Cardamom – this herb is possibly a familiar flavor, due to its use as a spice in Indian chai as well as pastries, particularly from Sweden where this herb is used a lot. This herb grows well in tropical regions, and it is grown most intensively in southern Indian and Guatamala. A member of the […]
Cinnamon is a very familiar spice/herb to most people. Often, I find that people are surprised to see it in cut bark form for use in a tea, however, as it is most familiar in powder form. It has a long history of medicinal use and was shipped from the Spice Islands to Europe, the […]
Astragalus root A medicinal plant whose use comes to us from Chinese medicine, its Latin name is Astragalus membranaceus and it is a member of the Fabaceae family, also known as the legume/pea family. The root is the part that is used, and it is considered a quintessential immune tonic or immune modulator. This means […]
The Kidneys – We have two of these important organs, sitting up just under the rib cage in the back. They filter the blood, inorganic salts, and toxic waste products of metabolism, maintain mineral and pH balance in the blood, and help control blood pressure by regulating the volume of water in the blood. They […]
An effective way to prepare herbs for topical use is to infuse herbs in oil so that the properties of the plant can be extracted into the oil. Basically this means covering fresh or dried herbs with oil and allowing them to sit in the oil for a length of time and then pressing out […]
It’s that time of year, when the flowers are opening all around us, spring greens sprout up in our woods and gardens, the weather gets more mild, and for some, the allergy symptoms begin, or come on full force. Fortunately there are some great tools in the natural world for helping alleviate these uncomfortable symptoms […]
Liquid extracts, often called “tinctures,” are a convenient and effective way to take herbal remedies. Alcohol is the most oft-used medium to extract, as it is effective in various percentages in pulling out a variety of water-soluble and fat-soluble constituents from the plant, as well as being a powerful preservative. However, there are instances where […]
Many of you know my dog Abby or have seen her when you’ve come into Herban Wellness. I have taken her to a holistic/natural veterinarian since day one, because I apply the same principles to my animal companion as I do to myself. Start with the foundations: healthy diet, exercise, minimal exposure to toxins. Then […]
Sustainable. Sustainability. These words have become synonymous with a descriptor for someone (a person) or something (a business) that is actively striving to be sensitive to the needs of the environment, although the word is clearly used in other contexts as well. Dictionary.com defines the word as an adjective in its secondary definition as: “the […]
I’m sure we’ve all felt the power of trees. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are surrounded by an abundance of them. Sometimes we are in awe of their sheer size and height, other times it’s the sound of the wind through their leaves or needles, or the scent of their resins or aromatic terpenes […]