Episode 177: Chickweed
with KhadiYah Preciado

---

---

Episode Summary

It was such a pleasure to have KhadiYah Preciado on the podcast - her curiosity about the plant world and its many gifts is inspiring, and it was just delightful to hear about her love for chickweed and the ways that she works with this abundant springtime herb! 

One of the many ways that KhadiYah works with chickweed is in her Itch Relief Oil – a fantastic medicine to make in the spring, when chickweed is abundant, in anticipation of the inevitable mosquito bites of summer! Check out the section below to download your beautifully-illustrated recipe card for this must-have herbal ointment.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why it’s important to connect with plants on a personal level using your observations and intuition, and not just through books

►How reconnecting with ancestral practices has helped KhadiYah become a better herbalist 

► Four ways to work with chickweed

► A helpful tip for preserving the delicious abundance of spring chickweed through the winter

► How KhadiYah harvests a LOT of chickweed from her garden all at once

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, KhadiYah Preciado is a passionate author, herbal teacher, and mother dedicated to empowering others to reconnect with nature’s healing power through African-centered and Biblically-aligned herbalism. As the founder of Yah’s Apothecary, she combines her professional expertise with personal experience to empower others to heal their bodies, nurture their families, and build thriving herbal businesses. When she’s not teaching or blending remedies, KhadiYah homeschools her children, cultivates her herbal garden, and mentors women who want to reclaim their health and their purpose.

I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today!

Would you prefer reading this episode? If so, click here to download a transcript.

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, scroll down below.

Connect with KhadiYah:

• Website | YahsApothecary.com
• Instagram | @khadiyahpreciado
• Facebook | KhadiYah Preciado
• YouTube | KhadiYah Preciado
• You can sign up to use KhadiYah’s practitioner database here.

What You'll Learn from This Episode

• [1:10] Student spotlight
• [2:45] Introduction to KhadiYah Preciado
• [3:36] KhadiYah’s herbal path
• [11:04] Itch Relief Oil recipe
• [12:17] How KhadiYah works with chickweed
• [14:24] Freezing chickweed for winter use
• [16:44] Tips for identifying and harvesting chickweed
• [19:33] “Tell me you’re an herbalist without telling me you’re an herbalist”
• [21:25] Chickweed as a lymphagogue
• [23:50] KhadiYah’s book, Herbal Holistic Healing: African Herbalism for Modern Times
• [26:04] KhadiYah’s herbal projects
• [29:51] What KhadiYah wishes she’d known when she first started working with herbs
• [35:04] Herbal tidbit

Get Your Free Recipe!

An all-natural itch relief oil made with soothing cleavers, chickweed, and peppermint to calm irritated skin and provide gentle relief.

Ingredients:

• 50 grams (1.8 ounces) dried chickweed
• 50 grams (1.8 ounces) dried cleavers
• 500 mL (about 2 cups) base oil (olive oil, avocado oil, etc.)
• Peppermint essential oil

Directions:

1. Create a double boiler by putting a stainless-steel bowl or glass measuring vessel in a pot with 1 inch of boiling water.
2. Add all of the dried herbs to the bowl of the double boiler (don’t put the herbs in the water!).
3. Cover the herbs with oil, and turn the heat on low.
4. Cover the double boiler with a lid or kitchen towel (I use a silicone baking mat). Allow to macerate for 8 hours.  Leave the heat on the lowest setting for the full 8 hours, adding boiling water to the base of the double boiler as needed.
5. Allow to cool, then strain the contents using a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
6. Measure the volume of your infused oil.  This will probably be a little less than what you started with, because the dried herbs will have absorbed some oil.
7. For every 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) infused oil, add 6 drops peppermint essential oil, and stir to mix.  Label and date.

-- TIMESTAMPS -- 

• 01:07 - Student spotlight
• 02:43 - Introduction to KhadiYah Preciado
• 03:34 - KhadiYah’s herbal path
• 11:14 - Itch Relief Oil recipe
• 12:30 - How KhadiYah works with chickweed
• 14:39 - Freezing chickweed for winter use
• 17:02 - Tips for identifying and harvesting chickweed
• 20:00 - “Tell me you’re an herbalist without telling me you’re an herbalist”
• 21:56 - Chickweed as a lymphagogue
• 24:30 - KhadiYah’s book, Herbal Holistic Healing: African Herbalism for Modern Times
• 26:47 - KhadiYah’s herbal projects
• 30:42 - What KhadiYah wishes she’d known when she first started working with herbs
• 35:55 - Herbal tidbit

Connect with Rosalee

• On Instagram | @rosaleedelaforet

• On Facebook | Herbs With Rosalee
• On YouTube | Herbs With Rosalee

• Website | herbswithrosalee.com


Are You Ready for More Herbal Inspiration?

The best way to get started is by joining my herbal community and weekly newsletter where I share my best herbal tips and insights.

When you join you’ll also get access to The Herbal Jumpstart Course which helps you figure out the best herbs for you.

Sign up below!

Yes!

Sign me up for weekly herbal tips, recipes, and insights. 

Name:

Email:

We respect your email privacy