Kristen

Coloring Hair with Herbs

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Henna gets a bad rap. There are real concerns when using a henna based hair dye, which I’ll address, but the truth is that it is a great option for those who want to color their hair but are concerned for the health of their hair, either long term or short term. Blending other herbs with the henna can create an array of beautiful colors, and also enhance the health of the hair, although henna itself is healthy for the hair on its own, and don’t worry, there are mixes out there that already do the combining for you. Not every ‘natural’ hair dye is free of ammonia and other toxic chemicals though, so beware when buying. Hair coloring products should literally only have herbs in them and nothing else to be truly health promoting for the hair, the skin, the respiratory system, endocrine system, and the planet. And yes, all those aspects of health (and more) are indeed touched by the hair dye used, but even so, it’s important to know a few things before committing to herbal hair coloring, the first being that it is indeed a commitment. Henna coats each strand of your hair with color while chemical dyes actually break apart the outer layer of the hair and deposit color (contributing to frizz). This means when you want to change hair color with chemically dyed hair, that is fairly easy to do. With henna, your color is locked in and cannot be broken back up by chemicals. You can go darker (with darker henna mixes) but you cannot easily go lighter, or get any chemical processes on top of the henna, such as highlights or balayage. That being said, there are ways to lighten your hennaed hair a bit, but it takes time and there’s no couple-of-hours-at-the salon option. I have lightened my hair in the summer with lemon juice and there are tutorials on YouTube that cover lightening hennaed hair with olive oil or honey or a mixture of both. Some spices even help lighten hair when used in the honey/olive oil mixtures because they contain natural peroxide, as does honey. Whatever the option though, it takes multiple applications, as in around 6 or more, so if you are the type of person who likes changing their hair color often, then you should probably hold off on henna for now.

Another important thing to consider is that the colors are pretty much shades of red, brown, and black. There is no way to henna yourself to blondeness. You can get an amazing array of colors with the blending of herbs though, and since the color only shows on the hair when the dye is darker than the hair it is going on, you can also have variation in your hair instead of one shade all over your head, if you that’s what you want. For example, my natural color is dark brown but I have a lot of white hair (early greying runs in my family and I’ve been getting whites since I was a kid, so there are plenty there by this point!) When I put the henna blend on my hair, I mix it to be lighter than my dark brown, so that the lighter color shows on my white hairs and the dark brown remains dark brown, so it’s basically natural highlights. The brand I use is Henna Color Lab and it’s only available online. I’ve found that I have to mix a little of the light brown into the medium brown for the perfect shade for me because when I just used the medium brown it ended up getting too dark which is why I’ve done some lemon juice lightening. It’s always a good idea to start with a much lighter shade anyway and see how it goes since you can always go over it with a darker one, but the reverse is not true.

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The first time you color your hair with a henna based mix, you should know that the color continues to change for 24-48 hours. For me, when I first take the color off and dry my hair (heat helps the dye do its thing) the color looks too light and a tad orangey, then overnight it turns much darker and in fact usually looks too dark that next morning. Then the color settles into the normal brown that matches my hair. For me that means about 2 Tablespoons of the light brown and 3 Tablespoons of the medium brown, mixed with warm water (no need to boil) and a drop or two of rosemary essential oil. My friend mixes an egg with her henna mixture for extra nutrients but I’ve never tried that since the smell of eggs is not my favorite and the mixture stays on the head one to two hours. Speaking of smells, the henna mixes have a strong earthy scent, much like a clay face mask. I personally love it but my kids can’t stand it although they complain less when I add the rosemary to it.

hennamix
It’s green!

I only use the color on my roots and while it sits for an hour or two I generally put a deep moisturizer on the rest of my hair, either the herb amla which is especially good for curly and wavy hair or another natural mask such as Yarok’s Feed Your Moisture Mask or Rahua’s Omega 9 Mask. I get the amla from that same henna company as the color dyes. Their herbal masks are listed under treatments. 

FC8D6792-A37D-4F77-8DC3-808324C75670 Since the color is only going on my roots, one package of hair dye lasts several applications and the packages are not expensive at all, so this is one case where the natural way of doing things really is money saving. I really don’t mean to make this sound like an ‘everyone should henna their hair’ post though because it really does depend on some serious factors of time, choice in colors, and ability to change your hair color on a whim which is a valid concern. For me with naturally wavy/curly hair (which is dry), that’s been greying for a long time (grey hair is dry),  and had chemical dyes for years (also drying), it really wasn’t a hard choice for me to decide herbs were the way to go if I wanted healthy hair for the long-term. I’d heard so many bad things about henna though, that it took me a good year of researching different companies and formulas to find one I trust. I’m not affiliated in any way with Henna Color Lab by the way. I just really like their products for their ingredients and the results I get and if you read the reviews on their site, I’m not alone. There are probably other great herbal mixtures out there but when I was looking at hair dyes at natural foods stores I found a lot of ammonia and other unsavory ingredients which is why I ended up buying online.

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Ingredients for the medium brown: Indigo, Henna, Amla, False Daisy Plant, and Neem. No ammonia, metallic salts, gluten, pesticides, preservatives, or synthetics. Cruelty free and vegan
If you are interested in other traditional remedies for thinning and greying hair, this post has some options for working both internally and externally. If you are curious as to what henna dying involves, it’s basically the following:

  1. Wash hair with shampoo
  2. Mix the powdered henna + other herbs mixture with hot water (egg or drop of rosemary essential oil can be added but not necessary)
  3. Put the mixture on the parts of hair needing the color
  4. Put a shower cap on and wait 1-2 hours
  5. Rinse it out with water and then conditioner
  6. Blow dry hair

That’s it. It’s healthy for your hair so you can do it as often as necessary, although the mix does say not to use shampoo for 24 hours. I usually do my roots once every 2-3 weeks. To cover stubborn greys you can do the above procedure until step 5, but instead of rinsing it out with conditioner you just rinse with water and then apply a new application of the dye. This is especially recommended for the first time you henna.

Here are pics of my hair when I first started with the henna, and one from a couple of months ago after using henna for a couple of years. In the first two pics I had put it all over my hair once, then did my roots a few times over the course of a couple of months. That last pic shows my roots right after an application but most of my hair is still wet.

Roots
Color variation
After a couple of years of henna

If you have any questions about henna, feel free to contact me and I’ll either have an answer or help you look for one.

Be good to yourselves, and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty.

How to Make Vanilla Extract

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This is one of those things that’s so easy to make yourself that you’ll wonder why you never did it before. It’s basically the exact same thing as making an herbal tincture although you don’t need to pack it so tightly with the vanilla beans, and you might want to let it cure a bit longer than the average tincture.

Bulk Bin
Prepackaged

All you need are a few vanilla beans which you can buy in grocery store bulk bins, online, or packaged in jars or bags like above in a spice aisle, alcohol such as vodka, rum, bourbon, or brandy, a jar and time.

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I chose vodka because I want to use this extract in my DIY natural perfumes as well as in baking, and vodka has the most neutral scent. I’ll definitely be using the extract in the waffles that I make all the time, and these zucchini muffins too, so it’ll be versatile and well used with the vodka. As with all things herbal, there are plenty of variations with which to experiment, but basically you want at least 4 vanilla beans per cup of alcohol. First split the vanilla beans down the middle lengthwise with a sharp knife.

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It’s hard to tell, but the bean closest to the knife has a long slice down the middle. Next, put the beans in a clean glass jar, then pour the alcohol over them, making sure they are completely submerged.

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Cap the jar or bottle tightly, then shake it daily (or at least every other day after the first week) for at least four weeks.

Day 1
Day 1 with label
Four weeks

At this point the vanilla extract can be used, but you will probably still smell the alcohol, so it depends on whether you are baking with it or using it in a non-heated recipe like frosting if you taste just vanilla or the alcohol as well. (The heat in baking and cooking will get rid of the alcohol taste/scent.) After two to three months, the vanilla extract should smell only of pure, rich vanilla. That means, if you want to make holiday gifts of homemade vanilla extract, you will want to get this started by early October. (Yup, already thinking along those lines!) Also, the more beans you originally put into the mixture, the more vanilla-y it will be, so keep that in mind. You want at least four per cup, but you can definitely add more than that. Vanilla beans are the second most expensive spice, after saffron, due to the delicate harvesting and curing of the beans, so sticking with four per cup is perfectly fine.

You don’t have to ever take the beans out actually, though if you are giving some of yours as a gift, taking out the old beans and adding a fresh one to the container looks lovely and continues to add depth and richness to the extract. (You don’t even need to cut it down the middle at that point.) Vanilla extract lasts indefinitely if stored in a lidded container in a relatively cool, dark place.

Enjoy, and if you love making your own herbal concoctions, check out my latest course on the Art and Craft of Herbalism. Take care and enjoy the transition to cooler days, crisper nights, and crunchier walks. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

Natural Supplements for Osteoarthritis

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When looking for supplements to help ease arthritis pain, it’s important to include anti-inflammatories as well as those that work on cartilage. As far as an anti-inflammatory, turmeric is a proven herb for reducing inflammation all over the body. (That’s turmeric that my friend brought back from Hawaii in the pic up above.) It is usually combined with black pepper for best absorption, although it doesn’t have to be in order to receive benefits, especially if taken as part of a meal in food or drink. If taken in a pill, look for one that does include black pepper such as Gaia’s line of turmeric supplements. Ginger is another herb that can be combined with turmeric or taken separately to ease arthritis pain, and Devil’s Claw is approved as one of those phytomedicines prescribed in Germany that I talked about earlier. (If you missed that post, German doctors have about six to seven hundred herbs they can and do regularly prescribe, as advised by the committee which oversees herbs and supplements and reports to their version of the FDA.) Devil’s Claw is not as popular in the U.S. as it is in Europe, although you can easily find it here. I personally have no history with that particular herb, but turmeric and I on the other hand have a long and happy history because although I don’t have arthritis, I have experienced some pain from joint damage that turmeric has all but erased. When I was pregnant, I had some joint movement in my feet, which is quite common. It resulted in a lot of pain, especially when my feet were stepped on, and let me tell you that happened often when my boys were little. I ended up getting a steroid shot at the base of my big toe to stop the inflammation from all the damage, and the doctor told me I’d probably just have to get one about once a year unless I ever opted for surgery. Sure enough, the pain started to come back after a few months, so I got another shot about a year after the first one. This time I decided to take turmeric daily to help with the inflammation (those first few years with little ones had my brain way too occupied to remember my herbal training but by this point the fog was starting to clear) and I’ve never needed another shot, nor have I been in pain besides rare long nights with crampy shoes. It’s definitely due to taking turmeric consistently and luckily turmeric has benefits for the digestive system as well, and is even touted in the Blue Zones books for being one of the superfoods that slows aging. Not bad side effects!

As for supplements to target cartilage damage, most people have heard of glucosamine and chondroitin. When I worked at health food stores I talked to many people getting powerful results from these two, if they stuck with it. But there is a best practice to follow when taking this combination because some people have a bit of stomach sensitivity to these pills, so starting below the amount recommended on the bottle is advisable. (Or just follow your doctor’s instructions.) If your stomach handles the lower dose, build up over a few days, adding another pill per day or every few days, depending on your sensitivity. In other words, if the bottle says take three pills twice per day, it’s better to start with one pill twice per day, then if that goes well for a couple of days then move up to two pills for the first dose then one pill for the second dose for a couple of days, and so on. This allows for the digestive system to adapt. It usually takes about six to eight weeks for the effects to really be noticeable, although I got a sample from the New Hope Blogger Box of some chewables that report a much quicker time to relief. Joint Health by Redd Remedies boasts results in an impressive 4-10 days, plus the suggested dose is just one per day and it’s a chewable, making it a nice fit for those who have pill fatigue.

Since I no longer have any joint pain, I’ll have to pass these along to someone and see what they think. Redd Remedies puts a lot of effort into their research with peer-reviewed, published human clinical trials and published safety data, so I’m betting this is an extremely effective product, but I’ll let you know if my tester runs into any issues with it.

Another supplement to consider is Bromelain, the enzyme found in pineapple. To get the anti-inflammatory action straight from the fruit, it needs to be consumed fresh, not frozen or canned, and you need to eat it often. I’ve heard of people getting great results from this enzyme but it really depends on the person and what works best for each individual’s body. Taking bromelain for your joints though has the added benefits of helping to break down protein in your meals so you get the most nutrients from what you eat. Isn’t it nice to hear about beneficial side effects instead of a long list of potential problems that accompany most pharmaceuticals?

It’s never too early to start taking care of your joints, and know that there is help available if osteoarthritis sets in. Take care of yourselves and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article.

 

 

The Art and Craft of Herbalism

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If you have been visiting this blog for a while now, you may have noticed I’m a big proponent of self-advocacy. We all have the ability to make choices that impact our health, and our lives, in big ways and small ways, and the more we acknowledge our role in how we feel as we age and what options we have for our specific body types and health issues, the more we can then assist our bodies in our natural abilities to heal ourselves, instead of getting in its way. We all know that when we are sick, we are more fatigued, so we sleep more which gives the body time and energy to heal. If we do not rest when sick, the sickness continues and secondary issues are more apt to erupt. The body knows what it needs to heal, and furthermore, the body doesn’t just want to be disease free, we all want to thrive and feel our best for as long as possible. Observing our own health quirks and naturally adding in herbs and supplements that gently assist our body’s healing abilities, is a great way to stay in touch with our own personal needs and help correct imbalances before they turn into a diseases.

When I worked at health food stores, my best guess is that at least 75% of the customers who walked in the doors asked for help. They wanted to know about the latest thing on Oprah or Dr. Oz, or something their friend told them about, or they were searching for help with a new diagnosis whether it was a loved one’s or their own. These people were all of the mindset that there were things they could do to improve their lives or the lives of their loved ones, and they were willing to ask. I think this shows we naturally want to improve ourselves, and the feeling of powerlessness that can accompany a modern diagnosis is one of the most defeating feelings one can have. Nobody wants to be at the mercy of a corrupt pharmaceutical industry nor depending on doctors that can only spend ten minutes at a time with you because of insurance regulations. That might very well be part of your reality, but it doesn’t have to be the whole picture. Whether you are sick or thriving, have mild chronic issues or extreme sporadic ones, you can absolutely assist in reaching your optimal health.

This is why I wrote my latest course, The Art and Craft of Herbalism. Our ancestors knew how to work with medicinal herbs daily out of necessity, just as they knew how to cook out of necessity. This course isn’t for everyone. I understand many people would rather just buy what is on the shelf at their local store, or order something online, just as some people would rather buy their meals rather than cook them. But for those that want to create their own herbal medicines or even just have a better understanding of how it is done, then this course is for you. And for the record, I do a lot more buying off the shelf than making myself, but it is incredibly empowering to make my own herbal medicines when I want something specific that I can’t find, or I’m eager to save money. It’s far less expensive to grow your own herbs that you then use, but I don’t go that far back to basics in this particular course. There is still quite a bit of money to be saved by buying loose herbs instead of ones already boxed or bottled or tableted up for use. It’s incredibly easy to make tinctures, oils, balms, and other herbal concoctions, just as simple, natural ingredients can be put together to make beautiful, nutritious, and delicious meals. Herbal concocting is an art and a craft which lends itself beautifully to the cooking analogy I’ve been employing here, and considering the ‘home herbalist’ is also known as a ‘kitchen witch’, I’m certainly not the first to notice the similarities.

Here’s the promo: https://youtu.be/Iyy7e5fqZYM

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

If you are a maker, creator, artist, herbalist, or just plain curious, I’d like to invite you to take the course. Those of you who subscribe to this blog with your email address have already gotten a coupon code to take the course for free (let me know if you have not). If you follow this blog in the wordpress reader and would like to take the course for free and hopefully give me constructive feedback, (pretty please), I’d be happy to send you the code. Just send me your email address and let me know who you are in terms of wordpress-land and I’ll email you back with the code and my gratitude.

However you choose to live your life, I hope it is deeply fulfilling to your heart and soul, and blessing you with the thriving health you want. I’d love it if you shared this with anyone who might benefit from it and and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty.

Lentil Soup and Supps on the Go

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I took a short trip to Portland and the Oregon coast for a few days this week. On the little getaway I was able to try a couple of the New Hope Blogger Box supplements because they were conveniently packaged for portability. F8F114EC-3821-4B1C-B3BA-28D6734E4E12[1]

I didn’t take a lot of supplements with me since it was such a quick trip, so these two products were perfect to take along. The Green Vibrance by Vibrant Health is chock full of superfoods, probiotics, and tastes delicious. The chocolate coconut flavor does not disappoint. I was really happy to be able to take such a nutrient-packed supplement which covered a lot of bases all in one convenient powder packet. I believe the actual product does not come in these little packets by the way, but instead in a more eco-friendly container which works better for everyday use.

This collagen booster below from Fusion Naturals is vegan, tastes naturally fruity, and is in attractive packaging which I always thoroughly appreciate. It is lovely from the outside and delicious tasting so definitely a quality product. I like using a jar to shake up the powder with the water, but on the trip I just put the powder in a glass of water and stirred with a spoon. Either way works. 9FE53C8F-171D-4B58-812E-68D55A51E6F4[1]

Inexplicably, I’ve been craving soup this hot, hot summer. Cooking it sounded like too much of a sweat session (we don’t have A/C) so I’ve just left the desire alone, marinating until crisper fall days. Until today that is. It’s only 68 degrees and since I’ve just come back from the Oregon coast where we had one warm day, one cool day, and one in-between, that cool day really got my thoughts revolving around soup until there was no chance of putting it off anymore. Lentil soup is one of my favorites, and each time I make it the recipe is a bit different. The things I always put in are garlic, onion, leeks, and potatoes, but sadly I didn’t remember the leek at the grocery store today. I added a sweet potato this time, just because I had one on hand, and carrots which are regular items. Lentils are one of the few legumes that don’t need to pre-soak before cooking, but a rinse does the dry beans good and it also gives the cook a chance to pick them over and toss out any that are discolored or any items that are not in fact legumes that might have gotten mixed in with them, especially if you buy them from a bulk bin. Here’s today’s recipe:

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Lentil Soup

About 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1 Yellow Onion

2 or 3 garlic cloves

2 medium sized carrots

2 potatoes

1 sweet potato

1.5 Cups French Green Lentils

5 Cups of vegetable broth

About 1-2 teaspoon (to personal taste. I like a lot of herbs in there.) each of Thyme, Oregano, Basil, Black Pepper, Sea Salt and a Bay Leaf

Chop up all the veggies in small pieces, making them all around the same size. Coat the bottom of large pot with olive oil (or another oil of choice) and start sauteing the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the other veggies and cook for another couple of minutes before adding the thyme, oregano, basil, and black pepper. Cook another couple of minutes, then add the broth, lentils, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then turn it down to a low simmer until the lentils are soft which takes about 35-40 minutes, but it depends on a couple of factors, including the age of lentils. Once the lentils are soft, then add the salt to taste. Take the bay leaf out once the soup is finished. It’s always better the next day and just gets better over the next couple of days. This version is good but I miss the leek or two I usually have in it. It tastes great with either bread or rice and of course, if you like a thinner soup, add more broth or water. Also, you can always replace the teaspoons of herbs with a bouquet garni, preferable wrapped in the outer layer of a leek.

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Enjoy the second half of August! Late summer moving into early fall is my favorite time of year. More soup recipes will be coming shortly I’m sure, as well as some bread recipes for serving with them and I’d be forever grateful if you shared this with anyone who might be interested and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty. Best health to you and yours!

 

Allergy Friendly Picnic Foods

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In the latest box of samples from the New Hope Network, there are some new items that make great for great picnicking. Well, the cassava flour and smoothie mix in the picture above are not exactly picnic picks, although making a baked treat with the cassava flour would certainly be lovely and allergen-free, but I’ll blog about those items another time. It’s August and it already feels like prime picnicking weather is waning so let’s get to it!

Beet chips from Bare Snacks were a big hit with my oldest son. He didn’t remember eating beets before (although he has) so I thought the strong taste might be too much for him since beets are one of those foods you generally have to have a few times before really appreciating them. He loved them though and I was impressed with the nutritional value~ simply baked beets and salt, no oil, no frying, and the nutrition information even boasts iron. How often do you see iron in a chip? I liked them too but my youngest refused to try them~ not surprising.

What was surprising was both my sons agreed that this turkey bar from Country Archer Jerky Co. was delicious. Normally if one of them likes something the other one has to hate it, so this is truly a rare food moment when both agree. They said it’s delicious, slightly spicy, kind of hard on the outside but chewy on the inside reminiscent of a pepperoni log’s texture. I didn’t try it myself since I’m still fairly new to eating poultry and thought my boys would be better guinea pigs. What excites me most is that my youngest said that he would eat these if they were in his lunchbox because he is so hard to pack lunches for, especially when it comes to protein. Now they just need to make a broccoli bar that tastes like meat or candy and he’ll be set.

What I did try and really liked though are these Quinn Snacks Pretzels. I didn’t notice at first that they were gluten-free, so I was excited when I realized they are indeed gluten-free, soy free, dairy free, corn free, and made from ancient grains. They are crisp, delicious, and addictive, just as pretzels should be. So addictive in fact that I was the only one who got to try these. Yum!

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Now this is for the serious picnicker: Bellucci Organic Oil in individual squeeze packs. I imagine drizzling the oil on fresh bread, or adding it to a salad or sandwich once the picnic is underway so nothing gets soggy in the transport. (Miracle!) These seriously make me want to get a red checkered blanket, a classic wicker basket, and a bottle of wine and do it up in style. Their website has some lovely recipes too. By the way I’ve heard a lot about fake olive oil out there being surprisingly rampant. This company is the real deal and they even encourage you to trace your bottle to its beginnings in Italy. Fantastico!

My personal favorite and the family favorite of all these are the Laiki rice crackers from Grains of Health. They are surprisingly good and as a family with multiple food allergies over the years, we’ve had our fair share of rice crackers. These have an almost buttery taste but they are dairy-free, and the texture is thick and somewhat ‘puffed’ but not airy. You actually feel like you are eating something when you eat these, and they are good. Really good. We didn’t even try them with something on them because they have so much flavor they don’t need anything else, although I imagine they would be great as part of an hor d’oeuvre tray as well because they are nice and sturdy.

The can of Zero Sugar Mountain berry soda from Dry Soda Co. was an all around family pleaser as well. It isn’t very carbonated, has a natural taste, and stevia makes it a bit sweet without the calories. We also tried their other line of sodas which do have cane sugar in them and thought the Lavender was quite good. It has a subtle taste that would pair well in a cocktail, especially for a summer evening. These are so pretty too that they’d make a nice treat to bring to a dinner party, and they are versatile with being a stand-alone drink or mixing with liquor or champagne, or to make a mocktail for kids~ just add some orange juice to the vanilla one, and add a skewer of fresh fruits like pineapple and raspberries. This is a Seattle company by the way, so “Howdy Neighbor” to them.

The wraps from Angelic Bakehouse looked delicious but I had to give them to my wheat-eating friend for her family to try and am awaiting their thoughts. Even though sprouted wheat is easier to digest, I didn’t want to take the risk and thought regular wheat eaters would have better comparative opinions anyway. If you are looking for new ideas for wraps or other recipes, they have some great ideas on their website. I am especially drawn to this Guacamole Chipotle wrap and this Hummus and Veggie Sushi roll looks great for back to school lunches.

I’ll cover the supplements in the sample box in the next blog post, once I have a chance to give them some time to work. I’m especially excited about a new collagen product in the mix, and some essential oils from a brand I haven’t tried before. Be good to yourselves and do something you love today, and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article..

 

 

 

Herbalism Today and Blue Zones

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I think it’s fair to say that there’s been a systematic denigration of the use of herbs in America in the last few decades. Part of this stems from the very fact that herbalism has been in use since the dawn of humanity, and if it weren’t for herbs being used medicinally, I seriously doubt humans would have lasted long enough to have achieved the medical technological advances that we have now. That extraordinarily long history means herbs are tied up with myth, religion, and spirituality, as are all things from the ancient world. The world was not divided as it is now, with spiritual leaders, artists, scientists, politicians, and on and on all leading separate existences. Herbs fed humans daily, kept them alive and healthy, as well as kept vermin and germs away, so of course they were also part of the spiritual customs and traditions of each culture. They were both daily allies and miraculous magic workers. This intertwined ancestry is sacred still to many, but unfortunately others see it as a reason to label herbalism as just ‘old wives tales’ and consider it all ineffective, despite thousands upon thousands of years of use. It’s important to note that other parts of the world still embrace herbs as part of their medical system. According to the World Health Organization, around 75% of the world’s population still depend on herbal medicine for basic health care needs, and we aren’t just talking about third world countries. European doctors regularly prescribe ‘phytomedicines’ alongside other modern medicines, with German doctors reporting along the lines of 80% of them regularly using medicinal herbs in their practices, and in England and Australia both, herbalists are recognized health care providers. Also according to the World Health Organization, Japan leads the world in highest per capita consumption with 80% of Japanese doctors prescribing a traditional Chinese medicine within the last year. This shows that herbs are indeed effective, and they were seen as such in the U.S. too until the 1920s when the pharmaceutical industry really got going. (The numbers quoted above are from a book published in 2007 but seem consistent with what I’ve heard in the last couple of years.)

Another reason that herbs are often discounted is the fact that herbs exist in a different paradigm of health than our modern western view. In our culture today, if we don’t have a disease, that constitutes ‘healthy’ for the most part. We go to a doctor if we are unwell. The doctor runs tests and either offers us a procedure, or a pharmaceutical, or further testing, or if nothing is found than we are told to watch the symptoms and come back if need be. There is not much support for the in-between time in the modern American system, but that is the space where herbs (and other natural medicines) thrive. Herbs work to balance the body’s imbalances before reaching disease state. In this paradigm, health is a state of homeostasis, where minor issues are clues to overall body tendencies, and those can and should be addressed gently and consistently with herbs, and those medicinal herbs also provide beneficial side effects. This is a sharp contrast to what we are used to thinking of as medicine, and the truth is that most people are not in the habit of being self-aware enough to regulate their health before a disease state. Once a disease state has been reached most people want the fastest ‘cure’ which often means a relief of the symptoms, not a cure of the underlying imbalances that caused the issue in the first place. Not that every disease can be avoided with the proper herbs and care, but most people are at least vaguely aware of their personal patterns, genetics, and their weakest body systems that are apt to lead to sickness, so it is not such a far leap to start looking for ways to build weak areas up with herbs, nutrition, other natural products, and activities. It certainly beats knowing your genetic predisposition to certain weakness and yet doing nothing. There are always options. Self awareness leads to self care and self advocacy, and that is a healthy long-term outlook.

Speaking of a healthy outlook, my book club is now reading a book on Blue Zones (thanks to Lani for picking it!) which is a concept that’s interested me for some time so I’m excited to delve into it. Since I haven’t actually gotten the book yet though, I got familiar with the topic through this Delicious Living article that gives the quick and dirty on what makes a community a Blue Zone. Below are 9 pillars from the article to give you an idea of Blue Zones, but for the whole article, click the link above or the map below. Also, if you want to join our book club and read the book I linked to, let me know what you think!

bluezonesmap

The Power 9 are the nine lifestyle principles, as outlined in The Blue Zones, that Buettner and his team documented during extensive research trips to the world’s five blue zones—Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; Okinawa, Japan and Icaria, Greece. These principles, he explains, are common elements of the lifestyle and diet habits and overall outlook the centenarians share in each location he visited. They’re a recipe for longevity, he says. “But it’s an à la carte menu; you don’t have to do all of them.”

Here’s how you can incorporate these proven principles in your own life and home—or even your community.

1. Move naturally

Be active without having to think about it.

2. Hara Hachi Bu

Painlessly cut calories by 20 percent.

3. Plant Slant

Avoid meat and processed foods.

4. Grapes of Life

Drink red wine (in moderation).

5. Find Purpose Now

Take time to see the big picture.

6. Downshift

Take time to relieve stress.

7. Belong

Participate in a spiritual community.

8. Loved Ones First

Make family a priority.

9. Right Tribe

Surround yourself with those who share your values. (End of article info.)

These seem to be pretty simple concepts that make sense. We all want the same things, to be happy and healthy, to stress less and enjoy more, to be around loved ones and feel our time here is significant in some greater way. Let’s try to make it happen. And if you are wanting to add herbs to your life but are unsure of where to start, adaptogens are a great place. They help the body adapt to stress, and who isn’t overly stressed these days? Check out my free mini-course for more information on adaptogens and keep an eye out for my longest course yet which will be dropping soon. It’s where most of my energy has been going lately and just for a little hint, it’s especially for the makers and creators out there. Take care my friends and remember that you are your own best advocate. Please subscribe (top right) for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article.

The Future of Milk

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Would you like some almond juice in your coffee? Or liquid soy on your cereal? It doesn’t sound quite right but that might be what the future holds if the dairy industry gets its way. Apparently the FDA is considering banning the word ‘milk’ on plant based products because according to their standards’ definition, “Milk is the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows.” That is not the full definition, but the full definition does not include plant based milks at all, even though dictionaries and long common usage have indeed used the word milk for plants. Here’s Merriam Webster’s definition:

1a : a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of females for the nourishment of their young
b (1) : milk from an animal and especially a cow used as food by people 

(2) : a food product produced from seeds or fruit that resembles and is used similarly to cow’s milk 

2: a liquid resembling milk in appearance: such as
a : the latex of a plant
b : the contents of an unripe kernel of grain

The FDA can’t wave a wand and wipe the shelves free of plant based milks that easily of course, and this is certainly going to get a lot of debate, and here’s where that debate starts: They are holding a public hearing to begin the discussion on July 26th in Maryland, but you can make an electronic or paper submission if you want to add your thoughts to the discussion. Something along the lines of, “Are you serious?” seems appropriate. Moooooving on~

Here’s a breakfast recipe from Delicious Living for Muesli. Recipe and photo below are both by Lori Eanes. Feel free to add any kind of milk you want.

Muesli

Muesli is a great alternative to expensive packaged cereal, and it’s filled with fiber, protein and flavor. Eat it with yogurt, almond milk or dairy milk, and you’ll stay full all morning.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups old-fashioned, gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped, dried cranberries or apricots

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325˚. Mix first six ingredients (oats through vanilla) in a large bowl. Line an 11×18-inch rimmed baking pan with parchment. Pour mix onto pan. Bake 15–20 minutes or until coconut flakes are light brown. Cool.
  2. When cool, stir in raisins and dried cranberries or apricots. Transfer to an airtight container and use within a week, or freeze for longer storage.

PER SERVING (1 cup): 488 cal, 17g fat (8g mono, 3g poly, 5g sat), 0mg chol, 238mg sodium, 75g carb (10g fiber, 26g sugars), 13g protein

It’s hot here in the PNW where a/c is not the norm so cooking is the last thing I feel like doing, especially when it comes to dinnertime. Time to bring out all the salad recipes I can find I guess. Let me know if you have any dinner tricks for surviving summer heat waves~ I’d love some new ideas. Enjoy the rest of your week and please subscribe for more recipes and posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article.

 

 

 

Adaptogens Mini-Course

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To be considered an adaptogen an herb must have the quality of not causing harm. Adaptogens are said to have plant intelligence in the way they support what each individual needs. To learn more about this quality, click the play button on the video below, and to learn more about adaptogens in general, check out my mini-course:

https://botanical-alchemy-and-apothecary.teachable.com/p/adaptogens

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

Thank you! Be well and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this mini-course.

 

Natural Help for Common Skin Issues

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Many people suffer from one or more of three common skin issues~ acne, eczema, and psoriasis. These can be frustratingly stubborn problems with a series of harsh topicals and prescriptions thrown at the issues with less than stellar results. The reason usually is, although it’s a myth that chocolate causes acne, the digestive system does indeed play a fundamental role in skin health. If you have a stubborn skin issue and haven’t looked into food intolerances yet, well, you are in for a treat because most likely once you get the food intolerances under control, your skin will glow with gratitude. There’s more to healthy skin than just a healthy gut of course, but you aren’t going to have the first without the latter, so step one is just making sure your digestive system is as healthy as can be. This may mean supplementing with bitters, enzymes, and probiotics to help the digestive system be optimally healthy, and if you do have food intolerances, there are other steps you can take to heal your system. By the way, you take bitters and/or enzymes before you eat, and probiotics after the meal is finished. Bitters activate your natural enzymes while taking enzyme supplements help to break down food with the added supplementation instead of boosting your body to make its own enzymes as the bitters do. Probiotics act later and deeper in the process.

Other important things to keep in mind when addressing skin issues are toxins in your food, products, and environments, your hormones (which really means your entire endocrine system), and your overall health which of course includes stress. That’s admittedly a lot to look into, so it might be nice to start with some natural topicals and specific supplementation for acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Delicious Living has a few suggestions to help with getting started:

Problem: Acne.

Clogged skin gland follicles lead to acne, the nation’s most common skin condition.

Cause: Pesky pimples are just part of the problem. Acne indicates any number of deeper health issues: hormonal imbalances, digestive upset, overactive oil glands or bacteria buildup, says Kate Tackett, ND. Although the condition is most common among 11- to 30-year-olds (approximately 80 percent of people in this age group experience it), many adults never outgrow acne and others may even experience acne for the first time in adulthood.

Topical solution: Look for serums and washes that use antimicrobial ingredients, such as tea tree oil, witch hazel and willow bark. Recent research also supports thyme for its acne-fighting properties. Salicylic acid (from willow bark) remains an effective go-to for alleviating inflammation and irritation. Green tea and neem may also help.

Try: Derma e Very Clear Acne Cleanser

Supplements: Use vitamin A to reduce sebum production; vitamins C, E and selenium to support skin “immunity” and skin cell repair; and probiotics to restore digestive imbalances. For severe redness, Benyamin recommends a high dose of 50 mg zinc (avoid long-term use at this dose; reduce it once redness subsides to avoid copper imbalance).

Try: Terry Naturally Acne Essentials

Problem: Eczema.

Eczema, from a Greek word meaning to “bubble or boil over,” is an itchy, red rash that can appear anywhere on the body and affects more than 30 million Americans. Although there is no cure, there are various ways to manage it.

Cause: As with acne, eczema triggers are vast—and vary from person to person. Common causes, according to Tackett, include excess stomach acid and leaky gut syndrome, candida overgrowth, food sensitivities, stress and contact with irritants found in cleaning and personal care products. Skin’s moisture loss can greatly exacerbate the condition.

Topical solution: Use gentle, nontoxic lotions that contain nourishing, plant-based oils and extracts. Research has shown that shea butter and sunflower seed oil can control and soothe dermatitis- related skin issues. Avoid “fragrances,” which are common skin irritants.

Try: Salcura Bioskin DermaSpray

Supplements: Probiotics balance gut bacteria and fight eczema-related inflammation. Omega-3s and hyaluronic acid restore moisture from the inside out.

Try: SeabuckWonders Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil

Problem: Psoriasis.

Less common than acne and eczema (10 percent of people inherit one or more of the genes that eventually lead to psoriasis, but only 2 to 3 percent of people develop it), psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes raised, red, scaly skin patches.

Cause: One main cause is silica (a trace mineral) deficiency, says Benyamin. Other triggers include genetics, leaky gut and diminished liver function.

Topical solution: Products that use salicylic acid can reduce scales and soften lesions, according to research published in Canadian Family Physician. Research has also shown that using aloe vera for four weeks can reduce psoriasis irritation. Jojoba moisturizes and soothes, while apple cider vinegar and capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili peppers) may alleviate itching and pain.

Try: Jason Natural Soothing Aloe Vera 98% Gel

Supplements: In addition to omega-3s and probiotics, look for beauty supplements that contain silica, with additional skin- and nail-supportive nutrients such as collagen and biotin. Tackett also recommends milk thistle for liver support and fiber to help eliminate toxins from the body.

Try: BioSil

If you like to drink herbal infusions, there are several blends that address skin health and usually focus on liver and blood cleansing herbs like burdock root and/or nettles. My favorite is Yogi’s Healthy Skin Tea with cinnamon and vanilla which is delicious and along with nettles has great digestive herbs and beautifying schisandra to support a healthy glow. There are plenty of other combinations out there if cinnamon and vanilla do not sound like your cup of, well, tea (oy!) and also green tea is always a great choice for skin health with all those antioxidants. Other herbs that are particularly healthy for the skin are Turmeric, Neem, and Amla, and be sure to drink plenty of water daily.

Wishing all of you skin that radiates your optimal health and natural light, and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article..