Catnip, Nepeta cataria, is a perennial herb, a member of the mint family, and one of the friendliest plants around. Its soft, aromatic leaves give you an idea of its gentle, calming effect on the mind and body. The square stems are a dusky purple color and grow quickly and abundantly with lots of water and…
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…
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…
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…
In the words of herbalist David Hoffman, “Skullcap is perhaps the most widely relevant nervine available to us in the materia medica.” This beautiful member of the mint family is native to North America and has a long history of use in this area. Herbalists today favor it as a powerful nervine, sedative, painkiller, and…
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…
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…
Anxiety is a word that we hear quite a lot these days, and with good reason: there is plenty of it to go around! We use “anxious” to describe a whole range of feelings, from nervousness to paralyzing panic attacks, from back-to-school to global events. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety this way: Anxiety…
by Susan Wolfe and Tom Wolfe R.H. (AHG) are both Smile Herb Shop Herbalists What a 2024 world we live in … I cannot speak for you, but I certainly appreciate any herbal help in safely reducing anxiety and helping sleep. Let us begin with an Ashwagandha story from the history of Smile Herb Shop. Back…
In the words of herbalist David Hoffman, “Skullcap is perhaps the most widely relevant nervine available to us in the materia medica.” This beautiful member of the mint family is native to North America and has a long history of use in this area. Herbalists today favor it as a powerful nervine, sedative, painkiller, and…
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…
Passion Flower’s fantastic beauty is a medicine in itself, but this lovely vine has much more to offer than its stunning, dramatic blooms. This time of year in the garden, Passion Flower vines are 4-5 inches tall with a few tiny leaves. But given time, sunlight, and water, they will climb as high as any…
Five Great Self-Care Tips for Everyone Good Sleep Did you know that the average adult requires 7-9 hours of sleep every night for good health? Do you get anywhere near that much? Lack of sleep, or poor quality sleep, can lead to a host of health problems including poor memory and concentration, lowered immune function…
Herbal Tea Blend for Focused Attention and Relaxation Whether you are a busy parent or swamped at work, we all have stress. Luckily, you can decrease your stress levels and increase your focus and energy without chemicals. Try making a tea blend with the herbs below to boost your mental functions the natural way! Spearmint’s…
