Late summer medicine making
for your hormonal health & beyond
Herbal vinegars, oxymels and shrubs

Download on Apple | Download on Spotify | Download on Google Podcasts

Late summer has arrived, and with it a sense of fall coming soon.

In the earth, in our bodies. 

As folks with wombs, we're intimately connected with the seasons outside of us. 

And it's in this late summer season we can start to feel an urgency or desire to both relish in the abundance and joy of summer in all its glory, and also store and preserve our foods and medicines for the coming winter. 

Herbal vinegars are a form of preservation that brings it all together. 

We can make everything from strongly medicinal vinegars we are working with intensively for a clear purpose all the way to fun and lighthearted shrubs or oxymels we can prepare with the intention to uplift and/or enjoy with friends in a social settings.

Herbal vinegars are versatile, accessible, and also - unsurprisingly - a remnant of our ancestral womb lineages.

A form of medicine that's been around as long as written records have been, and likely a lot longer than that. 

But what are the *actual* benefits of medicinal vinegars? 

When would we choose herbal vinegars over other preparations, and why?

What herbs does vinegar extract better than other methods?

I cover all of this (and more, of course), in this week's episode.


Listen to learn:

• what herbal vinegars are
• a little on the history of herbal vinegars (hint: they're ancient)
• different medicinal preparation methods from around the world
• some of the modern research on health benefits of vinegar
• why we might want to incorporate herbal vinegars for hormonal health
• some herbs that may be especially helpful in the form of vinegar

Resources: 

• Book: Herbal Vinegar by Maggie Oster
• Episode 4: Herbal spotlight on tulsi
  
• Episode 11: Herbal spotlight on dandelion
• Episode 22: Herbal spotlight on nettles
• Episode 32: Herbal spotlight on motherwort
• Episode 44: Herbal bitters & hormonal health
• FREE GUIDE: 10 Key Herbs for Your Hormonal Health

 References:

Elhage, K., St Claire, K., & Daveluy, S. (2022). Acetic acid and the skin: A review of vinegar in dermatology. Int J Dermatol., 61(7), 804-811. doi: 10.1111/ijd.15804

Gheflati, A., Bashiri, R., Ghadiri-Anari, A., Reza, J., Kord, M., & Nadjarzadeh, A. The effect of apple vinegar consumption on glycemic indices, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and homocysteine in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Clin Nutr ESPEN., 33, 132-138. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2019.06.006

Gopal, J., Anthonydhason, V., Muthu, M., Gansukh, E., Jung, S., Chul, S., & Iyyakkannu, S. (2019). Authenticating apple cider vinegar's home remedy claims: Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties and cytotoxicity aspect. Nat Prod Res., 33(6), 906-910. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2017.1413567

Johnston, C, & Gaas, C. (2006). Vinegar: Medicinal uses and antiglycemic effect. MedGenMed., 8(2), 61. PMID: 16926800

Santos, H, de Moraes, W, da Silva, G, Prestes, J, Schoenfeld, B. (2019). Vinegar (acetic acid) intake on glucose metabolism: A narrative review. Clin Nutr ESPEN., 32, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2019.05.008



DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Trusted sources for bulk herbs:

LARGE COMPANIES 

• Mountain Rose Herbs (affiliate link - same price as anywhere, I just receive a tiny kickback) 
  
• Mountain Rose Herbs (not an affiliate link, Mountain Rose gets all your $)
• Pacific Botanicals - California-grown and globally sourced herbs
• Banyan Botanicals - Ayurvedic herbs

REGIONAL, FARM-BASED COMPANIES

• Zack Woods Herb Farm (VT)
• Healing Spirits (NY)
• Sawmill Herb Farm (MA)
• Oshala Farm (OR)
• Meetinghouse Farm (ME)
• Sonoma County Herb Exchange (CA)

Learn to track your cycle and listen to your own body wisdom - Track Your Cycle Simply in 3 Easy Steps Guide (click here)  

Sign up to receive regular herbal womb wisdom-filled love notes and podcast updates straight to your email box.