Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is one of those common herbs that is too easily overlooked. But chamomile deserves our praise and appreciation. Although it’s gentle, this herb gives us powerful medicine for babies, the elderly, and everyone in between. It can be a soothing, yet highly effective ally for sleepless nights, digestive upsets, skin issues, conjunctivitis…and the list goes on!
In this episode, I’m talking about the *many* gifts of chamomile with my fellow herbalist and longtime friend, Leslie Lekos. Leslie shares a wealth of information with us about this gentle, yet powerful herb, along with her wonderful herbal bitters recipe for supporting healthy digestion, Chamomile Cardamom Bitters. (Be sure to get the link for your free copy of her downloadable recipe card in the links below.)
By the end of this episode, you’ll know:
►Why dosage matters for seeing the results you hope for
►How long to let chamomile tea steep
► Why chamomile is a great herb to work with long-term
Here is one of my favorite takeaways about chamomile’s gifts from our conversation:
“I feel like the medicine that our larger culture needs is this gentle medicine. We have so many driving forces, everybody’s so amped up and moving so fast, something to slow us down and get in our bodies and just feel our way through, feel embodied.” (19:16)
For those of you who don’t know her, Leslie is the founder and director of Wildroot Botanicals, a bio-regionally based herbal school located on the unceded territories of the coast Salish peoples.
The mission for the school is to foster a learning environment where people develop personal connections with plants through wildcrafting, tending to the land, and working towards right relations.
She also has an herbal product line and is known in her region for distilling hydrosols and for her re-wilding project, a monthly offering of wildcrafted and farm grown herbs to support mental wellness, nutrition, and connection with the land.
In addition to herbal work, she is a doula, childbirth educator, and prenatal yoga instructor for the past 20 years. She is co-author of the book Yoga for Pregnancy, and is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and the mother of two sons.
Her favorite part about teaching is when she is able to witness students feel a familiar spark within them when they engage with plants, a reuniting with the basic human skill that was a necessity for all our ancestors somewhere down the line in all of our lineages.
Leslie is one of the most heart-centered, generous, and deeply devoted herbalists I know. I’m so happy to bring you this conversation with one of my favorite people about one of my favorite herbs!
— LINKS —
► Access your Chamomile Cardamom Bitters recipe card here: https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/podcast60.html
► Get Rosalee’s best herbal tips by joining her weekly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3EtBEqe
► Leslie’s website: https://www.wildrootbotanicals.com/
► Leslie’s Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/wildroot/
► Yoga For Pregnancy: https://amzn.to/3RGW6Kj
► Leslie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildrootbotanicals/
► Leslie’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildrootbotanicals/
► Are you looking for high quality herbs? My recommendation is Mountain Rose Herbs. Chamomile flowers, tea, hydrosol, extract, seeds and more are all available. Click here to check them out: https://bit.ly/3ms3vQ2
— DISCLOSURE —
I’m a huge fan of Mountain Rose Herbs and will often share referral links to buy herbs or herbal supplies at their online herbal apothecary.
By using the above affiliate link, you help support this channel. Thanks!
If you’re looking for local places to buy herbs, check out my listing of herb farms in the U.S. and Canada. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/Herb-Farms-Wildcrafters.html
— TIMESTAMPS —
01:16 – Introduction to Leslie Lekos
03:27 – How gardens she knew in childhood introduced Leslie to a love for plants
06:43 – Leslie’s introduction to herbalism
09:14 – How Leslie and Rosalee met and became friends
12:01 – Why Leslie chose chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) for this conversation
19:38 – How Leslie makes chamomile tea for bedtime
21:53 – Chamomile for menstrual cramps, digestive upsets, skin issues, conjunctivitis, and more
27:39 – Chamomile for chronic issues
28:18 – Leslie’s recipe for Chamomile Cardamom Bitters
30:27 – Leslie’s current project, Nourished by the Wild
33:55 – Giving back to plants
— DISCLAIMER —
The herbal and plant information in this video is for educational purposes only. The information contained is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other medical professional. If you have or suspect that you have a serious health problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Always consult with a health care practitioner before using any herbal remedy or food, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition.
