In this episode about the abundant gifts of coffee, I speak with herbalist Olatokunboh Obasi. At the time of this episode, Ola was visiting family in Kenya, the birthplace of coffee. After listening to Ola’s profound appreciation for this lovely plant, I suspect you’ll never view coffee in quite the same way again! 

You’ll also receive access to Ola’s wonderful recipe for Coffee Scrub. (This would make a luscious holiday gift, too.)

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

► Who should avoid coffee – and when (the answer may surprise you!)

► Why you may want to connect with your own ancestral plants

► Why it’s beneficial to know the history of the plants you work with

► How you can help to shine light on teacher’s teachers who aren’t widely known

Here is one of my favorite takeaways from our conversation: 

“You just can't take the land away from herbalism… That end product container is nothing compared to where it begins, which is on that earth, the bones and the minerals of the earth.”

For those of you who aren’t already familiar with her, Olatokunboh Obasi is the owner of Omaroti Salud y Bienestar, an apothecary and wellness space located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Olatokunboh has been working in the wellness field for over 15 years. A yoga and dance instructor, clinical herbalist, nutritionist, and birth doula, she is committed to community holistic health, social justice, and education. Olatokunboh works heavily in community service and Afro Indigenous Medicine on the island and beyond. As a member of the American Herbalist Guild, she was the 2019 award recipient for her notable work in supporting diversity,  equity, and justice in herbalism. Presently, she coordinates Herbalists without Borders International on the island of Boriken, providing community service to people in need.

She also trains local and online students in clinical herbalism and healing arts through her Well of Indigenous Wisdom School. A guest presenter and teacher of many conferences, she’s originally from Africa. Her travels around the world are extensive as she integrates traditional knowledge of herbs with her western education.

She received her Master’s of Science from Maryland University of Integrative Health. Olatokunboh is a mother of 3 young adults. She continues to learn from her children through challenge and tribulation as she shares her journey of life with them and the human family.

I’m so happy to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

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On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.