Journey to Herbalism

Today I received a certificate that means so much to me! I have completed one big portion of my journey to becoming a registered herbalist ✨

Always celebrate even the small steps, it helps you stay motivated and keep moving forward!

Three Herbs
By: Nicole Morgan

There was a time not long ago when I was sick. I smoked ci******es, led a sedentary life and then got Covid19. My body didn’t feel like my own anymore. I had back pain that was so excruciating I had to see a chiropractor 3 times a week and I cried nightly for weeks. Then came the stomach pain. I couldn’t eat, everything hurt, and I visited many doctors, specialists and even hospitals for answer but no one seemed to know what was wrong. While dealing with this stomach pain I started having a rash, a strange, I have never seen this kind of rash type of rash. It was a rare rash indeed, pityriasis rosea, and it scared me. The combination of back pain, stomach pain and a strange rash sent me into a panic. I decided then and there I was done with the kind of life I was leading, I had to become healthier or I literally thought I would die. I laid down the ci******es and started researching how to heal my body, which lead me to CommonWealthherbs, an online herbalism school. This is where I found the three herbs that changed my life, Urtica dioica (stinging nettle), Calendula officinalis (pot marigold) and mentha x piperita (peppermint). There is a much longer list of herbs that I now incorporate into my daily life, but these three were the first.

Stinging nettle isn’t an herb many think about to ingest, let alone as medicine because it lives up to its name and will sting an unexpected passerby, but it is still one of my favorite herbs to this day. My first herbalism course was All about Nettles, offered at Commonwealthherbs. I have hypothyroidism and at the time, a not so healthy diet, so nettle came into my life and really showed me the power of plants. I was drinking it daily, sharing with family, and soon enough we all started noticing benefits. First were allergies, for both myself and my son. Next was the overall feeling of I am started to feel better, because nettle is full of minerals. Last, I had my blood taken, everything was so improved that I got to lower my levothyroxine (thyroid medication) because my body no longer needed a higher dose. Stinging nettle now has a permanent spot in my daily life and I share this wonderful herb with all who inquire about my journey and how it could help them as well.

Calendula, oh how I love calendula, this beautiful orange flower brought so much healing into my life that I never knew was possible! That stomach pain I was talking about, well calendula along with a few friends are the healers of the unknown pain. I drank calendula three times a day for two weeks and then ate pizza. I was ecstatic, I had no heartburn, no pain and was full for the first time in months. Calendula also helped with my sedentary life by kickstarting my lymphatic system and has helped my skin! My skin wasn’t in the best shape after smoking for 24 years but calendula infused oil really has helped turn back the clock some by really moisturizing and healing my skin. I shared my knowledge with every conversation for a while after that. Anytime I have any stomach related issues I turn to calendula, skin issues I turn to calendula, and lymphatic stagnation I turn to calendula. Also, pizza isn’t a food I enjoy often but now when I do, I know to drink calendula.

Peppermint, oh the sweet minty taste is enough goodness all on its own… it is my favorite flavor can you tell? I paired this delicious herb with calendula often for my stomach issues and still do. Peppermint is so versatile you can mix it with almost any other herb to make a tasty tea or to mask a not so yummy flavor. The cooling effect it has really soothed my stomach and if I ever indulge in eating too much, peppermint is the after-meal tea. Peppermint essential oil is also my go-to for headaches, breathing the volatile oils really helps with congestion as well. This is one herb anyone can grow as well, it was my first herb to add to my indoor herb garden and just being near the plant you can smell the sweet mint in the air, very calming.

It has now been 15 months I’ve been on this healing journey and these three herbs are just as important to me today as they were last year, only now I do not have stomach pain, back pain or a rash. If you want to take control of your health like I did and learn more about herbalism, check out commonwealthherbs.com. They have many free courses and live podcasts as well.

Carotenoids, ever heard of this word?

If you hear carrots 🥕 then you are on the right track! All plants that are orange in color have carotenoids… BUT they are not the only plant!

Have you experienced a house plant turning yellow because it got exposed to too much sun? That is carotenoids! Even the green leafy plants have carotenoids.
Plants produce chlorophyll from the sun to make the pretty green colors but when exposed to too much sun turn yellow/orange. Why is that you ask? Well, that is the protection mechanism of the plant, plant SUNSCREEN! Carotenoids protect the plant from too much sun and let us humans know that it is not happy where it is currently.

In addition to that, have you ever heard of someone eating too many orange plants that they start to turn orange? Well, again, carotenoids! Even in our human bodies the carotenoids are helping to protect us from the sun, from the inside!

So make sure to eat the colors of the rainbow 🌈 in plants but definitely up the intake of the beautiful orange plants when out in the sun ☀️

It has been a while but I am back! Today I am making Tulsi and cinnamon tea AND Rosehip jam!

Tulsi and cinnamon tea is not only delicious but can help with sugar cravings and relax you.

Rosehip jam is yummy and packed with loads of vitamin C, bioflavonoids and antioxidants! ☕️

Something to think about

Fresh batch of Elderberry syrup today! This will stay good in the refrigerator for 2-3 months!

We have all heard of turmeric and the wonderful benefits it has for our bodies, but have you heard of golden milk?

I was just recently sick with a stomach virus so my wonderful husband made me some golden milk and within minutes the stomach aching got better, the nausea subsided and I got so sleepy 🥱.

This is a great drink right before bedtime to help you relax and fall asleep. It can be made with a variety of different spices added but the main ingredients are non-dairy milk, 1-2 tsp turmeric and sweetener of your choice, we use honey. Lots of people use coconut milk or add coconut oil to help better absorb the nutrients, they also add in cinnamon and ginger. Mix ingredients and heat up in a pan on the stove, strain through a mesh strainer and sprinkle some cinnamon on top - that’s it!

Here is a little about why this drink helps so much with so many different illnesses:

Turmeric has an impressive list of credentials when it comes to a healthy body as it has been shown to have a wide spectrum of biological actions. These include its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, anticoagulant, antifertility, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antiviral, anti-fibrotic, antivenin, antiulcer, hypotensive and hypocholesterolemia activities, according to the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research.

This drink really works! Next time you get a stomach virus or any sickness I encourage you to try it out!

Love & golden milk,
Nicole

Did you know there are over 500 species of Aloe?

It’s important to understand that there are many different varieties of Aloe vera, but the common variety for burns is not meant to be eaten, it’s only meant to be applied to the skin.

Aloe is undoubtedly one of the most well known medicinal plants dating back over 2000 years and is also used in traditional Chinese medicine known as lú huì 蘆薈.

Aloe vera barbadensis Miller is usually mentioned as the most beneficial variety of Aloe vera, and as the edible one. Non-edible Aloe vera is referred to as Aloe vera var. chinensis typically but there are other varieties that could potentially be toxic as well.

Aloe vera barbadensis Miller has thick, wide, upright leaves that produce yellow flowers. Aloe vera var. chinensis has less thick, narrow spotted leaves and produces orange flowers.

Active components with its properties:
Aloe vera contains 75 potentially active constituents: vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids and amino acids.

Benefits:

✳️Heals burns

✳️Improves digestive health

✳️Promotes oral health

✳️Clears acne

✳️Relieves a**l fissures

Aloe Vera is a beautiful plant to have in any of its varieties but hopefully this gives some insight to the most common edible and non-edible varieties.

While aloe is safe for most topically, do take some precautions when ingesting orally. Always talk to your doctor before taking anything new.

Love and Aloe,
Nicole

Extracting seeds from Elderberries - soak dried elderberries in water for 24-48 hours and smash to get the seeds.

One of the many amazing things I’ve encountered on my journey so far is the knowledge my children have acquired just by watching me.

My son knows what all my tinctures are for and when he has an earache he goes straight to the ear oil and brings it to me 💚 My teenage daughter gets tea and steams, she complains now but it’s knowledge that will stick with her.

They will grow up knowing so much more about herbs, food and alternative approaches than I ever did. A gift I am happy to be giving them even if they don’t see it as one yet 😉

💤 Sleep.

We all have heard at some point that sleep is important for our health, but do you know why?

I am reading this book “Why We Sleep” and I become so interested that it’s difficult to put it down. The image of the spiderweb on different substances effecting the brain was what really hooked me. Caffeine really does a number on a persons body, and it shows in that figure.

Some people believe 5-6 hours of sleep a night is good, after reading this book I can tell you it is not. Every time you short yourself even an hour of sleep a night your body tries to make up for it, and the longer it happens the more drastic effect it has on the body.

Did you know that we alternate between NREM and REM asleep about every 90 minutes? The complete cycle takes about 8 hours to complete, which is why 8 hours is the suggested amount of sleep… for adults. Teenagers actually need more sleep and their circadian rhythm is slightly different from ours, meaning they really aren’t being lazy when they sleep in 😉.

Also, biphasic sleep is not culturally accepted as an adult but it is deeply biological. We all get that after lunch sleepiness for a reason, it’s supposed to be nap time!

Sleep effects so much in our lives, our memories, our health and even our life span. Next time you think you want to skip out on a few hours of sleep just remember is really does harm your health.

As a society, we need to make sleep a priority 😴 so on that note… have a great night of sleep tonight and pick up this book if you are wanting to learn more!

Sweet dreams! 🌙

🌿Ground Ivy🌿 (Glechoma hederacea) is a beautiful low growing herb that’s key indication is as a targeted drying and draining herb, which acts on the mucosa and lymphatic channels of the ENT (ear-nose-throat).

As a tincture, it is a favorite go to remedy for the early stages of earache and sinus infections, especially indicated when there is fluid stagnation in the ears, sinuses and ENT lymphatic vessels.

At the first sign of earache, take one dropperful of tincture every fifteen minutes for one hour; then take a dropperful every hour afterwards for the remainder of the day.

Ground ivy also helps ease headaches that arise due to stagnation of fluids in the sinuses and ears. For example, stuffiness, pressure or heaviness.

This herb can also help with some forms of tinnitus, though not all. If there is a feeling of fluid in the ears, Glechoma is very likely to help. Won’t help as much if your tinnitus is from too many concerts 😉 but always worth a try!

You can even eat ground ivy in a salad too! It is good mixed with violets, garlic mustard and dandelion greens 😋

Ground ivy is also an herb that moves lymph. It’s main focus is on upper body lymphatic and exerts the majority of its action in the neck and above, but does have some action in the chest and breast area also. It is best combined with red clover and/or violet for stagnation conditions such as mastitis.

So if you are feeling stuffy remember to try some ground ivy 😉

If there is only one herb you work with, let it be Milk Thistle. As milk thistle is a supremely important herb for the liver, and the liver is supremely important to our overall health. ✨

💜Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)💜

Provides nourishment specifically for the liver tissue, protects hepatic cells from damage by aiding glutathione oxidase production, and stimulates the regeneration of already damaged liver cells.

Milk thistle is extremely gentle on the body. Because of it’s so gentle and anti-inflammatory action, it is an ideal remedy for all kinds of liver problems, including states of acute and chronic inflammation.

Increased liver enzyme production, liver damage and every type of hepatitis can benefit from milk thistle seed without worry of over-stimulating or straining the hepatic system.

Important for the chronically stressed, under-slept and overworked, whose high levels of adrenaline and cortisol put an added load on the liver.

Milk thistle is also an important herb for insulin resistant and hormonally imbalanced bodies, as these states also add to the livers already large workload. This applies to people taking pharmaceuticals, alcohol and other drugs as well.

With high quality oil in its seeds, silybum is a fatty, moistening herb. The skin and lungs benefit from this added moisture.

💥A very safe herb, Milk thistle is effective in capsule form and has no known drug interactions. Heavy use may have a mild laxative effect.

⭐️If you decide to have a few, or several, alcoholic drinks 🍺 take some milk thistle before you go, after you return and the day after - really helps with hangovers 😉

Today I got to finish my first 2 tinctures! 🧡

Calendula and Myrrh, myrrh was more difficult as it started as a resin. Already did a mouth rinse with the myrrh tincture and water! Can’t wait to use these and make more 😉

A healthy liver leads to a healthy life.

Dandelion root and milk thistle are both very good herbs to work with for liver detoxing.

This picture is a wonder lotion I have brewing. At least I am very hopeful it is a wonder lotion, probably better to say experimental lotion 😉.

I am taking what I have learned from both my online schooling and books I have read to create a blend for varicose veins and spider veins. I have a couple more weeks of brew to go but will definitely post more on this at a later date!

🌟 Sneak peek, it has Calendula in it! One of absolute favorites herbs!

🍄 Shiitake and Maitake mushrooms 🍄

If you are like me, you have avoided these fungi for your whole life either because you do not like the taste or the texture. I have a hard time with both. But after learning all the amazing benefits of consuming theses little fun-guys 😂, I am definitely adding them to my plate from now on.

🍄Both have affinities for the immune system and have both been long considered to have health promoting actions in Japanese and other East-Asian traditions.

🍄The complex beta-glucans in these mushrooms are good sources of fuel for the metabolic process of assimilation; they lower blood sugar while providing an immediate food source for the cells of the intestine, and the microbiome of the gut.

🍄Shiitake and Maitake mushrooms have immune-stimulating actions which begin with building up the reserves needed to support active immunity. When properly fed, the immune system is better able to respond to threats and pathogens.

🍄These mushrooms also activate toll-like receptors in the immune system, which in turn signal for increased systemic immune surveillance.

🍄Alterative in visible effect, on the micro level the mushrooms have been shown to increase immune activity (NK cells and other WBCs), support healthy cell death (apoptosis), and inhibit tumor blood vessel growth (angiogenesis). Together, these actions give these mushrooms an anti-cancer action.

❗️Shiitake and Maitake in large amounts may increase the efficacy of blood-sugar-lowering medications. Diabetics taking Glucophage (metformin) or insulin should monitor their blood sugar levels. NOT TO BE CONSUMED UNCOOKED.❗️

My next trip to the grocery store will include some shiitake mushrooms for sure, wish me luck 😉

Love and 🍄,
Nicole

Garlic infused honey 😋

Very simple, just get some fresh garlic and peel the cloves. Cut cloves in half and put them in a jar about half to 2/3 full, with a splash of apple cider vinegar (1/2 tsp is what I used). Then cover the cloves in raw unfiltered honey. Leave a lid on loosely but tighten once a day to shake. Let it sit for a month and then you have yourself some delicious garlic honey!

🌟 Both garlic and honey are high in antioxidant compounds. These healthy chemicals help to balance your immune system and prevent illness. They may also protect your brain from common diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's.

🦶🏻 Feet up on the wall for 5 to 15 minutes a day.🦶🏻

Putting your legs up at a 90 degree angle, up against a wall really allows your body to recoup and recover. In short, it brings blood back towards your heart, and promotes lymphatic fluid circulation as well.

When blood circulation increases in the body, it elevates the venous drainage, relieves tension or fatigue from the legs, feet and even the hips.

👣 👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣👣

Plantain. No not the green banana looking fruits. Plantain as in Plantago major, the herb 🌿

Plantain is part two of my gut healing tea. It pairs very nicely with calendula and other herbs as the taste is not too bitter.

Plantain:

✅ accelerates cell proliferation and speeds the healing of wounds.

✅ is helpful as a first aid as it cleans wounds, stops bleeding and encourages healing.

✅ takes away itch and pain of bites, stings and skin irritation

✅ speeds healing of ulcers

✅ breaks up biofilms ( very helpful in riding the body of bacteria)

✅ is moistening and an expectorant to loosen mucus

✅ has a drawing effect (draws out splinters in skin)

Plantain is so effective and reliable it’s used in many situations. My favorite right now is how it is helping to heal my gut lining while keeping bacteria at bay.

Why not grab some and try it out yourself?! 😉

Love and Plantain,
Nicole

Here in Texas 🇨🇱 we have many crepe myrtles, they are beautiful and line many of our streets. Did you know that even these are medicinal?

⭐️ It’s true! Lagerstroemia indica showed anti-inflammatory, a**lgesic, antipyretic, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-Alzheimer's, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective and antithrombin effects 😲

There is a wonderful world of healing plants out there. Some we only have to travel to our backyards.

Here is a research study on Lagerstroemia indica or Crepe Myrtle

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334372244_A_review_on_Lagerstroemia_indica_A_potential_medicinal_plant

(PDF) A review on Lagerstroemia indica: A potential medicinal plant PDF | Lagerstroemia indica contained alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, saponins, sterols, triterpenes, anthraquinones, reducing compounds,... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

❗️While studying today I learned that NSAID medication can reduce fertility, especially long term use. Even one dose can cause damage to the stomach lining as well.

Something to think about if you are trying to conceive or plan to conceive in the future.

⭐️ Alternatively, you can drink a blend of meadowsweet tea as it is the original botanical source of aspirin.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10952743/

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as a possible cause for reversible infertility - PubMed NSAIDs, used largely for the treatment of rheumatological conditions, may be responsible for some cases of infertility.

Finally have all the herbs I need for the gut healing tea! 💫

I am steeping a mug right now, excited to taste it for the first time but also a bit nervous 😅 never had catnip or fennel in a tea but here goes! 💚☕️

⭐️ For anyone who has quit caffeine or trying to lower their intake and still wants the taste of coffee, I have found herbal coffee! This is 100% caffeine free with roasted dandelion root, chicory root, roasted carob and maca powder.

☕️ A coffee with lots of health benefits!

🌼 Dandelion root is highly nutritious, removes toxins from the body, full of antioxidants, helps fight inflammation, kills cancer cells and much more!

🫖 Chicory root is a coffee substitute, reduces absorption of glucose in the intestines, increases beneficial bacteria, regulate glucose levels, anti inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and more!

🍫 Carob is a chocolate alternative and helps blood sugar levels

💚 Maca powder is claimed to be an adaptogenic plant, which means it gives your body the ability to adapt to or resist what's going on in and around it, like anxiety, stress, and depression. Some scientific evidence suggests that it can give you a shot of energy.

❗️I have not been paid to promote this in anyway, just sharing what I learn along the way to help others.

🌼 Anyone want to take a guess at which herbs are in my new French Press? 🌼

A French Press is a great way to make 2-3 cups of tea all at once!

Personal story💚

For 17 years I have been dealing with thyroid issues.

When I was 20 years old I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and had a goiter. I went through radiation and of course that made me have to take a pill the rest of my life (so they said) because it flipped into hypothyroidism. For 17 years I have been taking levothyroxine at the same dose.

4 months ago I had blood work taken to start monitoring my TSH levels as I embarked on a journey of healing. I started drinking herbal tea, specifically Nettle (Urtica Dioica) everyday on June 15th. Last week (July 2nd) I had my blood taken again, these are the level comparisons:

March 1.6

July 0.852

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

❗️My levels have dropped significantly which means I can now lower my levothyroxine dose❗️

17 years I have wanted to stop taking pills, or at least begin to lower my dosage. Today I get to start this journey of being FREE from pills and I cannot be more excited!