JJ Botanicals - Holistic Nutrition & Botanical Wellness

08/15/2025

Very soon fresh corn will be available at our local farmer’s market (or depending where you are, maybe it already is!). Elotes was always one of my favorite street foods growing up, and as soon as they are available me and my family always get together for a night of elotes tiernos con queso or/and chile.

Besides the deliciousness and nutrition of the corn itself, the silk it’s also carefully collected and saved for medicine.

I start by cutting off the very tip, then peeling all the husk, carefully as to not take any of the silk with it. Then gently remove all the little “hairs” from the corn, and placing it all in a bowl. After I can separate into portions in a bag, remove the air as much as possible and freeze. I can turn it into a tincture or dry it for future infusions. I prefer to freeze or dry it.

What do we use corn silk for in herbal medicine? Corn silk is rich in mucopolysaccharides which are thought to soothe the mucous membranes and reduce inflammation within the urinary tract via a reflex action.

So, corn silk is beneficial for any irritation and inflammation in the urinary system. We would include it as part of a protocol for things like cystitis, urethritis, dysuria and prostatitis.

08/13/2025

What kind of herbal preparations does a Herbalista work with...

Which ones have you used or made yourself?

08/11/2025

Today I want to share a bit more of what I do as clinical practitioner, because my registered designation as a Medical Herbalist, with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK), always seems to create confusion and even some of my family still thinks I’m either a naturopath or a homeopath!

The training I did was extensive (4 years), and it included some orthodox or “allopathic” medicine basic training on diagnostic and physical examination skills. Though diagnosing is out of my scope of practice, these skills help me identify red flags or properly assist with a self-diagnosis. It combined traditional and science-based knowledge, with practical and hands-on work too. And yes, this means I create a lot of the herbal medicine I use to dispense remedies to my clients!

Herbal medicine is medicine made from plants, either the whole plant or sometimes parts of it, for example leaves, flowers, roots or bark. It has been the main source of medicine used by people for thousands of years. There are many herbal traditions around the world, and I am trained in what is called western herbalism, as opposed to Chinese or Ayurvedic herbal medicine.

I work with pant-based remedies and/or supplements, but not cannabis – now days it’s important to clarify this. Along with nutrition and lifestyle coaching. While herbal medicine can be a health tool with a wide range of conditions, and I can work with most, areas of particular interest for me include: Women’s health, digestive / gut health, and acute health.

One of the main reasons I love working with herbal medicine is that I work with individuals, and everything is specifically planned and created for them. So, the formulas are unique as each person. Chances are that if two people come see me for headaches, they both will get different recommendations.

08/01/2025

😊

07/31/2025

I absolutely agree with Simone's take on this.

Can You Be Body Positive and Lose Weight?

Send a message to learn more

07/21/2025

It was actually at the beginning of the year when I had my first Pap with my current GP that he asked me if I knew what size of speculum, I needed. Nobody had ever asked me that, nor was I aware of different sizes!

Send a message to learn more

06/29/2025

06/16/2025

Free webinar tomorrow!

Join us for a FREE webinar TOMORROW - Tuesday, June 17th
We will be presenting a pre-recorded workshop by Sara Williams on Pesticide Free Gardening from 7:00 - 9:00pm.

Link to the event information and registration in the comments.
Alternatively, interested participants can get the link on the gardening.usask.ca website.
✿ ✿ ✿

06/11/2025

WANTED FOR INVASION: CREEPING BELLFLOWER (Campanula rapunculoides)

This pretty plant is actually a horrendously invasive one. Creeping Bellflower is particularly hard to control because it spreads through rhizomes and roots in the soil as well as by seed.

To help mitigate the spread of this noxious w**d, don't let these purple flowers set seed, so remove them when you see them. If you can pull them and as much of the root as possible, this will help to control the spread.

For more in-depth information on this w**d, check out our article HERE: https://gardening.usask.ca/articles-and-lists/articles-w**ds/creeping-bellflower.php
✿ ✿ ✿

✿ ✿ ✿
Image credit to Glen Lee at https://www.saskwildflower.ca/

06/04/2025

Not all my work as a herbalist is consultations and dispensing. Another part I love about it is my role as a Herbal educator. And especially I love talking about plants that are all around us and that we may not know are extra special!

Now that spring has sprung, I see bits of green coming up from the grown already. So, I thought I would talk to you about Galium aparine, commonly known as cleavers, one of the first “w**ds” to make appearance in the season.

You are probably familiar with cleavers because they’re super sticky and grows everywhere. I have some growing in my herb bed that was not planted, it simply showed up one day and I just let her be. These images are some that I collected last year, gave it a rinse in case any bugs were stuck in there too, then processed it on the blender with a little clean water. Once it was all blended/liquid I poured into ice cube trays and froze it. Now I just have the cubes in a bag ready whenever I need to use it. I can add smoothies, juices or even use as a poultice.

In herbal medicine it’s used to support the lymphatic system. Think of swollen tonsils or lymph nodes under the arm for example. It can be used for acute or chronic conditions. It is also diuretic and used for some skin conditions due to it’s anti-inflammatory and vulnerary properties. Think of bug bites, sunburn, or other skin rashes.

When the plant is young it can be eaten like other greens. Once you cook it won’t be sticky. You can also add it to salads, but I will admit I have never done that, so I don’t know if the sticky factor changes with the salad dressing.

In herbal medicine it’s thought that the fresher the preparation the better. Hence, it’s usually immediately juiced and preserved, or made into tincture.

05/15/2025

Even though they impact an estimated 9% of the U.S. population, eating disorders remain among the most misunderstood—and under-discussed—mental health conditions.

The truth is, eating disorders are far more common than many realize—and the impact can be life-threatening. When we recognize how common these illnesses really are, we start to break down the pervasive belief that they’re rare, superficial, or self-inflicted and begin to see them for what they are: serious, complex mental health conditions that deserve timely, compassionate care.

Awareness isn’t just about statistics—it’s a step toward helping people access the lifesaving care they need to recover. 💜

05/14/2025

Is that time of the year again when dandelions are beginning to make an appearance. Although not common in most kitchens, some creative cooks incorporate the leaves into salads and sautés. While doing my supervised clinic work in Vancouver Island, I remember being surpassed by seeing bunches of dandelion greens available at the grocery store!

In addition to the leaves, dandelion flower petals can be added to salads, baking or jams, and dandelion root can be dried and roasted and used to make a dark, rich, bitter brew, similar to coffee. Commercially, you may have heard of a product called "Dandyblend".

Dandelions, both leaves and root, are also used in herbal medicine. One of dandelion leaves primary medicinal functions is to act as a diuretic. The plant, particularly the root, also stimulates liver function.

Nutritionally speaking, one cup of chopped, raw dandelion greens (about 55g) provides 1.5g protein, 0.4g of fat, 5.1g of carbohydrates, 1.9g fiber, and 0.4g sugar. Dandelion greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, folate, vitamin K, and vitamin C (in its raw form), and a good source of calcium and potassium.

If you are planning on wildcrafting dandelion, which is abundant almost everywhere; I suggest avoiding high traffic areas, or those that may have been sprayed.