Hawthorne (Crataegus spp.) hasn’t been the subject of modern studies to the extent that one might expect, but the more it is the more it reveals that the traditional reasons for using it are spot on. Traditionally it (esp. C. oxycanthoides) has been used for congestive heart failure, to promote healthy blood vessels, hypertension, palpitations, […]
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If you suffer from any kind of chronic health condition, if you are an athlete, if you are recovering from an illness or injury, if you do shift work, work long hours, or experience any others of a host of stressors… then you want to learn about Adaptogens! What is an Adaptogen? An easy way […]
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Drying herbs for later use is an age old practice. At the most basic all you have to do is gather the plants and hang them up somewhere to dry. Perhaps you’ve seen pictures of old apothecaries or museums where they show plants hanging in bunches from the ceiling. Perhaps you’ve dried some plants yourself. […]
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This popular herb can be a little confusing. It has several common names, such as Milk Thistle, Marian Thistle and St Mary’s Thistle; and it also has more than one scientific name, for example, Carduus marianum and Silybum marianum. To make matters worse sometimes supplements are labeled as Silymarin, which can either be a whole […]
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Also known as Allium sativum Most of us are familiar with garlic. It’s used in so many yummy recipes. Yet when sick many people tend to forget this important little flavour packed ingredient. Garlic has many uses. What can it do? • It is an antioxidant • It can aid the body to rid itself […]
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Some of you have been asking what I think of multivitamins and some of the various supplements out there. I must admit that my opinion has changed somewhat over time. You see the more I learn the less I use supplements. Oh I used to use them quite a lot. As time goes on, and […]
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Rhodiola rosea or Rose root Rhodiola wasn’t an herb I was taught in herbal college, thus it is a fairly new addition to my dispensary cupboard. Yet, the more I learned about this herb, the more I had to have it! Its potential for my clients is too great not to! Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), also […]
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Mmmm… cinnamon buns! Traditional combinations of foods so often have good reasons for those combinations. Cinnamon buns are a great example of this; since cinnamon is used wholistically for regulating blood sugar, and cinnamon buns have a lot of sugar in them. Traditionally, it is used for weak digestion, poor appetite, flatulence, nausea, and many […]
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Also known as Purple Cone Flower, Echinacea is a tall perennial plant from the daisy (compositae/asteraceae) family. It grows up to a height of about one meter and is a native to the western prairies of North America.There are three types that are typically used for medicinal purposes Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida. […]
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When most people think of St. John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum these days they think “for depression”. Yet there is so much more to this wonderful herb than just an aid in depression. Traditional uses Traditionally the herb has been used: As a sedative for anxiety and tension For pain relief for neuralgia (fibrositis, sciatica, and rheumatic […]
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