5 Herbs to Support Your Mind-Body-Spirit During Quarantine

Hi everyone!

In this video, I highlight 5 herbs that can support your wellness throughout this time. I highlight ginger as an antimicrobial, thyme as a respiratory tonic, lemon balm to ease the nervous system, hibiscus for its vitamin C content, and ashwagandha as a stress-relieving adaptogen.

This post is intended for educational purposes only. Consult with your healthcare provider for guidance specific to your health needs.

In health,

Dr. Naika

Connect with me!

www.drnaika.com

Book a session with me (in person or virtual)

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Kitchen Medicine: Culinary Herbs to Support Your Health

-K  I  T  C  H  E  N    M  E  D  I  C  I  N  E-

While prepping for my webinar last week, I remember standing in my kitchen looking at my cupboard and feeling such genuine awe and gratitude that so much healing energy was available just in that one space.

As I stood in my kitchen taking a visual inventory, I was flooded with inspiration and memories of dozens of recipes and formulas of tonics and elixirs that we can make with our own two hands to support our health and vitality. 

🌿Make a respiratory inhalation steam with parsley, thyme, and sage..

🌿Make an immune tonic with ginger, lemon, honey, and cayenne pepper…

🌿Make a fire cider with garlic, onion, cloves, ginger, and vinegar…

🌿Make a skin exfoliant with olive oil and brown sugar…

🌿Make a mental clarity tonic with rosemary and mint…

🌿Make a warming digestive tincture with cinnamon, star anise, and ginger…

🌿Make a calming tea with chamomile and lavender…

🌿Make a throat gargle with warm water, oregano, and salt…

I mean I could just keep going and going, truly.

There is THAT much abundance.

To think—it’s possible to create systems & structures in your day to day life, in your own home, that can support your health and well-being. Sounds about right! Whether in your kitchen, your garden, your bathroom, understand that you have tremendous power to incorporate the healing power of nature in your life every single day.

The herbs in this pic just barely scratch the surface of kitchen medicine. While taking this picture, I just kept thinking about how many other plants could be included on here, and how they would vary by culture, geography, cuisine, etc. which is really cool and beautiful.

Moral of the story: have fun exploring and creating with the healing tools that are in your own home!

In health,

Dr. Naika

Schedule your virtual wellness session with me here:

https://squ.re/2MBOEzR
Order medicinal herb blends here:
https://drnaika.square.site/

Subscribe to my E-mail list.

Connect with me!

___

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Herbs to Support Your Mind + Body During COVID-19 and Beyond

🌿An offering from the plants for the times🌿

We’re experiencing a collective trauma & a grand shift in our daily routines, our internal worlds & our collective consciousness. More than ever, the plants can support us as we re-adjust to physical, mental, emotional, & spiritual shifts. While social distancing &rigorous hygiene remain at the top of the priority list for keeping the collective protected, the plants are here for us to cultivate an intentional & personal healing relationship with. So make your remedies. Video-chat your loved ones. Wash your hands. Stay safe. Be well. And breathe.

🌿Astragalus: a traditional “yang” root tonic that improves endurance, amplifies resilience, increases our energy & supports a healthy stress response. Astragalus stimulates immune cells, increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes, &improves heart function.

🌿Lemon Balm: a nervine tonic that alleviates an anxious or depressed mood, improves cognitive function & supports a restorative night’s sleep. Lemon balm relieves restlessness, allowing for a more grounded response to stress, sadness & shock. Lemon balm is also anti-viral!

🌿St.John’s Wort: Most known for relieving a depressed mood in folks with mild to moderate depression, St. John’s wort is also a rockstar nervine tonic & anti-viral all in one. Interestingly enough, St. John’s wort is a vulnerary, meaning that it is able to heal wounds. Definitely check for drug/herb interactions as St. John’s wort effects key enzymatic pathways.

🌿Ginger: Antimicrobial. Anti-inflammatory. Antimicrobial. Circulatory tonic. Digestive tonic. Immune booster. A master herb. Here’s a great ginger shot recipe to get familiar with: juiced ginger root, lemon juice, turmeric + an optional dollop of honey.

🌿Skullcap: the gentle, yet powerful nervine that relieves nervous tension, restores our sense of balance & revives our mental state. This herb helps with muscular tension, spasms & anxiety. Skullcap is your friend when you’ve just had enough & all systems are exhausted. This is the herb that promotes rest in the name of renewal.

__

Found this post useful? Then share this post with your tribe! This information is important.

In health,

Dr. Naika

Subscribe to my E-mail list.

Connect with me!

___

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

12.15.19: Healing with Haitian Herbs- Herbal Medicine Making Workshop with Dr.Naika!

RSVP HERE!

Sustainable Alternatives to Sage

Did you know that there are great alternatives to sage smudge sticks?

With sustainability at the forefront of my mind these days, I’m revisiting & adjusting certain practices to be more in alignment with the good of the planet & collective. And to me that centers around respect & responsibility.

Due to sage’s (& palo santo’s) boost in popularity as an energy-clearing medium, we are using much more sage than we need, more often than we need.

Fire is such a beautifully transformative element & the smoke from smudging is considered an ancient healing tool. What’s only a relatively recent “wellness” trend is actually a deeply rooted cultural & spiritual practice for many communities.

I wanted to touch on alternative plants to incorporate into your smudge practice, if that’s a part of your wellness regime. Here are some very brief gems that you can expand upon with your own research.

I wanted to add that many of these plants are very common & grow very easily re: sustainability. Many of them are used for culinary work & herbal medicine. Keeping deforestation in mind,I intentionally included only one tree,which happens to be very sustainable.

🌿〰️🌿
•Lavender:peace & relaxation
•Vervain:balance & integration
•Mugwort:intuition & the dream world
•Rosemary:protection & purification
•Lemon balm:cleansing & calming
•Cedar:cleansing & grounding (this is my absolute favorite tree on the planet & is considered sacred by many communities)
•Thyme:mental clarity & removes blockages
•Mullein:respiratory cleansing & purification

There are a TON of wonderful plants that are not on this list, but these could serve as a launching point for further exploration.

As you discover what plant allies would support you best,I encourage you to research & connect with the various cultures who lifted up these practices in the first place.This will only amplify your experience & provide you with additional knowledge, context, & appreciation for the sacred healing these plants embody.
 Be blessed.

In health,

Dr. Naika

Schedule your session with me in Park Slope (Mondays and Thursdays) here:
https://squ.re/2MBOEzR

Schedule with me in Clinton Hill (Tuesdays & Wednesdays) here:

https://squareup.com/appointments/book/5QPPMBW08V2ME/heal-haus-dr-naika-apeakorang-nd-lac-brooklyn-ny

Subscribe to my E-mail list.

Connect with me!

___

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Herbs for Cold and Flu Season (Part 1)

It’s that time again, loves. Lots of autumn sickies going around as the season shifts, the temperatures drop,& we spend more time indoors. Many more people are coming in for the common cold. So, I wanted to round up my favorite immune-boosting, cold-busting herbs to help you fight your way through the season.This is only part 1 because there are so many wonderful herbs for cold & flu season, which will be covered in subsequent posts.

🌱Ginger: Honestly, is there anything ginger ISN’T good for? Such an amazing gift of nature.I’m a big fan of fresh ginger for cold/flu season, but dried ginger is fine too.Really powerful antimicrobial that gives those cold bugs a good fight.Love ginger in a tea or syrup.
🌱Echinacea: The cold herb that we all know and love.Great for boosting our body’s immunity, moving lymph, & fighting bacterial & viral infections.Love it in a tincture or syrup!
🌱Garlic: Another herbal powerhouse with so much healing to offer.Although garlic is aggressively..uh..fragrant, it is worth the smell.It does not play games as an anti-microbial (bacteria,viruses,&fungal).Garlic is an expectorant, so it EXPELS bugs, fluids, etc. I like to make a fire cider,which features garlic as a star ingredient (more on that in another post!).Most of all,I like to cook with extra garlic during this season.If I’m feeling particularly bold,I like to chew on some fresh garlic.
🌱Peppermint: Love peppermint as a decongestant, so it’s great for when you’re feeling stuffy & clogged up.Peppermint is great at promoting release through sweating, which is helpful for fevers.Lastly, peppermint is great at decreasing coughs.I’ll take peppermint as a tea! *Peppermint is a kid favorite!
🌱Lemon balm: I love lemon balm so much, not only because it is extremely calming as a nervine & tummy-relieving as a carminative, but because it is also a rockstar anti-viral.This is a great cold and flu herb to take at night because it’ll calm you right down while fighting those bugs. I love lemon balm in tea & in glycerites. *Lemon balm is a kid favorite!
〰️
Wash your hands.Bundle up.Take some herbs.Trust your body. 🌱
〰️
Share this with your tribe (& tag me) if you found this information useful!

In health,

Dr. Naika

Schedule your session with me in Park Slope (Mondays and Thursdays) here:
https://squ.re/2MBOEzR

Schedule with me in Clinton Hill (Tuesdays & Wednesdays) here:

https://squareup.com/appointments/book/5QPPMBW08V2ME/heal-haus-dr-naika-apeakorang-nd-lac-brooklyn-ny

Subscribe to my E-mail list.

Connect with me!

___

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Happy Summer Solstice! 4 Herbal Tonics for Summer 2019

Happy first day of summer loves!

I’m back at it with my top 4 herbal tonics for this summer that will support your vitality and wellness. Think cooling, calming, vibrational, and gently moving~

🌼Kava: Kava kava kava. The herb that gets us all lit with a natural high. To me, Kava’s vibrational pattern matches with summer. It’s sunny, happy, and warm. It has a very specific acquired taste and can be quite numbing to the tongue. Kava is very popular as a mocktail ingredient, but there isn’t enough conversation in the wellness world around what happens when you have too much kava. The research is well-documented that excessive kava is toxic to the liver. So reach for this herb in moderation to enjoy it safely.

🌼Linden is just so sweet energetically. Soothing to the heart chakra, linden invites us to tap into our heart’s desires, while providing us with sweet comfort along the way. Linden has a nice light flavor and blends with other herbs beautifully.

🌼Lemongrass: Think light, refreshing, and cooling. At my “Healing with Haitian Herbs” workshop, I talk about how lemongrass is THE cooling herb that Haitians use (frequently combined with hibiscus, another cooling herb). As the name suggests, lemongrass has a lovely citrus zing to it and is just so light. I like to make a lemongrass tea x lemonade situation in the summer months. The best.

🌼Calendula: Think gentle lymphatic movement and vibrancy. I mean look at that beautiful yellow! It reminds me of the summer sun. Patients tell me all the time that they get swollen and puffy in the summer with all the heat and humidity in the atmosphere. This is where lymph movement comes in and calendula has got your back! It’s a little bitter in taste but is light enough to still be really pleasant.

Share this with your communities if you found it useful! 


I’m excited to play with these herbs and many more this summer. I’ve got a good feeling about Summer 2019. Stay bright.

In health,

Dr. Naika

Schedule your session with me in Park Slope (Mondays and Thursdays) here:
https://squ.re/2MBOEzR

Schedule with me in Clinton Hill (Tuesdays & Wednesdays) here:

https://squareup.com/appointments/book/5QPPMBW08V2ME/heal-haus-dr-naika-apeakorang-nd-lac-brooklyn-ny

Subscribe to my E-mail list.

Connect with me!

___

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Happy Heart Health Awareness Month! Herbs for Heart Health

In addition to being Black History month, February is also Heart Health Awareness Month.

Heart health has been at the forefront of my mind since the New Year. How do we nurture this precious vital organ that beats throughout the span of our lives? In Chinese Medicine, the heart is known as “The Emperor” in the kingdom that is our body. We owe it to ourselves to nurture our hearts so we can live fully and whole-heartedly.
💓
Throughout the month of February, I will be shining some light on the different measures we can take to improve the vitality and functionality of our hearts. Today, we’ll start with herbs!
💓
Hibiscus is always the first herb I talk about in my “Healing with Haitians Herbs” workshop. Hibiscus is an incredible antioxidant with very high levels of Vitamin C, making it especially helpful for addressing high cholesterol and hypertension. I like to use hibiscus in tea and powder forms.
💓
Rose is my favorite herb right now. Energetically, rose has an affinity to the heart chakra, which increases feelings of love, empathy, compassion, and joy. Rose is not just a strong antioxidant, but also a great stress-reducer. When our minds are stressed, our hearts respond. Studies have shown a direct correlation between stress and high blood pressure. I like to consume rose in tea or tincture forms.
💓
Cinnamon can do great things for those struggling with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. It has note-worthy antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help protect the heart and blood vessels. I like to use cinnamon powder.
💓
Hawthorne has been a favorite herb of mine for some time as a circulatory system tonic. I’ve seen Hawthorne be helpful for everything from anxiety and palpitations to hypertension and depression. I like to use high dose hawthorne liquid extract.
💓
Passionflower is a beautiful herb that has some blood pressure lower properties, but has even more energetic uses. Passionflower has an effect on the heart as well as the nervous system, so it’s an herb that’s very calming and soothing. I love using passionflower glycerites.
💓
Cherish your hearts loves, for it is our greatest treasure, individually and collectively. 

These are just a few of many heart-supportive herbs. Which of these are you going to explore? Don’t forget, you can always make an appointment with me to explore the right herbs for heart health, and so much more! Scheduling link is in my bio.

In health,

Dr. Naika

Stay in touch with me to keep up with all of my upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to my E-mail list.

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel!

Schedule your session with me in Park Slope (Mondays) here:

https://squ.re/2MBOEzR

Schedule with me in Clinton Hill (Tuesdays & Wednesdays) here:
https://squ.re/2Swu2vo

Connect with me!

___

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Top 4 Herbal Tonics for Winter

Happy Winter! Here are my top 4 herbal tonics for winter, that will support your health and vitality throughout the season.

🌿Ashwagandha: Our adaptogen ally that will support our energy and mental/emotional wellness.
🌿Lemon balm: Our anti-viral that will support our immunity and digestion.
🌿Cinnamon: Our anti-oxidant source that will keep our blood sugar levels balanced.
🌿Ginger: Our plug for all the things because ginger does *ALL* the things. But namely to raise our yang energy and get that blood circulating.

There are so many other great herbs that I’ll have in rotation in my tea kettle. But these are a great start!

Wishing you a joyous, intentional, and abundant winter. Plant those seeds now so they may flourish in the spring!

In health,

Dr. Naika

Stay in touch with me to keep up with all of my upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to my E-mail list.

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel!

Schedule your session with me in Park Slope (Mondays) here:

https://squ.re/2MBOEzR

Schedule with me in Clinton Hill (Tuesdays & Wednesdays) here:
https://squ.re/2Swu2vo

Connect with me!

___

Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Five Health Benefits of Matcha

Green tea matcha is an incredibly healthy and nourishing drink, that not only boosts energy systemically, but also provides a boost of antioxidants and other important nutrients. Popularized in Japan centuries ago in tea ceremonies, matcha is now enjoyed all around the world, most commonly as a tea or a latte drink

Photo is my property.

DIY Aloe Harvesting!

Freshly chopped aloe, harvested from our massive 15 year old aloe plant. 🌿💚

I decided to use aloe for its healing properties, in a little homemade concoction for skincare. 🌿

 wanted to share how I harvest aloe in this short and sweet blog post.

DIY Rose and Chamomile Toner

Just made an awesome DIY toner with rose and chamomile. 🌹🌼

As a holistic practitioner, I recognize that good skin care actually comes from within (nutrition, hydration,balance), but we can definitely use external practices to assist internal processes. I recently wrote about chamomile's anti-inflammatory and tissue healing properties, which make it an important ingredient for this toner. Rose is lovely all around and is great for toning, tightening, and moistening the skin.

How to Make:

Naturopathic Tips for Beating Spring Allergies!

It's that time again...

Allergies are annoying. For those of us affected by seasonal allergies, we can essentially guarantee that for at least 4 months out of the year, we have to deal with pesky symptoms including red itchy eyes, runny nose, sinus congestion, cough, scratchy throat,  headaches, and sometimes even GI disturbances. Millions of people struggle with seasonal allergies, particularly in the spring, due to pollen. But many people are allergic to other things like pet dander, dust, foods, and other molecules.

4 Cheap, Easy, and Natural Solutions for the Common Cold!

Most of us succumb to the common cold at least once a year. Fall and winter are particularly challenging times when we find ourselves even more susceptible to catching colds because we spend more time indoors. We are around more people and don’t get as much natural air. The common cold is caused by several different microbes, most often viruses, so antibiotics are usually unhelpful because they actually target bacteria. Viruses are best dealt with by 1) strengthening the immune system so that we can help our bodies clear out the microbes faster and 2) by implementing various wellness strategies to help relieve the uncomfortable symptoms we experience.

Luckily, there are so many scientifically proven, cheap, and effective solutions to the common cold that you probably already have at home!

Ginger: This potent kitchen staple is so useful for so many things, but especially for immune support. It contains volatile oils and resins which help to enhance immune function. From a Chinese medicine perspective, ginger acts on the lungs, which in turns opens to the skin. It is in that way that microbes are expelled from the body according to TCM.

Suggested use: chop up some garlic, and boil the pieces for about 20 minutes in water, let cool, and drink. Best used in fresh form, not dried.

A Haitian Treasure: Vèvenn (Vervain)

If you are Haitian and have ever experienced a big shock (sezisman or chok in Haitian Kreyol), then chances are that you've been handed a cup of te vèvenn, or vervain tea.

Vèvenn, Verbena officinales, is a beautiful flower of the Verbenaceae family that is known for its calming and digestive effects. Vervain is native to the Americas, as well as Asia. This plant is used as an ornament, as a popular perfume constituent, as a flavor in various liqueurs, and most traditionally as a healing tea. We like to use the aerial part of this herb, during its flowering stage for the most potent effect.

Source: Google Image search

Haitians traditionally use this herb for helping each other move through grief. Commonly given to folks directly after hearing bad news (such as the death of a loved one), vèvenn is thought to help calm down the intense mental/emotional/physical/spiritual reaction of that news. Haitians also use this herb to help cleanse the blood. So that can mean figuratively, in the sense that vèvenn helps rid the body of toxins, spells, or bad luck. It can also refer to vèvenn's ability to help the body fight off various forms of rheumatisms, or infections. This herb is a powerful anti-inflammatory and bitter, meaning it has a strong effect on the liver and gall bladder, which are moving organs; they literally cleanse, move, and store blood.

In Traditional Chinese medicine, vervain is known for being detoxifying and cleansing, with a particular affinity to the liver (which processes emotional disturbance), the spleen (which rules the blood), and the bladder meridian (which runs up and down the entire body).

In Naturopathic medical school, I took a special course on Flower Essences, a German system of medicine that looks at the energetic properties of flowers, to help address mental/emotional dysregulation in people. In that class, we learned that Vervain has historically been used to help people move through intense emotion, passion, and grief. From a classical Western herbalism perspective, we believe vervain to be drying, anti-spasmodic, and relaxing. It is thought to stimulate mental and spiritual clarity, and to stop the negative physical manifestations of grief and other types of intense emotion, in the body.

Image source: Google search

Important constituents:

• glycosides
• caffeic acid
• volatile oils (hence the fragrance)
• saponins
• mucilages
• verbanalol, tannins, and alkaloids (causing its extreme bitterness) 

Vervain tea can be helpful for the following conditions:

• anxiety, depression, grief
• indigestion, constipation, liver and gall bladder disease (due to its bitter constituents)
• most inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and gout
• insomnia
• irregular menstruation, menopausal symptoms
• low breast milk production
• sinus infections

How to prepare this lovely herb?
1. Vèvenn tea is best prepared as an infusion (the style known as tisane):

• Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tablespoons of Vèvenn flower.
• Let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes, then let it cool.
• Drink up

2. Another way is by tincture, which entails infusing the flower in a preparation of alcohol.

• This is best done by a herbal processing facility or by an herbalist.
• Take 1-3 dropperfuls per day.

Definitely avoid this herb during the early stages of pregnancy as vèvenn increases contractility.

In health,

Dr. Naika

The "Haitian Treasures" series was created by Dr. Naika in 2012. This series explores the magnificent benefits and uses of Haiti's natural resources, which Dr. Naika calls "Haitian Treasures". In this series, Dr. Naika explores the tie between Haiti's natural resources and natural, traditional, and holistic healing.

This blog post was originally posted on Dr. Naika's lifestyle blog, Naika in Balance. Dr. Naika's work is copyrighted. Please do not copy or repost Dr. Naika's work without citing her content as the original source.