You’re familiar with oregano, that savory, peppery herb used commonly in Mediterranean cuisine, but what about the un-related herb which is commonly called Mexican Oregano? Mexico has its own version of oregano which matches its more spicy, forward-flavored cuisine.
Read MoreThe word chili comes from the Aztec Nahuatl word chílli, meaning a “red pepper.” Chili peppers, or “chile” peppers in Mexico, are the fruit of various species of the genus Capsicum, a diverse and colorful genus pretty enough to inspire artists for millenia.
Read MoreThe fiery heat of chili peppers is due to several chemical compounds, especially the alkaloid capsaicin which is co-concentrated in the seeds and pulp. Capsaicin and related capsaicinoids account for the various levels of heat experienced when you taste different chili peppers.
Read MoreIn the heat of the summer we are drinking glass after glass of water. What if we replaced some of that with a refreshing and medicinal iced herbal tea?
Herbal teas are easy to make and will keep for several days in the fridge. There are endless varieties and variations and very few rules when blending summertime herbal teas.
Read MoreASI tea uses the local native holly plant which is closely related to Yerba Mate. It has caffeine (well, technically a caffeine like alkaloid) so it has a kick. One of the things which is fun about this product is that they are cleverly avoiding the botanical name, which is Ilex vomitoria for good reason. It's great to see a plant which is underused get out there a bit more.
Read MoreWhen I educate pharmacists about herbs (which I do a lot of), one of the things which is hard for them to grasp is the chemical complexity of plant medicines. It's understandable, because to them, 3 drugs in one person is a lot to figure out when it comes to safety and interactions. So you can imagine their uneasiness when you are talking about 100 chemicals in one plant.
Read MoreThe soft earth beneath our feet, pollen and aromatics in the air, clipping leaves and flowers and filling your baskets – the herbalist thrives in the time of summer where the plants are at their most fecund and the medicines can be gathered with fingertips and laid to dry in the The soft earth beneath our feet, pollen and aromatics in the air, clipping leaves and flowers and filling your baskets – the herbalist thrives in the time of summer .
Read MoreViruses are generally accepted as infective agents compiled of a bunch of bits and parts which are able to utilize living cells to reproduce. As such, they are ultimately considered non-living because of their inability to reproduce without using a host. To understand how herbal medicines can be helpful to people with viral infections (or in prevention), it's important to understand what makes them so persistent and "successful".
Read MoreAs the vaccines debates rage, one thing we can probably all agree on: If you get them, you want them to work. When you are navigating the vaccine debate it can be discouraging to hear about the occurrence of a vaccine not providing the immunity expected. Is there anything we can do to increase our effective response to the vaccine?
Read MoreRight now the world seems to be bearing down on all sides with fires, hurricanes, deportation, human rights issues, political tragedies. There is so much to care about, so many ways to give and directions to be pulled in. Many of us feel a dire need to stay afloat ourselves or to fight for those of us who are less privileged. It’s essential to create all of energy
Read MoreWhile long walks on the beach and laughter with dear friends can’t be placed in a bottle, there are herbal medicines which you can quickly use each day to mitigate the effects of stress you are experiencing. Whether your goal is to build and nourish yourself for each day or to have some extra help in the moment, these 5 herbs can offer you self-care when you most need it.
Read MoreIn the winter, plants become housemates in their jars and bags, little pieces of summer in the times when the earth is bare and plants are sleeping, their medicines either gathered deep in their roots or hopefully passed into their seeds. A few stand frozen with the medicine intact as we hastily gather them and take them into our warm homes.
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