Most of the artemisias are medicinal. They have been used for thousands of years by herbalists from East Asia and Siberia to Europe and North America. The Greek physicians more than 2,500 years ago noted their useful bitter qualities and how the artemisias can be important for good health. Bitter herbs like artemisia kick-start the digestive system, stimulate the liver, and boost the immune system. Carmen Lynde, a practicing medical herbalist with a full-time herbal clinic in Toronto, explains why we may need to be taking bitter artemisias like wormwood, santonica and mugwort, as our lives become more sedentary and our body's systems become sluggish. Besides running a busy practice, Carmen is creator of Vervain.ca, an organic plant-based skincare line made by hand in small batches. She also serves as Richters online medical herbs expert. This seminar was presented as part of the annual Herb Day celebration at Richters on May 4, 2014.
