Folk medicine

The healing traditions of Appalachia, deeply rooted in folk remedies, represent a rich tapestry of herbal knowledge influenced by the wisdom of indigenous peopl

I love it when friends keep an eye out for items they know I’ll treasure. Last week my friend Jessie slipped me a copy of Appalachian Folk Medicine: Native Plants and Healing Traditions. It w…

herbal remedies Easy Fire Cider Recipe SKIP TO RECIPE Fire Cider is a traditional folk tonic recipe (popularized by Rosemary Gladstar) made with stewed apple cider vinegar. It is a potent (and spicy) tonic that has been used by generations as a herbal remedy to keep sickness away and boost immunity. What is fire cider? The […]

As enslaved Africans made their way to the New World, their herbal traditions and medicine-making practices were carried along with them. They relied on herbal folk medicine to treat specific conditions while being forced to work on plantations. During #BlackHistoryMonth, we invite you to explore the use of herbal medicinal practices by African American herbalists, including three plants traditionally used by enslaved people for medicinal purposes: Boneset, Mullein, and Cotton.

These folk ways were practiced in every home and were neither strange nor unfamiliar; quite the contrary, they were, and still are, commonplace expressions of a unique and ancient culture, a compre…

Folk medicine doesn’t have to be based on strange superstition, some kept the common folk alive. Let's take a look and find which work and which are fable.

Elderberry is considered one of the most healing plants in the world in folk medicine. It's been used medicinally since as far back as 400 BC...