Introduction to Herbalism and Herbal Preparations

Learn how herbal energetics and tissue states interact with constitution and homeostasis to balance hot and cold states, moisture levels, and tissue tone using warming, cooling, drying, and astringent herbs.

Explore plant constituents and groups—tannins, essential oils, saponins, and flavonoids—and how environment and plant parts shape their actions. Learn dosing considerations and how these compounds relate to pharmaceuticals.

discover common herbal actions and their constituents, including adaptogens, alternatives, astringents, and bitters. learn how these actions support digestion, elimination, and liver function with practical cautions.

Explore how to prepare herbs through infusions, decoctions, tinctures, syrups, infused honey, and oils, tailoring methods to minerals or mucilage content, with essential prep tools.

Master water based herbal preparations by making hot, long, and cold infusions and decoctions, learn optimal steep times, temperatures, mucilage considerations, shelf life, and dosing.

Explore topical water based herbal preparations, including baths, steams, compresses, and pulses, using infusions or decoctions, with safety tips and remedies for skin and muscle relief.

Learn to make tinctures, glycerites, vinegars, and oils using alcohol or other solvents, with maceration, the fork method, two infusion methods, and practical dosing and shelf-life guidance.

Learn to make external topicals such as salves, ointments, and balms, oil-based with varying wax content, and explore creams, lotions, and liniments, plus labeling, storage, and safe application.

rosemary delivers warming and drying energetics and acts as a nerve stimulant. historically enhances memory and cognition, supports hair growth and digestion, and provides antioxidant antimicrobial preservation.

Lavender is a cool to warm, drying herb with anti spasmodic and antiseptic properties, used for gas, bloating, anxiety, and headaches, with 1–2 ml or 30 drops and tea dosing.

Explore mint's versatile profile, including its warming and cooling energetics, anti spasmodic and analgesic effects, and uses for IBS, respiratory relief, and tasty tea or tincture preparations.

Lemon balm is a cooling, drying herb rich in volatile oils that eases anxiety, supports digestion, provides antiviral benefits, and aids memory and focus, used as tea or tincture.

Explore thyme’s warming, antimicrobial, and anti-spasmodic properties that ease respiratory and digestive spasms. Learn practical preparations and dosages—tea, infusion, oxy meal, tincture—with safety notes for pregnancy, high blood pressure, and epilepsy.

Catnip, a mint family herb, relaxes nerves, soothes digestion, and helps with insomnia and anxiety as an anti-spasmodic tea or tincture.

Explore cinnamon, a warming bark-based herb from the laurie sai family, with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, astringent, and blood sugar-regulating properties, used to support digestion and circulation.

Explore ginger's antiemetic and anti spasmodic properties, its warming digestive benefits, and its use in tea, juicing, and topical applications.

Garlic acts as an antimicrobial, fighting bacteria and fungal infections, aiding wound healing and circulatory health, while noting digestion sensitivity, blood pressure considerations, and infused oil or garlic honey options.

Explore camomile’s calming, anti-anxiety and anti-spasmodic properties, its apple-scented flowers and digestive support, plus wound healing uses and cautions for pregnancy, blood thinners, and daisy-family allergies.