I call myself an indoor herbalist.
When I was in grad school, I realized quickly that I wasn’t destined to be the herbalist who leads plant walks or identifies plants in a field. I admired that craft deeply, but what fascinated me most was how people used herbs long before modern medicine and how those traditions connect to the science we have today.
My favorite place was the National Library of Medicine in DC. I’d spend hours reading historic herbal references alongside new scientific papers, trying to understand why certain plants stood the test of time. That’s where I first fell in love with adaptogens—herbs or mushrooms that help the body respond to stressors and bring balance to body systems. At the time, the human clinical evidence was just beginning to emerge, and that intersection between tradition and early science became my home turf.
After graduation (and one wonderful year as a stay-at-home dad), I returned to New England and joined New Chapter as a formulator, the perfect job for someone who studies herbs from every possible angle.
While I was pleased to see we had Holy Basil Force™, I didn’t understand why ashwagandha wasn’t included in our formulary. It’s a cornerstone adaptogen with centuries of traditional use. That’s when I learned something crucial about our philosophy: tradition and mechanism-of-action studies can tell us why an herb might work, but we don’t bring a hero ingredient into our formulary until there’s solid human clinical evidence to show how it works in real people.
So I began collecting every ashwagandha human study I could find. Meanwhile, I worked through the real puzzle of formulation: where delivery form, cost, serving size, consumer need, ingredient quality, and regulatory requirements all have to align. Eventually, the puzzle pieces came together. We first introduced ashwagandha in multiherbal blends and later let it shine on its own in Ashwagandha Force™. Seeing this revered plant finally take its place within the New Chapter lineup remains one of my proudest moments as a formulator.
After ashwagandha, the search for the next meaningful adaptogen began. I evaluated many options, but nothing fully met our criteria of clinical support, consumer relevance, quality sourcing, and technical feasibility until I reached shatavari.
As an herbalist, I try not to fall in love with an ingredient too early. But once I reviewed the human data on shatavari and saw how meaningfully it could support women navigating menopause, I became genuinely excited. It had the history, the science, and a story grounded in women’s wisdom. It was grown on woman-owned farms and produced by a woman-founded supplier. It checked every box. I’m so excited to have recently launched the herb in our Shatavari Force™!
For me, the magic happens when modern research validates what people have known for generations. That’s the sweet spot for an indoor herbalist. Honoring tradition, respecting the science, and bringing forward herbs that genuinely help people feel supported in their bodies.
I’m always inspired by the plants and I hope you’re inspired to check out our awesome herbal formulations!
