herbs

Frankincense (Boswellia) is best known as incense to most folks. It’s been used for thousands of years as a wonderful aid for mood, medication, ritual, and prayer. As such, frankincense was extremely valuable in the ancient world and was a key part of the spice trade 2000 years ago, making the folks who controlled frankincense trees in the Southern Arabian Peninsula and East Africa extremely wealthy (1).

Frankincense is also great support for the digestive tract.  More on this in a moment…

Bitters hold their history in old European herbal medicinal traditions and used to serve the same purposes that tinctures do today. Tinctures are herbal extractions made by steeping dried or fresh herbs in a highly pure form of alcohol. Any part of the plant can be used to make tinctures, although some parts may render different effects than others. Commercial processes use ethyl alcohol, but for home crafted tinctures, 100 proof vodka is the best choice.

Gladiolus plants are a member of the family Iridaceae, commonly known as the Iris family. Its genus contains eleven species according to the United States Department of Agriculture but other professional horticulturists believe that there are many more species. The flower is native to South Africa and was a food staple for the native peoples.

Cockscomb is a member of the family Amaranthaceae, also known as the Amaranth family of the genus Celosia L., commonly known as cock's comb P.

Syrups are a great way to take your medicine and to spice things up in the kitchen.  Here are a couple of easy syrup-making methods. The first method is the way to go for medicinal syrups that can also be used in recipes. You can use these by the spoonful daily.  The second is just for introducing some exciting new flavors into your recipes rather than for medicinal usage. 

Are adaptogens the next best thing for the human health quotient? Or are they as overblown as the antioxidant theory? Make an informed decision…

Go to any nutritional or lifestyle coach and you’ll hear the term adaptogen bandied about quite a bit. So what are adaptogens? To understand that, let’s begin with what adaptogens aren’t.

Want to add a touch of herbalism to your bathroom? Creating some beautiful herb dolls and bath bags is the way to go. An herb doll can be hung on the bathroom wall for decoration and a nice aroma. It's literally herbs attached to a doll's straw hat.

“We can think of food in general, as well as the very act of cooking, in a similar vein. Good, fresh, wholesome ingredients have tremendous capacity to support the body and all its systems. Preparing those foods in ways that bring out their best—that make them more nourishing for the body and a feast for the senses—is a powerful form of medicine that cultivates the health of the body, mind, and spirit.”

—Brittany Wood Nickerson, Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen

Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris and A. douglasiana) has a magical feel to it: The silvery green leaves that shine in the moonlight; the distinctive scent used for dream time. Then there’s the botanical name “Artemesia,” for Artemis with her silver bow and arrow, goddess of the hunt associated with the moon and things wild. Mugwort seems to put one into a different space.

Many of us dream of having a garden, but if you live in a small apartment or house without a yard, it’s very hard to find the space you need to start growing vegetables, herbs, and anything else you need for your cooking. While some people just give up at this point, there’s something you should know: most vegetables can be grown in containers!