 Fermented cacao beans, raw cacao powder, roasted cacao powder (*cocoa), cacao nibs Have you ever heard that chocolate is good for you? Buzz words like 'antioxidant', 'superfood', and 'aphrodisiac' are often used to tout this amazing food's benefits. They aren't just buzz words when it comes to cacao.
Cacao, cocoa, chocolate. What's the difference? Below, I go into more detail about this terminology and give you some fun facts about the history of this delicious plant. Fair warning, this article is not all sweet and lovely. Cacao is bitter! And so is it's story.
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 Art by Columbus artists during the downtown Black Lives Matter protests June 2020 Hey, y'all!
Let's talk about transformative justice. This may not seem like it has anything to do with herbalism, but bare with me a minute, and I'll educate you on how it does. Transformative justice. You may have heard of this or its cousin term 'restorative justice'. These two terms have similar yet differing meanings. Restorative justice is the practice of responding to a crime or misdoing and holding the responsible party, well, responsible. While the goal of restorative justice is for all parties to share their experience of what happened, to discuss who was harmed by the crime and how, and to create a consensus for what the offender can do to repair the harm from the offense(1), transformative justice is a series of practices and philosophies designed to create change in social systems. There are several types of transformational justice: as an alternative to criminal justice; policy and practice responses to socioeconomic issues in societies transitioning away from conflict or repression; and climate change action(2).  White pine can taste astringent. Have you tried it? What did the word ‘astringent’ make you feel? Did your lips start to pucker and tongue dry up just hearing the word? Then you are aware of plant energetics.
What else do I have in this decoction that I have wild-thinged into this new calendar year? I say ‘wild-thinged’ and you pictured me plunging my fists into herb jars and thrusting plants wildly into a bowl. Memories of childhood fiction? 8 Upcycled Gift Wrap Ideas  Hey there, Friend
This is going to feel very last minute...because it is! Have you ever found yourself reaching the end of your gift wrap roll with just a few gifts to go? Or, are you trying to be more environmentally conscious this year with your wrapping? This letter is for you then. Tidings of joy during this Yule season  Do you ever find yourself lost in the holiday shuffle of work, kids, family, shopping, baking.....? What are some of the ways you slow it down? Mine is evening tea. For my entire household.
This Yule tea is a new tradition in our home. I started it last night. My little herbalists had gone out to enjoy some hours of snow play, coming in with red cheeks and noses, so we made spice cookies and Yule tea to warm them up. It smelled so festive and cozy in our home! Medusa with a kick!  Hello, there, fellow spicy food lovers!
What is it about horseradish? It's not like any other root we know. It has a flavor all its own. Most know it as a culinary condiment, used sparingly. If you've ever added too much, your sinuses let you know! That's what makes this passionate growing plant so versatile. Spice gets your blood moving! As a food and medicine Come on, all you germ fighters! November's Potions Kit for Immune System Function  Hey there!
The weather is turning. Here is a pathway to keeping those immune systems optimally functioning.  Here's something most people don't know about me and where I grew up...I see dead people.
No, really, I have! But that's not necessarily my story today. Today I am going to tell you about where I grew up. While there are innumerous ghost stories to be heard about the tiny town on top of the hill in the middle of woods, I am going to focus on one. And where I've seen dead people. But not in the way you may think... Where do you live?  Have you never known what native peoples first walked the land where you walk, sleep, and eat?
Nothing about this picture is AIP (Autoimmune Protocol)  One year ago, a beautiful friend of mine in Jim McDonald's herbal intensive (oh, I miss that group!) introduced me to autoimmune protocol elimination diet guidelines as a means to help lessen inflammation and heal up possible perforated intestines (you’ve heard this as ‘leaky gut’), provide more energy, and clear brain fog. Subsequently I began to research, joined an awesome online forum, checked out books, etc...
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