In the digital age, and now in the ‘stay-at-home age’, we rely on our eyes more than ever before. And that can mean excessive wear and tear. Fortunately, with a little care – including herbs for eye health – we can keep our peepers strong for years to come. Digital eye strain, sometimes known as … Read more
It’s January. The holiday – and rich food – season is over. I hope that you ‘ate responsibly’, but if you find yourself in a position of stomach upset or indigestion, read on for the scoop on how digestive bitters can promote an efficient and healthy digestive process. Did you say digestive bitter? If you’re … Read more
Some of my astute, concerned clients have asked me about the reported coumarin content in cinnamon, so I thought I’d set the record straight here. Coumarin is a natural blood thinner from which the drug, Warfarin (generic: coumadin), is derived. Blood thinners are useful in preventing blood clots which prevent heart attacks and strokes, but … Read more
As a clinician, lately I have been experiencing an uptick in people requesting herbal support to calm increased anxiety. While every person’s circumstances are different – I recommend consulting with a professional for acute or severe cases – I offer up the following 10 herbs for anxiety that are generally safe when used at normal … Read more
Medicinally-speaking,”common sage” is anything but! Having worked with a number of menopausal or peri-menopausal women in my clinical practice, hot flashes and night sweats are among the most uncomfortable symptoms these women are dealing with. A quick Google search for “herb for hot flashes” generally yields discussions about hormone modulators such as black cohosh, vitex … Read more
Not surprisingly in the year of a global pandemic, there is recent increased interest elderberry syrup for flu season (and any infectious disease). In fact, recently a friend inquired about where she might find a reputable source of elderberries as she intended to make her own syrup. Her inquiry inspired me to write about elderberries, … Read more
Is it January 2020 already? For me it seems like the holiday season just flew by this year! But that could be largely due to the fact that I was on an extended business trip from the Saturday after Thanksgiving all the way to Christmas Eve morning. I arrived at 4AM that morning, thanks to … Read more
The word ‘aphrodisiac‘ comes from the name of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, whose name also meant ‘sexual pleasure’. Therefore, an aphrodisiac is something that arouses sexual desire. It could be a substance such as a chemical (drug), but it could also be a sensory stimulant – visual (watching an … Read more
Recently I was asked by a fellow Master Gardener for some suggestions on how to put together an ‘educational and fun’ lecture on the History of Herbal Medicine. “Wow”, I thought, “that’s a particularly broad topic”. I started asking her a lot of questions: whose history? Which culture(s)? How far back do you want to … Read more
It’s fall! The leaves are changing, the days are getting darker and cooler and…seasonal allergies are acting up! (Full disclosure: I, personally, don’t suffer from seasonal allergies, but I’ve worked with several clients who do and have had great success with providing herbal allergy relief through combinations of the following.) Let’s get to it, no … Read more