Tom Talks: Allergies
Tom Wolfe, RH(AHG) and owner of Smile Herb Shop talks in this video about herbs and Tom Tips on allergy relief. Visit our blog here to find all our blogs and articles on allergies!
Stinging Nettle: A Spring Reflection
You hear a lot about Nettle this time of year, don’t you? As an herbalist, my relationship with Urtica dioica, the Stinging Nettle, always deepens at this time of year. I depend on Nettle for allergy relief, its energizing mineral content, and its gentle spring cleansing properties. This year, I began to feel allergy symptoms…
A Fungal Approach To Allergies
Mushrooms might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to herbal allergy control, but over the years they have become a staple of my regimen that I’ve come to depend on and enjoy. Some mushrooms, like Reishi, are natural anti-inflammatories that help control allergy symptoms during flare-ups. But mushrooms’ real gift…
Spring Allergies are Here Again
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…
Spring Colds
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…
Fall Allergy Season
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…
Top 5 Reasons To Always Have Lavender Oil Around
According to author Susanne Fischer-Rizzi, lavender oil has 167 medicinal uses that have been tested! Today we’ll talk about just a few of these uses and why lavender oil is so good to have around. If I had to sum it up, I would say lavender oil is the most valuable, versatile oil because there’s…
My Mind on Allergies
It’s tree pollen season. Maple, Oak, and Elm are the big offenders here in Maryland, and I am allergic to them all. I didn’t have allergies growing up in coastal Maine, but when I came down here to live I learned all about the wide variety of symptoms that can be caused by seasonal allergies.…
Nettles: Using The Whole Plant
I’ll paraphrase one of my favorite herbalists, jim mcdonald, when he speaks to the difficulty some folks have in gaining confidence with herbs. He suggests picking one or two herbs to focus on completely– Grow them, eat them, read about them, make medicine with them, etc.; if you really got to know, say, Peppermint and…
3 N’s For The Nose Part 3
3 N’s for the Nose: Neti, Nasya, and Nettles by Tom Wolfe Part 3: Nettles “Boiled with barley and eaten as a porridge several times a day, the fresh or dried leaves of sister spinster stinging Nettle loosen and bring up deep congestion without irritating sensitive respiratory tissues…Considered a specific for adults with asthmatic allergies,…
3 N’s for the Nose Part 2
3 N’s for the Nose: Neti, Nasya, and Nettles by Tom Wolfe Part 2: Nasya “Boiled with barley and eaten as a porridge several times a day, the fresh or dried leaves of sister spinster stinging Nettle loosen and bring up deep congestion without irritating sensitive respiratory tissues…Considered a specific for adults with asthmatic allergies,…
3 N’s for the Nose Part 1
3 N’s for the Nose: Neti, Nasya, and Nettles by Tom Wolfe Part 1: Neti “Boiled with barley and eaten as a porridge several times a day, the fresh or dried leaves of sister spinster stinging Nettle loosen and bring up deep congestion without irritating sensitive respiratory tissues…Considered a specific for adults with asthmatic…
When Nettles Aren’t Enough
When Nettles Aren’t Enough: Welcome to Spring in the Mid-Atlantic We got a little taste of Spring with a record-breakingly warm February in much of the Eastern and Mid-Western U.S. For us here in the DC/Baltimore area, that meant an unexpected round of very early spring allergies! With actual spring just around the corner, we…
Take a Deep Breath
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…
Quick ‘n Easy Fall Immune Tips
With Fall and the new school year upon us, it’s smart to be prepared for the upcoming challenges to our immune systems. Here are just a few things that can weaken our immunity: Stress and anxiety Seasonal changes Insufficient sleep Exposure to pathogens and large groups of people Untreated allergies Travel Sudden changes in environment,…
Eczema and Herbal Lymph Symphony
Eczema and Herbal Lymph Symphony Eczema is a chronic and painful inflammation of the skin. It appears as blisters, itchy rashes, or scaly patches of skin. While modern medicine can treat eczema, these medicines simply treat the symptoms and not the underlying cause. Herbalists treat eczema by soothing symptoms, yes, but also by looking at…
Raw Honey: The Nutritional Wonder
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…
Can One Herb Really Do All That??
Stinging Nettles Can one herb really… Soften the skin Luxuriate and bring shine to hair Control allergies Cleanse the liver Aid in kidney function Help with arthritis and joint pain Provide essential vitamins and minerals Refresh, tone and rejuvenate the entire body Help you survive if lost in the wild The answer is yes! And…
Neti and Nasya for Spring Allergies
Neti and Nasya, Solutions for the Nose Spring is coming, and with it, for many, come spring allergies. There are a whole host of helpful herbs to ease seasonal allergies, but today we want to talk about two options from the world of Ayurveda to soothe and protect the nose. Tom Wolfe, co-owner of Smile…
Spirulina Supergreen
Spirulina, Supergreen for a Super Spring Spirulina is super-concentrated nutrition Spirulina, also known as Blue-Green Algae, may be the most nutrient-dense substance on earth! It is rich in protein, anti-oxidants, Omega-3’s, Vitamins B1, B2, and B3, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium, all in one small organism that grows in both fresh and salt water.