Herb Geek

Thinking outside of the tincture bottle

The Ethics of Herbal Medicine

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I recently had the opportunity to chat with the very talented Dr. Ann Armbrecht, anthropologist, author, and co-creator of the film Numen: The Healing Power of Plants. Our discussion touched on subjects such as current health paradigms, the ethics of herbal medicine, and the place where herbalism and business intersect. I’ve been very motivated to write […]

Hot Mulled Wine for Chilling Fall Nights

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I wait for this season all year long. There’s something magical about the cold creeping back into the air, and the darkness rolling in to cloak the sky, that sets my soul at ease. It’s an introvert’s dream come true, and I am more than eager to welcome the quiet into my home. Fall is a […]

Meet the Masters: Lesley Tierra

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The Meet the Masters project is a mentoring initiative geared towards inspiring and educating herbalists on innovative ways to make a living with herbal medicine. In this ongoing series we’re asking prominent herbalists to answer the question: “How did you establish a career in Herbal Medicine?” It’s such a pleasure to share this beautiful and eloquent story from one of […]

Local Herbalism: Don’t Forget the Dandelions!

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This article is not just about dandelions, but about all those plants that most people have growing under their feet, or if not under them, then at least near their feet. Dandelions, plantains, chickweed, red clover, nettles, yarrow, in fact the list is endless. Being an earthy, planty kind of a person, the first and […]

Autumn Medicine: Kitchari

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To soothe your spirit, cleanse your organs, and prepare yourself for the transition into fall, try eating this meal for lunch or dinner this week. Kitchari means mixture, usually of two grains, and is particularly nourishing and easy to digest. This recipe comes from the Ayurvedic tradition of India, where food is considered medicine. I […]

Sweet Herbal Medicine for the Cold Season

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When talking about herbs, where does food end and medicine begin? It is a fine line and one that can be difficult to explain. I want to highlight some of my favorite herbal medicines that are gentle and tasty enough to use regularly yet have tonic effects and can be crafted for different medicinal purposes. […]

Hibiscus Tea: Agua fresca for health

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I was a youngster in ecology class when I first learned about ecotones, those areas where one biome transitions into the next. Consider the spot where fresh water flows into salt water or the edges of a meadow. The professor said these areas were often the most biologically diverse. It’s called the edge effect, the […]

10 Herbs for Skin Care

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As lovely as rare and exotic botanicals are for natural skin care use, common herbs are too! There is so much magic and effectiveness right outside your doorstep. Each herb has a host of benefits, and in this article I will focus on herbs wild or naturalized in the northeastern United States. 1)     Wild black […]

Meet the Masters: Jeanne Rose

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In this Meet the Masters series, leading North American herbalists answer the question: “How did you establish a career in Herbal Medicine?” Our goal is to inspire and educate herbalists on innovative ways to make a living through herbal medicine. I am thrilled to share these words of wisdom from the Grande Dame of Aroma-Herbalism herself – Jeanne […]

Sweet Basil Pesto

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Tulsi or Sacred Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is an aromatic plant native throughout the tropics and widespread as a cultivated plant. It is considered to be an adaptogen, helpful for adapting to stress. Some of tulsi’s main chemical constituents are oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, eugenol, and carvacrol. Recent studies suggest that tulsi serves as a […]

Book Review: Making Plant Medicine

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One sunny  California morning, an excited gaggle of herb students sat around the communal barn classroom at the California School of Herbal Studies, chatting freely and anticipating the day’s instruction on materia medica. Students quickly shuffled in and out of the common room hurrying to finish preparing their morning cup of herbal tea in time […]