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Featured Herb: Yarrow

Featured Herb: Yarrow

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Yarrow, Achillea millefolium Family: Asteraceae Parts Used: aerial portions Constituents: volatile oils, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, salicylic acid, coumarins, sequiterpene lactones Actions: anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antirheumatic, astringent, antispasmodic, antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, hypotensive, tonic, digestive bitter, hemostatic, diaphoretic Contraindications: Allergic to plants in the Asteraceae family. High doses may turn urine dark brown. Some sources say to avoid during pregnancy as it…
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Tutti Frutti Hibiscus Tea

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We stopped drinking Kool-Aid and other dye-laden drinks about 15 years ago, before most of my kids were even born. We were recently at my niece’s birthday party. The kids were given drink pouches with their cake–we graciously accept and make exceptions when we are guests. My oldest daughter started laughing. I looked over and realized that none of my…
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Art Journaling

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One of the best ways to teach kids about herbs is to get out and visit the plants themselves. It is amazing how many medicinal plants grow right under our feet! One of our favorite activities is to pack up some art supplies (colored pencils and sketch pads) and head outdoors for some art journaling fun. We usually just head…
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Plant Identification Cards

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One of the foundational elements of learning herbal medicine is knowing the plants. When we develop an intimate knowledge of the plants, we are better able to choose the best plant for the job. I created plant identification cards for my children to color and attach to a metal ring. They can easily flip through the flashcards and read the…
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Teaching Kids About Herbs

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This week I heard my 9 year old bump into something in the other room. She was half-way crying when the 3 year old walked up to her and said, “Don’t worry, just put Boo Boo Salve on it and it will be OK!” Why Teach Kids About Herbs? When you use herbal medicine and teach children about it at…
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Featured Herb: Calendula

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Calendula, Calendula officinalis Family: Asteraceae Parts Used: petals, flower head Constituents: triterpenes, carotenoids, flavonoids, volatile oil, chlorogenic acid, sterol, mucilage, saponins, bitter glycosides, resin, mild estrogenic Actions: Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, lymphatic, astringent, emmenagogue, cholagogue, antiseptic, anti-fungal, wound healing, detoxifying Contraindications: Possible allergen for those sensitive to the Asteraceae family. There is some concern with calendula use during pregnancy due to it’s…
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Making Homemade Maple Syrup

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Last winter I was contacted by Tap My Trees and asked to review their tree tapping kit used in making homemade maple syrup. Unfortunately, I live in south Texas and wasn’t able to take advantage of the offer. However, my friend Colleen, from Raising Lifelong Learners, lives up north where maple trees are abundant. She was excited to “tap her…
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Spiced Chai Recipe

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I am going to let you in on a little secret…I don’t like coffee…at all! I know in our fast-paced, Starbucks world I am a bit of an anomaly. I think I was born to be an herbalist as I have loved herbal teas for as long as I can remember. But somehow, I have missed out on the wonderful…
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Foraging for Purslane

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I was out weeding my flower beds today, getting ready to plant a few more flowers and herbs, when I came across some beautiful purslane (Portulaca oleracea) in bloom. I took a handful into the house for munching on and left the rest for another day. Purslane is one of those plants that teeters between being a food and being…
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