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The Deep Roots School of Foraging & Herbal Medicine, Birmingham, AL (2026)

04/30/2026

About one in ten people who take valerian to sleep get wired instead and I have seen this clinically and may herbalists report seeing the same thing … I have a friend that becomes full of rage and super irritable. This is most likely why when you look at studies on valerian and it’s effects on sleep you get a lot of “inconclusive” or contradictory results and I want to talk about why that happens, because the mechanism is pretty cool and it connects a common physiological response to a whole class of drugs and herbs. But can also help us to utilize valerian more effectively.

King's American Dispensatory in 1905 talk about valerian as a "stimulant-tonic" but it’s dose dependent - we will get to that in a minute!

Valerian's main active compound, valerenic acid, is a positive modulator of GABA-A receptors — GABA being your nervous system's main calming neurotransmitter system. But GABA-A receptors aren't built the same in everybody and in people with a specific GABA A receptor configuration valerian won’t necessarily be calming… especially in larger doses…

This is a common effect of many GABA-A receptor positive allosteric modulators like progesterone, alcohol and benzodiazepines which also have a recognized "paradoxical agitation" phenomenon. It's a U-shaped (biphasic) dose-response curve.

So the paradoxical response isn't a freak occurrence it's a feature of this whole class of compounds, and it's tied to which subunits an individual's GABA-A receptors are made of.

If valerian wires you up there are a lot of beautiful nervines that work through different mechanisms passionflower (it’s has a broader action on the GABA system as a whole), hops, California poppy, skullcap, kava. You don't have to force a relationship with a plant whose chemistry doesn't match yours.

If you want to learn this kind of cool stuff about herbalism all the time check out the Herbal Medicine Monthly Subscription where I deep dive into one plant per month. Link's in the bio if you want to come learn with us

Shinjyo, N., Waddell, G., & Green, J. (2020). Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine. (60 studies, n=6,894. Cites the 1905 King's American Dispensatory description of valerian as a "stimulant-tonic.")

Benke, D., et al. (2009). GABA-A receptors as in vivo substrate for the anxiolytic action of valerenic acid, a major constituent of valerian root extracts. Neuropharmacology. (Demonstrated that β3-containing GABA-A receptors are the major substrate for valerian's anxiolytic action.)

Khom, S., et al. (2007). Valerenic acid potentiates and inhibits GABA-A receptors: Molecular mechanism and subunit specificity. Neuropharmacology. (Valerenic acid is β2/β3 subunit-selective and biphasic — potentiates at low concentrations, inhibits at high concentrations.)

Bäckström, T., et al. (2014). Allopregnanolone and mood disorders. Progress in Neurobiology. (PMDD patients show altered GABA-A receptor sensitivity; α4 and δ subunit changes drive paradoxical anxiogenic effects of allopregnanolone.)

Taibi, D. M., et al. (2009). A randomized clinical trial of valerian fails to improve self-report, polysomnographic, and actigraphic sleep in older women with insomnia. Sleep Medicine. (Peer-reviewed acknowledgment of paradoxical stimulation as a recognized clinical effect.)

For educational purposes only—this content is not medical or clinical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I do not provide individualized recommendations or advise stopping or replacing medications, and no practitioner–client relationship is formed.
I am an herbalist, not a medical doctor—always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions or using herbs. Herbal use carries risks, including side effects, allergic reactions, and interactions, and plant identification is for educational purposes only—always verify before use. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use or reliance on this content.

04/28/2026

We have a jar deficit…tis’ clean out day!

04/27/2026

City plant walkin’ 😍

04/19/2026

How was your first experience growing or foraging your own medicine?

What was that like for you?

03/29/2026

How has your plant knowledge helped someone else?

Those moments when your herb nerdiness actually comes in handy for another human being. What's your favorite story?

03/27/2026

Southern Magnolia might be stuck in your head as a landscape plant but it is an incredible asset to your medicine chest.
As an aromatic bitter, magnolia bark stimulates digestion and moves fluids. Clinically, I reach for it most when someone's dealing with , with a need to tighten and tone the mucosa, and high stress at the same time — that combination where the nervous system and the gut are both in the symptom pattern.
Magnolia grandiflora is pretty well researched…it has neolignans — honokiol and magnolol specifically that are anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, analgesic, and antimicrobial. These constituents appear to work on cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) and the GABAergic system — which is the calming neurotransmitter family in our brains and bodies.
Want to learn how to work with plants like this? Inside the Herbal Medicine Monthly Subscription, we discuss identification, traditional uses, preparations, and the science behind why herbs work — so you can start building a real relationship with the medicine growing around you.
🌱👇 Comment “Kit” for the details.

For educational purposes only—this content is not medical or clinical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I do not provide individualized recommendations or advise stopping or replacing medications, and no practitioner–client relationship is formed.
I am an herbalist, not a medical doctor—always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions or using herbs. Herbal use carries risks, including side effects, allergic reactions, and interactions, and plant identification is for educational purposes only—always verify before use. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use or reliance on this content.

03/26/2026

Organoleptics or Sensory Evaluation is a scientific discipline used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret those responses to products that are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing.

It is a viable means of determining strength, potency, and chemical profile of substances from wines to food, to herbal medicines. You like a sommelier can tap into this human super power to extrapolate the physiological properties of herbal medicines without much training of experience.

For example, plants that are high in resins & alkaloids often taste ACRID. Acrid

Acrid is the taste of...well, bile. It is a bitter, burning taste much like vomit.

Acrid herbs are often strongly anti-spasmodic and are particularly effective central nervous system relaxants/stimulants.

Some Examples of Acrid Herbs:
🌿Lobelia
🌿Kava
🌿Tobacco
🌿Coffee
🌿Chocolate

Common Properties of
🌿Acrid Herbs:
🌿anti-spasmoidic
🌿relaxing and open up the flow of blood, lymph, and energy
🌿used in cases of migrating pain, or alternating fever chills/constipation

Do you have a Acrid Herb?

If you are wanting to take a deeper dive into herbalism be sure to check out my Herbal Medicine Monthly Subscription Program where I teach you in depth about one plant per month.

Comment HMMS for more deails!

For educational purposes only—this content is not medical or clinical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I do not provide individualized recommendations or advise stopping or replacing medications, and no practitioner–client relationship is formed.
I am an herbalist, not a medical doctor—always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions or using herbs. Herbal use carries risks, including side effects, allergic reactions, and interactions, and plant identification is for educational purposes only—always verify before use. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use or reliance on this content.

03/25/2026

Don't let the name Ilex vomitoria scare you! 🙅‍♀️🌿
Meet Yaupon Holly—the plant you've probably walked past a hundred times outside your local Costco or nail salon.
Despite the intimidating botanical name (a misunderstanding by early European settlers observing indigenous ceremonies and getting it wrong), this common landscaping shrub will absolutely not make you sick (in appropriate dosages). In fact, it's hiding a major secret, it is the ONLY native caffeine-containing plant in the South! ☕️✨
That means you can skip the expensive green tea. You can harvest Yaupon leaves, dry them immediately, or roast them for a delicious, grassy tea that gives you a gentle, antioxidant-rich caffeine boost. You can even infuse it into skin oils for a gorgeous, caffeinated glow! ✨
Are you ready to stop walking past the powerful plant medicine growing right in your own neighborhood? 👀
Learn how to confidently identify, harvest, and use the plants around you by joining our Herbal Medicine Monthly Subscription! We dive deep into practical, everyday herbalism every single month. 🌱👇 Comment “Kit” for the details

For educational purposes only—this content is not medical or clinical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I do not provide individualized recommendations or advise stopping or replacing medications, and no practitioner–client relationship is formed.
I am an herbalist, not a medical doctor—always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions or using herbs. Herbal use carries risks, including side effects, allergic reactions, and interactions, and plant identification is for educational purposes only—always verify before use. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use or reliance on this content.

03/23/2026

Southern Magnolia is one of those trees that's everywhere in the South and almost nobody knows it as medicine.
In this reel I'm walking through how to ID it and how I use the bark clinically — it's an aromatic bitter, so it's great for sluggish digestion, moving fluids, and that pattern where the gut and the nervous system are both struggling.
Want to go deeper? Herbal Medicine Monthly is where we do exactly this every month — identification, traditional uses, preparations, the science behind why it works. Comment “Kit” for the details.
or 🔗 Link in bio.

For educational purposes only—this content is not medical or clinical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I do not provide individualized recommendations or advise stopping or replacing medications, and no practitioner–client relationship is formed.
I am an herbalist, not a medical doctor—always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions or using herbs. Herbal use carries risks, including side effects, allergic reactions, and interactions, and plant identification is for educational purposes only—always verify before use. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use or reliance on this content.

03/22/2026

Which plant do you talk to the most while you're harvesting? Don't lie we all do it.

There's something about that harvesting that makes you want to have a conversation.

03/19/2026

We can use our sense of taste and smell to ascertain the chemical profile of medical plants with surprising accuracy. This evolved ability has served to protect us by helping us to know what is food, what is medicine, and what is potentially toxic.

We can hone this sense and utilize it to determine the chemical makeup of plants and their general uses.

For example, plants that are ALKALOIDAL BITTERS taste bitter but also tend to have an acrid (or bile-like) aftertaste. This clues us into their properties as digestive stimulants that have action on the nervous system as well. The taste lets us know of the presence of alkaloid compounds (caffeine, ni****ne, berberine) as well as bitter principles.
They tend to be cooling and drying energetically.

Some Examples of Alkoloidal Bitter Herbs:
🌿Goldenseal
🌿Oregon Grape
🌿Coffee
🌿Chocolate
🌿California Poppy
🌿Barberry

Common Properties of Alkoloidal Bitter Herbs:
🌿same as other bitters i.e. support digestive function
🌿support healthy bile and stomach acid production
🌿often have stimulating or sedating effects
🌿on the nervous system and glands

Do you have a favorite Alkaloidal Bitter?

If you are wanting to take a deeper dive into herbalism be sure to check out my Herbal Medicine Monthly Subscription Program where I teach you in depth about one plant per month.

Comment HMMS for more deails!

For educational purposes only—this content is not medical or clinical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I do not provide individualized recommendations or advise stopping or replacing medications, and no practitioner–client relationship is formed.
I am an herbalist, not a medical doctor—always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions or using herbs. Herbal use carries risks, including side effects, allergic reactions, and interactions, and plant identification is for educational purposes only—always verify before use. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use or reliance on this content.

03/15/2026

Pine is the people's tree!

Generous, plentiful, and endlessly useful — pine has been a medicine chest
hiding in plain sight for centuries.

For educational purposes only—this content is not medical or clinical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I do not provide individualized recommendations or advise stopping or replacing medications, and no practitioner–client relationship is formed.
I am an herbalist, not a medical doctor—always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions or using herbs. Herbal use carries risks, including side effects, allergic reactions, and interactions, and plant identification is for educational purposes only—always verify before use. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I disclaim liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from the use or reliance on this content.

The Deep Roots School of Foraging & Herbal Medicine