Often referred to as a “smelly rose,” garlic is a popular ingredient that is found in many dishes to add flavor. In addition to being a favorite staple in the kitchen, it has other health benefits and healing properties when applied or ingested. The following reasons showcase what garlic can actually do for your body.
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.
When you think of roses, you probably think of love, romance, summer gardens, weddings, special days and celebrations. The rose has a rich cultural history in both East and West, appearing in folklore, poetry, art, and healing. There are over 10,000 varieties of Rosa cultivated in the world, and all are beautiful. The most common…
It seems like there’s an awful lot in the world these days that wants our attention. All these distractions can leave us feeling frazzled, tired, and out of focus. Stress leads to poor sleep leads to dragging through our days and struggling to concentrate. Of course the first thing to do is to try to…
Ugh. There’s a certain kind of misery to a headcold, and how much worse to have one when the weather is warming, and the sunshine is tempting us to come outside and play. Spring colds, however, are all too common, as are spring allergies, and the sinus infections that can follow. So what can we…
It’s not quite time yet for full-on spring cleansing, but if you’re anything like me, you may be getting eager to make some changes from the winter diet and start getting ready for spring! It may not be a good time to cleanse or fast intensely, but we can start to prepare our digestive systems…
There are many ways to take your herbal supplements, but in the fall and winter, one of my favorite ways is in hot drinks. Not just herbal teas, which are wonderful, but also herbal powders cooked into milk for a rich, frothy, rejuvenative treat. Here are a few of my favorites!
Good sleep is essential to good health. And yet so many of us struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Improving your quality of sleep can not only make you feel more alert and energetic, it can also improve immune function, mood, digestion, healing time from injuries and illness, and stress response.
Fall is a glorious time of year, but the sudden chill in the air, the leaf mold piling up, the wind and cold rain that herald this season of transition can be very hard on the respiratory system. Colds, flus, allergies, and lung irritation can come upon us quickly and intensely, and who wants to…
Well, here it comes – the grey, cold, rainy days of late fall and early winter. For many, this can be a challenging time: the days are shorter and darker, there’s less to do outside, and the cold can really get to you. Seasonal depression, whether it’s a mild case of the blues or a…
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…
Itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat, headache, coughing, sneezing: seasonal allergies can be a misery. For those who are particularly sensitive, allergy symptoms can include digestive upset and fatigue as well as the cold-like symptoms we easily recognize. It’s been another wet summer in Maryland, which means that all the plants are growing like…
St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum You’ve probably heard of this herb as a treatment for depression. And it’s true, St. John’s Wort extract can be helpful for mild or temporary depressions, particularly Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is not as useful for more serious depression, or other mood disorders, and can mix badly with prescription anti-depressants.…
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…
Allergy season has begun. We wondered if spring would ever come, and now that it has, I’m trying to be grateful while sneezing and blowing my nose. Also known as hay fever, or rhinitis, spring allergies can range from annoying to debilitating, and for me it varies from year to year. Fortunately, herbal remedies can…
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…
We’ve all seen Burdock’s large, green, slightly fuzzy leaves, in the woods or in the park. If you have pets you may have spent long hours, as I have, picking pesky burrs out of fur (or clothes, or hair *sigh*). It is a hardy, stubborn plant that will grow just about anywhere. And I have…
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…
The Wood Element in Spring: Herbs for the Liver and Gallbladder In the Traditional Chinese system of medicine (TCM) there are 5 elements, each of which is associated with a season. The element associated with spring is wood element: the upward rising energy of new growth, new beginnings, and renewal. The wood element governs growing…
We’ve had a few mild sunny days here in the Mid-Atlantic, and it’s easy to get over-excited about Spring gardening. But the final frost date in our area is May 15th, so it’s not quite time yet to go full tilt into digging and planting. Still, if you’re eager to get out there and get…
