Commonwealth Podcast For Holistic Herbalism

This week our episode is an interview with Shari & Russ Apotheker of Apotheker’s Kitchen, makers of fine honey-sweetened confections and longtime friends of ours. We visited them at their homestead in Way Up There, VT, to chat about their work and how it’s changed over the years. Along the way we talked about a lot of issues close to the herbal world as well as that of artisanal chocolatier-ing: ethical ingredient sourcing, navigating certifications, prioritizing pollinator protection, and life as intentionally-small, purposefully-scaled-down small businessowners. Give it a listen!Herbs discussed include cacao, cashew, & vanilla.Mentioned in this podcast:Apothekers Kitchen – go here to order directly from Shari & Russ!Apothekers Kitchen on InstagramHerbstalk’s Wintergreen Market – Saturday November 24th at the Armory in Somerville. The Apothekers will be there with their chocolates, marshmallows, & other confections. We’ll be there too – Ryn’s doing a demo on electuaries at 2:00pm, and we’ll h

This is our one-year anniversary episode! This week we cover a lot of ground. Katja talks about ways adding a little inconvenience to your home environment helps encourage you to move more. She also talks about how she came around to appreciating rhodiola as an herb on our honeymoon to Iceland, and offers some non-caffeine-containing stimulant herbs for midwives (and anyone who may have long nights ahead). Then, Ryn shares some of his discoveries on looking for exceptions to the herbalist’s adage that “nothing in the mint family is poisonous”.Herbs discussed include rhodiola, angelica, eleuthero, tulsi, betony, calamus, yarrow, ground ivy, & pennyroyal.Mentioned in this podcast:Roseroot – Herb of the North, Anna Rósa8 Poisonous Plant Families, Marc WilliamsBotany In A Day & Shanleya’s Quest, Tom ElpelToxic Plants of North America, Second Edition, Burrows & Tyrl~If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way – like with our Herbalism 101 program! It’s a great way

Every year, our Advanced Studies Program ends with a weekend-long exam. There’s a written portion with short answers, essays, and case analysis, and an in-person oral & practical exam as well. This week, we wanted to share with you some of our favorite questions from the exam, mainly to focus on the reasonswe ask these questions in this way and how they help us change our ingrained patterns of thinking. We’re also sharing some particularly great answers from this year’s group!~If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way – like with our Herbalism 101 program! It’s a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round!Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

This week we’re out in Coal River Valley, West Virginia, helping out at a free herbal clinic for folks in this area who’ve been affected by mountaintop removal mining. We interviewed three members of the local Herbal Medics team – Maureen, Hannah, and Lauren share their connections to the area, connecting with locals (and reconnecting them to their traditions) through plant medicine, and their experiences in the free clincs we’ve been running here together for the past three years.We also have new intro music, provided by our dear friend (and Herbal Medics WV team member), Jen-Osha!Herbs discussed include calendula, plantain, wild lettuce, & cayenne; plus formulas including joint liniment and sprain & strain salve.Mentioned in this podcast:West Virginia Herbal MedicsRAMPS CampaignJudy Bonds & Coal River Mountain WatchKeepers of the MountainsAppalachian Peace Paws Rescue – Morgantown, WVStudy finds taking the stairs, raking leaves may have same health benefits as a trip to the gym (EurekAlert)~If y

This week we do a lightning round of “minigraphs” on some of our favorite herbs. We started by taking a look at what we’ve got on our herb shelf (okay . . . *shelves*) in the kitchen right now, and selecting a few semi-randomly until our 45 minute timer went off.We covered reishi, catnip, mugwort, heather, st john’s wort, and za’atar (which is a spice blend, but totally still counts – right?). So give it a listen and meet some of our best friends!Mentioned in this podcast:Our Wedding Tattoo Herbs – including elder, betony, tulsi, bladderwrack (seaweed), pine, yarrow, sage, and marshmallow.Quintessential Arts – purveyor of fantastic plant ally jewelryBehave, by Robert Sapolsky – Katja’s current book / research fascinationCanaan Palestine – our favorite source for za’atar (when we’re not mixing our own)And here’s everything else in the way of loose dry herbs on our shelf right now:ashwagandhaangelicaelecampanetulsigingerlindenchamomilecalamusorange peelplantainschizandramatehawthornmotherwortself-healuva ursibe

It's not just for lattes anymore: the ubiquitous pumpkin spice blend is in fact an herbal formula! The standard pumpkin [pie] spice mix is cinnamon, ginger, clove, allspice, nutmeg. From an herbalists point of view, this is a mix of aromatic, pungent, carminative spices, very antioxidant-rich, and most of which are also antimicrobial. In this podcast we'll break it down and give you the details on each individual herb, as well as the formula as a whole. Spice it up!Mentioned in this podcast:Pumpkin spice as an aphrodisiac, study in the American Academy of Neurology and Orthopaedic SurgeonsCinnamon for blood sugar management, studyKatja's recipe for paleo pumpkin spice muffins!This episode originally aired on the HerbRally Podcast - they have tons of great content over there, check it out!~If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you an

Ryn leads off this week with a variety of herbs to try reducing the ringing in the ears called tinnitus. Herbs to drain stuck fluids, quell nervous irritation, and increase cerebral circulation can all help out with this distracting problem. Katja has some great ideas for you headache sufferers out there - starting with some practical considerations about food and water, sleep, and stress - and then moving on to some herbs you can match to your particular triggers and symptoms. Mentioned in this podcast: The Whole30 ProgramConcenTrace from Trace Mineral Research - a liquid multimineral & trace element supplementIf you'd like to help out and transcribe a portion of our video program for our incarcerated student, contact us! Ditto if you'd like to sponsor a book donation!Herbs discussed include: ground ivy, goldenseal, black cohosh, feverfew, skullcap, passionflower, ginkgo, marshmallow, linden, lemon balm, willow, meadowsweet, wood betony, ginger, chamomile, calamus, peppermint. ~ If you like our

Caregiving is exhausting, thankless, necessary work, and becoming increasingly more common. In the first half of this episode, Katja shares some insights into the difficulties facing those who are caring for elders, and herbal allies who can help them as they help others.  In the second half, Ryn shares what he found after investigating everything to do with botulism: where it comes from, how to prevent it, and how [un]common it really is. The short version is: if you follow good medicine-making practices, you really don't have to worry about it! But listen in, get all the details, and you'll rest easy. Mentioned in this podcast: If you'd like to help out and transcribe a portion of our video program for our incarcerated student, contact us! Ditto if you'd like to sponsor a book donation!The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, Episode 18: Pleurisy in Daughter-CaregiversCCHH on Instagram, to make sure you catch the card deck giveaway next week!Quintessential Arts - Hilary made Katja's necklace

This week we bring you a podcast we originally aired on the HerbRally podcast as its inaugural episode, last July, all about the model we use for running free clinics - both in our own space here in Boston, as well as out in communities in need. We wanted to share it in case you missed it, and also because we're preparing for another trip to work in a free clinic in West Virginia mountaintop-removal coal mining country, which also uses this model and has been very successful in bringing herbs to some people who really need the help. Wherever you are, this format can help you bring a free herbal clinic to your community! Mentioned in this podcast:Herbal MedicsMountain SOL / Aurora LightsCoal River Mountain WatchHerbalism and the Law: The Practice of Medicine in Massachusetts~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones health

If back-to-school means the nest is empty, you may want some herbal support! Katja shares her favorite allies for this difficult transition. Ryn reflects on a forest movement immersion event he experienced recently, and shares some lessons he [re]learned there about challenge, adaptability, and seeing the complex context. Herbs discussed include hawthorn, motherwort, sage, linden, catnip, chamomile, & goldenrod. Mentioned in this podcast:HerbRally - Lots of great material here. Check out our guest podcast on How To Not Be A Guru!~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round! Our theme music is "Wings" by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

This week, Ryn leads off with some thoughts on salad: why it's often boring and nutritionally deficient, and how to boost it up with some wild greens, herbal pesto, spice blends, and feral berries - and how to get these from the grocery store when it's not spring or summer. Katja goes over some herbs that can help with the stress, fears, and excitement swirling around this transitional season - for both kids and parents - along with strengthening strategies to improve immune resilience so the classroom germs don't get you. Herbs discussed include violet, dandelion, garlic mustard, lamb's quarters, plantain, linden, nettle, mulberry, blueberry, barberry, basil, sage, parsley, dill, cilantro, radicchio, arugula (hey, salad diversity is what it's all about!); plus hawthorn, chamomile, tulsi, rose hips, elderberry. Mentioned in this podcast:Herbstalk's Harvest Festival - THIS SATURDAY, September 1st, from 11:00am to 4:00pm, in Jamaica Plain. Katja's class on Back-to-School Herbs

In this episode both Ryn & Katja have things to share related to sleep. Katja leads off with a listener question about alcohol cravings at bedtime, then discusses some of her own strategies for coping with restless thoughts that interfere with rest. Ryn lays out the effects of caffeine in the body to help you understand how it can in fact interfere with sleep, even many hours after consumption. Herbs discussed include tulsi, ginger & chamomile, coffee, & tea. Mentioned in this podcast:Tammi Sweet's Anatomy & Physiology CourseThe Irish History PodcastPaul Bergner's article on coffee: A New Look At An Old DevilWikipedia's History of Coffee - here you can see the 1652 advert for the first coffee shop in London.~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round! Our them

This week, a case of histiocytoma on a dog's paw leads Katja to talk about wound care for animal companions. What to do when a furry friend has a wound? Help it out with herbs! It's not as hard as you might be thinking. Ryn received a helpful email this week that made him want to dig deeper into essential oil safety, and will lead to some revisions of his liniment and muscle rub recipes. Special thanks this week to Jennifer Lombard of Earth and Aether Aromatherapy for the heads-up, and for being so generous with her time and resources. Thank you! Herbs discussed include chamomile, calendula, plantain, witch hazel, rose, catnip, cinnamon, wintergreen, clove, and ginger. ~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round! Our theme music is "Wings" by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the s

The world's on fire, no one wants to admit they're occasionally catastrophic, and sometimes all you want to eat is ice cream. In this episode we'll talk about herbs to support respiratory health in times of dryness and smoke inhalation. We've also got a dramatic* reading of Katja's favorite blog post ever, You're A Trainwreck. We'll wrap it up with a listener question about cold digestive systems in hot weather. * Not in a bad way. Herbs discussed include tulsi, calamus, mullein, linden, marshmallow, hibiscus. Mentioned in this podcast:You're A Trainwreck.~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round! Our theme music is "Wings" by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Introverts & extraverts, as patterns of personality, each have their strengths and weaknesses. In this episode we'll discuss herbal allies to accommodate common discomforts experienced by those who identify with one or another pole of this spectrum. Introversion & extraversion don't need to be "fixed", but their extremes can be balanced and their weak points strengthened through the work of herbal medicines. Listen & learn how! Herbs discussed include cayenne, tulsi, mate, yarrow, motherwort, rose, sycamore, calamus, kava, green tea, betony, pedicularis, jiaogulan, schisandra, nori, ginger-chamomile, hawthorn, and linden. (Yeah, it was kind of a lot this week.) Mentioned in this podcast:When Things Fall Apart is Katja's favorite book by Pema Chodron.~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved one

A listener asked us what would be our five favorite tinctures to have on hand, so this week we're each going to share with you a list of herbs we just can't live without! We talk a bit about each one's virtues and the way we ourselves work with these herbs. Katja's list: ghost pipe, tulsi, calamus, ginger-chamomile, lobelia. Ryn's list: solomon's seal, catnip, yarrow-sage, kava, cayenne. Mentioned in this podcast:The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter WohllebenHerbal Medicine for Beginners - our book, which teaches you how to work with 35 multi-purpose herbs. It's perfect for people who are just starting to build their apothecaries, or for more advanced students who'd like to see how you might solve a wide array of problems with a small set of herbs.Katja's ginger-chamomile cookies~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily lif

Katja's daughter Amber is off to camp this week, so she shares with you the list of things they packed into Amber's herbal first aid kit. If you have kids headed off to camp - or are going to one yourself - you'll want to listen in! Ryn muses on the capacity for receiving information from some parts of the body that don't make the Top Five Sensory Organs list (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, hands), but which are very perceptive indeed . . . if they're thoughtfully trained. He even has some homework for you to develop these skills! Mentioned in this podcast (or at least, relevant to its content):Feet: The Sixth Sense, Katy BowmanIt Starts With Feet (podcast with transcript), Katy Bowman8 Natural Movements for Better Balance, Erwan LeCorreThe Secret Teachings of Plants: The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature, Stephen BuhnerThe HeartMath InstituteCritical Intuition, Paul Bergner~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - lik

This week we share some practical first aid herbalism for burns and sprains. Whether you're hiking far out in the woods or simply have an accident at home, these tips will help you take care of yourself effectively & naturally with herbs. A few resources for you:Dressing A Burn - this is the video about burn care Katja mentioned!Go-To Joint Liniment - this is Ryn's trusty recipe for everyday use.~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round! Use the code resilience between now and July 14th to get $50 off! Our theme music is "Wings" by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Katja & Ryn discuss how these "exotic spices" came to be ubiquitous among Americans, and how we can learn from the history of plant trade, cultivation - including some bitter history and present affairs of colonization and slavery. We try to recognize and explore the chain of relationships between the farmers and ourselves, and give thanks and respect to the hands that touch these precious herbs. A few resources on ethical cacao:Ethical Consumer's shopping guide - goes over a lot of the major issues and third-party certifications (e.g. Fair Trade, Equal Exchange, UTZ, Rainforest Alliance, etc.Slave Free Chocolate13 Fair Trade Chocolate Companies For Your Conscious Cravings~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round! Use the code resilience between now and July 14th to get

Ryn leads off this week with a discussion of herbal affinities - the ways in which herbs may be centered in their effects on a particular organ or type of tissue in the body - and how these can help you make good herbal choices or make more effective formulas. Katja shares some thoughts about how to cope with the political crisis machine by finding ways to enter into service for the good of others - it turns out, it helps you too! If you find it difficult to get there, don't worry: she also shares a few herbal friends who help us soften into a place of receptivity and compassion. Herbs discussed this week include hawthorn, marshmallow, goldenseal, crampbark, and motherwort. ~ Our book Herbal Medicine for Beginners is available now on Amazon! Our theme music is "Wings" by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!