Herbs

Herbs, Roots, Connection

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This new year has started off with a bang here in the U.S. and it has me thinking about my passion for herbs, herbal crafting, and sharing with others. My training has been focused on clinical herbalism but that is never what I wanted to do for various reasons, but mostly because what I treasure about herbalism is the self-knowledge, self-application, and self-enjoyment of having a relationship with the herbs. I aim to connect people to the earth, their roots, and each other through herbs because herbs and humans have been living entwined lives since the beginning of time. When we engage in cooking, crafting, medicine making, or simply brushing by herbs and smelling their scents, we are engaging in the same activities all of our ancestors did since the very beginning of humanity itself, and we are engaging in activities that bind us to each other all over the world and to the earth herself. For that reason, working and playing with herbs is immensely satisfying, joyful, and scratches an itch like nothing else.

The connection people form when making herbal concoctions together is something truly special to behold. If you have never taken an in-person herbal crafting class, I highly recommend it because it is as high-vibe as it gets. That connection is what I want to see more of in the world, and what I want to be part of creating. Connection to earth, to our roots, and to each other is a driving force of this website, classes I’ve made for online and IRL, and for the books I write and contribute to. Connecting to all kinds of people has always been extremely important to me and is one of the reasons I got an MA in TESOL. I love teaching English as a Second Language because I get to meet people from all over the world and that is truly the best thing ever. When I was in college my roommate once remarked that I must know every exchange student on campus, and she was probably right but I hadn’t even thought about it. Of course I want to connect with those with different lives, different habits, opinions, preconceptions, etc. It is fascinating! Isn’t that why we read books too? It is why I personally love novels…the lives that I haven’t lived are so fabulously ‘other’ and full of insights and experiences that I could never get through my own little corner of the world.

So back to this new year and this same old story of divisiveness. The events of this past week of the insurrection on the nation’s capitol were shocking enough, but the lack of police action was even more shocking after this summer’s displays of brute force and tear gas against peaceful BLM protestors. The disingenuous discourse I have witnessed from those that are uncomfortable with seeing in action what their rhetoric has incited, or even their silence, is just as upsetting. I don’t want to be silent on this and I never thought I’d have to say this, but as much as I treasure connection and I want all people to be seen and heard, this is not a space open to white supremacists, racists, or misogynists. Some have responded to that mob by stating, “This is not who we (as a nation) are,” and others have said, “Yes, this is actually who we are right now and we have to accept that and move towards better,” but I disagree with both those statements. That is not who I am, and I refuse to be part of any community that comes remotely close to what was so arrogantly displayed to the watching world. That is all I have control of and although I hope we as a nation are moving towards ‘better’ and I do believe we will and must, I cannot say that small group is who we are or who we aren’t because they aren’t going to define me, my communities, nor my country. They are they, and they are not we and they are not welcome here. That is all I wanted to say.

Happy New Year!

Natural Skin Products for Acne and Eczema DIY

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I woke up with one goal in mind today, to make a perfumed body oil because I’ve been out for about a week and my skin is already feeling parched. (Winter weather problems). Instead of just stopping with the oil though, I decided to make my teenage son an acne-fighting toner and also an eczema oil for some dry patches he has on his neck.

He uses Alba Acnedote products on his teenage skin, and they work pretty well, but he still has issues at times as probably all 16 year old boys do. One problem is that when he goes to his Dad’s he has different products there and also his diet isn’t as strict as it is here pertaining to his food intolerances. Skin issues are very often related to dietary intolerances, which is likely why there is the common misconception that dairy causes acne. It’s not the dairy, but being intolerant to dairy and consuming it anyway, that causes the acne. So many people are dairy intolerant that it makes sense that many, many people would get relief from their skin issues by avoiding dairy. Gluten is another food that can cause skin problems if you are intolerant to it and I know it made me break out every single time I ate even just a scrap of it. (Now I eat spelt and einkorn without problems but that is after a lot of digestive healing measures and years without any gluten at all.) Other foods to consider avoiding if you have chronic skin issues are soy, eggs, and nuts.

Toner is used after cleaning and before serums or moisturizers. This is an easy toner with just 2oz of witch hazel, 3 drops of tea tree essential oil, and 3 drops of lavender essential oil. I instructed him to keep his eyes firmly shut when he sprays this on his face because no one wants essential oils in their eyes. If your skin is sensitive, start with one drop of tea tree and one drop lavender in the two ounces of witch hazel.

The eczema oil is very simple as well. I used .5oz of jojoba oil which is noncomedogenic (doesn’t clog pores) with 2 drops lavender essential oil and 2 drops rose absolute. I chose rose over tea tree for this one because tea tree is slightly drying while rose is specific to dry and/or mature skin. Lavender e.o. is great for any type of skin issue. By the way, eczema is just as often related to food intolerances as acne is, and in fact almost all skin issues (such as rosacea) and have a strong correlation with the digestive system. Hippocrates famously noted, “All disease begins in the gut.”

This is the perfumed body oil in the making. These body oils not only keep my stomach, arms, and legs soft and moisturized throughout the year, the act of putting it on day and night also keeps my hands moisturized and healthy. I used to have chilblains during the fall and winter, but ever since I started being consistent with perfumed body oils, the flair ups are far less common. I change up the base oils and essential oils each time, but as long as quality of the ingredients is good, the body oils are therapeutic and beautifying. If you would like the recipe for this one that I did this morning, let me know and I’ll add it, but I want to encourage you to create your own concoctions with the ingredients you have on hand.

Thank you for reading and if you haven’t already checked out my book coming out in March but available now for preorder, take a look and let me know if you have any questions 👀:

Thank you for reading and let me know if you make any of these, and if so what your recipe turned out to be.

Happy crafting ✨🌿!

Making Perfume Samples

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This was a fun project! I made some sample perfumes to accompany the marketing team when they introduce the book I wrote to book buyers. It was a little intimidating to try to create a scent for 25 strangers that was going to be gender neutral and hopefully widely appealing, but I really liked how the scent turned out! It reminds me of fresh air like no other perfume I’ve ever put together and now I’m working with the publisher on making it a bonus recipe for those that preorder the book.

In the parlance of Instagram…How it started:

How it’s going…

Speaking of Instagram, check out these eagles I saw on my run this morning! They were so quiet that I don’t know why I even looked up. It must have been their intense regal-ness that caught my attention:

Here’s a link to the book where you can preorder through your book seller of choice, including independents. Thank you so much for your support!

💜🌿🌸

HSA Webinar: Hamlet’s Poison: The Mystery of Hebanon & Shakespeare’s Other Deadly Plants — The Herb Society of America Blog

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By Jen Munson, HSA Education Chair ‘There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember: and there is pansies. that’s for thoughts.’ (Hamlet 4.5.248) William Shakespeare’s poetic plays are filled with dramatic imagery and references to plants, herbs, trees, vegetables, and other botanicals. Shakespeare’s awareness of the botanical world was near the level of herbalists of […]

HSA Webinar: Hamlet’s Poison: The Mystery of Hebanon & Shakespeare’s Other Deadly Plants — The Herb Society of America Blog

This👆 look like such a good webinar! It’s free for Herb Society of America members and $5 for nonmembers. I am thinking of taking it myself and would love to hear if you tune in too! The only issue I have with the announcement though is where it says that Shakespeare’s herbal knowledge was ‘near the level of herbalists’, because everyone back then had herbal knowledge and Shakespeare would not have used esoteric things in his plays since he wanted them to be widely understood. Maybe she meant his knowledge rivals modern day herbalists…? Even so, that wasn’t unique to him, despite the man being beyond brilliant and the greatest contributor to English in the entire history of the English language, his herbal knowledge was simply on par with the times. Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone still had this knowledge? I can’t imagine how different that would make our modern world…it’d make it better, that’s for sure.

What are you doing for Halloween this year? Our neighborhood is filled with cute decorations but I don’t think there will be many costumed visitors.

Take care friends! 🎃

Adaptogens Reminder

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It’s been a while since I wrote about adaptogens but if any year could use some adaptogenic help, 2020 surely is it. Adaptogens have that word ‘adapt’ as a root for two reasons: 1. Adaptogens help the body adapt to stress. This includes all stress such as mental, emotional, physical, and environmental stress. (More info on that further down). 2. Adaptogens adapt to the person’s needs in the body. Many herbs have adaptogenic qualities, but to be labeled first and foremost an adaptogen, the herb must ’cause no harm’ meaning most people can take adaptogens and only ever experience benefits. (There are always exceptions due to individual allergies or other personal conditions so check with your health professionals if you have any concerns.) This means if you take an adaptogen such as Tulsi (also known as Holy Basil) for its mood balancing effects but you also have low blood pressure, it will not lower your blood pressure further even though another person with high blood pressure might take the same herb to help lower theirs. These herbs are balancing and are best taken over a long period of time, mixing up the herbs instead of just taking one for years on end. The best way to take adaptogens is take one or a blend for a couple of months, then switch to a different one or blend for the next couple of months, and so on.

Back to that first point of adaptogens helping the body adapt to stress. That can sound very non-specific but all herbs have affinities for certain bodily systems, and adaptogens work mostly on and through the endocrine system. The endocrine system involves the organs that create and transport hormones, such as cortisol known for instigating the fight or flight response. Adaptogens help create balance in the hormonal system, therefore adapting to stress in healthier ways. They replenish exhausted adrenals, lessen the peaks of stresses, and are known to nourish energy levels for the same reason. If your energy is not being sharply peaked and lowered as much as what happens each time cortisol is activated, then that energy is more balanced and can support stamina better. Adaptogens are in fact used by athletes to encourage stamina and lessen recovery time.

To learn more about adaptogens and how to take them, check out my post from a couple of years ago or watch my mini-class on them for free.

Take care of yourself this crazy year in any and every way you can.

💜🌿

All Natural Perfume Making

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I don’t think 2020 has been a banner year for anyone, and personally 2019 was not a great one for me either because that was the start of my divorce and it ended just in time for the pandemic lockdown. There have been other things as well, just as we all have our personal stories of loss and pain during this extraordinary time in history, but the one bright spot for me was I fulfilled a lifelong dream of writing a book about something I love, and I’m happy to announce it is now available for preorder. http://quartokno.ws/AllNaturalPerfumeMaking

This book tells you how to create natural perfumes from natural ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen, garden, or liquor cabinet, plus essential oils (though you don’t actually need them). There are recipes to play with and instructions on how to create your very own signature scent. Alcohol based, oil based, and solid perfume instructions are all there, and the mental and emotional benefits of the essential oils are discussed so you can create with your health in mind as well as your aesthetic sensibilities.

I can’t tell you how many dark days were transformed by focusing on this book and pulling out my essential oils and filling my hands with dried herbs. There is healing in these natural ingredients, healing in the beauty they create, and healing in the creation process, of that I am 100% sure. I can’t wait to share this particular kind of beauty and healing that is both deep and long lasting, good for you and good for the environment.

The pandemic pushed the publication date a few times but it now is set for March 2021. You can preorder now and as you probably know, preorders matter in the algorithm of how many books are bought by retailers which informs how many books are produced, so if you intend to order the book, please do so early. Here’s the link which gives options for US, Canada, UK, and Australia. If you are somewhere else in the world, contact me and I’ll talk to the publisher who seems able to do just about anything.

If you know anyone who likes to craft, is interested in herbs, essential oils, and/or green beauty, please share this book announcement with them. I would be forever grateful. 🙏

All the best to you and yours,

Kristen 💜🌿

Lung Herbs

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If you are on the west coast, you have likely just experienced the worst air quality of your life. I don’t know how Oregon and California are doing at this point, but we’ve had rain in Washington for the last 24 hours that has thankfully cleaned the air to its almost normal freshness. This past week introduced me to a website called airnow.gov where you can track your air quality in real time. I’m kind of obsessed with that site now! Check out your zip code if you are in the U.S. and see if you are surprised by what you find. This was our smoky sky:

I was going to put together a lung herbal blend of my own, but I stumbled upon a great tincture at Whole Foods today and I’m so grateful that it exists! I will use it daily until it is empty to try to reverse some of the toxic buildup that surely happened over the many days of smoke. This blend is from a Seattle company, The Herbalist, but you can order it online as well, or perhaps your local Whole Foods carries it like mine does…? I’m not sure about that though so online might be your best option so I’ve linked to it (no affiliation). If you just want to throw together your own herbal lung blend, this product’s ingredient list is pretty much all you need to look to for the best herbs for lungs. Here’s the list: Elecampane fresh root (Inula helenium), Grindelia fresh flower & leaf (Grindelia integrifolia), Yerba Santa fresh-dried leaf (Eridictyon californicum), Pleurisy fresh-dried root (Asclepias tuberosa), Marshmallow fresh root (Althea officinalis), Usnea fresh-dried tree lichen (Usnea barbata), Lobelia fresh-dried herb (Lobelia inflata), Yerba Mansa fresh root (Anemopsis spp.), Pure grain alcohol, Distilled water.

I hope you are healthy and safe wherever you are, breathing clean air and drinking clean water. It’s a strange year and I hope everyone is holding up as best as they can. I’m honestly of the (unfortunate) opinion that these issues are here to stay though, at least for a while. We are experiencing the effects of global climate change and that includes the pandemic because overpopulation and changing climates puts wildlife and humans into closer and closer contact. I hope we can collectively take steps towards climate awareness and support laws that prioritize our environment. I’d say, ‘it’s time’ but the truth is that it is way past time.

Breathe deep. Take your herbs. XOXO

A Weed Lover’s Manifesto — The Herb Society of America Blog

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By Andrea Jackson I love weeds. There, I said it. Don’t worry, I do pull them (there’s a reason why they’re called weeds, after all), but I am much more likely to make a tincture or a salve or something good (yes, good) to eat than to discard them completely. After all, weeds were really […]

A Weed Lover’s Manifesto — The Herb Society of America Blog

Rose Water DIY

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Rose water is lovely to have around for both drinking and using externally in beauty products. Rose is specific to the heart chakra is known to ease depression, anxiety, and grief. It can also relieve headaches, especially those caused by stress. Externally, rose is a skin healer and rejuvenate-r. It is great for mature skin, as well as skin that has blemishes, scars, eczema, rosacea, sunburn, and on and on. Basically, if you have skin, rose water is good for it. In the summer I like to have a little spray bottle of rose water in the fridge for fresh spritzes during the day. I also use it in homemade toners, in a proportion of 50% witch hazel and 50% rose water. It’s easy to make and there is plenty of room for variation. For drinking, rose petals combine well with strawberries for some infused water goodness, or try sprigs of lavender with rose petals in water for a true stress reducing combination.

rose water ingredients

The fastest way to make rose water is to make an infusion on the stove top. This is fine for external uses and in a pinch if you need to drink rose water in a hurry, but I recommend the cold method for rose water if you have a night of sleep to spare. The hot method makes a browner version, while the cold method makes a pure, translucent, rose water.

Hot method beginning
Hot method ending

For the hot method, use half the amount of rose petals as distilled water, (example: 1/2 cup rose petals with 1 cup distilled water,) bring to a near boil but not quite, then simmer until the color drains from the petals into the water which doesn’t take long. You can do the whole process in half an hour. Strain using cheese cloth over a metal strainer so you can easily squeeze out the rose petals. A coffee filter works well if you don’t have a cheese cloth.

Cold method beginning
Cold method ending

The cold method involves the same proportions, but honestly if you want a less potent rose water just use less petals. This is an herbal craft so variation is both expected and encouraged. Place the rose petals and distilled water (half the rose petals as water, so 1/2 cup rose petals to 1 cup distilled water for example) in a glass jar and let it sit overnight. In the morning the color and healing benefits will have moved from the petals into the water. Strain as described above, pictured below.

rose water straining

There are so many ways to enjoy herbs that it’s hard to imagine them not a part of everyone’s life in some way. They offer so much health, beauty, and joy, and it is my greatest hope that you have a variety of ways to have them as part of your life too.

Thank you for reading! Let me know if you make some rose water and if so, what you do with it~ I’d love to hear! 🌹🌹🌹

Trikatu for Digestion

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I tend to think of trikatu as the sibling of triphala, which I wrote about here. Both are ayurvedic combinations of three herbs which tonify the digestive system. Triphala is for the later end of digestion, toning the intestines and aiding in regularity, while trikatu is for the beginning of the digestive process with firing up the stomach in order to digest food successfully. There is a difference in who should take these formulas though, as triphala is generally safe and helpful for all people while trikatu has a more narrow market it is suitable for. The combination of ginger, pipali (long pepper), and black pepper make it a fiery herbal combo that suits those who have weak digestion and low acid creation. In other words, if you have heartburn, this is not the herbal supplement for you. In ayurvedic terms, if you are a vata or especially kapha predominant person who tends towards coldness and wetness with bloating and a sense of stagnation in your stomach after a meal, then this could be for you. Pitta predominant people (say that three times fast!) should not take trikatu unless told to do so by an ayurvedic professional.

Trikatu is much less well known than triphala, at least here in the U.S., which makes sense since the modern U.S. lifestyle stokes pitta elements in such an overwhelming way that even vata or kapha predominant people can have pitta imbalances such as heartburn and inflammation 🔥. It can be found online though (I’ve never seen it sold at a brick and mortar) and some reputable companies I like are Himalaya and Organic India. It is always important to buy herbs from reputable companies as we have all heard of the herbal supplements marketed and sold out there which have little to none of the herbs in them that they are said to. Stick with quality and not the lowest price with herbs and considering herbs are generally not that expensive to begin with, it should be considered a small investment in yourself.

Take trikatu at the beginning of a meal, much like you would enzymes or bitters. You can even take trikatu up to a half hour before a meal with a large glass of water, but be sure the water is room temperature and not ice water. Ayurveda teaches that cold water reduces the digestive fire so that would be counterproductive.

If you have any experience with taking trikatu, let me know! I’d love to hear about it.