Commonwealth Podcast For Holistic Herbalism

The new pandemic coronavirus, COVID-19, is on everyone’s minds lately. As herbalists, we’ve been asked a lot about our thoughts on working with herbs for coronavirus preparedness, so that’s our topic today!First, we try to understand the virus and some facts about the illness it causes. How does it compare to “normal” flu, to H1N1, to SARS? Estimates and projections are in flux and will continue to evolve, but we share what seems most clear so far about the potential risks & severity of corona.There’s no benefit to be gained from a panic about pandemic. (Remember, the term “pandemic” doesn’t actually say anything about the severity of an illness – only its novelty and rapid spread.) The best way to avoid panic? Be prepared!There’s a lot more than herbs for coronavirus preparedness, though. We discuss why handwashing is so important (and why masks aren’t), and why it’s good to be ready for a period of self-quarantine. To that end, we cover how to stock up with immune-boosting nutrition – more than just cal

Join us for a discussion with our friend Rebecca Altman about the importance of self-awareness in the practice of herbalism – but also an exploration of vulnerability and in rebuilding our connection to the natural world.Some of the things we discuss are what it means to take responsibility for our health, how to build trust for experimenting in our lives, and the trouble with living in a society that prioritizes productivity over curiosity and wonder. We also focus on the importance of allowing ourselves to start from scratch and learn slowly, and to cultivate ever-expanding relationships with plants, instead of “knowledge” about them. These are important issues for any herbalist to explore, and especially for those interested in clinical practice.Mentioned in this episode:Wonder Botanica – get on Rebecca’s newsletter today, so you can be notified as soon as enrollment is open for the next round of The Wonder Sessions!The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, episode 65: How To Not Be A GuruHerbalism and the Law: The

This week we took a trip to New York City, because we were invited to teach a workshop on formulating cocktail bitters for our friends at Kindred, a restaurant in the East Village. Our social media posts about it were popular, with lots of commenters saying that they would love to learn how to make their own bitters. Well, you can!The process of making herbal cocktail bitters isn’t too complicated: make a tincture, decoct the marc, mix the liquids and add a little sweetener. Today we want to get past the basics and talk a little bit about the way we formulate cocktail bitters. In some ways, it’s not too much different from other kinds of herbal formulation (and we have a whole online training course about herbal formulation for those who need it), but there are some special considerations for cocktail bitters.First of all, it ought to taste good! Building your formula around flavors is the standard way bitters blends are invented today, in the hip bars and restaurants that are reinvigorating cocktail culture.

It might seem difficult to grow your own herbs, but like so many things in herbalism, it’s all about being open to experimentation and maintaining good observation. And for the herbalist, there are great reasons to do it! Not only will you be sourcing your herbs as local as it gets, you’ll learn a lot about the plant from tending it, supporting it, and nourishing it as it grows. Then, when you make medicines from it later, it will tend, support, and nourish you in turn – an intimate cycle of life.Growing herbs for yourself can be simple, especially if you start with the “easy mode” herbs and methods. There’s no shame at all in having your garden live in 5-gallon buckets, whether you live in a city apartment and have only a small porch to work with, or because you’re new to some land and not sure how its ecosystem works yet. Prolific, weedy herbs are not only very easy to grow, they’re also some of our best medicine plants – so they’re a great choice for beginners too.In this episode we share some experiences

Pain is complex. Many factors can contribute to pain, or worsen it, including the food we eat, the sleep we do or don’t get, and the stresses we experience in our lives. When pain is chronic, we need to think outside the “painkiller” box and think more broadly. This is also the best method of working with herbs for chronic pain conditions. Herbs with anti-inflammatory effects might achieve this by nourishing, improving digestion or circulation, or supporting specific needs in a particular body. To choose the right one for the person in front of you, you need to know their whole context – more than “where does it hurt?”Moreover, from the perspective of your cells, pain itself is not a single state with a single cause. A sprained wrist may involve tissue swelling, stagnation of fluids, nerve impingement, and of course, inflammation. Awash in this complex context of states, the nerve sends a pain signal to the brain. If all we do is “kill the pain” at the nerve, without correcting any of those other states, the

There are a lot of myths about herbal aphrodisiacs – they don’t make you into an irresistible sex monster, let’s get that out of the way right up front! But they do help you release tension that can distract you from your partner or from the present moment. And they do help you feel more comfortable in your own body, so you find & share enjoyment with yourself & others.In this episode we share some of our favorite valentine treats. We’ve got recipes for a lovely damiana-cacao-cayenne infused wine, a rose-chamomile elixir, a raspberry-chocolate cordial, some lovely truffles, and a sun-kissed massage oil. And, just in case Cupid hasn’t visited lately, we have a tea formula for broken & healing hearts.

It’s really hard to really take a break these days – with smartphones and connected devices everywhere, the pressure to use our time “productively” is pervasive. But that doesn’t mean humans can actually keep up that pace, and it has all kinds of health effects to try!So this year one thing that we’re doing to stay centered is building a New Moon tradition. The idea came out of the way that we celebrate Solstice: we don’t use any electric lights all day, lighting candles in the evening and leisurely talking, reading, daydreaming, knitting… anything but working. This year we realized, we could do it every New Moon!In this episode we share our reasons for totally unplugging for one day every month, and the plans (and plants!) that help us pull it off. Our hope is to inspire you to see if you can fit something similar into your own life. One day with no media, no electronics, no work, no “real” “productivity” (according to post-industrialized consumer-culture standards, that is).Herbs discussed include chamomile

There are many facets to sustainability for herbalists to consider, from maintaining your personal energy reserves to establishing sustainable working conditions for the workers who bring herbs to us.  Today we’re focusing on direct sustainability of the plants themselves. How can we make sure that, as interest in herbalism and demand for herbs grows, we’re not exhausting our plants and soil?We start with a cautionary tale from 200 BCE, in which poor soil quality, degrading growing conditions, overharvesting, and “trendiness” all came together to result in the first documented extinction of a medicinal plant. There are lessons to be learned here that apply directly to our world, and to considerations about sustainability for herbalists, today!Have you ever heard the rubric that suggests you “take 1/3 for yourself, leave 1/3 for the animals, and 1/3 for the plants to grow back”? It’s been a mainstay in herbalism schools for several decades. Today we’re recognizing that some harvesting practices and wildcraftin

It’s 2020, we don’t need to convince you that bone broth is good for you! But in case you’ve been living under a rock, bone broth is awesome for your digestive health, immune defenses, musculoskeletal resilience, and plenty more besides. So all on its own, it’s great – but you can add herbs to supercharge bone broth into something even better!Our favorite herbs to enhance bone broth come in several key categories: Seaweeds provide mineral nutrition including iodine, along with unique seaweed polysaccharides that build immunity. Mushrooms have similar powers, and are even more famous as immunomodulators to help with everyday health as well as complex immune disorders. Other immune-centered adaptogenic herbs support immunity from the marrow on out. Mildly bitter, prebiotic roots improve digestion, liver action, and gut flora composition. And then there are plenty of “herbs & spices” to try for digestive benefits and for specific medicinal attributes.Learn how to work with all of these and make your homemade

The Whole30 is one of our favorite diet plans – or, as we prefer to call them, food experiments! It’s a great way to reset your eating habits, change your relationship with food and cooking, and discover your own personal food intolerances or sensitivities. As herbalists, we’ve seen it accomplish amazing things for our clients – but we’ve also found ways to make it more enjoyable, efficient, and effective! Nowadays we always recommend herbs for Whole30 enhancement to our clients and students, and work with them ourselves.In our experience, the best herbs for Whole30 success have effects on one of three main areas: cravings, digestion, and nutrition. Herbs like tulsi and schisandra can really curb sugar cravings, or longings for foods that are not Whole30-approved. Plants like calamus and sage can improve your digestive function, which is especially relevant if your Whole30 diet has more fat or protein than your previous habit, as often occurs. Wild greens like dandelions & nettles provide nutrient density

What do you want to bring into the new year with you? Our first piece of advice is to be specific with your intention – envision how this change will happen in your own real day-to-day life, in detail. This helps you make sure it really happens!Intention is key also in transforming our relationship to Stuff. Many people feel like their Stuff owns them instead of the other way around, and being intentional about how and what you consume can go a long way toward changing that. Fostering (or giving the gift of) experiences and skills is one key way to change that dynamic.You need to pick your battles, though! It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the long list of troubles in the world, and to feel like you need to change them all yourself. Selecting one or two things to focus on is more effective, but also feels better inside. Plus, it’s a way you can find or create community, which is so critical to sustaining these things long-term.Finally, we conclude with a discussion of a few herbs which help strengthen resolve.H

Anxiety is a feeling of exposure, a feeling that one is without protection. The much-maligned ‘safe space’ is in fact a necessity for all humans. (Those who malign it tend to be speaking from a place of unchallenged safety.) But how to create that for yourself, in an environment that feels hostile? Herbs can help, and in more than one way! Working with the principles of holistic herbalism for anxiety involves several interwoven threads.Building healthy boundaries is a way to protect your inner space – both to keep unfriendly things out and to leave room for you to focus on your present moment. Anxiety is fundamentally an expression of tension, so relaxing tension in the muscles and nerves, and in the emotions themselves, is almost always needful. Anxiety both causes and results from elevated stress hormones, and reducing cortisol in particular helps mitigate the physiological effects of stress.Holistic lifestyle changes are the core of the work, and herbs help us enact these intentions. The synergy between th

The hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) are some of our most generous and protective herbs. Hathorn offers abundant berries, rich with heart-supporting medicine – but its thorns mean you can’t just come and take everything in one swipe. Hawthorn demands a careful and respectful approach, and it can bring all these qualities to our physical bodies and – our emotional ones, too!An ally for everything from high blood pressure, to water retention, to grief and loss, to that not-quite-at-home feeling we sometimes get when family relations are difficult; hawthorn is there for you. Especially at this time of year, when hearts are both agitated and a little more exposed, it’s a particularly important plant to know and to work with.Herbs discussed include: hawthorn, linden, cacao, cayenne, ginger, goji, rose, hibiscus, goldenrod, jiaogulan, heather, vanilla, tulsi, dandelion, damiana, chamomile, catnip, motherwort.Mentioned in this episode:The Once and Future World, J.B. MacKinnonOur End-Of-Year Sale is in effect! Don’t miss o

It’s easy to get caught up in your to-do list and everything you “have to” do.Sometimes, it’s ok to not.This week we’re modeling that behavior, with a micro-cast just to prove we mean it!We’ll be back next week with an episode about hawthorn and getting through difficult times. Until then, take care of yourselves, take care of each other, drink some tea, and remember – sometimes, you don’t have to.❤️❤️❤️If you’re local to Boston, we’ll be at Herbstalk’s Wintergreen Market tomorrow, November 30th, from 11:00 – 5:00… find us and say hi!Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

As a brand new student of herbalism, you might think there are a lot of herbs to learn. As an experienced herbalist with decades of practice under your belt, you’ll DEFINITELY KNOW there are A LOT OF HERBS to learn!! That’s one of the things we like best about herbalism – there’s always more to explore, a whole world full of plant potential. Having a strategy for how to learn a new herb is helpful at every stage of your herbal journey.We advise a multi-directional approach to this. Rather than looking for “the best” book, website, or teacher, we urge all our students to seek out multiple sources of information about every plant they study. That doesn’t just mean multiple books, it means multiple forms of knowledge, too. Direct experience with an herb – taking it daily and consistently, in lots of different forms – is just as valuable as reading a shelf of books. When you do both, you’re in a much stronger place!Resources we mentioned in this episode:Henriette’s Herbal Homepage – One of the oldest & best h

Herbs differ from pharmaceuticals in important ways. Understanding how they’re different helps us make better choices about what to take, and how to take it, to get the effect we’re looking for. It also helps us avoid common misunderstandings about herbs and herbalism – like thinking that the effect of an herb can be reduced down to the action of its “active ingredient”. And, knowing how herbs are different from drugs lets us set expectations clearly, and recognize that not all preparations of an herb are equivalent.No one would say that aspirin is “synthetic willow”, but people often talk about willow as “natural aspirin”. In our cultural context we have some understanding of aspirin as a painkiller and fever-reducer. Because willow can relieve pain and reduce fever, and because some of its constituents are similar to aspirin, you can see why it’s common to talk about them as if they were nearly equivalent. But this is misleading, because the herb is actually very different from the drug – it doesn’t have th

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were one book you could read, one teacher you could study with, one website you could scroll through – that would tell you everything you need to know about herbalism? Sometimes it seems like there ought to be a definitive guide to herbalism – and for our 100th episode, we’d love to give it to you!But the thing is, there isn’t one.There’s only the hard way.But don’t let that discourage you! The “hard way” turns out to be the nuanced way, the complex way, the adaptable way – it turns out to be the only way, because shortcuts don’t work. Lifehacks don’t hack it. One-size-fits-all prescriptions and panacea formulae don’t actually fit everyone or solve everything. Herbalism has to be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of people in different bodies, situations, times, and places.Herbalism has changed and evolved a lot just in the time we’ve been practicing, and it will continue to change for as long as humans and plants come together. So even though there’s no definitive guide to

Our ideas about health are often context-dependent, and clinging too tightly to rules about what is “good” and “bad” can really get us into trouble when context changes. It can also get in the way of communicating and sharing knowledge with people who live in contexts that are different from our own.Like many herbalists, we teach and practice the avoidance of sugar in most situations. Most… but not all! Recently we posted a video about how to make an elderberry syrup with sugar, and got a lot of negative feedback. “You should only ever use raw local honey!” was a common refrain in these comments. But sometimes, there are good reasons to make your syrup with sugar – it does result in a non-alcoholic, shelf-stable product, and that could be necessary for some people. And in the end, an elderberry sugar syrup is better than no elderberry syrup at all!Similarly, there are sometimes reasons to make your liniment with rubbing alcohol, or to work with herbs in ways that are unusual or uncommon. Oftentimes, these are

Yes, there are herbs for joint pain, and they really work! But when we’re working with this problem, we like to pile on – lots of herbs (in lots of ways), plus some changes to the diet, plus gentle movement, plus better sleep & stres management. This is what holistic herbalism looks like: combining strategies for maximum effect.For joint pain, herbs can help very directly. Decoctions and liniments help us work from the inside out and the outside in – and they work best when you do both. At the same time, you can eliminate pro-inflammatory foods and emphasize anti-inflammatory ones. You can move in ways that build your range of pain-free motion without directly aggravating the sore spots. And you can sleep more and stress less, which may not sound like they’re directly related to joint issues – but they really are.Whether it’s from a sports mishap, a repetitive stress injury, Lyme disease*, rheumatoid arthritis, or some other source, these strategies & herbs for joint pain have brought enormous relief

Everyone gets stressed out sometimes. So if you’re among “everyone”, you might like this herbal stress remedy formula! It’s one of our favorites and we turn to it again and again.Like all our formulas, this one can be customized to meet your own needs & personal taste. In this episode we describe what each herb is doing to contribute to the overall impact of the blend, so that you can choose the herbs that are most relevant to your own situation. Whether stress shows up for you as agitation, fear, or feeling stuck; whether it comes with headaches, digestive upsets, or a short temper . . . these herbs can help everything be fine again.Herbs discussed include betony, tulsi, linden, rose, elder, st john’s wort, goldenrod, sage, chamomile, catnip, hawthorn, skullcap, lavender, vervain, & boneset.Intrigued by our discussion of elderflower as an emotional support herb in this episode? Then you should check out our mini-course all about Elderberries & Elderflowers! In it we teach you everything we know a