Down to Earth Herbalism with Tamara

What Your Blood Really Says: Using Blood Tests for Preventive Health. Blood tests can reveal far more about your health than most people realize, often long before symptoms appear. In this episode, I explain how blood work can be used as a powerful preventive tool, not just to diagnose disease. We talk about what common blood tests can tell you about your metabolism, thyroid, hormones, nutrient st...

In this episode, I dive into the real tea on green tea. Its rich history, cultural traditions, and why so many Westerners brew it all wrong. We explore how green tea is harvested, the art of multiple short infusions, and how proper brewing unlocks smoother flavor and fewer tannins. I also break down the science-backed health benefits, from L-theanine and caffeine synergy to antioxidants like EGCG...

Take your herbs in a more effective way and to get better results, by avoiding these common mistakes! Would you like to book a health consultation for yourself or a loved one? Send me a message through the contact form on my website:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.herbalhelp.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or click on my calendar  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to book a free 20-minute call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  to find out if you would like to book health consultations and how th...

Yes, herbs can support us in aging more gracefully! Happy, healthy aging means avoiding the typical diseases that make us miserable or lead to early death. What we need are effective medicinal plants that can help us stay fit and juicy, balance our stress hormones, immune system, blood sugar, and cholesterol, control inflammation, prevent cancer, and improve bone and skin health! Adaptogens tick m...

Let's raise awareness for hormonal fluctuations in the lives of women that make us cyclical beings, but let's not normalize period pain and PMS, because for those we have effective and safe herbal remedies! Let's talk about Vitex (Agnus Castus), Shatavari, and Dong Quai as hormonal regulators, but also liver herbs to reduce the effects of toxic estrogen metabolites like milk thistle se...

My guest Robin Rose is sharing her wisdom with us today and you can pre-order her book  A Green Witch’s Pocket Book of Wisdom  and receive the beautiful bonus booklet  Herbal Recipes for Deepening Meditation, Dreams, and Intuition. Pre-order here !   A Green Witch’s Pocket Book of Wisdom- Big Little Life Tips  is filled with golden nuggets of green witch magic and silver strands of spiritual wisdo...

I enjoy making my own skin moisturizer out of tropical butters like shea butter, cacao and cupua ç u butter, melting those, and adding luxurious plant oils like Argan, Jojoba, and Seabuckthornfruit Oil for a creamy consistency. I don't have to add any preservatives or emulsifiers because I don't add water to those creams. Instead, I spray my face with Rose Water or Witch Hazel Hydrolate be...

Meet Kava, the herb of relaxation and good vibes! In this episode, we're diving deep into the enchanting world of Kava, the Pacific's best-kept secret for finding calm amidst the chaos. Join me as we uncover the magic behind this ancient herbal drink and its incredible benefits. We'll share stories from across the Pacific, where Kava has been cherished for generations as a pathway to t...

The herbs I take every day vary with time and the seasons but these are some of the herbs that I'm currently taking every day: medicinal Mushrooms like Cordyceps, Reishi and Lion's Mane, Dong Quai and He Shou Wu, two pretty amazing herbs from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guggul, Aloe gel, Ashwagandha and Nutmeg (widely used in Ayurveda), and now in summer for its refreshing properties: Hi...

Herbs can help resolve the underlying issue of a health condition and work towards a sustainable, long-term improvement of health. But they can also control symptoms for short-term relief in effective ways and with way fewer side effects than pharmaceuticals. Using herbs to manage symptoms can help to stop the downward spiral of health problems, but it should ideally be combined with herbs that ad...

Triphala is a very ancient herbal formulation from Ayurveda. It consists of three fruits: Amla (or Amalaki), Haritaki, and Bibhitaki. According to Ayurveda and modern scientific studies, it has benefits for digestion, constipation, and rejuvenation due to its high antioxidant properties, it's good for healthy glowing skin (and you also use it externally as a face mask), supports gentle liver d...

Gotu Kola or Centella Asiatica is a superior nerve tonic from Ayurveda. When I had my own health challenge with Hashimoto's, Hypothyroidism, and brain fog I took Gotu Kola for over a year and after two weeks of taking it, I couldn't believe the amazing results. Gotu Kola's effect on the nervous system is pretty outstanding. It doesn't really fit into the category of calming nervine...

Today I'm sharing some insights and practical tips for herbalists who are thinking to get started with helping people through health consultations. This episode is an interesting glimpse into the work of a clinical herbalist, a behind-the-scenes of my daily work. This is also of interest to anyone considering consulting with me or an herbalist in general. How does it work? What to expect? What...

Medicinal Mushrooms can be a powerful part of an herbal health protocol. Let's look at some case studies of my clients, to illustrate how mushrooms fit into a health plan and can help to address the underlying cause of immune system imbalance, allergies, skin conditions like asthma and eczema, memory loss, brain function, anxiety, insomnia, cancer prevention, and fatigue. Here is the link to the i...

We all know Cacao as the wonderful plant that chocolate is made of, but its benefits go way beyond that! Cacao has medicinal properties, is high in antioxidants and can energize you gently and lift your mood! I will share my experience of living for several years on a Cacao farm in Brazil, and the process of harvesting, fermenting, drying and roasting the cacao beans. You will also learn the best...

I took a combination of Rosehips, Garlic, and Ginger for the immune-boosting benefits for over two months, and in this episode, I share with you what I learned and the results on my health. I took Rosehips in different ways, a few that I harvested myself, but mainly the dried rosehips or powdered rosehips that I bought by the pound. I soaked them, had them for breakfast and in smoothies, and made...

Our nervous system, digestion and immune function are three areas to pay attention to during the holidays. Adaptogenic herbs help us to deal with stress, calming nervines keep everyone chill during family gatherings, and it's a good idea to take some carminative herbs to help us digest all that nice yummy food to minimize the damage and regret. Don't leave your herbs at home in case you go traveli...

Let's formulate an herbal winter tea blend! Or actually, no matter what the season is currently, let's learn about some basic herbal formulation principles which take climate and season into account. This is what's in my favorite decoction at the moment and how I make it: First I boil a few slices of Ginger with Dandelion root and a teaspoon full of my so-called Chai base (freshly ground up Cinnam...

Elderberry, Garlic, Turmeric, Echinacea, Astragalus, and Ginger are some of the many herbs available to us, to make sure we have healthy and strong immunity in the colder season. But.... what to do if Elderberries are sold out again at the herb store? No worries at all, in this episode we'll dive deep into what is so special (but not unique) about Elderberries, these deep red plant pigments called...

"I have tried everything." This is a phrase I sometimes hear from my clients. Looking at what they actually tried so far, which herbs and dosages, I must say, no, the herbs are definitely not to blame for the lack of results. High expectations on one herb (the miracle herb! it must exist! ...no it doesn't...), as opposed to a complete health protocol that might include several herbs and supplement...

Visiting Scotland and marveling at the juicy blackberries, rosehips, hawthorn, and elderberries led me to ponder about the history of Western Herbalism and our relationship to the plants that grow around us. Why do we use the pants we use? What is our role in preserving and passing on the knowledge? How did our perception of health and healing change through history? And, where are we now? I visit...

Adaptogens and tonic herbs in general are my favorite category of medicinal herbs, and I use them a lot for myself and clients in my health practice. They are safe and non-toxic and help us deal with stress, improve the immune system, regulate hormones, and improve our thinking, mood, anxiety, and fatigue. Absolute all-rounders to help us deal with modern life's challenges! Let's learn about the d...

We had a few heat waves this summer, so I had plenty of opportunities to try out herbs and foods to stay cool! I made cold infusions instead of hot teas with cooling and moistening herbs like Hibiscus and Rose, and switched my regular body massage oil to cooling coconut oil. Ayurveda gives us lots of insights into the energetic qualities of herbs, and this includes how foods and herbs affect our b...

Most deaths worldwide are caused by heart disease. Over a long period of time, cholesterol silently accumulates in blood arteries, sometimes going unnoticed or not receiving adequate attention. We should all consider prevention because of this. The underlying causes include aspects of lifestyle and food, but fortunately, there are numerous herbal therapies that are readily available and have been...

Chances are you have asked yourself if you have food intolerances, they are so common today as a result of our modern diet and lifestyle. Symptoms range from gas and bloating to headaches and fatigue. Elimination diets can be helpful initially, but they don't treat the underlying cause, and there is the risk of developing other intolerances or even auto-immune diseases. So what can we do about thi...