FLORA, FAUNA, FOREST: Communing with Plants and the Restorative Powers of the Earth with Molly Helfend

Today’s episode is humming with knowledge, living nutrients, ecology and joy.   We welcome interdisciplinary healer and ally of the natural world,  Molly Helfend. Originally from the Santa Monica Mountains, she now calls the cliffs of New Zealand home but makes Nature itself her official residence. Her commitment to mother earth began at a young age: protesting the Keystone XL pipeline and interning with Greenpeace and working with Rainforest Action Network to develop campaigns against palm oil plantations in the Sumatran Rainforest. Later, Molly’s environmental work and activism took a serendipitous turn into ethnobotany, herbalism, and education. Molly now works across the globe as an ethnobotanist, herbalist, natural health practitioner, creative, content director, visual artist, educator, world traveler and writer. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Holistic Health from the University of Vermont, Masters of Science in Ethnobotany from the University of Kent, and researched her Masters thesis in New Zealand studying the correlation between the Maori concept Kaitiakitanga translated as “guardianship of nature and plant life”. She has endeavored to embody that philosophy in her work as a herbalist and naturopath, as well as in her personal life, while maintaining a commitment to indigenous cultural competency and responsibility.   In our conversation, Molly graciously opens up to us about intimate, life changing experiences such as fighting a parasite she developed from the Cook Islands and experiencing copper poisoning from an IUD that led her on a healing journey working with natural remedies. These experiences have inspired her to educate others on all the powers of plants, herbs, and holistic medicine.  She shares her insights with us in an open, transparent and informative dialogue that reminds us of our innate interconnectedness with Earth and the healing potential within the ecological lens. Thank you Molly for sharing your wisdom and light with us!  Thank you for tuning in. If you are able to donate to SOUNDFOOD we would be so grateful for your support. Everything and anything you can give helps us continue to share these conversations with the world. Infinite gratitude!   CONNECT Molly Helfend: IG | Website Host @nitsacitrine @soundfoodspace Subscribe to Mercurial Mail (our monthly newsletter)   MENTIONED SOUNDFOOD IG Live Hosted by Nitsa Citrine w/ Sophie Haber of "Seeds of Remembrance" June 4th 2pm EST SOUNDFOOD Episode Mentioned:  A La Mode; The Pursuit of a Passionate, Balanced, and Authentic Life with Vanessa Hong The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood The Narcissm Epidemic by Jean M. Twenge Rain Forest Action  GreenPeace  Daysy Fertility Tracker Urban Moonshine Herbs  Mountain Rose Herbs  The Babe Rainbow New Album; Changing Colours     YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: EP. 86: PROTECTING OUR SOIL AND CELLS with Kelly Ryerson EP. 85: AWAKENING SPRING VITALITY with Colin Hudon EP. 78: PLANTS FOR THE PEOPLE with Erin Lovell Verinder   NOURISH This podcast is made possible by your donations and the symbiotic support of our partners:  Offer a donation to us here   LIVING LIBATIONS: enjoy 15% off all botanical beauty alchemy with this link https://livinglibations.com/soundfood (discount automatically applied) MIKUNA: enter SOUNDFOODFAMILY for 25% off clean, single-sourced plant protein products Mikunafoods.com LIVING TEA:  SOUNDFOOD for 15% off all tea nourishment  livingtea.net SUPERFEAST: enter CITRINE for 10% off our favorite tonic herbs + superfoods superfeast.com OSEA: enter CITRINE for 10% off oseamalibu.com sea-to-skin magic  CHRISTY DAWN: 15NITSA for 15% off farm-to-closet  christydawn.com LAMBS: use code CITRINE for 10% off your EMF protective gear getlambs.com   P.S. We would be so grateful if you felt inspired to leave us a review on APPLE OR SPOTIFY!