Rabbit Tobacco for Lung Health, Respiratory Healing, and Everyday Medicine with Karen Lynn Burr

What if one of the most helpful herbs for the lungs is one you’ve never heard of?

Rabbit tobacco (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium) may not be the most well-known herb, but according to herbalist Karen Lynn Burr, it deserves a place in every herbal toolkit.

In this episode, Karen shares how this native North American plant became one of her most trusted allies after a serious respiratory health crisis—so much that she credits it for saving her life! Along the way, we explore rabbit tobacco's long history of traditional use for supporting the lungs, soothing irritated tissues, and helping the body recover after illness.

Karen also shares her broader philosophy of restorative herbalism, making connections between healthy ecosystems, healthy bodies, wild foods, and community care. From foraging and folk medicine to rewilding ourselves through plants, this conversation is packed with practical insights, inspiring stories, and contagious enthusiasm for the healing power of the natural world.

Karen has also brought us her Respiratory Support Nebulizing Formula, an incredibly versatile herbal preparation that can be used to calm and soothe inflammation during or after a respiratory illness. You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here!

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

► Why Karen is so passionate about wild foods (and how to harness their gifts to benefit your health!)

► How rabbit tobacco can help to rebuild thinning tissues—from the lungs, to the skin, to vaginal tissues, and more

► Plants that partner well with rabbit tobacco to support different health conditions

► Five herbal preparations for rabbit tobacco

► Tips for sourcing, harvesting, and drying rabbit tobacco to ensure you’re making the most potent medicine

► What disturbed ecosystems can teach us about resilience and recovery

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Karen Lynn Burr, owner and clinical herbalist at Materia Medica Restorative Herbalism Center, brings over 20 years of holistic health experience. Her training includes integrative nutrition, vitalist herbalism specializing in acute skin conditions, medical botany focused on hormonal aging, and clinical herbal formulations for internal and topical use. She also has deep knowledge of folk medicine, wild food education, and herbal remedies for autoimmune support and environmental toxins.

In 2024, Karen founded the Restorative Herbalism Center to champion wild food and regenerative healing for mind, body, and spirit. Their mission is to restore health naturally, avoiding costly supplements and overused pharmaceuticals.

From respiratory health to ecological restoration, rabbit tobacco reminds us that some of the most powerful allies are hiding in plain sight. I can't wait for you to meet this fascinating plant!

----

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

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Karen at MM-RestorativeHerbalismCenter.com.

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

Working successfully with herbs requires three essential skills. Get introduced to them by taking my free herbal jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

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.

----

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 Herbalists 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.