When I look out over my yard and see those sunny flower heads and toothy green leaves, I don’t see a nuisance; I see free nutrient-rich food. All parts of the dandelion are edible from their sweet and fragile blooms that make a delightful mead-like wine, to their slightly bitter tender early-spring greens, to the inulin-rich carrot-like late-fall roots. Working with the fresh plant is quite rewarding, but as you can see, not all parts of the dandelion are in-season year round.

Dandelion is one of my favorite herbs for so many reasons. Not only is this herb full of medicinal qualities, it also possesses an incredible tenacity. I can only dream of having the vim and vigor of this wild and weedy green ally. For me, dandelion says, “Eat me and grow!” Don’t mind if I do.

We have made it through a month of exploring flaxseeds and the role they can play in our health. From constipation to hormone regulation to blood pressure, these humble little seeds pack a lot of nourishing power!

Now that we know more about them, it’s time to find ways to bring them into our regular diet.

The easiest way to do this is to freshly grind your flaxseeds and stir them into what you’re eating. Smoothies, soups, oatmeal, salads, and salad dressings work well. You can also use flaxseeds in place of breadcrumbs in your recipes or make a breading with a base of flaxseeds for cooking fish, chicken, vegetables, or whatever you want to add breading to.

Most of us are aware that our blood pressure is one measure of our physical health and that there is such a thing as too high and too low. We also know that there are two numbers to consider and that 120/80 is considered a good reading. But many of us are pretty in the dark beyond this cursory information. Since blood pressure is something we hear a lot about and is often measured at doctor appointments, let’s explore this topic a bit more.

Have you heard about seed cycling yet?

Funnily enough, I haven’t seen very much about this powerful yet gentle way to balance your hormones on social media. I first heard about this nutritional therapy via one of my professors in medical school, Dr. Dickson Thom. Since then, I’ve used it successfully for myself and many patients. Those who use this method of balancing their hormones will enthusiastically defend it against nay-sayers and tell me about it afterwards. When you have struggled with irregular periods, low libido, PMS, and painful periods; anything that helps is very appreciated. Knowing what we do about flax seeds and fiber in general, we can see that seed cycling holds a whole host of benefits in addition to influencing our hormones. Let’s explore more shall we?

We begin our journey with herbs this year with the humble flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum).

This plant was one of the first domesticated by humans and has been used since the stone age (1). The fibers have long been spun into linen and the seeds have been used both as food and for the oil which makes up about 33% of the seed’s mass (2). Aged flaxseed oil is also known as linseed oil. One might assume that there isn’t much to write about this humble little seed, but you would be mistaken.

Herbal medicine making can seem complex at times, but I hope to convince you otherwise. Herbal medicine is people’s medicine, and you can make gentle and effective remedies for yourself from plants growing voluntarily in your yard, plants you find at the grocery store, and plants that you choose to grow in your garden whether that is on a farm or in your window sill. You are probably already familiar with herbs such as garlic, cinnamon, basil, and ginger. Your kitchen collection of herbs and spices is rich with medicinal benefits!

Meeting Elder:

Sambucus nigrans also known as elder is my favorite medicine to use as an immune tonic.  The berries are rich in antioxidants and balance your immune system particularly against viruses.  I think of elderberry syrup as my flu shot especially in years when the shot has lower effectiveness. 

Besides the berries, the flowers also have many benefits.  Used as a tea or tincture, they are great for nasal irritation, sinusitis, and fevers with hot/dry skin (1).  Used as a flower essence, elder flower is for “Integration of the shadow side.  Elderflower can help us come to terms with the dark side that is within us all.  It gives a sense of protection as we face this fearful challenge and promotes a deeper understanding and acceptance of the self” (2).  The plant as a whole is cooling and drying with sour berries and bitter flowers.