Liz Milham Herbal Medicine

25/02/2026

There was hedge cutting in my lane the other week and a large branch was lying in the ground with a lot of this magnificent plant growing on it. Now the incessant rain has stopped, I could get to it!

This is Usnea spp. (Old Man’s Beard) a delicate plant consisting of a lichen and a fungus. You can tell it is Usnea by the stretchy white filament that is at the core of the fronds, which you can see in the video.

I’ve posted about Usnea before, but it is very precious because it only grows where the air is clean, and only a few millimetres a year, so we don’t harvest it straight from living trees. But in this instance I was very lucky to find some!

21/02/2026

This is the macerating turmeric (Curcuma longa) tincture from the turmeric I dried 2 weeks ago; it has another couple of weeks to go. Just look how golden the menstruum has become - isn’t it gorgeous? Fabulous herbal medicine!

18/02/2026

I’ve been prepping some gorgeous turmeric (Curcuma longa) ready for the dehydrator. I actually remembered to wear gloves so my hands and nails remain I stained this time! It’s always good to have some turmeric ready to go for teas, capsules or for making into a tincture.

I’ll post a picture of the turmeric tincture that is underway later. You can already see the beautiful golden colour in the menstruum.

13/02/2026

I’ve been asked by 5 different people about Mullein (Verbascum thaspus) this week, so I thought I’d make a post about this lovely herb! The picture is of some Mullein leaf tincture I made this morning. It’s now in a dark cool cupboard macerating away for the next 4 weeks or so.

We work with 3 parts of this plant: the sunny yellow flowers, the velvety leaves and the earthy root. In the main, Mulkein is one of the great lung herbs - it is a moistening mild expectorant, that soothes hot, inflamed mucous membranes and even helps to increase the activity of the cilia, the fine hairs that waft mucous along the tracts. It is generally a herb for those annoying and exhausting dry tickly coughs, but can be combined with other herbs for other coughs where indicated.

The flowers are infused in oil and make effective and soothing ear drops for earache or congested ears. It can be combined with garlic infused oil to make it even more effective.

Mullein root can be helpful where there is mild urinary incontinence along with other herbs suitable for that individual.

08/02/2026

This week, I’ve been drying ginger and turmeric and the clinic has been graced by their exquisite fragrance! The turmeric is already in an alcohol and water menstruum sitting a dark place turning to Curcuma longa tincture - a gorgeous herbal medicine. The ginger is going to pair with the lemon I dried last week for some delicious medicinal teas.

05/02/2026

There’s always time for a bit of CPD - one of the things I love about herbalism is that there’s always more to learn!

28/01/2026

Storm Chandra dropped a little blessing - a twig with some gorgeous lichens landed in the garden. On closer inspection, there was a tiny tuft of precious Usnea on there, which has been harvested and dried and added to my small collection. Usnea is so precious because it is a very slow growing symbiotic life firm composed of a fungus and a lichen. It is precious partly because it grows so slowly (only a few millimetres a year) that ethical herbalists tend not to harvest it but wait for windfall, thereby ensuring that its use is sustainable.

In herbal medicine, Usnea has strong antimicrobial properties and is antispasmodic to the lungs and intestine.

25/01/2026

During the week, I was dehydrating organic lemon slices - the aroma was gorgeous! These are destined for a herbal tea blend along with some dehydrated ginger and other herbs. Watch out for the post when it’s made!

25/01/2026

A helpful article about medicinal mushrooms and herbal medicines regulations from Herbal Reality

Recent changes to medicinal mushroom regulations have impacted access to turkey tail and cordyceps. We discuss safety legislations of medicinal fungi.

17/01/2026

Teaching is an important part of my herbal practice, and I always value the opportunity to pass on knowledge to the next generation of herbalists. Some days I’m lecturing, other days like today, I’m marking work. As a final year tutor for the IRCH School of Herbal Medicine it brings me joy to see that herbal legacy passed on.

04/01/2026

Interesting study. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been increasingly implicated in inflammation, autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular and liver disease, among others. The key takeaway is the importance of supporting mitochondrial health. Getting the fundamentals right - nutrient-dense diet, adequate hydration, quality sleep, stress management, and regular physical activity - goes a long way. Targeted herbal support may also be beneficial, depending on individual needs.

Mitochondria are the energy production centers in cells and have unique genetic information. Due to the irreplaceable function of mitochondria, mitochondrial dysfunction often leads to pathological changes. Mitochondrial dysfunction induces an imbalance between oxidation and antioxidation, mitochond...

21/12/2025

Wishing you Yule and Solstice blessings, a very Merry Christmas and good health, love, laughter, peace and happiness for 2026!

The clinic is open again on 14th January.