Podcast
The Wu Way
Hosted by The Herb Girls: Eileen & Amy · EN
Welcome to our podcast! In our neck of the woods, we are known as the Herb Girls. We are both Herbalists & Nutritional Therapy Practitioners who just can't seem to stop learning. Eileen holds a Masters of Agribusiness (specializing in medicinal herb production) and is midway through a Masters in Functional Medicine & Human Nutrition program; Amy is on her way to a Doctorate of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine.
Like many, life has thrown us some curve balls. And while these balls may have initially felt like mistakes, we've found them to be our greatest teachers.
The Wu Way is our humble take on navigating life with the mindset of wu wei, or the Daoist principle of action by non-action that allows for effortless alignment & ease within ourselves, our community, and the natural world. Forever students of this ancient path, we hope that our exploration of various topics from herbalism to relationships will offer insight and inspiration in the hopes that you might find your flow, too. And while we have minds for science, you know we'll be sprinkling a healthy dose of "woo" into our conversations, too!
Connect with us!
Instagram: @herbgirlsathens
Website: www.herbgirlsathens.com
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Materia Medica Monday: Rooibos
Aug 5, 202400:30:01Tap to summarizeAnother installment of Materia Medica Monday, this time Eileen will be introducing you to our good friend, Rooibos Aspalathus linearis. Native to the mountainous region of the South African Western Cape, this humble herb is sometimes overlooked. However, Eileen is doing her utmost to make sure that’s no longer, as she explores one of her favorite herbs. She covers:-Energetics & Taste-Organ Affinities-Actions-Her personal experience -So much more! If you liked this episode please consider giving us a review or a follow on instagram @herbgirlsathensShow Notes:The Herb Girls Rooibos Materia Medica (free)More on Roobios' Protected Designation of Origin StatusMateria Medica Resources:The Modern Herbal Dispensary - Thomas EasleyAdaptogens in Medical Herbalism by Donnie Yance (another big fan of Rooibos - this book has an excellent write-up on it)The Herbal Academy: Herbarium (online subscription ~$6.50 a month)Materia Medica Monthly: Sajah Popham - also subscription but very in depthAmerican Botanical Council
Transcribe →Flowing through the Seasons with Chinese 5 Element: Pt 2
Jul 29, 202401:23:48Tap to summarizeToday on the Wu Way, we wrap up our 2 part series deep diving into the wise and wonderful Chinese 5 Element. Season by season, we will walk through this ancient way of existing *in sync* with Nature’s rhythm. We cover: The origins of Chinese 5 Element Theory & its distinction from Traditional Chinese MedicineWhat the 5 elements are (and why they matter)The elemental, physical emotional, & spiritual attributes of each seasonHow to THRIVE seasonally & find internal harmony by living according to Chinese 5 Element (including all the herbs, food, & lifestyle tips to get you there!)We finish with the 3 remaining seasons of Late Summer (Earth), Autumn (Metal), and Winter (Water) We highly recommend you listen to Spring (Wood) & Summer (Fire) first.If you loved the episode, give us a review or a follow on instagram @herbgirlsathens
Transcribe →Flowing through the Seasons with Chinese 5 Element: Pt 1
Jul 22, 202401:17:01Tap to summarizeToday on the Wu Way, we kick off our 2 part series deep diving into the wise and wonderful Chinese 5 Element. Season by season, we will walk through this ancient way of existing *in sync* with Nature’s rhythm. We cover: The origins of Chinese 5 Element Theory & its distinction from Traditional Chinese MedicineWhat the 5 elements are (and why they matter)The elemental, physical emotional, & spiritual attributes of each seasonHow to THRIVE seasonally & find internal harmony by living according to Chinese 5 Element (including all the herbs, food, & lifestyle tips to get you there!)It was impossible to cover everything in one episode, so this week it’s all about Spring (Wood) & Summer (Fire).**Note the audio is a little quiet during the episode so turn it up!**Water Links (Affiliate):Pristine HydroBerkey use code: HERBGIRLS for a discount!
Transcribe →Materia Medica Monday: Hawthorn
Jul 15, 202400:31:02Tap to summarizeWelcome to a mini podcast series where we take a deep dive on an herb. We hope to better aquaint you with the day's herb while we cover everything from the mystic to the science, the habitat to constiuents. Amy takes you on a journey to know our first Materia Medica Monday plant, Hawthorn. Hawthorn is known as heart food! Today we explore:-Actions-How to prepare it-Where to find it-The science behind why it's so usefulIf you enjoyed this podcast please leave a review or follow us on instagram @herbgirlsathensShow Notes:The Herb Girls Hawthorn Materia Medica (free)Materia Medica Resources:The Modern Herbal Dispensary - Thomas EasleyWinston & Kuhn's Herbal Therapy & Supplements - Merrily A. Khun & David Winston (Amy's favorite resource mentioned in the podcast)The Herbal Academy: Herbarium (online subscription ~$6.50 a month)Materia Medica Monthly: Sajah Popham - also subscription but very indepthAmerican Botanical CouncilStudies:Gildor A. (1998). Crataegus oxycantha and heart failure. Circulation. 98(19):2098.Loew D. (1994). Pharmacological and clinical results with Crataegus special extracts in cardiac insufficiency. ESCOP Phytotelegram. 6:20-26Tassell MC, Kingston R, Gilroy D, Lehane M, Furey A. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010 Jan;4(7):32-41.Zapfe jun G. Clinical efficacy of crataegus extract WS 1442 in congestive heart failure NYHA class II. Phytomedicine. 2001 Jul;8(4):262-6.
Transcribe →My Bean Journey Pt 2: The Science of Soluble Fiber
Jul 8, 202400:40:29Tap to summarizeOn this episode, Part II of my Bean Journey, It’s time for all the science-y bits. We answer the questions:How do beans resolve autoimmune conditions in the gut?Will beans work on any other inflammatory diseases?What the heck is enterohepatic recirculation of bile, and why should I care? We’ll also discuss why it’s a good idea to put your liver on sabbatical if you’ve been struggling with gut or hormonal issues as well as get an insider look on where I am now, 6 months later on the bean protocol. (We highly recommend listening to Part I before this episode!)Show Notes:Karen Hurd’s WebsiteUnique Hammond’s Bean Protocol Expanded by To Be Magnetic: Magic Beans, Episode 83Heen’s Bean JourneyFollow us @herbgirlsathens
Transcribe →My Bean Journey Pt 1: Colitis, Beans, Resurrection
Jul 1, 202400:50:18Tap to summarizeToday on The Wu Way:Walk with Eileen on her bean journey as she tells the tale of an unexpected emergency room visit, colitis diagnosis, and deliverance from despair via the humble bean. On this episode we get real up-close and personal (yes, there will be tears) with what can go wrong when inflammation and stress consume you, but how resurrection may just be a spoon of beans away.Show Notes:Karen Hurd’s WebsiteUnique Hammond’s Bean Protocol Expanded by To Be Magnetic: Magic Beans, Episode 83Heen’s Bean Journey
Transcribe →Girl Power: Female Specific Nutrition & Fitness
Jun 24, 202401:20:28Tap to summarizeEileen recently finished a course on Sports Nutrition for her Masters program and picked up soooo many clinical pearls, specifically for females. We were inspired to put it in an episode because up until this point, we were training all wrong! Amy interviews Eileen and asks the questions we’ve all had, in hopes it might help you, too!In this episode we cover:Physiological differences between men and women that inform training (metabolism, hormones, body temp, fat storage, etc.)Cold plunges, hot saunas, & fasting Menstrual cycle variationsCharacteristics of estrogen & progesterone Zone 2 vs. strength trainingAnd much more!Show Notes:Dr. Stacy Sims, MSC, PHD, international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist - check out her new book ROARAlan Aragon’s book Flexible DietingUWS Human Nutrition & Functional Medicine
Transcribe →Adaptogens: Your Herbal Personal Trainers
Jun 17, 202401:02:50Tap to summarizeAdaptogens are one of our favorite class of herbs to talk about, that's probably why we've been exploring them for the better part of a decade. We like to think of them as your body's personal trainers, pushing you to grow while also being supportive and nourishing. They're an easily accessible way to become more resilient in the face of stress. In this episode we explain:How they work on your body's stress pathways, the HPA Axis and SASThe relation of these longevity herbs through a Traditional Chinese Medicine lensDefine what a true adaptogen isHow they affect protein structure on a cellular levelExplore Ginseng and EleutheroAdaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, & Stress Relief, David Winston and Steven MaimesHerbalist & Alchemist, David Winston’s Spagyric Herbal Tincture line featuring adaptogens SHADY GROVE BOTANICALS Ethically wild-crafted American Ginseng Natura Health Products, Donnie Yance’s product line featuring adaptogens Mountain Rose Herbs affiliate link for adaptogens & bitter nervinesSOURCES FOR AMERICAN GINSENG:SHADY GROVE BOTANICALSMountain Rose now has forest grownNATURA Total list of Adaptogens: most are roots with a few berries and aerial parts thrown in there too. American Ginseng, Asian Ginseng, Ashwagandha, Cistanche, Codonopsis, Cordyceps, Eleuthero, Jiaogulan, Holy Basil, Horny Goat Weed, Licorice, Maca, Manchurian Aralia, Morinda, Prince Sheng, Shatavari, Shilajit, Reishi, Rhaponticum, Rhodiola, Russian’s Devil Club, Schisandra, White Bryony
Transcribe →Stress’s Silver Lining: Finding the Good through Hormesis
Jun 10, 202401:26:13Tap to summarizeStress gets an awfully bad rap. But where did this concept even come from and could it be used for our benefit? In this episode, we explore:The origins of stress and its many formsOur adaptive stress response The concept of “hormesis”, or using stress to make us strongerOur favorite herbs to elicit a positive hormetic responseOur personal experiences in making stress work for usShow Notes:How to Enhance Performance & Learning by Applying a Growth Mindset, Andrew Huberman PodcastWhy Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Robert SapolskyAdaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, & Stress Relief, David Winston and Steven MaimesMountain Rose Herbs affiliate link for adaptogens & bitter nervines
Transcribe →From Conception to Creation: The Wu Way Origin Story
Jun 3, 202400:58:58Tap to summarizeWelcome to our very first episode! Wu Wei, or the art of doing nothing, is a concept that has impacted our lives in every way. From business, to relationships, sports and spiritual growth - Wu Wei has totally transformed how we perceive and address challenges. It is our greatest teacher and we are stoked to share it with you!In this episode we talk about:-What is Wu Wei and how it's deceivingly simple-How we found it-Strategies on incorporating it-A little "get to know us" and how we view the world
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