natural healing

The Botanical Dog: Cold & Flu Support For Your 4-Legged Friend

Dogs can actually catch your cold or flu. Who knew??  Like us, they can come down with a whole slew of respiratory bugs: cold viruses, flu viruses, bacterial respiratory infections such as kennel cough (Bordatella). Dogs even have a doggie-specific flu virus, “canine influenza virus” and the symptoms are similar to our own annual people version of the flu…achiness, fatigue, fever, runny nose, wet cough.

3 Bitter Mints For Better Digestion (& More!)

Wait, you might be thinking, mints can be bitter?  Yup…not all mints have a lovely aroma and flavor.  But this doesn’t mean they aren’t great medicine. Some of my favorite all-time herbs are bitter mints.  In fact, I just processed pounds-worth of one of them, motherwort, yesterday with my herb-growing friend.  

Staying Calm & Focused: 7 Botanicals For Day-To-Day Anxiety

I’ve written before about some fantastic plant allies for dealing with panic attacks that are also helpful for day-to-day anxiety and tension—though some of these botanicals may be a bit too sedating when you’re trying to shave off some tension and relax

Pumpkin Spice, Good For More Than Lattes: Great Medicinal Uses

It's that time of year. That’s right, I’m talking about the avalanche of everything pumpkin spice.  Lattes, baked goods, protein shakes, hand soaps, room sprays and, yup, even toilet paper. Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice is here for the next couple months. 

Essential Oil Essentials: Let’s Learn About Litsea (May Chang)!

Litsea is a bit off the beaten path for some folks. Those familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine, however, will know that Litsea (or May Chang) has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Native to Southeast Asia, Litsea has been used for everything from asthma to digestive issues.

6 Holistic Ways To Heal A Broken Bone Faster

If you've broken a bone, you know how distressing it can be. No doubt you want to return to your normal activities as quickly as possible. Are there any holistic ways to help a broken bone along?

While time remains the best healer for fractures, adopting certain healthy habits can speed up the recovery process. The following six tips may help you get back in the game as soon as possible.

 

3 Hearty & Grounding Mushroom Recipes For Fall

As the cool weather is setting in for some of us, now’s the time for some hearty and grounding recipes.

Sacred Trees: Hawthorn Folklore, Medicine & Food

Hawthorn (Crataegus) is rich in magical lore and medicine. The name Hawthorn reflects the berries (haw) and thorns found on this tree. It’s a small tree with big thorns that will remind you if you’re being too greedy harvesting the flowers, and later in the summer, the berries.  

 

What Is Dry Needling & Is It Right For You?

Acupuncture has become a popular holistic treatment to alleviate pain for several conditions, but dry needling isn’t as well known. While both acupuncture and dry needling use small, stainless steel needles to trigger points in the body, dry needling is commonly used as a way to trigger muscles. 

 

Turmeric: The Ancient Medicine That Slows Bone Cancer

Turmeric, a bright-yellow-hued root spice, has been used in cooking, medicine, and cultural ceremonies for thousands of years, especially in South Asia. Practitioners of both western healthcare and Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient holistic healing system with Indian roots, have lauded this plant’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.