Cortisol Craze & Community

Social media has been bursting with this new trend: “cortisol face” and “cortisol tummy”. The videos include links and products for “cortisol detox” that alter the body’s chemistry and elevate the consumer’s attractiveness. Where is the truth? Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone. It naturally elevates with the body’s fight or flight response. This is…

Nature’s Intelligence: What Can Plants Teach Us About Connectivity?

We live in a highly technological world where much of human connection has begun to occur online. I am pretty guilty. Instead of calling a friend or going out to a family gathering, I may choose to “reserve my energy” and stay in. And what do I do while I stay in? …scroll away on…

Systems On Systems: Herbs for the Urinary Tract

The term “holistic” is often used interchangeably with terms such as “natural”, “plant-based”, or “spiritual”. However, the term “holistic” refers to considering the whole person and how various systems- including physical, metaphysical, and social- interplay in regards to their health. Some may refer to this as “treating the person, not the disease”. When examining the…

Holy Smoke: Smoking as a Healing Tool

  By Yaya Patterson, Root Woman & Smile Herbalist The smoking of plants has a strong history in the healing arts traditions across the globe. Smoking has been used ceremonially in nearly all earth-based religions. Popular smoke options such as tobacco and marijuana were once deemed sacred, and were thus employed with specific intentions. There…