23. Microbial Health

As a holistic practitioner, I recognize that health isdynamic and unique to each person. It also is influenced by many factors – our relationships, our physical environments, our genetics, our schools and jobs, our unique design and purpose, and our day-to-day choices. With all these factors influencing our health, I feel it is only right to also acknowledge that we need more than medication or a supplement, or even a certain herb to help us get better. We are complex, made of body, mind, and soul, so even if my specialty is in herbalism, I feel that if I know about non-herbal tools that can help my clients, I’m going to share them – and there are many!After I meet with a client, I share a written summary thatincludes my observations and assessment, my herbal and nutritional recommendations, AND any lifestyle tools that I believe will help them reach their goals.Today, I want to give you a sneak peek at what are the tools I recommend the most to my clients, and the ones I use myself. The first 11 have been mentioned in previous episodes, so rather than review them thoroughly I list the episodes where you can find them.Then, I offer in depth details about my additional 5 favorite tools, most of which are free! Books mentioned in today's episode are: Live Better Longer by Joseph Dispenza and Hazel Parcells, The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown, Anatomy of an Illness by Norman Cousins, The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner, and Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg.The Family Herbalism program and the Community Herbalist program through Herba Remedium are now open for registration – they begin in August. Sign up early and get up to 10% off – July 15th is the cutoff for the early bird pricing which is right around the corner so be sure to sign up soon! www.herbaremedium.comThe Herbal Collective, my opus of an education program, is now OPEN! For just $9 a month, you can access all the podcasts I've offered in an organized format, all the PDFs I've made, access to the classes on my website for free, an exclusive virtual herb walk series, weekly live meetups, and free monthly classes starting in 2026. Visit www.laureltreewellnessllc.com and click on the Classes tab to get started!Finally, sign up to receive monthly newsletters from me with podcast updates, favorite resources, and other educational material by visiting the website and clicking the button at the very bottom of the front page.Thank you for listening!!

What is the microbiome? Where is it? Why is it so foundational to many areas of health? And how can we support it besides avoiding antibiotics and taking probiotics? In today's episode I answer these questions, plus talk about specific testing, the nuances of what makes up the microbiome besides bacteria, and the many ways we can help keep it healthy or repair damage. Plus! Top tips for picking probiotic supplements, herbs to work with, and foods (in addition to fermented vegetables) that support your microbiome.Mentioned in today's episode is Missing Microbes by Martin Blaster.The Family Herbalism program and the Community Herbalistprogram through Herba Remedium are now open for registration. Sign up early and get 10% off. Early bird pricing ends July 15th!The Herbal Collective is open tomorrow!!! Go to the website and check out your two options – will you join the lite Collective, or the full membership for just $9 a month? Either way you get access to all of my podcastepisodes organized by topic and all the downloadables I’ve offered to the public. In the full membership you will also get an exclusive herb walk series, weekly meetups, free access to classes I offer on my website, and starting next year, free monthly, live classes. Go check it out and jump into the Herbal Collective today!Monthly newsletters from yours truly are available with podcast updates, favorite resources, and other educational material. Visit www.laureltreewellnessllc.com and scroll down to the bottom of the front page to sign up!Also available on my website is all the information you need to schedule an appointment with me, and we can help you create a holistic wellness plan to work on your health goals.Thank you for listening!

Thank you, Sheldon, for this podcast topic! I have been thinking about cancer for a while, and how I might approach it on the podcast. It's such a vast subject, I couldn't possibly offer you a comprehensive, single episode on this area of illness. However, I can offer you a foundational approach to promoting wellbeing through a cancer journey that applies to those taking steps to minimize risk and to promote overall quality of life and longevity through cancer.In today's episode I mentioned Holistic Cancer Care by Chanchal Cabrera, The Earthwise Herbal Repertory by Matthew Wood, an Elder's Herbal by David Hoffman, The Practicing Herbalist by Margi Flint, The Gutsy Health Podcast, and Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer by Donald Yance. The Family Herbalism program and the Community Herbalist program through Herba Remedium are now open for registration – they begin in August. Payin full by July 15th and get 10% off! www.herbaremedium.com One more week until the collective opens!! I’ve been talking about this on my IG as well, but the important thing is to get on the wait list, because whether you want to join the lite version or the full membership,you’ll access to the first Herbal Circle if you join the wait list in the 13 days. Sign up for my monthly newsletter at the bottom of the front page at www.laureltreewellnessllc.com.If you are a student herbalist looking for clinical experience, message me about Alms of Grace's student herbalist program.To learn more about working with me one-on-one, also visit my website! www.laureltreewellnessllc.comThank you for listening!

After sharing last fall about why lab work can be a valuable tool, I wanted to share an example, step by step of how I work through them. What better example than to use myself as a guinea pig! This year I hired a direct primary care doctor and had a bunch of labs drawn as a baseline for my normal. In today’s episode, I highlight my functional evaluation process by walking you through certain pieces of my labs, one at a time. The book I mentioned (which I am not being paid to share with you) can be found here: https://a.co/d/064gv7E.Thank you for listening!To meet with Naomi or to sign up for her monthly newsletter, visit www.laureltreewellnessllc.comTo learn more about the herbal education programs mentioned, visit www.herbaremedium.comAlso check out Alms of Grace at www.almsofgrace.com

There are many types of arthritis, but they generally boil down to one of two categories - inflammatory based, and non-inflammatory based. In today's episode, I share the most common type of arthritis from each of these categories, what they are, how they happen, and some of the herbal tools I have found most helpful for each, plus, important questions to ask that will help you to see each form of arthritis within the bigger picture of health. Several recipes and combinations are referred to from other well-known herbalists as well.Finally, you'll want to listen all the way to the end, because I share some really big news about a brand new program available by Laurel Tree Wellness! If you are a student of herbalism, whether learning how to work with herbs for your yourself or your family, or have intentions to expand your services to others, you'll want to check this out!To learn more, visit www.laureltreewellnessllc.com.Thank you for listening!

Lyme Disease Wars is a term used to acknowledge that theapproach to handling this very serious condition is highly disputed. It’s afrustrating subject for me, and I want to share with you some of the realfacts. Today, I’m not talking about pathophysiology. I’m focusing on treatmentand therapy options, and I refer to numerous studies, articles, and other research that you can use the following links to discover for yourself.If you have suffered from Lyme Disease and need more options for recovery, please visit www.laureltreewellnessllc.com to get started.Listed in this episode are the following references:​Medical Gaslighting and Lyme Disease​International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society​Global Lyme Alliance statement on the CDC update​NC Lyme Disease Foundation statement on the CDC update​CDC's current opinion on Chronic Lyme Disease​Article published by Infectious Disease Clinics of North America June 2015 on Chronic Lyme Disease​Frequency of bull's eye rash, as reported by CDC​Article published by IDCNA June 2008​Article by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Lyme Disease November 2018​Lyme Disease in Psychiatry, an article published in Psychiatric Times, 2022.​IDSA's 2025 analysis of clinics offering treatments for Lyme Disease​Time Magazine article on Chronic Lyme Disease, May 2024​John Hopkins study on the effects of Lyme on the brain, 2022​Article about the effects of Lyme on the brain, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, 1994​Another article by the same author in the same journal, 2021​An article about the relationship of Lyme Disease and Alzheimer's, published in Nature, 2020​Another article about Lyme Disease and Alzheimer's, published in 2022​A PLOS One Journal article about how Lyme Disease impacts the brain, 2020.​Maine taking part in new studies on Lyme Disease

Hello there! Today, I get to introduce you to a special person. Kelsi Folsom is a poet and classically-trained singer making her home with her physician-husband and four children. She's the author of four poetry collections, including her brand new book, Beauty Still Lives Here  and Breaking the Jar She has work published in numerous journals.Kelsi is currently a graduate student in Theopoetics and Writing at Bethany Theological Seminary and is a passionate advocate for the creative arts shaping culture in the form of hospitality, advocacy, reconciliation, and mental health. Today, we are jumping into a fascinating conversation about the importance of creativity when it comes to healing. We know that health is not stagnant, it is constantly changing, and having a mindset that allows for play, and wonder, and art in its many forms is often a crucial piece of healing – as you’ll hear Kelsi talk about, embracing creativity can help us to find meaning and hope, even when facing hardship.I hope today’s conversation blesses you and inspires you to get back in touch with your playful self. And when you finish listening, I encourage you to check out her book and find her Instagram for more content.Thank you for listening!Look for Kelsi in these places:Instagram @kelsifolsom https://www.instagram.com/kelsifolsom?igsh=MWVzMjdjdDB0c21p www.kelsifolsom.comPurchase Beauty Still Lives Here: https://a.co/d/7Uyfg2W 

Thank you to listener Tara for today’s subject - how to reducing scarring! While scars can be a source of fascination and pride for kids, they can be the opposite for many, and can also be potentially dangerous.In today’s episode, I share about what makes a scar, why we should give them more heed, 20 herbs that can be used to restore normal health, a few good combinations and applications, and supplements that may be helpful as well.If you would like to recommend a podcast topic, email me at [email protected] or call and leave a message at 802-234-1177.If you would like to learn more about working with me one-on-one, or to sign up for my monthly newsletter, visit [email protected] you for listening!

Mindy Capello is a Clinical Herbalist in Omaha, Nebraska, registered with the American Herbalist Guild and the Christian Herbalist Guild. She is also a Certified Health and Life Coach, and she teaches faith-based herbalism programs for new herbalists. She sees clients and teaches both in person and virtually. She also volunteers at Wild Roots People’s Clinic, a donation-based clinic offering herbalism and body work to financially challenged folks in her area, and runs Alms of Grace Clinic – a supervised, Christian student-led program offering herbal care online to folks in need.Mindy offers a wide variety of resources on her website, www.herbaremedium.com, including a blog, several monographs, and free classes. You can also enroll in her Family Herbalist course any time if you want to do it self-paced, or you can register for the Live version which starts again in August. This year she is also accepting registrations for her latest program, for community herbalists, so check that out too!Today, we’re digging in to a big conversation around fibromyalgia, a brand new topic for the show, and one which Mindy has both personal and professional experience. You will get to hear her favorite nutritional, supplemental, lifestyle, and herbal tools, both those that are proven through scientific studies, as well as those that worked for her personally. We talk about the energetics and common tissue states, how the diagnostic process and resource options have changed over the past 25 years, and Mindy’s favorite herbal combinations! Plus, hang on till the end, because we touch on a much wider topic around faith-based herbal practices and the dilemma that Christians can face when choosing natural options for their health. All this and more in today’s conversation.Thank you for listening!Mindy’s links ~www.herbaremedium.comwww.almsofgraceclinic.comwww.wildrootspc.orghttps://www.facebook.com/HerbaRemedium/https://www.instagram.com/herbaremedium/Mindy also recommends the following read: https://www.amazon.com/Fibromyalgia-Journey-Healing-Chanchal-Cabrera/dp/0658003054/ If you would like to recommend a podcast topic, email me at [email protected] or call and leave a message at 802-234-1177.If you would like to learn more about working with me one-on-one, or to sign up for my monthly newsletter, visit [email protected] you for listening!

Thank you to listener Bodell for requesting an episode about autonomic dysfunction! As a clinical herbalist, I have found that autonomic dysfunction, as often stemming from the vagal nerve, is associated with so many persistent symptom pictures.The vagal nerve has been getting more attention in recent years, but what exactly is it, why is it getting dysregulated, and what do we mean by dysregulation anyway? In today’s episode I give the the A&P, share connections I have discovered in practice, and my favorite ways of resetting and reregulating the nervous system.If you would like to recommend a podcast topic, email me at [email protected] or call and leave a message at 802-234-1177.If you would like to learn more about working with me one-on-one, or to sign up for my monthly newsletter, visit [email protected] you for listening!