The Family Herbalism Podcast

Why should you read your own lab results? Why can lab reading be helpful for herbalists? What’s the difference between standard and functional labs? Why don’t normal ranges don’t tell the whole picture? How can I learn what these strange acronyms mean? All this and more is covered in today’s episode. Don’t forget to leave a review! Call 802-234-1177 to leave a top request and share feedback! We’d...

What keeps chronic infections hanging on forever, and makes them resistant to treatment? Meet the slimy colonies known as biofilm. Once you learn about the intricacies of pathogen mechanisms for survival, you’ll understand why making your plan of attack may need some extra strategy, and in today’s episode I share some tools that may help you in your recovery process. This episode is included in ei...

Why do your fungal infections keep coming back? Why aren’t they staying away with antifungals? Maybe it’s time to take a look at what’s hiding underneath. In today’s episode we talk about primary infections like bacterial, viral, protozoan, and systemic fungal infections, and why they can make seemingly minor fungal infections so difficult to clear. Plus, of course! Many tools you can use to deal...

Is PMS normal? Do women with heavy periods, or missing periods, or painful periods just have to deal with it? In today’s episode, I cover what a normal menstrual cycle looks like, explain the function of female sex hormones, and cover lots of tools that improve our overall experience of menstrual cycles. This episode is included in either the Community Herbalism or Clinical Herbalism program, offe...

Now that we know what a spleen is, let’s talk a step back and examine a broader view. The lymphatic system unites the body into a cohesive whole, and without recognizing its part in health, other steps we take to support our bodies will be less effective. In today’s episode, I share about the basics of what the system is, how it impacts other areas of the body, the common expressions of imbalance,...

What is a spleen? What does it do? How can we help it? The spleen is one of those under-respected organs that we really shouldn’t live without. We may be able to live without one, but it makes life a lot easier! In this episode I share all about the spleen, and we’ll pick up where we leave off today in next week’s episode about the system this organ belongs to. This episode is included in either t...

Hypothyroidism is more common, which means the resources available for hypERthyroidism are more difficult to come by. Today, I offer information on what hyperthyroidism looks like, touch on autoimmunity, and share tools that have worked for my clients. This episode is included in either the Community Herbalism or Clinical Herbalism program, offered by Herba Remedium. Herba Remedium is an online, C...

I asked and you answered! Today we are chatting about some of the questions our student herbalist listeners have asked about some of the business aspects of being a community or clinical herbalist. Let’s talk about marketing, record keeping, apothecary stocking, charging money, and choosing topics to teach on! This episode is included in either the Community Herbalism or Clinical Herbalism program...

No, it’s not an expletive! MTHFR is an acronym for a gene that codes for a protein responsible for many important actions in the body. And yet, for some people, a seemingly harmless variation in the coding can result in serious consequences. Understanding whether or not you have such a variant can help you to make decisions that will accommodate and support overall health. What exactly is the MTHF...

Leaky gut is a common phrase associated with nutrient depletion and chronic illness. But what is it? And what do we do about it? In today’s episode I share about the parts of the lower digestive tract that keep the body safe, and what happens when its integrity is compromised. How does this happen? And is it correctable? I bet you can guess the answer! This episode is included in either the Commun...

Last week we talked about the nutrients many people are deficient in. Today, we talk about WHY. This is where we dig into the processes in the body that lead to proper nourishment, and those that can hamper them. When we understand why, we can then make a plan for better nutrition and reduce the need for supplementation. Of this list, there are three I want to dig into in more detail, and one of t...

Numerous studies and surveys have demonstrated that even in a country with abundant food, most Americans, even those well-fed, are largely undernourished. We have found that most people do not take in enough of the needed nutrients to maintain health. 
Sometimes, while getting to the root cause is an important step of the process, getting support to offset the problem right away is important for h...

Podcasting is one of the major ways I interact with people as an herbalist. I work with clients one-on-one, I mentor students, I teach classes and lead herb walks… and I podcast!
 Clinical herbalist student, Kelly Araneda, who happens to be one of my mentees, asked me some great questions about podcasting, and in today’s episode I share my answers to these questions. 
 If you are curious about wha...

Herbalist students have unique challenges to face as they grow their knowledge and skills and learn to apply them in their practices. In today’s episode, I answer questions from real herbalist students to help you expand your learning and experience in alignment with your learning style, your family priorities, and your big picture values. Questions like - how do I choose a school? How do I homesc...

If you struggle with high stress, or are in the midst of burnout, this conversation will offer you lots of practice tools to jump in and apply to your life! Angelica Benoit is back! And today she shares her experience with adrenal fatigue, in which she was dependent on 10-12 hours of sleep at night plus naps, tons of coffee, and was still feeling overwhelmed. After receiving a reminder about where...

With every 1 out of 5 people having at least one food they can’t eat without problems, being able to determine food sensitivity or allergies is SO important! Healing the gut is a super important step, but before this can occur, you need a way to uncover the triggers. In today’s episode I share four ways you can suss out the culprits. This episode is included in either the Community Herbalism or Cl...

Studying an herb a month is a practice recommended by numerous herbalists and herbal schools, but it’s so hard to restrict our learning to just one plant! That’s why the Herb of the Month project in Town Square Herbalism is so helpful. In today’s episode I share about who Town Square Herbalism is, and read my monograph of Burdock, which you can access the printable of when you join TSH. This episo...

You have questions about health or herbalism, but you don’t trust Google and you don’t have a care provider who can answer them. Or, you have numerous people texting you, who are in this boat. These are people who want to know about herbal contraindications, dosages for kids, how to find a trustworthy supplement, how long to make a decoction for, or any number of urgent or non-urgent health needs...

The world of medicinal plants is so vast, and the knowledge required to serve others from within the healthcare field so extensive, that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the expectation that we memorize huge amounts of information to work as a Community or Clinical Herbalist! Today, I break down the functions of people and plants using an age-old system that has been adapted over the years to suit...

Welcome to the first episode of season 5! In this season, I will be sharing lessons that will be included in either the Community Herbalism or Clinical Herbalism program, offered by Herba Remedium. Herba Remedium is an online, Christian herbalist school. These programs are currently in development, but you can currently enroll in The Family Herbalism Course, or get on the waitlist for one of these...

Today, Angelica and I pick up where we left off, and break down the remaining seven key areas we consider a part of cleansing the home - EMF, plastic, metals, water leaks, pesticides, body care products, and food. Our hope is that, having listened to our conversation, you will feel encouraged to take baby steps toward detoxing your home so you can begin seeing the difference in your family’s healt...

Removing potentially harmful substances from your home can feel like an overwhelming subject, but one we know is important! In today’s conversation with student herbalist Angelica Benoit, we break down four of the key areas we consider a part of cleansing the home - shoes in the house, cleaning products, and water and air filtration. We also share our personal experiences and tips for getting star...

Many of my episodes are geared toward my female listeners, but over the past two weeks I have been talking to the men in the audience! Over the course of these two episodes I’m sharing seven habits that can create massive impact on long term health and quality of life. And guess what?! None of them involve herbs! Based on my husband’s firsthand experience and mine working with male clients, these...

Many of my episodes are geared toward my female listeners, but for the next two weeks I am talking to the men in the audience! Over the course of these two episodes I’ll be sharing seven habits that can create massive impact on long term health and quality of life. And guess what?! None of them involve herbs! Based on my husband’s firsthand experience and mine working with male clients, these habi...

At one time, tonsillectomies were the most common surgical procedure performed in the USA. Even though the rate has dropped significantly, half a million kids still have it done every year. Why? In today’s episode I share some of the history surrounding this procedure, and then move into an anatomy lesson - what do the tonsils have to do with the rest of the body? Seven lifestyle tips for supporti...