Real Herbalism Radio | Herbalism | Plant Medicine | Botany | Wild Crafting

Some secrets are meant to be shared. Just like not all herbs are created equal; not all medicinal mushroom remedies are created with the same quality. This means that some medicines are more effective than others. Today, we're talking with Jeff Chilton, commercial mushroom grower, author, founder of Nammex, and expert in the medicinal mushroom industry for over 40 years, about the secrets the mushroom growing industry have kept under wraps. These will change the way you shop for medicinal mushroom remedies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Herbal Nerd Society member exclusive: The History of Asthma with Howie BrounsteinHerbalist Howie Brounstein discusses the changing view of asthma over the last couple of centuries. He refers to the description of the disease by early teachers of from the Eclectic School from 1800s. The Industrial Revolution made a marketable difference on respiratory disease. Howie compares the treatments described by the Thompsonian herbalists to modern approaches to asthma treatment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show 157: Herb Lab – Moodtopia Author Sara-Chana SilversteinSue and Candace were very motivated by their interview with Sara-Chana Silverstein, Master Herbalist, Classical Homeopath, mother of 7, Lactation Consultant and author of Moodtopia. They share their own herbal and behavioral favorites for taking control of moods.Be sure to visit the Practical Herbalist website for recipes and further information on the herbs discussed in this podcast. Real Herbalism Radio podcast show notes always include a list of links or go to www.thepracticalherbalist.com and use the handy search engine at the top of the page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast Show 156: Interview with Moodtopia Author Sara-Chana SilversteinHow do you balance modern medicine with traditional and natural approaches to healing? The truth is … you CAN blend these paths into a healthy system all your own. Today, we’re talking with Sara-Chana Silverstein, Master Herbalist, Classical Homeopath, mother of 7, Lactation Consultant and author of Moodtopia about doing just that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The work that we do in our community as herbalists often has surprising consequences. We meet new people, learn new skills and share new ideas. Last week, Sue and Candace interviewed Plaedo, co-founder of Eugene Avant Gardeners, poet, musician, activist, and peace officer for the Downtown You Initiative about crating community in the garden. His community contact has had wide reaching changes which inspired Sue and Candace to dig into other ripples from "stones cast into the stream". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast Show 152: How Community Gardens Help People GrowAs herbalism is the medicine of the people, gardening is the medicine of the community. When we come together to nurture the plants, inevitably we find ourselves connecting more deeply.Today, we're talking to Plaedo, co-founder of Eugene Avant Gardeners, poet, musician, activist, and peace officer for the Downtown You Initiative about crating community in the garden and beyond.Be sure to visit the Practical Herbalist website for recipes and further information on the herbs discussed in this podcast. Real Herbalism Radio podcast show notes always include a list of links or go to www.thepracticalherbalist.com and use the handy search engine at the top of the page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast Show 153: Herb Lab - Recovering from Trauma in our CommunityThere are many rumors circulating in the herbal community that speak of trauma. Whether you are directly involved with the issues or not, these stories which land so close to home, have a effect on us. Sue and Candace talk about some of these stores and try to apply the guidance provided by Amanda Dilday, author of Flowers for a Girl : Plant Medicine for Sexual Trauma. Amanda is also the founder and a teacher at the Alchemilla's School of Embodied Herbalism in South Carolina.Be sure to visit the Practical Herbalist website for recipes and further information on the herbs discussed in this podcast. Real Herbalism Radio podcast show notes always include a list of links or go to www.thepracticalherbalist.com and use the handy search engine at the top of the page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trauma is a part of the human experience ... one we often struggle to recover from for decades. Mother Nature has always offered us medicine for healing through the plant people. Today, we're talking about healing from physical and sexual trauma with Amanda Dilday, author of Flowers for a Girl : Plant Medicine for Sexual Trauma. She is also the founder and a teacher at the Alchemilla's School of Embodied Herbalism in South Carolina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prickly Pear Cactus (Nopal) is a traditional herb that is native to the Americas. Herbalist and desert eco-system defender, Christina Sanchez, talks about how to use Nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) medicinally. She also goes into detail on how to harvest and process this thorny cacti. From burning off the spines to straining out the juice. Prickly Pear Cactus is an accessible and useful herb that offers a diversity of health options. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a conversation with Nick Polizzi, author of Sacred Science - An Ancient Healing Path for the Modern World, Sue and Candace discuss how our physical place changes our herbal options. For many herbalists, the term "Be Here Now" serves as a guidepost for the type of healing they offer. Human beings are just as changed by by the area they are transported to as plants are. Recognizing and adapting to the change makes a big difference for the healer and the patient. Today, we talk about these and other issues on Real Herbalism Radio podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Polizzi shares his lessons as he documented the healing journey described in Sacred Science - An Ancient Healing Path for the Modern World. When we awake to our true selves, or are ready tot do so, the plants will call loud and clear. If you ignore the call, they'll just call louder and louder until you have no choice but to listen. Today, we're talking with Nick Polizzi, Author of Sacred Science, documentary film maker and explorer of ancient medicine about following the call of the plant world into sacred healing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Backyard chickens are taking over the world one yard at a time. How do you know if keeping chickens is right for you? What do urban chickens offer beyond eggs? When should you get started? Today, we'll be talking about getting started with your own little flock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Path into Herbalism can be a gentle one but often it begins with a dramatic initiation or a calling so intense, it cannot be ignored.Herbalists emerging from such a crucible carry with them a particularly magical way of combining herbs and healing.Today, we're talking with clinical herbalist and educator Rosalee de la Foret author of Alchemy of Herbs, about the transformative power of plants to heal on many levels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clinical Anxiety Disorders affect over 40 million adult Americans while only a third of them receive treatment. Anxiety affects the rest of us in some form periodically throughout life. For Anxiety sufferers, the world of plant medicines can offer relief. Today, we'll talk about natural treatment options for anxiety. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show 146: Reair Herbs of Iceland with Anna Rósa RóbertsdóttirAs herbalists, we often rely on a combination of current research and historical records to understand our medicinal plants. For the most part, we’ve been free to experiment and gain our own experiential knowledge, too. Iceland, among others, has passed a lot of legal restrictions limiting herbalist and those who use plants to care for themselves and their loved ones. Today, we’re talking with Ann Rósa Róbertsdóttir, author of Icelandic Herbs and Their Medicinal Uses about the path of herbal practice amidst the challenges of modern restrictions.Herbs We MentionedCleavers or Lady’s BedstrawRosebay WillowherbKnotgrassMeadow Buttercup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show 145: Herb Lab - The Doctrine of Signatures, Allergies and Herbalist CareersAfter talking with spudgerasist and mycologist, Jason Scott, owner and operator of Feral Fungi and the curator of AlcheMycology about using the Doctrine of Signatures, Sue and Candace discuss its history and changes in the present. Mentioned by the Greek physicians Galen (129 AD – 216 AD) and Dioscorides (40 AD – 90 AD), this philosophy has evolved a lot over the centuries. Although many use the Doctrine of Signatures primarily as a mnemonic device, it tells us a lot about cultural values and botanical connections that are shifting to fit our ever changing world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Herbalists have a thousand different ways to connect plants with the people who need them. Some are ultra modern, like biochemistry and the science of herbal medicine making and others are older yet just as powerful when you know how to use them. Today, we are talking with spudgerasist and mycologist, Jason Scott, owner and operator of Feral Fungi and the curator of AlcheMycology about using the Doctrine of Signatures to work with plants and mushrooms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Desert herbs are potent medicine. Even though the environment is harsh with it's extremes in temperature and hidden water; these same attributes encourage the desert herbs to concentrate their constituents. Just a small amount of some herbs are more than enough. Sue and Candace work with the guidance that herbalist Christina Sanchez gave them in podcast show 142 to incorporate ethically harvested desert herbs into their lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Desert herbs have begun to call to more and more of us. These powerful plant allies, however, have been a well-kept secret of the Southwest…which makes them a challenge to try out. They beckon us to get out and wildcraft for the privilege of using of them. Today, we are talking with Christina Sanchez, cosmologist, desert wildcrafting expert, herbalist, and founder of Every Leaf Speaks about gathering and using desert herbs with the care and respect they deserve. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grief is part of the human condition. The way that we handle grief can make a significant difference in later life. After last week's conversation with Ashley Litecky-Ellenbas, registered herbalist, yoga teacher, and owner of Sky House Yoga about the natural approaches to grief, Sue and Candace share their own ideas. There are a bounty of herbs and supplements that can help us heal. Our hosts discuss their favorites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Herbal Nerd Society member exclusive: Plant Dietas with Ashley Litecky-EllenbasPlant dietas are part of traditional healing practices around the globe. This holistic approach is now reawakening in popular culture. As with any healing modality that gains popularity in the main stream, there is always the danger of misinterpretation and misuse. Ashley Leiteky-Ellenbas shares her knowledge of plant dietas and how to include herbal medicine in this potent modality.Although there are many different types of plant dietas, Ashley Litecky-Ellenbas' own style includes bodywork, exercise, herbal medicine and nutrition. Completing this cycle is her stress on healing the conflict of the client's spirit as they struggle to mend conflicts manifested in their body. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast Show 140: Plants for Protection and Grief with Ashley Litecky-EllenbasGrief and Trauma are a natural and truly healthy part of the human experience but not when they get stuck in our lives or in our bodies. As herbalists, we are often called on to help the grieving process to move forward naturally to help heal body, mind and spirit. Today, we're talking with Ashley Litecky-Ellenbas, registered herbalist, yoga teacher, and owner of Sky House Yoga about the natural approaches to grief and protection.Be sure to visit the Practical Herbalist website for recipes and further information on the herbs discussed in this podcast. Real Herbalism Radio podcast show notes always include a list of links or go to www.thepracticalherbalist.com and use the handy search engine at the top of the page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Superfoods are waiting for us in the produce aisle and their effect on our bodies is impressive. After talking with Yaakov Levine, Therapy practitioner and Nutritional Health Coach at Natural Grocers in Eugene, Oregon, Sue and Candace have been experimenting with other ways to bring more greens into their lives. From hydroponics to a simple sprout jar, indoor gardening is a key part of a nutritional supplement approach for the health conscience gardener. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beets and Greens are the neglected superfoods which are key to getting right nutrition all year round. Do you get enough fruits and veggies in your daily diet? Whether you're an herbalist, nutritionist, a health-minded individual or not, chances are, the answer is "probably not". Even vegan herbalists can struggle to get enough veggies every day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The garden is where transformation happens. That is why we love them. They can offer solace and healing to the body and soul. Last week we talked to Plaedo, co-founder of Eugene Avant Gardeners, poet, musician, activist, and peace officer for the Downtown You Initiative about transforming, creating and connecting with plants. This week, podcast hosts Sue, Candace and Patrick talk about the changes that want to bring to their garden to make it a safe haven for people, plants and the critters that surround us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Herbal Nerd Society member exclusive: The Ketogenic Diet Explained by Yaakov LevineHealth coach Yaakov Levine returns by popular demand to walk us through the ketogenic diet phenomena. How was this diet originated? Who benefits? How can you change your food choices to fit the keto lifestyle? Yaakov Levine cuts through the hype to focus on the basics.He goes back to the beginning to help us understand how the human digestive system evolved based on the hunter/gatherer lifestyle. Yaakov gives examples of what a plate of food in keeping with the ketogenic diet looks like and how big a serving size is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some of us jump into gardening as kids but far more of us find the garden much later along the way. Amid getting an education, building a career, falling in love, raising a family and building a life, plants sometimes need to shout to get our attention. Once they do ... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Sue and Candace reflect on the interview with Amanda Dilday, they sort through the under-rated step of healing which involves letting the healer breathe. Self care can take many forms. After healing others, it is important for future patient care to take a minute for collecting yourself. Amanda's focus on trauma healing provided a strong backbone for the discussion of self care. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Herbal Nerd Society member exclusive: Understanding Herbal Research with Jakob SlettlelandThere is a bounty of research that herbalists can learn from that is readily available yet translating the scientific jargon can be daunting. Jakob Slettleland MSc RH(AHG) shares helpful perspectives on reading and interpreting herbal research. He gives tips on recognizing studies that are done well and those that are best ignored. He clears up a few terms such as in-vitro and invivo and why anecdotal accounts do not belong in the discussion.Jakob's theory is that scientific information is a tool that herbalists will be able to use to their advantage once they have a grasp on the jargon and scope. Just a few tips from Jakob dulls the edge of intimidation that many have about scientific studies. The world needs more educated herbal healers. Knowledge is power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Rawls also focuses on the effect of fresh food versus processed food on human health. The changing field of botanical medicine has cast ripples in many aspects of modern life. Making space in our lives for natural healing is a key component of modern herbalism. As Dr. Rawls says, "Plants don't grow where they want to grow; they grow where they can grow." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kratom is making headlines as both a natural and safe pain reliever AND as a targeted and dangerous herb. After centuries of use in Asia, kratom is just one more herb to join the ranks of analgesic herbs to draw the government's scrutiny. Those that use this plant as an alternative to addictive prescription pain killers are growing increasingly worried that it will become banned by the FDA and DEA leaving patients helpless in the wake of the opioid epidemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plants may be the medicine of the people but not all plants are equal in the eyes of the law. Over the past few months, kratom has been targeted by the United States DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as a potentially dangerous plant and it's not the first. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an intriguing interview with Herbalist 7Song about the vast scale of emergency care he has brought to our global community over the last few decades, Sue and Candace explore their own herbal first aid for the week. Candace brought healthcare to both herself and her duck. Animals need healthcare just as much as humans do and Candace had to provide it for both of them in the same weekend. Her sinus draining, neti pot recipe is listed below. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This topic is a favorite for both Sue and Candace as it is one of the foundations of their website, books and podcast. Checking these resources have helped them expand into more professional and well-rounded healers. They discuss some of their valued botanical allies including licorice - the subject of April 2018 Herbal Nerd Society Herb of the Month focus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First aid is vital to the survival of our species. Our guest, 7Song, herbalist at the Ithaca Free Clinic and education specialist at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine has been leading the way in the herbal first aid movement. Although herbalists have been first responders in emergency situations since civilization begun, the newest resurgence in herbalists serving side by side with EMTs in large scale festival first aid tents has largely been due to 7Song's work. He has published protocols for public consumption on herbal first aid and the results are revolutionary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After talking with spagyricist and mycologist Jason Scott of Feral Fungi and AlcheMycology about the synergy of mushrooms, medicine and alchemy, Sue and Candace have donned their wizard hats and are reporting on their own alchemy. For Sue, it was a simple mushroom hunt but Candace went much deeper down the rabbit hole.Candace stuck a fire under her magic cauldron and brewed up some oil of egg. This is a topical oil extracted from, not infused by, eggs. The process was fairly simple and yielded a highly absorbent oil noted for healing burns, wounds and dry skin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we're talking with spagyricist and mycologist Jason Scott, owner and operator of Feral Fungi curator of AlcheMycology about the synergy of mushrooms, medicine and alchemy. He focuses on making double extract spagyric tinctures from fungi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an interview with registered herbalist, yoga instructor and owner of Sky House Yoga, Ashley Litecky Elenbaas, Sue and Candace talk about their own favorite nervine herbs. Nervines are a class of medicine used to calm the nerves. This is an instrumental part of caring for patients who are struggling with stress from illness or trauma. It is no wonder that herbalists need a cabinet full of nervine options. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new buzz words in the health industry are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These popular omega 3 fatty acids are proving to be key to health and disease prevention. Yaakov Levine uses his training as a health couch to explain how they work and what sources are best. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are some herbal certification programs here in the states and plenty of absolutely wonderful schools many of us attend but the path we each find into the field varies as wildly as the plants themselves. today, we're talking with registered herbalist, yoga instructor and owner of Sky House Yoga, Ashley Litecky Elenbaas, about blending science, energy, world travel and study into a clinical herbal career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Garden planning is fun to do but must be followed up on. Podcast hosts Candace, Patrick and Sue have already started putting some of those plans in action. After all, as Rudyard Kipling famously said, "Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful,' and sitting in the shade." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seeds may lie dormant in the ground under the snow but the winter mind of a gardener starts buzzing like a bee hive. The Real Herbalism Radio team are perusing new seed catalogs and scratching plans on graph paper for spring. Garden planning needs to laid out carefully in order to maximize the output of food, herbs and fun from our little pieces of paradise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosalee de la Forêt, herbalist and author of the best selling book, The Alchemy of Herbs spends time sharing with Herb Nerd Society members about a delicious herbal option that is growing in popularity. Oxymels used to be considered old-fashioned medicine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.