drlaurell

Willow Bark: Herbal Aspirin?

Many people consider willow bark to be an herbal aspirin substitute. This is true for many of its actions, but there are some differences that are important to know about. The main commonality is that willow bark has analgesic and inflammation modulating effects that make it useful for pain. Willow bark is used for headachesContinueContinue reading “Willow Bark: Herbal Aspirin?”

Detoxifying Yellow Dock

Yellow dock root is a great addition to a New Year’s detoxification plan by working gently to stimulate multiple organs involved in getting rid of toxins. Yellow dock is a mild acting laxative herb that can help with constipation or making sure the bowels are functioning well for the elimination of toxins. It is alsoContinueContinue reading “Detoxifying Yellow Dock”

Medicinal Kitchen Spices: Favorite Spices From Your Favorite Naturopathic Doctors

I love the fact that most of our culinary herbs and spices also have medicinal benefits. Here is a few of the most common ones used by me and my colleagues. Dr. Laurell’s Favorite, Thyme- it is anti-microbial and reduces coughing so it is great choice for bronchitis. You can make a tea out ofContinueContinue reading “Medicinal Kitchen Spices: Favorite Spices From Your Favorite Naturopathic Doctors”

Soothe Your Nerves with Passionflower

Passionflower is a relaxing herb that is native to Arkansas and other southeastern states. It is a close relative of passion fruit, but that species doesn’t have the calming action of passionflower. Even though the plant is named passionflower, we actually use the leaves of this vine before it flowers. One of the most commonContinueContinue reading “Soothe Your Nerves with Passionflower”

St. John’s Wort for the Winter Blues

Though the holidays are a time of joy for many, they can be trying for some. The combination of shorter days and holiday stress can contribute to winter blahs, more technically known as seasonal affective disorder. St. John’s wort is one of the most popular herbs for mild depression, and it can also be aContinueContinue reading “St. John’s Wort for the Winter Blues”

Knowing When to Use Goldenseal

Goldenseal is probably one of the best-known herbs, but its fame has contributed to overharvesting, and it is now considered to be an at risk plant. Therefore, it is important to know what conditions goldenseal works best for and when to choose another herb. For instance, one of goldenseal’s active components, berberine, is responsible forContinueContinue reading “Knowing When to Use Goldenseal”

Strengthening Horsetail: For more than just fingernails

Horsetail is a silica rich herb used to support connective tissues in the body. It is probably most popular for strengthening hair and nails, but it can be used for other connective tissues in the body including skin, cartilage, and bones. Silica is found in trace amounts in the skeletal system and may help stabilizeContinueContinue reading “Strengthening Horsetail: For more than just fingernails”

Echinacea for Winter Immunity

It seems like nearly everyone I know is either sick right now or just getting over a cold. This is typical for this time of year when the seasons change. One of the first herbs people think of for this season is Echinacea, and probably rightly so. Echinacea is a very well studied and isContinueContinue reading “Echinacea for Winter Immunity”

Hawthorn Loves Your Heart

In our fast-paced culture, we often want fast acting health solutions, but these often don’t increase our vibrancy in the long haul. On the other hand, tonic herbs work slowly by nourishing particular organs and improving their function over time. When it comes to the heart, hawthorn places such a role. It has many differentContinueContinue reading “Hawthorn Loves Your Heart”

Uses for Shepherd’s Purse

Local midwife Maria Chowdhury makes a traditional postpartum herbal bath that is very popular with new moms. This bath from Birth Song Botanicals contains organic herbs to help speed healing of tender tissues as well as shepherd’s purse to reduce bleeding. Shepherd’s purse is named for the shape of its seedpods, which resemble the bagsContinueContinue reading “Uses for Shepherd’s Purse”