Katja Swift
A while back, a person who listens to our podcast wrote me a letter asking, more or less, how do we get through a day…
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The skills you need to be confident and prepared to care for yourself, your family, and your community in an emergency or post-disaster situation. 68…
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Excited about the prospect of going to Herb School, but not sure how to pay for it? Why not crowd source your tuition? It’s not…
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Here are some of the delicious gluten-free, dairy-free, soy/corn/other things-free treats I made for the holidays this year: Herbed Sugar Cookies Start with the recipe…
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This is an email I just wrote to our Advanced Students. I read several different things this morning that came together in my mind as…
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Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is this week’s herb of the week! Infused With Nutrients This red clover is growing right outside the Field’s Corner T…
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Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is actually a mushroom and not a plant – but hey, the way we define “herb”*, it definitely counts. Acclimate to Altitude…
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This week’s #herboftheweek is yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis)! A caffeine-bearing plant from South America, this is a particular friend for us “not-a-morning-person” people. Mindful Stimulation…
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In honor of Clara, the awesome editor of our new book, this week marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) is our herb of the week! She was pregnant…
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Violet (Viola odorata) is one of the first plants up in the spring, and we’re always so happy to see it each year! Flower Art…
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White pine is one of my very favorite herbal teas – it’s so delicious! “Like drinking a Christmas tree” might not sound super appealing, but…
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Next week is the Boston Marathon, and we’re prepping for a class on runner’s health at a local sports club – and that means, solomon’s…
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Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) was Ryn’s very first “herb of the month” when he began studying herbal medicine, and now it’s our herb of the week!…
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The common plantain plants – Plantago major & P. rugelii & P. lanceolata – are medicinially identical, so we’ll cover all of them together in…
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This week’s featured herb is meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)! A Boon for Braces Meadowsweet has been one of my best friends on this whole orthodontics experience.…
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Garden basil (Ocimum basilicum) may seem like just an ingredient in pesto, but wait! There’s more to this week’s herb! Mood Lifter One of my…
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Calamus (Acorus calamus) is this week’s herb of the week! There is so much amazing about calamus, but the reason I picked it for this…
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Also known as basswood, lime flower, and tilleul, linden – Tilia spp. – is our herb of the week this time. A Hug In A…
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Sage is the other plant in our logo – lavender for me, and sage for ryn. Sage was one of his very first herb-of-the-month plants…
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Lavender is one of the plants in our logo, and has been since I began working as an herbalist. When I first started practicing, I…
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The St. John’s Wort card in my oracle deck says: blooming at the height of summer, St. John’s Wort is like solar batteries, ready aid…
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Winter is the Fennel time of year! Fennel is a warming herb that improves digestion and liver function, which is why you see it in…
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If you listened to last Friday’s podcast, you know that Ryn was sick last week with what we affectionately called the “Lung Crud Plague”. If…
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Ashwagandha is one of my very favorite herbs: it supports the adrenals and other endocrine organs, improving the function of those organs and helping the…
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If you’re an herbalist, there are two things you probably love: Mason Jars and Herbal Books! So on our YouTube channel, we’re reviewing our favorite…
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Hawthorn is often categorized as an “exhilarant” in old herbal literature – strongly uplifting to the spirit. Along with Rose, Vanilla, Vetiver, and others, Hawthorn…
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OMG, these are delicious! This all started because I saw a recipe for Paleo Pecan Bars, and I was excited! Delicious, I thought! But there…
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Self Heal, Prunella vulgaris, is one of those plants that seems able to do everything. Writing in the 16th century, Gerard said that no herb…
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Winter’s coming here in the Northeast, and along with that comes the standard “seasons changing” illnesses: the flu, colds, ear infections, sore throats, and lung…
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Ground Ivy, Glechoma hederacea, is a small, unassuming little plant. You might know it as “Creeping Charlie” or “Gill-Over-The-Ground”, or (if you’re from England) as…
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I didn’t really understand Angelica until I went to Iceland, but since then, I can’t get enough of it! Angelica LOVES Iceland, and it grows…
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as herbalists, we are closely tied to the plants, and to the cycles of the year. it’s appropriate to take time to contemplate those cycles…
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A lot of people think of Roses when they think of Valentine’s Day, but there is so much more about Rose to love! Let’s start…
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Nettle is one of the most-loved herbs – and there’s so much to love! For starters, Nettle is one of the most super of all…
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Mullein is a fuzzy plant that starts out small, but in its second year can grow over six feet tall! Mullein is a good friend…
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Thyme remains one of my very favorite herbs for colds, the flu, and other respiratory gunk. Thyme has a very high volatile oil content –…
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There’s so much to say about Ginger, so I’ll start with something unexpected: believe it or not, Ginger is one of my favorite herbs to…
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Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, is a warrior’s plant. Named for Achilles, the mythological Greek hero of the Trojan War who was nearly invulnerable in battle. And…
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I once had a client who said, “and don’t you go telling me I need something stupid like Chamomile! this is a serious situation!” And…
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Goldenrod, Solidago spp., is a super important herb in our apothecary. It’s delicious and so helpful in so many ways!
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Elder, Sambucus canadensis, nigra, is one of our favorite herbs. You may have heard that elderberry syrup can help with the flu. You may have…
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Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, is an under-appreciated herb, and it’s been villianized with the tag “invasive”. That label in general is really problematic for me,…
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Calendula is the herbal (and botanical) name for pot marigold: Calendula officinalis. It’s not only good at keeping pests off your tomato plants, it has…
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Last year Ryn went to Coal River Valley, West Virginia as part of an Herbal Medics team doing free clinic and community education work for…
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I recently told a friend that I’m getting braces and I thought she’d make some comment about how braces are for kids and I’m too…
Read MoreCheck out the whole Herbal Holidays video playlist here!
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An herbal tribute to the Spring Equinox! There are more free videos for you at our YouTube channel!
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For those of us who are actively experimenting and taking action to improve our health, who are carefully noticing that what we eat or how…
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Even if you avoid gluten and dairy products, sometimes you still want a bagel and cream cheese. Obviously, gluten free/dairy free substitute treats are still…
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This year, we’ve been making short herbal videos to celebrate every holiday we can think of! We pick one or two herbs for each one…
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As an herbalist in these times, the reality is that we deal with trauma, and the effects of trauma on people’s lives. Herbs play a…
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Ok, you guys. I’ve been eating WAY too much sugar lately, and it’s time to reign that in. So this morning I woke up, made…
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If the first thing we think when we hear the words self-harm is something like cutting, or drug or alcohol abuse, especially if those are…
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Usually, when you hear the words “harm reduction”, you’re thinking about illegal drugs or perhaps alcohol abuse. Needle exchange is a good example: if someone…
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As promised in the post about moving your body in spite of body issues, here is my recipe for notCoffee. No, it’s not coffee. But…
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I LOVE Katy Bowman. Like, a lot. Like, I wish I could buy a house next-door to her so we could be besties. Instead, we…
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Ginger Chamomile is my favorite after dinner or bedtime tea. Today I decided to try it as a cookie!
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Yesterday, we were really craving oatmeal raisin cookies, but I typically avoid oats, even gluten free oats. So we made them with no oats at…
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OMG. This morning I was getting some groceries, and there were apple fritters for some reason in the produce section. Probably to tempt people who…
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Gluten free? Dairy free? Paleo? Yup! These Raspberry Cream Cheese Danishes are exactly what you need. Because I wanted to stay as low-carb as possible,…
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Why should you carry a first aid kit? Think about the places you go every day – the grocery store, a restaurant, the subway, a…
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Well, the February Farm Food project is over. Our meat still comes from Chestnut Farms, like it does every month, and we still receive our…
Read MoreThe original varicose veins post is by far the most popular thing on this blog. Which makes me really sad – I would so much…
Read MoreStanding desks are all the rage, and we love ours. Recently I’ve seen several Kickstarter campaigns for standing desk toys – things to stand on…
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Well, it’s the middle of the month, and this project has been quite a project so far! With all the snow, things have gone not…
Read MoreI was just writing to a client about ways to increase coconut oil in her diet, and I thought I should share with the class.…
Read MoreThe first week of our Farm Food February project has been very successful, and very enlightening! Also, challenging.
Read MoreEach year, our students do projects related to food, lifestyle, sleep, and more. All of our students do these projects, though they vary slightly from…
Read MoreWhether you’re an herbalist or a parent (or a teacher, or anyone who works to educate and motivate people!), motivating the people you work with…
Read MoreTonight, we’re teaching our Food Allergies for the Holidays class – we teach it every year, but every year the recipe list gets longer as…
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Our dog… You know, some people love fine wines. Some people appreciate fancy truffle oil. Our dog, she loves goose poop. I don’t know what…
Read MoreYou can tell a lot about a person from what’s in their teacup. Here’s a peek into ours!
Read MoreLove muffins? Tired of eggs and bacon for breakfast? Committed to sticking to your paleo* diet? Then you, my friend, have come to the right…
Read MoreIt’s almost Thanksgiving and that means, among other things, PUMPKIN! Pie isn’t the only thing you can do with pumpkin – in fact, I like…
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I teach, a lot. Life as a teacher essentially means being on stage, most of the time. My students and my clients have images of…
Read MoreWords are pretty amazing things. We can use them to make people feel good about themselves, or awful. We can use them to bring people…
Read MoreWhen I was a kid, we had “Mr. Yuk” stickers. Mr. Yuk was a sickly neon-green and black circle with a very distinctive frowny yuck…
Read MoreThis week, one of my pharmacy students stayed after class to ask for help. She wanted me to explain about the way insulin is supposed…
Read MoreToday my Pharmacy students and I tried out a Thanksgiving experiment. Last week two students referenced a traditional Iraqi/Iranian treat, which is made with dates…
Read MoreChai is delicious. But it’s even better when your Chai will get you through your most stressed-out overwhelmed craziness day, and this recipe will do…
Read MoreThe holiday season is fast-approaching (if you’re a parent of a trick-or-treater, it’s just nearly here!), and that means stress levels on the rise. But…
Read MoreOMG, you have to make these cookies. I’m really not kidding! We just got back from a week-long family reunion with Ryn’s family, which was…
Read MoreWhen I was a kid, my mom sent us out to play. We went out for hours, and didn’t come back till someone was hungry.…
Read MoreHerbal remedies are often much better choices for illness than over-the-counter or prescription pharmaceuticals. It’s true that antibiotics are miracle drugs, but miracles wear out…
Read MoreSleep is absolutely critical to good health. While we sleep, we repair damaged tissue (including things we can’t see!), we grow, we replenish hormone supplies…
Read MoreOur last post was on cultivating your child’s inner foodie: here is one of the BEST ways I know to get them to eat their…
Read MoreFood is the absolute number one most important factor in a person’s health. In my own professional opinion, that is! I have seen clients recover…
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When we become parents, we suddenly realize, kids don’t come with instruction manuals! But let’s think about that in reverse: when you’re a kid, life…
Read MoreLooking for a fail-proof cup of tea? Look no further! Linden and Tulsi can turn that frown upside down.
Read MoreMaybe the thought of eating liver, kidney, and heart makes you say “gag me with a spoon!” – but it doesn’t have to be like…
Read MoreMy 9-year-old daughter Amber is gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free, and most of the time, paleo. She is autoimmune to gluten and casein, the rest we avoid…
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Mineral deficiency is rampant in our society – depleted soils mean that our fruits and vegetables don’t have the same mineral content that they once…
Read MoreFish is a challenge for me. Where I grew up in Texas, fish choices were pretty much Long John Silvers or, for extra fancy, Red…
Read MoreWhen my daughter was born, she had very severe eczema. Eczema is almost always related to food allergies, and hers were gluten and dairy. Giving…
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Solomon’s Seal is a favorite herb around here. We love it for any kind of sporty injury: sprained ankles, pulled muscles, you name it. The…
Read MoreYour family has great traditions for the holidays, and you don’t have to miss out! Here are some popular family recipes the way we make…
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