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I became familiar with Slippery Elm through mass marketed lozenges and teas, all marketed to sore throats. It is an amazing tree that gifts us medicine through its inner bark. (Herbalist fact: whenever you see barks or root barks being used as herbal medicine, it's likely indigenous wisdom incorporated into western herbalism (which has its roots in Europe).It's what herbalists call a demulcent (which tends to have natural sweetness and moistening properties- perfect for dry sore throats!). It is also so very soothing for upset stomachs and people with ulcers, and many take it powdered with hot water and make...

Gift giving season is upon us, and Have Herbs has some unique items for your consideration! Haven Herbs does our best to purchase herbs locally from farms we know and trust. This not only makes more potent remedies, body care, and tonics for our customers, but it stimulates the local economy, eliminates dependence on fossil fuels, and also focuses on bioregional herbalism- global capitalism has us convinced we can get anything, from anywhere, at any time with a click of the button. But it is good for us, the planet, and our communities? Not really. So reliance on what grows...

Haven Herbs is keenly aware that the vast majority of the body care items made for US markets is toxic. Toxic ingredients, banned elsewhere, are used to cheapen formulas and to do jobs that our bodies do not actually need to stay healthy.Today, we'll discuss deodorant and anti-perspirant and what is wrong with them- and why Haven decided that making effective, natural, and clean alternatives was so important. The physiology: Two types of sweat glands saturate your underarms. The eccrine glands produce sweat, which escapes through pores on the skin's surface. The apocrine glands merge with hair follicles under the surface. Fluids...

In part one of this blog series, we talked about some of the problems in essential oil advertising and marketing- and who perpetuates this problem (MLM companies like DoTerra and Young Living, among others) online and through miseducation of their sales reps. In EO Safety Part Two, we also talked about the only safe ways to use essential oils- inhalation (in myriad ways) and DILUTED topical application (in myriad ways). No other method is safe or advisable (especially for laypeople without the case management of a certified aromatherapist or herbalist).In this part of EO Safety, we are gong to say yes!...

As an herbalist trained in the use of botanical medicine, I am often floored and upset by the ways people tell me that they have used essential oils. And I am infuriated when they tell me that what they learned is all over the internet or that an MLM sales rep (not trained in biochemistry) tells them to use them in an unsafe way.Frankly, there are many memes like this one from Young Living, DoTerra and other unscrupulous brands that are unsafe and wrong:How many ways is this meme suggesting things that are unsafe? Let's see.. wrong population and oil...