Plantain: First Aid Hero

Plantain is an herb that has made itself so widely available to us, it practically calls out to be of use. City sidewalks, roadsides, fields, practically any place with lots of sunshine, Plantain will be there, and its uses are precious and practical. One of Plantain’s finest uses is as a first aid herb. One…

DIY Bug Spray: Essential Oils for Natural Protection

Summer has made its arrival here and with it the joys of being outdoors more, along with the miseries of insect pests. Mosquitoes, ticks, and other irritating or dangerous insects can definitely inhibit our enjoyment of the great outdoors but the many negatives to heavy chemical solutions like DEET leave most of us feeling discouraged.…

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…

An Adrenal/Immune Tonic for the Fall

The change to Fall is one of my favorites, but it does bring challenges to the immune system and adrenals. I like to mix up some of this tonic to give myself a leg up for the seasonal change. This is a fantastic recipe because it combines therapies for immunity, stress, and energy into one…

Rejuvenation In A Cup: Pacifying Vata in the Fall

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…