Exploring the Senses Through Aromatherapy
Our senses tell us about the world around us. One of the most interesting sensory explorations is smell because our olfactory system sends signals directly to our brain and is one of the most immediate ways to trigger emotions. As you may have seen in the “blind tea tasting” video we shared a few weeks ago, blind tasting and smelling offers insights into how we can connect with plants before putting a label or perceived function on them. With that in mind, we’re excited to share this video of our friend, Erika Gentian of Sovereignty Herbs. Erika recently visited our headquarters in Eugene, Oregon to show us how blind hydrosol smelling can help us get to know our herbal allies. Learn more about how the power of smell can help you work with hydrosols for gentle, effective support.
Plant Stories | Featuring Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz
This week’s guest on Herbal Radio is the wise-spirited author and curandera (ku·ran·de·ra), Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz. We recorded our interview with Felicia prior to her keynote presentation for the 2023 Fall Virtual Free Herbalism Project, so be sure to check out her recorded presentation after listening to this episode!
In Felicia’s words, Curanderismo (ku·ran·de·ris·mo) is a 500-year-old traditional healing practice that is still in existence today. It is influenced by Spanish, Indigenous Mexican, the Moors, West African, and Native American traditional healing practices, and is a result of the blending of these cultures during colonization.
Irish Sea Moss Gel Recipe
Perhaps you’ve noticed that sea moss gel has been trending for a few years now in wellness circles. Made from red algae, sea moss gel is rich in nutrients like iodine, magnesium, iron, folate, vitamin K, and calcium. Bonus: it’s simple to make at home with just three ingredients and provides countless ways to up the nutrient value of your favorite recipes. Sea moss gel doesn’t have a lot of flavor on its own, so while you can certainly dip in a spoon and eat it as-is, its add-in potential is where it really shines! Try adding this easy ocean superfood to a winter soup or a stir-fry, or blend a frozen cube into your morning smoothie for a nutrient-packed start to your day.
Pickled Burdock Recipe for Gut Health
Inulin is a popular supplement right now, and for good reason. It is an impressive prebiotic that provides support for gut and bowel health, and absorption of key minerals, amongst other wonderful things.
As herbalists, we often prefer to take our constituents in whole plant form, and we’re happy to say that there are a lot of delicious foods and herbs that contain inulin. Excited to learn more?
Check out blog.mountainroseherbs.com for the full recipe!
Valerian: From Farm to Apothecary
We always look forward to the brisk autumn afternoons when we visit our farm partners in Washington to join their annual valerian harvest. They have been growing organic valerian for more than 30 years. Harvesting and milling the roots to preserve their botanical integrity is a process that requires both passion and skill, as well as specialized equipment. This combination of experience and technology makes it possible to produce the top-shelf botanicals that Mountain Rose Herbs customers rely on for their health and wellness. Today, think of the health supplement you took, a meal you ate, or tea you drank, and imagine all of the farmers who helped to bring that experience to you. Let’s take a moment to honor their work and commitment.
Ceremonial Matcha: From Field to Cup
In June of 2023, we embarked on a journey to meet with one of our farm partners in Wazuka, Japan. After a long and exciting travel day, we arrived in the bustling city of Osaka.
Our old friend, Masashi, welcomed us with excitement and an eagerness to share the 350-year-old tea plantation with us. We loaded into his sedan and headed for the misty hills of Wazuka. We first toured the fields where we learned about the growing, shading, inspecting, and harvesting of the fresh and vibrant green leaves. From there we got a behind-the-scenes look at how these organic tea leaves are turned into the vibrant powder we know and love. After fully experiencing the tea planation and all of the heartfelt work that went into making this fine tea powder, we were invited to take part in a traditional matcha tea ceremony.
Having worked with this farmer for over a decade, it was an honor to connect with him in a way that celebrated his culture and to recognize the people that grow and process this special tea for the world to enjoy.
Enjoy a cup of ceremonial matcha: https://mountainroseherbs.com/matcha-tea
Try matcha with a traditional whisk and spoon: https://mountainroseherbs.com/matcha-set
Native California Herbs & 5 Elements, with Athene Eisenhardt | Tea Talks with Jiling
Dr. Athene Eisenhardt, Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, found her path in life by way of the plant world. Working professionally as a field botanist for Yosemite National Park led her to begin wildcrafting and using native California plants as medicine, and to study the Taoist 5 elements in nature. She maintains a private practice in Oakland, California, offering 5 Element Acupuncture and Integrative Herbalism. Athene is also on the Herbology faculty at the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, CA.
Athene and Jiling discuss:
The Five Elements of East Asian medicine
How the five flavors relate to the Five Elements
Examples of native California plant and Five Elements’ interrelationships
How climate informs plant intelligence
Ethical harvesting of native plants
Some of Athene’s favorite plant meditations!
Organic Spinach Powder Benefits + 2 Recipes
Spinach has been providing humans with bountiful nutrition for more than 2,000 years. By the time this cool-season annual reached western Europe in the 11th – 15th centuries, it was already an established crop and widely cultivated in the Middle East and Asia. It has long been considered the “Captain of Leafy Greens,” which is an apt title for this vitamin- and mineral-packed veggie. However, raw spinach contains oxalic acid which, when eaten in large quantities over time, can actually interfere with the absorption of some of the nutrients like calcium and iron for which spinach is famous. Also, because our bodies cannot metabolize spinach quickly, it can produce gas, bloating, and stomach cramps. This is not to say we shouldn’t eat raw spinach; we absolutely should because it’s loaded with all kinds of other essential nutrients like vitamin C, niacin, potassium, etc. that are more available to our bodies when eaten raw. But to capture all of the benefits of spinach, it behooves us to eat it in other ways as well. Dried spinach is a delicious, high-nutrition option!
Minty Lemongrass Oxymel (Without Vinegar)
Oxymels are an herbal extraction of an acid mixed with honey. Usually, when we think about extracting herbal properties with acids, we look to vinegars. But did you know that if you replace the vinegar with a citrus juice like lemon or lime, you still capture the herbal constituents and end up with a drier oxymel that is perfect for summer mocktails?
Our friend Amanda Crooke from the Center for Herbal Studies has kindly shared a simple recipe for a delicious citrus-based lemon-mint oxymel and a lemony, bubbly mocktail that is the perfect refreshing sipper on a hot summer day. We think these are the ideal recipes to get the summer party started!
Intro to Chinese Medicine, with Toby Daly | Tea Talks with Jiling
Toby began studying East Asian medicine in 1997 with Sunim Doam, a Korean monk trained in the Saam tradition. In 2016, he completed a PhD in Classical Chinese Medicine under the guidance of 88th generation Daoist priest Jeffrey Yuen. Toby just published his first book this April, “An Introduction to Chinese Medicine: A Patient’s Guide to Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, & More”. It offers a concise overview of the landscape and therapeutic potential of traditional East Asian medicine.
Jiling and Toby discuss Chinese herbal medicine, nourishing life (yang sheng 養生) East Asian medicine seasonal considerations for diet and exercise, yin-yang, and more!
Visit Toby Daly at FlourishMedicine.com and ChineseNutritionApp.com
