Rebecca's Herbal Apothecary & Supply is turning 10 years old!!!

As I write this I find myself feeling welled up with happiness and gratitude. Sometimes Rebecca's feels like the "little shop that could". I can't imagine anything else I would rather do with my work life. Being in this space and working with the plants and this fabulous community continues to be a dream come true. Thank you, thank you, to all who have supported and worked with us. To our customers, co-workers, friends, neighbors and families, this shop is truly a group effort of which all of you play an integral part. I feel so honored to have worked these last 10 years in this community and I am heartily excited for many more to come!
With deep gratitude, Thank you!
Rebecca

To celebrate 10 wonderful years of operation will be offering a 10% discount on everything purchased in the store on Saturday, September 13th, our actual anniversary date! Yay!

Please note that on that day we will also be closing a little early at 5PM.

Don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook for updates throughout the month.

New Products & Promotions

Local herbs

We've received another batch of beautiful local herbs from Earthstar farm; Catnip, Clary Sage, Hyssop, Lemon Balm, and Passion flower to name a few. Earthstar Farms is a collective of four co-creative, organic farms located in the foothills above Boulder. Medicinal herbs are the farms' specialty and all the work from planting seeds to braiding Sweet grass is done by hand. We love supporting and working with our local farms!

100% Grass Fed Tallow

We are so pleased to now offer this traditional and effective body care ingredient the use of which has been much lost in modern herbalism. Tallow is a rendered form of beef fat which has a long history of traditional use for soap and candle making, in salves, lotions and poultices, to waterproof garments and for cosmetic purposes. Solid at room temperature, naturally shelf stable and with a smoke point of 400 degrees this grass fed Tallow is not only a wonderful option for body care products but also for cooking and frying. We are looking forward to creating unique and traditional recipes with this time-honored product.

The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy by Mechthild Scheffer

An extensive, well-researched and accessible approach to using flower essences, The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy is one of the most comprehensive and up to date references on the subject . Integrating years of experience, Scheffer presents a complete profile for each flower essence with photos and comparisons. The author provides specific instructions for preparing combination remedies and shows how flower therapies can be a powerful tool for healing individual symptoms and restoring balance to one's life.

Mica Lip Gloss

We are having a back to school sale on all of the Mica colored lip glosses including the Burgundy Mint, Citrus Pink and Chai Lip Glosses. These fantastic glosses are made with all natural ingredients including Lanolin and Castor oil, both of which nourish and add a beautiful shine to the lips. Colored with natural minerals and scented with pure essential oils, these lip glosses are fun, sheer, and perfect for any occasion!

Staff Picks

Kate's Pick

Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth by Dr. Sharol Tilgner

Dr. Sharol Tilgner's Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth is a new addition to the Rebecca's library but a longstanding and much-loved resource in mine. Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth Tilgner combines a traditional wise woman perspective with clinical experience that is sure to offer something new to professionals and amateurs alike. The book is broad in scope combining Materia Medica, drug-herb interactions, herbal preparations and appropriate dose techniques. There are also an incredible variety of herbal formulations created from time-honored recipes and clinical expertise, but my favorite part is the unique guides hidden in the back. Found in no other resource I'm familiar with, there are charts indispensable to medicine makers on the best forms of plants to tincture, appropriate harvesting seasons, and the precise percentage of alcohol & water used to extract medicinal components of herbs. This book never left my desk while I was at Herb School and is still a close companion to this day.

 

Classes

Below is our class schedule, for full class descriptions please check our website at: http://www.rebeccasherbs.com/classes/. Your space in the class is reserved once payment is received. Payment for classes is made by cash or check payable to the instructor. Please be aware that classes fill up quickly, so sign up early. Pre-registration is required.

Herbs as Emotional Allies

Wed., September 3rd, 2014, 6:30-8:00pm
Instructor, Lauren Stauber, certified clinical herbalist and nutritionist, licensed massage therapist
Cost: $30.00 In this class, we'll learn about herbs that can support us through the emotional ups and downs of life. We'll discuss approaches for general support, as well as for specific emotions such as grief, anger, or fear.

Fertility Awareness Method Workshop

Monday, September 8th, 6:30-8:30pm
Monday, September 15th, 6:30-8:30pm
Instructors: Faith Goguen Rodgers, certified clinical herbalist and Liz Philbrick, certified clinical herbalist and nutritionist
Cost: Individuals-- $50/ both classes, Couples-- $75/ both classes
Join us for an insightful workshop dedicated to The Fertility Awareness Method. FAM is a method of observing and charting fertility signs to either avoid pregnancy, achieve pregnancy, or to monitor your gynecological health.

Nourishing a Healthy Menstrual Cycle

Monday, September 22nd, 6:30-8:30pm
Instructors: Faith Goguen Rodgers, certified clinical herbalist and Liz Philbrick, certified clinical herbalist and nutritionist
Cost: $35.00 ($25.00 for participants of the FAM Workshop)
In this informative class we will explore herbal and nutritional methods to support a healthy menstrual cycle.

Medicinal Mushrooms

Wednesday, September 24th, 6:30-8:00pm
Instructors, Kate Briggs, certified clinical herbalist, Amber Brisson, certified clinical herbalist and nutritionist
Cost: $35.00
Expensive cuisine, immortality tonic, and decomposer, medicinal mushrooms have been used for centuries as food, tea, and medicine. Come explore the fascinating world of fungi, from ancient history to modern medical research.

Culturing Your Own Foods with Herbs

Monday, October 6th, 6:30-8:30pm
Instructor, Adriana Sugrue, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00
In this class we will talk about the benefits of fermented foods, natural probiotics, and how to create your own herbal fermentations in your home.

Herbal Care for Children

Wednesday, October 8th, 6:30-8:00pm
Instructor: Corrie Bradley, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $30.00
It is empowering as a parent to have herbal allies that can soothe and treat your child's ailments. In this class we will discuss safe and simple recipes to treat coughs, colds, skin maladies, and many others.

Herbal Cooking — Herbal Sweet Treats

Monday, October 13th,6:30-8:00pm
Instructor: Ellie Martin, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00
Use nourishing herbs to create allergen-free treats! We will cover everythingfrom simplebaked goodstoeasy treats that don't require any cooking time.

Making Herbal Infused Oils & Salves

Thursday, October 16th, 6:30-8:00pm
Instructor, Faith Goguen Rodgers, certified clinical herbalist
Cost: $35.00
Join us to learn how to make therapeutic herbal infused oils and salves.

Perfume Blending 101

Wednesday, October 22nd, 6:30-8:30pm
Instructor: Amber Brisson, certified clinical herbalist and nutritionist
Cost: $35.00
In this class, we will explore the basics of blending therapeutic grade essential oils for scent, and the various perfumery methods.

Herb of the Month

Each month one of our staff members picks an herb that they are drawn to, and shares some experiences, thoughts, medicinal uses and a bit of traditional lore about their selected plant. As each plant is unique, each Herbalist and point of view is unique. We hope you enjoy this tradition!

Herb of the Month — September
Amber Brisson, certified clinical herbalist & nutritionist

Mushroom Name
Chaga Mushroom

Latin Name
Inonotus obliquus

Parts used
The entire mushroom is used in all preparations noted

Medicinal Properties
Mushrooms are fascinating. Neither plant nor animal, they reign in their own super kingdom called, Opisthokonta or the Fungi kingdom. They play an important part in the ecological cycle as decomposers which are essential in ecological nutrient cycling and exchange. Used as food and medicine, recent research has demonstrated their intriguing applications as decomposers of harmful chemicals and pesticides giving hope to new forms of bioremediation. Today we are exploring the intriguing world of a medicinal mushroom called Inonotus obliquus or Chaga mushroom.

Chaga is a medicinal polypore mushroom that grows off of birch trees and sometimes growing on Beech, Elm, Alder, and Hornbeam trees. The parasitic mushrooms appears as a crusty, blackened mass that looks almost like a burnt growth on the side of a tree. The Chaga grows under the outer tree bark until it erupts in a charcoal black extension of the tree. It takes 5-7 years for the polypore to reach maturity when it then falls off the tree onto the forest floor killing the tree host in the process. Throughout this time the Chaga is improving, concentrating and making within itself edible the rich tonic nutrients from the specific host tree.

Chaga has a long history of folk use in Russian, Baltic and Chinese medicine. It has been a part of Russian traditional medicine since the early 16th century. The local population used Chaga tea as an affordable coffee and tea replacement. The tonic and alterative effects of this mushroom kept this population healthy and strong through the cold winters. Like many medicinal mushrooms, Chaga is rich in beta glucans which have been shown to demonstrate immunomodulating properties.

There have been numerous clinical studies exploring the efficacy of Chaga mushroom extracts against certain types of cancers. Currently, there are no peer reviewed human clinical studies which prove the effectiveness of this mushroom against any cancers. However, many peer reviewed studies and laboratory tests have revealed ethanol-soluble antioxidants in Chaga. These antioxidants have been shown to lessen the damaging effects of free radicals in the body which can contribute to health issues such as inflammation and pre-mature aging.

Russian mushroom enthusiasts Sergiy and Katya Nokhrin explain that Chaga is most commonly used in Russia for cancer patients to help strengthen and speed healing post cancer treatments. In conjunction with modern treatments, this folk medicine has been used to lessen the side effects of radiation treatment. Recently, a pharmacognycist named Dr. Kirsti Kahlos at the University of Helsinki found triterpenes called inotodiol in Chaga. Kahlos and other researchers have found this specific constituent to be active against influenza and inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

With the constant flow of emerging clinical studies, I suspect Chaga mushroom will continue to reveal amazing medicinal applications. For more information on the world of medicinal mushrooms, please join us for a class on Medicinal Mushrooms, Wednesday, September 24th from 6:30-8:00pm.

Preparations & Applications
When using cut Chaga for an infusion or decoction, you can re-brew your Chaga material a second and third time for a longer time period without loss to flavor or potency.

Chaga Brews
1 heaping Tablespoon per cup of water. Place Chaga and water in a saucepan bring water to a rolling boil then turn heat down to low. Simmer for 15 min-2 hours (a crockpot on low is also great). Another option is to bring Chaga and water to a rolling boil and then turn off the heat and let the Chaga tea steep covered for 15 min-overnight. Chaga tea will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days. I like to freeze my Chaga brew in ice cube trays and add to other tea blends (Chai blends, Hot Cocoa, Elderberry) or throw the Chaga ice cubes into soups, stews and stir frys.