Remedy & Rhyme - by Joyful Roots https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcasts/remedy-rhyme-by-joyful-roots/ Remedy & Rhyme is a space where poetry meets the power of plants. Each episode begins with a poem — a soul offering inspired by a single herb — and follows the thread of its deeper herbal wisdom. We explore what the plant stirs in the heart, the ways it invites us into greater wellness, and how we might carry its gifts into our own lives. With each unfolding episode, you'll find gentle reflections, grounded holistic practices, and simple ways to welcome herbalism into your daily rhythms. A podcast for lovers of Earth, language, and the liminal — where the sacred and the everyday meet, one plant at a time. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:11:00 +0000 en-US © 2026 Joyful Roots - Kimberly Kling Natural Wellness, Herbalism, Herbal Medicine, Plants, Botanical Medicine, Remedies, Natural Living, Creativity, Goddess, Intuitive Art, Nature, Herbalist, Alchemy, Plant Medicine, Sonoran Desert, Herbs, Arizona Plants, Plant Remedies, Botanical Kimberly Kling of Joyful Roots episodic Remedy & Rhyme is a space where poetry meets the power of plants. Each episode begins with a poem — a soul offering inspired by a single herb — and follows the thread of its deeper herbal wisdom. We explore what the plant stirs in the heart, the ways it invites us into greater wellness, and how we might carry its gifts into our own lives. With each unfolding episode, you'll find gentle reflections, grounded holistic practices, and simple ways to welcome herbalism into your daily rhythms. A podcast for lovers of Earth, language, and the liminal — where the sacred and the everyday meet, one plant at a time. Joyful Roots, Kimberly Kling kim@joyfulroots.com false https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png Remedy & Rhyme - by Joyful Roots https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcasts/remedy-rhyme-by-joyful-roots/ yes Support the show 1d104042-b8e5-540a-a8f7-12cf6b96dda9 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 146906536 #18: Comfrey – Knitting the Broken Places https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/18-comfrey-knitting-the-broken-places/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:11:00 +0000 ab8f5934-e092-57cf-914d-2339ad95a65b Comfrey has an old country name that gives away exactly what it does - Knitbone. It's a plant that goes to the site of a break and starts mending it from the inside out. In this episode, that's the doorway we will step through. What does it mean to be the one in a community who knits, and how can we bring all parts of a community together to create real healing, not the kind that's imposed from outside, but the kind that's called up from within the break itself?

Comfrey offers us the wisdom of strength built through weave rather than rigidity, autonomy held together with interdependence, and relationship with the parts of ourselves that we may have deemed "enemy." In this episode, we sit with an old myth, one that mirrors this same work of mending a broken world with many different, imperfect parts rather than any single fix. From there, we'll turn to the body itself, walking through what comfrey actually offers as an herbal ally, along with an honest look at what the research shows about its gifts and its real, precise limits. And we'll close, as always, with some questions to carry into your own journal.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

Clinical Studies

  • Kucera M, et al. "Efficacy and safety of comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of acute upper or lower back pain." Br J Sports Med, 2005 — PMC3747459
  • Koll R, et al. "Efficacy and tolerance of a comfrey root extract in the treatment of ankle distortions: results of a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study." Phytomedicine, 2004 — PubMed
  • D'Anchise R, et al. "Efficacy of a comfrey root extract ointment in comparison to a diclofenac gel in the treatment of ankle distortions." Phytomedicine, 2005 — PubMed
  • Grube B, Grünwald J, Krug L, Staiger C. "Efficacy of a comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of patients with painful osteoarthritis of the knee." Phytomedicine, 2007 — PubMed
  • Frost J, et al. "Effect of a blend of comfrey root extract and tannic acid creams in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee." J Chiropr Med, 2011 — ScienceDirect
  • Jedlinszki N, et al. "Penetration of lycopsamine from a comfrey ointment through human epidermis." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol, 2016 — PubMed
  • Kuchta K, Schmidt M. "Safety of medicinal comfrey cream preparations: the pyrrolizidine alkaloid lycopsamine is poorly absorbed through human skin." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol, 2020 — PubMed

Safety / Toxicology Studies

  • Hirono I, Mori H, Haga M. "Carcinogenic activity of Symphytum officinale." J Natl Cancer Inst, 1978 — Semantic Scholar
  • Mei N, et al. "Mutagenicity of comfrey (Symphytum officinale) in rat liver." Br J Cancer, 2005 — PMC2361893
  • Mei N, et al. "Analysis of gene expression changes in relation to toxicity and tumorigenesis in the livers of Big Blue transgenic rats fed comfrey." — PMC1683566
  • European Medicines Agency (HMPC). "European Union herbal monograph on Symphytum officinale L., radix." EMA/HMPC/572846/2009 — PDF
  • European Medicines Agency. "Comfrey root — summary for the public" — PDF
  • U.S. FDA. "FDA Advises Dietary Supplement Manufacturers to Remove Comfrey Products" (2001) — PDF
  • Federal Trade Commission. "FTC Announces a Second Case Focusing on Safety Risks of Comfrey Products Promoted via Internet" (2001) — FTC.gov
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "Comfrey" — MSKCC.org

Myth

History / Etymology / Herbalism

  • Bergner, Paul. "Symphytum: Comfrey, Coltsfoot, and Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids." Medical Herbalism 1(1):1,3-5 — medherb.com
  • "History of Comfrey" — Herbal Legacy
  • "Comfrey: ancient and modern uses" — The Pharmaceutical Journal
  • "Comfrey (Symphytum uplandica x)" — her own piece on the plant, including the boneset-safe hybrid cultivar
  • The Comfrey Conference — a full virtual event she hosted titled "Time to End the Fear," featuring multiple herbalists making the case for comfrey's safety. Worth knowing: this is explicitly advocacy-oriented (the title alone signals where she stands), so it's a useful counterpoint to the regulatory caution rather than a neutral source — good to frame it that way if you cite it.
  • National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) — Evans S, Avila C, Hawrelak J, Salmond S. "Report on the Safety of the Oral Consumption of the Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Containing Herbs: Symphytum Officinale, Tussilago Farfara and Borago Officinalis," 2019. This is a professional herbalist body's own safety review, which makes it a strong, credible counterweight sitting between the industry advocacy pieces and the regulatory documents — nimh.org.uk
  • Mountain Rose Herbs — "Comfrey Monograph: Benefits, Uses, & Controversy." Worth including specifically because it's unusually honest about naming the internal division within herbalism itself rather than picking a side, which fits the tone you've built through this whole episode — blog.mountainroseherbs.com

Books

  • Energetic Herbalism: A Guide to Sacred Plant Traditions Integrating Elements of Vitalism, Ayurveda, and Chinese Medicine — Kat Maier — Joyful Roots Bookshop
  • Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West — Michael Moore — Joyful Roots Bookshop
  • A Modern Herbal — Maude Grieve. The classic 1931 reference, still widely cited for comfrey's traditional use and folk names. Public domain, full text available free if you'd rather link that than a purchase.
  • Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine — Harriet Beinfield — Joyful Roots Bookshop
  • The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine-Making Guide — Thomas Easley & Steven Horne — Joyful Roots Bookshop
]]> Comfrey has an old country name that gives away exactly what it does - Knitbone. It's a plant that goes to the site of a break and starts mending it from the inside out. In this episode, that's the doorway we will step through. What does it mean to be the one in a community who knits, and how can we bring all parts of a community together to create real healing, not the kind that's imposed from outside, but the kind that's called up from within the break itself?

Comfrey offers us the wisdom of strength built through weave rather than rigidity, autonomy held together with interdependence, and relationship with the parts of ourselves that we may have deemed "enemy." In this episode, we sit with an old myth, one that mirrors this same work of mending a broken world with many different, imperfect parts rather than any single fix. From there, we'll turn to the body itself, walking through what comfrey actually offers as an herbal ally, along with an honest look at what the research shows about its gifts and its real, precise limits. And we'll close, as always, with some questions to carry into your own journal.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

Clinical Studies

  • Kucera M, et al. "Efficacy and safety of comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of acute upper or lower back pain." Br J Sports Med, 2005 — PMC3747459
  • Koll R, et al. "Efficacy and tolerance of a comfrey root extract in the treatment of ankle distortions: results of a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study." Phytomedicine, 2004 — PubMed
  • D'Anchise R, et al. "Efficacy of a comfrey root extract ointment in comparison to a diclofenac gel in the treatment of ankle distortions." Phytomedicine, 2005 — PubMed
  • Grube B, Grünwald J, Krug L, Staiger C. "Efficacy of a comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of patients with painful osteoarthritis of the knee." Phytomedicine, 2007 — PubMed
  • Frost J, et al. "Effect of a blend of comfrey root extract and tannic acid creams in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee." J Chiropr Med, 2011 — ScienceDirect
  • Jedlinszki N, et al. "Penetration of lycopsamine from a comfrey ointment through human epidermis." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol, 2016 — PubMed
  • Kuchta K, Schmidt M. "Safety of medicinal comfrey cream preparations: the pyrrolizidine alkaloid lycopsamine is poorly absorbed through human skin." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol, 2020 — PubMed

Safety / Toxicology Studies

  • Hirono I, Mori H, Haga M. "Carcinogenic activity of Symphytum officinale." J Natl Cancer Inst, 1978 — Semantic Scholar
  • Mei N, et al. "Mutagenicity of comfrey (Symphytum officinale) in rat liver." Br J Cancer, 2005 — PMC2361893
  • Mei N, et al. "Analysis of gene expression changes in relation to toxicity and tumorigenesis in the livers of Big Blue transgenic rats fed comfrey." — PMC1683566
  • European Medicines Agency (HMPC). "European Union herbal monograph on Symphytum officinale L., radix." EMA/HMPC/572846/2009 — PDF
  • European Medicines Agency. "Comfrey root — summary for the public" — PDF
  • U.S. FDA. "FDA Advises Dietary Supplement Manufacturers to Remove Comfrey Products" (2001) — PDF
  • Federal Trade Commission. "FTC Announces a Second Case Focusing on Safety Risks of Comfrey Products Promoted via Internet" (2001) — FTC.gov
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "Comfrey" — MSKCC.org

Myth

History / Etymology / Herbalism

  • Bergner, Paul. "Symphytum: Comfrey, Coltsfoot, and Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids." Medical Herbalism 1(1):1,3-5 — medherb.com
  • "History of Comfrey" — Herbal Legacy
  • "Comfrey: ancient and modern uses" — The Pharmaceutical Journal
  • "Comfrey (Symphytum uplandica x)" — her own piece on the plant, including the boneset-safe hybrid cultivar
  • The Comfrey Conference — a full virtual event she hosted titled "Time to End the Fear," featuring multiple herbalists making the case for comfrey's safety. Worth knowing: this is explicitly advocacy-oriented (the title alone signals where she stands), so it's a useful counterpoint to the regulatory caution rather than a neutral source — good to frame it that way if you cite it.
  • National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) — Evans S, Avila C, Hawrelak J, Salmond S. "Report on the Safety of the Oral Consumption of the Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Containing Herbs: Symphytum Officinale, Tussilago Farfara and Borago Officinalis," 2019. This is a professional herbalist body's own safety review, which makes it a strong, credible counterweight sitting between the industry advocacy pieces and the regulatory documents — nimh.org.uk
  • Mountain Rose Herbs — "Comfrey Monograph: Benefits, Uses, & Controversy." Worth including specifically because it's unusually honest about naming the internal division within herbalism itself rather than picking a side, which fits the tone you've built through this whole episode — blog.mountainroseherbs.com

Books

  • Energetic Herbalism: A Guide to Sacred Plant Traditions Integrating Elements of Vitalism, Ayurveda, and Chinese Medicine — Kat Maier — Joyful Roots Bookshop
  • Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West — Michael Moore — Joyful Roots Bookshop
  • A Modern Herbal — Maude Grieve. The classic 1931 reference, still widely cited for comfrey's traditional use and folk names. Public domain, full text available free if you'd rather link that than a purchase.
  • Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine — Harriet Beinfield — Joyful Roots Bookshop
  • The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine-Making Guide — Thomas Easley & Steven Horne — Joyful Roots Bookshop
]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #18: Comfrey – Knitting the Broken Places false no 00:40:22 No no #18: Peppermint – A Return To Simplicity https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/18-peppermint-a-return-to-simplicity/ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:11:06 +0000 cb60589f-49b2-5196-a4b2-e5e304fac852 In this episode we're talking about Peppermint (Mentha piperita), an herb that has been growing alongside rivers and roadsides and in the gardens of healers for thousands of years. She is at once warming and cooling, stimulating and settling, ancient and utterly familiar. She is the taste of a childhood summer and a sophisticated medicinal ally. Like the best rivers, she meets you exactly where you are.

She doesn't ask whether you're ready to be soothed, she just runs cool and clear and does her work. In this episode we'll open with a poem about the kind of homecoming only water and simplicity can offer, explore the psychospiritual gifts of this remarkable plant, visit her origin story in Greek mythology, and talk about what she actually does in the body — because this humble, abundant, everywhere herb is doing far more than freshening your breath. Come sit by the river, and mint, with me for a while.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

]]> In this episode we're talking about Peppermint (Mentha piperita), an herb that has been growing alongside rivers and roadsides and in the gardens of healers for thousands of years. She is at once warming and cooling, stimulating and settling, ancient and utterly familiar. She is the taste of a childhood summer and a sophisticated medicinal ally. Like the best rivers, she meets you exactly where you are.

She doesn't ask whether you're ready to be soothed, she just runs cool and clear and does her work. In this episode we'll open with a poem about the kind of homecoming only water and simplicity can offer, explore the psychospiritual gifts of this remarkable plant, visit her origin story in Greek mythology, and talk about what she actually does in the body — because this humble, abundant, everywhere herb is doing far more than freshening your breath. Come sit by the river, and mint, with me for a while.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #18: Peppermint – A Return To Simplicity false no 00:26:41 No no #17: Marshmallow – A Soft Place To Land https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/17-marshmallow-a-soft-place-to-land/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:17:00 +0000 f23d126f-264e-5f46-b2c5-f14dac8521b0 There is a plant that grows at the water's edge — pale-flowered, quiet, unassuming — that has been tending to human bodies and human hearts for thousands of years. She chooses the margins, the soft ground, the places where land meets water and the world slows down. Her name, Althaea officinalis, comes from the Greek word althainein — to heal. And she has been doing exactly that since ancient Egypt pressed her roots into honey as one of the first medicinal preparations we have documented and ancient Greeks planted her above their beloved dead as an act of continuing love.

This episode is an invitation to learn from her as a teacher of a different way of moving through the world. Marshmallow root is a plant of softness, moisture, rootedness, and devotion. She coats what is raw, feeds what is depleted, and shows up quietly at the hardest thresholds. In a culture that often mistakes hardness for strength, she offers a different proposition entirely: that softness is medicine and tending is love.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

Botanical & Historical

  • Chevallier, A. (2016). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine (3rd ed.). DK Publishing.
  • HerbRally — Marshmallow Monograph — herbrally.com/monographs/marshmallow
  • Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal. Dover Publications. Available at: botanical.com
  • Felter, H.W. & Lloyd, J.U. (1898). King's American Dispensatory. Available at: henriettes-herb.com
  • The Naturopathic Herbalist — Althaea officinalis — thenaturopathicherbalist.com
  • University of Michigan Medicine. Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis). uofmhealth.org

Constituent Science & Clinical Research

  • Deters, A., et al. (2010). Aqueous extracts and polysaccharides from marshmallow roots inhibit the adhesion of microorganisms to epithelial cells. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 132(3), 700–706.
  • Dawid-Pać, R. (2013). Medicinal plants used in treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Postepy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 30(3), 170–177.
  • PubMed — Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) Monograph — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15277059/ — the peer-reviewed monograph, good for credibility with more clinically-minded listeners Wikipedia
  • Wichtl, M. (Ed.). (2004). Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals (3rd ed.). Medpharm Scientific Publishers.

Prebiotic & Gut Research

  • Kiefer, D. & Pantuso, T. (2003). Panax ginseng and marshmallow: Clinical evidence. American Family Physician.
  • Blumenthal, M., et al. (Eds.). (2000). Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. American Botanical Council.

Mythology & Cultural History

  • Graves, R. (1955). The Greek Myths. Penguin Books.
  • Burkert, W. (1985). Greek Religion. Harvard University Press.
  • Dioscorides, P. (1st century CE). De Materia Medica. (T.A. Osbaldeston, Trans., 2000). IBIDIS Press.

Energetics & Traditional Use

  • Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants. North Atlantic Books.
  • Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press.
  • McIntyre, A. (2010). The Complete Herbal Tutor. Octopus Publishing.

]]> There is a plant that grows at the water's edge — pale-flowered, quiet, unassuming — that has been tending to human bodies and human hearts for thousands of years. She chooses the margins, the soft ground, the places where land meets water and the world slows down. Her name, Althaea officinalis, comes from the Greek word althainein — to heal. And she has been doing exactly that since ancient Egypt pressed her roots into honey as one of the first medicinal preparations we have documented and ancient Greeks planted her above their beloved dead as an act of continuing love.

This episode is an invitation to learn from her as a teacher of a different way of moving through the world. Marshmallow root is a plant of softness, moisture, rootedness, and devotion. She coats what is raw, feeds what is depleted, and shows up quietly at the hardest thresholds. In a culture that often mistakes hardness for strength, she offers a different proposition entirely: that softness is medicine and tending is love.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

Botanical & Historical

  • Chevallier, A. (2016). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine (3rd ed.). DK Publishing.
  • HerbRally — Marshmallow Monograph — herbrally.com/monographs/marshmallow
  • Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal. Dover Publications. Available at: botanical.com
  • Felter, H.W. & Lloyd, J.U. (1898). King's American Dispensatory. Available at: henriettes-herb.com
  • The Naturopathic Herbalist — Althaea officinalis — thenaturopathicherbalist.com
  • University of Michigan Medicine. Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis). uofmhealth.org

Constituent Science & Clinical Research

  • Deters, A., et al. (2010). Aqueous extracts and polysaccharides from marshmallow roots inhibit the adhesion of microorganisms to epithelial cells. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 132(3), 700–706.
  • Dawid-Pać, R. (2013). Medicinal plants used in treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Postepy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 30(3), 170–177.
  • PubMed — Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) Monograph — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15277059/ — the peer-reviewed monograph, good for credibility with more clinically-minded listeners Wikipedia
  • Wichtl, M. (Ed.). (2004). Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals (3rd ed.). Medpharm Scientific Publishers.

Prebiotic & Gut Research

  • Kiefer, D. & Pantuso, T. (2003). Panax ginseng and marshmallow: Clinical evidence. American Family Physician.
  • Blumenthal, M., et al. (Eds.). (2000). Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. American Botanical Council.

Mythology & Cultural History

  • Graves, R. (1955). The Greek Myths. Penguin Books.
  • Burkert, W. (1985). Greek Religion. Harvard University Press.
  • Dioscorides, P. (1st century CE). De Materia Medica. (T.A. Osbaldeston, Trans., 2000). IBIDIS Press.

Energetics & Traditional Use

  • Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants. North Atlantic Books.
  • Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press.
  • McIntyre, A. (2010). The Complete Herbal Tutor. Octopus Publishing.

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #17: Marshmallow – A Soft Place To Land false no 00:22:24 No no #16: Onion – Peeling Back The Layers https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/16-onion-peeling-back-the-layers/ Wed, 13 May 2026 14:11:00 +0000 ed4647fa-ae33-586f-a333-19979ef38d9a This episode is an invitation to be peeled. We begin with a poem about shedding the false skins we wear for the world — the polished, acceptable versions of ourselves — and descending into the dark long enough to let only what is true remain. From there we turn to the plant that knows this process better than almost any other: the onion. Humble, pungent, layered, and ancient, the onion has lived in human hands and human healing traditions for five thousand years.

We also explore the onion as an herbal ally, diving into the traditional and contemporary understanding of what this extraordinary plant supports in the body — from the lungs and the immune system to the heart and the gut. We talk about quercetin, mast cells, histamine, and why you should never throw away your red onion skins. Journal questions are offered at the end to help you take the episode inward.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

Herbal History & Traditional Use

Quercetin & Mast Cell Stabilization

Quercetin & Cardiovascular Support

Onion as Prebiotic & Gut Support

Rumi & the Persian Sufi Poetic Tradition

]]> This episode is an invitation to be peeled. We begin with a poem about shedding the false skins we wear for the world — the polished, acceptable versions of ourselves — and descending into the dark long enough to let only what is true remain. From there we turn to the plant that knows this process better than almost any other: the onion. Humble, pungent, layered, and ancient, the onion has lived in human hands and human healing traditions for five thousand years.

We also explore the onion as an herbal ally, diving into the traditional and contemporary understanding of what this extraordinary plant supports in the body — from the lungs and the immune system to the heart and the gut. We talk about quercetin, mast cells, histamine, and why you should never throw away your red onion skins. Journal questions are offered at the end to help you take the episode inward.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

Herbal History & Traditional Use

Quercetin & Mast Cell Stabilization

Quercetin & Cardiovascular Support

Onion as Prebiotic & Gut Support

Rumi & the Persian Sufi Poetic Tradition

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #16: Onion – Peeling Back The Layers false no 00:22:24 No no #15: Creosote Bush – Faithful Guardianship https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/15-creosote-bush-guardianship/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:12:00 +0000 0d458962-034d-5e3a-85ec-d0715d1ee061

In this episode, we enter the wide open heat of the Sonoran Desert with one of its most ancient and sovereign presences: Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata — known in the desert borderlands as La Gobernadora, the Governess. She is the most common shrub across three North American deserts, the most drought-tolerant plant on the continent, and by some estimates, one of the oldest living organisms on Earth. And yet most people drive past her without a second glance. This episode is an invitation to stop the car and meet her.

Together, we explore Creosote as a teacher of guardianship, resilience, and faithful presence — a plant who governs not through dominance, but through an unwavering commitment to life in desolate places. We sit with the Tohono O'odham creation story in which she is the first plant to rise from the newly made earth, and we honor the living Indigenous peoples whose deep relationship with this land and this plant long precedes our own. From the psycho-spiritual to the deeply practical, we move through Creosote's remarkable gifts to the body — her antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory support, her affinity for the respiratory system, and her role as an indispensable desert first-aid ally. Journal questions, preparation methods, and an honest conversation about safety and contraindications are woven throughout. 🌿

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

]]>

In this episode, we enter the wide open heat of the Sonoran Desert with one of its most ancient and sovereign presences: Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata — known in the desert borderlands as La Gobernadora, the Governess. She is the most common shrub across three North American deserts, the most drought-tolerant plant on the continent, and by some estimates, one of the oldest living organisms on Earth. And yet most people drive past her without a second glance. This episode is an invitation to stop the car and meet her.

Together, we explore Creosote as a teacher of guardianship, resilience, and faithful presence — a plant who governs not through dominance, but through an unwavering commitment to life in desolate places. We sit with the Tohono O'odham creation story in which she is the first plant to rise from the newly made earth, and we honor the living Indigenous peoples whose deep relationship with this land and this plant long precedes our own. From the psycho-spiritual to the deeply practical, we move through Creosote's remarkable gifts to the body — her antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory support, her affinity for the respiratory system, and her role as an indispensable desert first-aid ally. Journal questions, preparation methods, and an honest conversation about safety and contraindications are woven throughout. 🌿

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #15: Creosote Bush – Faithful Guardianship false no 00:29:14 No no #14: Nettle – Awakening https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/14-nettle-awakening/ Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:11:00 +0000 6262ec02-083c-522f-8c1d-b11f83844750 In this episode, we step into the threshold between winter and spring with nettle as our guide. One of the first greens to rise from cold soil, nettle teaches us about awakening before we feel fully ready — about rebuilding after long seasons of rest, grief, illness, or creative dormancy. Mineral-rich and deeply nourishing, this fierce plant reminds us that true vitality doesn’t come from forcing energy, but from restoring our foundations. Awakening, like early spring, is steady and intentional — a quiet reanimation of blood, bone, and spirit.

We’ll explore nettle’s prickly wisdom around boundaries and containment, drawing from Celtic sovereignty myth and the powerful image of the guarded well. What does it mean to approach life — and ourselves — with clarity instead of hesitation? How do we protect what is still becoming? From poetic reflection to practical ways of working with nettle as infusion, food, and seasonal ally, this episode invites you to rise slowly, nourish deeply, and cultivate a sustainable aliveness as we move into spring. 🌿

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

  • Hoffmann, David. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press, 2003. (Comprehensive monograph on Urtica dioica.)
  • Tilgner, Sharol. Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth. Wise Acres Press, 2009. (Detailed clinical insights on nettle leaf and root.)
  • Gladstar, Rosemary. Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing, 2012. (Accessible overview of nettle as a nourishing herb.)
  • Wood, Matthew. The Earthwise Herbal, Vol. I. North Atlantic Books, 2008. (Energetics and traditional uses of nettle.)
  • Mills, Simon & Bone, Kerry. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy, 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone, 2013. (Clinical perspective on nettle leaf and root.)
  • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “Urtica dioica L.” Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org/
  • American Botanical Council. HerbalGram Monograph: Stinging Nettle. https://www.herbalgram.org/
  • https://theherbalacademy.com/nettle-plant-walk-video/
  • Bone, Kerry & Mills, Simon. “Urtica dioica.” Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (for research summaries on allergies and urinary support).
  • Irish sovereignty myth (Niall and the Loathly Lady): Cross, Tom Peete & Slover, Clark Harris (eds.). Ancient Irish Tales. Dover Publications, 1996.
  • Mac Cana, Proinsias. Celtic Mythology. Hamlyn, 1970. (Overview of sovereignty goddess traditions.)
  • Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. The Sacred Isle: Belief and Religion in Pre-Christian Ireland. Boydell Press, 1999. (Context on sovereignty and land traditions.)
]]> In this episode, we step into the threshold between winter and spring with nettle as our guide. One of the first greens to rise from cold soil, nettle teaches us about awakening before we feel fully ready — about rebuilding after long seasons of rest, grief, illness, or creative dormancy. Mineral-rich and deeply nourishing, this fierce plant reminds us that true vitality doesn’t come from forcing energy, but from restoring our foundations. Awakening, like early spring, is steady and intentional — a quiet reanimation of blood, bone, and spirit.

We’ll explore nettle’s prickly wisdom around boundaries and containment, drawing from Celtic sovereignty myth and the powerful image of the guarded well. What does it mean to approach life — and ourselves — with clarity instead of hesitation? How do we protect what is still becoming? From poetic reflection to practical ways of working with nettle as infusion, food, and seasonal ally, this episode invites you to rise slowly, nourish deeply, and cultivate a sustainable aliveness as we move into spring. 🌿

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

🌿 Sources & Further Reading

  • Hoffmann, David. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press, 2003. (Comprehensive monograph on Urtica dioica.)
  • Tilgner, Sharol. Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth. Wise Acres Press, 2009. (Detailed clinical insights on nettle leaf and root.)
  • Gladstar, Rosemary. Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing, 2012. (Accessible overview of nettle as a nourishing herb.)
  • Wood, Matthew. The Earthwise Herbal, Vol. I. North Atlantic Books, 2008. (Energetics and traditional uses of nettle.)
  • Mills, Simon & Bone, Kerry. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy, 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone, 2013. (Clinical perspective on nettle leaf and root.)
  • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “Urtica dioica L.” Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org/
  • American Botanical Council. HerbalGram Monograph: Stinging Nettle. https://www.herbalgram.org/
  • https://theherbalacademy.com/nettle-plant-walk-video/
  • Bone, Kerry & Mills, Simon. “Urtica dioica.” Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (for research summaries on allergies and urinary support).
  • Irish sovereignty myth (Niall and the Loathly Lady): Cross, Tom Peete & Slover, Clark Harris (eds.). Ancient Irish Tales. Dover Publications, 1996.
  • Mac Cana, Proinsias. Celtic Mythology. Hamlyn, 1970. (Overview of sovereignty goddess traditions.)
  • Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. The Sacred Isle: Belief and Religion in Pre-Christian Ireland. Boydell Press, 1999. (Context on sovereignty and land traditions.)
]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #14: Nettle – Awakening false no 00:26:54 No no #13: Dandelion – Well-Worn Love https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/13-dandelion-well-worn-love/ Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:32:25 +0000 5cf35471-7eff-5add-bb2f-fa7f1da57949 TW: I briefly mention violence and death in the myth section of the episode. In this episode, we sit with Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), one of the most familiar—and most misunderstood—plants we know. Labeled a weed, sprayed, pulled, and dismissed, Dandelion carries a story that feels deeply human: of being overlooked, relied upon quietly, and punished for refusing to conform. And yet, season after season, it returns—golden, generous, and unapologetically present.

Together, we explore Dandelion as a teacher of resilience, discernment, and nourishment. We talk about bitterness as a language the body understands, the plant’s long relationship with digestive and liver pathways, and the subtle ways Dandelion supports movement—both in the soil and within us. This episode also invites you into practical, everyday relationship with the plant: working with root, leaf, and flower, tending a home apothecary, and noticing where well-worn love already exists in your life.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

]]> TW: I briefly mention violence and death in the myth section of the episode. In this episode, we sit with Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), one of the most familiar—and most misunderstood—plants we know. Labeled a weed, sprayed, pulled, and dismissed, Dandelion carries a story that feels deeply human: of being overlooked, relied upon quietly, and punished for refusing to conform. And yet, season after season, it returns—golden, generous, and unapologetically present.

Together, we explore Dandelion as a teacher of resilience, discernment, and nourishment. We talk about bitterness as a language the body understands, the plant’s long relationship with digestive and liver pathways, and the subtle ways Dandelion supports movement—both in the soil and within us. This episode also invites you into practical, everyday relationship with the plant: working with root, leaf, and flower, tending a home apothecary, and noticing where well-worn love already exists in your life.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter – Botanical Bulletin.

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #13: Dandelion – Well-Worn Love true no 00:26:57 Yes no #12: Calendula – Light in the Dark https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/12-calendula-light-in-the-dark/ Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:33:00 +0000 34f14518-f278-5650-81c8-6b88c431cb35 It’s the heart of winter here in the northern hemisphere. The holiday decorations are being taken down, the celebrations have passed, and yet the days are still long and shadowed. Even as the sunlight slowly begins to return, it can feel distant—something we long for more than something we can fully feel. This is the season that teaches us contrast: how darkness sharpens our awareness of light, how quiet invites reflection, and how life on this planet moves in cycles of retreat and return.

In this month's episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we’re spending time with Calendula—a humble sun-keeper of the plant world. Across cultures, there are figures who don’t defeat the dark but walk within it carrying light: Persephone, Brigid, Hecate, Amaterasu. They remind us that illumination isn’t always blazing or obvious. Sometimes it’s stored, tended, protected. Calendula belongs to that lineage, offering warmth, resilience, and gentle support through the long night. Together, we’ll explore this golden flower as both a physical ally and a spiritual guide, and what it means to tend our inner hearth when the world feels cold.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter - Botanical Bulletin.

Sources/References:

]]> It’s the heart of winter here in the northern hemisphere. The holiday decorations are being taken down, the celebrations have passed, and yet the days are still long and shadowed. Even as the sunlight slowly begins to return, it can feel distant—something we long for more than something we can fully feel. This is the season that teaches us contrast: how darkness sharpens our awareness of light, how quiet invites reflection, and how life on this planet moves in cycles of retreat and return.

In this month's episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we’re spending time with Calendula—a humble sun-keeper of the plant world. Across cultures, there are figures who don’t defeat the dark but walk within it carrying light: Persephone, Brigid, Hecate, Amaterasu. They remind us that illumination isn’t always blazing or obvious. Sometimes it’s stored, tended, protected. Calendula belongs to that lineage, offering warmth, resilience, and gentle support through the long night. Together, we’ll explore this golden flower as both a physical ally and a spiritual guide, and what it means to tend our inner hearth when the world feels cold.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Sign up for my email newsletter - Botanical Bulletin.

Sources/References:

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #12: Calendula – Light in the Dark false no 00:25:11 No no #11: Bee Balm – You Are Multifaceted https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/11-bee-balm-you-are-multifaceted/ Wed, 03 Dec 2025 14:07:00 +0000 487c4a15-3d23-5ef8-b4a0-542b3eccf80e Bee Balm is fiery, fragrant, and wildly alive! It is one of those plants that feels like it’s mid-dance the moment you meet it. With blossoms that unfurl like tiny galaxies or bursts of flame, Monarda carries the unmistakable energy of movement and transformation. In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we explore Bee Balm’s personality, its psycho-spiritual gifts, and the way its spiral-like structure invites us into our own expansion.

We’ll also explore Bee Balm’s more body-centered offerings—its warming aromatics, its comforting presence for the breath, and its long-standing use by Indigenous peoples across these lands. From teas and steams to simple daily rituals, Bee Balm shows us how to embrace the multifaceted aspects of our being. Join me as we sit with this exuberant plant, listen for what she stirs in our bodies and hearts, and connect her spiraling shape with the ways we navigate our own cycles of expression, release, and renewal.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin. Sources/References:

]]> Bee Balm is fiery, fragrant, and wildly alive! It is one of those plants that feels like it’s mid-dance the moment you meet it. With blossoms that unfurl like tiny galaxies or bursts of flame, Monarda carries the unmistakable energy of movement and transformation. In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we explore Bee Balm’s personality, its psycho-spiritual gifts, and the way its spiral-like structure invites us into our own expansion.

We’ll also explore Bee Balm’s more body-centered offerings—its warming aromatics, its comforting presence for the breath, and its long-standing use by Indigenous peoples across these lands. From teas and steams to simple daily rituals, Bee Balm shows us how to embrace the multifaceted aspects of our being. Join me as we sit with this exuberant plant, listen for what she stirs in our bodies and hearts, and connect her spiraling shape with the ways we navigate our own cycles of expression, release, and renewal.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin. Sources/References:

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #11: Bee Balm – You Are Multifaceted false no 22:59 No no #10: Rue – Clear Sight https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/10-rue-clear-sight/ Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:11:00 +0000 4edc5e11-5703-5aa8-990f-0ea909668fd9 In this episode, we’ll explore Rue (Ruta graveolens) and what it means to see clearly in an age clouded by noise — where media, politics, and consumerism all compete for our attention, and clarity becomes a form of rebellion. Rue reminds us that to see clearly is also to live truthfully, even when that truth makes us a heretic in the eyes of others. Together, we’ll explore Rue’s mythic threads, her modern uses, and her call to reclaim our own holy land — the sacred ground of body, mind, and heart that belongs only to us.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin. Sources/References:

The Herbarium at the Herbal Academy – Plant Monograph Archives: https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/tag/monograph/ Herbal Academy+1

Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism – Herbs A to Z course overview: https://www.matthewwoodinstituteofherbalism.com/course/herbs-a-to-z-materia-medica Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism+1

Ruta graveolens (Common Rue) plant profile, NC State: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ruta-graveolens/ Plant Toolbox

Ruta graveolens review / scholarly article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7340976/ pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Purpose of Rue: Unveiling the Mysteries of this Ancient Herb

Herb Rue: A Thorough Guide to Uses and Benefits

]]> In this episode, we’ll explore Rue (Ruta graveolens) and what it means to see clearly in an age clouded by noise — where media, politics, and consumerism all compete for our attention, and clarity becomes a form of rebellion. Rue reminds us that to see clearly is also to live truthfully, even when that truth makes us a heretic in the eyes of others. Together, we’ll explore Rue’s mythic threads, her modern uses, and her call to reclaim our own holy land — the sacred ground of body, mind, and heart that belongs only to us.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com. For more information and a list of plants, click here.

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin. Sources/References:

The Herbarium at the Herbal Academy – Plant Monograph Archives: https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/tag/monograph/ Herbal Academy+1

Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism – Herbs A to Z course overview: https://www.matthewwoodinstituteofherbalism.com/course/herbs-a-to-z-materia-medica Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism+1

Ruta graveolens (Common Rue) plant profile, NC State: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ruta-graveolens/ Plant Toolbox

Ruta graveolens review / scholarly article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7340976/ pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Purpose of Rue: Unveiling the Mysteries of this Ancient Herb

Herb Rue: A Thorough Guide to Uses and Benefits

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #10: Rue – Clear Sight false no 28:53 No no #9: Cedar – Unhaunt Your Mind https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/9-cedar-unhaunt-your-mind/ Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:17:00 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12238

Himalayan cedar seen from the Pipeline Track, Ayubia National park, Nathiagali by Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Alongside stories and reflections, we’ll explore Cedar’s personality—its physical support, spiritual qualities, and the ways it weaves itself into traditions and daily life. Whether you meet Cedar in the forest, as a bundle of leaves curling into smoke, or in the quiet presence of a warm cup, this episode invites you to listen to what Cedar might be offering you.

In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we turn toward the tall, resin-scented presence of Cedar. Known for its grounding strength and protective nature, Cedar has long been a companion to both body and spirit. Its gifts stretch from easing the breath and clearing pathways in the body, to offering comfort in times of heaviness and grief. Cedar reminds us what it means to stand rooted while still reaching skyward—a teacher of balance, resilience, and reverence.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin. Sources/References: https://www.indigenousaware.com/post/cedar-tree-tea-benefits

https://caringsunshine.com/relationships/relationship-respiratory-system-and-cedar

https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #9: Cedar – Unhaunt Your Mind false no 26:07 No no #8: Mullein – Root Deep to Stand Tall https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/8-mullein-root-deep-to-stand-tall/ Tue, 02 Sep 2025 12:27:00 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12173 In this episode, we explored the wisdom of mullein, a plant that teaches us to stand tall, root deep, and move through life with gentle courage. From its velvety leaves to its spiral flowers, mullein invites us to release what has become rigid or stuck, trusting the slow, steady unfolding of growth. We also shared a poem that came through as a personal message from the plant, highlighting breath, grounding, and the courage to rise while holding space for gentleness.

We then journeyed into mullein’s mythic role as a lightbearer, connecting its towering stalks to the guiding torches of Hecate, goddess of crossroads and thresholds. Today, mullein continues to support us physically and spiritually through teas, infused oils, and mindful observation in the wild, offering its gifts of breath, alignment, and courage. Whether in body or spirit, mullein reminds us that true strength often lives alongside gentleness, and that we all carry a light within to guide our own path.

✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let's connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin.

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #8: Mullein – Root Deep to Stand Tall false no 30:09 No no #7: Garden Sage – Your Inner Wisdom Keeper https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/7-garden-sage-your-inner-wisdom-keeper/ Wed, 06 Aug 2025 13:11:00 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12166

In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we sit with the wise and aromatic presence of Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) — a plant known across cultures not only for its culinary charm, but for its deep-rooted connection to memory, protection, and transformation. We explore how Sage’s gifts of clarity and discernment can support us in times of transition, especially as we age, offering the invitation to ripen rather than wither. 

We also dip into how this plant can bless and cleanse through the ancient practice of smoke medicine, honoring the many cultures that have tended this sacred fire in different forms. You'll hear some practical ways to bring Sage into your own rhythms of care and ceremony. This episode is an invitation to remember: wisdom isn’t something you chase — it’s something that ripens in you, like Sage in the sun.

✨ Support the Podcast

Your support is a gift that keeps this podcast running! If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net. Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem?

I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin.

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #7: Garden Sage – Your Inner Wisdom Keeper false no 30:50 No no #6: Blackberry – Alchemizing Anger https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/6-blackberry-alchemizing-anger/ Wed, 02 Jul 2025 13:11:00 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12158 Content Note: This episode includes reflections on collective grief, injustice, and current global events, including war, displacement, and systemic harm. These topics are explored through the lens of healing, plant wisdom, and emotional transformation—but they may still feel heavy or activating. Please care for yourself as you listen.

In this episode of Remedy & Rhyme, we explore the wild and protective spirit of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus)—a plant known for its fierce thorns and abundant sweetness. Growing thick along roadsides and forest edges, blackberry guards its gifts with sharp resolve, asking us to approach with intention. Its leaves offer astringent, antioxidant-rich support, while its presence reminds us of the wisdom found in boundaries, resilience, and the untamed parts of ourselves.

We’ll dive into the potent and often misunderstood emotion of anger, and how, like blackberry, it can act as both a protector and a guide. Rather than suppress or fear our rage, we can learn to work with it—tending it like fire, letting it burn away what no longer serves, and transforming it into clarity, courage, and meaningful action. Anger, when honored and alchemized, can root us deeper into what is just, true, and worth protecting.

✨ Support the Podcast

If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net  Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you’d like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

💚 Let's connect! Follow me on Instagram at @joyfulroots or sign up for my email Botanical Bulletin.

]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #6: Blackberry – Alchemizing Anger true no 26:16 Yes no #5: Mesquite – Radical Abundance https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/5-mesquite-radical-abundance/ Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:11:00 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12138

In this episode of Remedy and Rhyme, we explore the radical abundance of Mesquite — a desert tree whose generosity stretches from myth to medicine. We reflect on what it means to live in relationship with abundance — the kind that’s rooted, reciprocal, and attuned to the rhythms of the earth. The kind of abundance that gives and gives and gives.

We'll hear a traditional story of Siwani and Coyote, which uncovers how mesquite came to scatter its sweet pods across the land. From its fiber-rich nourishment and blood sugar support to its deep cultural roots among Indigenous communities, mesquite reminds us that abundance isn’t always flashy — sometimes it’s slow, steady, and quietly sustaining.

This episode blends story, plant wisdom, poetry, and journal prompts to support your own journey toward radical abundance.

References & Further Reading

Books

  • Bovey, Rodney W. Mesquite. Texas A&M University Press, 2016.
  • Desert Harvesters. Eat Mesquite and More: A Cookbook for Sonoran Desert Living. Savor the Southwest, 2018. savorthesouthwest.blog
  • Ferguson, T.J. History Is in the Land: Multivocal Tribal Traditions in Arizona’s San Pedro Valley. University of Arizona Press, 2006. archive.org
  • Moore, Michael. Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West: A Guide to Identifying, Preparing, and Using Traditional Medicinal Plants Found in the Deserts and Canyons of the West and Southwest. Museum of New Mexico Press, 1989.
  • Nabhan, Gary Paul. Gathering the Desert. University of Arizona Press, 1985.
  • Nabhan, Gary Paul. Mesquite: An Arboreal Love Affair. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018.
  • Phillips, Steven J., and Patricia Wentworth Comus, editors. A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, University of California Press, 2000.
  • Rogers, Ken E. The Magnificent Mesquite. University of Texas Press, 2000.
  • Slattery, John. Southwest Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use 112 Wild Herbs for Health and Wellness. Timber Press, 2020.
  • University of Arizona Southwest Center. Mesquite: A Training Manual for Growers, Harvesters, & Artisans. University of Arizona Southwest Center, 2023. swc.arizona.edu

Articles, Reports, and Online Resources

  • Arizona Historical Society. Ethnohistory of San Pedro Valley Collection. Ethnohistory PDF
  • Archaeology Southwest. “A Brief Cultural History of Mesquite.” archaeologysouthwest.org
  • Archaeology Southwest. One Valley, Many Histories: Tohono O’odham, Hopi, Zuni, and Western Apache History in the San Pedro Valley. Archaeology Southwest Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 1. archaeologysouthwest.org
  • Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. “Mesquite Usage by the O’odham and Piipaash.” O’odham Action News. oan.srpmic-nsn.gov
  • San Pedro River Valley StoryMap. San Pedro River Valley: An Ecological and Cultural Corridor. storymaps.arcgi]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #5: Mesquite – Radical Abundance false no 32:03 No no # 4: Tulsi – You Are Sacred https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/4-tulsi-you-are-sacred/ Wed, 21 May 2025 16:39:54 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12132

    In this episode of Remedy and Rhyme, we sit with the sacred plant known as Tulsi—Holy Basil—not just as an herb, but as a being that bridges the physical and the spiritual. Long honored in Ayurvedic tradition and daily rituals across India, Tulsi invites us into devotion, resilience, and deep remembering of our sacredness. We explore Tulsi’s stories, nourishing gifts, and the many ways she continues to support the body, mind, and spirit—especially in times of stress or disconnection. ✨

    You’ll hear about Tulsi’s mythology, reflections on Tulsi’s adaptogenic nature, and practical insights into how she supports emotional clarity, immune health, and nervous system balance. Whether you’re already in relationship with Tulsi or just meeting her for the first time, may this episode offer a moment of pause, reverence, and reconnection. 🌱 Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into the featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection.

    ✨ Support the Podcast

    If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

    You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals. 🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net  Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

    📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

    🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

    ]]> https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png # 4: Tulsi – You Are Sacred false no 27:21 No no #3: Rose – Lessons in Paradox https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/3-rose-lessons-in-paradox/ Wed, 14 May 2025 13:11:48 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12129

    In this episode, we explore the timeless and tender paradox of Rose — a flower that embodies both softness and strength.

    From mythology to herbalism to personal reflection, Rose invites us to dwell in the space where opposing truths coexist: beauty and protection, openness and boundaries, love and discernment. We’ll dive into folklore, plant wisdom, and lived experience to ask—what can Rose teach us about tending to ourselves and the world with grace? 🌹

    Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into the featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection.

    ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

    You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals.

    🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net  Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

    📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

    🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

    ]]>     https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #3: Rose – Lessons in Paradox false no 25:05 No no     #2: Rosemary – Ancestral Guidance When Times Are Tough https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/2-rosemary-ancestral-guidance-when-times-are-tough/ Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:55:00 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12125

    In this episode, we explore the rich and rooted medicine of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)—an herb of clarity, protection, and deep remembrance. From its physical gifts like supporting the nervous system and easing headaches, to its sacred use in rituals of honoring the dead, rosemary invites us to reconnect with our ancestors and the wisdom they left behind. We'll look at traditional uses across cultures, its connection to memory and the feminine archetype, and how rosemary can support us in reclaiming our wholeness—body, mind, and soul.

    Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into a featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection.

    ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

    You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals

    🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

    📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

    🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

    ]]>     https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #2: Rosemary – Ancestral Guidance When Times Are Tough true no 23:55 Yes no     #1: Introduction – Coming Home to Ourselves Through Plants & Poetry https://www.joyfulroots.com/podcast/1-introduction-coming-home-to-ourselves-through-plants-poetry/ Sun, 20 Apr 2025 04:37:49 +0000 https://www.joyfulroots.com/?post_type=podcast&p=12121

    Welcome to the very first episode of the Joyful Roots podcast! In this opening episode, I’m sharing the heart behind this project—a weaving of plants and poetry as portals to reconnection with ourselves, each other, and the Earth.

    We’ll explore how the living world invites us back into resonance when things feel chaotic, and how both herbs and poems can help us remember who we really are. I’ll share how this podcast was inspired by an interview with Rosemary Gladstar, why now feels like the right time, and how you’re invited into this space as both listener and co-creator.

    Each episode will begin with a poem and flow into a deeper dive into a featured herb—its stories, energetics, remedies, and reflections. This is a journey of reconnection.

    ✨ Support the Podcast If you’d like to support the ongoing creation of this podcast and get access to exclusive content like articles, herbal recipes, plant monographs, and behind-the-scenes musings, join the community over on Patreon: 🌱 www.patreon.com/joyfulroots

    You can also support the podcast by trying my favorite matcha: Posana Matcha. 🌿 Certified Organic 🌿 Third-party tested for heavy metals 🌿 Single origin from Shizuoka, Japan 🌿 Smooth, pure, and powerful—perfect for daily rituals

    🛒 Use code JOYFULROOTS for 15% off at posana.net Using this code helps keep the podcast thriving through a small affiliate commission—thank you for your support!

    📩 Want to share a poem? I’d love to include voices from the community! If you have a nature-inspired or herbal poem you'd like to share in a future episode, send it my way at: kim@joyfulroots.com

    🌀 Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or licensed health professional, and nothing shared here is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The information provided has not been evaluated by the FDA. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider about any potential herb-drug interactions or health concerns. If you experience an allergic reaction to any herb, discontinue use and consult a professional. You are the steward of your own body—listen with curiosity, and honor your intuition.

    ]]>     https://www.joyfulroots.com/wphidden/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Remedy-Rhyme-Podcast-scaled.png #1: Introduction – Coming Home to Ourselves Through Plants & Poetry false no 13:30 No no