Palo Santo Adventures
Palo Santo, The Holy Wood There is a lot of confusion surrounding the current state of Palo Santo, a common name given to TWO different botanical classifications of trees. The misunderstandings and confusion of the two are a prime example of the importance of binomial nomenclature. My work in Peru with various communities has led…
Exploring Costa Rica: Cacao
Exploring Costa Rica Part 2 – Cacao Cacao (Theobroma cacao) grows well in humid forest ecosystems, and Costa Rica is one of them, even if Ecuador is considered to grow the best quality of chocolate. The coffee plantation I visited (see Exploring Costa Rica, Part 1) in Monteverde does not grow cacao, the region…
Beyond Tea: Aromatic Herbal Infusions for Health and Immunity
Let’s get right to it. We know we need to stay hydrated and incorporate botanicals (aka “herbs”) into our lives, especially when feeling depleted, sick, overwhelmed (and so much more….). Go over and say hello to your tea kettle: it’s all about drinking botanical infusions. I often like to pretend I’m fancy and use the…
Essential Oil Allies: Cistus
Essential Oil Allies: Cistus ladaniferus Cistus essential oil is distilled from the dried leaves and twigs of the small, tenacious evergreen shrub of Cistus ladaniferus. Native to the rugged coastal regions of the Mediterranean basin, it is distilled for its hydrosol and essential oil in Spain, Morocco, France, Portugal, and Crete with a bulk of…
Love Your Immunity
Given the recent emergence of the Coronavirus, and increased fear around it and the flu, it’s important first not to panic. Studies so far are showing that this virus, while concerning, is less deadly than other types of flu virus such as Bird flu, Spanish flu or SARS1. And, it’s airborne life is very…
Exploring Costa Rica: Coffee
Exploring Costa Rica Part 1 – Coffee While visiting Costa Rica with my family in January, I felt that the trip was a perfect opportunity to write about aromatherapy-related local products. I quickly found out that Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) naturally grows in the area – its unmistakable aroma floats in the air every day…