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Kara Swenson
Herbalist & Integrative Nutritionist
Thinking of Minneapolis ~ Lise Wolff
Last night, Lise Wolff, a dear friend and mentor who lives in South Minneapolis, reached out asking if I would be willing to share the message she sent to me. Lise is an incredible and caring person / herbalist who you simply won't find on social media or the like. That is where I can come in to help spread the word - at least a little further. Lise's Message: " I missed sending last month's newsletter because I just couldn't stomach the idea of promoting any of my classes. L
11 hours ago3 min read
Cycles… Ladies, this one is for you ❣️(gentlemen, this is for the women in your life)
Seasons. Cycles. Rhythms. .. Flow. They are foundational. Nature moves in seasons and cycles. Our bodies move in seasons and cycles. There is a rhythm and a flow to all things in balance. When flow is stagnated or rhythm is disrupted, we feel it. We feel it when it occurs in Nature. We feel it when it occurs in our Communities. We feel it when it occurs within our own bodies. Although I could go in numerous directions with this thought of rhythms and cycles, I would like to g
1 day ago3 min read
Light Amidst Darkness
Darkness has been on my mind . Winter being the dark season of the year, it makes sense. The current events around both the people and the land of Minnesota carry darkness too. -:-:-:- Darkness. Darkness is inevitable. It is a part of life and it is a part of nature itself. And whether we always like it or not, it is a crucial part of life… For too much of anything, even light, can be detrimental. Darkness is powerful. Powerful in both life-giving ways and powerful in life-
Jan 274 min read
Tree & Shrub Medicines of Winter
This Winter, I have shared a fair amount about the wisdom and medicine that the season of Winter holds but I haven’t yet shared about the physical medicines that are available to us. Certainly, we always have access to herbs in preserved forms, such as dried or tinctured, and we can purchase fresh herbs at the grocery store year round. But many think that because the ground is frozen and there aren’t plants actively growing or blooming that harvesting plants for medicine isn’
Jan 142 min read
The Belly of Winter & Gratitude
How are you doing? Might you take a moment to check in with yourself (and comment below or send me an email if you would like to share!)? Since my last letter to you, we have been amidst the darkest days as well as the “in between” days. Last week as well as this week have a different kind of energy or feel to it than any other time of the year. Maybe you feel it too. Beneath the busyness of the season, there is an undeniable stillness calling as the darkness is still very pr
Dec 31, 20253 min read
Herbal Allies for When Winter Brings Heaviness to the Heart
The Winter season is filled with memories, traditions, heritage, and folklore. The celebrations and happenings throughout this season have a way of stirring up things that have long since passed. Positive or otherwise. This season is one of joy and gratitude and it is also often a season of grief and loneliness. (Yet another way Winter brings us the wisdom of contrast, just as there is snow in the darkest season.) A bit of a disclaimer: The topic of grief and loneliness is on
Dec 17, 20251 min read
Tending to Our Roots in Winter
This coming Sunday, December 21st marks the Winter Solstice - the darkest day of the year and the holder of peak Winter energy. Winter, at its most basic, is a season of rest, of replenishment, of reflection, and of condensing and/or refining to what is truly needed. It is going back to our roots, just as the trees have done. Going back to our roots. Winter, according to the Five Element Theory used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is the season that generates Spring an
Dec 17, 20252 min read
An Underappreciated Practice: Simmer Pots
Between the first big snowfall and the air feeling a bit drier in my home, I’ve been pleasantly nudged to start doing some simmer pots again for the season. A simmer pot is quite simple: a pot of water with some (fresh or dried) herbs added to it which is then simmered on low for as long as one may desire - unlidded to allow the steam and the aromatics of the herbs to make its way into the home. Adding more water to the pot as needed. This ‘practice’ is so simple and so under
Dec 3, 20251 min read
Wisdom within the First Snowfall ❄️
The other day after the fresh snowfall, I sat on the forest floor and admired the “new” landscape. Snowfalls such as the one we just received often feel like a gift in these early Winter days as the darkness is now just a few short weeks from its peak (on Winter Solstice, December 21st). With December and January being two of the darkest months of the year, this snow offers us, inspires us, and/or nudges us to do some of the very things that our bodies need in order to thrive
Dec 3, 20252 min read
Herbal Tea for Holiday Digestion 🍵 (or digestion anytime!)
With the holidays (and all of the festivities and gatherings that seem to go along with them) right around the corner, I am pondering how to best support the digestive systems of my loved ones, clients, and you, of course! Last week, I shared an impactful story of one of my clients in which his abdominal pain and digestive system made him a frequent visitor to the emergency room. This gentleman’s story is very real and there are far too many individuals who share similar exp
Nov 19, 20253 min read
Digestion - An Herbal Medicine Testimony
If you are a client of mine, you know that I will ask you about your digestive system often if not at each visit we have together. The digestive system is central, literally, to every single one of our beings. Every other system of our body relies on the digestive system being able to do its job well. And yet, the digestive system is one of the most common systems for folks to experience symptoms - either directly or indirectly. In 2019, the results of a rather large survey w
Nov 5, 20253 min read
Oh, The Common Cold
Despite the countless topics I could write to you about today, I’ve decided I’ll keep with the theme of the immune system which has found itself among the last few letters I’ve written. Although the immune system is a complex system and topic to explore, today I’m zooming in on the common cold and the many variations it can take. The “common cold” is something we can all understand, it is common afterall. Even those who take impeccable care of themselves- by managing stress l
Oct 21, 20254 min read
How the Leaves Let Go
“It is in Autumn that the trees show us there is beauty in letting go.” I am sure that you’ve read or heard some version of this quote at some point. It is very possible that it was even within one of the very letters I send to you. There is beautiful wisdom and medicine in letting go and the deciduous trees all around us show us this year after year, right after they put on the most beautiful show of color. But something that has been on my mind over the last few weeks (agai
Oct 6, 20251 min read
Making Medicine in Community
Medicine making has been on my mind a lot lately. (Gladly, with a smile on my face.) Sure, summer is often the busy time of harvesting and medicine making for the herbalist such as myself, but September and October seem to bring with it more community medicine making gatherings. At least that seems to be the trend the last few years! Already this season, I’ve had the opportunity to lead two different medicine making workshops and there are more to come! A couple of weekends a
Oct 6, 20253 min read
A Testimony of a Young Family - When Sickness Strikes
Since writing my last letter to you, I’ve found myself reflecting and thinking back on a testimonial of a young family who I started working with over two years ago (already!). When the mother of the family had reached out, she was concerned and wanted to find a way to help her two young boys heal so that they would have greater resiliency and not be sick so often. She scheduled an herbal consultation for her second son first as a starting point. This little boy, just only ab
Sep 22, 20253 min read
Autumn Equinox, a touchpoint
Autumn Equinox - the day when day and night are (nearly) equal, the halfway point between Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice. It is at this point in the year that the daylight begins to lessen at a steadier pace and the decrease in daylight is certainly more noticeable than it was even in August. Just as the fall garden harvests are being made, leaves are falling away, flowers are going to seed, and perennials are beginning to draw their energy back into their roots, might y
Sep 22, 20251 min read
Why is Autumn the "Season to Catch Colds" & Staying Well
Sniffles, coughs, colds.. It has begun. Every year like clockwork, sicknesses begin when the season really makes a shift toward Autumn. Our bodies aren’t always able to smoothly transition alongside the seasonal changes depending on each person and what is going on in each person's body. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda both have beautiful ways of explaining this in their own verbiage. If we were to simply look at the “why’s” behind our body being unable to smoothly
Sep 8, 20253 min read
Sourcing Herbs for the Home Apothecary - Fresh & Dried
Regardless if we are aware of it or not, we have all worked with herbs. Every single one of us - everyone including those who consider themselves avid herbal folks to those who wonder “what even is herbalism”. Chances are, simply due to the fact that you’re here reading this, you fall closer into the first category than the second. You’re in very good company 😉 I appreciate you being here. Something so many of us experience when learning about herbs and working with herbs,
Aug 26, 20253 min read
Medicine of Late Summer
I have found myself repeatedly drawn in by the subtle shift that I’ve sensed as the summer season entered into August and I can’t help but write about it. Before you read on, might you pause to take a deep breath and reflect upon this season we are in for just a moment (or longer)? “ June and July blur together in a beautiful way And then comes August Different, but how? Peak summer to late summer The shift is subtle yet so profound Can you feel it too? Can you feel the shift
Aug 12, 20253 min read
Gratitude & The Plant Allies on Kara’s Counter
When I pursued the path of being a clinical/practicing herbalist, I had an idea of what I would be doing but I also allowed space for my practice to change and evolve - and also space to be surprised. I knew that I would be working intimately with folks in a one-on-one setting, listening to and really hearing their stories and their concerns.. as well as their wins and successes. I knew I would be a person they’d feel comfortable reaching out to via text, email, or phone when
Jul 29, 20253 min read
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