Native people have said that plants grow where they are needed, so if you have persistent pesky weeds in your yard, it might be because you need them for your health problems. It’s an interesting idea, especially since one of the weeds that tends to grow wild on my property is horehound. I never planted it, but it pops up here and there every year. Given my long history of respiratory problems and the fact that horehound is a very effective expectorant and decongestant, it would seem that the…
A sage is a person who is distinguished for their wisdom and good judgment. A person becomes sage through reflection and experience. A person who can’t learn from life’s experiences will see the events of their life as ill-fated and undeserved. They will be unable to see the higher purpose in the events of their lives and derive wisdom from their setbacks and defeats. The flower essence of sage helps a person to draw wisdom from their life experiences and see life from a higher perspective.…
When I was a boy, I loved to gather horse chestnuts in the fall. I loved the feel of them and would put them in my pockets. I didn’t know any use for them, except to sometimes throw them in the fireplace so they would heat up and explode, but I still loved them. I have a theory about plants, which is that we’re instinctively drawn to plants that are good for us. And there are a couple of reasons I will share with you that I feel I was drawn to collecting the seeds of this common ornamental tree. Horsechestnut…
Every Halloween millions of American children dress up in costumes and utter the chilling phrase, “trick or treat.” Although this is a hollow threat, most kids just want the treat, there is a trick being played. And that is the fact that people have been deceived into thinking that a little sugar is just harmless fun. The general assumption is that refined sugar is okay as long as you don’t eat too much. But how much is too much? At one time sugary foods would have actually been a real treat,…
Halloween is coming and pumpkins will soon be carved into Jack-o-Lanterns and lit up all over America. So, I thought it would be fun to talk about pumpkins and share some interesting facts about this native American food. To start, I want to share a humorous segment from the story, How I Edited an Agricultural Newspaper, by Mark Twain. He reports that he simply couldn’t understand why his readers were upset when he wrote things like: "Concerning the Pumpkin. -- This berry is a favorite with the…
There are many health problems associated with aging. Memories may begin to fade, hairlines may recede and circulation may not be as vigorous. And in general the body tends to dry out and lose vitality. When facing these issues, one of the herbal allies you should remember is rosemary. Rosemary and MemoryRosemary has long been used to protect the brain and memory as a person ages. It enhances cognitive function and is one of the strongest herbal antioxidants, having an ORAC value of 165,280, which…
As the warm summer months fade into the bright colors of autumn, the earth gets ready for the cold sleep of winter. This change signals the impending arrival of cold and flu season and the time when you should start thinking about making sure your immune system is ready. There are several possible reasons why people are more prone to catching colds, flu, and other viral infections in the winter. First, heat tends to inhibit viruses, which is why the body often generates a fever to fight them. Second,…
When people are new to natural healing, they can often feel overwhelmed by the various supplements and modalities that are available. Often, they just don't know where to begin—especially when there are so many different companies and healers telling you to “buy our products!” Although I do sell herbs and nutritional supplements, there are many things that are important to improving health that don't involve swallowing something. In fact, there is one key to helping people improve their health…