Rooibos and Honeybush Tea Health Benefits

I love tea. I read books about tea. I’ve taken classes in tea. And, I pour over all the tea catalogs that come in the mail as much, if not more than, the seed catalogs in the winter. Rooibos It was in one of these tea catalogs that I first discovered Rooibos tea. “Hmmm,” I […]

How to Make Kombucha Tea

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that dates back to ancient times. If someone offers you Kombucha, they also will probably offer a long list of health benefits to convince you to drink it. Their claims, however, lack a substantial amount of scientific evidence. Not because the evidence isn’t there, but because little testing has […]

Benefits of Stinging Nettles—For Food and Medicine

Taking an inventory of herbs in my cupboard recently, I realized how much we use stinging nettles. In fact, I have several ½ gallon jars full of the stuff pushed to the way back. But 1 quart jar stays in my tea cupboard because my husband drinks a cup of nettles infusion every morning. If […]

How to Make Four Thieves’ Vinegar

Legend has it that in the early 1600s, when the bubonic plague ravaged Europe, four men made a living of looting the homes of newly deceased persons. The plague was spread by the bites of fleas that had left their usual hosts of rats and mice and begun to bite people. Not knowing how the […]

How To Make Comfrey Salve

Many years ago I had a son with chapped lips gone awry. No matter what he did or used, they continued to worsen. Needing to take the matter in hand, I went out to the back yard and picked a basketful of leaves. I then went into the house and concocted a salve that brought […]

Where To Buy Bulk Spices And Herbs – A Comparison of Bulk Herb Suppliers

I have studied herbal medicine for almost 20 years. In the beginning, I purchased small quantities of herbs at the local health food store. That is great if you just want a teaspoon of something; but not so cost effective if you want a pound. After further learning and wanting to use more herbal preparations […]

How to Assemble an Herbal First Aid Kit

When someone says “First Aid Kit” the first thing to come to mind is band-aids. But there is more to being prepared than having those convenient little adhesive bandages on hand. Previously, we discussed essential oils to keep in a first aid kit and using them for emergencies. In this post, I’d like to discuss […]