Category Archives: Natural Healing

October 22, 2026 · 8:16 am

Plant Path Immersion: Explore Herbal Wisdom, Discover Reishi, and Build Your Materia Medica

You know how I love plants! That’s why I’m so excited to share the latest free resources from Herbalism Conferences.

Take this opportunity to explore the fascinating world of herbalism through Plant Path Immersion, a free online herbalism summit taking place November 3–5. Whether you are an experienced herbalist or just beginning to explore the world of plant medicine, this three-day learning experience offers an opportunity to deepen your knowledge, strengthen your connection with plants, and develop resources to support your ongoing herbal studies.

The summit brings together experienced herbalists and the developers behind more than 200 plant profiles for The Herbarium, one of the leading herbal reference libraries. Through plant exploration, sensory observation, and practical learning, participants can begin building their own materia medica—a personal collection of information about plants, their characteristics, traditional uses, and roles in herbal practice.

What Is Plant Path Immersion?

A materia medica is an essential resource for anyone studying herbalism. It provides a way to document observations, organize plant knowledge, and return to what you have learned as your understanding develops. Plant Path Immersion is designed to help you create and expand this personal reference while exploring the unique qualities of 12 plants.

Throughout the summit, you will have opportunities to:

  • Build your own materia medica. Develop a personal collection of plant knowledge that you can revisit and expand over time.
  • Explore 12 plants. Investigate plants connected with the nervous system, digestion, immunity, and vitality.
  • Develop your sensory awareness. Use observation and direct sensory experience to cultivate a deeper connection with plants.
  • Explore the bigger picture. Discover how individual plants fit into broader herbal practices and how herbal learning can help us pay closer attention to nature’s rhythms.

Rather than simply collecting facts, Plant Path Immersion encourages a more engaged approach to learning. By observing plants, documenting what you discover, and connecting individual insights to a wider body of knowledge, you can develop a more meaningful and lasting herbal practice.

Plant Path Immersion takes place online November 3–5 and is free to join.

Register here

Discover Reishi: A Free Herbal Guide

One of the highlights for anyone interested in functional mushrooms is the opportunity to learn more about reishi (Ganoderma spp.). On the final day of Plant Path Immersion, herbalist Logan Keister will host a session on this fascinating mushroom.

Reishi has a long history of use in traditional herbal practices and continues to attract interest among people exploring the world of functional mushrooms. Learning about reishi offers an opportunity to consider how fungi fit into broader herbal traditions and how their characteristics can be documented as part of a developing materia medica.

To help you explore this subject further, Herbalism Conferences has also created a free downloadable ebook dedicated to reishi.

The guide includes a detailed monograph and three nourishing recipes, providing an accessible way to expand your knowledge and bring your interest in reishi into the kitchen.

Download your FREE reishi guide here

Try This Recipe: Mushroom Immunity Broth

One of the recipes featured in the reishi guide is Mushroom Immunity Broth. Combining reishi with a selection of nutritive herbs, aromatic ingredients, and roots, this broth can serve as a versatile base for comforting everyday meals.

Reishi contributes the mushroom component, while garlic and ginger add flavor. Astragalus, calendula, nettle, and dandelion root bring additional botanical variety to the preparation, and fresh parsley provides a bright herbal note.

Use the finished broth as a base for soups and stews or incorporate it into rice, quinoa bowls, and other favorite dishes.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz reishi (Ganoderma spp.) mushroom
  • 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
  • 1–2 oz fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome, grated
  • 1 handful fresh parsley (Petroselinum crispum) leaves, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons astragalus (Astragalus mongholicus) root
  • 4 quarts water
  • 6 tablespoons calendula (Calendula officinalis) flower
  • 4 tablespoons nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf
  • 2 tablespoons dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root
  • Sea salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Wash and chop the fresh ingredients.
  2. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan with the water and mix well.
  3. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or longer.
  4. Strain the broth and season with sea salt to taste.
  5. Use as a base for your favorite soups, stews, rice dishes, quinoa bowls, and other comfort meals.

A note on preparation: Use food-grade ingredients from reputable suppliers and follow appropriate preparation guidance for the particular reishi product you purchase. Reishi preparations are not suitable for everyone and may interact with medications, so consult a qualified healthcare professional if you have health concerns or take medication. This recipe is a culinary preparation, not a treatment for immune or other medical conditions.

Download the FREE ebook here

Continue Your Learning with Lifetime Access

For those who want to return to their herbal studies beyond the live summit, Herbalism Conferences also offers a Plant Path Immersion Lifetime Access option.

Having ongoing access to a learning experience can be valuable when studying herbalism. Plant knowledge develops through repeated observation, reflection, and practice. Being able to revisit educational material can help you review concepts, reconnect with plants you have studied, and continue developing your personal materia medica.

If you would like to explore the lifetime-access option, find the details here:

Explore the lifetime-access option

Make Time for Your Herbal Journey

Whether you are interested in developing a materia medica, exploring 12 plants in greater depth, learning more about reishi with herbalist Logan Keister, or finding inspiration for your herbal kitchen, Plant Path Immersion offers several ways to engage with the world of herbalism.

You can begin with the free online summit, download the complimentary reishi ebook and its three recipes, or explore the lifetime-access option if you want to continue your learning beyond the event.

Explore the opportunities and choose the path that best supports your herbal journey:

Join Plant Path Immersion for free, November 3–5
Download the free reishi ebook
Explore Plant Path Immersion Lifetime Access

The more time we spend observing plants, documenting our discoveries, and learning from experienced herbalists, the more opportunities we have to deepen our understanding of the natural world. Plant Path Immersion is an invitation to make that learning a more intentional part of your herbal practice.

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October 8, 2026 · 2:31 pm

Natural Healing – Nogal de Nuez Chica

Photo credit: Jerry A. Payne

During my research, I’d come across a handful of remedies that used cáscaras de nuez chica (pecan shells) and skipped over them with the erroneous belief that pecans weren’t native to Mexico. Well, color me surprised when I dug a little more and discovered that nogal de nuez chica (Carya illinoinensis)–not to be confused with nogal (walnut)–is indeed native to Mexico, specifically to the states of  Nuevo León, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Chihuahua, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro and Hidalgo.

Other common names for the tree include nogal pacanero, nogal de nuez lisa, pacano, nogal de cuilpan, and pecán. The nut is known as pacana, pecana, nuez de pecán, nuez cáscara de papel, nuez de la isla and nuez encarcelada. The Otomí refer to this tree as damzá or demzá and in the Zapotec language it is known as Yaga-sola. 

In Mexico, the leaves, shells, and bark have a number of medicinal applications, including antidiarrheal aid, treatment to stop bleeding, anti-inflammatories, and as an antiseptic. 

Leaf and bark infusions are employed as astringents to treat mouth sores, inflamed gums, and eye irritation topically and as a tea to stop diarrhea, treat urinary infections, and dissolve kidney stones. Leaf poultices are placed on swollen joints to reduce inflammation. Mixed with milk and applied to the back and chest, leaf poultices are applied to relieve cough. 

Pecan shells (Carya illinoinensis) are added to a floral infusion for a vaginal wash for irregular bleeding. To bring on menstruation, a decoction of crushed aguacate seed (Persea americana), crushed pecan shells (Carya illinoinensis), and the leaves of the purple wandering Jew (Tradescantia pallida) is given. For vaginal hemorrhaging, 12 pecan shells are boiled in ½ liter of water for 5 minutes and allowed to cool to room temperature. A cup is drunk every 15 minutes until the bleeding stops. 

In some areas, las cáscaras de nuez chica and bark are used to treat tuberculosis. The bark is a proven antimycobacterial agent, supporting this traditional use. In other areas, a bark infusion is prescribed for intermittent fevers and empacho (indigestion). 

The pecan nutshell has properties that have been found to be effective in the prevention and treatment of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. The shells have antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. 

A decoction made from equal portions of pecan leaves (Carya illinoinensis), agrimonia (Agrimonia eupatoria), salicaria (Lythrum salicaria L), and condurango (Marsdenia condurango) is prescribed for diarrhea caused by intoxication, poison, or overeating. 

Pecan flowers are antioxidants, antimicrobials, antifungals, and antibacterials. Pecan oil is applied externally to wounds, eczema, and dermatitis and ingested to treat intestinal parasites. It is also prescribed for PMS. 

Pecans contain vitamins A, B, and E and fatty acids. Regular nut consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, pecans are antihypertensives, antioxidants, immunomodulators, protease inhibitors, and inhibitors of cell cycle progression in cancer cells.

Who would have thought this little nut would pack such a big punch?

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Are you interested in natural remedies for healing and wellness? The ‘Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico‘ series offers a treasure trove of traditional Mexican herbal remedies. Learn about these remedies’ rich history and cultural significance and how they can benefit your health. Get your copy today!

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October 4, 2026 · 7:04 am

A Bag of Wild Plums

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so I thought I’d give an update on my own situation. It was exactly one year ago that my soon-to-be ex-husband locked me out of our house just before a La Yácata community meeting. It took months before I was able to get a demanda (lawsuit) moving to force him to give me access to my personal possessions.

I was extremely fortunate to have found an excellent lawyer. She not only succeeded in getting the judge to approve access to my belongings, but also secured my reincorporation into the house (he had to leave) and a restraining order.

Of course, none of that made the situation easier emotionally. I was subjected to harassment, a horrific smear campaign, and financial pressure through the prolonged legal process. If you’ve never experienced anything like this, I can’t really begin to explain the emotional damage it causes. Even when you’re physically safe, your nervous system doesn’t necessarily get the message that the danger is over.

A couple of weeks ago, the sentencia (ruling) from the higher court came in after my ex-husband challenged the family court ruling. I’m still waiting for some of the paperwork to be completed, but for all intents and purposes, I am finally divorced. And only now am I beginning to feel as though I am doing more than simply surviving.

A Look at the Numbers

My experience is just one story, but it exists within a much larger reality.

According to Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), approximately 70.1% of women in Mexico have experienced some form of violence, including psychological, physical, sexual, economic, or patrimonial violence. INEGI — Violence Against Women Statistical Dashboard  

Psychological or emotional violence is the most widely reported form, followed by physical and economic violence. Cámara de Diputados — Ley General de Acceso de las Mujeres a una Vida Libre de Violencias 

Statistics don’t necessarily tell the whole story. Fear, stigma, lack of confidence in institutions, and other structural barriers can keep women from reporting abuse. This means that many experiences of domestic violence and harassment never become part of the official statistics. Amnistía Internacional México — La impunidad persiste 

That matters because violence isn’t always visible. Sometimes there are no bruises. Sometimes there isn’t a police report. Sometimes the abuse happens through money, isolation, intimidation, manipulation, harassment, or the legal system itself.

Resources for Women Living in Mexico

If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, some organizations can provide information, support, referrals, and, in some cases, access to shelter.

Fighting Domestic Violence — Mexico: Legal Provisions  

Information about legal provisions concerning domestic violence in Mexico.

Línea Sin Violencia
A support and information service for women experiencing violence in the State of Mexico.

Red Nacional de Refugios
Mexico’s National Network of Shelters, providing information and support for women experiencing violence.

No More Global Directory — Mexico
A directory of organizations and services addressing domestic and sexual violence in Mexico.

And Then There Are the Small Things

One of the things I’ve learned over the past year is how much the small things matter. The community has supported me in ways I never expected. Just this morning, someone brought me a bag of wild plums (Spondias purpurea), and I’m so excited at the idea of trying my hand at jam.

A bag of plums probably doesn’t sound like much, but after a year of court dates, paperwork, conflict, uncertainty, and trying to put my life back together, someone showing up at my door with something from their garden feels enormous.

I still know I have a long road ahead of me. Things still need to be resolved, and rebuilding after this kind of experience doesn’t happen overnight. But today I feel more focused, more secure, and more like myself than I have in a very long time.

And that, after everything, feels like something worth celebrating.

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