Wild Herbs with April

April Punsalan
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  • Alternative Health
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Welcome to the Wild Herbs with April Podcast where we unpack and uncover the healing properties of wild herbs so you can heal naturally with the plants beneath your feet.

  1. 7 hr ago

    #48 Amanita muscaria, Reishi, and the Medicine of Mushrooms with Mycologist Michael Wilson

    If you want to learn the medicinal and edible wild plants in season each month, and how to bring them into your kitchen, join the Wild Herb Academy Membership: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/learnwildherbs Every mushroom you see is only the fruit. Beneath it lives an entire underground network holding the forest together. In this episode, recorded live at the Good Medicine Confluence in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I’m joined by Michael Wilson, forager, mycologist, and founder of Harmony Acres. Michael shares the day a Reishi mushroom led him to it, and how fungi support the body’s own immune system. He also walks through his step-by-step approach to identifying Amanita muscaria and its relatives, and explains why he calls Amanita a slow burn relationship. That relationship opens only when you come with reverence, patience, and knowledge. You can watch this episode on Youtube!   👉 Amanita tinctures and oil infusionsUse the code WILDHERBS10 for 10% off your first order: https://www.harmonyacres.love/wildherbs   About the guest:Michael Wilson is a forager, mycologist, and the founder of Harmony Acres in Pennsylvania. He has been foraging wild mushrooms since 2016, after years as an organic farmer, landscaper, and lifelong meditator. In 2021, a series of synchronicities led him to Amanita muscaria, and the healing he experienced turned his part-time passion into his life’s work. Today, Michael makes small-batch mushroom extractions and teaches about Amanita across the country, including at the Good Medicine Confluence.   Follow Michael Wilson: Website: https://harmonyacres.love Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harmony_acres Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreOneInHarmony YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@myco_miguel   About the host:Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching people how to heal with plants. I want you to heal yourself and your family with the wild herbs that grow beneath your feet.   Connect with April: Website: https://www.wildherbacademy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril   Disclaimer:This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Some of the links listed above are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.   Thank you for listening! Make sure to follow the Wild Herbs Podcast so you can keep deepening your connection with wild plants and nature, within and without. Stay wild and stay human!

    #48 Amanita muscaria, Reishi, and the Medicine of Mushrooms with Mycologist Michael Wilson

  2. 15 Oct

    #47 Navigating Perimenopause Through Ayurveda with Dr. Shivani Gupta

    Learn to see the plants around you through the eyes of a botanist and herbalist, and discover their names, their medicine, and your connection to the land, in the free Backyard Pharmacy webinar: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/backyard-pharmacy   Perimenopause is often viewed as a time of hormonal decline, but Ayurveda offers a different perspective. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Shivani Gupta, an Ayurvedic practitioner, researcher, and author of The Inflammation Code, with over 20 years of experience studying and teaching Ayurvedic medicine. Dr. Shivani and I had a beautiful conversation about the transition from Pitta to Vata during midlife, how declining estrogen influences inflammation and gut health, and her beautiful encouragement for women to embrace this new season of life. We also explored the medicinal properties of turmeric, Ayurvedic herbs and spices for women's health, digestive fire (Agni), and the importance of grounding, slowing down, and creating daily rituals that nourish the body. As two Pitta women, we shared our own experiences of learning to release the constant drive to do more and instead honor what our bodies need. "Midlife is not the end of your power, it's the beginning of your awakening." – Dr. Shivani Gupta   Key Things You'll Learn: 00:00 - Teaser and intro 00:56 - Meet our guest, Dr. Shivani Gupta 01:57 - Midlife as the beginning of a woman's awakening 05:28 - At what age do women transition into the Vata stage of life? 10:15 - Perimenopause as a natural seasonal transition 11:12 - Spices for hormonal balance, burnout, and bloating 15:12 - How turmeric works on inflammatory pathways 18:25 - What makes Dr. Shivani's turmeric formulations different 23:37 - Ideal time during a woman's menstrual cycle to take turmeric 24:27 - Ayurvedic herbs and practices for gut microbiome and bloating 31:37 - Ayurvedic herbal teas for sleep, stress, and menopause 34:10 - Menopause and lifestyle differences across cultures 42:41 - What you'll learn from the book, The Inflammation Code 44:56 - How to work with Dr. Shivani   Discover your Ayurvedic Mind-Body Type (2-minute Quiz): https://shivanigreenliving.clickfunnels.com/elementaldesignUse the code WILDHERBS for 15% off your first order: https://fusionaryformulas.com?sca_ref=12551077.GMbp5nuDRK3Get Dr. Shivani's book, The Inflammation Code: https://www.amazon.com/dp/140199699X   Follow Dr. Shivani Gupta: Website: https://shivanigupta.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.shivanigupta Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheShivaniGupta YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.shivanigupta   About the host: Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching people how to heal with plants. I want you to heal yourself and your family with the wild herbs that grow beneath your feet.   Connect with April: Website: https://www.wildherbacademy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril   Disclaimer:This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Some of the links listed above are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.   Thank you for listening! Make sure to follow the Wild Herbs Podcast so you can keep deepening your connection with wild plants and nature, within and without. Stay wild and stay human!

    #47 Navigating Perimenopause Through Ayurveda with Dr. Shivani Gupta

  3. 8 Oct

    #46 What to Know About Psilocybin Therapy with Dr. JJ Pursell

    Learn to see the plants around you through the eyes of a botanist and herbalist, and discover their names, their medicine, and your connection to the land, in the free Backyard Pharmacy webinar: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/backyard-pharmacy   Who may not be a good fit for psilocybin therapy? Today's guest is Dr. JJ Pursell, a board-certified naturopathic physician, licensed psilocybin facilitator, and bestselling author of Psilocybin Therapy and The Medicine from the Trees. JJ and I had a heartfelt, wide-ranging conversation about her path from a flower farm childhood and an herb shop apprenticeship to more than 30 years of working with psilocybin, why fear and the need for control come up so often around this medicine, and how she thinks about the spirit of the mushroom. We also talked about the mycelial web of life, the womb and grounding, and more. "My role is simply to make sure that you feel safe throughout the whole entire experience." – Dr. JJ Pursell   Key Things You'll Learn: 00:00 - Teaser and intro 01:14 - Meet Dr. JJ Pursell 03:13 - JJ's path to psilocybin therapy 12:30 - How cultural messaging shapes views of psychedelics 18:46 - Working with fear before a session 24:05 - Severe trauma and energetic footprint from the body 25:06 - Psilocybin and addiction research 32:22 - The spirit of the mushroom 37:45 - The womb, lower chakras, and grounding 41:05 - Who may not be a good fit 43:44 - Family history of schizophrenia 44:37 - Ketamine as a possible stepping stone 47:12 - Thoughts on microdosing 51:38 - Inside the book Psilocybin Therapy 55:20 - How to work with Dr. Pursell   Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please speak with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health.   Dr. JJ Pursell's Website: https://drjjpursell.com Get Dr. JJ Pursell's book, Psilocybin Therapy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDWK2BJ5   Follow Dr. JJ Pursell: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjjpursell2024 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjjpursell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjpursellndlac YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jjpursell6187   About the host: Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching people how to heal with plants. I want you to heal yourself and your family with the wild herbs that grow beneath your feet.   Connect with April: Website: https://www.wildherbacademy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril   Thank you for listening! Make sure to follow the Wild Herbs Podcast so you can keep deepening your connection with wild plants and nature, within and without. Stay wild and stay human!

    #46 What to Know About Psilocybin Therapy with Dr. JJ Pursell

  4. 24 Sept

    #45 Why Every Herbalist Should Learn Medical Botany

    Why Herbalists Need Medical Botany You've done the training. You know your calendula, chamomile, echinacea, and goldenrod. But the aster family alone holds 34,000 species. In this episode, April shares why medical botany is the missing framework for trained herbalists. It was once the backbone of American healthcare, and today almost no one has heard of it. In this episode: How April found medical botany. Fieldwork with botanist Richard Porcher led her to Charleston's Waring Historical Library, where she found shelves of medical botany texts and MD dissertations on single plants and regional floras. What medical botany actually is. It's the system doctors and eclectic physicians used in the 1700s and 1800s: classification, systematics, then medicine. What Latin names reveal. Phytolacca americana is decoded, and she explains why "officinalis" tells you a plant earned its place in the official pharmacopeia. The 4 out of 34,000 problem. Most herbalists work with a handful of asters while the native ones in their own yard go unknown. Why botany comes first. A federally threatened plant, swamp pink (Helonias bullata), ended up printed as a medicinal herb in a bestselling foraging book. The native asters in April's Charleston yard. She covers golden aster, sneezeweed, rabbit tobacco, and Bidens, and why Bidens is blooming while her echinacea struggles. Taste as the teacher. Ayurveda and herbal energetics let you read any wild plant as bitter, salty, astringent, or sweet, through your own constitution. Why this matters now. In April's words, "the most endangered thing right now is humans' connection to the land." Plants mentioned: Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) Calendula (Calendula officinalis) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Swamp pink (Helonias bullata) Golden aster (Heterotheca) Sneezeweed (Helenium) Rabbit tobacco (Pseudognaphalium) Spanish needles (Bidens) Blue curls (Trichostema) Blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella) Eastern horsemint (Monarda punctata) Lamb's quarters, muscadine, and maypop Resources mentioned: Resources of the Southern Fields and Forests by Francis Peyre Porcher Julia Morton's work on Lowcountry folk medicine Waring Historical Library and its medicinal plant garden (MUSC, Charleston, SC) Foraging Wild Herbs: 30 Healing Plants of the Carolina Coast by April Punsalan Ready to learn the plants beneath your feet? Enrollment for Medical Botany: Mastery of the Flowering Plant Medicines is Open  Enroll Now! Know the land before the jar. 🌿   Follow and Subscribe to Be Notified When the Next Podcast Releases

    #45 Why Every Herbalist Should Learn Medical Botany

  5. 12 Sept

    #44 Herbs and Holistic Care for Supporting the Body Through Cancer with Chanchal Cabrera

    I'll be sharing the most important things I've learned over nearly 30 years of studying herbalism and botany. If you're ready to stop mail-ordering herbs from distant lands and start connecting deeply with the plant kingdom, especially the wild ones, this free training is for you. Register below, and I hope to see you there! 📅 September 16th, 2026, at 12PM ET 👉 https://www.wildherbacademy.com/masterclass   What role can herbal medicine play in helping us reduce our risk of cancer and support the body when a cancer diagnosis occurs? In this episode, I sit down with medical herbalist and holistic oncology expert Chanchal Cabrera to explore what she has learned from more than 40 years in clinical practice. We talk about: Her #1 tip for breast cancer prevention Why she never puts patients "on a diet" Her study on women living well with breast cancer Phytoestrogenic herbs Her thoughts on period-tracking apps The real story behind wild yam Her daily herb ally Chanchal also shares the research that changed her perspective on herbal medicine and cancer after studying women living well with breast cancer for more than 10 years, and why she believes the best path forward is collaborative care that brings herbal medicine and conventional oncology together.   About the guest: Chanchal Cabrera is a medical herbalist, in clinical practice since 1987 with a specialty in holistic oncology since 2004. Chanchal is also a certified Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing) practitioner, a certified Master Gardener and a certified Horticulture Therapist. Chanchal lives on Vancouver Island, British Columbia where she and her husband manage Innisfree Farm and Botanic Garden, a 7-acre internationally registered botanic garden specializing in food and medicine. She is also the author of the book “Holistic Cancer Care: An Herbal Approach to Preventing Cancer, Helping Patients Thrive during Treatment, and Minimizing the Risk of Recurrence”. She held the faculty chair in Botanical Medicine at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in New Westminster 2004-2016, and she publishes widely in professional journals and lectures internationally on medical herbalism, nutrition and health.   Get Chanchal's books: Holistic Cancer Care (signed copy): https://chanchalcabrera.com/product/holistic-cancer-care Fibromyalgia: A Journey Toward Healing (e-book): https://chanchalcabrera.com/product/fibromyalgia-a-journey-toward-healing   Connect with Chanchal: Website: https://chanchalcabrera.com Chanchal's Botanical Garden: https://www.innisfreefarm.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chanchal.cabrera Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chanchal.cabrera YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chanchal.cabrera   About the host:Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching people how to heal with plants. I want you to heal yourself and your family with the wild herbs that grow beneath your feet.   Connect with  April: Website: https://www.wildherbacademy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril   Rate, review, and subscribe:Bring the wisdom of wild plants with you. Listen to Wild Herbs with April on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review and, most importantly, share it with someone who's walking this journey with cancer. 🌲 Stay WILD. Stay human. And remember—you are nature. With love,April Punsalan ----------------- Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition, and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.

    #44 Herbs and Holistic Care for Supporting the Body Through Cancer with Chanchal Cabrera

  6. 4 Sept

    #43 Cordyceps, Hibiscus, and Rehmannia: Herbal Support for Kidney Health with Dr. Jenna Henderson

    Herbalists, want to learn the native plant medicine of your region? I’m teaching my framework for building regional plant knowledge in an upcoming LIVE class, From 20 Herbs to Infinite Medicine, on September 15, 16, and 18. 👉 Save your spot: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/masterclass What if kidney disease doesn’t have to mean giving up hope? When kidney function begins to decline, it can feel like there are very few options beyond medication, dialysis, or transplant. But what role can herbs, nutrition, sleep, stress reduction, and other natural approaches play in supporting the kidneys and potentially preserving kidney function? In this episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Jenna Henderson, a naturopathic doctor, kidney patient, transplant recipient, and founder of Holistic Kidney. After being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease at just 22 years old, Dr. Henderson eventually went through dialysis and a kidney transplant herself. That experience led her to dedicate her career to understanding how natural and conventional medicine can work together to support people living with kidney disease.   About the guest:Dr. Jenna Henderson is a doctor of naturopathic medicine and the founder of Holistic Kidney, specializing in helping people with kidney disease through safe, effective, and holistic remedies. After experiencing rare kidney disease, dialysis, and a kidney transplant herself, she dedicated her career to supporting others on the same journey. Today, she works with kidney patients around the world, helping people at every stage of kidney disease preserve their kidney function naturally.   Connect with Dr. Jenna: Website: https://www.holistic-kidney.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Holistic-Kidney-100064646473040/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-henderson-898b64b/ Email: info@holistickidney.com   About the host:Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching people how to heal with plants. I want you to heal yourself and your family with the wild herbs that grow beneath your feet.   Connect with  April: Website: https://www.wildherbacademy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril   Rate, review, and subscribe:Bring the wisdom of wild plants with you. Listen to Wild Herbs with April on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review and, most importantly, share it with someone who's walking this journey with kidney disease. 🌲 Stay WILD. Stay human. And remember—you are nature. With love,April Punsalan ----------------- Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition, and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.

    #43 Cordyceps, Hibiscus, and Rehmannia: Herbal Support for Kidney Health with Dr. Jenna Henderson

  7. 27 Aug

    #42 Kanna, African Geranium, and South Africa’s Diverse Medicinal Plants with Finn Rautenbach

    Herbalists, want to go beyond knowing 20 common herbs and learn how to understand the plants growing around you? Learn how to embody the medicine of the land where you live. I’m teaching my framework for building regional plant knowledge in my LIVE class, From 20 Herbs to Infinite Medicine, on September 15, 16, and 18. 👉 Save your spot: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/masterclass South African botanist Finn Rautenbach shares how growing up on the edge of the Knysna Forest shaped his intimate connection with plants, then takes us into his work with wild-harvest Pelargonium sidoides (African geranium) and its traceable, sustainable supply network, plus his focus on cultivating Sceletium tortuosum (kanna) to reduce poaching while maintaining quality through careful post-harvest processing.   About the guest:Finn Rautenbach is a South African botanist, Supply Chain Manager at Afrigetics, and Co-founder at Klein Karoo Medicinals, whose passion for rekindling an intimate link between humans and their natural environment has led him to dedicate his life to the study and conservation of Southern African medicinal plants.   Connect with Finn: Afrigetics Botanicals website: https://afrigetics.com Klein Karoo Medicinals website: https://www.kleinkaroomedicinals.co.za Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finngrows Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finn.rautenbach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finn-rautenbach-127563120 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@finnrautenbach2625   About the host:Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching people how to heal with plants. I want you to heal yourself and your family with the wild herbs that grow beneath your feet.   Connect with me: Website: https://www.wildherbacademy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril   Rate, review, and subscribe:Bring the wisdom of wild plants with you. Listen to Wild Herbs with April on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review and, most importantly, share it with someone who wants to learn more about the medicinal plants of South Africa. 🌲 Stay WILD. Stay human. And remember—you are nature. With love,April Punsalan ----------------- Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition, and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.

    #42 Kanna, African Geranium, and South Africa’s Diverse Medicinal Plants with Finn Rautenbach

  8. 20 Aug

    #41 What Women Need to Know About Hormonal Balance with Dr. Nancy Beliveau

    If you want to learn the language of plants and learn how to identify and make medicine with 100+ flowering plants, join the waitlist for the Medical Botany: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/medical-botany-1-waitlist-1   If you need an alarm to wake up, you’re not sleeping enough. But what does sleep have to do with your hormones? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Nancy Beliveau, a functional medicine practitioner and founder of the Holistic Wholeness Institute, to talk about what may be driving hormonal imbalance in modern women. We talk about sleep, stress, and healthy fats for hormonal health support. Dr. Nancy also shares her own journey and years of working with women, her favorite herbal and nutritional supports and simple ways to begin making changes without overwhelming yourself. Click here to watch this episode on YouTube! 👉 Sign up for Dr. Nancy’s free webinar: https://holisticwholenessinstitute.com    About the guest:Dr. Nancy Beliveau is a Functional Medicine Practitioner who helps high-achieving women uncover what's really driving their chronic health conditions and restore their vitality. Through a root cause approach that addresses gut health, hormone optimization, and detoxification, she helps clients heal from the inside out — treating the whole person rather than just their symptoms. As the Founder of the Holistic Wholeness Institute, her mission is to educate, empower, and help people achieve lasting wellness naturally.   Connect with Dr. Nancy: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticwholenessinstitute Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holisticwholenessinstitute YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticWholenessInstitute   About the host:Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching people how to heal with plants. I want you to heal yourself and your family with the wild herbs that grow beneath your feet. Learn more about me at https://www.wildherbacademy.com/about   Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril   Rate, review, and subscribe:Bring the wisdom of wild plants with you. Listen to Wild Herbs with April on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review and, most importantly, share it with someone who could use a little more support on their journey toward hormonal balance and natural wellness. 🌲 Stay WILD. Stay human. And remember—you are nature. With love,April Punsalan ----------------- Disclaimer:The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition, and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.

    #41 What Women Need to Know About Hormonal Balance with Dr. Nancy Beliveau
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Welcome to the Wild Herbs with April Podcast where we unpack and uncover the healing properties of wild herbs so you can heal naturally with the plants beneath your feet.

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