about food to just about everyone: The Winter Holidays! The holidays come with feasting and all manner of special treats and temptations, which both bring us great happiness and sometimes stress and digestive upset. Ideally we can enjoy the former with a minimum of the latter, but…
Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis, is an unassuming and vigorous member of the mint family. It is easy to grow. So easy, in fact, that like many mints, once you have it in your garden you’ll have it everywhere! I love this about it, and appreciate it wandering around our property. This year we even had…
In Ayurveda, Vata dosha is characterized as “dry, light, mobile, subtle, rough, hard, changeable, and clear.” Sounds a lot like Fall, doesn’t it? The leaves dry out and a cool, dry wind blows them away, the days become colder and shorter, the air is more subtle and changeable. In Ayurveda, Fall is the Vata time…
I’ve always had heavy, painful periods, it just seems to be part of my natural constitution. As a teenager, I relied on ibuprofen, which wasn’t good for me or my stomach lining! When I got into herbs and herbalism, one of the first things I wanted to learn was how to deal with my periods…
Are Tension Headaches Getting You Down? A little irritation can weigh you down a lot Tension or Stress Headaches are characterized by dull, tight pain around the forehead, neck, or base of the skull. They do not affect vision or balance, and are not likely to cause nausea, as migraines do. While uncomfortable, they do…
It’s Greens season! This is the time of year when the first green leafy wild foods are starting to poke their heads out of the soil to enjoy the spring sunshine! Wild foods like chickweed and lamb’s quarters, as well as domesticated greens like kale and arugula, which can “go wild” in a garden like…
Raw honey is unprocessed honey straight from the beehive, and it is a nutritional wonder. Real raw honey is never heated, never strained, never pasteurized, and never processed in any way. Make sure you read your honey labels carefully to make sure you’re getting the good stuff! Here are just a few of the many…
A frequent issue we are asked about in the shop is joint pain. Whether caused by arthritis, injury, or autoimmune disease, joint pain is challenging and can seriously limit our activity and enjoyment of life. It is one of the most common forms of chronic pain that Americans suffer with – approximately 53 million adults…
For women*, staying healthy and vibrant can feel overwhelming, especially in a stressful world. The cycles of menstruation and menopause can put body and mind through many changes. For some people, the process is relatively smooth, but for many, there are struggles along the way. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to support…
By Tom Wolfe R.H. (AHG) R.H. means Tom is a Registered Herbalist (since 1980) in the American Herbalists Guild (AHG) “I have worked at Smile for 49 years and believe you me have heard Smile’s customers (very best customer folks in the world) speak of every way of herbal healing many, many, many times over…
Fall is here! Each season has its own unique energetic signature that influences our bodies, minds, and spirits. Fall is a significant transitional period for both our inner and outer worlds; we transition from the warm, social, vibrant energy of the summertime and into the introspective, and nostalgic energy of the colder months ahead. In…
When thinking about herbs for memory and concentration, Turmeric might not immediately spring to mind. I tend to think of Holy Basil, Bacopa, Milky Oat, and other adaptogens that slowly nurture the brain and nervous system over time. However, research has indicated that Turmeric prevents plaque build-up in the brain and can help prevent the…
Although it’s 90 degrees today, Autumn is fast approaching and bringing immune challenges along with it. Now, in the late summer, is a great time to brew up some elderberry syrup to have on hand when a cold or flu threatens. Why elderberry syrup? When it comes to acute immune and respiratory support, elderberry is…
In the Autumn, with Winter approaching, it is a perfect time to give our immune systems a little extra nourishment and support. Taking good care of ourselves now can help protect us from colds and flus as the weather changes.
By Tom Wolfe, RH “It is also well worth notice that, although grief involves great departures from the normal attitude to life, it never occurs to us to regard it as a morbid condition and hand the mourner over to medical treatment. We rest assured that after a lapse of time it will be overcome,…
G Spring is on its way! It’s time to refresh and renew, but let’s do it in a sensible, sustainable way. Here are a few simple suggestions to begin your spring cleansing routine. Cumin-Coriander-Fennel Tea (with Ginger) A simple, carminative remedy, this tea can bring balance and comfort to an over-stressed digestive system. Taken daily…
