3 Delicious Summer Recipes to Boost Your Vitality
As the summer settles in up here in the northern hemisphere, a lot of us are hankering for mouth-watering meals and the nourishing presence of friends and family. There’s just something about gathering (socially-distanced right now, of course!) with loved ones over a plethora of food – sharing laughter, merriment, and one another’s company – that warms the soul. Today I want to share 3 super nutritious meals that are delicious, and guaranteed to crowd-please. Because we’re... [Read more...]
2 Essential Oils For Better Zzzs
We usually think of sight and hearing as our main senses. But what we smell has the strongest impact on our emotions. The olfactory receptors in our brain connect directly to the limbic system, where emotions begin. That may be why essential oils — the distilled essence of various plants and flowers — are so potent. There are over 90 types of essential oils, all with unique impacts on the body and mind. And they are extremely concentrated. For example, it’s estimated that it takes... [Read more...]
2 Surprisingly Powerful Ways To Calm Your Mind
We are living through tumultuous times. Between the global pandemic and the worldwide outcry for social change, it is easy to become overwhelmed. I know I do. Alarming footage is everywhere, there’s a hodgepodge of different ideas, and it seems like everyone is on edge. That’s why it is incredibly important to cultivate a few practices that will calm and center you – within minutes. If you’re in a constant state of fight-or-flight, your body’s vital processes slowly shut ... [Read more...]
This Calming Flower Medicine United Ancient Cultures
What is the first herb you ever learned was actually medicine? It’s easy to get caught up in all the articles and new studies on promising natural remedies, but what about that first piece of herbal knowledge you came across? Maybe in your grandma’s kitchen… or in a novel you read as a teenager? For me, it was chamomile. When I was little, this bittersweet herb was given to me as a bedtime tea when I was exhausted or had a stomach ache. I didn’t think about it much as a kid.... [Read more...]
Can Walking Barefoot Heal Your Heart?
Why do so many people equate relaxation and pleasure with walking barefoot along the beach as the waves roll in? How come my son River’s first instinct is to take his shoes off when he sees a field of green grass? Is it kooky human behavior that is simply hard-wired into our genetic makeup, or is there something more to this urge to remove footwear? The Unshod, or Shoe-Less, Revolution Historically speaking, it seems like we’re right in step with our forebearers. Long before we had ... [Read more...]
A Delicious Spice Blend To Nourish Your Health [Recipe]
In my house, we love to kick our dishes up a notch with many combinations of spices and herbs from around the world, but we find ourselves coming back to some of the same blends time and time again. Today I want to share with you one blend that we keep returning to… Berbere Spice. Berbere spice is a blend of herbs that originates from Ethiopia and Eritrea. This unique mixture is used in almost every Ethiopian soup or stew you will come across. Aside from being very distinctive and ... [Read more...]
How To Thrive Through A Pandemic
This is a weird time. We’re all feeling it. Sure, it’s challenging. But this time also offers a magical opportunity. Without access to all our familiar distractions — like going out to restaurants or parties, or even visiting friends — we have to really be with ourselves. If we want to, we can pay closer attention now to our thoughts, and we can watch how our thoughts bubble up and create our moods. We can use this time to regroup, look into our souls, refocus on what matters ... [Read more...]
DIY Herbal Lotion To Soothe Chapped Hands [Recipe]
Seems like everywhere we look people are reminding us to wash our hands. Celebrities are singing their hit tunes and encouraging folks to sing along as they scrub. There are diagrams and instructional videos, all of which are amazing. But the frequency with which we scrub often leaves our hands chapped because the soap doesn’t just do away with the germs – it also strips our skin of its natural oils. Good thing we have all-natural healing herbs that are fast-acting and effective —... [Read more...]
5 Healing Herbs You Can Grow This Spring
Planting an herb garden is the perfect way to bring in the spring, and we humans have been doing it for thousands of years. The ancients believed that every one of us can speak the language of the plants. That we can learn how to harness their medicines by spending focused time with them — just like cultivating a relationship with a new friend! What’s fascinating about this sacred belief is that it’s being proven by modern science. Get this: There’s an abundance of scientific ... [Read more...]
5 Delicious Calming Foods (+ Recipes!)
I grew up in my mom’s New England restaurant, and the kitchen has always been my sanctuary. The ritual of making a meal, in and of itself, can bring calmness and deeper connection — but when you prepare herb-infused foods that relax the body, as well as the mind and spirit, you’ve got the perfect dish. It’s easy to forget to eat… or to eat too much… when we’re stressed. That’s one of the #1 reasons that people experience both weight fluctuation and illness during intense ... [Read more...]
Back To Immune Basics [Zapping Germs and Staying Safe]
I know you’re probably getting bombarded with information about how to keep yourself and your family healthy during this unprecedented time. There are a lot of great herbs and supplements that can boost your body’s natural defense and overall vitality – but sometimes instead of focusing only on what we put in our bodies, we also need to be aware of what is on our bodies. So let’s get back to some basic practices that we all should be doing regularly to keep the bad germs at bay and ... [Read more...]
3 Easy “Face Yoga” Stretches To Look and Feel Younger
In the middle of a jungle ceremony a few years ago, a shaman told me, “Sometimes you have to break down in order to break through.” One of the essential truths on the ancestral healing path is that crisis and transformation often go hand in hand. This crisis can come in a variety of shapes and forms – it may be a challenging life circumstance that brings a person to their existential edge, or a severe health condition that seemed almost impossible to overcome – until you did. A ... [Read more...]