Herbs

Easy Homemade Hostess Gift: Vanilla Extract

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I have another post on making Vanilla extract if you like to read more than watch, but even so this quick video will show you how to pick out the right vanilla beans. You can often find these in bulk bins at natural foods stores such as Whole Foods, or they might be sold in the spice aisle in ones or twos in a glass jar or plastic bag. To be certain you aren’t buying old beans, make sure they are the texture in the video.

The basic recipe is at least 4 Vanilla beans per cup of alcohol. For the alcohol, vodka, rum, brandy, or bourbon will work, but I always use vodka because I use my extracts in perfume making and vodka imparts the least amount of scent. Let it sit at least 6 weeks but really 10-14 weeks will be better, and the longer it extracts the more the vanilla scent/flavor will develop. Be sure to shake the container each day for the first week, then at least every other day after that, and you want the alcohol to completely cover the vanilla pods so if they want to stick up out of the liquid, use a wooden chopstick to push them back down.

As far as making holiday gifts goes, this is about as easy as it gets. Put the finished extract in a pretty glass jar and it doesn’t even need to be finished~ just keep the vanilla beans in there and let the recipient know they can take them out in a month or however much longer they need. For real vanilla lovers, you could give them vanilla oil too for body and/or baths. Vanilla is a luxurious product in any form as the pods are the second most expensive herb (after saffron) and have a long history known as an aphrodisiac, so these herbal crafts also make a superb Valentine’s gifts! Keep that in mind if you start your extract too late to gift for the holidays and don’t want to give unfinished extracts.

May your November be full of gratitude and your holidays be full of peace. Every year I make an effort to not get caught up in the frenetic pace and overwhelm of the holidays and this year is no different. So far I have not made it through an entire holiday season without the stress seeping in, but I’m holding out hope that this year I can stay centered. Be well!

Herbs for Halloween

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In doing some research for the ESL class I teach, I found out some interesting things about Halloween. Most people know the beginnings of Halloween started as Samhain by the Celts and was brought to the USA by Irish immigrants, but what was news to me was the story behind “Trick-or-Treat-ing”. Apparently, as my reputable web sources tell me, it was common to do pranks on Halloween night which during the 1930s depression turned into all out sanctioned hooliganism. It became downright dangerous so people started setting out food to bribe the youngsters (usually teens) to leave their property alone. As that bribery took hold, the greeting became ‘trick or treat’. It was at this same time that there was also a public effort to make Halloween a less scary (and dangerous) night, and more about parties, candy, and costumes. This is how we’ve ended up with superheroes, princesses, and cuddly critters roaming the streets instead of solely ghosts, werewolves, and other terrifying creatures. Of course that’s just for the kids. Any adult female knows that they are supposed to look like a hyper-sexual version of something, anything~ a cat, a housekeeper, a chicken nugget, whatever, but I digress.

Herbs have been used since the beginning of humanity to ward off sickness from colds to plagues, but they have also been used to keep away evil spirits, witches, vampires, elf pranksters, ghosts, and all manners of bad juju. Of course some herbs have been used to invite these entities near, but more often the action has been repulsion, not an e-vite. Oftentimes the herbs used for potent anti-microbial aspects are the same ones used to keep the supernatural entities away, such as garlic. Garlic has a long history of repelling vampires and witches alike, and is of course a strong germ fighter in every sense. According to the Herb Society for America,  in Sanskrit garlic represents “slayer of monsters,” and hanging it around your door brings good fortune.

Another herb that can be hung around your door for keeping evil spirits and witches away is fennel. Of course your door frame might be getting crowded so perhaps planting some near your front door that you can actually use in your kitchen might be a more modern and functional way to go. Fennel is excellent for gas and bloating.

While you are planting front yard herbs (or potted planters by your front door), you might want to consider rue which also has a reputation for protection against evil, trickery, and witchcraft. Salespeople will ‘rue’ the day they approached your home!

Mugwort is an herb known for helping one to remember their dreams and perhaps even facilitate lucid dreaming. It also has been traditionally used as a protective herb against evil spirits, and according to The Herb Exchange, St. John the Baptist wore a girdle of mugwort for protection in the wilderness.  This is an herb that is generally burned as incense before bed for the dreaming effect, or worn in a sachet for protective use.

And the last one I’ll mention is the magical Elder tree. This legendary tree is a protective keeper-away-of-all-evil and was revered by the druids who considered the tree to be inhabited by an old sage soul. This is the same tree that has the reputation of being a gateway to the land of the fairies and it is considered quite lucky to have one growing on your property, just don’t cut off a branch or even a twig because that is considered bad luck! Gathering the fallen twigs or branches is perfectly fine though and can bring protection into your home.

Enjoy your holiday and although I’m honestly not really feeling into Halloween this year, I do like the holiday and a good costume. Isak Dinesen wrote: “Truth is for the tailors and shoemakers…I, on the contrary, have always held that the Lord has a penchant for masquerades.” Happy Halloween. masked

 

 

How to Make a Body Butter (Reblog)

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I was in the mood to make a body butter and share it here, so I decided to look at the recipes I’ve made before and decided that I would just reblog the one I followed most closely, otherwise it’d just be a repeat anyway. I love making body butters because of the way they change from solid, to liquid, to a creamy consistency. It’s like true alchemy at work. They are decadent too, and so perfect for this time of year when heaters start cranking and skin starts cracking. These butters are perfect for the skin that gets driest, such as feet and elbows and hands, but I use these all over my body and my legs seem to especially love the highly moisturizing texture. They make lovely gifts too, just heed the warning below about using a tight-fitting lid such as a screw top if you or your lucky giftee have a prying pet. Below is my blog from February of 2018, and here is another one on making body butter complete with video.

Making a body butter or cream is an especially magical process because the mere act of whipping the concoction creates the luxurious feel of the product and also the opaqueness. It’s really easy to do and there are so many ways to do it that I very rarely repeat the same process twice in the exact same way. That being said, I don’t always get the proportions exactly right for a proper whip to the recipe so do follow the ingredient recommendations closely of whatever recipe you choose at least for the first time or two. Even if the whipping doesn’t make your butter quite creamy, you will still end up with a soft balm that is just as good for moisturizing, and considering all these ingredients are natural, healthy, and non-toxic, you can use them on any part of your body that needs a little lotion-y love. Use whatever essential oils you like, but just know if you are using the recipe below the cocoa butter gives the finished product a decidedly chocolate-y scent, so figure that into your scent profile. For example, orange and chocolate might be good, cedarwood and chocolate though….maybe not.) I used vanilla absolute to round out the chocolate scent and the lavender to make sure it didn’t smell completely like food, plus lavender has so many skin benefits.

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Body Butter

1/2 C Cocoa Butter

1/4 C Coconut Oil

1/8 C Shea Butter

1/8 C Rose Oil (Olive Oil based)

20 drops Lavender

10 drops Vanilla Absolute

Put all the ingredients, except for the essential oils, into a measuring cup that can go into a pot of water that will heat up to a simmer. 3756C7C8-FDB6-4FEB-B5E5-051F1F1C9E5A[1]Let the solids completely melt, then take the measuring cup out of the water and let the liquid cool. You can put the measuring cup on ice, or put it in the fridge or freezer with a clean towel on top of it. It takes a while to cool, anywhere between a half hour to an hour depending on how it is cooling (freezer or on ice or just sitting out or whatnot). If you lose track of time and find the measuring cup hours later rock solid, don’t worry, just melt it again. When the liquid feels room temperature to the touch, add the essential oils and start whipping it with an electric mixer or in a blender until it turns creamy and opaque. This could take 5-10 minutes, depending on how cool the liquid is upon starting. Pour the butter into a clean jar and keep it out of heat and light for storage. This is a very emollient body butter, good for hand or foot cream, elbows, or any part of the body that is very dry. It isn’t recommended for the face though because those hard oils and butter can be pore clogging. It smells decadent and it is really fun to make something that starts off mostly solid, melts into a liquid, then whips into a totally new texture.

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Store in a clean glass jar with a tight fitting top, in a cool, dark place. Preferably a cool, dark place up out of nosey doggie territory. I was going to give this body butter to a friend so I had it down on the bottom of my shelf of herbal things where I knew I wouldn’t forget about it, but see that cork there…? My dog took the cork out of the jar (it does smell heavenly, and very much like food despite the lavender, I have to admit) and the jar hardened to a decidedly non-butter state. Definitely not gift-worthy anymore although I’ll still use it. Now it’s back to the stove top to make another batch, this time with a screw-lid jar.

This does harden a bit over a couple of days even with a properly closed container, so don’t be surprised if that happens. It still melts right onto (and into) your skin. We have all heard how skin is our largest organ and whatever we put on it goes into the body, so make sure you are only using the best, purest, products. You are worth it and your body will thank you. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

 

Herbal Perfume Base DIY Part 2

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This is a follow up post to the one about making herbal perfume bases. After the tincture sits for about a month, it is ready to be strained and used as a perfume base. It can sit for longer than a month and potentially get a little stronger, but if you are like me and get antsy to get crafting, a month is long enough. I actually strained mine this time slightly before a full month was up, but I could tell from the scent and the color that it was ready. A note about the color~ when you make an herbal tincture it will inevitably take on the color of the herbs which shouldn’t be a surprise, but it may seem strange to put colored perfume on your body. The color does not show up on the body and I’ve never had it stain my clothes either so you don’t need to worry about that. If you do not like the idea of colored perfume, stick to essential oils in straight alcohol, or make an herbal oil instead because oils take on a lot less color. Here’s part two of making an herbal perfume base:

The final perfume I made with the 2 oz. spray bottle is the following:

50 drops ylang ylang

10 drops nutmeg

3 drops palo santo (because I’m out of sandalwood)

5 drops bergamot

This turned out to have a nice, fresh, gender-neutral, autumn day scent. If you watched the video you will know that I was thinking of adding jasmine but I’m just not really feeling jasmine-y this time of year. Nutmeg is a strong scent which is why there are only 10 drops while ylang ylang has 5 times as much, but the scent turned out to have a strong vanilla-nutmeg scent which just feels right for October. It could have really used some sandalwood but I improvised with the palo santo which is another essential oil that is extremely strong so only three drops of that one. The bergamot just gave it a light, happy finish as the only real top note in the mix.

Thank you for reading and please subscribe if you haven ‘t already for more herbal tutorials and wellness articles from the natural foods and products world.

 

Immune Support for School Days

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School started less than a month ago and all three of us in this house have already caught a cold. It isn’t just us either, people all over are discussing their kids being out sick or they themselves are coughing and reaching for tissues. Schools are just bacteria and virus playgrounds and no amount of hand washing nor desk cleaning is going to suffice (though it can help) so it’s worthwhile to work some immune support into you and your students’ bodies during the school year. In addition to my sons being at school, I started a job at a school last week and was reminded very quickly that the other years I’ve worked in schools were always full of colds and once, a very bad flu, and that was when I worked at a college so it’s not just elementary through high schools. I don’t want another year of viruses and other issues, so I’m planning on putting some real focus into not only supporting my and my sons’ immune systems, but also making my little classroom as healthy as possible. Bailey (above) is not happy with the transition of summer to school days either. She likes everyone home, right where she can see them.

astragalus

Astragalus is an immune supporting herb that can be used continuously, as opposed to the more well-known booster, echinacea, which is used during an illness, then must be stopped in order to stay effective in the future. I use astragalus in powdered form and add it to the adaptogen blends I make for the boys and my morning protein smoothies. It’s a mainstay. One of my herbal teachers said that in China they put a slice of the root in soups all winter, then take it out before serving the soup. I can’t verify that myself, but it sounds like a reasonable way to take advantage of the herb. The slices are known to look somewhat like tongue depressors (pictured above), and although it’s a root, both the smell and taste of the herb are somewhat nutty (at least to me). Next time I make soup, I’m going to try throwing a slice in there, and I’ve also been known to take the tincture version when I’ve felt rundown and there is a kids’ tincture too that is free of alcohol. There are pill versions too of course, so whatever is easiest for the person taking it. Astragalus can also help when you have an overactive immune system, such as with allergies or rheumatoid arthritis. It’s category is immunomodulator, meaning it helps amp up the immune system when it needs amping, but also can turn it down when it’s gotten too riled up for its own good. Although astragalus can help you get over a cold or flu, echinacea is my go to choice for really boosting the immune system to fight those. Echinacea is a fighter you bring in when you really need it, while astragalus is a daily supporter. Here’s a kid friendly echinacea for when the sniffles start.

Elderberry is another herb to have on hand all fall and winter and now is the perfect time to make some elderberry syrup which is something I plan on doing in the next couple of weekends (although you can just buy it if herbal crafting isn’t your happy place as it is mine, and here’s a kids’ version). Elderberry has a long history of use for a wide variety of ailments from urinary tract infections to allergies, but it is most known for its anti-catarrhal  and immune boosting actions which make it a natural for fighting colds and flus. It will no doubt be easier to get your kids to take elderberry as opposed to other herbs so it’s nice in that regard as well. Hippocrates himself referred to elderberry as his medicine chest for its many uses, and there is evidence of it being cultivated by prehistoric Europeans and the tincture has also been found buried in ancient Egyptian tombs. Due to its extremely long historical use and the many ailments it treats, it of course also has garnered quite a mythical reputation with stories linked to goddess cultures revering it and it being a portal to fairy lands. If you are lucky enough to have one growing in your yard, you might want to try taking a nap under it because it is said that you will have vivid dreams of fairies and you just might end up in their land, perhaps never to return! And also if you do have access to fresh elderberries, don’t eat them. They need to be dried before consuming.

For some serious immune support I wanted to incorporate more mushrooms into my supplement regime. I happened to find a tincture on the “last chance” end-cap at a local Whole Foods which was exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to find. It’s Host Defense’s Comprehensive Immune Support and it has an extensive ingredient list that I’ll post below so you can see it for yourselves. Host Defense is Paul Stamets’ company whose video I shared a few posts back and he is a true visionary and pioneer when it comes to the fungal kingdom.

Also, in an herbal documentary series I recently watched, mushrooms were discussed as having the ability to completely overhaul one’s immune system, but it does take some time. I’m looking forward to seeing how I progress with mushroom supplementation and will let you know in about three months if I see a difference, because that is a reasonable amount of time to be able to note any changes. My own herbal education and training really didn’t delve into mushrooms much and I feel like they have just recently been rising in popularity as the powerhouses that they are. I really am excited to experiment more with these strange beauties.

For the room itself that I’m in at the school, I plan on bringing in some plants to not only freshen up the air but also cleanse the air. Herbs will of course be my first botanical additions to the room, and I will probably go with thyme as my inaugural plant-baby there due to its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-microbial actions. The room is actually the

classroom windows
Lake Washington is in the distance.

best room in the building with tall windows that have a great view, but those windows don’t open and the space is fairly small, so the air feels dense quickly once a few students start rolling in. Today I’ll be making an air freshening spray to use between the groups of kids to hopefully put a stop to some of the germ transfers, and also to just keep the room fresh and a pleasant place to be for everyone. Again I’ll be reaching for thyme, although in this case the essential oil, to add to some distilled water for the spray. I might add some ‘thieves’ style essential oil to the spray as well, or at least use it in an essential oil diffuser that I’m bringing in. This little room is about to become a germ’s worst nightmare and a lovely dream for the students and I to be in.

What do you do during cold and flu season? Or is there anything you add to your health regimen either before or after when you will be in a germ fest such as a classroom or airplane?

Thank you for reading and please share with any students, teachers, or parents of students that you know fight the good fight against colds and flues all year.

 

Herbal Perfume Base DIY

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It’s really nice to have an herbal oil or herbal extract as your natural perfume base because it adds another layer of scent and benefits to your perfume. It also lessens the amount of essential oils you need in your perfume, making the end product more affordable and sustainable. Essential oils are wonderful, therapeutic, beautiful gifts from the earth, but they should be used sparingly as their production can and does take an environmental toll in some cases. Sandalwood, for example, has become endangered due to over harvesting and some other environmental factors, which is also why its price has been steadily and substantially increasing. It often takes an enormous amount of botanical material to make an essential oil, and the more material it takes the more expensive the resulting essential oil. Rose and Jasmine (link is to an absolute) are classic examples of this, and one way around the steep environmental and personal financial price, is to make an oil or extract from the flowers yourself. It takes 60,000 rose blossoms to make 1 oz of rose essential oil, and it takes even more Jasmine than that, but to make an oil or extract, you can use a lot less and end up with a great product although not as potent. Vanilla is another great herb to use as an oil or extract because vanilla can’t be made into an essential oil, it can be made into an absolute which is generally found already mixed with jojoba oil, so using it in an alcohol based perfume is not rose and vanilla in oilrecommended other than as an extract itself. I like to make my perfumes that are alcohol base with vanilla extract, then add essential oils to it. You don’t need to just pick one herb though, you can add herbs together for a unique, multidimensional scent as your base, then layer in the essential oils to create something completely your own~ a true signature scent.

Today I made rose vanilla oil and rose vanilla extract for my perfume bases. The extract will take 4-8 weeks to cure, but the oil is ready in a few hours (thanks to the quick method) so I can start experimenting with some fall scents right away. Below is what I did, but remember that you can do this with any botanical ingredient that you like. If you have something growing near you that isn’t found as an essential oil, I especially encourage you to try working with that and seeing what kind of special, local scent you can create full of originality and terroir. Go for it!

Thank you for reading/watching and I hope you are inspired to create your own multilayered natural perfume or cologne with an herbal base. Let me know what your favorite combinations are~ I’d love to hear!

 

Clean and Green Natural Products

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The latest samples from New Hope Network included some especially clean and green products. Of course there were a couple of CBD items as well since CBD is still going strong despite rumors and confusion persisting. Just as a reminder, I’m not paid for posts in conjunction with the New Hope Network, we are a co-op of bloggers who have agreed to share with our audiences information and products that we believe in. It’s a passion of mine to connect people with more natural products because I truly think natural foods and products are not only healthier for the people who use them, but for the planet as a whole. Plus the natural world has so much to offer which has been largely forgotten by the mainstream since industrialization, and if we can embrace our natural options in combination with all our modern advancements, we are going to head into a better future with more balance, depth, and greater wisdom.

matcha

Like CBD, matcha is having a moment too, and with good reason. It is a powerhouse of antioxidants and basically gives all of green tea’s benefits except more, plus it’s so full-bodied it makes a great latte. I drink mine sans milk and love it, although I have gotten a matcha latte with coconut milk a few times while out and can see how that’d be addictive too. Aiya’s matcha to go is a convenient way to carry your matcha around with you. The box says that no sifting or whisking is required but I have been whisking these anyway because it doesn’t hurt and you can almost always find something to stir with no matter if it is a traditional matcha tool or not. These packets don’t have any added sugar (some other brands do!) and the taste is rich, green, and delicious. These are great for travel or to sick in lunch totes or work bags. 

This protein powder from Natreve is a great example of a clean product that packs a huge nutritional and taste punch. My son was wow’ed by the taste of his breakfast smoothie and I this it’s pretty exceptional too~ the smell alone is like a fresh baked cookie. It’s vegan, soy and gluten free with no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors. It is also low sodium and has 25g of protein per scoop (it’s a big scoop!) with only 1 g of sugar and 150 calories. I’m looking forward to trying more of their flavors although my son will probably want to just stick with this s’mores sundae one.

This Bean to Bliss Bar not only has 40mg of CBD in it, it’s main ingredient is cacao which has long been used for its calm and happiness-inducing attributes. This tastes quite good and the ingredients are certainly a smart and clean combination of  mood supporting and enhancing ingredients though I personally can’t attest to any overwhelming feelings of bliss. That most likely has way more to do with my current state of going through a hard time than the product though so I’d love to hear other people’s experiences with this bar.

The CBD oil from CV Sciences has 9mg of CBD per serving and is flavored with peppermint. The peppermint flavor is nice, but it doesn’t actually cover up the hemp taste which if you have tried you know is a very strong. It kind of tastes like the peppermint is sitting shotgun with the hemp oil in the driver’s seat because the tastes are just about equal on the tongue. If you want CBD without the taste of hemp, I suggest avoiding tinctures all together and opting for softgels instead, but if you do like the taste then tinctures are a great choice because they don’t have to travel through the digestive system which may or may not be behaving optimally. (Let’s face it, most are not.)

This cute little Mothers Healing Balm has a great texture and the scent is light and pleasant. We didn’t have any wounds, rashes, or insect bites to try it out on yet, but the ingredients are promising with herbs such as calendula, witch hazel, and lavender in there. My dog did in fact get into a scrap with a raccoon a couple of mornings ago, but her wounds seem to be more psychological than physical, which is saying a lot since she’s already quite a neurotic beast. We’ll have to save this balm for our next wound, bug bite, or rash, and with a house containing two teen boys, it won’t be long I’m sure. This balm was formulated by a mom and an herbalist to treat a wide variety of skin issues.

Remember when healthy fats were all the rage? They are still important for healthy brains, eyes, and hearts, keeping inflammation down, mood regulation, and healthy joints, even if they aren’t in the spotlight as often as they were a few yeas ago. This omega 3-6-9 supplement from truelixir is vegan, gluten and allergen free, reflux-free, and additive-free. The softgels are a nice, smallish size and awfully pretty. Some omega supplements are huge and many do cause reflux issues and most are not vegan, so these are a rare combination indeed.

Thank you for reading and let me know if you have tried any of these products and your thoughts on them!

 

 

 

 

 

Magical Mushrooms

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From the psychedelic to the medicinal, mushrooms offer us a gateway into the expansiveness of life. Is there any other kingdom more otherworldly and multi-dimensional than the fungi kingdom? They are prized culinary delicacies, with some fungi such as European white truffles costing over $3,500 per pound, and even the more common morels and chanterelles can cost $220-$250 per pound when sold dried. Not all mushrooms are edible though of course, which leads to some confusion and reticence around them for some, and it is part of their allure for others. One group that are taken in for psychedelic mind expansion is the psilocybin group of mushrooms.  Humans have apparently been using psilocybin shrooms since prehistoric times, with evidence indicating these were part of religious rituals, and those spiritual pursuits continue today. Even animals ingest psychedelic substances, not just mushrooms by any means, so as with all herbal knowledge, the predominant theory is that we humans learned from the animals that there are benefits to using these substances, despite the obvious inherent risks. (Not surprisingly, hallucinating animals are not acting at their top form in terms of survival.)  This article on Psychology Today is a fascinating read about animals tripping and what role in survival hallucinogens may play.

Medicinally, mushrooms are revered for their immune support and are the first kingdom of choice recommended by many natural health practitioners when supporting a person through a major health crisis such as cancer. As a side note, I’d like to say it is my personal belief that we are extremely lucky to be living in an era where we can be treated by modern medicine with all its advanced technology and practices, and we are also able to work with the herbs and natural ingredients that have kept our species alive for all of humanity. There is no need to choose one and throw the other aside. In China there is a common practice called fu zheng therapy used with cancer patients to add in individualized herbal blends to their care regime to support them through chemo and radiation, and to rebuild their immune systems. This enables the patients to suffer less from the harsh medical treatments by counteracting some of the side effects while also boosting their own natural defenses. This is just an example of how the two systems, modern and ancient, can work together in a complementary way for the best experiences and outcomes. If you want to see a fascinating video about the power of mushrooms, this one below will make you a true believer in the power of fungi:

Even when just trying to bolster immune systems through a flu season or a particularly stressful time, mushrooms such as reishi and chaga can offer deep, dynamic support. In an herbal docu-series I recently watched, the following were recommended as discussion starting points with your natural health adviser: reishi for colon cancer, turkey tail for breast cancer, shiitake used in cooking to protect bone marrow and keep white blood cells from plunging, and chaga for intestinal cancers. (All those links are to Host Defense supplements which is Paul Stamets‘ company. He is the expert in the video above↑.)

If you are dealing with a serious health condition such as cancer, you really do need to consult with a trusted natural health practitioner such as a naturopath or a TCM or Ayurvedic practitioner. If you want to consult a clinical herbalist, you can find one on the American Herbalists Guild website and keep in mind that many do consultations over skype or the phone so they don’t have to live near you. Be sure to interview them first and make certain you are on the same page with them in terms of values and expectations because you want to work with someone who will be an advocate for you, not pressure you into doing something you aren’t comfortable doing. For example, an advocate will work with your regular physician and specialists by communicating directly with them instead of pressuring you to just do what they recommend whether your doctor agrees or not.

One way to try getting more mushrooms into your diet is to try some functional foods and beverages such as these coffees and hot cocoas from Four Sigmata. I’ve tried several of their products and there is absolutely no mushroom taste to them, only mushroom benefits.

Thank you for reading and please share with anyone looking to add a little mushroom magic to their life.

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P.S. Here’s a joke I heard: A mushroom walks into a bar and the bartender said, “Sorry. We don’t serve food here.” And the mushroom replied, “But I’m a fun-gi.” Hehe. Much better when told in voice instead of writing but still, the morel of the story is, I’m a sucker for a good pun.

 

Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

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This is a repost of one of my most popular articles from December of 2017. I would like to add saffron to the anti-depressant category because current research is proving that even just cooking with the herb is helpful in uplifting moods. It is also proving beneficial as an appetite suppressant and as such it is showing up in weight loss supplements. Also, I’ve written about CBD several times now but it needs to be listed here too because it can definitely help some people with their anxiety.

Ahh, the holidays….nothing like high expectations and extra obligations to turn up the heat on stress and anxiety levels. It’s a shame that the most joyful, festive, family-oriented time of year also has to be one of the hardest for many people. Stress and anxiety cause problems all year long of course, but it seems like this time of year people are rushing around much more with longer to-do lists and shorter fuses. Luckily for us, the natural world has plenty of help to offer, so much so that it seems pretty clear that nature would really like to tell all of us to chill out a bit. Since there are so many options out there, I’ve limited this post to just a few herbal and natural choices that cover the range of stress and anxiety from mild to intense but it’s still rather long. If you don’t see what you are looking for, feel free to contact me.

Nervines are a class of herbs that focus on the nervous system. They share similarities with adaptogens, which I posted about earlier, which are a different class of herbs that offer help with stress and anxiety by balancing out the body overall, with specific attention paid to the endocrine system. A great, concise article about the difference between adaptogens and nervines and when to use which can be found here. Nervines are good for any kind of stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and certain types of pain. They range in their strength from gentle tonic (such as Skullcap) to powerful sedative (such as Valerian). Most fall in-between the extremes and you can find plenty of blends that allow the herbs to work in a synergistic way.

Kava Kava is one of the most popular calming herbs, but it’s also an herb that has some warnings attached to it. Although it’s been in use in the South Pacific for its relaxing and euphoric qualities since ancient times, there have been a couple of issues recently that could indicate Kava might be damaging to certain people’s livers. It’s all quite inconclusive but some products do come with a warning on it, and some stores just stopped selling it, although it is still readily available in capsules, tinctures, and teas both online and found at brick and mortar stores. If you have an overload of toxins in your body, or a compromised liver for any reason, you might want to stick to other calming herbs or blend of herbs. Also, if you are taking it as a tincture, be prepared for it to numb your lips at first~ that just means it’s a potent product and it is a good sign.

Valerian which is also found in tincture, pill, or tea form is deeply relaxing and often part of herbal sleep aides. If you are not familiar with the herb, be forewarned that it has a strong scent although it doesn’t taste bad at all. More than once I’ve smelled the herb near someone or in their pocket and mistakenly thought the person was ill because it is that strong (and I have an over-active nose). If you need to address insomnia, Valerian is a good place to start.

Skullcap is also found in insomnia formulas but is milder and can be used throughout the day as a tonic for the nervous system. This is a particularly good herb for you if you find that your brain gets stuck on repeating anxious thoughts or has circular patterns of negativity.  Capsules and tea forms are also available.

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Blends are a healthy option if you are not sure which herb is best for you. Herb Pharm makes one which has a unique lavender taste and also comes in capsule form.

For children, the line Herbs for Kids makes a couple of non-alcoholic blends, a Valerian based one and a milder Chamomile based option. Herb Pharm also makes a kid- friendly blend to help with nighttime and nap-time that is also alcohol-free.

Most people know St. John’s Wort is good for minor depression such as the kind caused by seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It takes two to three weeks to feel the benefits of this mild tonic nervine but it really does have the ability to make one’s outlook a bit sunnier. In fact, St. John’s Wort can increase one’s photo-sensitivity so if you live in a sunny climate, do be aware that your skin just might surprise you with its quicker than usual darkening  or reddening. I actually love this about the herb because SAD is related to lack of sunshine and vitamin D, so what does St. John’s Wort do? It increases your sensitivity to the sun! I actually make my own and use it every winter to combat the grey PNW days. All the citrus essential oils act in the same way by the way~ they too increase your photo-sensitivity and they are also anti-depressants, so if you are using them in a body oil or body spray you should keep that in mind.

A word about deciding how to take your nervines. Tinctures are a great option because if you put the liquid right under your tongue you will feel the effects almost immediately. (It might burn so have some water nearby to wash the rest down your throat.) Stress and anxiety often lead to less than optimal digestion which may inhibit the results of a capsule or tablet, so if you use a tincture or tea, that alleviates the potential problem of not getting the most out of your supplement (and therefore your money). Of course, use whatever form works best for you because in the end, the best form is the form you actually take.

There are other natural products that help with stress and anxiety as well. B vitamins are important for daily stress management and are often even labeled with the word ‘stress’ right on the front them. If your daily tension levels are high then looking into a total B could prove beneficial.

As discussed earlier, vitamin D plays a role in SAD and is especially important in places where the word ‘overcast’ is in the daily forecast. Using a liquid formula is the most affective way to take D, other than getting at least a half hour of sunshine on some bare skin every day. (And that includes no sunscreen for that half hour.)

For times when your anxiety is high because of a certain event, or you are anticipating something stressful, then GABA might be your answer. GABA is a neurotransmitter already found in our brain that has anti-anxiety action. This study gives a brief explanation of one test and what the results were if you are interested. My naturopath actually first suggested GABA to me for times when I had to take my kids to get shots because of the extreme stress around those situations. (The GABA was suggested for my kids but I needed it too!) We use the chewables or lozenges because they are faster acting and personally, I feel the effects far greater than with capsules.

Essential oils are really at their prime working on stress and anxiety. They are definitely nature’s messengers telling us silly humans to relax, enjoy beauty, and quite literally to stop and smell the roses, or at least the rose oil. Neroli blossoms used to always be part of bridal bouquets because of their calming attributes and the essential oil continues that tradition of being a powerful anti-anxiety oil. Lavender is well-known as a relaxing scent and it combines beautifully with almost any other essential oil. Combining it with Neroli creates an affective anti-anxiety spray or oil, and combining Lavender with a citrus oil creates a lovely uplifting scent for diffusing or wearing. As mentioned above, all the citrus oils are anti-depressant (and also mildly stimulating), but the best ones for uplifting your mood are  Orange, Grapefruit, and Bergamot.

Clary Sage is often referred to as a ‘euphoric’ and it combines well with Bergamot for an uplifting, anti-depressant effect. I like to make body/room sprays that are half Clary Sage and half Bergamot.

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Making body oils is a great way to wear your anti-anxiety and anti-stress essential oils like a shield. You can put the oil on the bottom of your feet, all over your body, or make a stronger scented perfume oil or spray that you can reapply to your pressure points throughout the day. There are so many natural options for help with stress and anxiety that you really don’t need to just push through those moments, days, or seasons alone. Of course, always consult a medical professional if you are struggling to the point of it disrupting your daily activities, but know there are plenty of natural options to help you enjoy your life fully and with optimal health.

Peace to all of you this season and please share this with anyone who might be looking for a little natural help with stress, depression, and/or anxiety, and subscribe for more posts like this one on a weekly basis.

Quick Fixes for Acne

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Now I’m not talking about cystic acne here or any other more serious acne condition, although some of this might help those conditions, but what I’m referring more to is the occasional bumps and blemishes that everyone deals with (especially teens and women of child-bearing age) from time to time. Most people understand there is a connection to what is happening internally to what shows up externally and it isn’t solely a matter of how you care for your skin, though the common myths of chocolate causing acne or skin being ‘too oily’ persist. Chocolate only causes problems if you have a dairy intolerance and you eat milk chocolate, or an intolerance to chocolate itself, which would be a darn shame. Food intolerances definitely play a role in skin health though and I certainly experienced that with gluten before going gluten-free. It was one of the things I noticed before ever getting tested for gluten intolerance because of course I had more than an inkling I had a problem with gluten before confirming that which is how I got tested in the first place. I don’t expect many people are tested for gluten intolerance unless they themselves ask to be, which is just another way one has to advocate for themselves when it comes to the modern medical system. As a side note, my physician who ran the blood test said that she doubted I was gluten intolerant because “not many people are”. (Not true.) Then her nurse called back with the results telling me that the results showed such reactivity to gluten that I was a celiac. (This was misinformed. You can’t tell if someone is a Celiac through a blood test.) So she told me to go to a gastroenterologist who took one look at me and said, “You probably aren’t celiac. You’re too dark! Celiacs are from northern Europe and you look southern European.” (This is problematic for two reasons other than the fact he was diagnosing me from my coloring~ Italy has the largest confirmed population of celiacs and I am pretty sure they are considered southern European. Also, I’m French, German, and Irish~ not exactly southern European.) I said, “Shouldn’t I just get the test done to make sure I’m not celiac since that’s a serious, hereditary disease and I have kids?” And he said, “Why? All you can do is not eat gluten whether you are gluten intolerant or celiac. It’s the same protocol either way so I wouldn’t recommend it. Your blood test shows you clearly shouldn’t eat gluten so don’t eat gluten.” I was too baffled by such an unusual exchange to argue especially since normally I find doctors to be overly exuberant about tests, but since he was recommending I not have an uncomfortable procedure for once, I went with it for better or worse.

Anyway, back to acne. Acne is one of the rare occasions you can use essential oils directly on your skin without a carrier. You can put a drop of tea tree or lavender on a blemish to diminish it. It isn’t immediate but it will work over a couple of days time. From an internal standpoint, acne generally is associated with digestion and/or hormones. Food intolerances are clearly part of the digestive component and they can wreck havoc on skin in other forms from eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and more. Avoiding the foods one is intolerant to is obvious, but also improving digestive processes can help long-term. Using digestive bitters and/or enzymes before eating helps with breaking down the food. Adding fresh or dried herbs to food can also improve digestion, or drinking herbal teas with an aim to cleanse the liver can help. (Most skin blend herbal teas you find on the shelves of stores include herbs which cleanse the liver and blood, and therefore deliver cleaner building blocks to the skin.) Taking probiotics and/or eating foods that have natural probiotics in them, such as kombucha and apple cider vinegar, help too. Fresh veggies, especially greens, are generally recommended, but in my research into digestive health I’ve learned that if you have digestive issues, you will get more from your veggies if they are cooked in some way, such as in soup. Fresh veggies have the enzymes which is great, but if the digestive system is compromised it needs more than those fresh enzymes to break down the food a bit and truly reap all the benefits from the veggies. I personally like sweet potatoes best of all for skin.

As far as hormonal fluctuations go with teens and also with women’s monthly cycle, taking adaptogens on a regular basis can help with hormonal balance. Teens do need to exercise some caution with adaptogenic herbs because adaptogens work primarily through the endocrine system which houses and transports hormones, and although adaptogens are generally very safe for most people, they should really be said to be safe for adults. Ashwagandha should be used only in small amounts and for shorter amounts of time with breaks in between. Ginseng should not be used by people under age 30. Seriously! It’s a potent herb for increasing (especially masculine) vitality and can cause ill effects if used incorrectly. Adaptogens such as Eleuthero and Astragalus are good ones for teens.

For women, chaste berry or vitex is the classic women’s hormone regulatory herb. There are teas, capsules, and tinctures to enable easy use. It can also be found in blends to support cycles and aid reproductive health overall.

Using clean and green products on the skin is important too. This line from Alba Botanica has been great on my son’s teen skin. I got him on the following as soon as he started having a blemish or two, and it works like a charm: the cleanser, astringent, these patches or the gel (use one or the other), and there’s also this scrub for the body is other areas besides the face are a problem. If he forgets to use it because he’s not at home, then inevitably one or two little buggers will pop out, but as soon as he uses the products again, they go away, usually literally overnight. It isn’t expensive either which is a nice plus.

If you are interested in something a little fancier and definitely as clean and green as you can get, evan healy has a whole line dedicated to acne. We haven’t tried those specific products of hers yet since the Alba has been doing the trick, but I’ve used many of evan healy’s other products such as this serum and they are extremely high quality and definitely work well.

What have you used that has worked on acne?