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Chaya
I cringe when I hear the word “superfood” uttered in a mixed crowd. Between GOOP and Dr Oz, health and nutrition fads fill up my Facebook feed daily, and they fade into distant memory as quickly as they come. But many years ago, on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, I was introduced to a plant that may among the few that truly qualify for this acclaimed title! That plant was Chaya (Cnidoscolus chayamansa or C. aconitifolius) , a hearty cactus-like tree that produces edible leaves. Multiple types of Chaya can now be found on permaculture farms throughout the tropics. Chaya is used throughout Central America as a food staple, especially…
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Answer the call of the Plants – Community Herbalist Program
Have you been called by the plants into service? … amazed and transformed by the wisdom of the plants …. desire to share their teachings with others? Our Community Herbalist Program can help be the guide on your continuing path with the plants. The Community Herbalist Program is an nine-month journey into the world of professional herbalism. We deeply explore the herbs in our Materia Medica, and the herbs in the wild around us through research, presentations, and plant walks. We guide our family and the community, supervised by professional herbalists, to grow more confident in our sharing of this wisdom with others. Community Herbalist Program includes rich, guided hands-on study,…
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No Florida Bear Hunt in 2016!
We are elated to hear the news that this year the Florida Bear hunt has been called off this past Wednesday evening. We’re humbled and proud of our community that rose together to have their voices heard in honor of our black bears. Craig Pittman of the Tampa Bay Times writes..”..in a surprise move, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 4-3 late Wednesday to hold off on having a second bear hunt later this year. The vote marks a major change from last year, when the wildlife commissioners voted 6-1 to go ahead with Florida’s first bear hunt in 21 years, which was held in October despite strong…
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Addressing the Root: Smoke Alarm Analogy
How does holistic health address concerns differently than the modern medical paradigm? One example is the holistic approach of addresses root causes, not just symptoms. Learn more about this perspective in this week’s video on the ‘smoke alarm analogy’. This video is from our Roots of Herbalism home study course. If you like what you hear and are craving more, join us for our March Roots of Herbalism in Orlando, our April Roots of Herbalism in Fort Lauderdale, or enroll in our home study course to learn more about healing herbs any time from the comfort of your own home.
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Herbal Holiday Gifts
The holidays are fast approaching, and it’s a great time to get busy in the kitchen apothecary! Herbal holiday gifts are a great way to share personalized presents with loved ones that will support their health through the holidays and beyond. One of my favorite herbal holiday gifts to make are sleep pillows. Sleep pillows smell divine and are fun to blend and package. So many of my friends have trouble sleeping, I know that I’m giving a gift that will be used and bring benefit. SLEEP PILLOWS from Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health 1 part dried chamomile 1 part dried hops 1 part dried lavender 1 part…
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Ursus Issues – Or Why The 2015 Florida Bear Hunt Is So, So Wrong
On June 24th, 2015 the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission approved a state wide hunt from October 24-30th to kill Florida’s black bears. The reasons stated for the approval were “population control” and “to reduce human/ bear confrontations”. More than 175,000 people reached out to the commission in opposition to the hunt. About 250 people indicated support of the hunt. These 250 supporters of the cruel hunt primarily consisted of trophy hunters and weapon and gun interest groups. Many reputable organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States and The Center for Biological Diversity publicly stated their concern about the hunt and presented multiple scientific studies showing that…
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Dental Herbalism: Four Natural Remedies for a Healthy Mouth
Oral health is ultimately linked to our overall health and well-being. The new guide to herbal dental care, Dental Herbalism(Healing Arts Press, 2014) by herbalist Leslie Alexander and dental hygienist Linda Straub-Bruce, details 41 safe and effective herbs to improve oral health. This excerpt from chapter 11, “An Herbal Materia Medica for the Mouth,” outlines four herbal remedies for dental health: Homemade Toothbrushes, Tooth Powder, Scrubs, and Mouthwash. Turn to these safe and effective ancient herbal remedies for modern-day dental care. This excerpt first appeared in Mother Earth News. Join Leslie Alexander in Orlando at the Florida School of Holistic Living April 1 for “Kitchen Herbs for the Mouth,” a…
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Warming Nourishment for Winter
While many of us in Florida experience winter a bit differently than our neighbors to the north – it is, ahem, eighty degrees in January as I type this – our bodies still experience the seasonal slow downs that the shifts in light and dark invite. Even in a mild winter, it’s ideal to give our bodies a break from the extra energy it takes to digest raw foods, and to warm our body, mind, and spirit with nourishing foods. Unfortunately, the trend these days is to “detox” after a long holiday, and oftentimes those “plans” and “programs” promote raw, uncooked foods – that is, foods that are cooling to…
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Setting New Year’s Intentions
This year, I invite you to set aside New Year’s resolutions. That’s right. Toss ’em aside. Instead, I invite you to set New Year’s intentions. Yes, this may sound like one and the same: but the distinction lies in the dictionary and is mirrored all around us in the mass media. The definition of “resolution” includes one’s resolve to make change – a valiant virtue, indeed – and concurrently, also indicates the act of resolving a problem – emphasizing we are starting from a problem, rather than focusing on the solution we hope to birth. This view of the world is echoed throughout mainstream magazines, movies, and music, where even…
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A Fiery Conversation
On Saturday January 25, I taught my Roots of Herbalism students the health virtues of cayenne, garlic, and ginger as part of the Materia Medica section for their weekend class. My long-time favorite combination of this “holy trinity” of healing herbs is Fire Cider, a delicious remedy steeped in apple cider vinegar with variations of other warming, spicy allies like turmeric, horseradish, or onion. It moves energy into and pathogens out of the body, boasting reliable results in preventing illness and shortening the duration of infection and congestion. This preparation of these strong-personality herbs is ideal, because they can often be aggressively strong to taste raw when I’m feeling down…
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