In Tune Holistic Apothecary

06/02/2020

04/16/2020

A favorite formula (pair) of ours from Priest and Priest that is indicated for those who are experiencing nervous insomnia - ⁣
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Valeriana (Valerian)⁣
Humulus (Hops)⁣
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If you haven't met valerian yet, we advise trying a very small dose before attempting to use it to sleep, as it can have the opposite effect and be too stimulating for a small part of the population. Fun fact: the energetics of this pair are balanced as it is both warming and cooling. This can be a very useful pair for those experiencing sleep deprivation!

04/10/2020

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04/08/2020

Chamomile and peppermint are very common herbs that you can probably find in your kitchen in store-bought tea bags, but have you thought about combining 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 these two for some gastrointestinal relief? ⁣⁣
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Combining the two plants creates an intestinal anti-inflammatory, carminative (reduces spasms in the gut), gastrointestinal antispasmodic (reduces constriction and muscle cramping), and intestinal anti-inflammatory action, and whether or not you find yourself eating well these days, chances are you have experienced some gut uncomfortability recently. ⁣⁣
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We recommend having a decent amount of high quality chamomile and peppermint on hand, as they are extremely versatile medicinal plants - and if you haven't yet had the chance to smell a well-curated, dried chamomile batch, it's truly intoxicating!

04/02/2020

Our favorite definition of the word 'Alterative' is from David Hoffman:⁣
"Alteratives gradually restore proper body function, increasing health and vitality."⁣
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Alterative herbs seemingly act upon the kidneys, liver, lymphatic system and digestive system through elimination and detoxification. They can be used as slow-acting tonics for issues caused by metabolic imbalance. It can take a fair amount of reflection to see changes that these plants have produced in the body over a period of time, as there is not always an abrupt change.⁣
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When choosing an alterative plant to work with, it's important to consider the organ or system you are wanting to alter, as each plant has specific indications for use.⁣
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Burdock is a favorite alternative of ours, it can be taken in a variety of ways, including food! We like to saute it in butter, garlic and lemon. 😋 Burdock's indications include many liver-skin conditions (like acne) and pairs well with yellow dock and sarsaparilla for skin ailments, which is in line with the general concept of blood purification. More on blood purification later!

03/27/2020

Are you still brewing that cup of coffee every morning while looking up the latest COVID-19 news? ⁣
Coffee is probably the most frequently used decoction in the U.S., and the symptoms of caffeine abuse can overlap the symptoms of chronic anxiety, like headaches, insomnia, and heart palpitations. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms (or even if you aren’t!), we'd recommend changing your routine over to an herbal coffee with something fatty like ghee or coconut oil. ⁣
Herbal coffee is meant to mimic the flavor of regular coffee, without the caffeine. It's usually a mixture of dandelion root, chickory root, barley and rye (but ingredients can be swapped or added to fit the flavor profile you're looking for!). Give your nervous system a break, and try something new.⁣
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Second photo - dandelion @ In Tune Integrative Wellness

03/25/2020

Using botanical medicine can be a safe and effective therapy for children dealing with various common illnesses. Our favorite preparations for children include syrups, salves, infusions, baths, and tinctures. It is important to consider the child's age, size and weight before figuring out the proper dosage. ⁣
Young's Formula for dosing children with herbal preparations is the following - ⁣
age in years/(age+12) = fraction of adult dose. ⁣
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Also (obviously) consider the plant that you are intending to use, is this plant safe for younger people to use? ⁣
**𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬!!** ⁣
A few of our favorite plants for children include: ⁣
Hyssop - a relaxant for the entire body, but specifically the respiratory system
Elderflower - useful in respiratory infections with fever
Fennel seed (pictured)- a mild relaxant to the gastrointestinal tract that can work to calm colic, also useful with stomach issues caused by swallowing mucous
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𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯? 𝘐𝘧 𝘴𝘰, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘴?

03/23/2020

Yin yoga with is still on! This Sunday (and every Sunday) at 7pm, join Samantha on Zoom for a much needed, nourishing yoga class for all ability levels. $10 for each class, or $7/class when a 10 class pass is purchased. You’ll be caring for yourself AND supporting small businesses. The link to sign up is in our bio! 💟

03/21/2020

Get outside if you can (safely!), feeling grateful to be able to greet these beauties today -
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Cleavers⁣
Nettle⁣
Oregon Grape @ Hidden Falls Nature Park

03/18/2020

Practicing getting the perfect amount of thyme for a facial steam...
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Antimicrobials act against (generally) unwanted microbial life, "antimicrobial" is actually an umbrella term that covers a bunch of other herbal actions like antiviral, antibacterial, antibiotic, etc. ⁣
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Some plants work indirectly by supporting the immune response - yarrow for instance, which induces sweating to aid in the facilitation of a fever response). Others act directly, like thyme. Thymol can get rid of a lot of things that it touches.⁣
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📣It's important to note that no antimicrobial kills everything, and if using plant medicine it's even more important to work with someone who understands the energetics of the plants they're working with. If you have a cold or the flu with a wet and boggy presentation, the herbs used to support your illness would be much different than the herbs used for someone who has contracted COVID-19 with a dry cough and a very high fever.⁣
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We are in NO way recommending any specific remedies for the general public for COVID-19, but just thought it was important to note that not all secondary actions of antimicrobials work the same, look at the ingredients in premade formulas and make sure they're right for you!

03/17/2020

Sniff your tea!⁣ 🍵
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Folk traditions advised those with a cold or flu to inhale the fumes of their hot, fragrant tea. A lot of diaphoretic (sweat inducing) plants contain antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory aromatic oils which escape with the steam in a hot tea. That steam can also bring the aromatic oils directly to the mucous membranes where they can act against the organism causing the cold. A few herbs that contain these aromatics are ginger, yarrow, lemon balm, mustard, mint and thyme.⁣
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Are you enjoying more tea while social distancing yourself? You can make it as detailed or as quick of a ceremony as you’d like!

03/16/2020

**with additional hours by appointment only**
We will get through this together! If you’re in need of some plant medicine love during these weird times, we’ve got you covered!