Who doesn’t love cacao in some way, shape, or form? (Of course, dark chocolate is the best kind of chocolate in my not-so-humble opinion, but that’s beside the point.) In this episode, I got to interview Marcos Patchett, a London herbalist with a very interesting backstory, who also happens to be an expert  on cacao.

Marcos shared so many fascinating aspects of this amazing plant, from its rich history in South America to its chemical constituents and the way it affects our bodies.  He also dove into its many health benefits – so now you have an excuse to indulge in some high-quality chocolate!

One traditional way to work with cacao is as a refreshing drink called pozol. Marcos shared a recipe for pozol that he learned in Mexico; you can download your beautifully illustrated copy here: https://bit.ly/4dged6i

Good chocolate is much more than just a decadent treat! Here are just a few ways cacao can benefit your health:

► It can help reduce stress and anxiety, and even certain kinds of pain

► It’s high in antioxidants and other nutrients

► It improves circulation and reduces inflammation

To learn even more amazing benefits of cacao, be sure to tune in to the entire episode!

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How the many different constituents of cacao work together to affect your brain chemistry

► The importance of intention when preparing and using herbal medicine

► How adding some cacao to other herbs can help them work better

► Why cacao is good medicine for almost everyone, from young mothers to elderly gentlemen

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, Marcos has practiced as a medical herbalist since 2005, initially specialising in complementary care for people living with HIV. He practiced from Neal’s Yard Remedies Therapy Rooms in London from 2007 to 2016, and was a clinical supervisor at Middlesex University’s Western Herbal Medicine, Westminster University, and Heartwood Online. His first book, The Secret Life of Chocolate, was released in 2020, and the paperback edit, Pharmakakawa, came out last year. Marcos also teaches Medieval astrology. He launched Plan*tarium, a school of medical astrology for herbalists, therapists, and medical practitioners, in 2024.

I’m so excited to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

I’ve been wanting to have 7Song on the podcast for a really long time now, so it was exciting to finally get to sit and chat with him.  7Song is well known for his work in first aid and disaster relief, and our conversation touched on many different aspects of this work.  People often want to help when there’s been a natural disaster like a hurricane, wildfire, or flooding, and 7Song shared some of his best tips on how herbalists can help, along with some of his favorite herbs to have on hand for first aid situations.

One specific health situation 7Song discussed was smoke inhalation due to wildfires – sadly, something that has become all too common these days.  He gave his number one tip for what to do if you’re exposed to wildfire smoke (hint: it has nothing to do with herbs!) and shared his guide on Smoke Inhalation and Herbal Medicine with us.  You can download your copy of this fantastic handout here: https://bit.ly/4m3Dqoe

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How 7Song got involved with herbal first aid and disaster relief

► The five most common health issues 7Song deals with when giving first aid at large gatherings

► What herbalists can do to help with disaster relief – and more importantly, what NOT to do!

► How herbs can help your body recover from smoke inhalation

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, 7Song has long been entranced by the non-human natural world, especially herpetology and botany. He also wants to be helpful in the human community, and herbal medicine feels like a good marriage of these two interests.

He is the director and main teacher of the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, which he started in 1992. He is the Director of Holistic Medicine and a practicing clinic herbalist at the Ithaca Free Clinic, an integrated free clinic that includes both conventional and less-conventional modalities.   He is one of the clinic's founders, which opened its doors in 2006. 

I’m thrilled to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

A major hazard of inviting herbalists on this show is that with each conversation, I get so excited about the herb we discussed that I want to run out and get it and start working with it right away! I often have to remind myself that I don’t need to try every single herb, and that many of my most versatile and beloved herbal allies are the ones that I already have in my garden and my spice rack.

This conversation with Dr. Orna Izakson about thyme was a great reminder that herbs don’t need to be unusual or exotic to be powerful!  Orna shared about how thyme has supported her from the very beginning of her herbal journey, as well as her recipe for the preparation that helped keep her out of the hospital and healing at home.  You can find the recipe for her Herbal Steam for Respiratory Health here: https://bit.ly/4iAD0Db

Thyme is an amazing herb with so many benefits, and the best thing is, you probably already have a jar of it in your spice rack! Here are just a few ways you can work with thyme’s gifts:

► Infused into vinegar to make an all-purpose antimicrobial cleaner

► Added liberally to food to boost flavor and aid digestion

► Prepared as a tea to soothe a sore throat or relieve congestion

To learn even more about this wonderful herb, be sure to give my conversation with Orna a listen!

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How working with thyme helped keep Orna from having to go to the hospital

► Why the herbs we need the most are often the ones growing right outside our door

► Three simple ways you can work with thyme for your health

► Why herbal steams are so powerful for warding off colds and flu

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Dr. Orna Izakson is a licensed naturopathic doctor and registered herbalist practicing in Alaska and Oregon, specializing in mental health, women’s health and chronic disease. She spent six years as the founding lead physician of the Traditional Roots Institute at National University of Natural Medicine, served on the Gaia Herbs science advisory board, and is a current faculty member of Psychiatry Redefined. Dr. Izakson previously was an award-winning environmental newspaper reporter, contributing to books on climate change and healthy living. She continues her mission of educating the public about plant medicine, mental health and clinical nutrition as a public speaker and online educator. Dr. Izakson is vice president of the Alaska Association of Naturopathic Doctors and founder of the Naturopathic Climate Alliance.

I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

Rosemary Gladstar was the very first person I interviewed for this podcast nearly four years ago, and it was truly an honor to be able to have her on the show again. She is such a presence in the world, having brought so much love and wisdom to the herbal community for decades. Rosemary’s work has inspired many thousands (at least!) of budding and experienced herbalists, and I am so incredibly grateful for every moment I get to spend with her.

Rosemary discussed a variety of topics in this interview, but there was one major thread that wove its way through our conversation:  the beauty and power of diversity, whether that’s diversity in an ecosystem, in a group of people, or even in the thoughts and ideas that guide us on our journey through the world. She shared about many of the people, places, and plants that have influenced her path, and how sometimes the most challenging of situations have often been her biggest teachers.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► What inspired Rosemary to write her new book, The Generosity of Plants – and why she continues to be inspired by its contents

► Why Rosemary finds such value in being challenged by different viewpoints

► How the art of herbal formulation can be used as a model for community and collaboration among people

► Why connection, relationship, love, and adventure make such strong medicine

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Rosemary Gladstar has been practicing, living, learning, teaching and writing about herbs for over 45 years. She’s the author of 13 books, including her latest book, The Generosity of Plants. She’s also the author and director of the popular home study course, The Science and Art of Herbalism.

In 2018, Rosemary was awarded an honorary doctorate for her life work from the National University of Naturopathic Medicine. Rosemary is the co-founder and former director of both the International Herb Symposium and the New England Women’s Herbal Conference, the founding president of United Plant Savers, and the co-founder and original formulator of Traditional Medicinal Teas.

I can’t wait to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

You’re in for a treat! In this episode, I had such a delightful conversation with joAnna Sanchez, who has been “beckoned by the plants,” as she so lovingly puts it, for decades. She shares such hope for the world, gained through her work with the plants and relationships with other students of nature, and her positive attitude is infectious – I found myself just beaming after speaking with her!

I was thrilled that joAnna chose to speak about  Lobelia inflata, a plant that she has been working with closely for many years. She had so much to share about it – not only its medicinal benefits and tips for working with it, but also some fascinating history of this often-maligned herb. joAnna included her recipe for Lobelia Acetract, and you can download your beautifully-illustrated recipe card for this traditional preparation here: https://bit.ly/3Dm78DL

Lobelia is a diminutive plant with some big effects! Here are some of the ways lobelia has been worked with both historically and in modern days:

► As a respiratory antispasmodic, to help with asthma and coughing

► To relax the nervous system, reducing muscle twitches and tics

► To help stop smoking and give support with nicotine withdrawal

To learn even more about lobelia’s benefits, be sure to check out the entire episode!

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why lobelia is infamous in the herbal world (and why, despite its notoriety, it’s such an amazing plant!)

► Why you should only work with lobelia in low doses

► What makes lobelia a great plant for herbal skeptics

► An old-fashioned but still relevant herbal preparation for lobelia

► and so much more…

For those of you who haven’t met her, joAnna’s herbal journey began in the natural foods industry in 1979; she later served as clinician in private practice for 13 years. She was, and remains, a voracious reader of all things botanical. In 1997 joAnna wrote five texts and started teaching coursework at Sonoran University, where she began what is now likely the largest plant medicine garden in the Southwest. 

joAnna launched her own herb school for personal interest and professional training, and has trained a host of herbalism educators. She is a passionate educator, plant hunter, gardener, and conservationist herbalist. joAnna has a calling to remain personally experiential with her relationship to the plants, and to practice the preservation of herbal traditions.

I’m so excited to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

This conversation with Julie Caldwell was such a joy! It brought me back to a time when I was just a baby herbalist studying in Santa Cruz, California, where the surrounding mountains are home to countless towering redwood trees.  

The redwood forest where Julie lives is a few hundred miles north of Santa Cruz – but as she pointed out, the entire northern hemisphere  used to be covered in redwoods, and those of us who live on this part of the earth are connected by the land’s memory of these ancient beings.  These trees and their connections to the surrounding ecosystems are a beautiful reminder of our own connections to our community – including the community of plants and other beings in the world around us.

Speaking of community, Julie loves to bring people together around food that sparks conversations about the important trees in their lives, and the recipe she shared with us is a delicious way to do just that!  You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card for Julie’s Redwood Pots de Crème here: https://bit.ly/423UzGF

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► The unique ecosystems that exist high up in the canopy of the redwoods

► Seven ways of working with redwood and other conifers – including simply going for a stroll!

► What makes redwood so great for your respiratory health

► How working with redwood can help you release long-held grief

► A fascinating way to access the medicine of old-growth redwoods even if they don’t grow where you live

► How community was essential to the building of Julie's herb store, Humboldt Herbals

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Julie Caldwell lives in the Pacific Northwest coastal mountains of northern California among the ancient old growth redwood forests and the wild Pacific coastline. For the past 27 years she has happily tended her vibrant retail herbal apothecary, Humboldt Herbals, where many powerful relationships between people and plants have been cultivated. Julie is a long-serving member of the Visioning Council for the Organization of Nature Evolutionaries, an educational non-profit dedicated to co-creative partnership with nature, and is deeply committed to amplifying communication with nature consciousness and our brilliantly beautiful wild Earth.

I can’t wait to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

I was thrilled to have a chance to interview Dr. Jacqui Wilkins! I’ve been following her on social media for some time now, and her posts always brighten my day with their beauty and insight.  Our conversation went so many places – from the ways that herbalism can reconnect us with the land and our ancestors, to more technical aspects of how chemical constituents of plants interact with our hormones.

I was also really excited Dr. Jacqui chose to speak about yarrow, my plant ally for the year.  Yarrow is an amazingly versatile plant with so many gifts that sometimes I wonder, what can’t yarrow do?  Dr. Jacqui discussed some really unexpected ways of working with yarrow, and I can’t wait to try the Heart + Boundaries Oxymel recipe she shared.  You’ll find a beautifully illustrated recipe card for it here: https://bit.ly/4jb6Leh

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why yarrow is many people’s most-used field medicine

► A fascinating way to work with yarrow root

► The chemical constituent that yarrow has in common with chamomile - and how the two herbs can be worked with similarly

► Seven different herbal preparations for yarrow

► How to work with yarrow to help you set and hold your boundaries

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t already know her, Dr. Jacqui, ND, is a mixed Indigenous Yakama, Irish and Eastern European Naturopathic Doctor, plant medicine person, birth worker, teacher and steward of the earth. She tends to the Xálish Medicine Garden on Vancouver Island, which is the Snuneymuxw Territory, crafting plant medicines through Xálish Medicines, and honoring her mixed lineages of earth and stars. She shares wisdom of earth based practices, plant medicines, ancestral reverence and earth tending—remembering we are nature, not separate from creation. Her intention is to help us deepen connections with the land, our ancestors and all relations, bringing healing, harmony, and a sense of belonging.

I’m so excited to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

It was such a delight to sit down and chat with Bevin Cohen – he has such a deep love and appreciation for plants, and so many gems of herbal wisdom to share!  Our conversation was centered around wintergreen, a plant that he has been learning with since he was a child, but also touched on so many other aspects of living a life rooted in herbalism: from the importance of being in the moment and forming personal relationships with plants, to the crossover between food and medicine – a great reminder that plants’ gifts are not solely found in salves, tinctures, and tea!

Bevin’s journey with wintergreen really illustrates the ways that we can grow as humans alongside the plants, simply by being present, listening, and giving back.  He shared so many beautiful ways that wintergreen has shown up in his life, and the many ways he has worked with it through the years – including his go-to recipe for when he starts to feel a cold coming on!  Be sure to download your copy of Bevin’s healing tea here: https://bit.ly/4hH5MBx

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why Bevin calls wintergreen tea “one of the most patriotic of all beverages”

► How to work with wintergreen to soothe sore, achy muscles

► Tips for preparing your wintergreen harvest to get the most potent medicine

► How learning the folklore surrounding plants can make you a better herbalist

► The amazing benefits of working with plants that grow near you

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, Bevin Cohen is an award winning author, owner of Small House Farm and host of the popular Seeds & Weeds podcast. Bevin offers workshops and lectures across the country on the benefits of living closer to the land through seeds, herbs, and locally grown food. He is a food and garden writer whose work has appeared in many national publications and he's the author of more than ten books, including his latest, Herbs in Every Season.

I’m thrilled to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

It was such a pleasure to have KhadiYah Preciado on the podcast - her curiosity about the plant world and its many gifts is inspiring, and it was just delightful to hear about her love for chickweed and the ways that she works with this abundant springtime herb! 

One of the many ways that KhadiYah works with chickweed is in her Itch Relief Oil – a fantastic medicine to make in the spring, when chickweed is abundant, in anticipation of the inevitable mosquito bites of summer!

You can download your beautifully-illustrated recipe card here: https://bit.ly/3FyWA4F

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why it’s important to connect with plants on a personal level using your observations and intuition, and not just through books

►How reconnecting with ancestral practices has helped KhadiYah become a better herbalist 

► Four ways to work with chickweed

► A helpful tip for preserving the delicious abundance of spring chickweed through the winter

► How KhadiYah harvests a LOT of chickweed from her garden all at once

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, KhadiYah Preciado is a passionate author, herbal teacher, and mother dedicated to empowering others to reconnect with nature’s healing power through African-centered and Biblically-aligned herbalism. As the founder of Yah’s Apothecary, she combines her professional expertise with personal experience to empower others to heal their bodies, nurture their families, and build thriving herbal businesses. When she’s not teaching or blending remedies, KhadiYah homeschools her children, cultivates her herbal garden, and mentors women who want to reclaim their health and their purpose.

I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

It was such a joy to meet Dr. Ryan Shepherd! In our conversation, we dove into the many benefits of licorice root, which is one of the most frequently worked-with plants in herbal medicine, thanks to its wide use in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas. Ryan also shared about his herbal journey from London to China to Texas – a story that is perhaps as varied and unique as licorice itself!

In addition to discussing the medicinal benefits of licorice root, Ryan showed just how versatile this herb is by including it in his mouth-watering recipe for Qi-Boosting Chicken. (I can’t wait to give this recipe to my handsome French husband so he can make it for me!) You can find your beautifully illustrated recipe card here so that you, too, can make this yummy herb-infused dinner: https://bit.ly/4kodV05

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Five different body systems that can benefit from licorice

► Why licorice root is like the conductor of an orchestra

► When Ryan works with licorice in smaller quantities in formulas vs. when he gives it a more starring role

► Five conditions that can be helped by working with licorice root

► Who should NOT take licorice root (hint: it’s not just about hypertension!)

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, Dr. Ryan Shepherd is one of those amazing practitioners with a deep well of knowledge and experience. He started his journey at the University of Westminster in London, earning his degree in Medical Herbalism, and then went on to study naturopathy, functional medicine, and acupuncture. Ryan’s passion for healing took him all the way to China, where he worked in hospitals in Shanghai and Nanjing, treating complex cases and training under Dr. Zhonghua Fu, the inventor of Fu’s Subcutaneous Needle technique. Ryan currently has a practice in Dripping Springs, Texas where he is very passionate about providing his services and years of training and experience to the community.

I’m thrilled to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.