top of page

Dry Herbs

BURDOCK

Arctium lappa

The roots are sweet, moistening, nourishing, and delicious sauteed with some sesame oil. After the decoction sits out exposed to air, it turns turquoise! Burdock is magic. The plant itself is absolutely gorgeous! Soft hairs like downy white fur on the underside of these massive soft wavy leaves… Purple and pink and green, and so so pretty!


Burdock root provides powerful nourishment and feels deeply grounding. Another multivitamin plant, with a very high mineral and nutrient content. It is rich in iron, zinc, protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins, and vitamin A and C. The roots contain a lot of inulin and fiber, which feeds our gut flora. If you want to make your beneficial gut bacteria really happy, drink burdock!!!

The root is eaten as a main food through Asia, both raw and cooked. The root contains volatile oils, lignans, polysaccharides, phytosterols, tannins, flavonoids, and amino acids.


Burdock is incredibly soothing and anti-inflammatory to the intestines and whole digestive system. It is also one of the best plants to reduce inflammation through the whole body, heal the digestive system, and strengthen almost all of our organs. It may be the best healing plant for the digestive system.

Burdock is cleansing to the gut as a gentle laxative, and increases the health of the intestines, liver, pancreas, and intestinal mucous membranes. Burdock helps speed waste elimination and encourage tissue healing. It helps to block toxins from entering the body, and is great plant for food poisoning or any exposure to toxins that might have occurred (even better mixed with marshmallow root, available in store too!) The mucilage and fiber binds to heavy metals and chemical toxins, clearing them out through the intestines. The roots are healing and soothing to inflamed tissue in the lungs, healing and strengthening the bronchioles from respiratory infections.


Burdock is a powerful adaptogen, helping to lower our stress response, balance our endocrine/hormonal system, and regulate metabolism. It is also an amazingly restorative tonic for the kidneys and adrenals. Grounding and strengthening to the whole being, burdock lowers stress and anxiety. I find it to be very calming and soothing, and very useful for trauma/high emotions. Burdock is also a very grounding root.


It is building and modulating to the immune system, and helpful in preventing infections. It helps the body eliminate waste efficiently, strengthening the body’s filtration systems (kidneys, liver, and skin). Cleansing to the blood, lymph, and fluids. You often see skin conditions clear with burdock. It helps to sooth eruptive skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Burdock is one of the best anti-cancer and anti-tumor plants we have. Helpful for diabetes and balancing blood sugar levels, especially when skin conditions like eczema are also present.


The very bitter leaves can be used externally for headaches, painful joints, swelling, and wound healing. The leaves are very soothing to inflammation in the joints, and helps reduce the pain of arthritis. The seeds are wonderful for the kidneys and urinary tract. 

OAT STRAW

Avena sativa - Poaceae/Grass family

Oat straw is sweet green milk💚.


Sipping on oat straw infusions is like drinking the breast milk of Mama Earth. I can feel my cells shout in joy and relief when I drink oat straw. Oat straw is a powerful multivitamin plant, deeply nourishing to all of our cells and tissues. The grass is very high in minerals and vitamins such as silica, iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium, protein, B vitamins, phosphorus, chromium, and vitamins A and C. 

The B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium help to soothe and strengthen the nerves, and restore health to the tissues of our musculoskeletal system. Oats are very well known for nourishing and rebuilding the nervous system. Alkaloids, flavonoids, and phytosterols (plant hormones) in the milky tops and straws of the plant are especially strengthening and calming to the nerves. Oats help to ease tension in the body and nerves as a gentle antispasmodic. It is especially calming when there is burnout, overwhelm, irritability, high stress, fear, and anxiety. Oats also balances and nourish the endocrine system and help to regulate hormones, which can cause emotional waves.


Oat straw is one of the most soothing plants for emotional pain, heartbreak, and grief. It is very supportive in easing depression and chronic anxiety. I often reach out to Oat straw when there has been an emergency of any kind. When you are in shock, grief, or panic and can’t eat, drink some oat straw. Oat straw can help ease trauma held as pain and tension in the body, supporting us in feeling safe and grounded in ourselves. Oats are also a gentle heart tonic, helpful for heart palpitations and relieving the effects of stress and trauma on the heart. It also helps to lower cholesterol and supports the health of our blood vessels.


Oat straw feels so soft and sweet going down… It is moistening and lubricates the tissues of the body, including the vagina, the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, and the respiratory tract. Very soothing and nourishing to the skin, it eases skin irritations, rashes, and inflammation, and helps cool heat. Oats are anti-inflammatory and lubricating to the joints, including the spine. Many people say that Oats help to restore vitality, libido, and energy levels. I definitely find oats feel like one of the most healing and restorative allies we have!


“As the tall oat plant which sways and dances gracefully with the changing winds yet remains firmly rooted and grounded in the Earth, so too will those who take oat’s medicine. By strengthening and soothing nerves, balancing endocrine function, and nourishing the immune system, oat straw fosters physical, mental, and emotional strength and resilience.” (Berger, 1998)

Roasted Dandelion Root

Dandelion: (Taraxacum officinale)


Sweetheart dandelion. Dandelions have provided food for so many people for thousands of years, including during WWII when cities were bombed and there was little food. People survived by eating dandelions that grew in the rubble. Dandelion teaches us how to find nourishment in difficult environments. It is a plant that has received such high amounts of toxins from herbicides sprayed on lawns (this breaks my heart completely). And yet, it keeps thriving. We often see them pushing up through concrete sidewalks. I am in awe of dandelion.

The whole plant is edible and medicinal…The leaves are high in iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B Complex, C, and D. It is higher in vitamin A than any garden plant known. The roots contain 45% inulin, mucilage, acids (antioxidant and immune stimulating), flavonoids (antioxidant), and taraxasterol (an anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-balancing phytosterol). Basically, dandelions are a powerhouse. The high inulin content feeds the healthy bacteria in your intestines, and the gentle bitter action helps to stimulate digestive juices. Dandelion is a great tonic for the organs of the digestive system. It is a restorative herb for the gallbladder, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Because it strengthens the organs of elimination (kidneys and liver), dandelion is great for blood and fluid cleansing. It helps to eliminate waste from the body, excellent mixed with burdock for spring cleansing!


Dandelions are well known restorative liver tonic, cleansing toxins such as heavy metals and plastics from the body. It is healing for cirrhosis, and hepatitis, and prevents liver failure. Very helpful for those who have had long-term addictions that have damaged the liver, and eases the side effects of prescription medications, drugs, and chemical exposures.


Dandelion is balanced to blood sugar and used all over the world to manage diabetes. As a kidney/bladder tonic and diuretic, dandelion reduces swelling and water retention. Since it is very cleansing to the fluids and detoxifying to the body, it can ease painful/inflamed joints, often combined with burdock for arthritis. Dandelion supports the body in eliminating waste and helps to cleanse the lymphatic system, which carries waste out of the body. As waste and toxins are released from the body, our skin naturally starts to clear! Dandelion is hormone and endocrine system balancing, mostly through supporting the liver in breaking down excess hormones (such as excessively high levels of estrogen or testosterone).


Dandelion is a powerful anti-cancer and anti-tumor ally, as it strengthens the liver and lymphatic system, clearing toxins and waste from the body that could possibly cause damage. Dandelion is immune strengthening, and helps you feel like a joyful warrior, like the dandelion itself!

bottom of page