Wild Herbs with April (April Punsalan)

In this episode, you will hear the true story of how Nishanth Gurav discovered that every plant has a story to tell. You will travel through the cities of India to the most remote Gond Region and Village of India. You will learn how Nishanth's curiosity for the connection between plants and people led him to get his Ph.D. in Ethnobotany. You'll learn:

1. How his grandmother uses breadfruit (Blanites aegyptiaca) to wash her clothes.
2. How the Gond tribe uses neem (Azardirachta indica) and other wild twigs to brush their teeth.
3. A little about the diet of the Gond tribe.
4. How they forage and eat edible flowers.
5. How their ancestors live in the forests and are protected in "sacred groves".

And how the connection between plants and people is sacred and should be protected through celebrations and rituals.

So, if you want to hear about an ancient sacred group of humans still connected to the land and be inspired by the plant-love language of Nishanth, definitely take a listen!

Stay connected with Nishanth: ⁠Webinar Series ⁠Instagram  ⁠Facebook

Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love April and the Wild Herb Podcast". If that sounds like you, please consider following and rating and reviewing my show. This helps me support more people like you and to get heart-conscious plant-loving people on the show to keep inspiring you and other listeners. Also, if you haven't done so already, follow the podcast. I'm adding a bunch of amazing content with heart-centered herbalists, ethnobotanists and plant lovers from around the world. If you're not following, there's a chance you'll miss the goodness. Follow now! With Love, Gratitude, and Peace, April Punsalan

In this episode, expert forager and author Dr. Mark "Merriwether" Vorderbruggen shares with us:

1. Tips for beginner foragers

2. The importance of mucilaginous herbs

3. The anticancer prickly pear

4. Why antioxidants are important and how they decrease cancer risk

5. Edible Canna Lilies

and much more. You don't want to miss this episode. Merriwether has decades of foraging experience and has a thorough understanding of how plant secondary metabolites effect the human body. Merriwether is the author of "Outdoors Adventure Guide to Foraging" and manages the Foraging Texas Website.  Also, he helped found Medicine Man Plant Co. See links below. 

Connect with Merriwether: 

Foraging Texas

Medicine Man Plant Company

Thank you for tuning in. Make sure to hit follow, so you don't miss any shows and keep learning new wild herbs. We would be really grateful if you could give us a good rating wherever you are tuning in as this will help our show grow. 

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punsalan

Founder, Wild Herb Academy

Have you ever heard of the wild herb, Blue Vervain? If not or haven't worked with it before, you definitely want to listen to this podcast episode with author and Materia Medica Encyclopedia CoreyPine Shane. 

In this episode CoreyPine discusses:

1. How he Blue Vervain combined with skullcap helped relieve his migraine headaches combined with diet adjustments. 

2. Why nourishing the nervous system can help promote restful sleep. 

3. Benefits of Vitex for perimenopausal women and menopausal women. 

4. How he was able to write a book, Southeast Medicinal Plants on 106 plants. 

And much, much more. You definitely want to give this episode a listen because CoreyPine Shane carries and shares eloquebntly his 27+ years of herbal knowledge. 

Connect with CoreyPine Shane:

Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine

Pines Herbals

Please share this episode with a plant buddy and give us a good rating and comment to help our small show grow.  

Happy Foraging! 

In this wild herb episode, you will learn what to forage in the winter, how to make an Appalachian chai tea, and how to live in relation with the indigenous people where you live. Abby Artemisia, Botanist, Herbalist, and Founder of the Wander School, shares: 1. Why she transitioned her business to a non-profit so she could serve the BIPOC community. 2. Her experience working with the Cherokee Nation. 3. The healing properties and medicine of Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). 4. How to make a Southern Appalachian Chai Tea. 5. What to forage in the winter. Stay in touch with Abby:

The Wander School

Abby's Offerings and Courses

 Woke Course

I would be beyond grateful if you could give our new podcast a good rating and share with a friend. Thank you for helping me spread the word about wild herbs, healing plants, and the amazing medicine people of this world!

With Love,

April Punsalan 

Enter into a world where you connect with the sacred wild daily! Let go of the mundane tasks of Modern Society to immerse yourself in the magic, mystery, and medicine of life.

In this episode, Darcey Blue, devotee of the Sacred Wild, shares with you:

1. How to invite ritual into your life to communicate with the Earth and all living beings, and live in sacred reciprocity.

2. How to connect with the fire element during the long winter nights.

3. The medicine and messages of Piñon Pine.

Listen to this episode if you are being called to connect with the sacred wild within and surrounding you.

Stay Connected with Darcey:

Free eBook, Sacred Wildness, The Four Pathways to Reconnection

Wild Medicine Community Shares, Wild Medicine Community Shares

ISacred Earth Medicine, Darcey's Instagram

Please share this episode with medicine people you know, click on the three little dots beside the episode, and select share episode and then share with any friends that you know will LOVE this episode. 

Sending you LOVE and LIGHT,

April Punsalan 

You are going to love this episode with Marysia Miernowska. In this episode, Marysia shares from her heart: 1. How to shift the holidays to the "holy-days".

2. The magic and medicine of Blue Lotus.

3. How to connect with the spirit of Blue Lotus.

4. Her path as a Green Witch.

Thanks to Marysia, this episode is steeped in wisdom and can truly help us enter and embrace the magic, medicine, and mystery of the winter season.

Connect with Marysia:

School of the Sacred Wild

Marysia's Book -"The Witch's Herbal Apothecary"

Experience Blue Lotus

If you love this episode, please share it with a friend. Give our show a good rating and help us spread the medicine.

Happy Holy-days:)

With Love and Gratitude,

April

I am pumped that you want to learn more about the most beneficial and sustainable cup of tea-YAUPON. 

Today, you get to hear from Bryon White, Yaupon expert, and one of the souls responsible for bringing America's only caffeinated tea, Yaupon, back to the surface after nearly being forgotten for thousands of years. 

In today’s episode, you will learn:

1. What is Yaupon.

2. Why it should be the caffeinated beverage of choice in America. 

3. The health benefits of Yaupon.

4. Why is was nearly forgotten and how the Yaupon Brothers give back to southeast indigenous tribes and Nations.

5. How Bryon turned his passion for Yaupon into his life work. 

6. Exciting news about Yaupon and the Yaupon Brothers.

Give America's only caffeinated tea a try, click the link below:

Check out the Yaupon Brothers!

 Please share this show with a friend! We need to spread the benefits and sustainability of Yaupon! We need to make it the American tea of choice. 

If you love learning about underused wild herbs, hit subscribe. Thank you for tuning in! 

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punsalan

P.S. Registration for Medical Botany 1 will open January 29th, 2024.  Check it out: Medical Botany 1

In today's episode, you hear from Jalen Gordon, one of the last Gullah bush medicine man in America. 

Jalen discusses in this interview:

1. The sacred indigenous and Gullah wild herb life everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium).

2. How his love for plants and nature started at 7 years old. 

3. The struggles he faces as an African American foraging in the wild. 

4. How his family, especially his Mom, and culture shaped and helped him become a medicine man. 

Please share this episode with a friend so we can increase the awareness of how African Americans, especially males, are discriminated against while foraging and hopefully, through this awareness we can decrease the frequency of discrimination in this country.  Also, so we can spread the beauty and wisdom of the Gullah culture in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. I am blessed to be in their presence. 

Connect with Jalen: Jalen's Instagram Account

P.S. Registration for my ALL time favorite course, Medical Botany 1, is opening January 29th, 2024. The course begins February 13th, 2024. I hope to see you in there. Go to Medical Botany 1 to check out the course and be the first to know when it opens. 

Stay Wild, 

April 

In today's episode, you will learn about the first vascular plants on this Earth, the Ferns.

You will learn:

1. What makes ferns special and unique.

2. You will learn fern botany, distribution, and a little about the diversity of ferns across the globe. 

3. The medicinal properties and uses of ferns.

4. How I work with the fern ally Equisetum, Horsetail.

5. Why you should learn and connect with medicinal ferns and fern allies.

Ferns are my absolute favorite group of plants to learn and connect with, you don't want to miss this episode! Share with a friend! 

If you want to learn more about ferns, check out our favorite course Medical Botany 1

Stay Wild!

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punslan

You don't want to miss this episode with Andrea Olsen, Professor Emerita of Dance who held the John Elder Chair in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College in Vermont. In this episode, Andrea shares with you:

1. What is embodiment and why it is important to inhabit the body.

2. Why the Body and Earth connection important to our health and happiness.

3. Why she completed one of my favorite books, "Body and Earth, an Experimental Guide".

4. Andrea shares embodiment practices that you can incorporate into your life today.

And much more. Andrea lives an embodied life and is an amazing teacher, dancer, and writer.

Please share this episode with a friend and if you love this episode, leave us a comment. It gives me more energy to keep showing up knowing that your listening.

Definitely take the time to connect with Andrea:

Body and Earth

Body and Earth Events

Andrea Olsen's Homepage

P.S. Registration for Medical Botany 1 is open and will only be offered once this year. If you want to learn medicinal plants, you definitely want to join this course. 

Medical Botany 1

Stay Wild! 

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punsalan 

In this episode, Mason Hutchison, co-founder of HerbRally, shares with you his tips on how to become an herbalist. You don't want to miss this episode, Mason shares:

1. What he learned from working with Mountain Rose Herbs for 11 years. 

2. Why he co-founded HerbRally and what HerbRally does for the herbal community. 

3. Top tips for embarking on the herbalism path. 

4. His viewpoint on accreditation in the herbalism world. 

Definitely take the time to go to HerbRally to see what Herbal Events occur near YOU!!!! 

HerbRally

HerbRally YouTube Channel

Get your FREE 13 Herbal Freebies

I hope you check out HerbRally! They are DYNAMITE! 

Wild Herb Academy Offerings:

Join Medical Botany 1

FREE Wild Herb Academy Year-round Forage Guide

Please share this episode with anyone you know that LOVES herbs and give us a good rating and leave us a comment to help grow our small, but mighty show. :)

With Love and Gratitude,

April 

Learn how to infuse COLOR into your food and life with Tara Lanich-LaBrie, founder of The Medicine Circle and Author! In this episode, you will learn:

1. Tara's preferred way to work with dandelion blossoms.

2. What is a oxymel and switchel and Tara's herb recommendations.  

3. Tara's connection with nettles and how she used urtication for healing. 

4. You will get to hear about Tara's AMAZING new book "Foraged and Grown" that includes OVER 100 recipes. 

Purchase Tara's book before it is even released and get 15 additional recipes sent to your inbox, you just have to email Tara at tara@themedicinecircle.com and show her your receipt:

Purchase Foraged & Grown

The Medicine Circle

Connect with Tara on Instagram

Wild Herb Academy Coastal Year-round Forage Guide

Alright beautiful human stay wild and keep foraging!

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punsalan 

Did you know that doctors in the 1800's had to study Medical Botany? and that many doctors could go to the field to harvest wild herbs for their patients?

Learn the hidden truths about Medical Botany! Learn in today's episode why it is critically important to bring back this forgotten field! 

I cover:

1. What is Medical Botany.

2. Why it is a forgotten field. 

3. Why it is important for this field to resurface to slow down biodiversity loss. 

4. How you can get started learning Medical Botany. 

Alright, I won't say anymore, definitely give this episode a listen. 

Leave us a comment, hit like, and share this show with a friend. 

With Gratitude,

April Punsalan 

Cleavers! In this episode, I share with you why I am crazy about cleavers and why as my friend Kristina Wildes says, I "leave it to cleavers".

Listen to learn:

1. When and where to forage cleavers.

2. How to identify cleavers.

3. Medicinal properties of cleavers. 

4. How I connect with cleavers.

5. How they heal my urinary system.

6. Why they are cleansing and detoxifying to your lymphatic system. 

and much more. 

Nab your FREE Cleaver Forage Guide Below, it includes the Cleaver Water Recipe. 

 Nab Your FREE Cleaver Forage Guide and Recipe

I am visualizing you finding a large cleaver patch and you making the cleaver water/juice, so your body gets the green flush it needs this spring.

Stay Wild! 

With Love and Gratitude,

April 

P.S. Leave us a comment and/or if you love the show, give us a 5-star ratings, it will help our small show grow and help more people re-connect to the Earth through the use of wild herbs. 

You don't want to miss this episode with sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) expert, Dr. Pam Weathers.

Dr. Pam Weathers has been studying, researching, and experimenting with sweet wormwood for 25+ years. In this Wild Herb podcast, she shares:

1. How she grows sweet wormwood in her lab and home to have the effective concentration of phytochemicals. 

2. History of use of sweet wormwood in China and Chinese Medicine. 

3. How the trichomes of sweet wormwood contain the medicine and phytochemical artemisinin. 

4. How ingesting the whole plant of sweet wormwood increases the bioavailability of artemisinin more than the isolated artemisinin compound. 

5. How Dr. Pam Weathers has used sweet wormwood to overcome lyme disease.

6. Why medicinal plants don't recieve the funding that they deserve. 

And much more. 

I learned so much for Dr. Pam Weathers in this episode. Definitely give this episode a listen. 

If you want to purchase high quality sweet wormwood, check out atelier temenos, purchase sweet wormwood from atelier temenos

If you want to donate to Dr. Pam Weather's lab, 

Go to this weblink

https://impactapi.causeview.com/Thunder/actionpage/c005859a-ffad-4b9d-8d0c-f414096506cd  

Choose designation “Other”

Then specify it should go to the “Ararat Fund for Artemisinin Research”.

Stay Wild! 

If you loved this show, share with a friend.

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punsalan 

Did you know that inside ancient pine trees occurs pockets of liquefied pine resin? Mathew and Jenine share with you the benefits of this ancient heart pocket tree resin. In this episode, you will learn:

1. How Pruitt's Tree Resin Ministries manifested into this world. 

2. A brief introduction of what is ancient pine resin. 

3. What this heart pocket resin can be used for and on.

4. How the pine resin helped heal Jenine's wounded thumb. And much more. 

I highly recommend getting some of the pure super Coco pine resin, click the link below:

Pruitt's Tree Resin Ministries

For free shipping, enter Wildherb at checkout. 

Thank you! 

Stay Wild,

April

P.S. in 6 days the wild herb membership, In Season, opens! 

Liz Spencer, the Founder of The Dogwood Dyer, has over 15+ years of experience in natural dyes. Liz holds an MA from the London College of Fashion where she focused on sustainable fashion.  Today, she teaches online natural dye workshops and classes. 

In today's episode, Liz shares:

1. How to reduce your fashion footprint. 

2. The issues with fashion consumerism in the U.S.

3. Why animal fiber is often better than plant or synthetic fiber. 

4. How to dye with avocado pits and avocado skins. 

I know this episode will inspire you to give natural dyeing a try and will inspire you to reduce your fashion footprint. 

The Dogwood Dyer Offerings:

A Year in Natural Dyes

Online Workshops

Wild Herb Academy Offerings:

In Season Wild Herb Membership

Sending you lots of LOVE this Spring Season!

Stay WILD!

With Love,

April Punsalan 

I am super pumped to share with you why Mulberry (Morus alba) is my FAVORITE wild herb to forage in April. In this episode, I share:

1. The life history and range of mulberry.

2. The vitamins and mineral profile.

3. The healing properties of the leaves.

4. Why everyone, including you, should drink mulberry leaf tea.

If you want to learn how to identify, forage, process, and make mulberry tea and mulberry matcha, click the link below to download your FREE In Season video.

Nab a Free In Season Mulberry Video

Please share this episode with a friend or a loved one that you know has a mulberry tree.

Happy Foraging and Stay Wild!

In this episode, you will get to hear from James Kishlar, the founder of Atelier temenos, a herbal company that specializes in the growing, selling, and processing of sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua). In this episode, James shares with you:

1. How he manages his osteoarthritis with sweet wormwood.

2. What ailments sweet wormwood has been effective at relieving.

3. The struggles he faced trying to work with the Western medical society. 

4. How he has shared his product with naturopathic doctors and the results.

5. The effects of sweet wormwood on diabetes and high blood pressure.

6. His time spent in Haiti and a little bit about the Moringa tree. 

I highly recommend their products. I am not an affiliate marketer, but love to share a good herbal product when I magically come across one.

Check out their sweet wormwood products:

 Atelier temenos

Last, but not least, the Wild Herb Membership, In Season is OPEN! I'd absolutely love to connect with you and see you flourish through foraging wild herbs. The membership is only $25 per month and my hope is that the membership will truly pay for itself though free greens and medicine.  

Start Learning Today!

Stay Wild!

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punsalan 

You don't want to miss this episode with the ordained Priestess, Kate Murphy.

In this episode, Kate shares:

1. How Kate honors the path of the Priestess. 

2. How Kate was able to step out of the masculine-dominated executive field and into her authentic path that aligned with the divine feminine.

3. How you can connect with the divine feminine during Beltane. 

4. The medicine and mystery of elderflower.

5. The good folk and how they are honored in Celtic traditions.

6. A Rosemary handwashing ritual. 

Connect with Kate!

Instagram: This is Kate Murphy

Free My Purpose Mini Course

Free Wheel of the Year Workbook

The Feminine Code Priestess School

Kate is a beautiful gem shining bright and leading the way for many women so they can reclaim their power in this world. Connect with her!

If you want to make connecting with the natural world a priority and you want to reWILD, join In Season, it is open TODAY!

Wild Herb Membership In Season

With Love Always!

Stay Wild, Stay Human

April 

Modern Society can make us edgy. Mimosa flowers take the edge off better than any other wild herb I know. They uplift the energy so we can feel the beauty and blissfulness of spring and summer. In this episode, I share with you:

1. Mimosa flower medicine. 

2. How I connect with Mimosa flowers.

3. The botany of Mimosa tree. 

4. A free link below to nab the Mimosa Flower Syrup Recipe, that you HAVE to make. 

Nab a Free Mimosa Flower Syrup Recipe Here

To watch how to make medicine with Mimosa flowers and the inner bark, join In Season for only $25 per month:

Live in Rhythm with Nature, Join In Season Today!

Last, but not least, leave us a good rating so we know you are out there and to help our little podcast show and our small business grow. 

Stay Wild, Stay Human!

With Love, 

April 

In this special episode, wise healer, Dr. Rosita Arvigo, shares with you the Medicine and Magic of Marigolds.

Dr. Rosita covers:

1. The spirit of marigold. 

2. How to connect with the spirit and medicine of marigold.

3. How to make a marigold lustration bath.

4. How to heal colicky babies with marigold flowers.

5. Specific women health issues marigold can relieve.  

6. Yoni steaming. 

and much more. It was such an honor to hear and receive Dr. Rosita Arvigo's medicine, I know you will LOVE this episode. Please share with a sister friend that can benefit from this episode. Follow the Wild Herb Podcast, to help our little show grow, so we can continue to bring amazing healers, ethnobotanists, and herbalists on the show. 

Stay in touch with Dr. Rosita Arvigo:

Dr. Rosita Arvigo's Website

The Abdominal Therapy Collective Page

Thank you for listening. Stay Wild, Stay Human

With Love,

April 

If you have ever been curious about Ayurveda, if you have to listen to this episode with Myra Lewin, Founder of Hale Pule, School of Ayurveda and Yoga. Myra explains beautifully the principles of Ayurveda and shares her wisdom with you. 

In this episode Myra covers:

1. The principles of Ayurveda.

2. Why overeating is harmful for the body. 

3. The wise portion size that will leave your body feeling balanced and nourished after a meal. 

4. Digestive fire and the benefits of ghee. 

Please share this episode with a friend, leave us a comment, and give us a good rating so our little wild herb show can continue to grow. 

Connect with Myra and learn more about Hale Pule's offerings:

Hale Pule, Live Nature's Wisdom

Stay Wild, Stay Human!

With Love and Gratitude,

April Punsalan 

Discover the sacred medicine of Iboga, the transformative power of this plant, and the modern-day applications of one of the most sacred plants on this Earth!

In this episode with Levi Barker, initiated Iboga plant medicine administer and retreat facilitator, you will learn:

1. The rich history of Iboga.

2. How Iboga has been revered by the Bwiti people of Central Africa for centuries. 

3. Levi's personal story of transformation with this sacred plant medicine. 

4. Iboga's healing power and modern-day applications. 

5. Learn about the offerings of the Iboga Wellness Center in Costa Rica. 

You don't want to miss out on this wild herb episode. Reception was a little off in the beginning of the episode, so you will have to increase the volume, but about mid way, Levi's voice is very clear, and you can turn the volume back down. Open your mind, and let's embark on an enlightening journey together. 

Learn more about Levi and the Iboga Wellness Center

With Love and Light, 

April Punsalan 

In this fascinating episode, I sit down with Dr. Stephen E. Lindow, a distinguished plant pathologist and microbial ecologist, to explore the phyllosphere—the diverse microbiome that covers plant leaves. Dr. Lindow shares his groundbreaking research on plant-associated bacteria and their role in plant health, immunity, and even their potential impact on human microbiomes.

Key Topics Covered:

• What is the Phyllosphere? Understanding the microbiome of leaves.

• Bacteria on Leaves: Learn how thousands of different microbes colonize the surface of plants.

• Microbes & the Environment: How natural ecosystems support a more diverse plant microbiome than monocultures.

• Impact of Agriculture: How large-scale farming affects plant microbiomes.

• The Ice-Nucleating Bacteria Discovery: How certain bacteria can influence frost damage in crops.

• Foraging & Food Safety: What to know about wild foraging and the presence of microbes on leaves.

• The Human Gut Connection: Could eating wild plants positively impact your gut microbiome?

Why You Should Listen to This Episode: ✔️ Gain insights into the unseen world of plant microbiomes. ✔️ Learn how plants defend themselves with their microbial allies. ✔️ Understand how foraging wild herbs may support gut health. ✔️ Discover new perspectives on food safety and plant-based diets.

Resources & Links: Read Dr. Stephen Lindow’s Research on the Phyllosphere - Phyllosphere Paper🌿 Join Medical Botany 1 - Registration Opens January 29th! Medical Botany 1 

 Follow Wild Herbs Podcast for More Herbal Wisdom

We hope you enjoyed this deep dive into the microbial world of plants! Make sure to follow the Wild Herb Podcast to learn from future expert guests who will continue to explore the intersection of plants, health, and microbiomes.

Don’t forget to follow & leave a review!

🌱 Learn Wild Herbs. Stay Wild! Stay Human!