Herbs with Rosalee

Peaches are loved as food, yet the health benefits of peaches extend far beyond that. Peaches (Prunus persica) are some of our best cooling and relaxing herbal medicines. After this episode with Robin Rose Bennett, you’ll never look at them the same way again! 

Peaches are especially treasured for their ability to soothe nausea. After this episode, you’ll have a sweet, cooling, stomach-soothing treat you can rely on for all sorts of tummy troubles from morning sickness to car sickness. (And that’s just one of peaches’ many gifts!)

You’ll also receive instant FREE access to Robin’s luscious peach oxymel recipe.

For those of you who don't know her already, Robin Rose Bennett is a storyteller, writer and herbalist. She has been offering classes in WiseWoman Healing Ways: Herbal Medicine and EarthSpirit Teachings since 1986 at herb conferences, festivals, clinics, medical and nursing schools, and most joyously outside with the plants. Robin Rose shares herbal medicine with gratitude for the loving generosity of the plants and the magic mystery and beauty of the web of life. She is on the faculty of the New York Open Center and the Arbor-Vitae School of Traditional Herbalism, and is the author of two meditation MP3'S and the books, Healing Magic: A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living, and The Gift of Healing Herbs: Plant Medicines and Home Remedies for a Vibrantly Healthy Life. You can find more from Robin at robinrosebennett.com.

Listen in for:

► The moment when Robin knew herbs were gaining mainstream acceptance

► What you need to know about working with peach pits safely

► How gardening can be a way of giving back

Show snippet: 

“Peach is cooling. It's moistening. There's that juiciness of it. It is a pretty profound herb to help with hot irritation in the mind, heart and body.”

Robin is such a delight to spend time with and 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 Herbalist 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. 

In this chat with Guido Masé, one of my herbal heroes, you’ll hear the many, many gifts of Yarrow. Then, we get a glimpse into what's on Guido’s mind these days. 

This conversation is a real treat. I love how Guido weaves together many seemingly different pieces of herbalism, whether it's chemical constituents, heart centered healing, or even mythology and folklore. He also perfectly summarizes why I love being an herbalist. 

You’ll also receive instant access to a FREE recipe card with Guido’s instructions for how to make yarrow powder from the fresh plant. 

I love this recipe for many reasons. One is that yarrow powder is a truly wondrous healer for cuts and scrapes. This is one remedy you’ll never want to be without! Another is that rather than letting any part of the plant go to waste, Guido also shares how you can process and use the yarrow stalks to cast the I Ching, a traditional Chinese oracular system.

For those of you who don't know him already, Guido Masé is an herbalist and garden steward, specializing in therapeutic herbalism and the pharmacology of plants and mushrooms.

He spent his childhood in Italy, in the central Alps, in a Renaissance town called Ferrara. After traveling the United States, he settled into Vermont where he has been living since 1996. He is a founder, faculty member, and clinical supervisor at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, a 501(c)(3), nonprofit herbal medicine clinic and school. He serves as herbalist, principal scientist, and chief formulator at Traditional Medicinals, where he works on herbal teas, supplements, bitters, and tonics. He is a founding member of the Railyard Apothecary in Burlington, Vermont, where he works as part of a collaborative clinical practice.

He's the author of the The Wild Medicine Solution: Healing with Aromatic, Bitter, and Tonic Plants, as well as the book DIY Bitters.

Listen in for:

► Why yarrow is one of Guido’s most beloved herbal allies

► What makes plants and herbal medicine, in Guido’s words, a chemistry of communion

► How medicinal compounds tell a story (quite literally)

Show snippet: 

“So many incredible things from Yarrow, as well as its shining beauty in the field or in the garden, make this perhaps my most beloved ally.”

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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 Herbalist 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. 

One of my favorite arnica benefits is for bruises! In this episode, I’m going to show you how to make an arnica cream using Arnica montana. Once you start making this cream, you’ll never want to be without arnica’s benefits again because it is so effective at relieving the pain, swelling, and inflammation caused by bruises, contusions, and sprains!

I’m also going to share why arnica is way better than ice for injuries and give you a step-by-step guide on how to make arnica cream for bruises.

You’ll come away from this episode knowing:

► Why arnica is so effective in decreasing swelling and accelerating the healing process of bruises and sprains… even in bringing some relief to swollen arthritic joints!

► Safety information you need to know when working with arnica

► Why it’s so important to source your arnica carefully

Show snippet: 

“Early on, I gave Arnica salve to a friend who danced professionally. Not long after she called to tell me that the salve magically erased her daily bruises. I couldn’t send her too much!”

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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 Herbalist 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. 

Oats masquerade as a simple breakfast but they are actually medicine in disguise!

This deeply nourishing food is also soothing medicine for your nervous system. Join me for an episode all about oats (Avena sativa) with my guest (and one of my favorite herbal buddies), Mason Hutchison. 

Herbalists love oats medicine! You’ll learn about the mineral rich gifts of dried oatstraw as well as the nourishing tonic ability of fresh milky oats.

You’ll also get instant access to a FREE recipe card for Mason’s Savory Miso Oatmeal recipe. This recipe is a wonderful example of food as medicine. Besides being delicious anytime, it can be especially beneficial as you're recovering from an illness or anytime you're feeling depleted. It’s really easy to digest and filled with all sorts of nutrients.

Whether you already know Mason or not, you’re in for a treat. He is the founder of HerbRally, a podcast and website that promotes herbalism education and events. Mason is also the co-organizer of one of the longest running herbal events in the US, the Breitenbush Herbal Conference. He is also on the board of directors for the Eugene Tea Festival.

Mason was the Events & Marketing Strategist for Mountain Rose Herbs for over a decade. His day-to-day work involved organizing community events such as the Free Herbalism Project, as well as attending herbal conferences throughout the country.He has completed herbalism apprenticeships at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies and the Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies.

Mason is a husband, proud father, avid chess, basketball and ping pong player, spring water gatherer, and an enthusiast in the art of frugal nutrition.

Listen in for:

► Why working with different herbal preparations and listening to your body is the most effective way to discover your best herbal allies

► The benefits of doing a 30-day Oats Challenge

► How you can develop relationships with herbs yourself (and why you might want to)

Show snippet:

“Herbalism and herbs are more than just cut and sifted dried plants.  I don't think anything really beats getting out into nature and developing relationships with these plants, one on one, in their natural environment.”

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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 Herbalist 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. 

Rosehips are famous for their vitamin C content, but as herbalist Julie James will tell you, “[Vitamin C] is the least sexy part of rose hips.” 

That’s because rosehips are filled with so many benefits that go way beyond vitamin C! For example, we’ll share how one of its most underrated gifts is for modulating inflammation. 

In this episode, you’ll hear all about rosehips, plus you’ll get Julie’s yummy Rosehip Electuary recipe. Imagine having a spoonful of this super-easy sweet treat every day, knowing that as it melts in your mouth you’re getting vitamin C and other rosehips nutrients.

In case you’re not already familiar with her, Julie is the owner of Green Wisdom Herbs in Long Beach, CA, a full service herb shop and school, where she has cultivated an herbal community dedicated to improving access to healing plants and to reliable herbal information. She teaches classes in person and sometimes online, with her primary focus being her 2 year herbal apprenticeship, through which she has sent hundreds of new herbalists into the world. Having spent over 30 years as an herbalist, she delights in sharing her love of plants by combining science and magic, awe and intellect, and by encouraging folks to get their hands dirty, bodies nourished, bellies filled, and minds blown.

Listen in for:

► Why ingesting the whole plant gives you the most benefits

► Why an electuary can be an ideal (not to mention delicious) way to receive all that rose hips have to offer

► Why you might want to buy rose hips already cut and sifted, rather than growing and harvesting your own

Show snippet: 

“I always feel like I’m missing something in a tea because I’m not ingesting the whole plant.”

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Get full show notes including a transcript of this episode 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 Herbalist 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. 

For an herb with so many gifts, oregano rarely gets the attention it deserves. In this episode, all about the health benefits of oregano tea I aim to fix that. 

Oregano is underrated as a tea! I’ll show you how to make an oregano tea recipe brewed with fresh oregano leaves and another made with the dried herb. 

Imagine this… Ever had a meal that sat heavy in your stomach for hours or worse, been plagued by chronically slow, sluggish digestion? What if you had a trusty friend in your spice cabinet or your garden that you could turn to for some relief? Well, oregano brewed into tea can be that friend.

The health benefits of oregano tea don’t stop there, but there are some cautions you need to be aware of when working with this herb.

You’ll come away from this episode knowing:

► How to work with oregano safely so you can avoid unwanted side effects

► How to figure out whether making oregano tea with fresh leaves or with the dried herb is right for your situation (be sure to stick around to the end for the recipes)

► Five situations when oregano might just be the herb you want to reach for yourself or a loved one

Show snippet: 

“Oregano leaves are wonderful for people who have a tendency to feel cold and damp. They are also great for the short term for anyone who has acute cold and damp symptoms.”

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Get full show notes including a transcript of this episode 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 Herbalist 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. 

When it comes to edible weeds, there’s a whole feast of spring greens waiting just outside your door!

Wouldn’t it be nice to have trustworthy information so you can:

► Be 100% sure you identify edible weeds correctly (and avoid any poisonous look alikes)

► Gather in a way that ensures plenty of future harvests

► Enjoy yummy (and good for you) recipes with loved ones

By the end of this episode, that’s knowledge you’ll have for three common edible weeds.

You’ll also receive instant access to a free chapter from my book, Wild Remedies: How To Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine, containing three fun and easy-to-make spring greens recipes.

Show snippet:

“As I spent more and more time with edible weeds, I learned that the coolest part wasn’t the ‘free’ aspect. Instead, being outside, interacting with the plants and giving back to the plants were the ultimate gift.”

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Get full show notes including a transcript of this episode 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 Herbalist 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. 

There are so many plantain plant benefits! What some may dismiss as common or even a pesky weed is actually a powerhouse of medicine. Plantain leaf can help to soothe a range of complaints from itchy bug bites to irritating coughs to persistent wounds to an inflamed gut.

You’ll come away from this with a great overview of this versatile herb’s many gifts, tips for plantain identification and lots of ideas for working with plantain safely and effectively.

You’ll also receive instant access to a plantain leaf tea recipe so next time you (or someone you love) needs some healing and soothing relief for their digestive tract, you’ll be prepared.

Show snippet:

“Plantain is an obvious choice for many first aid or acute inflammations, but it is equally useful for chronic hot conditions, especially in the digestive tract.”

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Get full show notes including a transcript of this episode 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 Herbalist 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. 

Chickweed, also known as Stellaria media, is a powerhouse of medicine and nutritious food! There are so many chickweed benefits… for dry, irritated eyes; for the lymphatic and urinary systems; for coughs and fevers (but only certain types of coughs and fevers – stay tuned to learn more).

And chickweed benefits the skin.

Imagine this… Your child comes in from playing outside with a bunch of itchy, red welts from bug bites. Ouch! But fear not.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to make a chickweed salve that can help to soothe the heat and itchiness right out of that irritated skin.

Chickweed is an easy plant to welcome into your life, but you want to make sure you’re making the most of it. In this episode, I’ll answer important questions like whether to work with it fresh or dried and I’ll share my best tips for chickweed identification. Be sure to stick around to the end to get my recipe and free recipe card for the chickweed salve.

Show snippet:

“Rather than simply memorizing chickweed benefits, it’s especially helpful to understand this plant’s energetic profile and how it relates as a heating or cooling and drying or moistening herb.”

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Get full show notes including a transcript of this episode 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 Herbalist 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. 

Rhodiola is an amazing herb to support you during times of stress! It’s energizing without causing jitters, supportive to the immune system, helpful to modulate the physical effects of stress as you’re making lifestyle changes. Rhodiola rosea is so rich in gifts, but these very attributes have led to overharvesting and sustainability issues. That’s why I am excited to share this conversation with Ben LeVine with you!

Ben not only shares a lot of information about the efforts that are underway to protect this wonderful herb, but also gives questions you can ask suppliers to make sure the rhodiola (and other endangered herbs) you are buying were harvested sustainably. And as a listener, you’ll also receive instant access to his recipe for Rhodiola Energy Balls.

For those of you who aren’t already familiar with Ben, here’s more about him. Sitting quietly atop a Colorado mountain peak, Ben LeVine felt a voice from his favorite herb that would define his future: “You were meant to become an herbalist. Just let the plants guide you.” That path has led him to the farthest corners of the Earth and back, driven to unravel the mysteries of the world’s most powerful plants. Now as Co-Founder and Chief Herbalist of Rasa, he’s using those potent herbal secrets to revolutionize your morning energy ritual with the power of adaptogens.

Listen in for:

► Considerations and questions to ask when sourcing rhodiola

► Why rhodiola’s growing conditions make it adaptogenic for humans

► What cautions should you be aware of when working with adaptogenic herbs?

Here is one of my favorite takeaways from our conversation:

“Are you using adaptogens to build a ladder out of the bucket or are you just using [them] to struggle longer? I'm seeing adaptogens sometimes co-opted this way – like a one-to-one replacement for coffee, with no lifestyle changes, no introspection."

It was a delight to speak with Ben and I’m so happy to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes including a transcript of this episode 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 Herbalist 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.