The Plant Path

Herbal medicine is most powerful when it is specific, and it's important to look at the underlying patterns that shape how a condition appears in an individual. One diagnosis may have many causes and manifest as a variety of tissue states, depending on the person. However, some conditions carry a regular, recognizable energetic and humoral pattern. Hyperthyroidism is a classi...

Blue Vervain is one of the most effective relaxant remedies in the Western Materia Medica. You can use Blue Vervain for a full spectrum approach to alleviating tension, whether that be psychological or a stiff neck. This herb acts as the conduit between your nervous and musculoskeletal systems, so you feel a sense of relief not only in the mind but in the body as well.

Headaches can be absolutely devastating — in terms of the physical pain and psychological and emotional wear and tear. If you've ever tried to use herbs to treat a headache, you may have had mixed results because headaches are tricky to treat with herbs. But why are headaches so difficult to treat with herbs? You must make critical distinctions both in the assessment of the h...

Ginkgo is famous for its ability to boost your memory, focus, and concentration . . . but if that's true, why didn't I feel any of these results when taking some Ginkgo tincture?

The truth is, there's a big misunderstanding about Ginkgo and the way it works. Understanding the Ginkgo myth makes the difference between getting those brain-boosting properties ver...

If you walk into a hip smoothie shop or health food store, you'll undoubtedly be flooded with the newest "superfoods" and cure-all herbs. Like so many things in our modern culture, herbal medicine also has its own "fads," as it seems as if there's almost a new one in style each season.

Although it may seem harmless at first and they may be a good gateway into the realm...