Shows / The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Practical herbalism from practicing herbalists. Conversations, botanical deep-dives, Q&A with clinical herbalists Katja Swift & Ryn Midura of CommonWealth Holistic Herbalism.
Episodes
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Mucus Is Good, Actually (or, The Healing Power of Snot)
First, here’s that 40% off Winter Health Bundle we mentioned! People have been emailing us lately to ask what herbs will get rid of all mucus in their bodies…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs and Processing Grief
First, here’s the link to the course Katja mentioned: Working Through Grief Use code GRIEF to get 50% off! (It’s not very original, but it works.) This course…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Do You Need Immune Boosting Herbs?
Immune boosting herbs are popular, and it’s not hard to see why. Everyone wants to avoid getting sick! It makes intuitive sense to a lot of folks that if you…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Elderberry Syrup Isn't Everything (Replay)
While our Fallow Month of August has ended, we've got one more replay for you! (If you don't know or don't remember what a Fallow Month is, listen to the full…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Acknowledging Complexity Is Not Gatekeeping (Replay)
August is a Fallow Month for us, so we are dialing back on some of our activities while we focus our attention on coursework production, curriculum…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Can I Be A Plus-Sized Herbalist? (Replay)
August is a Fallow Month for us, so we are dialing back on some of our activities while we focus our attention on coursework production, curriculum…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Can Herbs "Heal"? (Replay)
August is a Fallow Month for us, so we are dialing back on some of our activities while we focus our attention on coursework production, curriculum…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Thorn Medicine (Replay)
Hi everyone! August is a Fallow Month for us, and so we are dialing back on some of our activities while we focus our attention on coursework production…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Is Perimenopause Making You Tired?
I don’t know about you, but my social media feed is filled with stuff that is supposed to “give me more energy” to get through perimenopause. What does that…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Take Care of Each Other
We like to sign off our show by saying, “Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and drink some tea.” It’s our favorite little motto and it’s a great…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
What's a Good Herb for...?
Do your friends ask you, “what’s a good herb for…” IBS, or PMS, or fibromyalgia, or whatever is bugging them? If you’ve ever struggled to answer such a…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Hibiscus Energetics by Species & Part
Today’s episode is about hibiscus energetics – a quick clarification on plant species & parts, and how herbal energetics & actions may differ among them. The…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Build Your Herbal Confidence - a Practice Game!
Herbal confidence takes some work to develop. The whole point of learning herbalism is to help people – but when you’re still a student, that’s a little bit…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Vetting Your Herbalism Sources: Red Flags & Green Flags
How do you know when you can trust an herbalism teacher, influencer, book, or blog? How can you determine whether a scientific study has relevant information…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Uncertainty versus Imposter Syndrome for Herbalists
Today we’re sharing some thoughts about uncertainty versus imposter syndrome, and learning herbalism. Recently, we did a 20 Questions video for the folks at…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Affordable Analogues for Expensive Herbs
Accessibility in herbalism is not something extra or something nice-if-possible, it’s a critical part of our work. The prices of the remedies we recommend can…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Don't Choose Herbs "For" A Diagnosis - Do This Instead
When we’re choosing herbs to help someone, knowing their medical diagnosis isn’t enough: we don’t choose herbs for a diagnosis. As herbalists, we actually need…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Plant ID Apps vs Your Brain 📱🧠
Plant ID apps are helpful (when they’re accurate), but there is one drawback – they make it harder to learn plant ID for yourself. But there are ways to combat…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Tulsi for Everyone!
Life is pretty overwhelming right now, and it’s affecting the way our brains function. When we can’t focus or can’t remember things, we typically blame it on…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 14): Dandelion, Rhubarb, Ginseng
We’ve come to the end of the “mainstream” top-40 best-selling herbs list! Dandelion, rhubarb, and ginseng take the last three spots. Dandelion is an herbal…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists’ Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 13): Bacopa, Senna, Rhodiola
At number 35, 36, and 37 on the list of top-selling herbal supplements we find bacopa, senna, and rhodiola. Bacopa is also known as brahmi, and this name is…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 12): CBD, Fennel, Oats
Back to it! Today’s best-seller herbal supplements are CBD, fennel, and oats. To the extent there’s overlap between these, it’s some capacity to touch on the…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Thorn Medicine
Have you ever wished you had thorns? Have you ever felt like you needed to protect your heart, your space, your peace of mind, or your time from a world that…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs for Happiness
What are the best herbs for happiness? How can herbs make you happy? What does “happiness” even mean? These questions are important to consider before we dive…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 11): Yohimbe & Horny Goat Weed
The best-seller herbal supplements we’re covering today are yohimbe & horny goat weed. They placed #30 and 31 on the list we’re using for this sequence of…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
A Whole New Body
When people start learning herbalism, it’s not unusual for them to begin to feel like there’s a lot “wrong” with their bodies. Some of this comes from a new…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
The Herbal Year in Review, 2025
What kind of year has it been for you, as far as herbs & health go? On today’s episode of the Holistic Herbalism Podcast, we’re taking a look at the herbal…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
You're A Trainwreck. (edition 2025)
Katja wrote this essay years and years ago, and it’s still a favorite. Today she needed to hear it again – yeah, you can do that with your own writing, it’s…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists’ Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 10): Valerian, Pumpkin, Goji, Red Yeast Rice
Don’t forget, our December sale is on! Details below. It’s time we resumed our exploration of the top-selling herbs as supplements in the US! We're…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
December Delights! 🌲🌲🌲
It’s December, and here are some delightful things we’d like to share with you! December 2025 Sale Code: CALENDULA The code for this year’s sale is CALENDULA –…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Gut-Heal Tea: Variations on a Theme
A quote attributed to Hippocrates says “all disease begins in the gut.” No surprise, then, that gut-heal tea is a major part of our practice! We work with this…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Elderberry Syrup Isn't Everything
Elderberry syrup isn’t everything an herbalist has to offer to someone suffering from a cold, the flu, COVID, RSV, or any of the other respiratory ailments to…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Our Model for Clinical Herbalism Mentorship
We’ve been running a clinical herbalism mentorship program of one kind or another for more than fifteen years. We have some thoughts! Today’s episode is all…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbal Care Kits for Fall, for All!
If you haven’t made herbal cold/flu/COVID care kits for your household yet, now is the time! Herbal care kits are one of our very favorite things. Here’s the…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 9): Aloe & Flax + New Market Data!
This week we continue our investigation into the best-selling herbal supplements in the US. First, an update: the 2024 Herbal Market Report data is here! The…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Aging Is OK, Don't Freak Out
When Ryn first met Katja, she was in the habit of inflating her age a bit. Why? Because as an herbalist – at that time – it was preferable to present as older…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 8): Milk Thistle & Black Cohosh
Herbs #22 and 23 on the top-selling herbs list for 2023 were milk thistle and black cohosh. Today we continue our series on commercially popular herbs, and…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Support the Resistance - An Herbalism Clinical Skill
When you’re using your herbal skills to help others – whether you’re doing that as a Clinical Herbalist in private practice, volunteering in your community, or…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 7): Tribulus, Pycnogenol, Garlic
On the top-selling herbs list for 2023 (the most recent data), the herbs in places #19-21 were Tribulus terrestris, Pycnogenol (an extract of Pinus pinaster)…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Mutual Aid Startup Guide
Mutual aid projects are a natural place for herbalists to gravitate, and setting one up in your community is easier than you think! Our mutual aid startup…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Thinking Through Herb-Drug Interactions
Our semi-annual 20% off Sale is active now! For the entire month of July, use code hawthorn at checkout to take 20% off all our online courses! Sussing out…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 6): Saw Palmetto, Cinnamon, Echinacea
Our semi-annual 20% off Sale is active now! For the entire month of July, use code hawthorn at checkout to take 20% off all our online courses! On the…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Bandaging Basics & Mummy Parties
Bandaids are undeniably handy, and there are plenty of situations where they do the job that needs doing. But there are also lots of times when a wound is too…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Bug-Out Bags & Stay-In Stashes, The Herbalist's Way
When putting together a bug-out bag in case of emergencies, don’t forget your herbs! Just like a first aid kit, a go bag is best when you construct it…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbal First Aid Kit Maintenance
Just like checking your stock of remedies in the apothecary, herbal first aid kit maintenance is one of those things you need to carve out time for – at least…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Disaster-Proofing Herbal Business Part 2: Offerings & Audience
This is the second half of the Disaster-Proofing your Herbal Business theme. Economic uncertainty is part of business – but there’s so much you can do to make…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Disaster-Proofing Your Herbal Business
Economic uncertainty is part of business – but there’s so much you can do to disaster-proof your herbal business and make sure it stays strong throughout the…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 5): Ginkgo, Guarana, Maca
In our fifth installment in this series, we address the facts & fictions about ginkgo, guarana, and maca supplements in commerce! These were #13, 14, and 15 on…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Can Herbs "Heal"?
What does it mean to heal? When are we “healed”? Are there some wounds that can’t be healed? If we can’t heal – in the sense of achieving “perfect health” –…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 4): Green Tea, Fenugreek, Ivy Leaf
We discuss green tea, fenugreek, and ivy leaf in this, the fourth part of an episodic sequence about the best-selling herbs in the US. Our primary purpose for…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 3): Wheatgrass, Beet Root, & Ginger
In part three of our series on the top-selling herbs in the United States, we cover wheatgrass, beet root, and ginger supplements. As we share our opinions…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Adaptogens, or A Nap To Gen…erate Recovery?
If you’re trying to decide whether you need adaptogens or a nap, well, the answer just might be both! But you can learn how to combine your adaptogens with…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists’ Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 2): Apple Cider Vinegar, Cranberry
This episode continues our series covering the top-selling herbs in the United States. As we give you our thoughts about these popular herbal supplements…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Can I Be A Plus-Sized Herbalist?
Katja writes… Today a student sent me a question and it was so important, i asked her if i could (anonymously) share it, because i know other people are…
The Holistic Herbalism PodcastHerbal Detox? Heed the Don’t Ox! ❌🐂
Talk of herbal detox comes up every spring – some years, earlier than others. We field a lot of questions from people asking our opinions on detox protocols…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Two Herbal UTI Formulae - Moving Beyond Uva Ursi and Cranberry
When you think of UTI and herbs, you probably think of cranberry and uva ursi first. You’re not wrong to do so! They’re reliable and effective remedies. But if…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalists' Views on the Top-Selling Herbs (Part 1): Psyllium, Elderberry, Turmeric, Ashwagandha
This episode begins an intermittent series we’ll be doing this year, covering the top-selling herbs in the United States and giving you our thoughts about…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
A Definitive Guide to Bitters
Welcome to 2025, everyone! Let’s give the year a bitter start – that’s better than a bitter end, right? If you don’t think so yet, listen to this episode and…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbal Holiday Gifts for YOU! 🎁
A brief update this time, to let you know about some herbal holiday gifts we’ve put together for you & yours! Herbal Activities Calendar The best way to learn…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Just Press Play
We’re still making the podcast! We have not abandoned you, dear listeners. 💚 We’ve been busy producing material for our online courses – especially the…