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…
Mullein is a great plant to demonstrate the doctrine of signatures. Its physical characteristics and growth patterns are all clues to its many uses. To start with, mullein has large, soft, fuzzy leaves which according to tradition are a signature for lung tissue. And so it shouldn't be surprising that mullein has a long history of helping relieve chronic lung conditions, especially when the lung tissue is dry and irritated. Mullein leaves are soft, slightly mucilaginous, and salty, which…
You may recall the story of Peter Rabbit. He snuck into Mr. McGregor’s garden where he ate too much and narrowly escaped after getting caught. When he got home, his mother gave him one of Nature’s most dependable remedies—chamomile tea.Chamomile is probably the most popular herb tea in the world and it is estimated that over a million cups are consumed worldwide every day. An aromatic and slightly bitter herb, the flowers of German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and its close relative Roman…
Silicon, the 14th element of the periodic table and the second most element on the planet, is surprisingly important for both computing and human health. Perhaps you’ve heard of Silicon Valley, the home of the computer industry? It’s called that because this important semiconductor is used to manufacture the chips that are the brains of the computers and phones we use every day. Silicon is important for healthy hair, skin, nails, joints, bones, and nerves. And while there is no US RDA for…
Lobelia is a 1-2 foot-high annual plant with beautiful flowers which is native to North America. If, as many herbalists suggest, each plant has its own personality, then lobelia is surely one of the greatest tricksters of the herbal world. Matthew Wood goes so far as to call it "the wildest and craziest article in the herbal material medica." Lobelia’s unpredictable nature is even more evident in its checkered history than in its spectacular beauty. Named after the botanist. Matthias de Lobel…
Some people think they're regular just because they have a bowel movement regularly every two or three days. I once met a man who had an elimination once every eight days. Let me assure you, that's not healthy.From the time I was first introduced to herbal medicine until now, I've heard over and over again about the importance of regular elimination to health. Natural healers have long asserted that if waste material sits too long in the body, it poisons the system and destroys health. I know that…