Sacred Ground Herbals

11/01/2025

Before Halloween, there was Samhain, the Celtic New Year.

A sacred threshold between worlds, when the veil thins and the ancestors draw near.

This was not a night of fear, but of reverence. A time to honor death as part of life, to release what has served its purpose and to welcome the dark season as a teacher, not a threat.

The hearth fires burned bright while the world outside grew still. Offerings were made for those who came before. The air carried the scent of earth, smoke and evergreen, symbols of protection, remembrance and the promise of return.

Those who kept these observances held close a quiet wisdom: that every ending carries within it the seed of new beginnings.

Samhain calls us back to that knowing. To walk gently with nature’s rhythm, to listen, to let go and to begin again.

✨ Samhain Spirit Tea ✨

A beautiful tea for honoring ancestors, opening intuition and welcoming the new year with warmth and courage.

🌱 1 tsp mugwort - for dreamwork, intuition and connection to the unseen
🌱 1 tsp elderberries - for protection and vitality
🌱 1 tsp hawthorn berries - to open and protect the heart
🌱 1/2 tsp rosemary - for remembrance and clarity
🌱 1/2 tsp orange peel - for brightness and renewal
🌱 1/4tsp cinnamon chips - for warmth and grounding
🌱 A touch of honey or maple syrup to sweeten what’s been and welcome what’s to come. This tea is so delicious I prefer it without!

🖤 Combine all herbs in a heatproof jar or teapot. Pour 12oz of just boiled water over the herbs. Cover and let steep for 10-15 minutes, longer for a stronger tea. Strain and sweeten with honey or maple syrup, if desired.

Wishing you all a beautiful night.

Happy herbing 🌱

10/15/2025

A promising study.

Hand osteoarthritis (HOA) is a degenerative joint disease that primarily affects the distal and proximal interphalangeal joints (DIP/PIP) and the first carpometacarpal joint at the base of the thumb, causing pain, stiffness, reduced grip/pinch strength, and characteristic bony nodules (Heberden’s and Bouchard’s nodes). Compared with knee or hip OA, HOA more often presents in mid-to-late life women, frequently involves multiple small joints symmetrically, and impairs fine motor tasks rather than weight-bearing function.

High-quality herbal trials in HOA are rare; most phytotherapy studies focus on knee OA. That’s why a recent Belgian multicentre, double-blind trial of standardised Curcuma longa (turmeric) and Boswellia serrata extracts is noteworthy: over 3 months, the combination achieved a statistically significant reduction in pain versus placebo and was generally well tolerated.

The double blind, randomised controlled trial included 162 adults with symptomatic hand OA (mean age, 63.1 years; 76.5% women) who reported hand pain on ≥ 50% of days in the prior month and ≥ 48 hours before baseline, with pain ranging from 40 to 80 mm on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) in at least one hand over the last 24 hours. The primary outcome was the mean change in finger pain on both hands during the past 24 hours on the VAS over 3 months.

At 3 months (intention-to-treat analysis), patients who received the plant extracts had a greater mean VAS pain reduction of 24.7 mm compared with 16.2 mm in those who received placebo (difference, -8.5 mm; P = 0.03); similar benefit was observed at month 1 (difference, -7.0 mm; P = 0.04). Patients receiving the plant extracts vs placebo also showed significant improvements in the patient global assessment (difference, -9.6 mm; P = 0.01) and quality of life score (P = 0.01) at month 3. There were no significant differences vs placebo for the number of painful/swollen joints, functional score, grip strength and analgesic consumption.
The number of adverse effects did not differ significantly between the two groups, and most of them were unrelated to the use of plant extracts. However, one patient taking the herbal combination developed acute hepatitis, judged as “probably related” (no further details provided).

The trial intervention was two tablets/day of a product containing Curcuma longa (turmeric) standardised dry extract: 237 mg, providing 200 mg curcumin and Boswellia serrata oleoresin: 51 mg, standardised to 65% boswellic acids and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 3.6 μg (144 IU). (Note there is an error in the paper that states each tablet contained 1.4 mg of vitamin D (56,000 IU). Whoops!) Higher doses of these herbs might well achieve a better result.

This was a robust, well-designed RCT with a clinically relevant primary endpoint and a statistically significant and moderate benefit vs placebo.

For more information see: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/combination-plant-extracts-shows-promise-hand-osteoarthritis-2025a1000h5o?ecd=mkm_ret_250830_mscpmrk-OUS_InFocus_etid7668522&uac=48709HJ&impID=7668522

and

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40554037/

10/03/2025

When the air turns crisp and the plants draw their energy back to their roots, it’s the perfect season to turn to root medicine 🌿✨

Instead of grabbing a can of store-bought soda, why not brew something truly nourishing? This homemade herbal root beer uses real roots, sassafras, sarsaparilla, burdock, astragalus, and licorice, to create a fizzy, flavorful drink that’s as much a tonic as it is a treat.

💛 Why I love it:

🌱 Sassafras + sarsaparilla: traditional blood purifiers + nervous system tonics
🌱 Burdock + astragalus: nourishing for the immune system
🌱 Licorice: soothing + balancing, with just the right sweetness
🌱 Plus the fermentation adds probiotics for healthy digestion

The result? A delicious fall drink that connects us to old traditions, supports the body, and makes a fun project for cozy autumn days. 🍁

👉 Want to try it yourself? We’ve shared the full recipe (plus a fun DIY gift idea!) on the blog: https://www.learningherbs.com/blog/root-beer-recipe .tab=0

09/22/2025

Making Spiced Pear Cordial. It should be ready for Thanksgiving, or if we can hold out, Winter Solstice.
I've played a bit with the recipe....but not much. Recipe in comments.

09/20/2025

Commune With The Spirit Of Plants For Guidance & Healing Connecting With The Spirit Of Plants For Guidance & Healing This is a Virtual Eventthat is FREE to attend. This is a Virtual Event, Hosted By Tara Lanich-Labrie that is FREE to attend. Sign up for free access to the Plant Spirit Initiation we...

09/13/2025

09/10/2025