Even though it tastes really disgusting (hence it’s nickname “King of Bitters”), Andrographis Paniculata is one of my favorite medicinal plants.  It has a huge array of scientifically-backed health benefits. Traditionally, these benefits were so important that Andrographis Paniculata is often used for the festival of Diwali in India to decorate homes. Read more

Lomatium is a type of plant which belongs to the parsley family.  It has long been used medicinally by several Native American tribes, including the Shoshone, Paiute, and Nez Perce. Lomatium was even used by Native American healers during the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918, thus giving it the nickmae “Indian Consumption Plant.” Read more

Mucuna pruriens contains levodopa, a dopamine precursor. Levodopa is best known for treating Parkinson’s disease but has many other health benefits which range from treating depression to reducing wrinkles. Read more

Mucuna pruriens – also known as velvet bean, monkey tamarind, cowage, lacuna bean and kapikacchu —  is a plant which has been used in Ayurvedic medicine since at least 1500BC.  In the past few decades, it has gotten a lot of attention as a natural treatment for Parkinson’s disease.  However, there are many other health benefits of mucuna pruriens. Read more

As the weather gets colder, the air also gets dryer – which can wreak havoc on your nasal passages.  A solution which has been used for centuries by people in the high mountains (with very dry air) is nasya oil. But nasya oil isn’t just for dry noses. There are many other potential health benefits.  Here’s what you need to know and how to maximize nasya oil’s benefits. Read more

Coptis is quickly becoming a popular alternative to Goldenseal for its many health benefits, including: fighting inflammation, improving gut health, increasing bile flow and much more.  Despite this, there aren’t many Coptis supplements available – and some of the available ones aren’t the best quality.  Here’s what you need to know about Coptis supplements and the best options. Read more

Long used in Asia, the medicinal plant Coptis is starting to get attention in the West now too. There has been a huge amount of research on its medical benefits, especially for gastrointestinal and liver health.  Here’s what you need to know about Coptis health benefits and how to use it. Read more

Bacopa monierri is one of the best known and most-researched nootropics – substances which boost memory and cognitive function.   There are also numerous other health benefits of bacopa such as reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.  These benefits primarily come from unique phytochemicals called bacosides. Here is what you need to know to make sure you are actually getting a bacopa supplement with high bacoside levels, plus info on dosage and how to take bacopa so your body absorbs it. Read more

Bacopa monnieri is an herb native to India but also found in warm, tropical areas around the world.  It has been used medicinally for at least 5,000 years and was described in Ayurvedic texts from the 6^th century. Read more