Black Willow Holistic Center LLC.

11/08/2025

🌿NORA Tea for Pregnancy🌿

NORA tea is one of my favorite gentle, mineral-rich blends to support the body throughout pregnancy — helping you feel nourished, grounded, and balanced as your body prepares for birth. ✨

NORA stands for Nettles, Oatstraw, Red Raspberry Leaf, and Alfalfa — four herbs that work in harmony to:
🌿 Support uterine tone and strength
🌿 Nourish the blood and boost iron
🌿 Balance energy and calm the nervous system
🌿 Support the body’s natural preparation for labor and recovery afterward

Many mamas find that regularly sipping NORA tea throughout pregnancy helps their body feel more resilient and ready for birth — promoting gentle endurance, balanced contractions, and smoother recovery. 💛

✨ Simple Blend:

2 parts Red Raspberry Leaf
1 part Nettle Leaf
1 part Oatstraw
1 part Alfalfa

Steep 1–2 tablespoons in hot water for at least 20 minutes (or overnight for a stronger infusion). Enjoy hot or iced throughout the day.

Pause, breathe, and nourish yourself as your body prepares to bring new life into the world.

10/15/2025

Facebook Herb Walk

Burdock (Arctium lappa, A. minus) is a common w**d throughout temperate regions of the world. It prefers average garden soil & full sun, but will grow in wide variety of conditions. The root is gathered in Autumn (first year plant) or very early second spring. The seed in the autumn of the second year, when the seed is ripe.

Burdock root is a mild medicinal plant as well as a food. It is used in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. It is an effective treatment for lymphatic congestion with enlarged nodes that are tender to the touch.

As an alterative/antidyscratic, it is also used for inflammatory skin problems such as atopic eczema, psoriatic arthritis; osteoarthritis, gout, and gouty arthritis as it enhances uric acid excretion.

Burdock Root contains inulin, a rich source of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), which can help to promote the growth of the normal bowel flora. It also is soothing to the G.I. tract and can be useful for treating leaky gut syndrome, gastritis, ileitis, and IBS.

The young root, known as gobo in Japan, is edible and is usually cooked in soups or stir fries, and the peeled main stalk is a pleasant edible raw vegetable. The leaves are useful for pit cooking to wrap food and they can be burned to smoke brain-tanned leather.

The western use of Burdock seed is in protocols for dry, crusty, scaly, or itchy skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and dandruff.

In TCM, Burdock seed (Niu Bang Zi) is used in formulas to expel wind heat: for sore throat, irritative coughs, tonsillitis, colds or influenza with scratchy, painful throat.

It helps resolve “fire poison” conditions like rashes, boils, red swellings, erythema, and mumps; and to stimulate the eruption of measles and chicken pox.

This blog is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches and techniques described herein are meant to supplement, and not be a substitute for professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional. Image: Johann Gottlieb Mann 1828.

09/18/2025

09/17/2025

I was first introduced to self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) while walking through a field many years ago. Once I got a good look at her, she stopped me in my tracks, and I spent a lot of time sitting on the ground admiring her magnificent flowers. I was inspired to get to know my new (then) friend, Prunella, on a deeper level, so I went home and hit the books. It's been a part of my herbalism practice ever since.

Self heal has many common names, including “Heal-All” and “Wound Wort,” which is a good indication of how highly it has been thought of in the tradition of herbalism. It is a plant that I like to call a “Swiss Army Knife” herb, meaning it’s a plant that has a lot of versatility and one that I keep well-stocked in my home apothecary.

Prunella vulgaris is a highly versatile plant that is commonly found in many home apothecaries and wellness cabinets. Learn more about this incredible plant and ways to put it to use for immune, digestive, and skin care support.

09/16/2025

Ayurveda teaches that one of the root causes of health imbalances is living out of harmony with nature. However, living in harmony with nature is no small feat, especially in the modern day. Furthermore, what exactly does it mean to “live in harmony?” Fortunately, Ayurveda offers a rich perspective on this. Your constitution, the seasons, time of life, and time of day can all help point the way. There is a relationship between the movement of time, the phases of the moon, exposure to solar energy, and the flow of the doshas (Lad, 2009). Aligning your daily routines with the ebb and flow of the doshas throughout the day can be one way to create balance in your life. This article will discuss how to schedule your day based on your natural energy levels—and how Ayurveda can inform those decisions.

This article will discuss how to schedule your day based on your natural energy levels—and how Ayurveda can inform those decisions.

09/14/2025

09/13/2025

Catnip: Beneficial Herb for Humans and Cats + DIY Cat Toy Ideas

Nepeta cataria, commonly called catnip, is an ancient member of the mint family. It has been used in western folk practices for millennia, and is loved for its gentle, calming properties. Herbalists and parents often brew this child-friendly herb into a soothing tisane, but it can also be taken internally as a tincture. For topical use, catnip can be infused in oils, or used as an essential oil or hydrosol to bring an herbaceous, relaxing scent to body care products. Perhaps, however, catnip is best known as the herb most loved by our feline friends.

Catnip is an ancient, soothing mint that's been used in herbalism for centuries. Learn how catnip can support your health and why your cats love it!

09/12/2025

https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/morning-routine-herbs/

Starting your day with a well-planned morning routine that incorporates herbs can help to set the tone for your day. Here's how to make it happen!