Essential Oils

It is well known that being stressed causes dis-ease. But the fact that disease causes stress is often overlooked. This is why supporting the nervous system is helpful in many (most, all?) health conditions even if the Chief Complaint is not directly related to nerves. The engagement of the nervous system in long term health care is seen in multiple ways: 1. Stress from ongoing, long term, chronic issues. This happens in many degenerative diseases such as pain, arthritis, cancer, Lyme, decreased mobility, decreased cognition, and autoimmune. Having the condition for a long time and knowing it may never be […] See More

Having access to reliable information and being able to cut through the marketing hype is important in herbal medicine. It is even more so in the essential oil community due to the multi-year boom in the popularity of using essential oils. There is no shortage of quality oils on the market and accurate, in-depth teaching is available from experienced instructors. Sadly, unverified claims made by people trained more in marketing than health or chemistry are giving the field a dubious reputation. The current lack of critical thinking in this community has the potential for ineffective therapeutics and even serious complications. […] See More

Some essential oils contain furanocoumarins. These organic chemical compounds can cause phyto-photo-dermatitis, which is the skin's hypersensitivity to the UV rays of sunlight. Possible skin reactions include stinging, itching, blisters and burning. When using essential oils on the skin, it is important to either avoid using furanocoumarin oils or avoid exposure to the sun for at least 24 hours after application of oils. Some essential oil references simply state that citrus oil are photo-toxic. More specifically, essential oils from some plants in the Umbelliferae (Parsley) and Rutaceae (Citrus) families need to be avoided. The following chart shows which oils are […] See More

The Pinaceae family, commonly known as the Pine family, includes the Spruce (Picea) and Fir (Abies) genera in addition to the Pine (Pinus). Cedar is also in this family although the common cedar in the southwest is actually juniper, a member of the Cypress family. There are no true cedars native to the area. Therapeutically, the volatile oils from these trees are found in the needles and resin. The essential oil is high in monoterpenes, specifically the pinenes and limonenes. Their warming, light energy is especially beneficial to the respiratory system. A wide variety of herbal pharmacy is made from […] See More

Cortisol is commonly known as the “Stress Hormone” and is released by the adrenal glands in stressful situations. It is primarily a catabolic hormone as it signals the body to release energy for what it perceives to be an emergency survival situation. It has short term beneficial effects when stress is sporadic and short term. It has profound long term detrimental effects when stress is chronic. For most people who live within the influence of fast-paced 21st Century lifestyle, chronic stress and the resulting long term levels of excess cortisol are a primary health problem. The detrimental effects are far […] See More

Chai tea has become quite common in the US in recent years. While it is still considered a bit of a newcomer here, it has been a staple in India for many generations. Like many traditions, the change from one culture to another is not always smooth. The current view of chai in the US, especially in coffee shops, seems to be a sweet and creamy drink with a few spices thrown in for a mild flavor. It can be served hot or cold. This is very different from its intended use in India. Another difference I have noticed is […] See More

Salve made from the resin of our native pinon pine tree (Pinus edulis) has an exquisite aroma and is useful as a topical anti-microbial. While the final product is popular these days, the processing of tree resin into a finished product is a bit different than the standard salve making process. It seems like each herbalist has their favorite method for preparing this gift. Here is my version. Collecting the Resin First, find the tree. In the Southwest, it usually grows in what is known as the “pinon-juniper zone” around 4500’ to 6500’. I have seen it growing next to […] See More

A recurring question when studying herbal medicine is how and why plants have a beneficial affect on people’s health. The answer to this question varies by the cultural filter through which the plant world is viewed. One view that has helped my understanding of herbal medicine is the subject of Plant Metabolites. Nature does not waste energy. If a plant uses its resources to produce bark, leaves, fruit, flowers or thorns, there are good reasons for these. If a plant produces starch, fats, alkaloids or tannins, there are good reasons for those also. The end result of what a plant […] See More

These sites are some of the best on the internet for researching medicinal uses of specific plants. These sources are used for the final project in the Foundations of Herbal Medicine program at our school. They are also helpful for anyone doing independent study in the field of herbal medicine. http://oneearthherbs.squarespace.com/important-herbs-world/ http://www.herbcraft.org/articleindex.html http://animacenter.org/allies.html http://www.herbcraft.org/hoffmann.html http://www.ryandrum.com/index.htm#articles http://www.henriettes-herb.com/ http://cshs.com/archive.html http://medherb.com/1HERB.HTM http://medherb.com/Materia_Medica/materia_medica.htm http://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/Herbs.html https://foragers.jnmwebcreations.com/category/educational-resources/plant-profiles/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ See More