Are You a Wellness Warrior? So you’ve begun your journey to vibrant health by eating more fruits and vegetables, getting more sleep, and exercising more, but what comes next? These 12 tips every wellness warrior strives for should be next on your list! 1. Dry Brushing Feeling sluggish, groggy, and unmotivated to get moving? Your...
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The Best Ginger Tea I Ever Did Make
It’s finally chilly here in Los Angeles! And can you believe that water…WATER….actually fell from the sky the other night?? We have been in a terrible drought and I have to say, I was wondering if winter was going to show up at all. Maybe it will. I hope so. Aside from really loving the...
Healthy Beer Nut Recipe for the Super Bowl
Just because you're trying to get clear skin doesn't mean you have to give up all of your favorite tasty snacks. There is always an alternative that tastes just as good if not better than the original recipe, and today's healthy beer nut recipe is no exception. The Super Bowl is coming up in just...
3 Steps to Improve your Female Hormonal Acne - Anyone Can do It!
Whelp, here we are again to unfold the ever-tangled mysteries of female hormonal acne! But before we delve into the nitty gritty…. What is Female Hormonal Acne? Well, for one thing, ALL acne stems from imbalanced hormones, so if you’re getting acne, it means your hormones aren’t quite doing what they're supposed to. Acne isn’t...
Exfoliating Make-Up Remover
I've been playing around with makeup recently and since this is sort of a new thing I've been doing lately (I sort of stopped wearing makeup for a few years), I find myself needing a way to get it off my face. It's kind of a problem for me because I hate store bought makeup...
Are Food Sensitivities Giving You Acne?
One of the most annoying, utterly maddening facets of studying nutrition is when you learn about food sensitivities and how they can affect the body. I hate them. With a passion I cannot explain. What’s worse is the more you delve into them, the more complex they get. But you know what? Food sensitivities are...
Banana and Oatmeal Oven Cakes
I'm not sure where I got the idea for this simple breakfast, but I'm happy I came up with something a little different to look forward too when going to sleep the night before. I don't know about you, but I have this thing where I can't wait to eat breakfast again the next morning....
Cinnamon Coconut Custard Cake
This coconut custard cake is serious. Like coconut lover's serious. It's soft, decadent, and juuuuust sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. Oh, and it's simple to make. Like seriously easy. Seriously. Sure, you can make it the old fashioned way with your trusty whisk or maybe even a stand mixer. Me? I throw everything...
Delicious Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
I think anyone of ancient European or Middle Eastern descent has an old family recipe for stuffed cabbage leaves. It’s a dish that’s simple, satisfying, and doesn’t cost too much to make…you see, it’s peasant food, and I have to say, they sure knew what they were about! Amazing flavors from simple ingredients. Stuffed cabbage...
Gingerbread Cookie Shake
This delicious gingerbread cookie shake is inspired by everyone’s old holiday favorite; the gingerbread cookie! What makes this recipe so awesome is you don’t have to wait 24 hours for the dough to chill or have to clean the aftermath of the gingerbread cookie making tornado. You know what I’m talking about! So yes, this...
Chicken Cacciatore Stew
There are many different variations when it comes to this traditional Italian dish. Some braise the chicken before smothering it with a thick tomato sauce, some bread the chicken and then bake it, some use white wine, and some use red. The one thing that they do have in common is they all have similar...
My Top 5 Preventative Cold and Flu Remedies
Lately, I’ve been too restless to get anything useful done. In my mind, there is this long list of things to do. Newsletters, blog posts, blog maintenance, herbal studies, work stuff… the impending holiday season has me up in a frazzle! I just want to be outside so badly that all this other craziness makes...
Simple Throat Coat Tea Recipe
Sore throats are one of the worst and most uncomfortable symptoms of catching a cold. It always seems to creep up on you. Things start feeling scratchy, and then WAM! Pretty soon it’s too painful to even imagine trying to swallow. I loathe getting a sore throat. I would gladly trade most any other symptom...
Cold Bustin' Elderberry Tea
Cold and flu season is stressful, to say the least, not only on our minds but our bodies as well. There are never-ending to-do lists this time of year, upcoming holidays to prepare for, and an onslaught of germs being passed back and forth till the sun comes out again. Despite the constant battering of...
How to Make My Grandmother's Porcupine Meatballs
Imagine my delight when I came across this crinkled note deep in my recipe box. The memory of fragrant tomato sauce simmering on the stove, the buttery mashed potatoes, the huge meatballs spiked with rice, the smile that split my face as a child when I laughed about how they really looked like little porcupines....
Clay and Honey Face Wash for Sensitive Skin
For those of us with sensitive acne-prone skin, it can be a challenge finding a gentle face wash that doesn’t irritate or over dry our skin. As you probably already know, most commercial cleansers contain a slurry of emulsifiers and sulfates that strip the skin’s natural oils and destroy its natural protective barrier. To put...
How to Make Your Own Herbal Deodorant
This is one of my favorite DIY deodorants that boasts a lovely citrusy-woodsy-green aroma that fights odor-causing bacteria, tones and tightens the sweat glands, and leaves you feeling fresh and clean. Keep it in a small spritzer bottle for quick, easy application when you feel like freshening up! This recipe is so versatile and so...
Healing Acne The Herbalist’s Way - Draining The Lymph
Healing Acne The Herbalist's Way - The Lymphatic System. In part two of this series, we learned about the importance of keeping our elimination pathways clear in order to prevent stagnation in the body. Acne can definitely be aggravated by sluggish elimination, and that’s where alterative herbs come into play. However, there is another category...
How to Make Slippery Elm Lozenges
Homemade Slippery Elm Lozenges For Cough and Sore Throat. Slippery elm lozenges are really simple to make, easy for children to help with, and are extremely effective. They can be made with just 3 ingredients; typically slippery elm powder, strong tea, and raw honey, though you can certainly add a multitude of other ingredients to...
Turkish Köfte Soup Recipe
Why is it I tend to crave soup when it's 100 degrees outside? It must be the same reason I crave ice cream when it's freezing...I just can't help it, and I'm sure you'll feel the same once you have tried this soup. Turkish Köfte Soup is a delicious staple enjoyed and beloved in Turkey....
How to Make Preserved Lemons
Preserved lemons are a glorious treat! Their mellow yet sophisticated flavor enhances fish and roast chicken dishes, as well as cut the richness of heavy winter soups and stews. They can brighten all manner of salads, spice up your dips, and even make the most simple pasta dish shine. They’re truly a must have in...
How to Make an Herbal Hydrosol
How to Make an Herbal Hydrosol for Beautiful Skin. There is an amazing cohesion that takes place between volatile oil and water when making an herbal hydrosol. It reminds me a lot of the forbidden romance of Romeo and Juliet in the sense that they are forbidden to be together. However for hydrosols, that oil...
Winter Preparations - Fire Cider
The winter months are creeping closer as our last days of summer approach. Our gardens are bursting with the abundance of fresh herbs and vegetables, and in the back of our minds, the thoughts of colder weather make us aware of needed preparations. The summer is the perfect time of year to make your medicinal...
Hemp Seed Oil- The New Holy Grail Acne Treatment?
Is Hemp Seed Oil The New Holy Grail? An Oil Re-evaluation. For the past few years, jojoba oil has been my “Holy Grail” acne treatment, especially for stubborn blackheads and whiteheads. While it does dissolve these icky little plugs, jojoba oil can cause some people’s skin to “purge” toxins when they begin using it, making...
Is That Oil Good to Use for Acne?
Comedogenic or Non-Comedogenic? Is That Oil Good to Use for Acne? There are many oils to choose from when it comes to getting clear skin but it is very important to know which ones are best. Choosing these oils carefully really matters especially if you suffer from comedonal acne, a form of acne caused by...
The Benefits and Properties of Lavender
Lavender has been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians for purification, protection against disease, and for its aromatic qualities. In fact, lavender essential oil is the most used essential oil in the world, and for good reason. Lavender is an unassuming yet powerful herb that helps fight anxiety, insomnia, depression, and the effects...
How to Treat Hormonal Acne Naturally
How to Treat Hormonal Acne Naturally - The Hormonal Dilemma. For those of us suffering from hormonal acne, treatment can be pretty frustrating. This is because the resulting acne can be caused by a number of different factors making it difficult to pinpoint which underlying cause is responsible. When you have hormonal acne, It doesn’t...
How to Make an Herbal Decoction
Learning how to make an herbal decoction is a useful skill when dealing with tough roots, herbs that don’t contain volatile oils or herbs that need a bit more coaxing to release their medicinal components. They make handy preparations when children or animals need herbal remedies since it’s difficult for them to sit still or...
How to Make an Herbal Infusion
Since the beginnings of herbal medicine, cultures around the world have favored tisanes and decoctions as their predominant form of medicinal extraction. It has been only recently (the past 100 or so years) that herbal medicine, in the hopes up keeping up with Western pharmacology, began emphasizing the formulation and use of alcohol and glycerin...
Natural Aspirin Blemish Treatment
Aspirin masks have been popular for years as an effective acne treatment. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it’s helped many control their breakouts - even deep cystic blemishes. However, aspirin, as we know it today, is synthetic, contains unnatural chemicals, and is unrecognizable to the body. The conventional aspirin you can find at the pharmacy...
Homemade Skin Brightening Mask
Summer brings tans. Summer also brings hyperpigmentation. Although some people are more prone to getting skin discolorations from frequent sun exposure than others, it’s still good to have a trick or two up one’s sleeve to fix it when it happens. That's where a good vitamin C mask comes in handy. Brighter Skin with Vitamin...
The Best Tea for Restful Sleep
The summer heat has rolled in and for me, that means less restful sleep! Nothing short of running the air at night brings much relief (although I do have a fan that works really well), but that can be quite expensive even after just a few days. The summer also seems to be a time...
2 Ingredient at Home Microdermabrasion
If you’ve ever gone to get microdermabrasion done, then you know it costs an arm and a leg and maybe even your first born child to get great results. This stuff’s not cheap by any means, but boy is it worth it! When I discovered microdermabrasion about 6 years ago, I was in rapture! My...
The Benefits and Properties of Echinacea
Echinacea has been one of my favorite herbs for supporting the immune system during cold and flu season. Its ability to stimulate the white blood cells in order to fight off infection and viruses is second to none, making it one of my must-have herbs to have on hand in my herbal medicine cabinet. I...
Natural Home Remedies for Acne Scars
Acne scars are probably one of the most annoying side effects of having acne because it could literally be years since your last breakout and still, the acne scars remain! I know perfectly well how THAT feels, and I’m sure many of you do too. So how do you treat acne scars without all the...
How to Make a Cooling Peppermint Hydrosol
Peppermint is one of my favorite herbs. It’s fragrant, delicious, offers great soothing topical and internal medicine, and makes a wonderful cooling hydrosol that’s perfect for the summer heat. The Perfect Floral Water for Summer - Cooling Peppermint Hydrosol Making hydrosols is pretty easy granted you have a few simple kitchen tools: • A large...
It's Getting Hot! Citrus Herbal Lemon Water Recipe
Since the Summer Solstice, it’s been getting rather toasty here in LA. The chilly June Gloomy mornings are beginning to get dry and hot and I’ve begun my twice a day watering routine for my little garden. Everything green is getting thirsty which reminds me that I am too! What better way to survive the...
The Benefits of Treating Acne Naturally - A Little Story
Why Bother Treating Acne Naturally? Have you ever stopped to wonder why you would want to let go of conventional methods for treating acne? What about easy ways to get rid of acne for good? I know I have in the past. I simply couldn’t grasp how anything natural could possibly work better than my...
How to Remove Blackheads Naturally
Don’t you just hate blackheads? They never seem to go away for long and can be a bit of an obsession for some people. But let me just say, unless you’ve got really dark, really large blackheads, chances are other people don’t even notice them. That doesn’t mean they still don’t drive you nuts! I...
Why You Should Never Use Toothpaste for Acne
One morning I woke up and suddenly became really aware of my appearance. I looked in the mirror and saw an angry, inflamed spot right in the middle of my face that was painful, red, and very hard to miss, even for a 12-year-old tomboy who was used to dirt, scabs, bumps, and bruises. Somehow,...