• DIY Spice Blending
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • November 13, 2018
    DIY Spice Blending

    Spices are an incredible way to bring the six tastes into a meal and can have a powerful effect on the body and mind. Read this article to learn how to make some invigorating seasonal masalas, along with tips on purchasing, storing, toasting, grinding, and blending spices at home. 

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  • Adrenal Nourish™ for an Active Life
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • November 09, 2018
    Adrenal Nourish™ for an Active Life

    Read all about Adrenal Nourish™, a unique formula designed to support you and your lifestyle by aiding healthy functioning of the adrenal glands, while also contributing to the overall balance of the nervous system—often the root of adrenal imbalance. 

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  • Growing Bacopa
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • August 15, 2018
    Growing Bacopa

    Our bacopa comes from an organic farm in the Western Ghats, where it is grown in paddy fields and irrigated by a stream that flows out of an ancient forest.

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  • Immune Strong™—A New Herbal Blend for Year-Round Health
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • August 13, 2018
    Immune Strong™—A New Herbal Blend for Year-Round Health

    Sometimes our immune system can use a little boost. With a superstar blend of Ayurvedic herbs traditionally used to support the immune system, Immune Strong is a successor to Immune Support—with a few changes and improvements. 

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  • Is Organic the Same as Non-GMO?
    • Health and Wellness
    • July 31, 2018
    Is Organic the Same as Non-GMO?

    There is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about the similarities and differences between organic and non-GMO. We are here to answer all the questions you’ve perhaps been wondering about, starting with the common question, “What does non-GMO even mean?”

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  • Bitter Melon: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • June 06, 2018
    Bitter Melon: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies

    Bitter melon, or karela, has a long history of use and is a common ingredient in cuisines and traditional medicines across the globe. Learn about the surprising benefits and how to welcome it into your day. 

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  • Breathe Free Balm—A Warming Herbal Chest Rub
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • May 17, 2018
    Breathe Free Balm—A Warming Herbal Chest Rub

    A soothing rub to nourish the lungs and sinuses is a staple in many household cabinets. Adults and children alike want to be able to do the most basic function—breathe—with the greatest ease. It is vital to our daily and nightly life.

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  • 5 Ashwagandha Studies You Should Know About
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • April 17, 2018
    5 Ashwagandha Studies You Should Know About

    Ashwagandha is one of the most well-known and widly used Ayurvedic herbs. And for good reason! It is great for so many functions in the body—from sleep, energy, and stress, to rejuvenation, muscle strength, and joint health.

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  • Growing Ashwagandha
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • April 11, 2018
    Growing Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha is one of the most revered herbs in Ayurveda. Maximizing the body's ability to resist stress, it enables the body to sustain energy throughout the day while promoting sound, restful sleep at night. 

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  • Moringa Oleifera—A Superfood for All Ages
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • March 29, 2018
    Moringa Oleifera—A Superfood for All Ages

    Moringa oleifera often makes headlines thanks to its superb nutritious content. Rightly so—it truly is a superfood. Its leaves are particularly nutritious.

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  • Introducing FairWild Triphala
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • March 20, 2018
    Introducing FairWild Triphala

    How often do we think about the wild plants in a formula, and how they are sourced? We are proud to offer our first FairWild certified formula, Triphala tablets.

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  • Licorice: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • March 12, 2018
    Licorice: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies

    While many people associate licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) with the chewy, black candy we knew as children, the licorice plant has a much broader therapeutic appeal and widespread historical fame. Sure, licorice has fifty times the natural sweetness of sugar, making it a powerful confectionary flavoring, but it’s not all about the sweet taste with this incredible herb.

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  • Seasonal Respiratory Support with Pollen Protect™
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • March 06, 2018
    Seasonal Respiratory Support with Pollen Protect™

    As spring blossoms into new life, it's the perfect time to set yourself up for wellness so you can go outside, take a deep breath, and enjoy the glory of the season.

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  • The Art of Using Ayurvedic Spices
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • January 10, 2018
    The Art of Using Ayurvedic Spices

    I have a cabinet full of Ayurvedic spices. Each time I get ready to cook a meal, I get so much joy from seeing all the opportunities inside these little jars. The golden color of turmeric powder, the sweetness of fennel seed—everything is just waiting to come alive and nurture my health from the inside out.

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  • Kalmegh: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • December 14, 2017
    Kalmegh: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies

    While Ayurveda teaches us many fundamentally simple ways to build a healthy immune system, life happens to all of us (and so do holiday parties, travel plans, and the end of another year…fast approaching!). Basic self-care may have taken the wayside, and this is where our herbal allies can lend a helping hand.

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  • DIY with Frankincense (Boswellia serrata)
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • November 13, 2017
    DIY with Frankincense (Boswellia serrata)

    According to the Royal Botanic Gardens (located in the UK), there are 30 documented species of boswellia, many of which produce resins, but only a few of the species yield a commercial quality resin. Boswellia resin comes from resinous trees and shrubs that grow in arid and sometimes rocky terrain.

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  • 6 Essential Ayurvedic Herbs for Fall and Winter
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • November 08, 2017
    6 Essential Ayurvedic Herbs for Fall and Winter

    We all know that one particular day every year when we step outside in the morning and we just know that the seasons are changing. Here are six must-have herbs for the coming months. 

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  • Herbal Support for Deep Sleep
    • Health and Wellness
    • October 19, 2017
    Herbal Support for Deep Sleep

    Most of us know the feeling: You’ve had a long day and you haven’t been sleeping well. You’re dozing off at dinner and you think to yourself, “Yes! Finally, I’ll have no problem falling asleep tonight.” You go through your evening routine, get ready for bed, crawl under the covers, and then…stare at the ceiling.

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  • Why Mucuna (Kapikacchu) Really Is That Amazing
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • August 23, 2017
    Why Mucuna (Kapikacchu) Really Is That Amazing

    You may have heard about Mucuna and its ability to support a healthy nervous system because of its L-dopa content. It’s true. It’s pretty fantastic. But you may not have heard about mucuna’s benefits to other organ systems in the body, specifically the reproductive and digestive systems.

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  • Brahmi/Gotu Kola: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • August 17, 2017
    Brahmi/Gotu Kola: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies

    As a tridoshic herb, gotu kola can bring support to all the doshas by grounding vata, tonifying pitta, and reducing kapha. Gotu Kola is the perfect herb to support a healthy mind, promote concentration, memory, and intelligence.

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  • 6 Herbs to Support Healthy Adrenals
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • August 09, 2017
    6 Herbs to Support Healthy Adrenals

    When you reach the point of adrenal fatigue, the stress you’ve experienced has been so great for so long that your body can no longer recover. Along with getting proper rest and food intake, one of the best and often easiest ways to provide support is through adaptogenic herbs. Adaptogens assist in our body’s management of metabolic systems during stressful times.

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  • Introducing Our New Muscle Balm!
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • July 12, 2017
    Introducing Our New Muscle Balm!

    Muscle Balm is a nourishing blend of oils and herbs that carefully soothes a tired or sore muscular system. The strengthening influence of ashwagandha is carried by organic sesame and sunflower oils to deeply revitalize the tissues, while cleansing herbs gokshura and manjistha help to properly move the lymph and whisk away accumulations of natural toxins in the muscles.

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  • Manjistha: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies
    • Ayurvedic Herbalism
    • July 05, 2017
    Manjistha: Getting to Know Your Herbal Allies

    Manjistha is a fantastic first line of defense to keeping pitta in balance, particularly in the summer season when our environment is mirroring the energetics of pitta. Plus, manjistha can be a great friend when working to reduce excess kapha. This purifying herb is known to help the body’s channels flow, and it infuses the physiology with its cooling and cleansing energetics, from the circulatory system to the blood tissue layer, the liver, kidneys, menstrual cycle, and even the mind.

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  • Essential Herbs & Travel Tips for Your Journey
    • Health and Wellness
    • June 28, 2017
    Essential Herbs & Travel Tips for Your Journey

    Herbs can be our great friends and helpers for travel, and this article outlines one traveler's suggestions for putting together an Ayurvedic herbal travel kit. Try keeping some of these herbs in your bathroom kit and some in your carry aboard bag. 

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Ayurvedic Herbalism

Ayurvedic herbalism is a holistic system of understanding the effects, benefits, and inner workings of various herbal plants within Ayurveda’s vast and varied pharmacopoeia. It takes into account the tastes, energetics, and post-digestive effects of different herbs and explores their impact on the doshas of vata, pitta, and kapha.

In these articles, we dive into many facets of the rich and storied topic of Ayurvedic herbalism.

What Are Ayurvedic Herbs?

Ayurvedic herbs are a keystone of Ayurveda and have been traditionally used to promote overall health and well-being. Many support the body and mind with specific health goals. From the ability to strengthen the body’s natural defenses and bolster the immune system to promoting deep, restful sleep, comfortable joint movement, supporting inner beauty and radiance both internally and externally, and so much more, there’s an herb for practically any health intention.

Ayurveda places great importance on how certain herbs, herbal substances, or minerals impact the doshas. Certain aspects of herbs, such as their taste and energetics, are key in Ayurvedic herbalism to gaining a holistic understanding of how the herb will be digested, assimilated, and absorbed by the body.

While Ayurvedic herbalism originated in India thousands of years ago, its timeless wisdom can still be applied to herbs growing today and across the globe. By developing deep relationships with herbs and cultivating a deeper understanding of what they are, how they grow, and how they impact the physiology on a deeper level, Ayurveda’s multi-faceted approach to herbalism is not limited to working with herbs from one geographic location.

Some of Ayurveda’s most popular herbs are becoming increasingly popular outside of Ayurveda, including ashwagandha and shatavari, two well-known adaptogens that are both celebrated for promoting a variety of benefits for the body, mind, and spirit. While they are effective on their own, they are also often combined into formulas, such as Stress Ease, to synergize their unique effects and bring in the help of other herbal allies.

But perhaps the most well-known of all is triphala, a rejuvenating combination of amalaki (also known as amla), bibhitaki, and haritaki. It is often used to promote healthy digestion and elimination, though it contains many additional benefits as well. Many of these articles will detail the lesser-known benefits and uses of various herbs and formulas. Some of them might surprise you!

We hope that these articles inspire you to branch out even further into the wonderful world of plants and how they function—whether it’s by trying a new herb, starting to grow your own herbs, or paying closer attention to where your herbs come from.

At Banyan Botanicals, we are dedicated to offering herbs that are sustainably sourced, organically grown, and fairly traded. We recognize that being good stewards of the Earth and tending to the land while we also care for the herbs themselves is crucial to the sustainability of these beloved plants, ensuring they will continue to thrive for generations to come—as well as to the sustainability of Ayurveda as a whole.