Roots & Flowers

Essential Oils for the Immune System

2011-09-27T08:54:00.001-07:00

Essential Oils are highly concentrated distilled plant essences. Many essential oils have anti-viral and immune-modulating properties.
The antiviral action of certain essential oils is one of their most valuable attributes-especially since allopathic medicine has little to offer. Essential oils with terpenoid compounds are very specific, notably the citruses and pine oils, as well as some oils in the phenol group.

Essential Oils For The Immune System:
Lavender, lemon, bergamot, thyme, chamomile, pine, sandalwood, myrrh and vetiver stimulate production of infection-fighting white corpuscles.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COLDS:
According to the People's Desk Reference For Essential Oils, (The PDR) the following single oils are suggested:
Lavender, lemon, marjoram, frankincense, eucalyptus, melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil) and rosemary.

The following blend helps build the body's natural resistance.

IMMUNE TONIC BLEND
3 drops lavender

3 drops tea tree

2 drops bergamot

2 drops eucalyptus

10 drops Caulophyllum inophyllum

1 ounce carrier oil (calendula-infused is especially effective.)

Use as a body oil daily in the bath as part of a health-maintenance program, or to treat acute conditions such as cold or flu.

Try adding some to a small spray bottle diluted with spring water. Carry with you to disinfect surfaces in public places or disinifect the air.

THIEVES OIL RECIPE

Equal amounts of the following essential oils:
Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Clove and Lemon.
Mix with base of olive oil.
Put a tablespoon of each in a 2 oz. bottle and then fill the rest with olive oil.
You can make a larger batch in a quart jar following the same proportion method.

HOW TO USE

Diffuse for short periods of time (1/2 hour or less) in the work or home environment. Apply to the bottom of the feet or dilute with a massage oil base for a stimulating massage under the arms and on the chest at the base of the neck.

Fire Cider Recipe

2011-09-26T18:28:00.002-07:00

Fire Cider is an inexpensive, effective way to treat or stave off colds & flus, and to break up congestion.

Ingredients

1 quart Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup Horseradish root grated

1/8 cup of Garlic chopped

1/2 cup of Onion chopped

1/2 cup of Ginger grated

1 tsp Cayenne

Directions

Place all ingredients in a quart jar and cover with Apple Cider Vinegar.

Cover tightly.

Steep for 8 weeks.

Strain into clean jar.

How to Use Your Fire Cider?

~ Rub into sore muscles and aching joints.

~ Soak a clean cloth in Fire Cider to place on a congested chest.

~ Drink it straight or diluted in a bit of water or tomato juice.Start out with a tsp or so to test your tolerance level.
~ Mix with a bit of honey to ease a cough.

Ode to Peppermint!

2011-09-25T09:29:00.004-07:00

Peppermint is one of my favorite plants to grow and use. My kids love it too. It's beautiful and fragrant and something about crushing the freshly picked leaves and inhaling their perfume just lifts the spirits.
Plus, peppermint has many medicinal uses that make it one of my favorite herbs to have on hand during cold & flu season.
The essential oil of peppermint (up to 2.5% in the dried leaf) is mostly made up from menthol (ca. 50%), menthone (10 to 30%), menthyl esters (up to 10%) and several monoterpene derivatives (pulegone, piperitone, menthofurane). Traces of jasmone (0.1%) give the oil its characteristically "minty" scent. The aromatic chemicals in the mint are concentrated when the plant is grown in areas with long, warm, bright summer days.

Essential oil of peppermint can be applied to the skin or mouth to relieve pain. The essential oil in peppermint teas relieves the pain associated with colitis and colic. Traditionally, peppermint tea has been used for relieving bloated tummies and trapped gas.

In an animal study, scientists found that a combination of oils from peppermint and eucalyptus was able to kill the avian influenza virus, also known as bird flu.

In another study, patients who were exposed to a spray that included peppermint oil got relief from the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.

In the Fall and Winter I like to add some peppermint oil to a small spray bottle diluted with spring water. I carry it with me to disinfect surfaces in public places or disinifect the air.

Make Some Herbal Vapor Balm

2011-09-24T14:33:00.006-07:00

With Autumn's arrival, and the start of a new school year there will naturally follow a new host of cold & flu bugs and exposure to all sorts of other germs. Of course our best course of action is to keep our immune systems strong by eating well, decreasing stress, washing our hands and getting plenty of rest.
During the coming winter months when our bodies are vulnerable to colds and flu, herbs can help keep us healthy.
Today I'm making one of my favorite natural cold remedies to have on hand this winter:

Herbal Vapor Balm
I got this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs and I just LOVE it!

Interestingly enough, two of the common active ingredients in commercially-made vapor rubs are Eucalyptus essential oil and Menthol. But, the classic ointments also contain things like Petroleum and Turpentine oil. Luckily, we can make a homemade version utilizing all-natural elements and botanicals!

- 1/2 cup organic Olive Oil
- 1/2 – 1 tsp organic Menthol Crystals
- 1 oz Beeswax, coarsely chopped or use pastilles
- 15 drops organic Eucalyptus essential oil
- 10 drops organic Peppermint essential oil
- 10 drops organic Rosemary essential oil

- 2 drops organic Tea Tree essential oil
- 2 drops organic Thyme essential oil

Heat the Olive oil and beeswax in a double boiler until the beeswax has melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Add Menthol crystals (1/2 tsp for a gentler balm, 1 tsp for a stronger product) and essential oils, stir, and quickly pour into jars. Immediately place lids loosely over the jars so that the oils do not escape. Note: The menthol crystals may be irritating when inhaled so use in a well ventilated area or wear a mask if needed.

Spring Cleaning for Your Body

2011-03-25T08:22:00.009-07:00

A Healthy Liver Means a Healthier Life
We all want to live a long and healthy life, right? If you're like me, you watch what you eat, try to get plenty of fresh air and exercise, minimize stress, get enough sleep, etc. For me, one of the not so obvious things I do for good overall health is a good spring cleaning. When the blossoms start coming back around and the nettles and dandelions start popping up I feel the pull of those bitter tasting herbs.

Happy Liver = Happy Body

Chugging along through the winter months in particular can slow down our metabolism. For many, this leads to weight gain, especially for those living in harsher winter climates where physical activity is significantly reduced.

As spring approaches, one of the best ways to kick-start your metabolism and give your health a boost is to give your body a little spring cleaning of its own and detoxify your system.

The most important step to begin detoxing the body is cutting out most refined and processed foods which contain trans-fats, sugar and additives such as artificial colors and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

I try to eat more raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and vegetable protein like beans, lentils and quinoa. By choosing organic foods, you can reduce your exposure to pesticides. Some readily available all natural detox-friendly foods include kale, beets, and spinach, which can be prepared in delicious salads.

Also, never underestimate the power of physical exercise! Since the skin is the largest elimination organ your body has, working up a sweat is yet another great way to promote cleansing and body detoxification! And don’t forget to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and assist the kidneys in flushing out toxins.

As always, we can look to nature to support our detox efforts.

Dandelion contains bitter principles that have a tonic effect on the liver and digestive system. It is also a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins A, D, C, and B, as well as iron, silicon, magnesium, zinc and manganese.

Fennel has been used since ancient times. Apart from its naturally supportive properties for digestion, fennel also helps to maintain liver, kidney and spleen health.

Milk Thistle is probably the most well known liver tonic. It is often useful for those who don't want the diuretic effects of dandelion.

One of my favorite juice combinations for the liver and kidneys:

1 medium apple
handful dandelion greens
1 6 inch pc Burdock Root (you can find this in the produce section usually called Gobo)
2 sprigs of parsely

Run all of these through your juicer and enjoy!

There are also many herbal liver and kidney tonics available. One of my favorites is Detox Drops from Native Remedies.

Please share your favorite Spring Cleaning rituals with us!

Nettles ~ Put Some Sting In Your Spring!

2010-03-14T18:12:00.010-07:00

Today my daughter and I harvested our first batch of nettles of the spring! It was so exciting for me because I crave them all year.
We've been harvesting nettles each spring since she was a toddler. She's now 13 and still an expert! In fact, unlike myself, she doesn't even wear gloves. She squeezes the outer leaves and rubs them between her fingers and pops them in her mouth! (I don't suggest trying this unless you are prepared to get stung - or unless, like I suspect of her, you've made some enchanted pact with the forest nymphs!)

I harvest the tender tops from the time they first appear in spring through mid-summer when they begin to set flowers.
I use gloves and scissors and snip of the new tops into a paper bag.

What Do I Do With Stinging Nettles?

I enjoy fresh nettle infusions during the spring. The taste is decidely different than from dried nettle. I love it!

I steam them and eat then drizzle with chopped garlic, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. SWOON!!!!

I dry some for storing so I have nettle infusions all year long.

I also make up a big batch of Nettle Infused Vinegar

Nettles ~ The Nutritional Powerhouse

Stinging Nettles are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, cobalt, copper, potassium, trace minerals, chlorophyll, the B-complex vitamins, and more.
Because of their dense concentration of minerals and amino acids, Nettles help to build healthy bones, hair, skin, and teeth, as well as being an excellent tonic for pregnant, lactating, and menopausal women.
Nettles are a tonic for the kidney, adrenal, and thyroid glands, so they can help increase and stabilize energy levels. Used regularly for several months, they can prevent hay fever and other allergies.

If you should get stung while harvesting nettle look for some yellow dock leaves (pictured below)- they always grow near nettle. Simply crush the leaves and rub on the sting.

I'd love to hear how you use spring nettles!

Make Tea Not War

2010-03-10T12:37:00.010-08:00

Spring is here and I am busy planning and planting and wildcrafting. One thing I always keep in mind during these seasonal tasks is making my treasured tea blends.
Mostly, I grow my or forage my own herbs, but I ammend what I harvest from my herb garden with beautiful organic herbs from Mt. Rose Herbs. Also, the Mt. Rose website is an excellent source of information and inspiration.

Take a look through their Herbal Tea Section for some wonderful ideas for tea blends.
One of my favorite examples is their Peace Tea.

This is a gentle and calming nervine blend; a chance for reflection while providing an opportunity to imagine a peaceful world. Takes the stress out of life for a while. A wonderful infusion drink for meditation and quiet moments.
Contains: Organic Chamomile flowers, organic Spearmint, organic Passionflower herb, organic Rose petals, organic Lavender flowers and organic Cinnamon bark.

Food Culture vs Real Food

2010-03-06T21:30:00.009-08:00

How Food Culture and Obesity are Related
from Dr. Mercola

As British chef and food advocate Jamie Oliver explains in the video above, our food culture has changed so drastically over the last 30 years, a majority of young children of today do not know what fresh, whole food is. They can’t identify foods, let alone figure out where they come from or how they grow. He shows how the three aspects of the “food landscape,” home, school, and main street, have all abandoned real food in favor of quick, cheap, processed foods.
Three decades ago, the food available in each of these three areas was mostly fresh and grown locally. Now the majority of foods served, whether at home, in school or in restaurants, are highly processed foods, filled with sugars and chemical additives. During that same time, childhood obesity has more than tripled. Now, one in three children aged 10 to 17 is overweight or obese.

Please watch the video - it's worth it. And read the rest of Dr. Mercola's comments:
Healthy Eating Starts at Home

If you feel inspired afterward to make some positive changes in your family's diet check out nourishedkitchen.com where you can sign up for the Real Food Challenge, designed to introduce newcomers to the principles behind a wholesome, nourishing diet and to reinvigorate the energy of those who’ve been practicing traditional foods for a while, you’ll meet your goals one day at a time throughout the entire month. Learn how to stock your pantry, how to source wholesome foods, how to reduce costs, hot to mitigate antinutrients naturally present in certain foods and how to improve your diet step-by-step through nourishing, real food. Simple as it is, the 28-day challenge is designed to walk you through a transition into real food one step at a time.

A great way to keep children in touch with the foods they eat is to get them involved in gardening!

My kids love to eat the foods they grow and it's amazing to me how many different types of things they will "graze" on in the garden that they wouldn't seek out in the kitchen or at the store. It makes my heart sing to see my little ones grab a fat cucumber off the vine and munch on it while they traipse around the yard. Even if they grow up and choose not to garden, at least they know how. And they know where real food comes from.

Herb Profile ~ Oatstraw

2010-03-06T09:54:00.007-08:00

Also known as- Avena sativa, Oats, Common Oats, and sometimes referred to as "avena."
Oatstraw is one of my favorite herbal allies. I rely on infusions of this wonderful herb to help nourish & tone the nervous system.
Oatstraw is a rich source of calcium and magnesium. It is useful for physical and nervous fatigue and is helpful for depression. Oatstraw also contains B-complex vitamins, silicia, calcium, flavones, saponins, and Vitamin A.

Oatstraw is an excellent overall tonic. It has been used traditionally for regulating thyroid function and sex hormones, for easing symptoms of MS, osteoporosis, appetite loss, anorexia, urinary concerns, colds and chills and to encourage sweating.

Oatsraw increases internal heat and dispels internal chill. It is valued by herbalists to assist in strengthening metabolism and circulation, relieving symptoms of depression, relieving muscle spasms, soothing damaged or inflamed gastric mucous membranes, strengthening the nervous system, assisting the assimilating of foods and and sor it's overall strengthening effect on the body.

I find myself reaching for oatstraw infusion during times of stress or overwork. The plentiful minerals of this wonderful herb help soothe frazzled nerves and give me a lift.
Many people claim that drinking oatstraw infusions daily helps increase libido and energy, (recall the old saying, "feeling your oats".)

Oatstraw is also a good herb to add to other herbal infusions for a sweeter, mellow flavor.

This is one herb I've never tried growing. I'd love to hear from others who have.
I get organinc bulk oatstraw from Mt. Rose Herbs.

Spring Gardening

2010-03-04T14:21:00.004-08:00

Projects For Early Spring

My sprouts are up inside and it reminds me that soon we will be heading outside!
Early spring is a time of awakening out of doors. For many of us it also a beginning of our own outdoor activity. Warming temperatures and moist conditions also awaken many trouble causing diseases and conditions that quickly demand our attention.

Here are some good ways to start spring out right:

· Turn gardens and work extra amounts of organic matter into garden soils if water has been slow to drain following rain showers. Poor drainage often leads to root diseases and poor plant growth.

· Plant peas when soil is workable. For a prolonged harvest, plant several varieties, each with a different maturation date.

· Examine mugo pines for signs of tiny white flecks on the needles. Also, look at the stems and leaves of euonymus for similar signs. These flecks are the shells of scale insects. Apply dormant oil spray to plants infested with scale.

· The work that you do on your lawn will pay off this summer. Make sure that you rake and remove dead leaves and grass as well as other debris. Mowing should begin as soon as grass reaches a height of 3 inches. Then it should be mowed back to about 2 inches. As a rule of thumb, never mow off more than 1/3 of the top growth of grass plants. And leave the clippings on the lawn; grass clippings break down quickly and return nutrients to the soil.

· Remove stakes and guy wires installed on trees planted last fall. Allowing a little swaying of tree stems results in sturdy yet resilient plants. Thin out some branches of trees, which have a history of leaf spot diseases. Pruning will improve air circulation and penetration of sunlight, which in turn can reduce the incidence of disease. Also remove tree wraps from the trunks of trees. Leaving the wraps in place results in a build up of moisture beneath the wrap, which could lead to bark injury and promote entry of diseases.

· Plant out daffodils, crocus, hyacinth and any other bulbs, which were forced in pots or bowls in the house. Some may bloom next spring, others may take two or three years to rebuild enough food reserve to support flowering.

· Prepare new beds for perennial flowers by spreading a 6-inch deep layer of organic matter (i.e. peat moss, compost, rotted manure) and work it in deeply. Plants growing in deep, rich soil are less likely to suffer from summer drought.

· Plant climbing hydrangea or Boston ivy if you are looking for a vine to cover a masonry wall or stonewall. Climbing hydrangeas are slow to get started but once they take hold they are magnificent, particularly when in bloom.

· Handle seedlings by their leaves when transplanting. Breaking a leaf is not fatal but breaking the stem is. This manner of handling seedlings will also help prevent damping-off disease, a fungus disease that attacks seedlings at the base of the stem.

· Prune out dead or damaged branches and twigs of trees and shrubs after new growth has begun. Woody plants, which took a beating this past winter, will appreciate an application of fertilizer, particularly a high nitrogen fertilizer.

· Now is the time to begin applications of horticultural oil sprays to pear and apple trees. Apply oil spray to pears just as the buds begin to swell and then again 10 days later to control pear psylla and pear leaf blister mite. Apple tree pests controlled with oil spray include European red mite, aphids and San Jose scale. Make a single application of oil on apple trees when a half-inch of green tissue is visible in developing buds.

· Also apply oil to ornamental trees and shrubs with a history of aphid, scale or spider mite infestations. Destroying these pests safely with spring applications of horticultural oil will reduce your use of pesticides later in the growing season.

· Pay attention to when forsythia come into bloom. Flowering of forsythia is a good indicator of cabbage root maggot fly activity. Be prepared to protect cabbage and related crops from maggots by covering plantings with row covers. Maggots are more of a problem in cool, wet soils. Be sure not to plant any of these crops where they grew last season.

Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

2010-03-03T09:14:00.008-08:00

Making your own Vanilla Extract is extremely easy, and is much less expensive than purchasing it. Plus, it makes an excellent gift that anyone is sure to enjoy! Below is a simple recipe for homemade Vanilla Extract, but please feel free to adapt the recipe to fit your taste.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

INGREDIENTS

2-3 whole vanilla beans (approximately 1/2 ounce)
1 cup brandy, vodka, or bourbon

DIRECTIONS

Split vanilla beans lengthwise with a knife, leaving the seeds inside intact. Place vanilla beans in a jar, cover with alcohol, and cap tightly. Agitate the mixture by shaking the jar once per day for approximately 4-6 weeks. The mixture will turn a dark brown color, and will become stronger in flavor with time. You may infuse the vanilla beans for as long as you would like, and can also add new vanilla beans to the jar to make a stronger and more concentrated Vanilla Extract! Once that the flavor of the extract has reached the desired strength, strain the vanilla beans out, and bottle the resulting extract. Amber colored bottles are preferred, but any glass bottles may be used. To make the bottles even more attractive, you can insert a vanilla bean into each bottle. If giving as a gift, then you can also tie a ribbon around the neck of the bottle and attach a label listing the ingredients and date created.
Vanilla extract will last indefinitely, and will become even more pronounced in flavor as it ages. Homemade Vanilla Extract may be used in exactly the same manner as commercial Vanilla Extract.

I buy Certified Organic and Biodynamic Certified Vanilla Beans from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Bulk Vanilla Beans

Fire Cider Recipe

2010-03-03T08:37:00.003-08:00

Making Herbal Tinctures

2010-03-02T10:27:00.005-08:00

Make Your Own Herbal Tinctures & Syrups

While paying for the convenience of a manufactured herbal extract or syrup can be nice, we have found that the best medicines are those we make ourselves. In addition, for those of us that incorporate herbal medicine into our daily diet, the costs really begins to add up. Making your own extracts and syrups will save you hundreds of dollars. In addition, you can make extracts that meet the specific needs for yourself and your loved ones.

Herbal Tinctures

This recipe is the simplest way to make your own liquid herbal extracts in your own home.

1. Start with a clean jar that has a tight fitting lid and the herbs of your choice. If you can use fresh herbs, then fabulous! Fresh material is always preferred but availability is determined by your local bioregion, climate, etc and many quality herbs may not be available. If you cannot locate fresh materials, be sure to get good quality, organic herbs from a reputable supplier. Note: Try not to use powdered herbs; they will be difficult to filter out in the end and the debris will settle in your final product.

2. Chop the herbs finely – a blender or coffee grinder works well. Then place the materials in the glass jar with a tight fitting lid, such as a canning jar.

3. Pour a good and strong grain alcohol, brandy, or vodka over the herbs. Completely cover the herbal material, and leave 2-3 inches of alcohol above the herbs. 100 proof alcohol is recommended, but you can also use grain alcohol. When using grain alcohol, mix it with equal parts of purified water to create 50% alcohol to 50% water ratio. If you wish to avoid alcohol, then vegetable glycerin or vinegar may be used. When using vegetable glycerin, dilute it with equal parts of water. Although glycerin and vinegar are not as effective or strong as alcohol, they do create milder extracts that are suitable for children or those sensitive to alcohol. If using dried herbs you will need to add more alcohol over the next day or two as the dried herbs absorb and expand. A good ratio for dried material is about 1 part herb to 5 parts alcohol, and with fresh material 1 part herb to 3 parts alcohol.

4. Cover with a tight fitting lid, shake well, and place the jar in a dark place. Allow the mixture to soak and macerate for 4 to 6 weeks. Shake every few days to help the alcohol extract the active constituents from the herbs.

5. After 4 to 6 weeks strain the herbs. Use a large strainer lined with fine mesh cloth or cheesecloth. Make sure to tightly squeeze the material to extract every precious drop from the cloth. Funnel the material from your larger container into smaller bottles, preferably amber bottles and store your tinctures in a cool dark place. Your herbal tinctures will stay good for at least 3-5 years, if not indefinitely.

Herbal Syrups

Syrups are the tastiest and sweetest types of herbal medicine available, and they are loved by children and adults alike. Here are instructions for creating your own yummy syrups at home:

1. Simmer 2 ounces of herb in 1 quart of water over low heat until the mixture reduces down to 1 pint of liquid.

2. Strain the herbs from the liquid, and place the liquid back into the pot.

3. Add one cup of sweetener and warm over low heat until the sweetener and herbal liquid are completely mixed. Sweeteners used can be: honey, vegetable glycerin, agave nectar, maple syrup, or sugar. If using raw honey, be careful not to simmer or boil the syrup, as this will destroy some of the beneficial properties of the honey. In order to better preserve your syrup, 2 pints of honey may be used in place of the one cup of honey.

4. At this point, you may add a flavoring extract or fruit concentrate if you wish to flavor it. Lemon juice may be added for sore or tickly throats, or brandy can be added as a relaxant and preservative.

5. Remove from heat, bottle (preferably in amber glass bottles), and place in refrigerator. Your herbal syrup will last for several weeks to months within the refrigerator.

Voila! You have now made your own remarkable medicinal herbal medicines for a fraction of the price you would have paid at the store. Enjoy!

Article written by Mountain Rose Herbs

How to Make Herbal Vinegars

Sunday Summary ~ March Right In

2010-02-28T20:07:00.011-08:00

Here's a summary of some of the wonderful things I came upon this week in Cyberland...

A beautiful chick blogs for a boy who digs chicks...
One of my fav gardending writers on Twitter, @redwhiteandgrew did a great guest blog called Victory Gardens Are Here Again! on another of my favorite Twitter friend's blog; @happychickens If you haven't yet visited this young man's website - please do. You'll be glad you did!

~~~

Social Networking for Mompreneurs - Moms to Follow

Lori Redfield from Freelancemom.com has compiled "a great list of women who both blog and are on Twitter that I have found to be approachable, particularly insightful or creative, or just plain fun to be around:"

I'm so honored to be included, and have had a blast getting familiar with the other moms. Very inspiring, check it out. freelancemoms.com

~~~

Don't Drink That!

Authentic Haven Brand Natural Brew, a rancher raising grass fed/finished beef selling Premium Soil Conditioner Teas for Container/Home gardening 100% naturall garden products for your soil. Check out this wonderful line of soil conditioning teas and read the great review over at freedomblogging.com ~ What’s a manure teabag? You can follow @greensoil on Twitter as well - great Tweets!

~~~

Ring Around Katie

Earlier this week Katie, of GardenPunks.com, went into the hospital with what she thought was a case of the flu. It has since been discovered that it is something far more serious.
Read this touching story ~ #FightKatie Garden Bloggers Rally Around One of Their Own and keep Katie in the circle of love & light.

~~~

To Plant or To Transplant, That is the Question
Tee Riddle from veggiegardener.com posted a truly useful list of gardening tips that I was psuched to find and save: When To Use Seeds Or Transplants In The Vegetable Garden Follow him on Twitter @TeeRiddle ~ tons of useful info and a really good egg.

~~~
Fresh Chicken Broth: Achieving a Solid Gel

Jenny over at The Nourished Kitchen shows us how to make a stellar chicken stock in Traditional Foods style! Folow Jenny on Twitter @NourishedMama

~~~

Don't Suck

I love these awesome T-Shirts from Mountain Rose Herbs ~ wish they came in different colors - but I guess black wouldn't show dirt, right?

Welcome to March Everyone.

The first day of Springis March 20th!

Thanks so much for reading.

xo
~Annica

Making Herbal Vinegars

2010-02-25T14:13:00.008-08:00

Spring is coming and soon there will be a big burst of nourishing "weeds" to gather.
Preserving fresh herbs and roots in vinegar is an easy way to capture their nourishing goodness. It's easy too.

I first learned to put herbal vinegars from herbalist, Susun Weed:

Why Vinegar is a Great Way to Preserve Herbs

Water does a poor job of extracting calcium from plants, but calcium and all minerals dissolve into vinegar very easily. You can see this for yourself. Submerge a bone in vinegar for six weeks. What happens~ The bone becomes pliable and rubbery. Why~ The vinegar extracted the minerals from the bone. (And now the vinegar is loaded with calcium and other bone-building minerals!)

After observing this trick it’s not unusual to fear that if you consume vinegar your bones will dissolve. But you'd have to take off your skin and sit in vinegar for weeks in order for that to happen! Adding vinegar to your food actually helps build bones because it frees up minerals from the vegetables you eat. Adding a splash of vinegar to cooked greens is a classic trick of old ladies who want to be spry and flexible when they're ancient old ladies. (Maybe your granny already taught you this~) In fact, a spoonful of vinegar on your broccoli or kale or dandelion greens increases the calcium you get by one-third.

All by itself, vinegar helps build bones; and when it's combined with mineral-rich herbs, vinegar is better than calcium pills.

Some people worry that eating vinegar will contribute to an overgrowth of candida yeast in the intestines. My experience has led me to believe that herbal vinegars do just the opposite, perhaps because they're so mineral rich. Herbal vinegars are especially useful for anyone who can't (or doesn't want to) drink milk. A tablespoon of infused herbal vinegar has the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk.

Apple cider vinegar has been used as a health-giving agent for centuries. Hippocrates, father of medicine, is said to have used only two remedies: honey and vinegar. A small book on Vermont folk remedies—primary among them being apple cider vinegar—has sold over 5 million copies since its publication in the ‘50s. A current ad in a national health magazine states that vinegar can give me a longer, healthier, happier life.

Vinegar has many powers: it lowers cholesterol, improves skin tone, moderates high blood pressure, prevents/counters osteoporosis, and improves metabolic functioning.

Herbal vinegars are an unstoppable combination: the healing and nutritional properties of vinegar married to the aromatic and health-protective effects of green herbs (and a few wild roots).
Herbal vinegars don't taste like medicine. In fact, they taste so good I use them frequently. I pour a spoonful or more on beans and grains at dinner; I use them in salad dressings; I season stir-fry and soups with them. This regular use boosts the nutrient-level of my diet with very little effort and virtually no expense. Sometimes I drink my herbal vinegar in a glass of water in the morning, remembering the many older women who've told me that apple cider vinegar prevents and eases their arthritic pains. I aim to ingest a tablespoon or more of mineral-rich herbal vinegar daily. Not just because herbal vinegars taste great (they do!), but because they offer an easy way to keep my calcium levels high (and that's a real concern for a menopausal woman of fifty).

BASIC HERBAL VINEGAR
Takes 5 minutes plus 6 weeks to prepare

You will need the following:

~ glass or plastic jar of any size up to one quart/liter
~ plastic lid for jar or
~ waxed paper and a rubber band
~ fresh herbs, roots, weeds
~ one quart/liter apple cider vinegar

Fill any size jar with fresh-cut aromatic herbs. (See accompanying list for suggestions of herbs that extract particularly well in vinegar.) For best results and highest mineral content, be sure the jar is well filled with your chosen herb, not just a few sprigs, and be sure to cut the herbs or roots up into small pieces.

Pour room-temperature apple cider vinegar into the jar until it is full. Cover jar with a plastic screw-on lid, several layers of plastic or wax paper held on with a rubber band, or a cork. Vinegar disintegrates metal lids.

Label the jar with the name of the herb and the date. Put it in some place away from direct sunlight, though it doesn't have to be in the dark, and some place that isn't too hot, but not too cold either. A kitchen cupboard is fine, but choose one that you open a lot so you remember to use your vinegar, which will be ready in six weeks.

For more excellent herbal info visit Susun Weed at www.susunweed.com

I Heart Grocery Gardening!

2010-02-23T12:28:00.009-08:00

Grocery Gardening: Planting, Preparing and Preserving Fresh Food
By Jean Ann Van Krevelen, Amanda Thomsen, Robin Wedewer and Teresa O'connor

I first heard of this gorgeous book from Teresa O'Connor, one of the book's authors, and one of my fav Twitter follows: @seasonalwisdom.

If you're like me, you will love this book for the photos alone. As a very visual person I appreciate the colorful pictures of mouth~watering fruits, vegetables and herbs on every page. And some of the pictures of the recipes are downright indecent!
Example: page 140 has a recipe for Mascarpone Crostata with Strawberries & Apples topped with mint!

This is truly a book for all seasons. It's got gardening tips for starting, growing and harvesting a huge variety of edible goodness, but it also tells you how to preserve what you grow - or how to select what you eat from the market if you aren't growing. However, it's the recipes that have earned this book a place on my kitchen shelf. They are inventive and healthy and incororate herbs into cooking in very innovative ways.

Today I am making the braided Rosemary Bread from page 80. You should smell my house!My family is walking around salivating as it bakes.

Grocery Gardening combines wit, wisdom and well-researched information for planning and planting your food garden. This beautiful book includes more than 25 fruit, vegetable and herb recommendations, with garden planning, planting, and harvesting information, and healthy recipes as well. Grocery Gardening encourages gardeners and non-gardener's alike to plan meals based on what is in season. Whether you buy local or grow your own, the Grocery Gardening recipes will delight your family with its seasonal freshness. Also included is a chapter on preserving your harvest, with tips for freezing, drying, canning and preserving.

In addition to tips on knowing when to pick your home grown vegetables, the authors offer advice on how to select the freshest produce at your local market and select complementary ingredients to combine with your home-grown edibles.

Well done, ladies!

I heart Grocery Gardening and I think you will too!

Just Say No to Synthetic Vitamins and Processed Foods

2010-02-23T07:55:00.006-08:00

For some time now there has been a sort of gross reductionism going on in the field of health and nutrition. Part of it is due to the type of research being done, and the way that it is interpreted to serve the corporations sponsoring it. Specific nutrients that are shown to be beneficial in clinical studies are isolated, often in synthetic form, and heralded as new weapon against cancer, heart disease, old age, etc.

There are some rather disturbing marketing trends are geared towards women and children. Television and print advertisments show smiling, athletic women racing from one place to the next while nibbling on a "just for women" candy bar that has been "fortified with a bunch of synthetic vitamins and minerals as well as a whole host of other artificial addditives and preservatives. Children have 'fortified juices, cereals, ceral bars, and even flouridated 'nursery water'.

What these ad campaigns don't show is no matter how fancy these products are dressed up and displayed, they are still dead, processed foods that may contain harmful ingredients like hydrogenated oils, preservatives, and neurotoxins.

Even in the field of "alternative health" we find this same sort of reductionism going on. Herbal compounds are isolated, extracted and ingested in inappropriate quantities, without the synergy that the whole plant provides.

We've all heard the alarming research showing that a specific herb has been found to be toxic - comfrey, ephedra, kava, etc. Yet somehow Native peoples managed to use these herbs very successfully for many generations. Many of us still do.

There is something to be said for using plants and foods in their whole forms and for cultivating a relationship with the different energies offered by the plants around us. It's very hard to improve on a diet of wild foods and herbs. Well-nourished bodies and minds enjoy balnaced hormones and hearty immune systems.

I realize that with depleted soils and other environmental and individual concerns that supplementation is sometimes unavoidable. Many of us commonly turn to herbs in times of imbalance - but the use of herbs can also be a wonderful preventative ally. Daily infusions of nourishing herbs such as nettle, raspberry leaf, oatstraw,and lemon balm are a wonderful way to add extra nutrients to your diet.

I say we trade in the food labels showing the isolated synthetic ingredients provided in the de-natured, processed products for a diet rich in wild foods and nourishing herbs.

Unlike synthetic pills, daily herbal infusions provide essential nutrients in a highly assimilable form.

Vitamins & minerals are abundant in many common herbs:

~VITAMINS~

VITAMIN A
Enhances immunity, prevents eye problems and skin disorders. Important in bone and teeth formation. Protects against colds and infection. Slows aging process.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, borage leaves, burdock root, cayenne, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, hops, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, sage, uva ursi, violet leaves, watercress, yellow dock.

VITAMIN B1 (Thiamine)
Promotes growth, improves mental attitude, aids digestion, helps strengthen nervous system and prevent stress.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, bladder wrack, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, sage, yarrow, and yellow dock.

VITAMIN B2 (Riboflavin)
Needed for red blood cell formation, aids growth and reproduction, promotes hair, skin and nail growth. Important in the prevention and treatment of cataracts.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, bladder wrack, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, ginseng, hops, horsetail, mullein, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, sage, yellow dock.

VITAMIN B3(Niacin)
Essential for proper circulation and healthy skin. Increases energy, aids digestion, helps prevent migranes.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, hops, licorice, mullein, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, slippery elm, yellow dock.

VITAMIN B5 (Panothenic Acid)
Enhances stamina, prevents anemia, helps wounds heal, fights infection, strengthens immune system.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, nettle, yellow dock.

VITAMIN B6 (Pyridoxine)
Needed to produce hydrochloric acid. Aids in absorption of fats, and protein. Mildly diuretic, helps prevent kidney stones. Helpful in treating allergies, arthritis, and asthma.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, catnip, oat straw.

VITAMIN B12 (cyanocobalamin)
Helps prevent anemia. Protects nervous system, improves concentration, aids digestion.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, bladder wrack, hops.

VITAMIN C (ascorbic acid)
Helps calcium and iron formation. Enhances immunity. Helps prevent cancer. Aids in production of anti-stress hormones. Antioxidant required for proper tissue growth and repair, and adrenal gland function.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, horsetail, kelp, peppermint, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, pine needle, plantain, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, skullcap, violet leaves, yarrow, yellow dock.

VITAMIN D
Essential for calcium and phosphorous utilization. Prevents rickets. Needed for normal growth of bones and teeth. Helps regulate heartbeat. Prevents cancer and enhances immunity. Aids thyroid function and blood clotting.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, horsetail, nettle, parsley.

VITAMIN E
Antioxidant which helps prevent cancer and heart disease. Prevents cell damage. Reduces blood pressure and promotes healthy skin and hair.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, bladder wrack, dandelion, dong quai, flaxseed, nettle, oat straw, raspberry leaf, rose hips.

VITAMIN K
Promotes healthy liver function. Helps bone formation and repair. Increases longevity.
HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, green tea, kelp, nettle, oat straw, shepherds purse.

~MINERALS~

CALCIUM
Builds and protects bones and teeth. Helps maintain regular heartbeat. Prevents muscle cramping.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, flaxseed, hops, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, shepherd's purse, violet leaves, yarrow, yellow dock.

CHROMIUM
Vital in the synthesis of glucose and the metabolism of cholesterol, fats and proteins. Maintains blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

HERBAL SOURCES: Catnip, horsetail, licorice, nettle, oat straw, red clover, sarsaparilla, wild yam, yarrow.

COPPER
Converts iron to hemoglobin. Protects against anemia. Needed for healthy bones and joints.

HERBAL SOURCES: Sheep sorrel.

GERMANIUM
Helps fight pain, detoxify the body, and keep immune system functioning properly.

HERBAL SOURCES: Aloe vera, comfrey, ginseng, suma.

IODINE
Needed in trace amounts for a healthy thyroid gland , and to help metabolize excess fat.

HERBAL SOURCES: Calendula, tarragon leaves, turkey rhubarb, seaweeds.

IRON
Essential for metabolism, and the production of hemoglobin.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, dong quai, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, licorice, milk thistle seed, mullein, nettle, oatstraw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaf, rose hips, sarsaparilla, shepherd's purse, uva ursi, yellow dock.

MAGNESIUM
Prevents calcification of soft tissue. Helps reduce and dissolve calcium phosphate kidney stones. Helps prevent birth defects. Improves cardiovascular system.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, bladder wrack, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eyebright, fennel, fenugreek, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, licorice, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, sage, shepherd's purse, yarrow, yellow dock.

MANGANESE
Minute quantities of this mineral are needed for healthy nerves, blood sugar regulation, normal bone growth, and thyroid hormone production.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, ginseng, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, mullein, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hip, wild yam, yarrow, yellow dock.

MOLYBDENUM
Small amounts of this mineral are required for nitrogen metabolism. Supports bone growth, and strengthens teeth.

HERBAL SOURCES: Red clover blossoms.

PHOSPHOROUS
Needed for teeth and bone formation, nerve impulse transfer, normal heart rhythm, and kidney function.

HERBAL SOURCES: Burdock root, turkey rhubarb, slippery elm bark.

POTASSIUM
Regulates water balance, and muscle function. Important for health nervous system and regular heart rhythm.

HERBAL SOURCES: Catnip, hops, horsetail, nettle, plantain, red clover, sage, skullcap.

SELENIUM
Provides an important trace element for prostrate gland in males. Protects immune system and helps regulate thyroid hormones.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, fennel seed, ginseng, garlic, hawthorn berry, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, milk thistle nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, rose hips, sarsaparilla, uva ursi, yarrow, yellow dock.

SULFUR
This mineral helps skin and hair. Fights bacterial infection. Aids liver function. Disinfects blood. Protects against toxic substances.

HERBAL SOURCES: Horsetail.

VANADIUM
Needed for cellular metabolism and formation of bones and teeth. Improves insulin utilization.

HERBAL SOURCES: Dill.

ZINC
Promotes growth and mental alertness. Accelerates healing. Regulates oil glands. Promotes healthy immune system, and healing of wounds.

HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, hops, milk thistle, mullein, nettle, parsley, rose hips, sage, sarsaparilla, skullcap, wild yam.

Eat Your Herbs
I incorporate herbs into our family's diet by using them liberally when I prepare meals. I also add extra nutritional herbs like parsley and chickweed to my pesto. You can pretty much add anything green (in moderation of course) to a batch of pesto and it will still taste delicious!

We grow most of our own herbs and dry them for use all year long. We also get a great deal on amazing organic bulk herbs from Mt. Rose Herbs.

Nourishing Daily Brews

Daily infusions of nourishing herbs such as nettle, raspberry leaf, oatstraw,and lemon balm are a wonderful way to add extra nutrients to your diet. Children and toddlers can benefit from them as a healthy alternative to sugary juice drinks. Herbs that help tame stress and anxiety can also play a huge part in keeping our systems in balance. A convenient way to prepare your daily brews is to make them in the evening and let them steep overnight. In the morning you can strain out the plant material and refrigerate your infusion if desired, or carry it with you to drink throughout the day.

The Science of Mother Love: Is Science Catching Up to Mother's Wisdom?

2010-02-18T08:21:00.005-08:00

With February being the month of LOVE I thought it only fitting to take a look at the biological origins of love - how it is developed and nurtured in our species. As a mother who birthed naturally and breastfed my babes, this article really resonates with me. My eldest child is now a teen and I am so grateful that she is so solid in who she is. I'm grateful also that my girls are still so family-bonded and not caught up in the trappings of technology or left under the "electronic stewardship" that so many of their peers are. Their childhoods go by so fast! I count each moment as a blessing. By allowing their early lives to unfold as naturally as possible I have also learned a great deal about love. We truly are operating in a "limbic loop" as this article describes. Please read and comment on your experiences of birth, bonding and love in your home.
~LOVE, Annica

The Science of Mother Love: Is Science Catching Up to Mother's Wisdom?

A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the way babies are cared for by their mothers will determine not only their emotional development, but the biological development of the child's brain and central nervous system as well.

The nature of love, and how the capacity to love develops, has become the subject of scientific study over the last decade. New data is emerging from a multitude of disciplines including neurology, psychology, biology, ethology, anthropology and neurocardiology. Something scientific disciplines find in common when putting love under the microscope is that in addition to shaping the brains of infants, mother's love acts as a template for love itself and has far reaching effects on her child's ability to love throughout life.

To mothers holding their newborn babies it will come as little surprise that the 'decade of the brain' has lead science to the wisdom of the mother's heart.

According to Alan Schore, assistant clinical professor in the department of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA School of Medicine, a major conclusion of the last decade of developmental neuroscience research is that the infant brain is designed to be molded by the environment it encounters.1 In other words, babies are born with a certain set of genetics, but they must be activated by early experience and interaction. Schore believes the most crucial component of these earliest interactions is the primary caregiver - the mother. "The child's first relationship, the one with the mother, acts as a template, as it permanently molds the individual's capacities to enter into all later emotional relationships." Others agree. The first months of an infant's life constitute what is known as a critical period - a time when events are imprinted in the nervous system.

"Hugs and kisses during these critical periods make those neurons grow and connect properly with other neurons." Says Dr. Arthur Janov, in his book Biology of Love. "You can kiss that brain into maturity."

Hormones, The Language of Love

In his beautiful book, The Scientification of Love, French obstetrician Michel Odent explains how Oxytocin, a hormone released by the pituitary gland stimulates the release of chemical messengers in the heart. Oxytocin, which is essential during birth, stimulating contractions, and during lactation, stimulating the 'milk ejection reflex', is also involved in other 'loving behaviors'. "It is noticeable that whatever the facet of love we consider, oxytocin is involved.' Says Odent. "During intercourse both partners - female and male - release oxytocin." One study even shows that the simple act of sharing a meal with other people increases our levels of this 'love hormone'.2

The altruistic oxytocin is part of a complex hormonal balance. A sudden release of Oxytocin creates an urge toward loving which can be directed in different ways depending on the presence of other hormones, which is why there are different types of love. For example, with a high level of prolactin, a well-known mothering hormone, the urge to love is directed toward babies.

While Oxytocin is an altruistic hormone and prolactin a mothering hormone, endorphins represent our 'reward system'. "Each time we mammals do something that benefits the survival of the species, we are rewarded by the secretion of these morphine-like substances." Says Odent.

During birth there is also an increase in the level of endorphins in the fetus so that in the moments following birth both mother and baby are under the effects of opiates. The role of these hormones is to encourage dependency, which ensures a strong attachment between mother and infant. In situations of failed affectional bonding between mother and baby there will be a deficiency of the appropriate hormones, which could leave a child susceptible to substance abuse in later life as the system continually attempts to right itself.3 You can say no to drugs, but not to neurobiology. Human brains have evolved from earlier mammals. The first portion of our brain that evolved on top of its reptilian heritage is the limbic system, the seat of emotion. It is this portion of the brain that permits mothers and their babies to bond. Mothers and babies are hardwired for the experience of togetherness. The habits of breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and babywearing practiced by the majority of mothers in non-industrialized cultures, and more and more in our own, facilitate two of the main components needed for optimal mother/child bonding: proximity and touch.

PROXIMITY, Between Mammals, the Nature of Love is Heart to Heart

In many ways it's obvious why a helpless newborn would require continuous close proximity to a caregiver; they're helpless and unable to provide for themselves. But science is unveiling other less obvious benefits of holding baby close. Mother/child bonding isn't just for brains, but is also an affair of the heart. In his 1992 work, Evolution's End, Joseph Chilton Pearce describes the dual role of the heart cell, saying that it not only contracts and expands rhythmically to pump blood, it communicates with its fellow cells. "If you isolate a cell from the heart, keep it alive and examine it through a microscope, you will see it lose it's synchronous rhythm and begin to fibrillate until it dies. If you put another isolated heart cell on that microscopic slide it will also fibrillate . If you move the two cells within a certain proximity, however , they synchronize and beat in unison." Perhaps this is why most mothers instinctively place their babies to their left breast, keeping those hearts in proximity. The heart produces the hormone, ANF that dramatically affects every major system of the body. "All evidence indicates that the mother's developed heart stimulates the newborn heart, thereby activating a dialogue between the infant's brain-mind and heart." says Pearce who believes this heart to heart communication activates intelligences in the mother also. "On holding her infant in the left-breast position with its corresponding heart contact, a major block of dormant intelligences is activated in the mother, causing precise shifts of brain function and permanent behavior changes." In this beautiful dynamic the infant's system is activated by being held closely; and this proximity also stimulates a new intelligence in the mother, which helps her to respond to and nurture her infant. Pretty nifty plan - and another good reason to aim for a natural birth. If nature is handing out intelligence to help us in our role as mothers we want to be awake and alert!

TOUCH

"The easiest and quickest way to induce depression and alienation in an infant or child is not to touch it, hold it, or carry it on your body." - James W. Prescott, PhD

Research in neuroscience has shown that touch is necessary for human development and that a lack of touch damages not only individuals, but our whole society. Human touch and love is essential to health. A lack of stimulus and touch very early on causes the stress hormone, cortisol to be released which creates a toxic brain environment and can damage certain brain structures. According to James W. Prescott, PhD, of the Institute of Humanistic Science, and former research scientist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, sensory deprivation results in behavioral abnormalities such as depression, impulse dyscontrol, violence, substance abuse, and in impaired immunological functioning in mother deprived infants.4 For over a million years babies have enjoyed almost constant in-arms contact with their mothers or other caregivers, usually members of an extended family, receiving constant touch for the first year or so of life. "In nature's nativity scene, mother's arms have always been baby's bed, breakfast, transportation, even entertainment, and, for most of the world's babies, they still are." says developmental psychologist, Sharon Heller in, The Vital Touch: How Intimate Contact With Your Baby Leads to Happier, Healthier Development.5

To babies,touch = love and fully loved babies develop healthy brains. During the critical period of development following birth the infant brain is undergoing a massive growth of neural connections. Synaptic connections in the cortex continue to proliferate for about two years, when they peak. During this period one of the most crucial things to survival and healthy development is touch. All mammal mothers seem to know this instinctively, and, if allowed to bond successfully with their babies they will provide continuous loving touch.

Touch deprivation in infant monkeys is so traumatic their whole system goes haywire, with an increase of stress hormones, increased heart rate, compromised immune system and sleep disturbances.6

With only 25% of our adult brain size, we are the least mature at birth of any mammal. Anthropologist, Ashley Montagu concluded that given our upright position and large brains, human infants are born prematurely while our heads can still fit through the birth canal, and that brain development must therefore extend into postnatal life. He believed the human gestation period to actually be eighteen months long - nine in the womb and another nine outside it, and that touch is absolutely vital to this time of "exterogestation."7

Newborns are born expecting to be held, handled, cuddled, rubbed, kissed, and maybe even licked! All mammals lick their newborns vigorously, off and on, during the first hours and days after birth in order to activate their sensory nerve endings, which are involved in motor movements, spatial, and visual orientation. These nerve endings cannot be activated until after birth due to the insulation of the watery womb environment and the coating of vernix casseus on the baby's skin.

Recall Dr. Janov's claim that you can kiss a brain into maturity. Janov believes that very early touch is central to developing a healthy brain. "Irrespective of the neurojuices involved, it is clear that lack of love changes the chemicals in the brain and can eventually change the structure of that brain."

BREASTFEEDING: Liquid Love

Breastfeeding neatly brings together nourishment for baby with the need for closeness shared by mother and child; and is another crucial way that mother's love helps shape baby's brain. Research shows that breastmilk is the perfect "brain food", essential for normal brain development, particularly, those brain processes associated with depression, violence, and social and sexual behaviors.8

Mother's milk, a living liquid, contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids for human digestion, brain development, and growth. It also contains many immunities a baby needs in early life while her own immune system is maturing. One more instance of mother extending her own power, (love) to her developing child.

LIMBIC REGULATION: The Loop of Love

Another key to understanding how a mother's love shapes the emerging capacities of her infant is what doctors Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini, and Richard Lannon , authors of A General Theory of Love, call limbic regulation; a mutually synchronizing hormonal exchange between mother and child which serves to regulate vital rhythms.

Human physiology, they say, does not direct all of its own functions; it is interdependent. It must be steadied by the physical presence of another to maintain both physical and emotional health. "Limbic regulation mandates interdependence for social mammals of all ages." says Lewis, "But young mammals are in special need of it's guidance: their neural systems are not only immature but also growing and changing. One of the physiologic processes that limbic regulation directs, in other words, is the development of the brain itself - and that means attachment determines the ultimate nature of a child's mind." A baby's physiology is maximally open-loop: without limbic regulation, vital rhythms collapse posing great danger, even death.

The regulatory information required by infants can alter hormone levels, cardiovascular function, sleep rhythms, immune function, and more. Lewis, et al contend that , the steady piston of mother's heart along with the regularity of her breathing coordinate the ebb and flow of an infant's young internal rhythms. They believe sleep to be an intricate brain rhythm which the neurally immature infant must first borrow from parents. "Although it sounds outlandish to some American ears, exposure to parents can keep a sleeping baby alive."

The Myth of Independence

This interdependence mandated by limbic regulation is vital during infancy, but it's also something we need throughout the rest of childhood and on into adulthood. In many ways, humans cannot be stable on their own-we require others to survive. Recall that our nervous systems are not self-contained; they link with those of the people close to us in a silent rhythm that helps regulate our physiology. This is not a popular notion in a culture that values independence over interdependence. However, as a society that cherishes individual freedoms more than any other, we must respect the process whereby autonomy develops.

Children require ongoing neural synchrony from parents in order for their natural capacity for self-directedness to emerge. A mother's love is a continuous shaping force throughout childhood and requires an adequate stage of dependency. The work of Mary Ainsworth has shown that maternal responsiveness and close bodily contact lead to the unfolding of self-reliance and self confidence.9 Because our culture does not sufficiently value interpersonal relationships, the mother/child bond is not recognized and supported as it could be.

The ability of a mother to read the emotional state of her child is older than our own species, and is essential to our survival, health and happiness. We are reminded of this each time a hurt child changes from sad/scared/angry to peaceful in our loving embrace. Warm human contact generates the internal release of opiates, making mother's love a powerful anodyne. Even teenagers who sometimes behave as if they are 'so over' the need for a mother's affection must be kept in the limbic loop. Children at this age might be at special risk for falling through the emotional cracks. If they don't get the emotional regulation that family relationships are designed to provide, their hungry brains may seek ineffectual substitutes like drugs and alcohol.

Children left too long under the electronic stewardship of television, video games, etc., are not receiving the steady limbic connection with a resonant parent. Without this a child cannot internalize emotional balance properly.

Our hearts and brains are hardwired for love, and from infancy to old age our health and happiness depend on receiving it.

As the research keeps coming in and we gain a gradually expanding vision of how mother love shapes our species, we see an obvious need to take steps to protect and provide for the mother/child bond. We can take heart knowing that all the while we carry in our genes over a million years of evolutionary refinements equipping us for our role as mothers. The answers sought by science beat steadily within our own hearts.

NOTES
1. Schore, Alan, Effects of a Secure Attachment Relationship on Right Brain Development, Affect Regulation, and Infant Mental Health, 2001
2.Verbalis, J.G., McCann, McHale and Stricker, 'Oxytocin secretion in response to cholecystoknin and food: differentiation of nausea from satiety.' Science 1986, 232: 1417-19
3. Prescott, James W., PhD, Breastfeeding: Brain Nutrients in Brain Development For Human Love and Peace, From Touch The Future Newsletter, Spring 1997 http://www.violence.de/prescott/ttf/article.html
4. Prescott, James W., PhD, The Origins of Human Love and Violence, From Pre and Perinatal Psychology Journal, Volume 10, #3: Spring 1996
5. Henry Holt, 1997
6. Prescott, James W. , Ph.D , Rock A Bye Baby, Time Life Documentary, 1970, Executive Producer: Lothar Wolff, Scientific Consultant. (last modified 2001/04/16).
7. Montagu, Ashley Touching : The Human Significance of the Skin, Harper, 1986
8. Prescott, James W., PhD, Breastfeeding: Brain Nutrients in Brain Development For Human Love and Peace, From Touch The Future Newsletter, Spring 1997 http://www.violence.de/prescott/ttf/article.html
9. Ainsworth, M.D.S., "Attachments Across the Life Span." Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine 61, 1985

By Cori Young Originally published by Mothering Magazine

Do You Realize???

2010-02-12T13:36:00.004-08:00

Here is my Valentine's day gift to you.
PLEASE watch this short video. I promise you will be glad you did.

Oh, and if you own a crown, put it on now!

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space -
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - Oh - Oh - Oh
Do You Realize - that everyone you know
Someday will die -

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day week end all!

If you're still wearing your crown, why not leave it on the rest of the day?

Herbs For Men's Health

2010-02-11T10:09:00.005-08:00

Ever noticed how there's not much information out there about herbs for men that doesn't have to do with enlargement of the male?
Recently, more and more men have started to seek herbal healing - though certainly not yet in the numbers that women do.
Retailers of herbs find that male health formulas are often bought by women caring for a husband, father, son, or friend. The majority of purchases of herbs are for care of the prostate and treatment of erectile dysfunction. These herbs are usually bought by women.
Are there really no other uses of herbs for the males of the species?

Here re some great herbs for men's health:

Eleuthero

The herb once known as “Siberian ginseng” and now called Eleuthero was a favorite of trainers and coaches of Olympic athletes in the old Soviet Union. When the word about Eleuthero got out, Western scientists put it to the test. A study of six baseball players found that taking Eleuthero for 8 days increased breathing capacity. That is, Eleuthero gave the players more wind to sprint between bases. In another clinical test, scientists in Australia found that men (and women) who took Eleuthero 8 weeks had 13% strength gains in the pectoral muscles and 15% in the biceps. And a company in New Jersey found that taking Eleuthero for 8 weeks increased the body’s ability to burn fat through exercise by about 43%. The scientists running these tests recruited experienced athletes. The benefits of this readily available herb are even more noticeable in beginning athletes. Just be sure to take the herb for at least 8 weeks for best results.
Combining Eleuthero with other herbs can be even better. Soviet scientists found taking both Schisandra and Eleuthero benefited endurance athletes by giving them an immune system boost. The two herbs together helped prevent colds, flu, and other infections after athletic events.
Eleuthero is not the only herb for athletes. American trainers report a combination of Sea Buckthorn, Wild Oats, and Stinging Nettle increases strength, anaerobic power (muscle output when the athlete is out of breath), endurance time, and even feelings of well being. For best results, increase the Vitamin C foods in your diet when you take these herbs.

American Ginseng

American Ginseng is Eleuthero’s kinder and gentler cousin. It is especially helpful for males engaged in weight control. A study published last year in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition noted that men who take at least 3 grams of American Ginseng per day experience lower blood sugars and lower insulin levels after eating. Lower levels of insulin lead to a lesser tendency to store food as fat. Weight lost by diet and exercise is more likely to stay off when men use American ginseng.

St. John’s Wort

Of course, weight loss is easier with the help of human growth hormone. Human growth hormone is practically a panacea. It treats an astonishing array of health problems of both men and women. And that’s not all. Human growth hormone also makes muscle.
The herb most trainers don’t realize can increase human growth hormone production is St. John’s Wort. Usually used to treat depression, St. John’s Wort helps cells in the pituitary to “soak up” excesses of the stress hormone norepinephrine. With this stress hormone out of the way, the pituitary produces more human growth hormone. An oddity of using St. John’s Wort for this application is that less is more. Taking 900 mg of standardized hypericin doesn’t have this effect. Taking the whole herb, which releases less hypericin but more of the other chemicals in the herb, does.

Green Tea

Once you grow all those muscles, herbs can help prevent aches, pains, and strains. Green tea, in particular, provides a hefty dose of flavonoid antioxidants that short-circuit the production of inflammatory hormones in damaged muscle. The advantage of Green tea over other sources of flavonoids (spinach, for example) is that it does not have to be consumed with fat to provide readily available flavonoids to the body.

Oregano

And when you are cooking, don’t leave out the Oregano. Oregano has 3 to 20 times higher antioxidant activity than any other culinary herb. Gram per gram, Oregano has 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and four times more than blueberries.

Ashwagandha

Not to be forgotten, of course, are the herbs for male reproductive health. Indian, Iranian, Arab, and Pakistani herbal traditions have recommended Ashwagandha for thousands of years as a “brain herb” for male potency. Laboratory studies with mice find that Ashwagandha reconnects the circuits in the brain that have been broken by stress. In men, the pathways that “put the brakes” on ejaculation can become “broken” by stress. Dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system causes premature ejaculation. Repairing “broken circuits” is theoretically one of the ways Ashwagandha helps restore male potency. The effects of Ashwagandha are usually noticed within 48 hours of taking the first dose.

Muira Puama

The rain forest herb Muira Puama comes to us from Peru, but its efficacy in increasing male potency was proven in studies in France. The key to using Muira Puama effectively is in how you take it—a little lemon juice in a chaser of water after taking the herb greatly increases the release of its active tannins. A little lemon juice also unlocks the active principles of Epimedium, aka horny goat weed, traditional Chinese medicine’s remedy for men who have lost interest in sex.

Yohimbe

Yohimbe, perhaps the best known of the aphrodisiac herbs for men, acts on a principle very similar to Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra, but doesn’t have the side effects of stuffy nose, sniffles, or seeing blue! Even men who do not suffer erectile dysfunction note an enhanced experience after taking Yohimbe. Results are noted within 4 hours of taking the herb.

Saw Palmetto

For men with prostate problems, Saw Palmetto is a proven treatment. There are advantages to the whole herb not to be found in its chemical extract. Improvement in urinary capacity is a little slower with the whole herb, but the side-benefits are improved respiratory health, improved muscle strength, and a general sense of well being that only the whole saw palmetto berry supports. Consider capsules of freeze dried Saw Palmetto to obtain the full range of benefits of this versatile herb.

Please share this with the men in your life!

Herb Profile ~ Ashwagandha

2010-02-09T17:07:00.006-08:00

Also known as- Withania somnifera, Indian Ginseng, Avarada, Withania

I've been learning a lot lately about this interesting herb. Ashwagandha is a member of the nightshade family, however it should be noted that that unlike other nightshades, Ashwagandha lacks the poisonous attributes. Typically found and cultivated in India, Ashwagandha has been popularly applied to those with overworked and often hyper-tense lives. Ashwagandha is India's native answer to Ginseng and it is currently being applied in Ayurvedic medicine to treat hypertension and stress related ailments. Recent studies have attempted to popularize its use as a preliminary treatment for male infertility and impotence problems. I am drawn to the flavor. It's sweet and woody with a slightly bitter aftertaste. It's being studied for it's possible use in treating thyroid disorders - especially auto-immune related ones.

Herbalist David Winston describes the adaptogen effects of this herb:

"Ashwagandha root (Withania somnifera) – Bitter, sweet, warm, dryWestern Classification: Adaptogen, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antispasmodic, astringent, immuneamphoteric, sedative (mild).This herb is one of the Rasayana (rejuvenative) herbs of Ayurveda. It is one of the few calmingadaptogens and has traditionally been used for anxiety, bad dreams, mild OCD, insomnia, and nervousexhaustion. It acts as an antispasmodic & anti-inflammatory and is very useful for fibromyalgia (with Kava and Scullcap), restless leg syndrome, mild Tourette’s syndrome, and osteo-arthritis. It is animmune amphoteric useful for hyper- and hypo-immune conditions. I find it especially useful for autoimmune conditions affecting the muscles and joints such as rheumatoid arthritis, AnkylosingSpondylitis, polymyositis, and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). It enhances male fertility (sperm countand sperm motility) and, due to its iron content, it benefits iron-deficient anemia. Ashwagandha also stimulates thyroid function. Studies in mice showed significant increases of serum T3(18%) andT4(111%) after 20 days of use8."

I've been using some Ashwagandha Extract for about a week and I do feel an increase in energy and clearer thinking.

Please share your experiences with this wonderful herb.

Natural Aphrodisiacs

2010-02-08T16:50:00.004-08:00

Aphrodisiacs are named after Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty. They can be anything including foods, drugs, scents or any device that can arouse or induce feelings of sexual desire. Aphrodisiacs have a powerful impact on the mind by triggering the release of chemicals in the brain which then stimulate certain organs.
Aphrodisiacs have even been hailed as being of great help in treating sexual dysfunction and increasing female and male libido. While aphrodisiacs may be considered by some as folklore and mythology, many claims have been made about their potential libido enhancing powers.

Most aphrodisiacs enhance aspects of the sensory experience such as sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing - which in turn increases sexual drive or libido, improves performance and results in greater sexual satisfaction.

Aphrodisiac Foods

Some vegetables like asparagus, carrots, cucumbers and artichoke are suggestive of sex due to their phallic shapes.
Veggies like celery actually contain androstone which is thought to increase libido.

Fruits such as bananas, avocados, pomegranates, figs, papayas and peaches. And who hasn't been tempted by a chocolate covered strawberry?

Oats ~ we've all heard the saying "sewing your wild oats." In addition to being high in nerve strengthening minerals, oats are said to raise testosterone levels.

Shellfish such as oysters, caviar and shrimp are all highin minerals that support healthy hormone production.

There are also a variety of plants and herbs which have been used for centuries in traditional medicine around the world in order to restore or enhance sexual pleasure.

Aphrodisiac Herbs

Herbs such as basil, cloves, garlic, ginger, ginseng, aniseed, nutmeg and licorice and spices such as cardamom, chili pepper, and asafetida all have been used traditionally to support a healthy libido.

There are also some professional herbal formulas that many people find quite effective.

Sensual scents such as vanilla, patchouli and musk are popular aphrodisiacs used in perfumes, lotions and massage oils.

Here's my favorite oil to use for a romantic massage:

Passion Massage Oil Recipe
Sandalwood, rose and patchouli create an exotic scent that lingers on your skin for hours.

6 tablespoons almond oil
2 tablespoons jojoba oil
25 drops sandalwood essential oil
10 drops rose essential oil
5 drops patchouli essential oil

Mix oils together in a tightly capped bottle. Shake well before using.

I really think that ultimatley, the most powerful aphrodisiac is the brain. Chocolate comes in a mighty close second though!

Please share your favorite aphrodisiacs...

Hippie Butter Recipe

2010-02-03T09:55:00.006-08:00

Almost everyone is familiar with the health benefits of nutritional yeast. Maybe you've tried it on popcorn - if not - do! Or maybe you've used it in soups or sauces. Today I'm going to share our family's favorite way to use nutritional yeast: Hippie Butter! My kids started calling it this years ago when they became convinced that "we eat like hippies." That's another post though!

This slightly nutty, almost cheesy-tasting spread is super easy to make and is delicious on almost anything you would normally use butter on. Plus, it has the added health benefits of garlic and olive oil as well! It's a fantastic alternative for people who can't have dairy. Hippie Butter is also a great way to get raw garlic into your diet.

HIPPIE BUTTER RECIPE

In a small jar, combine equal parts Extra virgin Olive Oil & Nutritional Yeast. Stir well and adjust to achieve the desired consistency. Next add 1 clove of finely minced garlic and a dash of tamari. Stir well.

Voila!
You can adjust the flavors as desired - we go for more garlic, especially for mashed potatoes!

Nutritional yeast is not the same as active yeast that is used to make bread rise.
It is super high in the b-complex vitamins and is a great source of B12 for vegetarians. Nutritional yeast contains selenium, chromium, 18 types of amino acids and helps maintain healthy intestinal flora.

Please share your favorite way to use nutritional yeast!

Sprout Something!

2010-01-30T15:46:00.004-08:00

I know it's the dead of winter and if you're like me, you are itching to see some signs of life! Honestly, it's all I can do to wait patiently for Spring. I miss my greens! I miss my flowers! I miss seeing the kids out in the garden grazing on peas and strawberries and green beans. I would trade my kingdom to pop a juicy cherry tomato - warmed by the sun into my waiting mouth! (Don't even get me started on the price I paid for cucumbers yesterday!)
Well, today I want to share a way to get a little growing action in your kitchen - Sprouts!
Sprouting seeds are treasure troves of nutrition and have been grown by civilizations around the world for more than 5,000 years. Sprouts are considered to be one of the world’s “Super foods” because of their remarkable nutritional content. All natural edible sprouts from organic sprouting seeds offer both flavor and nutrients for culinary dishes throughout the world and have become a staple for many worldwide diets. They are easy to grow, economical, and one pound of sprouting seed can usually generate about five pounds of sprouts!
Sprouting your own seeds can be done all year long - in the winter, summer, spring or fall with just a nice spot in front of your favorite window.
One great benefit of sprouting seeds is that anyone can do it! You may grow your sprouts from start to finish on the kitchen counter with just the light they get from around the room or a little indirect sunlight. Contrary to popular belief, when growing sprouts, room light is nothing to worry about. Sprouts can't begin photosynthesis until they have leaves.

Watch this excellent short video from Mt. Rose Herbs to see how easy sprouting is:

Not only is sprouting your own seeds a lot of fun but there many advantages of sprouting ones own seeds. Increases in protein quality, fiber content, essential fatty acids, and vitamin content are just a few of the amazing nutritional changes that occur upon germination.

Seed Sources Matter!

I get my sprouting seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs because they are guaranteed certified organic and Kosher certified.

Sprouting times for different varieties of seeds will vary. Below is a list of some of the most common sprouting seeds and typical amount of time to yummy sprouts. Of course, tasting along the way will help you determine when your sprouts taste best.

Red Clover: 3-5 days
Broccoli: 3-6 days
Alfalfa: 5-6 days
Red Lentil: 4-6 days
Radish: 3-5 days
Buckwheat: 3-5 days

Organic Bulk Sprouting Seeds

Nutritional Riches of Seaweed

2010-01-28T20:36:00.008-08:00

I crave seaweed. I always have. Something about the salt, the rich flavors, the bright colors and textures. My family loves it too. We put dulse flakes on popcorn (delicious!)and add it to soups and salads. We also munch on sheets of nori and use it for seaweed wraps. I even put powdered kelp in capsules for times when I need some extra energy.
Harvested from the abundant depths of the ocean, sewaeeds offer a big dose of minerals, including iodine and lots of fiber. A little dried seaweed each day in food provides a simple and economical way for people to enjoy the numerous benefits Seaweed provides.
Seaweed comes in quite a few different varieties, all with their own unique properties.
Here's the nutritional lowdown on some of the most popular types of seaweed...

KELP

Kelp is also known as Bull Kelp or Giant Kelp. Charles Darwin once described the Kelp beds off the coast of South America as “giant aquatic forests”. Coastal and island populations have used Kelp for food, crafting and medicine for generations. Today however, the popularity of Kelp is growing as both a gourmet food and as a possible cancer fighting substance. Japanese studies have shown that the high Iodine value in Kelp assists with healthy thyroid function, and in the 1990’s scientists isolated constituents in Kelp that have potent anti-tumor properties. The alginates in Kelp (complex polysaccharides have a soothing and cleansing effect on the digestive tract and are known to prevent the absorption of toxic metals like mercury, cadmium, plutonium and cesium. Kelp alginates are effective in treating habitual constipation and gastric bloating because they swell in intestinal juices rather than water or gastric juices and are non-irritating. Kelp’s naturally salty flavor comes from potassium rather than sodium, making it a great substitute for salty snacks. Dried Kelp fronds are delicious, and may be used in entrees, soups, salads, encapsulated, or in extract form. In addition, powdered Kelp can be added to smoothies, juices, or teas.

KOMBU

Kombu is one of the several edible species of kelp found in Japan and is an important ingredient in Japanese cuisine used to flavor broths and stews. Kombu is a well-known dark, green, long thick sea vegetable from the Kelp family. It is used extensively as one of the three main ingredients needed to make dashi, a soup stock. Kombu is usually sold dried or in a dried shred called "Oboro kombu" but may also be eaten fresh as sashimi. Kombu may be pickled with sweet and sour flavoring and cut into small strips and eaten as a snack with green tea. Kombu can also be sprinkled and crushed into practically any dish which requires a salty taste.

WAKAME

Wakame is seaweed that looks and tastes like a slippery spinach. Wakame can be used in the same ways as Kombu in soups and as an addition to green or fruit salads. When dried Wakame is soaked in water it expands to at least 10 times its dried size. Recent research has found that some of the fibers in Wakame help prevent colon cancer by providing antioxidants in addition to preventing the "fermentation" and oxidation of food as it passes through the large intestine. The fucoidan sugars in Wakame are antiviral against cytomegalovirus and herpes. A study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine reported that taking an extract of Wakame prevented and reduced the severity of recurrent herpes outbreaks. Daily consumption of small amounts of the reconstituted seaweed (a tablespoon of reconstituted seaweed prepared by soaking one-quarter teaspoon of dried seaweed) may lower blood pressure. The Japanese Journal of Cancer Research reports preliminary findings that daily consumption of small amounts of Wakame may be more beneficial in treating certain kinds of breast cancer in women than chemotherapy. The extract made from Wakame has most recently been touted as a breakthrough in weight loss, specifically targeting abdominal fat accumulation.

NORI

Nori or Porphyra is red seaweed that grows off the coast of Japan. One of the oldest descriptions about Nori is dated to the 8th century in the Utsubo Story written around 987 where it was recognized as a common food. In Wales and other parts of Europe Nori is called laver. Nori is perhaps best known in the U.S. as a wrap for sushi but it has a long history of use in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is used to promote healthy circulation, combat thyroid problems, treat soft swellings such as goiters and lung conditions, kidney disease, fatty cysts, painful urination, hypertension, nervous disorders, edema, warts, and indigestion. Much of the beneficial effect comes from its diuretic effect and from high mineral and iodine content. In addition, Nori may help the body break down fatty foods, and it has some antibiotic properties. Like all seaweed, Nori is excellent for Vegans as it provides up to ten times more calcium and iron by weight than milk. It is easy to incorporate into culinary items, and it may be added to soups, salads, entrees, or sushi.

DULSE

Dulse is red seaweed harvested in the cool waters along the Atlantic coast of Canada and along the shores of Ireland and Norway. Its fronds grow in tidal areas on rocks, shells, and on larger seaweeds. Dulse is a good source of minerals and vitamins compared with other vegetables and it contains all trace elements needed for proper growth, development, and physiology. In several traditions of European herbal medicine, Dulse was used to remove parasites, to relieve constipation, and as a treatment for scurvy. It is a superior source of phytochemicals the body needs to make thyroid hormones that affect weight and metabolic rate. Dulse is a gentle alternative to Psyllium or Senna for the treatment of constipation. There are many culinary uses for Dulse. Sun-dried, it can be eaten as is or ground to flakes or powder. It can also be pan fried quickly (garlic butter optional) into tasty chips, baked in the oven covered with cheese then add salsa, or microwaved briefly for a crispy treat. Dulse can also be used in soups, chowders, sandwiches and salads, or added to bread/pizza dough. To get the benefits of Dulse it can also be used in tea, encapsulated, or tinctured.

BLADDERWRACK

Bladderwrack is seaweed found on the coasts of the North Sea, the western Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans It was the original source of iodine, discovered in the early 1800’s, and was used extensively to treat goiter. In the 1860s, it was claimed that Bladderwrack could counter obesity by increasing the metabolic rate. Recently, it has been featured in numerous weight-loss remedies. A common food in Japan, Bladderwrack is used as an additive and flavoring in various food products. Bladderwrack is commonly found as a component of kelp tablets or powders used as nutritional supplements in connection with constipation, diarrhea, gastritis, gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), heartburn, hypothyroidism, indigestion, iodine deficiency, wound healing (topical). Modern research reveals Bladderwrack can be an alternative to soy in supporting women's health. A study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2004 reported that women who consume Bladderwrack can experience normalization of short menstrual cycles and relief from severe PMS.

IRISH MOSS

Irish Moss is a tough, stringy red, yellow, or purple seaweed growing up to 6 inches (250 mm) high on rocks in tidal pools along the northern Atlantic. It is harvested at low tide and dried in the sun to make carrageenans, a thickening agent for jellies, puddings, and soups. As a traditional herbal remedy in Ireland, the powder is appropriate for making herbal combinations for coughs and colds, but the whole plant is best for treating indigestion and constipation. Like many of the other seaweeds, Irish Moss is used as a filler, stabilizer and emulsifier in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and a wide array of body care products.

Here are some wonderful seaweed recipes
excerpted from Healing Wise, A Wise Woman's Herbal by Susun Weed.

Mother Earth Ocean Soup

Ingredients: 3 onions, chopped, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 6 potatoes, cubed, 2 carrots sliced, 2 parsnips, 1 cup sliced dried or fresh wild greens, 1 cup dried seaweed of your choice, 12 cups pure water. Method of Preparation: Saute onions in oil until brown. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook until vegetables are done. Adjust seasonings adding sea salt as needed and let mellow overnight or serve immediately.

Green and Purple Salad

Ingredients: 4 cups of watercress, 1 cup dulse pieces, 1 cup goat cheese. Olive oil and lemon at table for dressing. Method of Preparation: Tear watercress and dulse into pieces. Arrange on 4 plates of brilliant hue. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese. Dress with oil and lemon. Voila!

Carrot/Onion/Hijiki

Ingredients: 1 cup dried hijiki, 1 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 onions crescent cut, 2 carrots diagonal cut, 1 tablespoon tamari. Method of Preparation: Soak hijiki in water about 20 to 30 minutes. Cut onions in half from top to bottom, then cut into slices. Cook onions in oil until very brown. Put the carrots in an even layer over the onions. Top with a layer of hijiki. Add tamari and about half of the soaking water and cover pan tightly. Cook until the carrots are tender.

What's your favorite way to enjoy seaweed? Share your favorite seaweed recipe with us!

RESOURCES

Bulk Seaweed

Bach Flower Remedies for Stress

2010-01-24T11:09:00.009-08:00

By Guest Blogger Tess Thompson
Edward Bach, a qualified medical doctor in England, inspired by the homeopathic system of preparing remedies, developed what are known today as Bach flower remedies. During his stint at the London Homeopathic Hospital, he developed seven bacterial nosodes  homeopathic dilutions created from biological agents including vomit, feces or infected human tissue. These remedies did not receive much recognition, but his penchant for discovering new healing techniques led him to create more remedies, including those that were produced from flowers. These remedies became more popular and became known as Bach flower remedies.

Instead of recognizing that microorganisms are the cause of disease, Bach subscribed to the theory that illness is the result of ‘a contradiction between the purposes of the soul and the personality’s point of view’. He claimed that it is this internal conflict that leads to negative moods— resulting in consequent blockage of energy and disharmony that further leads to physical disease.

Bach claimed that some wildflowers have a soul or energy that has a close connection with the human soul. He claimed that he had to simply hold a flower or taste it to understand its healing power. Bach flower remedies do not include any part of the plant. Instead, as claimed by Bach, they are based on the transfer of the ‘spiritual energy’ of a flower to water. He considered that dew drops on a plant heated by the sun were enough to transfer the healing properties from the plant. The remedy is therefore prepared by a concoction of flower ‘essence’ and mineral water or brandy.

The better known Bach flower remedies are those prepared from plants that are believed to relieve stress, anxiety and panic attacks. These flowers are chosen from a wide variety depending upon the type of emotion. For example, to alleviate stress symptoms arising from general anger and bitterness, holly is the preferred plant. Vervain is used in cases of hatred that stems from injustice.

The theory that flowers have healing properties and a method of preparation can be created to use these healing properties to cure conditions is based on Bach’s intuitions and physical discovery of the healing powers of 38 wildflowers. Although inspired by homeopathy, the remedies are not prepared according to the strict principles of dilution and succession; hallmarks of the process of preparing homeopathic remedies.

That a simple dilution of dew drops over a plant will provide stress relief seems to be a matter of faith rather than logic. But the fact is that flower remedies are still popular and there exist anecdotal evidences that prove efficacy. These are harmless concoctions, and if prepared according to strict laws governing preparation of medicine, they should not do harm.

For more excellent stress relief remedies please visit NativeRemedies.com

I LOVE Rescue Remedy! I carry it with me and use it in times of stress or emergency. What Bach Flower remedies do you like/use? ~Annica

Aphrodite Oil ~ Yum!

2010-01-21T13:09:00.005-08:00

Got my Mountain Rose Herbs order today and I am SO excited to have my bulk herb jars filled again. Got nettle, oatstraw, raspberry leaf and peppermint this time for my daily herbal infusions. I feel nourished just looking at them!
But what I'm really excited about is the yummy Aphrodite Oil I splurged on. I usually don't buy scented stuff without smelling it first but this blend came highly recommended and I am really glad I did! My senses are twinkling! I just love the combination of scents. It's exotic and sensual and not at all overpowering. It comes in a spray also which is cheaper, but I really wanted the oil. I really needed something new and exciting for my senses to break up winter's monotony and this stuff is just the ticket.
Mmmmm...

What are your favorite scents to wear in winter months?

Some Common Essential Oils & Their Properties

2010-01-20T09:37:00.003-08:00

Essential Oils are highly concentrated distilled plant essences. Very aromatic, they have a wide variety of uses. Essential oils have been used traditionally for treating specific ailments. In addition to treating physical conditions, these oils can effect people mentally and emotionally as well.

Some Common Essential Oils & Their Properties

BERGAMOT Balancing. Used to lift depression.

CEDARWOOD Antiseptic, astringent, expectorant, sedative. Used to balance the function of sweat glands, ease bronchial problems and to control mold & mildew.

CHAMOMILE Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic. Used for headaches, in warm baths, added to hair rinses, and in massage oils.

CLARY SAGE Popular antidepressant, anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and aphrodisiac. Used in skin and hair products and to counter insomnia. (Avoid in early months of pregnancy.)

CYPRESS Astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic. Used to repell fleas, reduce coughing, and for excessive perspiration.

EUCALYPTUS Antiseptic, antiviral, decongestant, disinfectant, expectorant. Has a balancing, normalizing effect. Used to reduce fever, ease sore muscles, repel insects, treatbites and stings.

GERANIUM Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, sedative, expectorant. Used for bronchitis, cleansing and purifying the environment, promotes cell regeneration.

HYSSOP Antiseptic, tonic. Used for cleansing and detoxifying, stimulating respiratory system, and clearing congestion from lungs. (Avoid if you have any type of seizure disorder.)

JASMINE Antidepressant, antiseptic, and sedative. Used for anxiety, emotional imbalance, frigidity and impotence. Good for the skin and scalp.

JUNIPER Antiseptic, detoxifier, diuretic, and internal cleanser. Used to rid the system of toxins and parasites, reduce spasms, and cellulite. (Not for use during pregnancy. or if you have kidney problems.)

LAVENDER Antiseptic. Used to calm and normalize the body, improve immune system, fight bacteria and fungal infection, ease depression, and reduce inflammation. Also useful in treating acne, burns, eczema, sleep disorders, and stress.

PATCHOULI Antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, antifungal. A popular scent used in personal fragrances and bath & body products.

PEPPERMINT Antiseptic, antispasmodic, mental stimulant. Used to treat headaches, congestion, fatigue, fever, indigestion, sore muscles, sinus and stomach problems. Popular in bath and oral care products.

PINE Antiseptic, antiviral, expectorant, restorative and stimulant.

ROSE Antidepressant, antiseptic, astringent, mild sedative. Used for female complaints, impotence, insomnia, and nervous tension. Popular in skin care products.

ROSEMARY Analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent. Used for cellulite, enhancing circulation, dandruff, hair loss, memory problems, headache, and muscle soreness.

ROSEWOOD Antiseptic, regenerative. Used for anxiety, cellular regeneration, depression, headaches, nausea, PMS, and tension.

SANDALWOOD Antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac. Used for bronchitis, nervousness, dry skin, and for soothing the mind.

THYME Antiseptic, antispasmodic, expectorant. Added to bath for a calming effect, and to ease congestion.

YARROW Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic. Used to lower blood pressure and improve digestion. Has similar functions as chamomile.

YLANG YLANG Antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, sedative. Used to lift mood, ease anxiety, normalize heartbeat, and lower blood pressure.

Herbal Profile ~ Olive Leaf

2010-01-16T09:48:00.006-08:00

Olea europaea
One of my favorite herbal allies, especially during the iwnter months is Olive Leaf. It is a fantastic herb known for it's ability to kick flu viruses, bacterial infections - even yeast overgrowth.

The olive is a small evergreen tree native to Mediterranean regions, but naturalized to climates as varied as those of Australia, California, and Texas. The well-known green to blue-black fruit of this tree yields a useful, edible oil. Both the oil and the dried green-grayish colored leaves are used in herbal medicine.

Olive leaf teas have been used for thousands of years to lower fevers, and olive leaf poultices are among the oldest therapies for infections of the skin.

Olive leaf contains a compound called oleuropein acid that is an effective immune system tonic. The oleuropein in olive leaf is a natural wide-spectrum antibiotic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. Unlike synthetic antibiotics, it destroys only the bad bacteria and protects the good. Olive leaf also contains the active ingredient Calcium enolate, which is directly responsible for supporting healthy phagocytosis, the immune system function in which phagocytes in the blood engulf and digest harmful foreign micro-organisms.

Olive leaf is effective against many viruses, bacteria and fungi and has been used to treatviruses like Epstein-Barr disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Herpes and even AIDS. It is said to be effective against even antibiotic resistant bacteria, yeast strains and fungi. Olive leaf's powerful anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents are often found useful in cases of yeast and fungal infections, herpes, chronic fatigue, allergies, psoriasis and many other pathogens.

Olive leaf extract also has broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Oleuropein has been shown to have an impact against infectious and virulent microbes.

Olive leaf also contains at least twelve powerful antioxidants which help protect the system from harmful free radicals.

Since it works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic, it is also used for colds, flu, and upper respiratory and sinus infections. In addition, it has been shown to lower blood sugar, normalize arrhythmias, inhibit oxidation of LDL (the bad cholesterol), and relax arterial walls, thereby helping to lower blood pressure.

Olive leaf appears to work by inhibiting the replication process of pathogens, which disables infections long enough for the immune system to eliminate it and keep it from spreading.

The standardized extract is ideal because it contains at least 20 percent of active ingredients. The traditional dosage is 500 mg to 2,000 mg a day.

Precautions
Olive leaf tea should be taken with meals. Safety of the herb during pregnancy has not been established. Some people get an upset tummy if they don' take it with food. In our family we've never had any problems.

Actions of Herbs

2010-01-14T12:17:00.005-08:00

Ever wonder what an "alterative" herb is? Or what constitues a "tonic"? Here's a list of herbal actions categories and the herbs that fall into each category...
Adaptogen Herbs
Substances which put the body into a state of non-specific heightened resistance in order to better resist stress and adapt to extraordinary challenges.
Aswagandha, Siberian Ginseng, Ginkgo, Gotu Kola, Ho-Shou-Wu, Licorice, Reishi, Schizandra, Shiitake, Suma.

Alterative Herbs
An herb that will gradually restore the proper function of the body and increase health and vitality. Sometimes referred to as blood purifiers.
Alfalfa, Black Cohosh, Blue Vervain, Boneset, Burdock ,Chaparral Leaf, Chickweed, Cleavers, Cornsilk, Dong Quai, Echinacea, Garlic, Gentian Root, Golden Seal, Gotu Kola, Ho-Shou-Wu, Irish Moss, Kelp, Licorice, Mandrake, Nettles, Oregon Grape, Pau d'Arco, Prickly Ash, Red Clover, Red Raspberry, Rhubarb, St. John’s Wort, , Sarsaparilla, White Willow, Yarrow, Yellow Dock, Yerba Santa, Yucca.

Analgesic Herbs
Analgesics or Anodynes are herbs that reduce pain.
Blue Vervain, Catnip, Chamomile, Dong Quai, Feverfew, Ginger, Jamaican Dogwood, Hops, Kava Kava, Lobelia, Passion Flower, Pau d’arco, Reishi, Safflower, Scullcap, St. John’s Wort, Valerian, White Willow.

Anthelmintic Herbs
Herbs that work against parasitic worms which may be present in the digestive system.
Black Walnut, Chaparral Leaf, Garlic, Mugwort, Sheep Sorrel, Wormwood.

Antibacterial Herbs
Herbs with properties that can inhibit bacterial growth.
Blessed Thistle, Cloves, Echinacea, Garlic, Kelp, Licorice, Myrrh, Pau d'Arco, Reishi, St. John’s Wort, Scullcap, Yucca.

Antibilious Herbs
Herbs that help the body to remove excess bile.
Barberry, Dandelion, Golden Seal, Mandrake, Vervain, Wild Yam, Wormwood.

Anticatarrhal Herbs
Herbs that help the body reduce excess mucous and phlegm.
Boneset, Echinacea, Elder, Garcinia, Garlic, Golden Seal, Hyssop, Marshmallow, Oregon Grape, Sage, Saw Palmetto, Uva Ursi, Wild Yam, Yarrow.

Antiemetic Herbs
Herbs that reduce the feeling of nausea and can help to relieve or prevent vomiting.
Barberry, Cloves, Elecampane, Fennel, Ginger, Oregon Grape, Red Raspberry, Wild Yam.

Anti-galactagogue Herbs
Herbs that prevent or decrease the secretion of milk .
Black Walnut, Sage.

Anti-inflammatory Herbs
These herbs help the body to combat inflammations.
Aswagandha, Blue Vervain, Butcher’s Broom, Calendula, Cat's Claw, Chamomile, Chaparral Leaf, Cleavers, Devil's Claw, Eyebright, Fennel, Feverfew, Gentian Root, Guggul, Horehound, Hyssop, Licorice, Reishi, St. John’s Wort, White Willow, Witch Hazel, Wormwood, Yarrow, Yucca.

Antilithic Herbs
Herbs that prevent the formation or help remove stones or gravel in the urinary system.
Gravel Root, Hydrangea, Stone Root, Uva Ursi.

Antimicrobial Herbs
Herbs that can help the body destroy or resist pathogenic micro-organisms.
Calendula, Cat's Claw, Cloves, Echinacea, Eucalyptus, Feverfew, Juniper, Licorice, Myrrh, Olive Leaf, Pau d’arco, Red Clover, Rose Hips, St. John's Wort, Uva Ursi, Wormwood.

Antineoplastic Herbs
Having the specific action of inhibiting and combating tumor development.
Chaparral Leaf, Cleavers, Red Clover, Reishi, St. John’s Wort, Shiitake.

Antiseptic Herbs
Herbs that can be applied to the skin to prevent and resist bacterial growth.
Bilberry, Black Walnut, Chamomile, Chaparral Leaf, Cloves, Echinacea, Elecampane, Eyebright, Gentian Root, Golden Seal, Horseradish, Myrrh, Oregon Grape, Parsley, Queen of the Meadow, Red Clover, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Schizandra, Thyme, Uva Ursi, White Oak Bark, White Willow, Witch Hazel, Wormwood, Yarrow.

Antispasmodic Herbs
Antispasmodics can prevent or ease spasms and cramps in the body.
Black Cohosh,, Blue Cohosh, Blue Vervain, Boneset, Calamus, Chamomile, Cramp bark, Dill, Dong Quai, Fennel, Garlic, Hope, Hyssop, Lady’s Slipper, Licorice, Lobelia, Motherwort, Mullein, Oat Straw, Passion Flower, Pennyroyal, Pleurisy Root, Red Clover, St. John’s Root, Scullcap, Thyme, Valerian, Wild Yam.

Aphrodisiac Herbs
Herbs used to stimulate sexual potency and passion.
Angelica, Astragalus, Damiana, False Unicorn, Ginseng, Kava Kava, Muira Puama, Schizandra, Suma, Yohimbe.

Aromatic Herbs
Herbs that have a strong and often pleasant odor and can stimulate the digestive juices.
Angelica, Anise Seed, Catnip, Celery Seed, Chamomile, Cloves, Fennel, Feverfew, Garlic, Ginger, Ho-Shou-Wu, Juniper, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Thyme, Valerian, Yerba Santa.

Astringent Herbs
Astringents contract tissue and can reduce secretions and discharges.
Agrimony, Bayberry, Bilberry, Blessed Thistle, Blue Vervain, Butcher’s Broom, Calendula, Cleavers, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Cordyceps, Cramp bark ,Cyani Flowers, Eyebright, Garcinia, Hops, Golden Seal, Hops, Male Fern, Muira Puama, Myrrh, Nettle, Periwinkle, Queen of the Meadow, Saw Palmetto, Schizandra, Slippery Elm, Squawvine, St. John's Wort, Stone Root, Suma, Uva Ursi, White Oak Bark, Wild Cherry Bark, Witch Hazel, Wood Betony, Yarrow, Yellow Dock, Yucca.

Bitter Herbs
Herbs that taste bitter act as stimulating tonics for the digestive system.
Barberry, Blessed Thistle, Burdock, Catnip, Chamomile, Chaparral Leaf, Coltsfoot, Dong Quai, Elecampane, Eyebright, Feverfew, Gentian Root, Golden Seal, Hops, Ho-Shou-Wu, Hydrangea, Schizandra, Wormwood, Yellow Dock.

Cardiac Tonic Herbs
Cardiac tonics are herbs that act beneficially on the heart.
Cayenne , Cat's Claw, Guggul, Hawthorn, Hops, Kelp, Motherwort, Myrrh, Reishi, Siberian Ginseng.

Carminative Herbs
Carminatives are rich in volatile oils and expel gas from the stomach and bowels.
Angelica, Catnip, Chamomile, Cloves, Dill, Elecampane, Fennel, Feverfew, Garlic, Ginger, Hops, Hyssop, Juniper, Motherwort, Pennyroyal, Pleurisy Root, Prickly Ash, Queen of the Meadow, Thyme, Valerian, Wild Yam, Wormwood, Yarrow, Yerba Santa.

Cathartic Herbs
In large doses cathartics purge the bowels and stimulate glandular secretions.
Barberry, Cascara Sagrada, Hydrangea, Mandrake, Rhubarb, Senna, Yellow Dock.

Cholagogue Herbs
Herbs that stimulate the release and secretion of bile from the gall bladder. They also have a laxative effect on the digestive system.
Barberry, Calendula, Dandelion, Gentian Root, Golden Seal, Mandrake, Milk Thistle, Oregon Grape, Wild Yam, Yellow Dock.

Demulcent Herbs
Herbs that are usually rich in mucilage and can soothe and protect damaged or inflamed tissue.
Chickweed, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Cornsilk, Fenugreek ,Garcinia, Irish Moss, Kelp, Licorice, Marshmallow, Milk Thistle, Mullein, Oat Straw, Psyllium, Pumpkin Seeds, Slippery Elm, Suma.

Depurative Herbs
Depuratives are herbs that remove impurities and cleanse the blood.
Black Walnut, Blessed Thistle, Burdock, Dandelion, Elderberry, Garlic, Gotu Kola, Oregon Grape, Pau d'Arco, Red Clover, Sarsaparilla, Watercress, Yarrow, Yellow Dock.

Diaphoretic Herbs
These herbs will aid the skin in the elimination of toxins through perspiration.
Angelica, Blessed Thistle, Black Cohosh, Blue Vervain, Boneset, Butcher’s Broom, Calendula, Catnip, Chamomile, Elecampane, , Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Passion Flower, Peppermint, Pleurisy Root, Prickly Ash, Sage, Sarsaparilla, White Willow, Yarrow.

Diuretic Herbs
Herbs that increase the flow of urine and help in the removal of toxins from the system.
Alfalfa, Astragalus, Bilberry, Blue Vervain ,Buchu, Burdock, Butcher’s Broom, Cleavers, Cornsilk, Cyani Flowers, Dandelion, Dill, Dong Quai, Elecampane, False Unicorn, Fennel, Golden Seal, Gotu Kola, Gravel Root, Hawthorn, Juniper, Marshmallow, Nettle, Parsley, Parthenium, Pleurisy Root, Prickly Ash, Red Clover, Safflower, Sarsaparilla, Saw Palmetto, Squawvine, Uva Ursi, White Willow, Yarrow.

Emetic Herbs
Emetics are herbs that cause vomiting when taken in specific doses.
Calamus, Elecampane, False Unicorn (in large doses), Lobelia, Mandrake, Poke root.

Emmenagogue Herbs
Herbs that stimulate and normalize the menstrual flow.
Black Cohosh, Blessed Thistle, Blue Cohosh, Blue Vervain, Butcher’s Broom, Calendula, Catnip, Chamomile, Cramp Bark, Dong Quai, False Unicorn, Fennel, Fenugreek, Feverfew, Ginger, Golden Seal, Hope, Lobelia, Motherwort, Myrrh, Pennyroyal, Prickly Ash, Squawvine, St. John's Wort, Valerian, Vitex, Wormwood, Yarrow .

Emollient Herbs
Herbs that are applied to the skin to soften, soothe, or protect it.
Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Fenugreek, Flaxseed, Irish Moss, Kelp, Marshmallow, Mullein, Slippery Elm.

Expectorant Herbs
Herbs that assist the body in expelling excess mucous from the respiratory system.
Anise Seed, Blue Vervain, Calamus, Chaparral Leaf, Chickweed, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Cordyceps, Elecampane, Fennel, Fenugreek, Garlic, Golden Seal, Horehound, Hyssop, Licorice, Ma Huang, Marshmallow, Mullein, Myrrh, Nettle, Pleurisy Root, Red Clover, Reishi, Schizandra, Slippery Elm, Thyme, Wild Cherry Bark, Yerba Santa.

Febrifuge Herbs
The febrifuges help the body to bring down fevers.
Angelica, Blessed Thistle, Boneset, Calendula, Cayenne, Gotu Kola, Lobelia, Peppermint, Prickly Ash, Rose Hips, Sage, Scullcap, White Willow, Wormwood.

Galactogogue Herbs
Herbs that help breast-feeding mothers increase the flow of mothers milk.
Blessed Thistle, Blue Vervain, Dill, Fennel, Fenugreek, Horsetail, Marshmallow, Milk Thistle, Nettle , Vervain.

Hepatic Herbs
Hepatics strengthen and tone the liver as well as stimulate the flow of bile.
Barberry, Cascara Sagrada, Celery Seed, Cleavers, Dandelion, Fennel, Golden Seal, Mandrake, Milk Thistle, Motherwort, Oregon Grape, Prickly Ash, Wild Yam, Wormwood, Yarrow, Yellow Dock.

Hypnotic Herbs
Hypnotic herbs will help induce sleep.
Hops, Passion Flower, Lady’s Slipper, Scullcap, Valerian.

Hypotensive Herbs
Remedies that reduce elevated blood pressure.
Astragalus, Cat's Claw, Hawthorn, Hops, Reishi, Valerian, Yarrow.

Laxative Herbs
Herbs that promote the evacuation of the bowels.
Barberry, Boneset, Burdock, Butcher’s Broom, Cascara Sagrada, Cleavers, Dandelion, Golden Seal, Licorice, Oregon Grape, Senna, Rhubarb, Yellow Dock.

Mucilage Herbs
Mucilaginous herbs contain gelatinous constituents and will often be demulcent.
Fenugreek, Flax Seed, Irish Moss, Kelp, Marshmallow, Parthenium, Psyllium, Slippery Elm.

Nervine Herbs
Herbs that strengthen and tone the nervous system, easing anxiety and stress.
Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, Blue Vervain, Catnip, Chamomile, Cramp bark, Damiana, Feverfew, Ginkgo, Ginseng, Hops, Jamaican Dogwood, Lady’s Slipper, Motherwort, Oat Straw, Passion Flower, Periwinkle, Red Clover, Scullcap, Valerian, Wild Cherry Bark, Wormwood.

Oxytocic Herbs
Herbs that stimulate the contraction of the urerus.
Blue Cohosh, Dong Quai, Golden Seal, Red Raspberry, Squaw Vine.

Parasiticide Herbs
Herbs that can kill parasites in the digestive tract and on the skin.
Black Walnut, Blue Vervain, Chaparral Leaf, Cloves, Elecampane, Feverfew, Gentian Root, Pumpkin Seeds, Wormwood.

Pectoral Herbs
Herbs that have a general strengthening and healing effect on the respiratory system.
Angelica, Chickweed, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Elecampane, Golden Seal, Licorice, Marshmallow, Mullein, Slippery Elm.

Purgative Herbs
Can produce very strong laxative effects and watery evacuations.
Aloe Vera, Cascara Sagrada, Rhubarb, Senna, Yellow Dock.

Rubefacient Herbs
Herbs that simulate circulation locally when applied to the skin.
Capsicum, Cloves, Fennel, Ginger, Horseradish, Nettle, Peppermint, Prickly Ash.

Sedative Herbs
Herbs that can strongly quiet the nervous system.
Black Cohosh, Bugleweed, Catnip, Celery Seed, Chamomile, Cramp Bark, Hops, Kava Kava, Lady’s Slipper, Lobelia, Motherwort, Passion Flower, Periwinkle, Red Clover, Saw Palmetto, Scullcap, St. John's Wort, Valerian, Wild Yam.

Sialagogue Herbs
Herbs that stimulate the secretion of saliva from the salivary glands. Cayenne , Gentian Root, Ginger, Horseradish, Licorice, Prickly Ash, Rhubarb.

Stimulant Herbs
Herbs that quicken and enliven the physiological function of the body.
Angelica, Bayberry, Calamus, Calendula, Catnip, Cayenne, Cloves, Dandelion, Elecampane, False Unicorn, Fennel, Feverfew, Ginger, Ginkgo, Ma Huang, Muira Puama, Myrrh, Prickly Ash, Sarsaparilla, Schizandra, Valerian, Wild Yam, Wormwood, Yarrow.

Stomachic Herbs
Herbs that promote digestion and strengthen the stomach.
Catnip, Chamomile, Chickweed, Cloves, Elecampane, Fennel, Gentian Root, Ginger, Golden Seal, Papaya, Peppermint, Red Raspberry, Rhubarb, Wood Betony, Yerba Santa.

Tonic Herbs
The tonic herbs strengthen and tone either specific organs or the whole body through nutritional stimulation.
Alfalfa, Angelica, Ashwagandha, Astragalus, Black Cohosh, Black Walnut, Boneset, Burdock, Calendula, Catnip, Cat's Claw, Cayenne, Chamomile, Cleavers, Coltsfoot, Cordyceps, Cyani Flowers, Damiana, Dandelion, Echinacea, Elecampane, Fenugreek, Garlic, Gentian Root, Ginger, Siberian Ginseng, Golden Seal, Gotu Kola, Hawthorn, Hops, Ho-Shou-Wu, Hydrangea, Licorice, Male Fern, Milk Thistle, Motherwort, Muira Puama, Myrrh, Nettle, Oregon Grape, Poke root, Prickly Ash, Red Clover, Red Raspberry, Sarsaparilla, Saw Palmetto, Schizandra, Sheep Sorrel, Skullcap, Squawvine, Spirulina, Suma, Uva Ursi, Watercress, Wild Yam, Wormwood, Yarrow, Yellow Dock, Yohimbe.

Vulnerary Herbs
Herbs that help promote healing of external wounds and cuts.
Aloe Vera, Calendula, Chickweed, Comfrey, Elder Flower, Golden Seal, Horsetail, Hyssop, Male Fern, Marshmallow, Mullein, Myrrh, Plantain, Rhubarb, Sage, St. John’s Wort, Slippery Elm, Wood Betony.

Top 10 Immune Boosting Foods

2010-01-13T10:07:00.007-08:00

Nourishing ourselves with wholesome foods and herbs is one of the best ways to stay healthy - especially during the winter months. Here are some of the best foods we can eat to help keep our immune systems strong.

Pomegranates
The juice from the biblical fruit of many seeds is thought to reduce the risk of most cancers, thanks to polyphenols called ellagitannins, which give the fruit its color. In fact, a recent study at UCLA found that pomegranate juice could significantly slow the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Green Tea
Studies show that green tea—infused with the antioxidant EGCG—reduces the risk of most types of cancer. The phytonutrients in tea also support the growth of intestinal bacteria. Specifically, they inhibit the growth of bad bacteria—E. coli, Clostridium, Salmonella—and leave the beneficial bacteria untouched. Which is important because up to 70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive tract.

Chili Peppers
Chilis stimulate the metabolism, act as a natural blood thinner, and help release endorphins. They're also a great way to add flavor to food without increasing fat or calorie content. Chilis are also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections, as well as capsaicin, which inhibits neuropeptides (chemicals that cause inflammation). A recent study in the journal Cancer Research found that hot peppers even have anti-prostate-cancer properties. All this from half a chili pepper (or one tablespoon of chili flakes) every day.

Ginger
Contains many living compounds that improve your health. Chief among them is gingerol, a cancer suppressor that studies have shown to be particularly effective against that of the colon. Chop ginger or grind it fresh and add it to soy-marinated fish or chicken as often as you can. The more you can handle, the better.

Blueberries
Recent studies show this potent little fruit can help prevent a range of diseases from cancer to heart disease." One serving (3.5 ounces) contains more antioxidants than any other fruit. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix with strawberries for a disease-fighting supersnack.

Cinnamon
Known for making desserts sweet and Indian food complex, cinnamon is rich in antioxidants that inhibit blood clotting and bacterial growth (including the bad-breath variety). Studies also suggest that it may help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. What's more, it may help reduce bad cholesterol. Try half a teaspoon a day in yogurt or oatmeal.

Tomatoes
High in lycopene, tomatoes help protect against degenerative diseases. Cooked tomatoes and tomato paste are thought to work best, though fresh tomatoes eaten raw or juiced are excellent sources of vital nutrients and enzymes that benefit the immune system.

Figs
Packed with potassium, manganese, and antioxidants, this fruit also helps support proper pH levels in the body, making it more difficult for pathogens to invade. Plus, the fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Select figs with dark skins which contain more nutrients.

Mushrooms (Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake)
Delicious when added to brown rice or quinoa, these mushrooms are rich in the antioxidant ergothioneine, which protects cells from abnormal growth and replication.They have been used traditionally to reduce the risk of cancer. Cooking them in red wine, which contains the antioxidant resveratrol, magnifies their immunity-boosting power.

Garlic
Garlic is a potent immune system booster. It is also an active anti-microbial, agent - effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. It is also an anti-inflammatory and acts as shield against radiation therapy. It also has analgesic and fever reducing properties. is a natural antimicrobial and unlike most antibiotics, garlic does not destroy the body's normal flora.

What are some of your favorite foods and herbs for staying healthy during the winter months?

Make Your Own Lip Balm

2010-01-11T14:03:00.005-08:00

Lip balm is truly one of the easiest and most inexpensive products to create. Once that you have created your own homemade lip balm, it is almost impossible to muster up $3.00 for a tube of inferior stuff at the store. Plus, you can even make special blends with your favorite oils, butters, and other luxurious ingredients. You seasonal lip balms, and unique lip balms for friends and families. Lip balm may be made within 10-15 minutes, and you can easily make enough lip balm to fill 15 or more lip balm tubes for under $3.00!

Lip balm is almost fool-proof. The great thing about lip balm is that if it turns out too soft, then you can easily re-melt it and add more beeswax, and if it is too hard, then you can re-melt it and add more carrier oil. You really can’t mess up! You can also adjust your recipes with the seasons: harder lip balms are better for the summer, and softer lip balms are better for the fall and wintertime. As a general rule, use 3 parts of carrier oil to 1 part of beeswax (do not include butters in your calculations as they are already solid at room temperature). Add essential oils at your discretion, a good amount is 2 drops of essential oil per ¼ oz container, but this varies depending upon the essential oil used. Lesser is always better when it comes to essential oils, you don’t want to create anything that may sting or irritate your lips.

Basic Lip Balm Preparation

1. Coarsely chop or grated your beeswax (vegans may use Carnauba Wax as an alternative), and place it in a small pot or glass pyrex measuring cup with your butters and carrier oils in the top of a double boiler, and melt gently over heated water. Make sure that the water does not boil over into your oil mixture, 1 -2” of water in the bottom of your pot is enough.
2. Once that your beeswax mixture has melted, remove from burner, and add your essential oils. The essential oils will begin to dissipate with the scent, add more as needed.
3. Immediately pour the hot mixture into lip balm containers. If the mixture cools too rapidly while you are pouring, then heat the mixture back up over the double boiler.
4. Allow to cool completely (I usually wait overnight) before placing the caps onto your lip balm containers.

Below are some specific recipes for you to play with. Please note that these recipes are completely arbitrary, and the amount and types of oils, butter, essential oils, and other ingredients that you use is completely up to you. Experimenting with a recipe is the most enjoyable part of creation!

Lemon Coconut Lip Balm

This recipe will fill 8-9 lip balm tubes!

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil

1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Beeswax

10 drops Lemon essential oil

Peppermint Cocoa Lip Balm

1 Tablespoon Cocoa Butter

2 Tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Beeswax

5-10 drops Peppermint essential oil

Healing Herbal Lip Balm (Unscented)

1 Tablespoon Shea Butter

2 Tablespoon Calendula Infused Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Jojoba Oil

1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Beeswax

5 drops Vitamin E Oil

All-Purpose Lip Balm

This large recipe will make 6 ½ oz, enough to fill 24 ¼ oz lip balm containers!

1 oz Sweet Almond or Apricot Kernel Oil

1 oz Sunflower Oil

1 oz Avocado or Olive Oil

1 oz Shea Butter

1 oz Cocoa Butter

1 ½ oz Beeswax

30-40 drops essential oil

Essential Oil Guide

Cinnamon: Spicy, warming. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Clove: Spicy, warming. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Ginger: Warm, spicy, and exotic. Great for winter blends. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Grapefruit: Fresh, uplifting, light citrus scent.

Lemon: Fresh, uplifting, citrus scent.

Lime: Fresh, uplifting, citrus scent.

Peppermint: Cooling, refreshing, and invigorating. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Spearmint: Cooling, refreshing, and invigorating. Use sparingly, as the oil is very strong.

Sweet Orange: Refreshing, uplifting, sweet, citrus scent. Blends well with many oils.

Rescources for Supplies:

Beeswax and Bulk Ingredients
Butters
Carrier Oils
Containers
Essential Oils
Herbal Infused Oils

from Mountain Rose Herbs

Herbs for Internal and External Cleansing

2010-01-10T17:53:00.003-08:00

Guest blogger Tess Thompson
In the pursuit of progress, we have inadvertently impacted our health in a negative way. Experts are now wondering whether progress has been worth the health hazards that it has brought along with it.

The consequences of progress have been less quality time, a dependence on comforts, a desire for material possessions and the like. These in turn have ensured that almost all of us get caught in the daily grind to earn more and ensure better physical comforts for ourselves. What we have forgotten is that while in this struggle for success, we are ignoring the one gift that we have all been provided – our bodies. The first thing that we compromise is the quality of food that we eat and the amount of effort we are willing to put behind arranging a healthy meal.

Consider the dangers; fast foods, preservatives and pesticides provide no additional nutritional value. Quick-fix drugs suppress symptoms and increase the amount of toxins in our body. Further, environmental pollution compounds the toxic effect on humans.

All of these factors result in an overburdening of the body with toxins. The body’s natural detox system cannot handle this level of toxins on its own. A body laden with toxins is an invitation for ailments like allergies, insomnia and asthma. Headaches, fatigue, tension, a coated tongue and acne are also common symptoms that indicate an increased level of toxins in the body.

Regular cleansing of the internal body has become more crucial than ever before. Herbal detox is one method of detoxifying your body naturally. Our ancestors probably knew the threat posed by toxins, and even though they were not as exposed to toxins as we are today, they ensured that their diets included detox-friendly herbs. This ensured that the level of toxins in their bodies never really increased beyond manageable levels.

Herbs can help in the detoxification process by aiding the organs that help in natural detoxification. These include the liver, urinary system, digestive systems, skin and lungs. The herbs used in various detox treatments can be classified based on the organ they work upon. Herbal remedies can be prepared from these herbs based on specific individual conditions:

Laxatives and diuretics herbs

* Licorice root
* Psyllium seed
* Alfalfa
* Yucca root
* Violet leaf
* Guar gum
* Marshmallow root

Herbs that provide support to the liver

* Cascara sagrada bark
* Milk thistle seed
* Dandelion

Parasite expeller herbs

* Black walnut hull
* Pumpkin seed

Herbs that soothe irritated digestive and urinary tracts

* Irish Moss
* Passionflower leaf

Antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant herbs

* Witch hazel bark, twigs, and leaves
* Capsicum
* Gentian root
* Cranberry

Multipurpose herbs ( Demulcents, blood purifiers, energizers, laxatives and diuretics)

* Horsetail
* Slippery elm bark
* Mullein leaf
* Black cohosh
* Burdock root
* Echinacea
* Fennel seed
* Fenugreek
* Ginger root
* Papaya

There are many herbal detox products that are prepared using a combination of these herbs. These products are developed for various specific needs like balancing sugar levels, breaking down organic wastes in the body, calming tense nerves, neutralizing acidity and loosening hardened phlegm in the lungs.

Herb Profile ~ Cinnamon

2010-01-09T09:48:00.003-08:00

Cinnamon
Also known as Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamomum verum, and the oil is typically Cinnamomum zeylanicum
One of the world's most familiar spices is an up and coming treatment for diabetes, weight control, and hypoglycemia. That modern medicine would finally be finding applications for cinnamon isnÍt surprising. Cinnamon has been used as a herbal medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. Traditional Chinese Medicine still uses cinnamon as a "warming" agent to fight infections occurring when there is cold or fatigue and to increase the activity of the digestive tract.

Chinese cinnamon was the first cinnamon species that made its way to Europe since Alexander the Great. Before this time, cassia was transported as far as Egypt and Israel. This ingredient is cultivated for the bark, buds, and oil of cassia in the southeastern provinces of China. Recent studies have tested this herb for its positive effect on the digestive system.

It has also been praised for its promotion of settled tissues and membranes in various tracts from the stomach to the colon. Chinese cinnamon has also been studied for its positive support of the immune system.

Healing Properties

Small amounts, that is, between 0.5-4% essential oil containing 60-9=80% cinnamaldehyde, up to 12% eugenol and 4-10% trans-cinnamic acid; 4-10% phenolic compounds; tannins; catechins; oligomeric proanthocyanidins; other monoterpenes including limonene and alpha-terpineol; sesquiterpenes including pinene; calcium monoterpenoid oxalates; gum; mucilages; resins; starch; complex sugars in amounts to small to affect blood sugars; and traces of coumarin.

Benefits of Cinnamon

The German Commission E recommended cinnamon for treating loss of appetite and stomach upset, and cinnamon powder teas have been used for centuries to prevent bloating and flatulence and to treat heartburn and nausea. Cinnamon powder's beneficial effects on the digestive tract are attributed to its antioxidant catechins, chemical compounds that are also found in tea.Cinnamon powder has antioxidants may also fight bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, especially yeast infections of the mouth (oral candidiasis) in people with compromised immune systems. There are some scientific indications that cinnamon relieves the pain of ulcers, and the herb is also very useful in regulating the activity of insuli, so effective, in fact, that diabetics may need to check their sugars more often if they eat large quantities (more than 1 tablespoon) of cinnamon powder every day. It does not stimulate the release of insulin, but it helps insulin work more effectively.
A recent study by a team of surgeons, for example, found that a solution made with cinnamon oil killed a number of common and hospital-acquired infections, like streptococcus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The study found it was just as effective as several antiseptics widely used in hospitals. Another study by French researchers in 2008 had similar results, showing that at concentrations of 10 percent or less, cinnamon oil was effective against Staphylococcus, E. coli and several antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

Make Your Own Natural Hand Sanitizers

2010-01-08T10:19:00.002-08:00

Commercial hand sanitizers may be great for killing germs when there is no water available for washing hands, but these products also pose a serious health risk to children.
Because of the potential dangers of the alcohol based sanitizers, many companies have put non-alcohol products on the market. However, these pose even greater problems. Due to the way they kill bacteria, they can actually cause bacteria to become stronger and more resistant to antibiotics. These products contain a highly toxic ingredient called Triclosan. A recent story in Parents magazine told of a young girl who rubbed a hand sanitizer gel on her face and ended up in the hospital with second degree burns due to the harsh effect of Triclosan.

Triclosan, which is considered a pesticide by the Environmental Protection Agency, can also lead to yeast overgrowth on the fingernails.

Natural Alternatives to Hand Sanitizers
It's quick and easy to make your own natural, waterless hand sanitizer.

Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

Ingredients

1 cup aloe vera gel

2 tsp vegetable glycerin

8-10 drops tea tree essential oil or lavender essential oil

Simply blend all of the ingredients together and store.

The standard recipe calls for tea tree or lavender oil, but you can be creative and use other essential oils as well. Choose from oils that have antibacterial and/or antiviral properties and make a blend that suits the season. Citrus oils are a good choice. So is eucalyptus and pine. Choose oils that appeal to your senses and also add the cleansing properties appropriate for a hand sanitizer.

You can recycle old liquid soap or hand sanitizer dispensers to store your creations, or you can buy glass bottles with pumps.

Use Sparingly
Home made hand sanitizers don't dissolve into your hands as quickly or as well as the commercial hand sanitizers you buy in the store. Use a little at a time.

Herbs For The Immune System

2010-01-07T13:30:00.006-08:00

Herbal remedies can provide much-needed assistance in strengthening the immune system and getting the body’s natural defense mechanisms in top shape. Many minor ailments do not require any medication and can be cured by the body on its own if the immune responses work properly. Only a fully functional immune system is capable of recognizing and destroying or eliminating toxins and foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. If you get repeated attacks of a mild ailment like the common cold that refuses to be cured within a reasonable period of time, you have every reason to check your immune system health.
Using the antibiotic alternative frequently is detrimental to immune system health as it tends to destroy helpful bacteria that aid in immunity. Moreover conventional antibiotics are prone to become ineffective over time as bacteria develop resistance towards them after extended use. A healthier option exists in the shape of herbal antibiotics as they are formed of complex multiple compounds, which are difficult for bacteria to break. Therefore the bacteria are unlikely to ever develop a resistance towards such herbal antibiotics. Herbal antibiotics and herbs for strengthening immune system are a better way to treat and prevent common diseases so that the conventional antibiotics can be used in the case of a real emergency.
Herbal tonics are simple but slow acting stimulants. They supply nutrients like minerals, vitamins and plant pigments such as flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of antioxidant chemical compounds widely found in certain fruits, vegetables, teas, wines, nuts, seeds and roots. These can be used often as there is huge margin between curative and toxic doses.
Herbs for the immune system are more active in stimulation than tonics and should be used in lesser doses. Such specific herbs are catalysts that assist in stimulating a process. These herbs strengthen the first line of defense by aiding the rejection of pathogens so the attack by bacteria and other antigens can be prevented. Goldenseal, osha, and Tabebuia (better known as pau d'arco) are other examples of herbs that work on hormonal, nervous and immune systems. Immune cells are first created in the bone marrow. If they are called upon to fight infection too frequently, they are bound to be depleted in large numbers, causing an immune system collapse. Herbs for the immune system provide the cells with an environment that is conducive to their growth.
Many herbs facilitate the elimination of waste and toxins from the body. Herbs have been the subject matter of extensive research in recent years and with every passing day new uses of herbs are being discovered. Flavonoids were initially known only for their antioxidant properties. Recent research explains how they also aid in elimination of mutagens and carcinogens.
Some herbs are highly toxic in undiluted forms and need to be taken with care and only in their prescribed doses. These herbs have a quick effect on systems that are not performing to full capacity. Other types of herbs act as cleansers and protectors and help in removing toxins from the body. If used according to instructions and for the recommended periods, herbs for the immune system can strengthen the immune system and help ward off disease.
Beneficial Herbs For The Immune System Include:

AFRICAN POTATO - is traditionally used as a natural supportive tonic. It contains phytosterols and sterolins, which help to support the immune system.

ALOE VERA - is very high in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and and complex polysaccharides including acemannan. Aloe vera acts as both an immune-enhancer and a natural antiseptic.

ASTRAGALUS - is a powerful antioxidant which protects the liver from toxins,boosts the immune system and generates anticancer cells in the body.

BARBERRY - is very effective for fighting bacterial infection
and reducing inflammation. It has also been used traditionally for treating burns, diarrhea, ulcers, kidney, liver, and gallbladder troubles, and yeast infections.

BUCHU - has been used by the natives of the Western Cape of South Africa for many centuries. The leaves of buchu contain 1.0 – 3.5% volatile oils as well as flavonoids - compounds found in fruits and vegetables that have diverse beneficial biochemical and antioxidant effects.

CAT'S CLAW - The presence of glycosides, proanthocyanidins and beta sitosterol contained in Cat's Claw help provide anti-viral and anti-inflammatory support.

CAYENNE - has been traditionally used in herbal medicine as a general circulatory tonic and digestive aid, helping to naturally stimulate the production of gastric juices – a key factor in healthy metabolism.

CURCUMIN - found in the popular spice, turmeric, has long been valued as an effective household remedy for sore throat, cough, and common cold.

ECHINACEA - Enhances lymphatic function and boosts immune system.

ELDERBERRY - Elderberry is one of the most effective herbs for preventing and treating upper respiratory infections. Elderberries contain flavonoids, which are natural chemical substances that give food their taste and color; they also boost the immune system, and supply the body with antioxidant protection.

GARLIC - is effective against at least 30 types of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. It has anti-inflammatory and astringent properties.

GINGER - While it can be sweet, ginger also has some heat from a compound called gingerol, a relative of capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their zing and heat.

GINKGO BILOBA - A powerful antioxidant which increases circulation to brain cells.

GOLDENROD - helps the body in its ability to routinely regulate mucus, and has been used traditionally by herbalists for centuries as a tonic remedy to strengthen the natural protective ability of the body to fight infection.

GOLDENSEAL - An antibacterial which strengthens the immune system and cleanses the blood. Has anti-bacterial properties.

GREEN TEA - Green tea has been used traditionally to build the immune system. Green tea is rich in polyphenols, plant antioxidants, as well as a number of other chemicals that can help protect the body against cold or flu.

HAWTHORN - is highly respected as a tonic to support healthy circulation and improve immune system function.

MAITAKE - Highly prized for its immune-boosting properties, this exotic mushroom has been shown to stimulate the immune response by activating the T-cells which are the body’s own defence against viruses and cancer cells.

MISTLETOE - is commonly used to enhance the immune-stimulating properties of other ingredients, as it encourages repair of damaged cells.

OLIVE LEAF - contains a compound called oleuropein acid that is an effective immune system tonic.

OREGANO - has been used traditionally to help fight bacterial, fungal and viral infections.

PAU d' ARCO - is used frequently in the herbal treatment of cancer and infections, including candidiasis and other yeast infections.

PEPPERMINT - contains volatile oils that have an antiseptic action, and are antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal and antiviral.

PROPOLIS - is a form of resin honey bees create by combining tree resin with pollen, nectar and wax. Propolis is well-known for its positive effects on immune system health.

RED CLOVER - has been used traditionally to promote lymph flow and support immune system function.

REISHI MUSHROOMS - are known in China as "the elixir of immortality",Traidionally these mushrroms have beeen used to strengthen the immune system, fight viruses and bacteria, reduce cholesterol and help prevent fatigue.

SCHIZANDRA - is a powerful ingredient which originated in China. Schizandra is also used to assist the body in its capacity to maintain healthy energy levels, and as a general systemic tonic to support feelings of health, vitality and well-being.

ST. JOHN'S WORT- has been used for centuries to reduce inflammation and to stimulate the immune system.

Stressed Out? Nurture Your Adrenal Glands

2010-01-06T14:21:00.004-08:00

The Adrenal Glands are small, triangular glands located on top of both kidneys. They are made of two parts: the outer region is called the cortex and the inner region is called the medulla.

What Do the Adrenals Do?

The function of these small glands is performed by a wide variety of hormones released by these structures and is mostly directed at the physiological response to stress. The medulla is responsible for producing epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline), which control the body’s reaction to stress and affect blood pressure, heart rate and sweating. The adrenal cortex produces hormones such as cortisone and aldosterone which are necessary for fluid and electrolyte (salt) balance in the body as well as regulating the use of dietary protein, fats and carbohydrates and controlling inflammation.

The adrenals also take on the role of producing estrogen after the ovaries cease to. It's important to make sure these glands is tuned up and functioning properly before menopause.

Adrenal Exhaustion

Major disruption and illness can occur if the adrenal glands do not function properly. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone that plays a vital role in the body. It mobilizes nutrients, regulates the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, stimulates the liver to raise blood sugar levels, acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and helps the body respond to stress.

When the adrenal glands are not functionining optimally, a person may develop a condition known as adrenal fatigue, or adrenal exhaustion. This often develops after periods of intense or lengthy physical or emotional stress, when over-stimulation of the glands leave them unable to meet the body's needs.

Symptoms of Adrenal Exhaustion

Excessive fatigue and exhaustion.
Sleep problems.
Easily overwhelmed by stress.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia - low blood sugar.
Shortness of breath, feels like you can't get a full breath.
Feeling rundown most the time.
Craving salty and sweet foods.
Most energetic in the evenings.
Low stamina levels.
Slow to recover from exercise.
Extreme sensitivity to cold.
Difficulty concentrating.
Brain fog.
Joint pain.
Poor digestion.
Lowered immune function.
Increased environmental or food allergies.
Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS
Menopause problems.
Consistent low blood pressure.

The Thyroid Connection

Cortisol also plays an important role in thyroid function. Namely, it helps cell receptors receive thyroid hormones from the blood to the cells. On the other side of the coin, low cortisol can result in high amounts of thyroid hormones to build in the blood, and not absorb properly. This can cause anxiety or nervousness, light-headedness, shakiness, dizziness, racing heart, sudden weakness, nausea, etc. Low cortisol can also keep you hypothyroid with hypo symptoms.

If you are on thyroid medication and your tests now show "normal", yet you continue to have hypothyroid symptoms, it is strongly advised that you get your adrenal function tested.

How are adrenal problems diagnosed?

Adrenal problems are most commonly diagnosed based on laboratory tests which measure the levels of adrenal hormones (Specifically cortisol) in the blood.

Accessing Your Adrenal Function:

1) Do you have a hard time falling asleep at night?
2) Do you wake up frequently during the night?
3) Do you have a hard time waking up in the morning early, or feeling refreshed?
4) Do bright lights bother you more than they should?
5) Do you startle easily due to noise?
6) When standing from sitting or from lying down, do you feel lightheaded or dizzy?
7) Do you take things too seriously, and are easily defensive?
8) Do you feel you don’t cope well with certain people or events in your life?

If you answered yes to some or all of the above you may want to try the flollowing.

Chart Your Temperature

You can determine adrenal condition (and thyroid function) by charting your temperature several times daily - a technique pioneered by Dr. Rind.
Take your temp 3 times a day, starting three hours after you wake up, and every three hours after that, to equal three readings. Then average them for that day.
Do this for AT LEAST 5 days.
If your averaged temp is fluctuating from day to day more than .2, you very likely need adrenal support.
If it is fluctuating and overall low, you may need more adrenal support and thyroid.
If it is fluctuating but averaging 98.6, you may just need adrenal support.

Order Adrenal Tests

By far, the most accurate way to access your adrenal function is to use the 24 hour saliva testing method which tests your cortisol levels at four different times of day and allows you to view your daily cyclic adrenal function.

You can order this test yourself from CanaryClub.org

Can natural remedies help?

Holistic and natural remedies can be highly effective when used in combination with other treatments. These remedies manage to address the symptoms of the adrenal gland health disorder as well as the individual’s overall health and well being.

Herbal and homeopathic remedies are gentle, yet effective without the harmful side effects of conventional medicine. A combination of herbs such as Borago officinalis (Borage), Eleutherococcus senticosis (Siberian Ginseng) and Astragalus membranaceous (Huang Qi) can be used to support the functioning of the adrenal glands and help to assist the body to fight the stress of modern day living.

Consult a homeopath or naturopath for a remedy specific to your needs.

As adrenal damage and adrenal fatigue are so often caused by a stressful and unhealthy lifestyle, it is logical that this situation can be best treated and improved with a holistic and natural approach. One’s overall health, as well as the well-being and optimum functioning of the adrenal glands, should be addressed.

Certain herbal ingredients such as licorice are well-known for their tonic effect on the adrenal glands and improving ability to cope with stress. Relaxation methods and reducing stress in ones daily life, as well as eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly can all be of great benefit to adrenal disorders.

Borage is an herb with a variety of uses, including significant benefits on the health of the adrenal glands.

Eleuthro acts as an overall systemic supporter. It can combat stress and is a supportive tonic for healthy adrenal function.

Ashwaganda be a a can be a great modulator for adrenal function.

Astragalus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many centuries as a natural rejuvenating tonic. Astragalus improves adrenal gland function and aids in stress reduction.

It seems that some people respond beautifully to adrenal formulas which can help stave off a downhill slide in the hormonal cascade. Others will need to investigate physiological doses of bioidentical cortisol.

I have had wonderful results using this holistic adrenal herbal formula from Native Remedies

Persephone's Tea

2010-01-06T10:29:00.008-08:00

Life is good! Mountain Rose Herbs has my all time favorite winter herbal tea blen on sale this month!

"Going down to the underworld and rising up renewed. When you've been overworked, overindulging or under stress remember ... Be kind to yourself and your liver. This is a blend for transitions, a drink to help support your hard-working liver. Contains: Organic Dandelion root, organic Burdock root, Oregon Grape root, organic Yellow Dock root, organic Eleuthero root, organic Milk Thistle seed."

Here are some the wonderful things this tea blend offers...

Dandelion Root was commonly used in Native American medicine and is found in many parts of the world today. It contains bitter principles that have a stimulating effect on the liver and digestive system by promoting the flow of bile. It is also a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, D, C, various B Vitamins, iron, lecithin, silicon, potassium, magnesium, zinc and manganese. It also has natural diuretic properties. Dandelion is also considered to be an excellent cleansing tonic for the liver and recent studies suggest that it is especially beneficial with regards to digestive disorders.

Burdock Root is well-known as an herbal blood and system supporter. Burdock supports routine detoxification carried out by the body and supports the digestive system helping to lessen common wind, non-recurrent bloating, and encouraging healthy bowel movements. There is considerable evidence in the scientific literature that burdock root tea is a powerful anti-inflammatory remedy. Its numerous antioxidants protect the liver from toxic chemicals, allowing it to process the body's naturally occurring steroids which is helpful in achieving hormonal balance. A mildly bitter herb, it stimulates the release of gastric juices and aids digestion. This combination of qualities explains its traditional use in treating acne, eczema, endometriosis, psoriasis, and uterine fibroids. The tea can also be used as a wash to treat skin infections, eczema, and psoriasis.

Oregon Grape Root has been used traditionally to give the immune system a mild boost by encouraging phagocytosis, the engulfing and digesting of bacteria by the white blood cells known as microphages.
Oregon grape root and other herbs that contain berberine are scientifically proven to protect against bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminthes (worms), and chlamydia. Conditions treated by Oregon grape root include bacterial diarrhea, intestinal parasites, and ocular trachoma. Oregon grape root may increase blood platelet counts and counteract the proliferation of cancerous tumors of the bladder and colon. It has a sedative effect on the smooth muscles lining the digestive tract and can relieve stomach cramps and abdominal pain.

Yellow Dock Root is a good tonic for the liver and gallbladder. The roots are very high in minerals, especially iron, which makes this a popular herb for treating anemia. It is also used as a blood purifier to treat skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis.

Eleuthero Root an "adaptogen," an agent that helps the body address to stress. Scientists believe it helps prevent "adrenal burnout" caused by ongoing physical or mental challenges. Eleuthero boosts concentration and focus without the letdown than comes from drinking coffee or other sources of caffeine. Eleuthero also boosts immunity.

Milk Thistle Seed contains silymarin,which has a very protective effect on the liver, maintaining its function and preventing damage from compounds that are normally highly toxic. It also helps regulate the digestion of fats, helps stabilize blood sugars and reduces intestinal inflammation. Traditionally it has been used for treating liver diseases, Crohn's disease, IBS, alcoholism, atherosclerosis, gallstones,high cholesterol, cancer, diabetes, ovarian cysts, seizures, Parkinson's and skin conditions such as excema, acne, and psoriasis.

Give yourself a boost this winter and try some Persephone's Tea!

Storing Herbs

2010-01-05T17:25:00.004-08:00

Herbs are natural plant materials, and are vulnerable to all of the elements including air, light, humidity, and temperature. Whether you purchase your herbs already dried or you harvest herbs straight from your garden, it is important to know proper storage techniques. Correctly storing your herbs will help prevent from deterioration of color, scent, and flavor, and will also help protect from insect damage or infestation.

Some of the best herb protectors are colored glass, kraft bags, or foil sacks, which should always be stored out of direct contact with light. Herbs lose their color and flavor with age, so always know your source, and purchase only what you will need within a short time.
Once that you have purchased your herbs or dried your own, here are some important points to remember about storing them:

TIPS FOR STORING HERBS

- Herbs and spices are very sensitive to fluctuations in temperature, moisture, and light. Store in a temperature controlled environment with limited light, heat, and moisture. Ideal storage temperatures are 65-73 degrees and relative humidity should not exceed 55. Light (including incandescent and fluorescence) will strip your botanicals of their natural color and remove many key elements. An ideal location is a dry pantry, cupboard or closet.

- All herbs and spices have a relatively fixed shelf life, and we recommend that you only purchase what you will use within a short period of time. We always recommend using material within a few months of purchasing it.

- The best container for storing your herbs is glass, preferably colored glass. Clear glass is also acceptable, as long as the herbs are stored away from direct light exposure. Glass is great for storage because it provides an airtight seal while allowing the herbs to breathe. Plastic containers can also be used for storage, but they do not allow for the herbs to breathe. However, they are convenient, inexpensive, and readily available. Kraft bags and foil sacks are also good choices for storing herbs, but they must be sealed well to keep out light, air, and insects.

- Some herbs and spices keep longer than others. The best guideline to follow is: no longer then 8-12 months for spices and leafy herbs, and no longer then 14-16 months for roots, barks and berries. Powdered herbs have a shorter life span, usually around 6 months.

- Purchase your herbs in a cut and sifted or whole form since powdered herbs have a shorter shelf life. Grind your herbs and spices just before using them using a mortar and pestle. For larger quantities, a food processor, coffee grinder, or electric spice mill work well.

- Purchase your herbs from a reliable source.
- Avoid purchasing herbs which have been stored in clear containers on well lit store shelves. This light has already degraded the quality of the herbs, this is readily apparent when comparing fresh herbs to those which have been sitting on store shelves for long periods of time.

Making Herbal Infused Oils

2010-01-04T15:22:00.004-08:00

Making herbal infused oils is an acquired skill that requires a bit of practice. But with patience and perserverence you could soon have a pantry full of amazing medicinal oils to pamper yourself and your family and help restore balance to body, mind and spirit!

Solar Method: If you have the time and live in a sunny location you can make your own herbal infused oils using the solar infused method.
Fill a glass jar 1/4 full of dried botanical, and then cover with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or other oil of choice) leaving at least 1-2” of oil above the herbs to allow the herbs to swell. Generally, 4 ounces of herb is used for each 1-2 cups of oil, but this depends upon the herb used. Dense materials, such as roots and barks, will absorb far less than fluffy materials such as flowers and leaves. Place jar in a sunny window and shake once or twice per day. Allow the oil to infuse for at least 4-6 weeks, or until the oil takes on the color and scent of the herb. Once that the oil is ready, strain using cheesecloth, and bottle into amber bottles for storage. Make sure to squeeze as much oil as possible from the herbs and cheesecloth so that you do not waste any precious oil! The infused oil may be used alone, or used within herbal preparations such as salves, massage oils, creams, lotions, or anything else you desire! Herbal oils will keep for approximately a year if stored properly in a dark and cool place. Vitamin E Oil may also be added to prolong the shelf life.

Most of us in the Northern climes don't get enough sun this time of year to infuse oils this way. However you can still make some wonderful infused oils in your kitchen - even in th edead of winter!

Stove-top Method: Another way to infuse oils, which is sometimes necessary when herbal oils need to be created in a pinch, is the double boiler or crock-pot method. Much care needs to be taken when creating herbal oils this way because you do not want to deep-fry your herbs! Place herbs in crock-pot or double boiler, and cover with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or other oil of choice) leaving at least an inch of oil above the herbs. Gently heat the herbs over very low heat for 1-5 hours until the oil takes on the color and scent of the herb. Some texts recommend heating the oil 48-72 hours at a controlled temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn off heat & allow to cool. Once that the oil is ready, strain using cheesecloth, and bottle into amber bottles for storage.

Natural Remedies for a Low Immune System

2010-01-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you have a common cold, a sore throat or flu and cannot afford to miss work. Nine out of ten people will probably take an antibiotic or a pain killer and depend on the drug to take its affect by the time they reach office. This attitude of choosing the quick and easy route and falling back on the antibiotic alternative every time the cold and flu comes their way has been instrumental in making antibiotics ineffective in many cases. The use of antibiotics without paying heed to their long term effects leads to a situation where bacteria use the drug for their own metabolism. The antibiotic, instead of killing, starts helping in the growth of the bacterium, because it has developed resistance to it.

Fighting disease is the job of the immune system, a complex system of reciprocal action, which activates the moment it recognizes a foreign substance in the body. The state of your immune system’s health determines how frequently you fall ill with chronic infections, cold and flu and cold sores or genital herpes. An extremely weak immune system can be counterproductive and can start attacking the body’s own cells and cause serious conditions known as autoimmune diseases.

From a minor scratch to attacks by viruses and bacteria, the immune system is the key to fighting disease. True health is achieved only when your immune system is strong enough to combat disease on its own and herbal antibiotics and herbs for immune system play an important role in attaining it.

If you see signs of a weak immune system characterized by frequent bouts of the common cold and flu, mix ½ tablespoon each of tinctures of roots of Echinacea, pau d’arco bark, Ginseng (Siberian), licorice, astragalus and bupleurum. Take three tablespoons every day for five days and double the dose in the event of an infection. Astragalus and Echinacea fight cancer cells, improve lymphatic functions and contribute to the progress of immune system health.

Garlic and ginger roots have proven qualities of treating ailments like common cold and sore throat. Make a tea by adding a little bit of ginger juice to soothe your throat. Garlic contains a rare mineral called germanite that boosts immune system.

Vitamin C is essential for production of adrenal hormones and lymphocytes and directly combats bacteria and viruses. A dash of lemon juice in water mixed with a tablespoon of pure farm-produced honey taken daily can effectively keep common colds at bay. Taken in conjunction with flavonoids, Vitamin C is easily absorbed in the body. Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites known for their high antioxidant properties. Choose to eat whole fruits, grains and vegetables and see the difference they make to your health.

Stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, food preservatives and environmental toxins are major factors that wear down the immune system. Rather than ingesting foods that can potentially weaken your immune system, the long term aim of your diet and daily routine ought to aim for a healthy immune system.

by Tess Thompson

Essential Oils for the Immune System

2010-01-02T10:53:00.001-08:00

Seven Herbs To See You Through Winter

2010-01-01T14:16:00.001-08:00

Insomnia
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Chamomile is the dried flower head of an annual member of the aster family. German chamomile, the species most often sold on the U.S. market, is grown in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Argentina, and Europe. It’s been used for centuries as a mild sleep aid, and scientists attribute its gentle sedative activity to alpha-bisabolol, a constituent found in its oil.

Up to six capsules containing 300 to 400 mg of dried chamomile can be taken daily, or 10 to 40 drops of a tincture three times daily. A tea is made by steeping 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried flowers in a cup of hot water and taken three times daily.

People who are allergic to other members of the aster family, including ragweed, may be allergic to chamomile.

Energy
Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng)
In a 2,000-year-old herbal, Shen Nong wrote that ginseng is good for quieting the spirit, curbing the emotions, brightening the eyes, enlightening the mind, increasing wisdom, and, with continuous use, “longevity with light weight.”

Since the 1960s, scientists have extensively studied Asian ginseng. At least seven European clinical studies show that standardized extracts increase respiratory performance, alertness, power of concentration, and grasp of abstract concepts. A controlled study in France that evaluated complaints of patients suffering from “functional fatigue,” such as being worn out or having an empty feeling, showed that people who took ginseng experienced less fatigue, anxiety, and poor concentration compared with people who took a placebo.

Ginseng contains more than eighteen active chemicals called ginsenosides, whose behavior in lab tests matches the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) description of the effect the herb has on the body. In Germany, Asian ginseng products are allowed to be labeled as tonics to treat fatigue, reduced work capacity, and lack of concentration.

A recommended dose is up to four 500 to 600 mg capsules of the dried or steamed root daily; for standardized products, 100 mg one or two times a day. To make a tea, use 3 teaspoons of dried or sliced root per cup of water. Place the herb and water in a saucepan and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Strain. Drink a cup two or three times a day.

Some people have experienced overstimulation or gastrointestinal upset when taking Asian ginseng, and some women have reported breast tenderness or menstrual problems after long-term use. Avoid ginseng if you have high blood pressure or if you’re pregnant.

Eye strain
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Bilberry is a relative of the blueberry. A small shrub with sweet black berries, it grows in northern Europe, western Asia, and the Rocky Mountains of North America.

Bilberry was a popular medicine among sixteenth-century Europeans, who used the leaves to fight inflammation and infection. They also used the herb to treat diarrhea, prevent scurvy (a vitamin C deficiency), and disinfect mouth sores.

During World War II, pilots in the British Royal Air Force reported improved night vision after eating bilberry jam. During the 1960s, Italian and French scientists investigated these reports to learn whether bilberries could improve vision. As a result, preparations of bilberry fruit are used in Europe today to enhance poor microcirculation and thus improve eye ailments such as night blindness and diabetic retinopathy. Research shows that pigments in bilberry called anthocyanosides strengthen capillaries by protecting them from free radical damage and stimulating the formation of healthy connective tissue. However, most studies on bilberry have involved animals or only a small number of people.

A typical daily dose is two or three capsules standardized to contain 25 percent anthocyanosides. No side effects or interactions with other drugs have been reported.

Circulation
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)Ginkgo products come from the leaves of the only surviving member of the ginkgo family, a species that has existed for more than 200 million years. Most commercial leaf production is from plantations in South Carolina, France, and China.

Ginkgo leaf has been cultivated since the fifteenth century in China, where the leaves were used to “benefit the brain” and treat lung disorders, cough and asthma symptoms, and diarrhea. Today, ginkgo is one of the best-selling herbal medicines in Europe.

Most research focuses on using ginkgo to increase circulation to the extremities and the brain, and more than 400 scientific studies support its use for this. Scientists attribute ginkgo’s health benefits to unique compounds called flavone glycosides and ginkgolides, which inhibit development of cardiovascular, inflammatory, and respiratory disorders. Ginkgo is a strong antioxidant—it directs its free-radical scavenging activity to the brain, central nervous system, and cardiovascular system. This is what makes it promising in the treatment of age-related declines of brain function.

A typical dose is three capsules containing at least 40 mg of standardized extract daily. It must be used for six to eight weeks to produce results.

Ginkgo can cause gastrointestinal upset, headaches, or skin allergies.

Depression
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
You may have heard the news: St. John’s wort can offer the benefits of prescription antidepressants without the side effects. It is the dried flowering top of a plant native to Europe; in some parts of the United States, it grows like a weed.

During the Middle Ages, remarkable and even mystical properties were attributed to St.-John’s-wort. By the nineteenth century, U.S. physicians used it as a mild sedative and, in 1997, St.-John’s-wort was the focus of national attention after ABC’s news program 20/20 reported on the herb’s ability to quell depression.

At least twenty-three controlled studies involving more than 1,800 outpatients show that it works. In one recent study of 105 outpatients with mild to moderate depression or temporary depressive moods, 67 percent of those taking St.-John’s-wort improved, while only 28 percent of those taking a placebo did. Those taking the herb reported feeling less sad, hopeless, helpless, useless, and fearful.

For capsules and other products standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin, the recommended dose is 300 mg three times daily. St.-John’s-wort takes time to work, though—allow six weeks of continuous use. To make a tea, steep 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the dried herb in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes, then drink. The recommended daily dose for a tincture is 3 to 4 droppersful twice daily.

Hypericin from the flowers may cause people with fair skin to break out in hives or blisters upon exposure to sunlight. If you take St.-John’s-wort, stay out of the sun and the tanning salon.

Colds
Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, E. purpurea)
Few of us don’t know this herb, which is now one of the foremost cold medicines on the market.

Native Americans of the prairie used echinacea more than any other plant to cure ailments ranging from colds to cancer. It was the best-selling medicinal plant in the United States until the 1920s, when antibiotics began to replace it. But in Europe it has been used throughout the twentieth century; in 1993, German physicians prescribed echinacea more than 2.5 million times.

Research shows that echinacea enhances the activity of white blood cells and other specialized immune system cells. It increases their ability to attack foreign invaders such as cold or flu viruses and helps accelerate healing if infection already exists.

No single chemical component has been identified as causing echinacea’s medicinal action. A 1997 controlled clinical study involving 120 volunteers in Sweden showed that daily treatment with the juice of fresh flowering E. purpurea at the first sign of cold symptoms inhibits development of colds, and, if a cold is in progress, cuts the duration of the illness in half.

A typical dose is up to nine 300 to 400 mg capsules or 60 drops of a tincture three times daily. Use at the first sign of cold or flu; take continuously for two weeks.

People allergic to members of the aster family, such as ragweed, may also be allergic to echinacea. The German government recommends that it not be used in cases of diseases of the immune system, including multiple sclerosis and HIV infection.

Flu
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis, S. nigra)
Elderberry comes from the honeysuckle family. Medicinally, elder fruit from the North American S. canadensis and elder flower from the European S. nigra are used. American herbalists combine the dried flowers of S. canadensis with peppermint to treat fevers and colds. Native Americans used a tea made from the plant’s inner bark to induce vomiting; Europeans used black elderberry to treat colds and fevers.

Most of the chemical research on elderberry involves black elderberry. Current interest in this species stems from the research of Israeli scientist Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, who, along with her colleagues at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem, developed an elderberry extract standardized to contain three flavonoids. In a 1993 clinical study performed during a flu outbreak in Israel, she found that the extract reduces the severity and duration of flu symptoms compared to a placebo. Apparently, the extract’s compounds inhibit the ability of the flu virus to enter cells, and thus disarm the virus’s ability to infect.

The Germans prescribe elderberry flower to induce sweating in order to treat fevers and increase bronchial secretions associated with full-blown colds.

A typical dose is up to six 500 to 600 mg capsules daily or 40 drops of tincture every four hours. To make a tea, simmer 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried flowers in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes and drink up to three times daily.
Safe use of elder always relates to the dried or cooked fruits and flowers. When fresh, all plant parts can produce allergic or other adverse reactions.

Adapted from 101 Medicinal Herbs by Steven Foster (Interweave Press, 1998).