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…
In light of current world events, I wanted to take some time to talk about one of my favorite formulas for depression, anxiety, and grief. Grief Relief is a simple but powerful combination of Mimosa, Rose, and Hawthorn. Taken separately, all three herbs support mental health, heart health, and peace of mind. But when they’re…
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.…
One of the first medicinal herbs many people encounter is German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla syn. or Matricaria recutita). It is a ubiquitous tea herb with a history of use going back thousands of years, found on shelves of supermarkets and referenced in both Peter Rabbit and pop music. For such a well-known herb, however, in…
By: Meredith Morckel Wintertime means less daylight, colder temperatures, and holiday celebrations. It’s a time of joy for many. For others, it’s a season of stress and sadness. If you feel “down” sometimes and sleep and eat a little more than usual, you may be experiencing the “winter blues.” This is common, and not alarming.…
Passion Flower Passion Flower has been shown in small scale studies to Compare very well to Drug Therapy for Anxiety without gross side effects. By Tom Wolfe R.H (AHG) Tom is a Smile Herbalist and gardener for “PassionFlower Farms”, Smile Herb Shop’s Small Farm Business. ♦Note: R.H. means Tom is a Registered Herbalist with the…
Feeling Stir-Crazy? Some Tips From The Housebound Hi, my name is Susan and I’m just as stressed out and confused as you are right now. But, I’ve been living with chronic pain and fatigue, as well as generalized anxiety disorder, for many years and I believe that experience has given me a bit of an…
When it comes to herbs, sometimes 1+1 is greater than two. In the science of herbal formulations, synergistic combinations of herbs are discovered in which the herbs enhance each other’s activity to achieve a specific medicinal purpose. In these formulas, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Lemon Balm and St. John’s…
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…
Chaste Tree berries come from the beautiful, purple-flowering tree known as Vitex agnus-castus. Vitex’s use as an herbal medicine dates back to the ancient Greeks and beyond; it was one of Hippocrates’ favorite herbs. Its common name is Chaste Tree, so named because it was believed to have the ability to preserve chastity and decrease…
Fall is traditionally a season of grief. It’s why we spend this time gathering with one another, enjoying good food and celebrating light as the days grow short. Lately, we’ve had many folks reaching out to us feeling more troubled than usual. And we’ve been discussing among ourselves some of our most comforting herbal remedies.…
St. John’s Wort has been recognized for its beneficial properties for centuries, dating back long before medieval times. It is a plant steeped in legend. Nevertheless, St. John’s Wort has treated the ailments of many grateful people over time, and has been studied a great deal in modern times. St. John’s Wort gets its name…
This ancient spice is the answer for just about anything Famously referred to as the “Queen of Spices,” turmeric (also known as curcuma longa) is an herb that originated in India and Asia dating back to 2,000 BC., and has since been used for culinary and medicinal purposes.Known for its pepper-like aroma and bright golden…
Here in the Mid-Atlantic, it’s been raining for weeks. With so little sun, many of us are starting to feel a little blue. Fortunately, there is a wonderful plant called St. John’s Wort that’s like sunshine in a cup! St. John’s Wort herb, so named because it usually flowers around St. John’s Day in June,…
Rhodiola Herb Benefits You may not have heard of the plant Rhodiola rosea, and that’s a shame, because this is a powerful and beneficial herb for the body. Commonly known as golden root, or rose root for its lovely color, it is native to areas like Russia and Scandinavia. The herb is so tough, it…
History The documented medical use of Milk Thistle dates from the first century A.D., when Pliny the Elder advocated mixing its juice with honey to treat liver issues. Its presence in traditional medicine is near-ubiquitous across multiple continents. From China, where the seeds are called “Shui Fei Ji,” to sixteenth-century England, where it was recommended…
