Restorative Yoga
Relax and Renew, Body Mind & Spirit! Restorative yoga is a relaxing style intended to heal and nurture the body for strength and stress relief.
Which Ginseng?
The word “Ginseng” tends to be synonymous with vitality and energy, and for good reason! Its botanical name, Panax, has the same root as the word “panacea”, healer of all ills. It has been considered “king of herbs” in Native American and Chinese medicine traditions for thousands of years. Like many adaptogens, ginseng helps with more…
Peaceful Passionflower
You may know of Passionflower as a premier herb for stress, anxiety, and insomnia. This gorgeous flowering vine relieves pain, calms the mind, and relaxes the muscles. You can often find bees drowsing in the beautiful blossoms, proof of the passionflower’s soporific effect! Passionflower was used by tribes in the Americas for millennia before making…
Some Really Simple Things for Stress Relief
You’re stressed. Most people in our society are. We work too much, eat on the run, don’t know how to relax, have too much going on, and are constantly at the beck and call of electronic devices that deliver worse and worse news each day. You’ve probably tried plenty of things that are supposed to…
Herbal Tips for a Healthy School Year
Back-to-school season can bring with it a number of health challenges. Here are a few herbal ideas to help make the experience a healthy, happy, and successful one. Immunity Medicinal mushrooms are miraculous in their ability to “reset’ the immune system. Mushrooms like Reishi are known as immune amphoterics, which means they have a normalizing…
Schisandra Berry
Schisandra Berry — Wu wei zi The fruit of the Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) vine is one of my favorite adaptogenic herbs for the change of season from late summer into autumn. This transitional time can be hard on the lungs and immune system, and Schisandra is the perfect ally for the season.
My Favorite Herbs for Good Sleep
Good sleep is essential to good health. And yet so many of us struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Improving your quality of sleep can not only make you feel more alert and energetic, it can also improve immune function, mood, digestion, healing time from injuries and illness, and stress response.
Holiday Digestive Woes
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been spending an awful lot of time lately thinking about potatoes. Not just potatoes, but squash too, and casseroles, and thick hearty stews, and pie. I’m starting to think about my Great-Aunt’s gingerbread cake, and roasted turkey, and all those wonderful late Autumn, Holiday foods. But I’m also…
6 Benefits of Ginger
Ginger, Zingiber officinale, is a root with a characteristically spicy flavor used in cooking all over the world. Gingerol, one of the identified essential oils in the fresh root has many soothing and anti-inflammatory properties that make it a very useful substance. According to Ayurvedic medicine, which has used ginger root for centuries, the fresh…
Focus Tea Blend
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…
5 Herbs to Manage Stress
5 Herbs to Manage Stress Stress is often seen as unpleasant and annoying, but it can also cause real health problems by raising your blood pressure, upsetting the digestive system, and increasing muscle pain and inflammation. Fortunately, stress can be managed well. Lifestyle changes and taking these soothing herbs is a great way to reduce…
Tension Headaches
Are Tension Headaches Getting You Down? A little irritation can weigh you down a lot Tension or Stress Headaches are characterized by dull, tight pain around the forehead, neck, or base of the skull. They do not affect vision or balance, and are not likely to cause nausea, as migraines do. While uncomfortable, they do…
Do you need Magnesium?
Warning Signs You Are Deficient In Magnesium Magnesium is a mineral that is necessary for nearly every bodily function, yet some people are deficient in it. Pre-existing conditions such as alcoholism and the use of some prescription medicines can reduce the body’s stores of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency in healthy people is relatively rare, but becoming more common…
Licorice: More Than Just Candy
Licorice Benefits You may know of Licorice as the black jellybeans or rope candy, or perhaps as an ingredient in traditional root beer, but there is much more to Licorice root than its sweet earthy taste! (and those jellybeans are flavored with anise these days anyway!) Licorice is a powerful medicinal herb, and an excellent…
The Many Benefits of Holy Basil
Holy Basil Called “The Incomparable One” in its native India, this beautiful plant is a powerful and easy to grow medicinal herb. Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum or Ocimum tenuiflorum, also known as Tulsi) isn’t your ordinary Basil. While it makes a great pesto, it does lots more than add flavor to a dish; its antioxidant and…
Rhodiola rosea
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…