Commonwealth Podcast For Holistic Herbalism

Ryn describes a method you can use to expand your understanding of energetics by comparing ailment profiles and the herbs recommended for them in our book. If you love lists, this is for you! Katja shares her best strategies for getting through a day when you wake up feeling zonked - from uncoffee to yerba mate formulation to settling-in at bedtime. Herbs discussed include betony, catnip, chamomile, linden, yerba mate, tulsi, ashwagandha, & rosemary. Mentioned in this podcast: Katja's very own Herbal Oracle Cards are a great way to start and end your day with inspiration and contemplation. Don't forget!  Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on Amazon! - Ships May 15th! Our theme music is "Wings" by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

This week Katja has some thoughts about the number of syllables in neuraminidase and what it means to be a woman in science. Ryn tries to keep it simple with a basic protocol for heartburn. Mentioned in this podcast: Behave, Robert SapolskyStudent-faculty research suggests Oreos can be compared to drugs of abuse in lab rats, Connecticut CollegeWhat Happens to Your Body If You Drink a Coke Right Now?, Wade MeredithHerbs discussed include marshmallow, meadowsweet, calendula, plantain, licorice, & calamus.   Don't forget! Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on Amazon! - Ships May 15th! Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

Turmeric is a great herb and an effective anti-inflammatory, but it's not the be-all end-all it's sometimes made out to be, usually by folks who want to sell it to you! This week Katja shares some other anti-inflammatory herbs you may not have considered. Meanwhile, Ryn's been thinking about dreaming - or dreaming about thinking? - with the help of mugwort, a city-dwelling weedy friend who is very talented when it comes to deepening the dream experience. Mentioned in this podcast: If I Read One More Post About Turmeric Being Anti-inflammatory, My Head Will Explode!, Tammi SweetMugwort for Dreaming, Ryn MiduraThe Twenty-Four Hour Mind, Rosalind D. CartwrightHerbstalk - Boston's homegrown herbal conference, June 2nd & 3rd!Herbs discussed include turmeric, ginger, rosemary, ginkgo, peppermint, tulsi, ashwagandha, rose hips, hibiscus, elder, calendula, self-heal, red clover, and mugwort.   Don't forget! Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on

This week Katja talks about the herbs that defined taco seasoning in her Texas upbringing, and their qualities when as medicinal herbs. Along the way, she takes a moment to appreciate the life of World War I herbalist and author, Maud Grieve. Ryn goes over an important lesson in phytochemistry - that no one compound accounts for all the observed effect of an herb - considering this today as it applies to specific qualities: so demulcency & astringency aren't reducible to mucilaginicity & tannicity. Herbs discussed include fennel, cumin, coriander / cilantro, cayenne, onion & garlic, marshmallow, cinnamon, & hibiscus. Don't forget! Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on Amazon! Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

No, that's not an herbal tea pairing suggestion! This week, Katja sets off on a 100-day experiment with schisandra berries, and Ryn discusses the nuances of peppermint's energetics - is it warming or cooling? Listen in and find out what we think! Don't forget!  Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on Amazon!Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

This week Ryn walks you through a short movement sequence he finds helpful when his low back gets tense, and Katja shares (most of) a recipe for a tincture blend that also helps tense muscles - the rest is to be found in our book! Find the video of the kneebend sequence here! And while you're at it, feel free to follow us on Instagram. ;) Herbs discussed include ashwagandha, solomon's seal, ginger, and mullein. Don't forget! Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on Amazon! Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

This week Katja shares some allies who've helped out with the (several!) kinds of pain which accompany her braces - gentle vulnerary astringents for the cuts in the mouth, anodynes for the bone pain, and a special guest to help drain fluids from the sinus. Ryn talks about one way we try to understand herbal constituents, the chemicals which contribute to an herb's medicinal effects - by trying to learn how they work in the plants who produce them. Herbs discussed include meadowsweet, goldenrod, self-heal, calendula, plantain, chamomile, kava, & ground ivy. Don't forget! Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on Amazon! Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

Katja's daughter Amber is about to turn 15 years old, so this week Katja reflects on her birth experience and offers up some herbs to help mamas in the last stages of pregnancy, and Ryn shares one of his favorite Mama-support formulas. Herbs discussed include lobelia, ginger, betony, ghost pipe, chamomile, kava, & vanilla. Mentioned this week: Herbal Medicine for Beginners, our first book, is available for pre-order now on Amazon!Lavandoula - herbalist & full-spectrum doula Emma O'Brien is a graduate & friend of ours. If you need a doula in the Boston area, contact her!Kings Road Apothecary - maker of the lovely kava & vanilla massage oil, among other wonders.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

We say it every week: we are not doctors, you are responsible for your own good health. This week, we wanted to expand on that a bit more, explain the philosophy behind it, and the reasons we think it’s so important to our practice as herbalists. We discuss the differences between conventional and traditional systems of medicine, and look into the legal issues surrounding “the practice of medicine”. This is also an issue of empowerment: the flip side of a responsibility is a right, and it’s your right to make informed decisions about your own health. We believe it’s the herbalist’s job to help you claim that power!Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

This week, in honor of International Women's Day, Katja shares some of her thoughts and experiences with adult daughters who became caregivers for their elderly parents. There's a particular pattern of compromised lung health she's seen emerge in these women, which has been tightly tied to the complex stresses and emotional challenges of the role. Fortunately, she's found an herbal ally - pleurisy root, Asclepias tuberosa - who's been especially helpful to them - and may help you or someone you love, as well! Mentioned in this podcast: Health Care? Daughters Know All About It, Roni Caryn Rabin (NYT, May 2017) - "As Washington debates the relative merits of health care legislation, many families have already come up with what is arguably the most reliable form of care in America: It's called daughter care.Dementia Care, Women's Health, and Gender Equity, Bott et al (JAMA Neurology, July 2017) - "The best long-term care insurance in our country is a conscientious dau

This week, Ryn shares some strategies he turns to when (as frequently happens) he recognizes that he needs to sleep, but can't quite convince himself to go to bed. Katja relates what happened earlier this week, when polyurethane fumes from a home improvement project in our apartment building gave her a massive headache and made it hard to sleep - both what she actually did to cope in the moment, as well as what, in hindsight, would have been more effective. Herbs discussed include mugwort, wild lettuce, hops, ginger, chamomile, linden, mullein, marshmallow, st john's wort, and milk thistle.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

This week, Katja discusses several herbs to help support mothers and teens who are coping with the difficulties of the adolescent years - especially in the face of the stressors unique to today's world. Herbs discussed include motherwort, rose, hawthorn, yarrow, tulsi, milk thistle, and st john's wort. Mentioned in this podcast: Herbs for Psychological First Aid - Katja's free video class on working with herbs for acute mental and emotional difficulties.March For Our Lives - On March 24th, 2018, in DC and throughout the country, kids and families will take to the streets to demand real change to end gun violence and prevent mass shootings. Sign up for more info or to find a local event!Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

This week, Katja describes a way of working with herbs to reduce the harm done when lifestyle factors like diet, sleep, and movement are less-than-ideal. (Because really, how often is everything in your life perfectly "right"?) Ryn identifies a mental blind spot in the course of "discovering" that aswhagandha is in fact native or naturalized in large parts of Africa and has a long history of use there. (Did you, too, think of it only as an Indian/Ayurvedic herb?) Mentioned in this podcast: Ashwagandha monograph from the Plant Resources of Tropical Africa projectAshwagandha monograph from the PlantZAfrica project at the South African National Biodiversity Institutethis Global Mapper from Discover Life can display worldwide plant distribution maps!Krystal Thompson's ashwagandha monograph at HerbRallyProduction dynamics of Withaferin A in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal complex., Kaul et al (Nat Prod Res. 2009;23(14):1304-11. doi: 10.1080/14786410802547440.) - one investigation into the di

Adaptogens are marketed as a solution to stress, burnout, hormonal imbalances, and a lot more. They can help a lot! But they’re not always appropriate. Today we discuss a few cases in which adaptogens might not be the best solution for feelings of burnout and exhaustion, and offer some alternative herbs you might consider instead.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

We moved! We made it with just a few bumps & bruises and some sore muscles. That was no accident - we thought ahead and stayed mindful with some mental, physical, and herbal supports to make our moving week as smooth as possible. Mentioned this week: Kings Road Apothecary - maker of the lovely kava & vanilla massage oil, among other wonders.Atlantic Holdfast - highest-quality seaweed straight from the pristine waters of northern Maine.Instinctive sleeping and resting postures: an anthropological and zoological approach to treatment of low back and joint pain, Michael Tetley (BMJ) - this is the article Ryn mentioned; also check out this podcast from Katy Bowman for more on sleep and alignment.Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

This week we’re sharing a class Katja delivered recently about basic applications of herbal remedies to improve digestion and relive digestive discomforts. Enjoy! We’ll be off next week as we are moving from one apartment to another. We’ll return the following Friday, don’t worry!Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

This weekend we kick off the year for our Advanced Studies Program, so we invited our students to participate in the podcast. Somehow, without any prior coordination, everyone seemed to have linden on the mind! Listen in and hear a few different formulas and perspectives on this helpful friend.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

Katja shares three simple ideas for integrating some herbal self-care into your life, especially during the work day, which have helped us a lot during the writing of our forthcoming book. Ryn's taking a MovNat certification course this weekend, so he offers a formula for supporting joint health.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

As 2017 draws to a close, we look back over our year and some of the herbs who helped us get through it.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)

Katja draws parallels between the Hanukkah story of unexpected abundance, and the gift of goldenrod for helping us persevere through adversity and exhaustion. Ryn shares this year’s solstice elixir formula and the medicine of captured moments.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)