Introducing Herbcast Series 5!

Welcome back to Herbcast from Herbal Reality. We’re delighted to bring you our fifth series, this time with a focus on exploring the intersection of Herbalism and Modern Healthcare.

Join Simon Mills & Sebastian Pole as they return to hosting duties to delve into the rich tapestry of herbal medicine and its relationship with contemporary healthcare. This series is all about exploring the meeting point between clinical herbalism and modern medical practices, featuring as always a diverse array of guests: medical doctors who incorporate herbal remedies, ethnobotanists who explore the cultural significance of plants, and clinical researchers dedicated to validating herbal efficacy.

In this short trailer Sebastian gives us a preview of episodes to come, considering the pressing health challenges faced by society today, from diminishing healthy life expectancy to the impact of environmental degradation on our well-being. This series aims to unpack how the principles of herbalism, such as individualised care, ecological respect, and the fostering of community, can provide valuable insights and support for navigating these challenges.

Whether you are a practitioner, student, or simply curious about medicinal plants, this series is bound to inspire you on your own health journey and beyond.

Follow & Connect

Explore a world of plant-powered knowledge at herbalreality.com or connect with us on Instagram @herbal.reality.

We are fundraising to continue our work! These funds will allow us to produce our next season of the Herbcast and commission our 2026 publications.

We are asking for a contribution of £3 or whatever you feel able to offer, to sustain our website and content creation in the years ahead.

Donate: https://www.herbalreality.com/donate/

Herbcast is proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative

Women's Health Revelations from Season 4 with Sebastian & Marion

Welcome back to a brand new series of Herbcast.

We’re beginning series 5 with a look back at series 4, as Sebastian welcomes back herbalist and researcher Marion Mackonochie back to discuss the insights gained from her series on women's health.

Sebastian and Marion delve into the rich conversations Marion had with various expert herbalists, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities in treating women's health issues through herbal medicine. With a focus on personal experiences and the importance of holistic care, they explore recurring themes of diet, stress management, and the significance of individualised treatment.

Marion shares key insights from her discussions, highlighting the wealth of knowledge among herbalists, the urgent need for more research and funding in women's health, and how herbalists can offer support through tailored approaches.

The conversation also emphasises the value of community and shared experiences in empowering women to take control of their health.

In this episode:

• The importance of personalised care and the time herbalists can dedicate to understanding their clients.
• Recurring themes in women's health: lifestyle, stress, and dietary influences.
• Challenges in treating conditions like endometriosis and perimenopause.
• The need for more robust research to demonstrate the effectiveness of herbal practices.
• Empowering young women through education about healthy cycles and nutrition.

About Marion

Marion Mackonochie is a herbalist and researcher, recently appointed president of the College of Phytotherapeutic Practitioners in the UK. With a passion for women's health, she has conducted insightful interviews with expert herbalists, sharing their experiences and knowledge to enhance understanding and practice in the field.

Follow & Connect

Explore a world of plant-powered knowledge at herbalreality.com or connect with us on Instagram @herbal.reality.

We are fundraising to continue our work!

These funds will allow us to produce our next season of the Herbcast and commission our 2026 publications.

We are asking for a contribution of £3 or whatever you feel able to offer, to sustain our website and content creation in the years ahead.

Donate: https://www.herbalreality.com/donate/

Herbcast is proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative

Mentioned in this episode:

Support our cause - Donate to Herbal Reality

We are fundraising to continue our work! These funds will allow us to produce our next season of the Herbcast and commission our 2026 publications. We are asking for a contribution of £3 or whatever you feel able to offer, to sustain our website and content creation in the years ahead. Donate: https://www.herbalreality.com/donate/

Herbal support during pregnancy: Guidance on safety with herbalists Eve Brazil and Simon Mills.

In this episode of Herbcast, editor and first-time host Eve sits down with veteran herbal practitioner, educator, and author Simon Mills to explore one of the most sensitive and deeply important topics in herbal care: using herbs safely during pregnancy.

With over four decades of clinical experience and co-authorship of The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety, Simon brings clarity to a subject often clouded by caution, conflicting advice, and limited research. Together, Eve and Simon discuss why safety is such a critical consideration in pregnancy, how herbs are assessed for risk, which plants are truly well-supported, and where professional judgement is essential. The episode also covers supportive herbs for nausea, digestion, nourishment, and late-pregnancy preparation, plus key considerations for herbal use while breastfeeding.

• Why the precautionary principle is so important in pregnancy and why most herbs are best avoided in the first trimester.
• How herbs are assessed for safety (including the A–X categories) and why hard data in pregnancy is still very limited.
• Herbs with supportive safety data (e.g. ginger, chamomile, echinacea, raspberry leaf, nettle) and those historically used to bring on a period that are best avoided.
• Practical herbal support for morning sickness, digestion, and nourishment, including ginger, chamomile, dandelion root, nettle and food-based strategies.
• Late-pregnancy and postpartum considerations: raspberry leaf, caution with licorice, and how certain herbs may support breastfeeding or colic through the mother.

Eve is the editor of written content at Herbal Reality and the host of this Herbcast episode. With a deep love of language and plants, she helps translate complex herbal knowledge into clear, accessible articles, features, and resources for the Herbal Reality community. This episode marks her Herbcast debut, where she brings her editorial curiosity and grounding in herbal philosophy into conversation with experienced practitioners.

Follow & Connect

Explore a world of plant-powered knowledge at herbalreality.com or connect with us on Instagram @herbal.reality.

Herbcast is proudly produced by Decibelle Creative / @decibelle_creative

These funds will allow us to produce our next season of the Herbcast and commission our 2026 publications. We are asking for a contribution of £3 or whatever you feel able to offer, to sustain our website and content creation in the years ahead.

Donate: https://www.herbalreality.com/donate/

Mentioned in this episode:

Support our cause - Donate to Herbal Reality

We are fundraising to continue our work! These funds will allow us to produce our next season of the Herbcast and commission our 2026 publications. We are asking for a contribution of £3 or whatever you feel able to offer, to sustain our website and content creation in the years ahead. Donate: https://www.herbalreality.com/donate/