News — healthy lifestyles

  Horsetail, or Equisetum varieties, can be found in riparian habitats.  As you can see here in the photos this dense community of Horsetail is growing prolifically on an island in Oak Creek.  It likes wet feet and or moist areas, so look for it when you are near water.  This variety we found is Equisetum hyemale, which is a non-leafy variety of Horsetail. Finding a lush, healthy and productive grouping is one key in wildcraft protocol.  Also be sure the plant is free from toxic habitat or treatment before wildcrafting for usage.  This particular grove of Horsetail was very...

Let's talk respiratory. A tendency towards respiratory problems is often diet related. Nutritional deficiencies, low zinc and magnesium levels are often present in cases of respiratory disease. A healthy diet rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C and E are essential to good respiratory health. These nutrients protect the tract from infection and adverse effects of pollution. Another reason why fresh fruits and vegetables are so important to growing children and adults. When our child suffers from respiratory issues it's a constant concern and quite emotionally wearing. In these cases try to avoid mucus-forming foods, and particularly wheat, milk, sugar...

All herbs can be categorized by their actions. Each herb has a unique description of actions and energetics, and generally we find that herbs overlap the boundaries of these descriptions.  When we formulate herbal remedies we seek to ascertain a whole-body analysis of the individual.  We want to know whether the person runs hot or cold, moist or dry, what their sleep, diet and exercise patterns are, what is their mental state and their emotional triggers, their medical history and current medications.  This individual health assessment allows us to match the herbs to the bodies needs for balance.  Once a...

  Years ago I was going through a major life transition.  The stress of the circumstances seemed tolerable but they wreaked havoc on my system. I'd always felt myself to be indestructible so the symptoms I was experiencing created an overwhelming fear within me.  With no health care plan and a great desire to rectify the situation I turned to natural remedies. At first I was simply searching for a cure. But the more I delved into the power of plants the more captivated I became. As a landscape designer and novice botanist my love for plants was longstanding, but...

Learning to support the immune system as a preventative measure can help us to avoid the need for immune suppressing over-the-counter medicines during periods of illness.  Our lifestyles effect the immune system by 80%, so forming healthy habits is key to a healthier life. Preventing illness begins with our daily regimen beginning in early childhood when exposure to infectious agents is beneficial in developing our immune systems adaptability to allergens and disease.  Sleep is critical in making antibodies, laughter and forest therapy boost natural killer cell activity, exercise increases delivery of nutrients to our cells and helps eliminate metabolic waste,...