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
Herbs A-Z: Codonopsis & Commiphora
Today’s plants are both precious and powerful. Codonopsis pilosula, codonopsis, is deeply restorative. We locate its center of activity in the marrow, where it…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Citrus & Cinnamomum
This week’s herbs are orange peel & cinnamon. Each one has multiple varieties: sweet orange, bitter orange, cassia cinnamon, “true” cinnamon, etc. Citrus x…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Centella asiatica & Cichorium intybus
Happy new year! We’re continuing our Herbs A-Z series in 2022, starting off strong with gotu kola & chicory. These widespread herbs both have long histories &…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Calluna vulgaris & Centaurium erythraea
This week we highlight two herbs who are close to our hearts. Heather is a plant we both met together and have come to appreciate each in our own way. Centaury…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Betula & Calendula
This week’s herbs are fluid-movers, with drying and tonifying effects. They’re both excellent topical remedies which can also be helpful when taken internally…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Asparagus & Astragalus
This week’s herbs from our apothecary shelf are shatavari and astragalus! These are a couple of slow-acting herbs for long-term work. Their restorative…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Asclepias & Aspalathus
This week we have two more herbs from our shelf – rooibos & pleurisy root! We’re working our way along the shelves and giving every plant a bit of attention…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi & Artemisia vulgaris
Here we go with some more of the herbs on our apothecary shelves! This week our spotlight is on uva ursi & mugwort. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, known as…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Artemisia absinthium - Wormwood & Absinthe
We’re turning our attention to all the herbs we keep on the shelves in our apothecary, two at a time, in this ongoing series. (Check out the podcast stream for…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Interview with Shawn Donnille of Mountain Rose Herbs
As herbalism is becoming more popular, the sustainability of plants themselves needs to be a primary focus for all of us. But like all issues of environmental…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Angelica & Artemisia dracunculus
There are so many medicinal plants! In an effort to pay some more attention to herbs that aren’t quite our favorites, we’re profiling all of the herbs we keep…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Alnus & Althaea
Every herbalist has their core favorite herbs. Sometimes we lose sight of the vast array of plants we have to work with. In an effort to not neglect our…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Agastache & Alchemilla
This week we’re continuing our review of herbs in our current apothecary, from A to Z by their botanical Latin names. We want to give all our herbs an…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs A-Z: Achillea & Acorus
Hi everyone! We’re back from a brief hiatus, and kicking off a new series on our podcast feed. We’re going to be profiling every one of the herbs on the…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalism & Climate Change: The Plants!
Climate change affects everyone, and that includes the plants. Medicinal herbs and food plants growing across the world are changing, moving – and sometimes…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalism & Climate Change: Fires
This is #3 in our series on herbalism & climate change! Fires are most devastating where they occur, but the smoke and particulates they release into the air…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalism & Climate Change: Flooding
This week we continue our series on herbalism & climate change. Flooding causes great devastation, and it also brings many risks. Foremost among these are…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbalism & Climate Change: Heatwaves
This episode begins a series on herbalism & climate change. Heatwaves have struck the US and many places throughout the world, and all signs indicate this is…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Does Hops Cause Depression?
Recently it seems like there’s been a proliferation of hop-flavored beverages on the market. Not just beer, but also sodas, fizzy waters, and other gently…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
3 Herbs for Toothache Relief
Ryn’s got a toothache this week, so this seems like a great time to teach about herbs for toothaches! When your tooth hurts, you want to relieve the pain, and…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Can Seaweeds Fix Everything?
Seaweeds are really talented. Like, really talented! They can help out with such a wide array of problems that you might feel a little skeptical at first…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Breathing Exercises & Herbs for Breath Work
“Take a breath, it’ll help!” You’ve heard it before. But what if breathing is difficult or constrained? Breathwork is the answer. Breathing is like any other…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Top 3 Herbs for Seasonal Allergies
Whenever we choose herbs for health issues, we work to match the qualities of the herbs to the state of the body. These three plants we work with as herbs for…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbal Tattoo Care
Herbal tattoo care starts a while before your appointment. You’ve got to prepare the skin in advance, get hydrated, and ideally do a little work to keep…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Listen-Along Plant Sit Meditation
Today’s episode is a little different from our usual. We’re sharing a listen-along plant sit meditation! You can take this episode with you to sit outside with…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Saw Palmetto Doesn't Discriminate On Gender
Have you heard that black cohosh is “for menopause”? Or that red clover is a “natural estrogen replacement”? Or that saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is “for men”…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Ground Ivy: Sometimes It's Hard To Hear
Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), also known as alehoof, creeping charlie, and gill-over-the-ground, is one of our favorite herbs to gather in early spring. We…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herb of the Month - An Essential Herbalism Learning Method
Herb of the Month is one of our most powerful learning methods for students of herbalism – and honestly, it’s great for experienced practitioners too! It’s…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Equinox Thoughts On Balance & Amphoteric Herbs
We’re discussing the notion of amphoteric herbs today, because it’s the Spring equinox and we’re thinking about balance. The term amphoteric is orginally a…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Enhancing Herbal Salves with Tinctures
In this episode we share a simple technique for enhancing herbal salves with tinctures. Lots of herbalists like to put essential oils in their salves, and…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Grow Your Own Calendula This Year
We’re lucky that nowadays there are a lot of herb suppliers, so it’s convenient to purchase the majority of your herbs – especially if you live in a place…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Flexible Formulation for Herbal Cold Sore Remedies
This week we’re sharing a formula for an herbal cold sore remedy – a soft salve or balm that can be applied right on the sores. It’s going to serve as a…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
How Herbs Are Different From Supplements
When you go to the store and buy an herbal supplement, what are you getting? It might be a capsule of powdered herb, but this is less and less common nowadays…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
You Don't Have To Be Perfect
The “wellness” space online is saturated with One Weird Tricks and Simple Easy Solutions that promise to make you perfect. Perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Our Top Topical Herbs for Acne
When you’re dealing with a skin problem, it’s good to come at it from both directions: internal and external. Today we’re focusing on the external remedies…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
5 Herbs We Got At The Grocery Store This Week
When you think about where to find excellent herbs, where does your mind go first – the forest? The farmer’s market? Ye Olde Herbe Shoppe, perhaps? Let us make…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
4 Herbs We Give To Our Dog
An herbalist’s dog is going to get some herbs in her dinner every now and then. Our dog Elsie sure does! Choosing herbs for dogs doesn’t need to be complicated…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs Help Us Feel Our Way Through Difficult Times
It has been a rough few… weeks? Years? Well, a while, anyway! In the last month more than ever, people have been asking us how to get some space, how to find…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
An Herbalist's Guide to Successful Self-Experimentation
In this episode we explore the skills and disciplines necessary to conduct a successful self-experiment. Self-experimentation in this context might mean making…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
COVID Revisited
This week we take another look at COVID-19 and its long-term effects. First, we check in on what have been our top 5 herbal interventions for COVID: Herbal…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
A Case Study: Herbs and Nightmares
Dreaming matters: it’s a critical part of our identity-building and experience-processing work, and vital to our ability to regulate our emotions. But not all…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
4 Medicinal Mushrooms: Shiitake, Maitake, Reishi, Lion's Mane
Yes, they are herbs too! Medicinal mushrooms are an important part of our herbal practice, but it looks like we haven’t profiled them on the podcast before…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs and Grief, at the Death of the Year
Samhain, Halloween, the death of the year – this is a good time to talk about grieving, and about how herbs and grief can go together. It’s a universal human…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Herbs As Mantra - Mental Reset & Redirection
This week we listened to a talk by a Buddhist teacher about mantra chanting practices, and one particular facet of their purpose: to be a mental reset or…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Six Herbs for Cognitive Decline Prevention
Maintaining a sharp & healthy mind has always been one of the things people ask us about most often. Whether it’s a nagging difficulty recalling words, or a…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Respiratory Ailments
When thinking about how to start working with herbalism for respiratory ailments, you might get really focused on WHICH ailment it is, and which herbs are…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Emotional Support
Our emotions part of our health just as much as our physical organs & system. When we have difficulties like anxiety and depression, we can draw on practices…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Digestive Discomforts
Digestive issues are extremely common, and are one of the leading causes of missed work and reduced quality of life. The good news is, herbs can help! There’s…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Wound Care
Everyone gets hurt sometimes. Knowing how to take care of injuries at home is an excellent skill to have. You can prevent a minor injury from becoming…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
[REPLAY] How To Not Be A Guru
In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
[REPLAY] Resilience Not Dogma
In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
[REPLAY] How Herbs Enhance Holistic Lifestyle Interventions
In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
[REPLAY] Alternatives to Adaptogens for Burnout
In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
[REPLAY] Vacation Is Mandatory & Jiaogulan
In August we're going to re-air some episodes we think may be helpful given everything going on right now. We'll return to our Accessible Herbalism series at…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Sleep
We work with herbs for sleep improvement purposes very frequently, because sleep is so critical to good health. During sleep, your body works through a to-do…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Pain Management
“Pain is a signal to change your behavior.” This motto comes from our friend the herbalist Tammi Sweet, and perfectly sums up the holistic approach to working…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Weight Management
The holistic approach to herbalism for weight management doesn’t start with a search for “fat-burning herbs”. Instead, we focus on building health first &…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Edema
Edema is stuck fluid: stagnant blood and lymph that isn’t flowing the way it should be. Puffy ankles and swollen fingers are just two ways this might show up…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for Diabetes
Diabetes is very common and can lead to a number of serious health issues. Holistic methods can improve diabetes by correcting what’s wrong at the source: too…
- The Holistic Herbalism Podcast
Accessible Herbalism for High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two very common cardiovascular issues that you can safely improve with herbs. You can reduce your risk and improve…