August 19, 2026

Happy Wednesday's Herbal!

In this note, we'll be talking about the importance of identifying patterns in people and plants so you can create or choose the best formulations. I'll also answer one of the questions that is a great example of thinking through which herbs to use for a specific person and condition that a reader sent in.

Here's a question from a reader, Karina:

"I love watching your videos...wow! ... The one thing that I struggle with the most is how to help my husband. He has interstitial lung disease from years of work with harsh products, laminate dust, thinset, grinding concrete, and granite, etc. Do you have any ideas?"

So, Karina's question is about interstitial lung disease, and we'll define that and address it. But also, what I'll be sharing are some herbs and ideas that may help.

The herbs I'll discuss here are also helpful in cases where people are affected by air pollution, fire smoke, and other inflammatory conditions for the lungs.

What is Interstitial Lung Disease?

This is a disease that is inside the lung tissue. Often we'll think of lung disease as being inflammation in the pleura--the thin double membrane that wraps the lungs and lines the chest cavity. This is officially called pleurisy. Interstitial lung disease is different.

You see, your lungs have air sacs--the alveoli--and in these tiny air sacs is where gas exchange happens. Between these little air sacs is a thin wall of connective tissue, the interstitium. It's a very fragile wall. In ILD, repeated exposure to elements like fine dust and especially silica among other things can cause fibrosis over time, and this can drive scarring.

Our lungs are meant to drive out regular kinds of dusts and pollutants...but silica dust has a crystalline structure that is difficult to drive out, if not impossible. Over time, persistent inflammatory responses occur, and these cause changes in the structure of the interstitium of the lungs.

Unfortunately, once this structural scarring has occurred, it likely can't be reversed. So supporting the lungs and breathing is the focus.

What are the Best Herbs to Use for ILD and Why?

For this type of lung tissue state, we see a dry, irritated, and inflamed set of lungs. The dryness in the organ leads us to an herb with demulcent (soothing and moisturizing) properties.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsis): This herb grows literally everywhere except for Antarctica, and it's also easy to cultivate right in your yard. For almost any kind of lung issue, mullein will probably be somewhere in the formula.

Mullein leaf is a respiratory tonic and also has demulcent properties. In this way, it also helps with gentle expectoration (gets rid of mucous and particles). It's cooling too, so will help with the hot condition of his lung lining (inflammation). It also happens to moisten the pleura of the lungs, and this can help if he is experiencing that chest aching dryness that feels "deep."

Elecampane root (Inula helenium): This herb is a wonderful partner to mullein in a case like this, as it's warming and drying. Now you might be wondering....won't the actions of the elecampane (warming and drying) offset the actions of mullein (cooling and moisturizing)?

Where mullein softens and moistens tissue, elecampane goes to work mobilizing and clearing out. Mullein tends to the irritated tissue while elecampane moves congestion. In this case, you can see how this pairing may be extremely helpful.

Gotu kola leaf (Centella asiatica): Gotu kola has anti-fibrotic properties, specifically in the case of connective tissue support and wound healing.

Frankincense resin (Boswellia spp): Boswellia is warming and has compounds that support respiratory health and also reduce inflammation while supporting the activation of fibroblasts. This means it may help with the scarring.

For the Boswellia, I would take a high quality commercial supplement.

Using Essential Oils

Generally, when it comes to the respiratory system, essential oils can really shine. However, with the type of inflammation this man is experiencing, they may be too irritating, even with gentle inhalation.

However, one essential oil that I have worked with in cases of asthma and dry, hot lungs affecting breathing is Inula graveolens. It specifically calms and soothes lung tissue.

A nice inhaler blend to experiment with would be 3 parts Inula graveolens essential oil to 1 part sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) essential oil due to its strong antispasmodic and calming properties. A little lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) might also be a nice addition.

IMPORTANT: Now, obviously I haven't had a complete clinical intake for this man, and there are many factors and variables at play here. Therefore, the suggestions I'm making are very generalized.

If I had the opportunity to speak with him, I would want to know about pulmonary rehabilitation, and what medical professionals are doing to support him, as well as any medications he is taking. His overall health in other areas would also be considerations. These answers would absolutely guide any kind of specific herbal support I would suggest.

For him, years of dust exposure means he needs to support and rebuild whatever capacity still remains, and that's a program-level intervention. I'd also mention breathwork because conscious control of breathing is the best and easiest route to parasympathetic activation, and this will help calm him and his lungs when things are tight.

Depending on how advanced his situation is, herbs can help significantly on one end of the continuum, or they may be best as a support adjunct to medical care. But I have no way of knowing this.

This is an example of how understanding the specific constitution of the body, while also taking into account the energetics of the body system involved...then choosing specific plants that can support both is how Western Herbal Energetics works.

If you've been studying herbs for a bit, and you feel you're ready to dive into the more advanced topic of herbal energetics, then my course, Western Herbal Energetics is probably your perfect next step!

Use the coupon code: 25OFFSPECIAL and enjoy 25% off the regular investment!

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Other Things to Enjoy.....

1) How to Make Easy Lemon Balm Syrup

There's still time to harvest your lemon balm! And one of the things I love to do with it is to make this super simple lemon balm syrup. Not only is it delicious, but the constituents it contains supports your immune system.

​How to Make Easy Lemon Balm Syrup​

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2) How to Have Lovely Lips!

​This article features a formulation from my soon-to-be-released book: Guide to Natural Health with Herbs and Oils!​

This chamomile and mint DIY lip scrub is super easy, and best of all, effective!

Lip scrubs are one of my favorite things to use on my lips because they gently exfoliate, leaving the surface of your delicate lips ready for a good moisturizer. Getting rid of dead skin cells on the surface helps reduce the illusion of wrinkles, pain from cracking, and more. And this formula is gentle!

​Chamomile and Mint DIY Lip Scrub​

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Updates on the Herbal Homestead

It's busy around here, and I'm sure you can relate!

Last summer, our first summer here on the property, we planted over 100 medicinal trees of various kinds, mostly elderberry. We did this so we can make our own medicine, and also, elderberry has been selling out every year for a few years, at least high quality berries, do. So Mr. V. decided to try his hand at elderberry farming. They're ripening now!

In my garden this year, we put in raised beds into which I planted gosh, probably around 50-ish medicinal plants (valerian, motherwort, echinacea of course, feverfew, elecampane, gotu kola, calendula, lavender, poppies of different kinds, hops, hyssop and anise hyssop, lemon balm, and of course culinary herbs that double nicely as medicinal therapeutics), plus some annuals like ashwagandha, sunflower, bachelor buttons, and more. I know I've forgotten so many.

Some of my medicinals, I've planted in containers/pots, including a couple of trees! The reason for this is that they aren't hardy for my zone. These include mimosa, olive, rose geranium (smells SO good), white sage, one of the ashwagandhas (I want to see how it over-winters inside), and of course my old and faithful standbys, my lemon tree, huge rosemary, aloes, and others.

My office is where all these friends that must come inside for the winter will be hanging out, so it's going to get crowded in here! It's the only south facing window we have that doesn't have a cover....

Well, harvest time is here! I'm having loads of fun right now!

Also, I'm hoping to hold one or two in person workshops this fall, but that will be later on, if I'm able to do this. Stay tuned, if you live in the area. I'm thinking early November-ish? Hopefully....

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Keep Your Lamp Lit: Encouragement and Growth for Midlife Ladies

In my work with coaching women in midlife, one of the things I come across all the time is resistance to journaling. There are many reasons for this, and all are legitimate.

But one thing I know to be true, both from my own experiences and others' is that you must confront the truth if you want real change. Journaling brings that truth up.

"Rid yourselves of the old self....that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." ---Ephesians 4:22-24

KYLLA (Keep Your Lamp Lit...Always) is based on my methods of working with clients for health. Out of this work, I have learned 100% that emotional health and the nervous system are usually at the core of our physical health. Our ways of thinking, our choices, the things we embrace or avoid...so much goes into overall wellness.

Herbs and essential oils are only a part of the picture.

If you're interested in any of this, join me over on my Substack! It's a baby Substack for now, so it's a great time to join me, and I'd love your feedback and ideas for what YOU need over there.

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Remember to get the Western Herbal Energetics course for 25% off on this little flash sale! Use the code: 25OFFSPECIAL at checkout!