Herbal Wisdom

Epizodes

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  🌿 Soothing the Spring Bloom: Natural Allies for Hay Fever, Sinuses & Irritated Membranes 15.09.2026 25min

  Ready to breathe easy and truly enjoy the spring bloom? Join Martina Murray on Herbal Wisdom as we head upstairs to nourish and soothe your breath, sinuses and delicate throat linings 🌿🍵 In this uplifting episode, we ditch the medical jargon and take a cozy look at how your body responds to seasonal pollen. You'll meet four incredible, natural plant allies - Stinging Nettle, Plantain, Marshmallow Root and Raw Local Honey - and discover how to turn them into simple, deeply comforting remedies right in your kitchen. Plus, learn how you can step deeper into the world of plant medicine with the hands-on Blue Petal Herbal Apprenticeship program!
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  Spring Awakening: Bitters, Cleansing & Liver Tonics 01.09.2026 24min

  Ever feel like winter stagnation is holding back your energy and vitality? As spring arrives, our bodies naturally seek a gentle reset. This week on Herbal Wisdom, your host Martina Murray explores the science and folk tradition of spring bitters, liver tonics and lymphatic cleansers. Discover why the modern diet has a "bitter deficit," how bitter taste receptors trigger your body's digestive cascade and meet powerful spring plant allies like dandelion, stinging nettle and cleavers. Plus, simple kitchen recipes for spring tonics you can make right at home.
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  Herbal Bio-Stimulants: Unlocking Living Soil 🌿 18.08.2026 26min

  Want to supercharge your garden this spring without synthetic chemicals? 🌿In this episode of Herbal Wisdom, your host Martina Murray shifts the focus from human health to living soil health, exploring how natural botanical brews act as powerful bio-stimulants for your garden soil. Learn simple recipes for fermented plant extracts (comfrey and nettle), how to build a hot compost heap and how to harness our New Zealand's native plants, like Kawakawa, Harakeke, and Rimurapa, to feed the soil that feeds your plants! ❤️
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  Herbal Wisdom: The Inner Fire: Stoke Your Mid-Winter Core 04.08.2026 25min

  Description of the episode: Ever feel like a cold winter stagnation is weighing down your mood and your mind? This week on Herbal Wisdom, we step inside the body to map out the magnificent, looping highway of the Vagus nerve. Discover the fascinating science behind the gut-brain "two-way street," learn how a hurried pace throws your digestive system into a state of defence, and find out how simple physical and herbal resets can instantly calm a racing mind from the belly up. Step out of the frost and join us for a masterclass on shifting your body from flight to digest.
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  Herbal Wisdom: The Inner Fire: Stoke Your Mid-Winter Hearth 21.07.2026 27min

  Feeling stuck in a mid-winter slump? This week on Herbal Wisdom, we unlock the hidden circulatory medicine hiding right inside your kitchen spice rack. Discover how everyday pantry staples can act as your internal central heating, learn a quick morning ritual to wake up a sleepy winter metabolism and find out how to loop your spicy kitchen leftovers back into the garden soil. Step out of the frost and tune in this Tuesday at 10:30 AM on ART 104.4FM.
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  Wired but Tired? Living by the Orchard’s Clock 09.07.2026 27min

  Let’s break down the true "anatomy of rest" and why your body - just like a dormant winter orchard - biologically requires a deep, uninterrupted pause to ensure your coming spring abundance. You'll learn practical, down-to-earth tools to manually flip the switch on a chronically stressed Vagus nerve using a simple ear-massage ritual while your evening tea is steeping, alongside a clever garden-loop trick to recycle a warming rosemary foot soak for your citrus trees. Tune in to step off the modern treadmill, match the peaceful rhythm of the season, and get exclusive details on our upcoming winter workshop, 'The Art of Slowing Down”
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  Herbal Wisdom: Winter Coughs and Kitchen Defenders 23.06.2026 26min

  When the winter chill sets in, your best line of defence isn't far away—it is waiting right inside your spice rack! In this episode, we dive into the simple science of pantry wellness and explore how everyday heating staples can protect your airways. Discover how ginger acts as a natural muscle relaxer for tight chest spasms, why a pinch of black pepper drives your remedies deeper and the exact way chili opens up stubborn congestion. We also share a practical kitchen activity you can try at home today, walking you step-by-step through a warming Pantry Cough Syrup that will comfortably last in your fridge for a few weeks.
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  Herbal Wisdom: The Internal Sun: Fire, Spice and Circulation 09.06.2026 26min

  Are your hands and feet always the first to freeze when the winter chill sets in? In this episode of Herbal Wisdom, Martina Murray from Blue Petal Botanicals takes you deep into the world of traditional culinary medicine to awaken 'The Internal Sun.' Discover how to use the blistering summer heat stored inside garlic, ginger, chili, and local Taranaki kawakawa to stoke your digestive fire, banish winter sluggishness and get your circulation moving right to your fingertips.
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  Herbal Wisdom: Igniting the Internal Hearth 26.05.2026 26min

  Can you taste the sunshine in the middle of a Taranaki frost? As the mountain mists settle in, we shift our focus from the roots in the earth to the light of the hearth. In this episode, Martina explores "Nature’s Logic" for the colder months—showing you how to "unlock" the solar energy stored in your summer harvests to keep your internal heater glowing.
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  Herbal Wisdom: The Root of the Matter — Deep Winter Roots & Sleep 12.05.2026 22min

  When the world above ground goes quiet, the real power moves beneath the surface! In this episode, Martina Murray explores the "care-taking through retreat" strategy of the winter garden. From the mineral-mining taproots to the grounding rituals of oxymels and "internal brakes" like Valerian, discover how to align your biological engine with the season. If you’ve been trying to run a summer schedule in a winter body, it’s time to go below the surface and find the weighted stillness of restorative sleep.
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  Herbal Wisdom: The Root of the Matter — Deep Winter Roots & Sleep 12.05.2026 22min

  When the world above ground goes quiet, the real power moves beneath the surface! In this episode, Martina Murray explores the "care-taking through retreat" strategy of the winter garden. From the mineral-mining taproots to the grounding rituals of oxymels and "internal brakes" like Valerian, discover how to align your biological engine with the season. If you’ve been trying to run a summer schedule in a winter body, it’s time to go below the surface and find the weighted stillness of restorative sleep.
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  Herbal Wisdom: HONEY as a High-Speed Delivery System 28.04.2026 25min

  Why does plain water sometimes "flush" right through you, leaving you parched even after glasses of hydration? In this episode of Herbal Wisdom, Martina Murray from Blue Petal Botanicals deconstructs the "Intelligence of the Hive." From the high-altitude "dehydration paradox" to the microscopic "Enzyme Factory" hidden in every jar of raw honey, we explore the engineering of resilience. Discover why the 38°C boundary is the most critical rule in herbalism, how an Oxymel acts as a "fast lane" for your circulation, and why hospital-grade healing starts with the bee. Plus, a guided ritual for an enzyme-active honey mask to protect your skin against the coming winter frosts.
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  Herbal Wisdom: The Insight to the "King of the Mountain" Seasoning 14.04.2026 26min

  Ever wondered why some heat burns the tongue while others warm the soul? In this episode, host Martina Murray of Blue Petal Botanicals takes us into the "Blue Petal Lab" to deconstruct the Mount Horopito Mix. From the 65-million-year history of the "Māori Painkiller" to the antibiotic bite of garden Nasturtiums, we explore the engineering behind the "creeping heat" of our native Taranaki herbs.
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  The Science and Stewardship of Kawakawa-Ginger Oxymel 31.03.2026 21min

  Can a hole in a leaf be the secret to high-performance wellness? Join Martina Murray as she bridges the gap between engineering and the Taranaki bush. Discover how the "nibbled" leaves of the Kawakawa plant trigger a natural biological response that creates the legendary "Internal Glow." From the 350m ASL shelter-belts of a former dairy farm to the chemistry of the New Zealand Food Awards, learn why this ancient "Acid and Honey" Oxymel tradition is the ultimate engine for your autumn vitality.
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  Herbal Wisdom: Blue Petal Revealed: Ancient Oxymels for Modern Life 16.03.2026 26min

  From petroleum engineering to "Martina’s Lab," discover the science behind Taranaki’s best-kept herbal secret. This episode reveals the 2,400-year-old tradition of Oxymels and how these honey-and-vinegar elixirs support your "second brain" and the Vagus nerve. Martina explains the "engineering" behind her NZ Food Awards finalist products, the importance of herbal "activators," and simple rituals to bring ancient wellness into your modern daily life.
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  Herbal Wisdom: Walking the Food Forest with Dee Turner 03.03.2026 21min

  Late summer hums with abundance as autumn quietly approaches. In this episode of Herbal Wisdom, Martina speaks with Dee Turner from Korito Education about food forest, permaculture and living in rhythm with the land. A grounded and inspiring conversation on growing, sharing and aligning with nature’s cycles. We also discuss the upcoming Korito Open Garden on March 9th and the powerful act of opening our growing spaces to community. Whether you’re curious about food forests or seeking to align your kitchen and garden with nature’s cycles, this conversation is an invitation to walk the land with intention.
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  Herbal Wisdom: Beyond the BBQ: How to 'Air Condition' Your Body, Eat Your Weeds and Prep for Back-to-School 20.01.2026 26min

  Today we will be sharing essential herbal strategies to thrive this summer. Learn how to achieve Internal Air-Conditioning and peak hydration, unlock Culinary Medicine by eating your backyard "weeds," and get key tips for Immune Priming now to avoid the stress and sickness that comes with the return to school and work. Your guide to staying cool, vibrant, and healthy!
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  Herbal Wisdom: Gentle herbal re-set for body and mind... 06.01.2026 25min

  Join Martina from Blue Petal for a Gentle Herbal Re-set to kick off the new year in a kind way. We start with The Body Fix, using cooling Carminatives and mineral-rich tonics like Nettle to ease post-holiday bloating and support your filtering organs. Then, we transition to The Mind Fix, using invigorating Rosemary and calming nervines like Passionflower to clear mental fog and set clear, sustained intentions for a successful year.
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  Herbal Wisdom: Herbs, Seeds and Seasonal Magic - Finishing the Year with Blue Petal 23.12.2025 24min

  Join Martina from Blue Petal for a cozy, end-of-year Herbal Wisdom special. Explore twelve festive herbs that bring flavour and cheer to your holiday season, then discover the hidden magic of seeds — tiny packages of hope and renewal — as we look toward the New Year.
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  Herbal Wisdom: The Full Cycle of Herbs: Grow, Harvest, Heal and Flavour 09.12.2025 26min

  This episode provides a comprehensive guide to integrating herbs into your daily life, starting with the Foundational Power of herbs, where we explore how to use them for both flavour and health, including the specific knowledge of choosing warming or cooling herbs to balance the body. We then transition into the Practical Cycle, offering essential tips on starting your home herbal garden, ensuring proper care, and mastering the crucial steps of harvesting, drying, and storing your herbs to maintain maximum potency throughout the year. Finally, we focus on Application and Seasonal Life, sharing practical advice on using herbs in cooking, preparing natural first aid solutions for summer activities, and incorporating herbs into festive decorations.