Name: Common Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris 
​(etymology: Artemisia from Ancient Greek "ἀρτεμισία" or "Artemis the goddess"; vulgaris from Latin "common")
Family: Asteraceae 
Parts Used: aerial parts (leaves before flower for digestive support & antiparasitic activity; leafs, flowers, & seed heads after flowering for dreamwork); roots (fall harvest)
Actions: antibacterial, antispasmodic, bitter, carminative, diaphoretic emmenagogue, mild nervine, vermifuge
Uses: Mugwort should be considered for those who:
- Deal with physical imbalances rooted in coldness, stuck-ness, stagnation
- Want to explore shadow and/or dream work.
Physically, Mugwort is a heater and a mover. Its warming nature is especially beneficial in bringing blood flow and nourishment to the lower organs: kidneys, gallbladder, liver, stomach, and reproductive organs. Moxabustion, the practice of applying a special preparation of dried Mugwort to certain meridian points, is commonly used in TCM used to dispel cold, strengthen Yang-Qi, remove stasis of the blood, and dissipate stagnation (PSA: if you deal with chronic constipation, try Moxa on your Stomach 36 acupressure point with a trained professional or someone you trust!)

Mugwort, a close sister to Wormwood, carries a few properties that make it excellent for expelling pathogens (vermifuge) and revving up digestion (digestive stimulant). As a bitter, it's filled with compounds used traditionally to not only increases stomach acid and bile secretion, but also expel parasites and return homeostasis to the microbiome. Its astringent and drying nature also helps combat diarrhea often associated food poisoning or parasitic infections. As a antibacterial carminative, it also soothes gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort.

Mugwort might have the most notoriety for its use in the dream world, where its been used for ages to help individuals connect with the subconscious/preconscious layers of themselves that often come out when we sleep. Mugwort has been used to induce lucid dreams, improve memory of dreams, or help one gain meaningful insight into dreams so they can integrate them into their waking life. Smoking a blend of Mugwort, taking the flower essence, drinking a weak tea, or simply putting a fresh sprig under your pillow can all induce these very real actions. 

Form:  Tincture: 5-20 drops 2-3x/day or before meals; Infusion:  Steep 1 tsp. dried herb in one cup boiling water, drink 2-3 times/day; Smoke blend: mix with lung tonics like Mullein and Marshmallow & smoke before bed to calm and prep for stellar dream work or to sooth tight, boggy lungs; Flower Essence: 1 df before bed for calming dream work

Contraindications/Cautions: Not recommended for pregnant (abortifacient qualities due to stimulating/moving nature) or nursing women or those with known allergies to Aster family plants ​

Stress. What a loaded concept! We throw around this word all the time.

"I’m stressed out.  Work/my partner is really stressing me out.  I’m stressed that I’ll miss my flight. " etc. etc. 

The world is demanding, so of course we feel & talk about this sensation a lot. 

It’s important to understand what stress is, how it’s affecting the body, & why we are wired the way we are. If you don’t understand these concepts, it will be near impossible to thrive in an otherwise unbearably stressful modern world.
​
Plus, as Herbalists it’s beautiful to see how many herbs provide the vitamins & minerals necessary to support a body under stress

1. Protein - proteins are made of amino acids, and amino acids are the building blocks of our hormones, neurotransmitters, muscle, and connective tissue - this means if you want good hormone function and muscle definition, eat your protein! You should be getting the equivalent of your ideal body weight in grams per day. So if your goal is 130 lbs, see if you can consume 130 g of protein daily. Learning this was a bit of a shock to me because I was eating way below this regularly. When I even marginally increased my protein intake (and supported it with digestive enzymes*), I noticed better tone and muscle growth despite keeping my exercise the same. 

High protein-foods also stimulate thermogenesis, which is the body’s process of generating heat by burning fat cells. Plus, higher protein diets means more satiety (because it boosts leptin sensitivity) and less bloat.
*Increasing protein intake suddenly might leave you feeling heavy as a rock if you haven’t addressed your stomach acid and digestive enzyme levels.  

2. Matcha - Camellia sinensis in all her forms (green tea, white tea, matcha) also stimulates thermogenesis  due to its high concentration of caffeine and catechins. This means you burn fat more efficiently. Green tea also helps regulate blood sugar, and high blood sugar is very stressful to the body. I love Matcha with coconut cream in the afternoon. It gives me clean energy, cuts cravings for a coffee and cookie (which almost always leaves me feeling shaky and headache-y), and I’ve found it helps me have a 2nd bowel movement - something I was never able to do.

 3. Ginger - Zingiber officinale is another thermogenesis-stimulating herb with an affinity for improving digestive function. This means that Ginger’s benefits are two-fold: better, more efficient digestion means less bloat and more satiation; thermogenesis means more efficient burning of fat for energy! I love a cup of hot ginger tea with meals to improve my digestion and metabolism.
  
4. Spicy peppers - hot spicy foods like chili, cayenne, jalapeno, and paprika all warm the digestive system, improving digestion and stimulating - you guessed it! - thermogenesis. For digestion to be thorough and efficient, it must be warm. Many of us in the Western world have a Cold and Damp diet according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. This means that foods aren’t always completely broken down, leading to stagnation, congestion, and down-right clogged and inflamed sensations. Incorporating spicy foods brings circulation and warmth to the gut.
  
5. Apples and apple cider vinegar - there’s a reason using hot vinegar to clean a crusty casserole dish is so effective; vinegar has the same effect in the body! A shot of ACV (2 tbsp, 4 oz water, lemon and/or honey to taste) is like giving your insides a good scrub-down. As a result of living in a toxic world, we tend to accumulate toxins. Oftentimes, it’s this ambiguous and compounded crud clogging up our drainage and detox pathways that make us feel fat and inflamed. I’ve found that having a shot of ACV first thing in the morning and again in the afternoon can really have an astounding effect on my mood, alertness, and sense of clarity. Apples are similarly incredible. Joel Greene points out that apple skins are the ultimate food source for Akkermansia, that beneficial bacteria that makes metabolism super efficient. Apples also contain lots of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. Just be sure you are eating fruit before a meal, and always go for organic and low-sugar varieties like Granny Smith - new varieties of conventional apples are sometimes just delivery mechanisms for pesticides and un-naturally boosted sugars.

6. Artichokes and artichoke leaf tea - this may be the most under-appreciated vegetable. The immature bud of the Cynara scolymus plant is a food while the leaves are a powerful remedy for high blood sugar and cranky livers. Both the food and herb are known to help normalize lipids. The very bitter leaf is an incredible cholagogue, improving bile flow for more efficient digestion and assimilation of fats. I’ve found the touch of artichoke leaf in our Healing Harvest tea to be an excellent companion to a meal.
  
7. All things Coconut - every part of the coconut can be part of a robust, balanced diet. The oil and butter are rich in medium-chained triglycerides which offer an immediate source of fuel (unlike other fats) but don’t cause a blood sugar spike (unlike many carbs). Adding coconut cream or milk, or blending oil into my morning coffee allows me to decrease my feeding window while not causing me to crash or fall out of ketosis. Coconut water is rich in electrolytes for very efficient hydration, and the flour is rich in fiber and a great gluten-free substitute. I’ll commonly make cookies with a blend of coconut and pumpkin seed flour for a low-carb, high energy snack. Check out our Cocoa-kies recipe.

 8. Grapefruit - there’s just something about eating half a grapefruit that leaves me feeling clean and rejuvenated. Grapefruits have a fascinating chemistry that works on the phases of liver detox while also helping to reduce insulin and increase metabolism. I love to add a splash to my morning ACV shot, or to snack on a half after dinner.

 9. Dandelion greens- Taraxacum officinale translates to “the official remedy for disorders”, implying that this is a plant you want on your team. All parts of Dandelion from the roots to the flower have been used for centuries as both medicine in food. Each part of the plant as a unique gift to offer, but the greens are especially great for cleaning up a sluggish, congested digestive system. Dandelion greens are incredibly bitter, indicating their use as a cholagogue for dredging bile from the liver and gallbladder. They also have a potent redox-antioxidant capacity which means they protect the liver from toxins.  Their potassium-sparing diuretic action means they help remove retained water and inflammation, giving your drainage pipes a little reboot every time you eat them. 

10. Adaptogens - I saved the best for last. For the modern human with multiple stressors ranging from environmental to dietary and emotional, leaning on the helping hand of adaptogens is a wise decision. Adaptogens are like personal trainers for your stress response - while you might not be able to change the stress all around you, you can change the way you respond to them. This is where adaptogens play a fascinating role. They are unique and renowned in their ability to re-regulate our regulatory systems like metabolism, detoxification, and hormone balance by acting on the HPA axis (remember that complex communication network that connects the brain to the body?). While all adaptogens have this unique trait in common, each is different and in my opinion, always works better when combined with other supportive herbs. We use adaptogens in formula in many of our products. My go-to is Rally - it’s got calming, warming Ashwagandha, nourishing Shatavari, and grounding Reishi to start my day off in the right state of mind. ​

'This is more of a folk style recipe, requiring more eyeballing than measuring, so tap into your inner kitchen witch and get cookin'!

Add 1 quart of freshly harvested elderberries and 1/3 c of filtered water to a pot. Bring to a gentle boil then quickly reduce to a simmer (uncovered) for about 15 minutes, until the berries are very soft and your house is fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool a bit before adding to a food processor or blender (this is an extra step that I think really kicks the flavor and medicine up a notch). Blend well and then strain out the seeds and stems using a sieve or colander over a bowl. Compost the solids and add the purple liquid back to the pot along with ~2 tbsp fresh or ground ginger and 10 green cardamom pods. Bring back to a simmer and reduce by half, about 15-20 min. Remove from heat and strain out the ginger and cardamom directly into a measuring glass,
At this point, you want to measure the reduced juice so you can add equal parts of honey*. Mix well and let cool completely before bottling. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months. Take 1-2 tbsp throughout the day at the first sign of a cold.

Oral health is an untapped field in the holistic health and wellness world, but your mouth really is a litmus test for the health of your total body. Chronically inflamed gums? You might wanna look at your cardiovascular health. Horrible halitosis (bad breath)? You 100% have a dysbiosis in your gut. Scalloped tongue? Your body is yearning for alteratives and a diet change-up. We've got a whole workshop going through oral health from an herbalist's perspective, but for now, read on about why we are selling our herby tooth powder.

Echinacea, Echinacea angustifolia
Taste/Energetics: cooling, pungent, stimulating
Actions: alterative, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immune stimulant, sialagogue, vulnerary
Echinacea root is one of our favorite remedies for dry mouth, bad breath, or inflamed gums. It’s powerful sialagogue action encourages salivary flow which moistens the mouth and bathes it in infection-fighting moisture. It’s a vulnerary, healing wounds in the mouth, and a gentle immune stimulant and alterative, improve the overall function of the immune and lymph systems. 

Cinnamon, Cassia cinnamomum
Taste/Energetics: warming, drying, pungent, sweet
Actions: analgesic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, carminative, circulatory stimulant, styptic 
With it’s spicy sweet anti-inflammatory and astringent action, Cinnamon was made for the mouth. We love it for its ability to: tone and tighten inflamed gums; get that nourishing blood flowing; promote breath freshness, and resolve microbial imbalances in the mouth

Clove, Syzygium aromaticum 
Taste/Energetics: pungent, spicy, hot, dry
Actions: anesthetic (topically), analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial anti-oxidant, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, expectorant
People have been chewing on Clove buds to ease toothaches for centuries - Clove’s pleasantly aromatic, spicy taste and pain-relieving nature lends itself beautifully to  any oral routine.

Baking soda
Did you know that every time you eat, you are de-mineralizing your teeth? Your body necessarily tells your mouth to create an acidic environment in order to aid the digestive process (this is why sticking to 3 square meals and not snacking is a very good habit for your teeth!). Baking soda is highly alkaline and therefore encourages a healthy pH, supports beneficial bacteria, and protects your enamel from decay. Plus it’s known to whiten teeth! On its own it can be a bit abrasive, so we’ve balanced it with other herbs to make it a-okay for moderate daily use. 

Xylitol
This sugar alcohol is known for its abilities to reduce cavity-causing bacteria and freshen the breath. We add just enough to get the benefits without going overboard on the sweetness ​

We don't have babies yet, but we have many in our community carrying on the incredible role of being a mother. While having children is a gift, it certainly comes with its struggles of the body and mind. That's why we created this tea - to nurture the mother after delivery, supporting her physical and emotional body. Postpartum is a speck of time unlike any other, and with this tea we hope to augment the good and celebrate the creation of life! Read on to learn more about the herbs in Post-partea! *

​***BONUS: this tea will nourish expecting mothers, too! All the herbs in Post-Partea are Class 1, meaning herbs that can be safely consumed with no identified concerns during pregnancy or nursing.

​ Insulin issues are the name of the 21st century disease game. At the current diagnosis rate, 1/3rd  of all children will have Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is essentially accelerated aging due to increased oxidation from excess glucose in the blood; at this rate, we are priming a whole generation to lead a disease-riddled, expensive life. Not only does diabetes profoundly inhibit health, but it is also seriously expensive. Yearly, an individual will spend $13,700 and our country will spend $825 billion just to ameliorate the effects of a 99.99999% preventable disease (Harvard Chan School of Public Health, 2016).
 
Insulin resistance is the precursor to Type 2 diabetes, and 25% of the non-diabetic population are unknowingly insulin resistant (and 25% will go on to develop full-blown Type 2 diabetes). We need insulin to tell our cells how to deliver glucose out of the bloodstream and into tissue so it can be utilized for energy. The conversion of food to energy is foundational to life; when the body loses the ability to do this task correctly, a domino effect of disease ensues. This is why insulin resistance (also known as Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X) and diabetes are always accompanied by co-morbidities: neuro-degeneration, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, polycystic ovarian syndrome, cancer, etc. The underlying biochemical defect of all these chronic degenerative diseases is all the same: decreased sensitivity to insulin signaling.
 
So why does our body stop responding to insulin? It’s a combination of things- mainly sugar, processed foods and trans fats (the two go hand-in-hand), stress, and lack of exercise. Obviously, there is a lot of this in the modern world, and some individuals are more susceptible than others. When insulin signaling gets disrupted and excess glucose remains in the blood instead of being transported to the appropriate places, our internal environment shifts to a disordered state. The pancreas will begin secreting larger amounts of insulin to overcome to the lack of insulin signaling. So now, there is more than enough insulin in the blood but the cells simply can’t get the message because of all the misplaced glucose.
 
All that glucose floating around in our blood stream eventually oxidizes, clunking up our vessels and jeopardizing circulation. Think crusty bread- the same reaction that forms crust on bread forms clunks in our blood: the excess sugar molecules react with the proteins in our blood to form clunky, gloopy advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) which are seriously bad news. They stress our body out, contributing to further inflammation and stress and screwing up blood flow.
 
There is great biochemical diversity among individuals, so some folks can maintain this hyperinsulinemic (“excessive insulin”) state for a while without developing diabetes, while others develop it immediately. Folks with Syndrome X will have a cluster of signs and symptoms: abdominal fat, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, depressed HDL (“good” cholesterol), cognitive decline, poor circulation, etc. With excess glucose in the blood, the body goes into an alarm state because it knows that glucose isn’t supposed to be there. The body’s alarm state is inflammation. It starts firing off inflammatory cytokines (chemical messengers), tipping our bodies further and further in the direction of disorder and disease. It’s a vicious cycle and the one spinning the wheel is us. Our unfit lifestyle and dietary habits are fueling the diabetic fires.
 
When you tally all the potential pain and expense you’ll be sparing yourself by making some simple yet effective lifestyle modifications, the answer is easy: do it! You can reverse diabetes and Syndrome X- it will take time and effort, lots of vegetables, herbs, and exercise, but your renewed vigor and figure will outshine your longing for simple, refined sugars. When you start eliminating sugar and processed foods and then go back to them, you will be amazed by how excessively sweet they taste. We must shift our bodies back to states of efficient metabolism, smooth digestion, and clean elimination. It is our responsibility on earth to take care of our bodies.
 
There is a simple formula to re-sensitize our bodies to that ever-important chemical, insulin. You can follow these recommendations as closely or loosely as you’d like, depending on your degree of insulin resistance:

THE MILKY WAY- Gently heat 8-12 oz of your favorite milk in a saucepan. We like raw cow's milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, or hemp milk for this. You want the milk very hot but not simmering (if you overheat raw milk, it deactivates all the goodies inside). Meanwhile, add 1 tsp of Gold Dust to a mug. Pour the hot milk over the Gold Dust. Add 1/2 tsp maple syrup, honey or agave. Use a hand frother and froth to perfection (alternatively, mix it up in a blender). Top with a dollop of whipped heavy cream or coconut cream and a cinnamon sprinkle. Enjoy in place of coffee, as an afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner dessert.

THE ATHLETE- Bring 8-12 oz of filtered water to a simmer in a saucepan. Meanwhile, add 1 tsp of Gold Dust to a mug. Cover with simmered water, 1 scoop collagen (coupon code #OCEANLOVE for 10% off!), 1 tsp coconut oil, coconut butter, or MCT oil. Use a hand frother and froth to perfection (alternatively, mix it up in a blender). Top with a pinch of cayenne and cinnamon. Enjoy after a workout or to nourish you on busy mornings.

THE COLD SHOULDER- Mix 2 tsp of Gold Dust and 1 tsp honey or maple syrup in ~1/4 c very hot filtered water until completely incorporated. Add 12 oz of your favorite cold milk (we like almond or coconut for this). Blend up with some ice and enjoy on a sunny day.

All images from Creative Commons Flickr; Steve, Heather, Utilisima, Sh.fernando, cpmkutty, Kata Tolgyesi.