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A podcast by Herbalist Natasha Richardson Season One features interviews with herbalists on medicinal herbs and their many uses. Season Two is about menstrual taboo, health and poverty.

E27 How to become a herbalist 01/09/2019

E27 How to become a herbalist I'm happy to say the most frequent question I get off the back of my podcast is how do I study as a herbalist? This podcast, and final episode, aims to answer that question for anyone in the UK and gives some online options too. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/8189795

E26 Elecampane 03/08/2018

E26 Elecampane Belle Benfield shares with us her deep rooted connection with Elecampane. She became a herbalist after years of studying on an apprenticeship with Karen and Fi from Sensory Solutions and now works side by side with them. Elecampane is a root which is harvested in Autumn. I have grown this herb and candied it in the past for coughs but Belle raised other uses with me. Such as, it's amazing ability to kill MRSA! She also spoke about its associations with Helen of Troy and... Amparo's website: Sensory Solutions' website: Belle's seed pilgrimmage: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/6343538

E25 Marshmallow 01/17/2018

E25 Marshmallow Amparo is a Spanish born Scotland based herbalist. She learnt Herbal Medicine in the UK and is currently training to become a doctor. She brings a fresh look at Marshmallow using her wonderfully in-depth and colourful knowledge of phytochemistry. Marshmallow gave it's name to the sweet. It's wonderfully softening and soothing properties most commonly used for digestion. Amaro explains how she likes to prepare and use it. It's a herb I have a lot of but don't use much. I'd like to apologise for the late publishing of this podcast. I had to take my sweet time on the sound levels in post-production and well, it was a right FAFF! Amparo's website: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/6159338

E24 Shepherd's purse 11/01/2017

E24 Shepherd's purse Sarah Smith is an old friend of mine. She qualified from Lincoln University just a couple years after me. Since then she's gone on to qualify in massage, and as a doula. I have to say, Sarah gives the best deep tissue massage I've ever had! She loves women's health as much as me and we talked about Shepherd's purse as it is a traditional herb to stop excessive menstruation. But from there we go down all kinds of conversational rabbit holes involving clinical trials and ending with pornography. Tune in to hear the madness! Sarah's website: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5899890

E23 Rose 10/09/2017

E23 Rose Vivienne is passionate about Rose. I'm sure drinking rose brandy whilst recording helped a little with that too. She's created an amazing online course in which she teaches herbal medicine which is linked to below. In this episode we talk about the medicinal value of Roses. We talk mostly about the wonderful uplifting properties it has for emotions. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5821356

E22 Peppermint 06/20/2017

E22 Peppermint In this episode I talk about the common Peppermint with Erika Galentin. We discuss how Peppermint is not just cooling but also potentially irritating and heating to the body. How information about herbal medicine can be pretty unreliable online. Why it's important to use essential oils safely and how different herbalism is in the UK vs. the USA where she's based. Erika is a wonderfully inspiring herbalist who has successfully transitioned from one form of herbal medicine to another. She is the course development director for the wonderful Herbal Academy. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5465472

E21 Cowslip and Primrose 05/31/2017

E21 Cowslip and Primrose In this episode I talk about 2 herbs! Cowslip and Primrose, with Fiona Heckles. She is part of a herbal company called Sensory Solutions which is made up of Karen Lawton and Belle. Karen has already been on the podcast and Belle is going to be on later this year. So I'll have collected all 3! Like pokemon.. They run an incredible course and it was a pleasure to speak to Fiona about these two herbs. They are so closely related but one is endangered in some areas where the other is not. Links: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5371063

E20 Catnip 05/19/2017

E20 Catnip In this episode I talk to Alice Bettany about Catnip (Nepeta cataria) a herb which is often associated with children as it is so gentle. But gentle doesn't mean it isn't effective! We're so used to hitting things with a sledge hammer now a days we've lost respect for the gentle things in life. We also talked about she sheds and the comfort of a big bosom.. as you do. Links: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5371048

E19 Sweet Violet 03/30/2017

E19 Sweet Violet In this episode we talk about a lesser well-know herb, Sweet Violet, with Kate Scott. Kate has a rich history of female herbalists in her family dating as far back as the 16th century. It was especially nice to speak about herbs which grow readily in the UK but have become forgotten, native adaptogens and more. You'll find her website and other things we spoke about listed below: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5218232

E18 Rosemary 02/23/2017

E18 Rosemary Deanne Greenwood is a herbalist from Cornwall with a colourful background. She talks to us about reviving Rosemary in this episode. Rosemary is known by everyone because it is so commonly used for cooking. But did you know it's also anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and energising? It stimulates the circulation and helps keep you warm in the winter months. Deanne takes me through why it's one of her favourite herbs and how she likes to prepare her very own tincture of it. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5111562

E17 Burdock.mp3 02/03/2017

E17 Burdock.mp3 Burdock is common around Europe and all the way into Asia. It's a bitter plant that is famous for its use as a detoxing herb because it helps the liver. However, there are many parts of the plant which have been nearly forgotten such as the seeds. Nathalie talks me through how the nourishing properties of the plants are probably more important than the bitter qualities. In fact, we think it's pretty sweet as bitter herbs go! /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/5049038

E16 Borage.mp3 02/02/2017

E16 Borage.mp3 I've known Marcos Patchett for a long time. I knew him before I was even a herbalist. He has always inspired me with his blend of science and astrology in equal measure. There has recently been a voluntary ban taken by some, but not all, professional associations in the UK affecting a long list of herbs. Some of the herbs which many herbalists have chosen to stop using include Borage and Comfrey. It all comes down to the fact they contain pyrolizzidine alkaloids. In this podcast Marcos explains why voluntary bans based upon the toxicity of isolated chemical constituents could be a dangerous path to walk down. The thoughts of Marcos in this podcast are his own and do not represent any other organisation he works with. They also do not represent my own thoughts on the matter. I hope you will join us in a discussion using the comments below this podcast. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4961691

E15 Passion flower 11/11/2016

E15 Passion flower I was lucky enough to visit Cristina in person to record this episode and we had great fun enjoying a cup of Passion flower tea while we chatted. Passion flower is most commonly used to help with sleep and you'll find it in a lot of over the counter sleep tea mixes. But it's got so much more going on than its sedating properties. We talk about where the name comes from, its association with Jesus and how it has a kinda trippy vibe. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4823656

E14 Mugwort.mp3 10/20/2016

E14 Mugwort.mp3 In this episode I talk to Nathaniel Hughes about Mugwort. This wonderful herb is associated with magic and witchcraft. Nathan explains to us why that is as we delve into the world of Mugwort. We look at how it helps us to journey into our dreams and subconscious. How it helps to increase creativity and even helps us create life by treating some types of infertility. We speak about the 3 cauldrons and some other cool traditional Chinese medicine stuff that was new to me. We also got chatting about the virtues of studying herbs slowly and taking the time to get to really know them. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4760177

E13 Yarrow.mp3 09/28/2016

E13 Yarrow.mp3 In this episode we talk about Yarrow with Kathie Bishop. Kathie is a friend of mine who just happened to have written her dissertation on Yarrow! A happy discovery on my part. She taught me about some interesting folklore I didn't know about and we ended up talking a lot about vaginal steaming as Yarrow is so good for some women's health problems. She specialises in the subject of thrush and I really enjoyed talking to her. Hope you enjoy it too. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4703053

E12 Ladys Mantle.mp3 08/24/2016

E12 Ladys Mantle.mp3 In this episode we're talking about Lady's Mantle with Marie Reilly. A fantastic herbalist who knows SO much when it comes to women's health. We talk about her training in western herbal medicine, endobiogenics and Ayurvedic medicine. Marie explains why Vitex agnus cactus isn't always the answer to infertility problems or other hormonal imbalances and what herbs might be better. She helps me understand the causes of PMS among other problems like; thrush, fertility, leucorrhea, and cervical dysplasia. Tune in guys, this is a fact-packed episode on my favourite subject; women's health. Links for this episode: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4614657

E11 Cleavers.mp3 07/18/2016

E11 Cleavers.mp3 In Episode 11 we talk about Cleavers with Katherine Bellchambers. She talks about how to store the fresh juice as ice cubes, save someone from anaphylactic shock and what it takes to make a wise herbalist. I also tell you about how I recovered from short-term adrenal fatigue in the last few weeks and all the amazing upcoming workshops I've got planned. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4523592

E10 Chamomile 06/09/2016

E10 Chamomile In this episode we talk about friendly Chamomile. We're all familiar with this herb but Lucy talks about the wonderful medicinal properties it has especially when it's made into a deep infusion. We talk about all sorts in this episode. I know Lucy well so we indulged quite a few tangents such as the politics of herbal medicine. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4431761

E09 Nettle 05/05/2016

E09 Nettle This months episode is about the humble but handsome Nettle with Amy Dadachanji. After some technical issue we got really going and thoroughly enjoyed yabbering on about the alchemy of joining herbalist and medicine. Along with the magic of not getting stung by the Nettle. Amy had some great insights on recipes too. Here are the links we mentioned: /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4347447

E08 Rosehip 04/14/2016

E08 Rosehip This month we talk to Samantha Entwisle about Rosehip. Rosehip was collected after world war two as it was a great source of vitamin C when oranges were not available. We talk about rosehip as a supplement and rosehip seed oil's amazing properties for the skin. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4295773

E07 Elderberry 03/04/2016

E07 Elderberry This month we look at Elderberry with Karen Lawton from Sensory Solutions. Elderberry is an amazing anti-viral herb used to battle colds and flus. We discuss the best syrup recipes, what the Elder would be like if it were human and more. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4195680

E01 Chickweed 02/06/2016

E01 Chickweed Our very first episode looks at the medicinal, emotional and physical uses of Chickweed. Natasha's introduction - 1:28 Chickweed - 5:20 This podcast was recorded as part of a home-study herbalism course that ran from 2016-2017. Please note the podcasts contain out of date information about this course but the interviews remain full of enough wonderful content that we wanted to keep them up for people to listen to. Feel free to skip to the interviews and let us know what you think. You can find us at Disclaimer: The information given in this podcast is not intended to be used as medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional before using anything mentioned. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/3752761

E02 Calendula 02/06/2016

E02 Calendula In this episode we look at the medicinal properties of Calendula with Darcey Blue from Arizona. She tells us how Calendula can be used for so much more than a skin remedy. Disclaimer: The information given in this podcast is not intended to be used as medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional before using anything mentioned. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/3841776

E03 Sage 02/06/2016

E03 Sage Today we look at Sage, a common herb from cooking but also valuable in medicine. Brittany Nickerson tells us about it's uses for the throat and much more. Disclaimer: The information given in this podcast is not intended to be used as medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional before using anything mentioned. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/3869747

E04 Lime Blossom 02/06/2016

E04 Lime Blossom Lime Blossom is best known for helping the heart with high blood pressure, insomnia and stress. Lucinda takes us through some less well known uses and preparations. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/3954858

E06 Hawthorn 02/06/2016

E06 Hawthorn This episode looks at the properties of Hawthorn with Alexis Cunningfolk from LA. Hawthorn is best known as a remedy for high blood pressure but Alexis takes me through how she likes to use it. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4130492

E05 Dandelion 01/04/2016

E05 Dandelion Dandelion is a traditional remedy for liver and kidney support. Fiona takes us through her favourite uses and we talk about her interesting background growing up with herbs. /episode/index/show/foragebotanicals/id/4054466

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