Educational Resources

For the Community Herbalist, acquiring dried plants is a straightforward process in the current herb market. Dried herbs are widely and easily available from many retail stores and online distributors. Plants that are best processed and/or used fresh can be more challenging to find. In the modern world of everything being instantly available 24/7, the seasonality of fresh herbs often surprises people. Important - Plan Ahead - sometimes several months in advance. Know when your desired fresh herb is available on the 12 month calendar. The following methods have worked for me over the years. 1. Grow your own in […] See More

A monograph on the therapeutic uses of rose flowers and hips. Written by a recent graduate of the Foundations of Herbal Medicine program. Rose - Student Monograph See More

Albizia - Student Monograph A monograph researched and written by Erica McNelly, a graduate of the Foundations of Herbal Medicine program at our school. See More

Monarda fistulosa Monograph by Ashley Doyle A monograph written by Ashley Doyle, a recent graduate of the Foundations of Herbal Medicine program at our school   See More

Chamomile Student Monograph This is the final project research paper from Tanya Marcy, a recent graduate of the Foundations of Herbal Medicine program. See More

Included below are the notes used during the Diet, Nutrition and Inflammation portions of our curriculum. It is a succinct look at how the foods we eat affect our internal inflammatory state. While the actual classes go into more detail, the foods listed here are good places to begin improving one's health in this area. There are several strategies for reducing chronic inflammation; diet being a primary one. Many people use fish oil supplements to benefit from the anti-inflammatory effects of Omega 3. Just as important, but not as well known, is to reduce foods that have the pro-inflammatory Omega […] See More

Endocrine Disruptors: What are They? Chemicals that can increase and decrease the production of hormones in our body by disrupting the normal functioning of the endocrine glands. They especially affect estrogen, androgen and thyroid hormones. This throws many organ systems out of balance. This term is often used interchangeably with Xeno-estrogen or Xeno-hormones. This is an important topic for both men and women’s reproductive health. Some chemical compounds to avoid are: BPA (bisphenol-A) Parabens Phthalates PBDE’s (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) Mercury and lead Organophosphate pesticides Atrazine Digoxin Perchlorate Perflourinated chemicals (PFC) Glycol ethers Triclosan Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Perfluorooctanoic acid […] See More

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

Mullein has specific uses for its leaves, flowers and roots. This Plant Profile includes all three plant parts and some of the many uses for Mullein. Botany: Verbascum thapsus (Scrophulariaceae) Common Names: Mullein Southwest Habitat: Mullein loves disturbed soil and is one of the first plants to move into a burned area. It is often found by the dozens-hundreds-thousands in the forests around Flagstaff, depending on the extent of the recent fire. While it is not native, I don’t consider it to be ‘invasive’ (in the sense of taking over and dominating and damaging an environment long term) because its […] See More