Much of modern medicine focuses on what is often called the heroic approach---identify a problem and find the quickest possible fix for the symptoms. This is a somewhat simplistic definition but it is accurate in general. When people approach a herbalist for guidance they sometimes expect a similar approach. Not only are herbalists not medical professionals, most herbalists have a completely different approach to supporting health. This approach is often called a holistic approach because it takes into account the whole person and the underlying issues, both physical and emotional, which are affecting a person. Taking it a step further, Susun Weed---a well-known herbalist and herbal educator---is a champion of what she calls the Wise Woman Way or the Wise Woman Tradition. This approach focuses on nourishment, the use of the gentlest possible course of action and a lifestyle which supports health. Certainly there is a time and place for the heroic course of action but as an overall lifestyle choice, I am a firm believer in the efficacy and sustainability of the Wise Woman Tradition. 

The problem is, we as a society have been conditioned to expect convenience. We want something quick and easy. We want the proverbial magic pill. But there are no magic pills in herbalism. In fact, in the Wise Woman Tradition there are rarely any pills at all. This tradition requires a person to become their own healer and take responsibility for their own wellness. It requires us to prepare the herbs for ourselves and our families with love and nurturing.

It's harder to make lifestyle and diet changes. It's harder to face our own emotions and begin the journey to greater emotional health and maturity. Sometimes it's hard to be consistent in making and applying herbal preparations over a period of time. It is my experience, however, that the body responds to nourishment and love with its own kind of gratitude. I have found gentle, nourishing herbs have the "side effect" of a greater sense of health and well being. In the gentle rhythms of herbal preparation, I have found lessons for life. Consistency and persistence are key ingredients for success in many endeavors. A kindly, positive approach often brings out the best in people as well as their physical bodies. Sometimes that which is most gentle is most powerful.

So here's to the holistic approach---no magic pills but much love, nourishment and joy!

Essential oils are gaining in popularity. They can be wonderful products but it is very important people interested in using essential oils educate themselves about the potential dangers and proper applications of essential oils. Just because something is plant-based doesn't automatically mean it is gentle or safe to use without precautions. After all, poison ivy is a plant! Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts. It takes pounds of plant material to make a very small amount of essential oil. 

Before applying essential oils to your skin you should always dilute them in a carrier oil such as olive oil or apricot kernel oil. The amount of dilution will vary depending on the application and on which essential oil is being used but a general guideline is 1-3 drops of essential oil to every teaspoon of the carrier oil. In the past I used tea tree and lavender essential oils undiluted but after some research I have decided not to make any exceptions. Undiluted (also called "neat") application of even tree tree or lavender essential oil may cause certain individuals to develop a rash and become sensitized to that particular oil. Human skin is highly absorbent so when you apply essential oils to your skin you absorb them into your body. This is yet another reason not to use large amounts of essential oils on your body at one time. There are some concerns in the herbal community that prolonged use, especially of undiluted essential oils, may cause liver damage.

Question: Could you share some skin care recipes or suggestions...like how to make a toner or body lotion?

Answer: Herbal skin care is such a fun aspect of herbalism! Using beautiful plants to care for your skin can make you feel prettier than just squeezing boring goo from a tube. There are so many ways to use herbs for your skin. I will touch on a few of them and end with a recipe for lavender toner. 

I like to take a simple, as close to nature as possible approach to skin care, as well as to most other aspects of my life. I regularly use only four products on my face: herb-infused honey, lavender or rose toner and homemade facial cream and lip balm. Once a month or so I use facial cleansing grains and a herbal facial steam as a pampering treat. If you use makeup or a lot of other products on your skin, you will probably need to cleanse more often and more thoroughly.

Honey makes a surprisingly effective facial cleanser. It moisturizes at the same time it cleanses and leaves one's skin soft and supple. I infuse the honey with herbs which also have cleansing, soothing or invigorating qualities. My favorite herb-infused honeys for facial care are lavender, rose geranium and peppermint. To cleanse your skin with honey, drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of honey into a small bowl or the palm of your hand. Apply the honey with your fingertips and gently massage it into your skin. I like to use circular motions with the fingertips of both hands. After applying the honey allow it to set on your face for a few minutes and then gently wash it off with warm water and a soft washcloth. I follow this regimen about twice a week. 

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health contains many delightful recipes for herbal skin care, including facial cleansing grains, face and hand cream and recipes for herbs for steams. I make her moisturizing cream recipe with rose geranium and chickweed infused apricot kernel oil and use this on my face as a moisturizer 2-3 times a week in the winter and once a week in the summer. People with mature or dry skin will probably need to moisturize more often. The moisturizing cream is wonderfully soothing for dry hands and feet as well. Her facial cleansing grains which are made with ground oats, herbs and almonds and white clay are great for an oily T-zone but I find them too drying when used on a regular basis so I save them for my monthly skin care treat. Facial steams are one of the easiest herbal skin care preparations and can be great for a relaxing, deep-cleansing experience. To make a herbal steam, toss several handfuls of dried herbs into a bowl or basin. I use a combination of lavender, roses and chamomile for normal skin but people with oily skin may want to add mucilaginous herbs such as comfrey and people with dry skin may want to add astringent herbs such as sage. Pour boiling water over the herbs. Test the steam above the bowl with your hand and when it is bearable, hold your face over the bowl and pull a towel over your head and the bowl so as much steam as possible is captured. Stay this way at least 5 minutes but up to 30 minutes. You can lift the towel for a breath of air from time to time if you need to do so. Afterwards gently pat your face dry. 

Chamomile flowers make a nice compress for tired or irritated eyes or eyes with bags under them. You can use tea bags or make your own small bags of porous fabric or simply wrap the herb in cheesecloth. If you haven't used chamomile test in on your inner wrist to make sure you aren't sensitive to it before using it on your eyes. Moisten your tea bags with cool water and place them on your eyelids for a few minutes or very gently dab at the skin around your eyes with the tea bags.

Herbal toners are nice to use after cleansing and before moisturizing. Rosewater is a lovely toner for dry or mature skin. Vinegar toner works well for oily skin. People with normal skin can use either one. To make lavender vinegar toner you will need:
*a clean glass jar 
*a plastic lid for the jar or a metal lid with parchment paper to line it
*enough fresh lavender buds to loosely fill the jar or enough dried lavender buds to fill the jar about 1/3 full
*apple cider vinegar (White vinegar is too harsh. Use the best apple cider vinegar you can afford. The organic apple cider vinegar available at health food stores seems less harsh than conventional vinegar to me.)  
*distilled water or rosewater 
   In a saucepan over medium low heat, warm vinegar. Loosely fill the jar with buds and pour the vinegar over them. Every so often as you pour, poke the mixture with a chopstick or the end of a spoon to release any air bubbles. Place the lid on the jar, label it and allow it to set 2-6 weeks out of direct sunlight. Shake the jar occasionally. Strain out the plant material and dilute the vinegar with equal parts distilled water or rosewater. Bottle in a spray bottle and spray on your face after cleansing it or as a refresher.

In honor of Herb Day, May 5th, I'm offering a 25% discount off my herbal basics course. Receive all 7 lessons for only $30! Order any time in the next two days---Friday, May 4th and Saturday, May 5th---to receive the discount.

Herb Day is a great time to start learning more about bringing herbs into your life. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn to use herbs to support wellness and bring greater joy and beauty to your life.

If either of my children gets a cut or scrape the first thing they say after "Mama!" is "I neeeeed plantain." The plantain they are calling for is not plantain fruit, the relative of bananas. Rather, it is a backyard weed, Plantago lanceolata or Plantago major. These varieties of plantain were brought to the U.S. by European settlers who valued its healing qualities. There are also varieties native to the U.S. which have similar qualities.

Plantain never ceases to amaze me with its effectiveness and versatility for all kinds of skin issues. I use it for cuts, scrapes, bruises, insect bites and for various kinds of rashes. It can also be used to soothe the itching and pain of hemmorhoids or poison ivy. A friend of mine swears by plantain/calendula salve for diaper rash. Recently I was on a hike with another friend. She had a mosquito bite which had already become red and swollen. After applying a crushed plantain leaf the swelling went down, the redness disappeared and she said the discomfort was gone as well.

The easiest way to use plantain is as a poultice. Simply crush and moisten a leaf and apply it directly to the affected area. The quick and dirty way is to chew the leaf but you can use your fingers and tap or bottled water if you prefer and have access to it. If you really don't want to chew it and you don't have any water you can simply crush the leaf. I make a salve using olive oil infused with calendula (Calendula officinalis) or bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) for winter and for other times when plantain isn't handy. I also freeze plantain/yarrow infusion for use as a wash for burns and wounds.

Plantain may be used internally. Some herbalists use the seeds as a substitute for the seeds of psyllium, an exotic relative of plantain. The leaves are slightly bitter but in my opinion, not unpleasant and can be added in small quantities to soups and salads. They are also sometimes used in tea for coughs and respiratory irritation as well as for bladder irritation and infection.

Plantain is relatively easy to identify because its leaves have multiple ribs instead of a single rib down the center and its seed stalks are distinctive. It is best to have someone familiar with the plant help you identify it but you can also use field guides and university websites as well as the USDA's online plant data base to help you with identification. Right now is a good time to look for plantain as it is just beginning to put up stems to form seed heads. 

Plantain grows in a wide variety of conditions all over the U.S. as well as in many other countries so if you look closely enough you are likely to find it. It is well worth the trouble of finding and identifying it. You'll find plantain a friendly plant, read to help when you need its soothing and healing qualities.

Caution:  As when wildcrafting any plant, use great care when identifying it. Do not pick directly by a road, under power lines or anywhere there might be contamination from chemical sprays or lead paint or where animals relieve themselves. 

Question: Is there a difference between an herbal tea and an herbal infusion?

Answer: It depends a lot on who you ask. Different herbalists refer to preparations in various ways. The two preparations are very similar and the names are sometimes used interchangeably. When I refer to a tea, I mean a small amount of herb steeped in water for a relatively short period of time---somewhere between three to fifteen minutes. This is also referred to as a tisane. When I say infusion, I am referring to a larger amount of herb steeped for a longer period of time---anything above fifteen minutes. When I talk about an oatstraw or nettle infusion, I'm referring to what Susun Weed, the queen of herbal infusions, calls nourishing infusions. Nourishing infusions are made with a higher ratio of herb to water and are usually steeped between four to eight hours. They are made with highly nutritious, gentle, food-type herbs and are made with the intention of extracting maximum nutritional value from the herb used.

Question: I've heard that "local" herbs are best. Why is that? Is this dandelion in my yard really safe to use?

Answer: I'm going to answer the second half of the question first because I think it is very important. The dandelion in anyone's yard is not safe unless it has been positively identified, chemical sprays such as pesticides have not been used on the lawn, it is away from roadway pollution, it is not in an area where animals defecate and if it is not where there is the possibility of contamination from lead paint or other toxic chemicals. That said, the dandelion in your yard has just as much medicinal potential as a dandelion carefully nurtured in a field on a herb farm far away. Some might say it has more potential and that leads us into the other part of the question. 

While local herbs may not be the best choice in every circumstance, I believe they are the best choice in many, if not most, circumstances. There are many reasons I believe this to be so. 

*Using local herbs decreases environmental impact. Fossil fuels are used to transport herbs from other locations and, depending on our sources, may not always be grown in the most environmentally friendly way. When we use the weeds from our yard we are using something that would have been mowed anyway or, even worse, sprayed with herbicides which can be damaging to beneficial insects such as bees.

*Local herbs may be more suited to local diseases. Some herbalists believe the plants which grow in a particular location are suited to the common complaints of that region. One interesting example of this is how poison ivy and jewelweed grow in the same type of environment and jewelweed is considered one of the most effective herbs to use against poison ivy reaction. 

*Gathering your own "medicine" can be part of the healing process. There have been multiple studies showing how a positive attitude can be beneficial to the healing process. Taking an active role in caring for your health can be very empowering. As you develop a relationship with the plants around you, your emotions are nourished just as the plants you use provide nourishment to your body.

*Familiarity with local herbs can be valuable in emergency situations. If you are caught in a situation where for some reason you don't have immediate access to medical care, it can be helpful to be familiar with local medicinal herbs. The application might be as simple as being at the park without a medicine kit and using a plantain leaf to soothe the scrape on your child's knee. Or it might be something more serious such as using yarrow to pack a profusely bleeding wound on the way to the emergency room. 

*If you use herbs from your own yard rather than buying expensive, exotic herbs you can save a lot of money.

*There has been a lot of controversy lately about the regulation of vitamin supplements, herbs and other alternative products. If you use the herbs in your own yard you have the power to make your own choices about which herbs you want to use without worrying about your herb of choice being taken away from you by regulation. 

*If you buy herbs from local farmers you support the local economy.

If you don't already use locally grown herbs I hope this post encourages you to take another look at the valuable plants growing at your very feet.