All food can be used as medicine, but this blog focuses specifically on plants and their integration into our lives as part of the “food as medicine” paradigm.

Holistic health systems such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Western Herbalism generally recommend herbs based on the principles of “constitutional medicine,” which focuses on the whole person. The principles of this approach may be helpful in deciding how to integrate herbal treatments into your health regimen and/or how to understand herbal recommendations from natural health providers.

Happy New Year!

This month’s Seasonal Spotlight focuses on herbs for the heart.

As cold weather sets in for the winter, it’s a good time to think about strengthening the immune system. Many medicinal plants are available to help with immune functions, either for boosting or stimulating the immune system, or with addressing symptoms if you catch a cold or the flu.

Spring is the time of new beginnings! We can help our bodies clear out the heaviness of winter by adding warming, clearing spices to our diets. Spring spice blends heat up the body, helping to melt the winter freeze, improving circulation, and allowing the channels to flow freely.

You can begin to experiment with plant medicines today by using the spices you already have in your kitchen cabinet! Spices are used to enhance the properties of foods, address digestive system issues, and target specific body systems to aid in healing.

Most people know hops as the bitter taste in beer, but did you know that hops has been used as a medicine since the early 1800s? Early medical literature describes its use as a tonic as well as a treatment for a variety of conditions, including insomnia, stomach ailments, and inflammatory conditions.

Ayurveda is one of the oldest medical systems in the world, focusing on the prevention, care, and treatment of individuals. Since ancient times, Ayurveda has practiced “individualized medicine”, which is treatment based on an individual’s specific characteristics. “Ayurveda” means “Science (or knowledge) of life”, describing its focus on the health of the whole person, or “holistic health”.