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Usnea
Usnea's nickname, "lungs of the forest," comes from its sponge-like action to absorb airborne particulates. However, this means that it's susceptible to over-pollution. In fact, it's believed that when lichens like Usnea disappear, it's a warning that the air quality in the area is harmful.
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Marshmallow
Native to Europe, it has also been naturalized in the Americas. As per its name, it grows in marshy habitats, the edges of wetlands, and disturbed areas. It is a perennial that grows 2-4 feet high and has several wooly stems. The leaves are usually 1-3 inches long and serrate; the flowers are purple in color and 1-2 inches in diameter.
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Reclaiming the Practice of Self Care
At Florida School of Holistic Living, self care is a foundational component to our core curriculum. The core curriculum is indeed an elaborate herbalist training, but we have to care for ourselves if we’re going to be caring for others. As herbalists, we know it requires an immense amount of energy to hold space for others in need of healing. It’s uplifting to see the conversation of self care appear in the media. Publications like NPR and Girlboss are posting articles about self care which tells us large audiences are ready to receive the information (at least according to their market research). Slowly but surely, our society is becoming more…
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Herbal Support for Insomia
Written by Lisa Ray. — It is an interesting coincidence that I am writing this on Sunday night since typically this was the night of the week where sleep used to elude me. Typically on Sunday night, I would get 2-4 hours of sleep, sometimes none at all. It was frustrating, staring at the ceiling desperately needing sleep, endlessly tossing/turning…exhausted. What a horrible way to start out a busy work week! The cycle of sleep deprivation would continue through the rest of the week where only massive intakes of caffeine and sugar would allow me to “make it through the day”. This self-medicating process would begin a Catch 22 cycle…
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An Introduction to Permaculture
Written by our friends at Orlando Permaculture — The term permaculture comes from the words “permanent” and “culture. “ However, many people have different definitions for permaculture and rightly so. The reason for this is that permaculture can be a mix of things. It is a way to design creative strategies as well as long-term solutions. It involves processes based upon the observations and patterns of nature. Permaculture can even be an approach to navigate your everyday inner world. Just as diverse and varied our natural systems around the world, so are the applications of permaculture. It is a way of thinking that’s ahead of its time, but also connects…
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