I love discussing my favorite herbs as they tend to have many diverse, not to mention effective, uses. The topic of this article, reishi, or ling zhi, definitely has those traits but it also has quite interesting lore. For thousands of years, reishi was considered to be worth its weight in gold because it was…
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Since a young child I’ve been a traveler, and one of my favorite places to visit are gardens. There are many incredible gardens that people flock to from around the world including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, near London in the United Kingdom; Buchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, located near Victoria on…
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The shift from summer to fall is perhaps the most difficult adjustment for most folks healthwise; colds, flu and viruses start to arise now. Loquat leaf is a fabulous fall herb since it’s great for all sorts of coughs that are common at this time of year. It is especially effective when there is abundant…
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When I was recently (and accidentally) bitten by a cat, I immediately reached for my echinacea tincture. Does that choice surprise you? The advent of popularizing herbs means commercialization emphasizes only one major use for simplicity’s sake. Echinacea has become known as a cold and flu herb, so much so that over time, its many…
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Many of you may already know about the traditional dandelion and chicory “coffee” combination, but are you aware of rosemary “coffee”? While dandelion and chicory clear the liver instead of congesting it and draining the adrenals, as coffee does, rosemary courses energy through the liver, giving very similar effects as coffee without its negative…
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Magnolia bark (Magnolia officinalis, hou po) is a bit of a magical herb because it not only comes from a beautiful tree but it also does so many seemingly impossible things, such as both dispelling Phlegm and regulating energy. Now what do I mean by that — “dispelling phlegm and regulating energy”? Before I…
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I know spring is here to stay when our honeysuckle blooms. I remember in my early childhood plucking the flowers and sucking out their yummy nectar. Little did I know then that this lovely flower has many medicinal uses, too. First of all, honeysuckle is effective for colds, flu, and viruses with fever, headaches, and…
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The other day I saw a woman with complaints of burping and belching all day long that was worse when eating, especially after drinking water. While these symptoms can indicate more than one possible cause, I knew in her case it was what Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) calls Food Stagnation. This is because right now…
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How do you know if you’re taking enough of your herbs or herbal formula? Or what if you’re taking the right formula/herb but not getting the results as expected? This can lead to you wondering if you’re taking the right herbs or formula. Even worse, taking an insufficient dose can lead you to believe that…
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In addition to the usual herbal gifts of herbal wreaths, vinegars, soaps, candles, spices, potted plants, flowers, beauty products and more, there are two other to consider this holiday season. Teasel Teasel is such a fabulous herb to learn about, I’ve devoted a complete blog to it alone. As a gift, this herb is the…
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Teasel is a beautiful herb with a tall bristly head that grows in many places around the world. I once saw multitudes of dried teasel heads in a wool combing machine in Scotland in the 1990s. However, this herb is widely available throughout the world and except for the Chinese who commonly use this herb,…
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Turmeric has become increasingly popular over the last decade, first for blood purification and then for joint pain. As it’s hit the mainstream, its uses have narrowed at the same time. While turmeric is a fabulous herb with many beneficial applications, it’s also quite powerful and can strongly imbalance the body if over-used or misused.…
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In the West we tend to think of heat as inflammation; yet, it can take many other forms as we’ve learned through parts I-V of this blog series. In TCM, heat can exist without inflammation but have other signs of heat. The key to differentiating which type of heat is present is through determining its…
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September is the time of year that “Summer Heat” often arises because it’s either extra hot this time of year or else the accumulation of heat throughout the summer months creates imbalances now. Fortunately, many herbs that clear Summer Heat are especially available in our gardens or stores now as well, such as cucumbers and…
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Continuing our discussion about herbs that clear heat, the next category is a very commonly seen one: herbs that clear damp heat. What is damp heat? Damp heat is heat that is accompanied by dampness indicated by thick, greasy yellow secretions. It is often caused by congested bile but can also accompany inflammation and infections.…
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The herbal category, Herbs that Cool the Blood, is not known in Western herbalism but is one of the five main categories in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for clearing Heat. This category of herbs treats many different conditions, for when Heat enters the Blood level it can push the Blood out of its pathways…
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This blog series that began last month considers how Western herbalism treats heat as inflammation with little differentiation in herbal treatment. Yet, heat is not the same as inflammation; rather, inflammation is a kind of heat confined to a specific area of the body. Heat can also include such signs and symptoms as red eyes…
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Like Western medicine, Western herbalism today considers heat as inflammation with little differentiation in herbal treatment. Yet, heat is not the same as inflammation; rather, inflammation is a kind of heat confined to a specific area. Just treating inflammation with herbs will clear up any acute manifestation but not the underlying condition. Thus, there can…
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To finish up the flavors for the year, we have one left – salty. Most herbs that are salty are subtly so. Yet salty can include herbs with mineral salts, such as nettles. Here I want to discuss a true salty herb: seaweed. Seaweed is not unknown as a medicinal herb. Irish moss and bladderwrack…
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I often receive letters from children about my Kids Herb Book expressing their joy in making things and learning about herbs. With so many places having people shelter at home this year, more and more folks are studying herbs for their family’s health, which includes kids, too! The East West Herb Course offers a free…
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Finally, we’re reaching the end of 2020! I can’t tell you how many people have yearned to see this year pass since it’s been so difficult for most. Indeed, 2020 brought big changes to our lives and the East West Herb Course, too. I have always loved to travel and have done so since a…
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The spicy flavor has many understandings and an interesting function. When most people think of “spicy,” they think of spicy food. However, that’s normally due to the presence of chili rather than regular spices that don’t necessarily have what is normally thought of as a spicy flavor. In the last five years or more, food…
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Sweet is the flavor of the Spleen time of year, including this month of August. In July, I discussed the herb, jujube date, which is sweet but not the sweet flavor most of us think of as in sugar or candy. So what about a true sweet-sweet herb such as a fruit? (Yes, fruits can…
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From July through about mid-September, we are in the “Earth time of year” with its organs, the Spleen and Stomach. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Spleen is responsible for assimilation and transportation of nutrients throughout the body (metabolism) while the Stomach mechanically breaks down food and fluids. The flavor that improves both of these…
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Since we are in the “season” of the Heart, we’ve been covering bitter herbs. The bitter flavor cleanses the blood among other things and thus, it is connected to the Heart in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Five Phases system. So far, we have discussed dandelion and California poppy in this bitter flavor series. Our…
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According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we are in the Heart “time of year,” early summer, meaning that the heart’s energy flourishes now. Herbs with a bitter flavor help the heart by clearing heat and toxins from the blood. In April I discussed the bitter flavor in herbs and gave several examples. Cool in energy…
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The flavor of an herb is different than its taste. Taste is subjective while flavor is a major indicator of how an herb affects the body and thus, how it’s used. In other words, there is a direct correlation between flavor and physiological function. Basing an herb’s properties on its flavor was a way that…
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We are in cold and flu season, which especially hits during the summer-to-fall and winter-to-spring months. How do you prevent catching a cold or flu and if you do get it, what do you do? Thankfully some powerful herbs you can take right now to protect yourself. Herbal Prevention Herbal approaches for staying well include…
DetailsAnyone who’s heard tales from grandparents or great-grandparents who lived during the 1918 flu pandemic will understand the world’s great concern about the new coronavirus. The 1918 flu killed at least 50 million people worldwide, while 500 million (roughly one third of the world’s population then) became infected with that H1N1 virus.[1] Because the new…
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Whether you live in balmy, tropical Hawaii, or sub-zero, frosty Minnesota, the energy of winter is the same: storage. At this time winter’s cold drives your life fires deeply inward, collecting itself like a hibernating bear for the coming Spring. The Chinese believe that the water element rules winter, which is associated with the Kidneys,…
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I love to read – so much so, that I always have several books going at once. I still love to hold a physical book in my hands. However, I do listen to recorded books as I drive or fall asleep. The following books all center around herbs in one way or another, either as…
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When I began to study herbs, my first class discussed the difference between the many ginsengs. It was information overload at that stage of my learning, but since then I’ve used them all. If the prospect of selecting the right ginseng for a specific set of symptoms seems overwhelming, this blog is for you. Why…
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We are fast approaching the joint of the seasons – summer into fall – and of all times of the year, this is the most susceptible for catching colds and flu. Weather is cooling now, school is starting, and activities pick up so generally there’s more stress. At the same time, we often cling…
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Many climates throughout the world have five seasons – late summer, or Indian Summer, is usually the fifth, lasting from sometime in July through sometime through about mid-September. In traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the spleen is associated with the earth element. It is considered much more than a component of the lymphatic system but instead…
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Old time herbalists and the Eclectics didn’t focus on common herbs – they mainly used “heroic” medicines instead. These are the toxic herbs, so strong that only 1-2 drops of tincture were generally taken for quick and effective results. Of course such plants are rarely used today, and when they are it’s mainly in homeopathic…
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Our second trip to lush Costa Rica proved just as magical as our first in September 2018. This time a wonderful group of 12 folks joined us to explore several areas of Costa Rica. We began our tour at Finca Luna Nueva (in the region of San Carlos), the second biodynamic farm established in Costa…
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Choosing the right herb is essential to achieving healing results. But, if you continue eating to feed your disease, even herbs won’t help. This is because every food or drink we consume has a particular energy that in turn directly affects the energetic balance in our bodies. Food can cause heat or coldness, dryness or…
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Recently Michael and I witnessed the incredible scene of cherry blossom season in Japan. It is truly a remarkable sight. Clouds of pinkish-white flowers adorn dark branches that hang over green parks. blue waters, or frame distant structures. Crowds of locals stream through such areas, picnicking or strolling beneath their ancient glories, day and night.…
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The Ayurvedic herb ashwagandha has become quite well known in recent years and it is no wonder, for it has many important uses. Overall, it’s a wonderful anti-aging and rejuvenative tonic for most all folks and so deserves its growing reputation. Specifically, it is a yang tonic (meaning it warms and strengthens the body’s energy…
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Privet is often used to plant hedges for privacy instead of fences. I used to watch the birds flit in and out of my parents privet hedge in Louisiana. However, not all privets are created the same.
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Although yams have been around for eons, there are so many species (over 600), it can get very confusing at times. Which are eaten and which used medicinally? Are they all similar to each other? Plus where do they grow and how are they used? Wild yams have been an incredibly important food for much…
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In the cold of winter, a great herb to consider is the walnut. It is a rich source of fat that keeps the body warm and as a healthy snack, stifles hunger. But walnuts are more than a food; they have many valuable medicinal uses, too. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), walnuts gently tonify Kidney…
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Stumped about what to give for the holidays? Here are some herbal treats you can easily make and share that will not only be unusual and fun but also help your loved ones’ health, too! HAWTHORN OXYMEL An oxymel is simple as it’s only made with herbs, vinegar and honey. Hawthorn is especially good for…
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When recently exploring the incredible plants of Costa Rica, we stayed at the magical retreat center Amatierra. It’s a hidden secret that is not only beautiful but also very nourishing as well. When we first arrived and climbed down the stairs to the main building and dining terrace, I was immediately struck by the…
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Simply put, Costa Rica is a plant paradise. Michael and I were lucky enough to travel there a couple of weeks ago, and we were astonished by the botanical diversity there. So many regularly used herbs can be found in this forest wonderland. For starters, many of our kitchen spices come from Costa Rica. Ginger,…
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Celery often sits in our refrigerators for many different uses – making stocks, preparing soups, or filling with peanut butter for the kids. But celery has many more uses than that and is actually quite medicinal in concentrated form. Celery Seed Most herbalists are familiar with celery seed and teach about its many wonderful uses.…
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Finally, to close this series on herbs for Summer-Heat and for summer conditions in general, is the humble mung bean, a premier herb for clearing heat in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Mung bean (Vigna radiata, formerly known as Phaseolus munginis) neutralizes acids, clears toxicity, lowers and regulates blood pressure, heals ulcers, and relieves Summer-Heat and Hot-natured…
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In my last blog, I explained the Traditional Chinese Medicine disease pattern called “Summer-Heat,” largely parallel to what most Westerners know as heat stroke. As promised, here are two more herbs for this hot time of year: one made into a delicious cooling tea to ward off overheating, and another to deal with one of…
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Summers seem to be getting hotter and hotter so staying cool – and keeping your cool – can be more difficult. But don’t fret! There are many fabulous herbs, some even easy to find or grow foods, that can help you cool off during such hot summer days. These herbs also help with what Traditional…
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We are very excited to announce that the East West School of Planetary Herbology now offers a Home Herbalist Course! While we have provided Family and Professional Herbalist Courses, we have not presented a basic course in learning herbs – until now! The Home Herbalist Course is a great way to get involved with immediately…
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As we enter the summer traveling season, many of you may be going on holiday adventures in the next few months. As you do so, be sure to take herbs along with you. I always travel with an herbal first aid kit and inevitably it comes in very handy. I often end up sharing herbs…
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Oregon grape root is the Pacific Northwest variety of barberry (Berberis vulgaris). It was used by the indigenous mountain folk of California for all chronic degenerative diseases, especially cancer and arthritis. Oregon grape and barberry are so similar they are used interchangeably, yet Oregon grape is mild and well tolerated by most body types. It…
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Rhodiola is also used for nervous system disorders, ADHD, gastrointestinal complaints, coughing of blood, pneumonia, lowering fevers in colds and flu, and balancing blood sugar. It treats exhaustion headaches, minor hypotension, hemorrhoids, irregular heartbeat, erectile dysfunction, amenorrhea, and infertility. As well, it protects against chemotherapy and radiation. It relieves stiff muscles and spasm. As a mouthwash or gargle, it treats inflammation of the mouth and throat.
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During this season of love, as well as tending to your loved ones, care for your heart, too! Here are four terrific herbs that assist heart function, which could prevent heart attacks as well as treat …
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The flu is now widely in circulation and quickly going into people’s lungs. This is not only inconvenient and uncomfortable but can also cause dangerous prolonged and harsh coughing spells that can el …
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Most people have heard of the herb astragalus. Usually it’s the first Chinese herb learned after ginseng, and maybe dang gui. Some know astragalus as the “tongue depressor” herb because its sliced bul …
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With the expert aid of a wonderful support team, we have been updating, revising and reformatting our East West Herb Course for nine years now – NINE YEARS!!! The first half was completed in 2011 but …
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Not only do I love making medicines from my own garden but I also appreciate clients being able to obtain homegrown medicines, too. I’ll never forget one case where a woman was having nausea along wit …
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Have you ever talked with someone who thought that herbs didn’t work because they did little for them despite all their commercial hype? Or have you ever taken (or given) an herb and you (or the perso …
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In summer we often graze through the garden, feast on fruit, or skip meals altogether because we’re too involved with various activities to stop. Who doesn’t want to race outdoors first thing to enjoy …
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This spring, plant an herb that is not only an ornamental but also a powerful medicinal: ophiopogon. Known as Japanese turf lily or mondo grass, it is usually planted as a decorative border for its lo …
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I always love to make gifts when I can and especially love to receive handmade ones, too, as do many people I know. If you do as well, or are wondering what to give someone, here are a couple of holid …
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There is one kitchen spice most of us could use more of in our lives: cardamom. While there are different types of cardamom (see end for details), just the plain old spice you have in your kitchen cab …
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Gao Jelly is a black, jelly-like substance made from Chinese herbs. Sometimes called Gui Ling Gao Herbal Jelly, it was traditionally comprised of 30-50 herbs. Today it is a popular chilled dessert, ob …
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How to use moxa: If using purchased moxa, remove its commercial paper wrapper first (but not the white inner paper) and light one end. Hold about ½” above the skin over your chosen area, the distance …
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On our recent trip to China we went to Mr. Wei’s clinic in Hong Kong. There we learned of a new type of moxibustion – thunder moxa. It has many valuable uses and although it’s only available in China …
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A group of 24 East West students, graduates, teachers, and a few of their companions traveled to study herbs in China for 10 days in May. What we found there was most surprising and encouraging. Micha …
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This year after one of our best seminars ever (per many students and teachers), a large group of East West students and graduates traveled to China together! The bulk of our time was spent training wi …
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Thursday evening, March 10, 2016, Michael was given the Mark Blumenthal Community Builder Award by the American Botanical Council (ABC). Mark (Founder and Executive Director of ABC and Editor of Herba …
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It’s that season when many pin a bouquet of mistletoe in their doorway for that magical ritual of kissing underneath its bounty. While there’s wonderful lore behind this annual tradition, mistletoe is …
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CLOVE (Eugenia caryophyllata, E. aromaticum, Syzygium aromaticum) Family: Myrtaceae Also called: caryophylli or ding xian (Chinese) Parts used: flower bud Energy and flavors: warm, acrid, aromoatic Or …
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When most people hear of the herb feverfew, they think migraines. While feverfew became popular in Great Britain in the ‘80s for treating this, it has been used far longer and for many more purposes t …
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See Part 1 here. Black cohosh has long been used throughout the world, but today its many uses have been mostly forgotten in the face of its powerful effects on menopause. Here are many more of its tr …
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When you hear of the herb black cohosh, what do you think it treats? Today most people say, “Menopause,” as it has been shown to stop hot flashes. However, this herb does far more than that and is a p …
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Sweet flag (Acorus calamus; A. americanus) has been one of those on-again/off-again herbs where it’s safe to use it, then it’s not, and then it is again. Well good news for North Americans – its nativ …
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There’s another great Western substitute for a Chinese herb: Calendula officinalis can stand in for safflower (hong hua, Carthamus tinctorius). The two are flowers, one being deep gold to orange in co …
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After writing about the various types of citrus and their uses I thought about using other fruits as medicine. My mind turned to quince, since our wild lemon tree looks very similar to it. However, qu …
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Most of us love some form of citrus – oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, limes and more – yet did you know that some parts of these delicious fruits are actually quite medicinal? Interestingly, …
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Too often we find Western herbs pigeon-holed into convenient commercialized boxes. While this expands people’s interest in natural healing, it also limits herbs to one particular application such as e …
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It’s that season of the year again and so time to share some of my favorite herbs and therapies. The following I’ve found extremely useful over the last year. Some are herbs, others formulas, while st …
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Continuing the discussion of berberine-containing plants as Chinese-Western substitutes for each other, we first looked at using goldenseal in place of the Chinese herb, coptis (or vice versa if you c …
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In my investigation of finding western substitutes for Chinese herbs, I now turn to herbs that contain the alkaloid berberine, a chemical constituent found in many plants including goldenseal, goldthr …
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For quite a while, I’ve been curious about Western alternatives to Chinese herbs. I’m particularly interested in creating effective alternative formulas to traditional Chinese ones (to know why, read …
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In my search for western substitutions for Chinese herbs, it’s hard to ignore the easy ones. Since we’re at the end of the Spleen time of the Spleen time of year – deficient Spleen symptoms being poor …
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Many people in the West eschew herbs from other countries because they only want to use western herbs. While local herbs are the easiest and most convenient choice, they’re not necessarily the best an …
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Recently, Michael and I taught in England, and as we generally do when teaching there we also traveled to other countries. And of course we just had to investigate the herbal scene wherever we went, t …
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Along with its typical purposes in Western herbalism, the Chinese use dandelion as a cold, anti-toxic herb to drain downward and disperse energy (Qi) stagnation and clumping. They’ve traditionally emp …
DetailsI first learned about dandelion by reading Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury many decades ago, a book not really about dandelions but so fully infused with the spirit of summer that it may as well have b …
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So many of us are removed from our herbs these days since we generally choose faster methods of consumption such as pills, capsules, tablets, powdered extracts, and tinctures since they fit our busy l …
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In the late 1980s, I attended the first International Congress of Healing in India and met Sai Baba. He spoke to a group of us about helping people heal and of all the things he said a practitioner co …
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There’s a fabulous kidney tonic that I want to tell you about if you don’t already know it – shilajit. Sometimes spelled silajit, shilajeeta, or shilajeet, it is also called ashmaja, black bitumen E, …
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There are many herbal approaches to supporting Shen depending on the imbalance affecting it: Nourish the Shen through Heart Qi, Blood, or Yin tonics: fu shen, zizyphus, biota, asparagus root, reishi …
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Do you love life? Do you enjoy people? Are you enthusiastic about what you do? Do you wake up excited for your new day? Do your eyes sparkle? Are you playful? Then you’ve got Shen. If you currently do …
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HERBS – FOUR FAVORITES! While I’ve had many favorite herbs over the years with which I’ve experienced many wonderful healings, these four are my current favorites. Teasel (Dipsacus) I’ve long used …
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I decided it was high time again to introduce you to a few of my favorite things (I can’t believe it’s been five years since the last time I did this!). As I tend to focus on healing and not just herb …
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The holidays are fast approaching and before you know it, you might need to start cooking up a storm. But what if you’re tired of the same old recipes or you want to try something new? Look no further …
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When I first learned about herbs in the late ’70s, they were usually taken as capsules, with food, or smoked! As I began to study Chinese herbs I learned that they were typically prepared as teas. The …
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We are at the end of the Spleen/Stomach “time of year” – actually the Spleen/Spleen time – meaning that digestive and metabolic issues can be especially strained now. Every organ system “rules” about …
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In my last blog post we explored patterns of disharmony for the Spleen, which are so prevalent at this time of year. Here, I’ll discuss remedies for those patterns. SPLEEN DIET There are many great tr …
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