The Family Herbalism Podcast

​Where did the name Laurel Tree Wellness come from? ​ What are your life Bible verses? How do you keep “first things first”? Have you shared your salvation story? Have you ever wished you engaged differently with the guests on your show? What were the hardest, best, and most rewarding parts of doing the podcast? Where do you see yourself in 5 and 10 years? If you could only have three herbs availa...

There are a lot of terms used to describe what natural health practitioners offer for services, including “natural health”! Alternative, complementary, holistic… and then there is functional. The slogan for Laurel Tree Wellness is Functional Herbalism for Whole Health. Why functional? In today’s episode, I share some of the backstory behind my business that I’ve never shared on the podcast before,...

We generally think of hives when it comes to contact allergies - you use a soap and get a rash, you get bit by a mosquito and get a rash, or maybe something really stressful happens and you get a rash. But what if the rash doesn’t go away? For some folks, coming down with hives is a temporary irritation, but when it persists long after the initial trigger, it can be downright degrading to one’s me...

Many folks who are interested in gardening and home herbalism are also interested in prepping - the lifestyle where a person or family makes preparations for a variety of emergency situations with skill building, strategic planning, and resource development. In today’s episode, I am joined by fellow Christian herbalist and longtime prepper, Natashia Atkinson. Natashia graciously shared her story a...

One in eight Americans experience at least one type of herpes virus, but it’s one of those things we tend to keep hush hush because of its association with sexuality. Because it’s one of those things that make people fall between the cracks of our medical system, and because I have had good experiences helping clients reduce frequency and severity of flares, I wanted to make sure that this subject...

We frequently refer to metabolism as related to weight management, but in reality, metabolism is how our body stays alive! Metabolic function is one of the key areas I specialize in; helping clients with things like hypertension, insulin resistance, and fatty liver. To address these concerns and reduce related symptoms, understanding the story behind metabolism is essential. In today’s episode, I...

Traditional health modals have long associated emotions with specific organs in our body. Common phrases like, “she wears her heart on her sleeve,” or “he aired his grievances,” or “they’re Lily-livered” all connect emotions to the organs. But how does that work? And how does this impact our health choices? Joining me today is clinical herbalist April Martin, a graduate of Medicine Lodge Academy a...

This episode was requested by listener, Rio. Thank you! Remember, you can request a topic by emailing Naomi at laureltreewellness@gmail.com. Lipomas are fatty growths, usually under the skin. While generally harmless, they can be uncomfortable and leave a person feeling self-conscious. In today’s episode, I share some of the reasons lipomas develop, and what traditional and modern tools we have th...

Last week’s episode was so good! Have you listened to it yet?! If not, stop where you are and go back to listen to it. In part one of the panel discussion with Christian Herbalists Mindy Capello, Angelica Benoit, and Natashia Atkinson, we talked about the moral dilemmas common to Christians as they navigate the world of herbalism today, including working with homeopathy and talking to plants. Plus...

As more and more Christians return to herbalism as a way of promoting health, theological questions often arise. What do we think about herbs, and talking to plants, homeopathy, flower essences, and all the other fields of herbal practice, or tools that herbalists use? To help me share about and explore the morals of herbal medicine, I am joined by Christian herbalists Mindy Capello, Angelica Beno...

Listen in on this encouraging and enlightening conversation with herbalist KhadiYah Preciado, owner of Yah's Apothecary. Many of my listeners and clients experience chronic health issues and knowing where to start on the healing journey can be a big challenge! KhadiYah breaks down the method she uses when working with clients, and which she teaches her students. Learn what each of the seven la...

Many, if not most people end up getting at least one type of surgery or other during their lifespan. While our bodies do heal, herbal options can help speed up the process. In today’s episode, I share herbal, nutritional, and lifestyle tools that can help you recover faster from any surgery, with less pain. For more information about working with a clinical herbalist, visit www.laureltreewellnessl...

This very special episode brought to you straight from the Herbal Circle! Members of the Herbal Collective agreed to share this conversation from our weekly meetup so that you could see what the group meetings are like! Each week, I share something new in the Herbal Circle - it could be about an herb, about an aspect of the practice of herbalism, about a health concern, or any other topic related...

To follow up my episode on the variety of services that are available through Laurel Tree Wellness, today I share what a cohesive path of training would look like for someone using my offerings to prepare them for clinical work, starting with foundational training. But first! I share something really important that you should know as a podcast listener. This change will affect your listenership! T...

What is inflammation. We blame our pain and stiffness on it, by what is it doing, and why? Where does it come from? Get out your notebooks and get ready for science class because today we dig into the chemistry behind our body’s inflammation processes, and it is bound to be enlightening! By learning what is happening when our body’s get inflamed, we not only gain respect for the artist behind our...

When listener Karen asked for an episode that would enable someone to support another going through a miscarriage, I knew this one needed to happen! With half of pregnancies ending in miscarriage, this is one of those topics that, even though it has had mixed seasons of being talked about and being hidden, needs to be shared about in an effective way to support those who need help. In today’s epis...

With new opportunities to work with me appearing every year, you might be wondering, what’s the difference between the services and programs I offer? And which one offers the benefits you need? In today’s episode, I break down the nine services and programs I am part of, who each one is for, and what to expect from them. If you have had any questions about how to choose from the different opportun...

This episode was requested by a listener, and I'm so glad they did! There is a lot of information to sort through out there about the facts, and so today I share with you some thoughts from a holistic, natural perspective that may shed light on what is happening during this season of life, and how we can make the transition as easy as possible. To learn more about working with me one-on-one, a...

I've been told that the standard response to a woman with ovarian cysts is that they will just have to deal with it. But as you know, that doesn't sit well with me. After one of my girls experienced symptoms of a cyst rupture, I set out on a mission to figure out what we could do to keep them from happening again, and today I share with you my findings, which have since worked for both my...

So that you never have to experience what I did, I share my testimony of experiencing a severe sunburn after exposure to an interesting plant chemical. I share what chemicals you need to be aware of, what plants they are found in, and what you can do to reduce risk and also address the reaction should you experience one. To learn more about working with me one-on-one, about The Herbal Collective,...

Thank you Janet, for today’s podcast topic! While I have talked about bone health in the past, the key for this episode is that no animal products are required for the recommendations I include here! In particular, I talk about osteoporosis and osteopenia. There are so many plant-based options for support, and non-FOOD options! Take a listen, and if you find this episode helpful, please leave a re...

As a holistic practitioner, I recognize that health isdynamic and unique to each person. It also is influenced by many factors – our relationships, our physical environments, our genetics, our schools and jobs, our unique design and purpose, and our day-to-day choices. With all these factors influencing our health, I feel it is only right to also acknowledge that we need more than medication or a...

What is the microbiome? Where is it? Why is it so foundational to many areas of health? And how can we support it besides avoiding antibiotics and taking probiotics? In today's episode I answer these questions, plus talk about specific testing, the nuances of what makes up the microbiome besides bacteria, and the many ways we can help keep it healthy or repair damage. Plus! Top tips for pickin...

Thank you, Sheldon, for this podcast topic! I have been thinking about cancer for a while, and how I might approach it on the podcast. It's such a vast subject, I couldn't possibly offer you a comprehensive, single episode on this area of illness. However, I can offer you a foundational approach to promoting wellbeing through a cancer journey that applies to those taking steps to minimize...

After sharing last fall about why lab work can be a valuable tool, I wanted to share an example, step by step of how I work through them. What better example than to use myself as a guinea pig! This year I hired a direct primary care doctor and had a bunch of labs drawn as a baseline for my normal. In today’s episode, I highlight my functional evaluation process by walking you through certain piec...