Nepeta cataria: Friend of Feline and Folk

May 30, 2011

Spring arrives, and I assign myself the simple and enjoyable task of strolling through my wild garden. Little starts of motherwort and yellow dock catch my eye. I see a few young leaves of dandelion and plantain. And then there’s catnip, in all its grace and boldness. My count yields 7 different patches bolting from [...]

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Healing Hands Cream

March 4, 2011

Creature comforts are important, and one of my favorites is a silky pot of body cream. Having it soothes my skin, envelops my senses, and makes me feel rich and pampered. In this article I will address the role the skin plays in our health, and provide you with a body cream recipe that is [...]

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Relieving Stress Part II: Solutions for a New Year

February 2, 2011

Part I of this article series, Nervines for a New Year, makes the point that with the appropriate nervine tonics, we can lessen the impact stress has on our bodies. That by doing so, we live a fuller life with decreased incidence of stress induced illness. In Part II, I will talk briefly about how [...]

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Relieving Stress Part I: Nervine Tonics for a New Year

January 5, 2011

Stress is here to stay, and we need to accept that it is a natural byproduct of life. The question is, how do we support our body when it’s influence becomes a nuisance, or worse, destructive? This 2 part series will hopefully give guidance there. Part 1 will define tonic herbs and how they affect [...]

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A Few of My Favorite Things

January 3, 2011

Holiday times are for sharing and giving. And in recognition of this generous season I thought it fitting to share two of my favorite product recipes. They are simple, tried and true. You can stow them away for a rainy day or produce them in copious amounts to be gifted to the herbal enthusiasts on [...]

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Time to Harvest Those Roots!

November 9, 2010

Most people don’t associate Fall with plant medicine making time. They relegate that activity to spring and summer. It’s in those seasons that the plant pools its efforts in an upward shift, sending shoots, developing stems, growing leaves, and flowers before going to seed. It is in the warmer seasons that we gather those plant [...]

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The Fearless Fever

September 21, 2010

This spring, McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalled hordes of cold, allergy and fever medications, leaving parents who rely on them and adults who get by on them to wonder how to safely manage fevers and cold symptoms. This comes just over a year after the first children’s cough remedy recall. In answer to this recall, I [...]

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Red Root Mountain Aromatherapy Correspondence Course

March 2, 2010

While the term aromatherapy was coined less then 100 years ago, the use of essential oils and the external application of scented plants as medicines is thousands of years old. Scent is an intoxicating healing art that inspires the body to chemically re-balance as well as the mind and spirit. Come participate in this 11 [...]

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When Taste Inspires Health (II)

February 3, 2010

Herbs evoke a multitude of responses in the body.  In addition to the more obvious, taste is an essential piece of this process.  It inspires a chemical reaction which may calm, stimulate, dry or heat. These energetic effects are felt body-wide, and are foundational when it comes to improving our health. All tastes are beneficial, [...]

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Kitchen Witch Medicine Cupboard (II)

January 25, 2010

Part one of this article series, Kitchen with Medicine Cupboard, gave examples of what a healing arts kitchen would contain, and described the basics of using herbs for medicine. Included was a brief definition of herbalism, classification and basic terminology for use of herbs, methods of preparation, and Materia medica.  Part II will make the [...]

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