 Doesn't this scene look delightful, like somewhere you'd like to go play? If you said no, you're probably experiencing hay fever like a lot of other folks. Allergies happen when something foreign enters the body, and the body sees it as a threat and overreacts. So what do we do about it? Well, every herbalist seems to have their own strategy. I'll give you mine from the benefit of my years of experience as my own guinea pig. First, make some changes. This can be the toughest part, but also make the longest lasting difference. #1 Cut out (or decrease as much as you can) dairy and sugar. These can create more mucus and knock down the immune system. #2 Drink more water or tea. Drinking more liquids can help wash the pollen away and thin the mucus. #3 More sleep and stress-reducing techniques. This seems pretty obvious, but is sometimes the hardest one to accomplish. More rest and less stress = more normal body functioning. #4 Add some color to your diet. Eating brightly colored fruit and veggies will beef up your immune system with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories to help stop the swelling of the mucus membranes and the histamine production. Dark leafy greens offer all these, plus the bitter taste can help your liver process more efficiently. You can also supplement with extra Vitamin C. The unsweetened powdered vitamin C is great. Since it's water soluble in our bodies, it's tough to get too much. Start with 1,000mg/day. You can keep adding more, until you find what works, or you start to have loose stools. Some other supplements you can add, include probiotics and enzymes. These will help get your digestion in shape, so it doesn't attack things that aren't a threat. I don't usually recommend products (and definitely am not getting paid for it), but I like PB8 for a probiotic. It doesn't need to be refrigerated, so can be easier to travel with and remember to take. Just remember, they're usually best taken between meals. There's a supplement from Solaray that I like called QBC Plex. It contains quercetin, a bioflavonoid and anti-histamine, and bromelain, an enzyme from pineapple, plus Vitamin C. Give your sinuses a rinse. You can wash the pollen away by using a neti pot with some salt water. If you want an easier option, try a saline spray or an herbal steam with thyme, bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), or bee balm (Monarda didyma). Create an herbal steam by boiling a cup or so of water in a large pot. Then turn off the heat, add the herbs, and steep covered for about 5 minutes. Then put your head over the pot (on a table at a comfortable height) and cover both with a towel. Breathe the vapors for as long as you can. You can also add a few drops of essential oils, like eucalyptus or mint. You can also reuse this, adding a few more drops essential oil, throughout the day. Eat local honey and bee pollen. Some people believe this is like giving your body a natural vaccine. You're taking in small amounts of the local pollen to stimulate your body's defenses slowly and gently, and create immunity. If you choose pollen, start very slowly, like a few grains a day, and work your way up to as much as a teaspoon. You want to make sure the pollen or honey is super local, so you're being exposed to the same pollen causing your allergies. This works best if you start at least a month before the allergy season. Try some natural antihistamines. One that I've had great luck with is a mixture of honey, fenugreek seeds, and black pepper. Soak a few tablespoons of the seeds in a little water overnight. Then take about a half teaspoon of honey, and mix it with 1/4 teaspoon of seeds, and a dash of pepper. Put the extra seeds in the fridge for later, and eat this combo as needed. Get spicy. My friend, Melissa, swears by fire cider for allergy symptoms. Fire cider is a combination of herbs infused in apple cider vinegar. Check out my recipe for my homemade Fire Tonic in my book, The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders. You can add any herbs you want, but onions and garlic are high in sulphur, a histamine blocker. The peppers are high in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories, as are turmeric and ginger (if you choose to add them). Take a shot of cider as needed.  Stinging Nettle  Some of my favorite herbs for allergies: Nettles (Urtica dioica, pictured above) These reduce histamine production. They're a great one to grow, but watch out for the stinging hairs! This is not the wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) that seems to grow more commonly in many parts of the eastern US. However, some people believe, because they're related, their effects are similar. Some say it works better if freeze dried, but I usually take it as a tincture, although the tea has seemed to help, too. Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) This low-growing ground cover in the mint family is an awesome decongestant and great for sinus pressure. Tea or tincture works great, but the taste can be strong, so you can mix it with other mints, etc. Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) This herb is helpful for eye and sinus inflammation. I like it for the symptoms of itchy, watery eyes that accompany allergies (and for pink eye). Spanish Needles or Beggar's Tick (Bidens spp.) There are several similar related species of this unassuming little plant, sometimes with more white or yellow petals. I like to add it to allergy tincture formulas for its antihistamine action. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) This lovely flower often grows abundantly and is high in minerals. It also helps to clear mucus. Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) The wooly leaves of mullein are a great demulcent, or a soother for the mucus membranes. They also have some expectorant action in the body. Some people like to strain this through fine mesh because of the little hairs, other people don't seem to be bothered by them. Burdock (Arctium spp.) This plant's root, favored in Asian cooking and bitters recipes, is a fantastic liver toner. Tincture it or you can lightly dry roast it for a nice roasted tea. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) The sunny star of autumn, the prolific goldenrod, with many species far and wide is a wonderful antihistamine, decongestant, and anti-inflammatory. Find out more in the blog all about it. Check out the recipe for my Allergy Away Tincture, including these herbs, in The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders. Now on to just a teeny bit of woo woo. I really do believe that every ailment has emotional, spiritual, and psychological aspects. When I'm experiencing allergy symptoms, I like to ask myself, "Is there something in my life right now (a situation, person, etc), that I'm reacting to?" It can be helpful to delve into that one and see what comes up, then try to work through your feelings about it. I've also had some success with visualization. Whatever works for you is what's best, but some examples include imagining a semi-porous membrane surrounding you that only lets in beneficial things (not pollen or harmful people or situations), or imagining a huge vacuum cleaner sucking up all the pollen around you. One of the most successful things for me, though, has been looking at where I can let go of stress and practice better self care. The immune response backs off as I feel safer to let my guard down; my body no longer needs to protect me. What has worked best for you? I'd love to read your comments! Now go frolic outside!
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 Yaupon growing at Temples Farm (one of the Yaupon Teahouse farms) with those saponin rich berries
If you have followed me (Abby) on social media at all lately, you know I've gone yaupon crazy! "What is yaupon?" It's a holly native to the United States and the only native North American source of (any noticeable amount) caffeine. It's been called the "Black Drink" and a "panacea" for good reason. How does one go from being a commodity trader to a tea salesman and researcher? Lou met yaupon on a guided walk led by a naturalist (much like the ones I lead) on Ossabaw Island, a barrier island in Georgia a decade ago. The word, "Ossabaw," means, "land where the yaupon grows," in the language of the Guale Tribe who were the original inhabitants of the island. "As soon as he started talking, I welled up and knew that my life had changed, that I was gonna be with yaupon for the rest of my life." Lou tells us how it was a sacred plant for ceremony, a stimulant, and health-supporting drink. Lou's mission is to introduce the general public to yaupon and its health benefits through his extensive research. He also goes into the controversy and the theory over the botanical name (Ilex vomitoria). I'll warn you, it's high historical drama! "Part of our mission is to pay homage to that profound knowledge that the Native Americans {had/have about} this plant." It was traded far and wide. Like cacao, which it was traded for, it also contains theobromine. The plant is being studied for possible benefits to the immune and respiratory system, brain, as a blood sugar balancer, and cholesterol reducer, amongst others. Lou and his wife, Lori Judge, co-founded and own The Yaupon Teahouse + Apothecary, where they create delicious tea blends that are sold in loose leaf form, tea bags, and ready to drink cans (not "sodas" like I said in the interview), along with other locally made yaupon products. "We have the smallest leaves of the holly trinity, but the most magic." Make sure tojoin us on Patreon to "nerd out" on the research that Lou is doing with yaupon while supporting the production of the podcast. If you missed the plant walk at Temples Farm (the Yaupon Teahouse farm in Metter, Georgia), sign up for the email list here on the website, to get notified of upcoming walks and the women's herbal retreat we're planning for this summer. One of Lou's favorite Yaupon recipes: Yaupon leaves Wax myrtle (aka bayberry) leaves Yaupon honey Wax myrtle grows wild in the same habitat as yaupon. Infuse the leaves in just boiled water for 5 minutes or more. Add yaupon honey to taste. Enjoy the delicious health-supporting benefits often. Lou's Bio: Lou, a former rice trader, was introduced to a yaupon tree in a maritime forest. Lou knew his life was about to take a dramatic turn. He dove deep into the Yaupon ethnohistory and benefits, and has never looked back. He and his wife, Lori, own the first two modern yaupon farms, first yaupon processing factory, first Yaupon retail store and are the first to receive a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for yaupon. "It was all about getting back into harmony with what nature provides." Check out the Yaupon Teahouse + Apothecary Connect with the @yauponteahouse on Instagram 
A scene from the Yaupon Teahouse + Apothecary
I'm so honored that the first guest of the year could be my long time teacher, Herbalist Leslie Williams, RH. Amazingly Leslie and I have been working together for 16 years! She is one of the most knowledgeable Herbalists I know. I think I gravitate to her because, though she practices as a clinical Herbalist, she also practices and teaches a lot of folk medicine, works mainly with local and native plants, and includes invasive plant medicine.
As you'll hear, Leslie has quite the eclectic past. She grew up foraging, moved all over, and had many different jobs, including a bike mechanic and a Buddhist Zen cook. She, like me believes food is medicine.
"You don't have to in a Zen temple . . . to have cooking be a meditation in itself, the way you approach it with attention and . . . gratitude. . . . That's important: how we interact with our food . . . . Sometimes how you feel about your food is more important than what you eat."
Leslie goes on to tell us why she thinks local herbs are better, and shares some sustainable wildcrafting tips. She talks about how we can include invasive plants in our apothecaries, including kudzu, multiflora rose, privet, mimiosa, tree of heaven, and autumn olive. Many invasive herbs are potent medicine for current world health issues.
"There's an incredible pharmacy and apothecary everywhere of traditional medicine that, if we understand it and how to work with it, it's right here for us."
Another reason I really appreciate Leslie is for her work with and teaching of Alcohol-Free formulas. She works with many folks who don't want to consume alcohol and reminds us that medicine comes in many different forms. Speaking of which, she's graciously shared her recipe for cherry bark oxymel. If you haven't tried oxymels yet, holy moly, they're amazing!
I'll leave you with some of my favorite words of Leslie's, a simple lesson that has shaped my whole life as an Herbalist and a teacher:
"If you use herbs at all, you're an Herbalist. . . . The world really needs you to be an Herbalist, and keep learning and exploring all the trees and plants out there. . . ."
If you like the podcast, please consider supporting it, by becoming a patron on Patreon (for as little as 5 bucks a month), and get Leslie's bonus interview all about Medicinal Trees.
Folk Method Cherry Oxymel:
Start with twigs of cherry tree, or peeled bark from branches larger than a pencil. It is easiest to peel the bark when they are fresh. Fill a jar halfway with the peeled bark and/or twigs broken up or chopped. Cover with apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar and be sure all the cherry bark and twigs are submerged. You can cover this and wait a month, or if you are in a hurry you can warm the vinegar at a yogurt temperature, Not Hot, for several hours or overnight. Strain out the twigs and bark. Add honey to taste. Recipes vary from one half the amount of vinegar to equal amounts to even more. Taste it and decide. If you are not using honey, due to concerns about blood sugar issues, you can use food grade vegetable glycerin - again, to taste. Store your oxymel in a cool dark place - it will keep for a year or more. It is useful for supporting the body in times of any respiratory conditions - colds, coughs, flus, virus.
Leslie's Bio:
Leslie Williams aka Leslita - I grew up in north Florida with summers in western NC mountains. Life has been a wander through woods and prairies and city streets around the world, but I always come home to the southern USA. I teach about herbal, plant and tree medicines. I am a certified bicycle mechanic and a back porch musician and also a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild. Herbal medicine - for self, family, community, dogs and horses - is within reach of all of us and is empowering. I've practiced a zen sort of life for 55 years. Teaching people about holistic herbal approaches to life is my work. You can find Leslie and all of her classes at http://www.ordinaryherbalist.com/ Instagram: @ordinaryherbalist Facebook: Ordinary Herbalist Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft: Episode #13 - Tyson Sampson of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians11/23/2020 
I swear I didn't plan this, but the timing was serendipitously perfect! Tyson Sampson and I recently recorded this episode of the podcast, Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft, just before Thanksgiving. I have to say Thanksgiving used to be my favorite holiday. I saw it just as a day about being grateful and eating good food. Knowing what I know now, though, the greatness has tarnished.
I want to offer you some literal food for thought this Thanksgiving Day...
For many Indigenous people living in their tribal lands, Thanksgiving Day is a painful reminder of the forced policies of oppression resulting in multiple generations of grief and trauma. If you don't already know, The WANDER School recently became a 501(c)3 registered non-profit organization to help acknowledge where the knowledge we have about wild foods and wild herbs originally came from (much of it from Indigenous people) and to give back for that knowledge, ie practice reciprocity. (Find out more here.) We've been going to Qualla Indian Boundary in western North Carolina to visit some of the Cherokee tribe's citizens. We've been helping Tyson and his relatives process their herbs to provide medicine for their extended circles of family. I feel so honored to have been able to have this discussion with my friend, Tyson. He tells us he is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians as he introduces himself and then translates from the Cherokee language into English. He tells us about the land where he was born, has returned to, and what it was like before the modern effects of colonization. "The history that occurred here disrupted a very long-lasting living system of life. It's really hard to comprehend . . . . It's not really anything you can imagine . . . ." Tyson was raised by the women of his family, especially his grandma, great grandma, and their sisters. He got to listen to his elders speaking Cherokee from the time he was five. He said there was lots of laughter. But, over time, hearing the language spoken became less common. It made him think about what life might have been like and learn what happened to the Cherokee people. "All of my life's experiences . . . {have} always pointed back to who I am as an Indigenous person." This became even more true for Tyson in 2001 when he started to meet other "plant people" in western North Carolina. He hadn't been in the woods much since his elders passed. Then he met white people who foraged for plants because they had learned how in herb school. He realized then that, though he had always thought his people gathered wild greens simply because they needed to eat, the lessons taught by his elders were of great value. However, when he asked his new friends if they were foraging sochan (aka cutleaf coneflower [Rudbeckia laciniata], a traditional Cherokee wild green) they hadn't ever heard of it before. He wondered why this gap in knowledge existed. "Sochan is a staple food for us . . . . In the springtime, when we're interfacing with Cherokee people, we say, 'Have you had any sochan yet?' . . . Nobody knows that plant like we know that plant." For Tyson Sampson, food and language are the defining pieces of Cherokee culture. "We have names for the plants and mushrooms and trees . . . those things know their names when they're said in Cherokee. . . . I don't come from a pow wow family. . . . What makes my family Indian is our relationship to the foods and the language." Tyson and I share about the first meal he served me, what he calls a "Traditional Indian Dinner," and what that means to him. To give you a hint about how amazing it was, my daughter asked me if I was going to cry as I took the first bite. Then he goes into detail about Cherokee traditional corn and how it's traditionally processed, what he cans and pickles from the wild, and one of all of our favorites, ramps! 
Heirloom squash grown in the garden on Cherokee land that the tribe bought back
We talk about some new buzz words, "Traditional Ecological Knowledge" and Tyson's take on them, along with what it has been like for the Cherokee in Qualla Boundary to be in the middle of a pandemic.
"It's just a web. . . . I think we're entering into a time where . . . on the surface we're taught to be so self-absorbed: self-reliant, independent. But really, I've had to question that and question that. . . . It keeps pointing back to this: . . . People need people, people need plants, plants need people." If you love this podcast episode, please like, comment, and share with all your plant people. And don't forget to support the production on Patreon for as little as 5 bucks a month. You'll get the bonus interview from this podcast where Tyson teaches us about some of his favorite edible and medicinal Cherokee plants and mushrooms. This bonus episode is free to all Indigenous people. Just send Abby an email and you'll be sent the link. Please thank Tyson for all he generously shared with us by:
An elk bull foraging on the edge of the Cherokee garden
Tyson's Bio: Tyson Sampson is a two-hearted individual whom has descended from the local indigenous matriarchy called the ᎠᏂᎩᎶᎯ (A-ni-gi-lo-hi). Their homeland is referred to as The Beautiful Painted Earth. His family is based here in their aboriginal territory most commonly known as the Great Smoky Mountains. Tyson has a background in the healing arts and communications. He has been of service to connective circles/family for 20 years. In multi-faceted contributions, he has worked on everything from documenting endangered language, holding mindful awareness presence, to sharing wild food practices and cultural sensibilities about his grandmother's people. He has contributed to efforts for residents of the Qualla Indian Boundary to have more intimate and legally protective relationships to plants/wild foods in this indigenous bio-region. Currently, Tyson is cultivating an apothecary for ethnobotanical accessibility, called Bigwitch Botanicals. He is also developing a broader collective to support traditional ecological knowledge for his fellow tribesfolk, called the Bigwitch Indian Wisdom Initiative. Email Tyson here. Whether you're decking the halls, lighting the menorah, preparing for a feast, or hibernating this time of year, keep in mind all the great gifts from The WANDER School, a small yet mighty woman-owned and operated business that exists to inspire nature reconnection and health empowerment. For anyone on your list who is wild food or herb curious...we have LOTS to offer. As you may be starting to plan your holiday gift giving, we wanted to make sure you know about all the GREAT gifts we have available for you and yours. Read on, let us know if you have any questions, and as always...green blessings. Abby's First Book... |
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