Herbs

More DIY Herb Classes

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I’m excited to share with you guys the rest of this year’s herb classes I’m teaching at the gorgeous 21 Acres. The following are the workshops already planned, but I’m also collaborating with them on private events, so if you have an idea in mind of a special GNO, or a unique work outing/team building experience, you can contact 21 Acres or me to coordinate a class. I am also available to facilitate herbal events at other places as well, so contact me if you have something in mind and let’s chat!

https://21acres.org/event/girls-day-out-french-spa-beauty/

https://21acres.org/event/make-your-own-herbal-mood-boosters/

https://21acres.org/event/folkloric-medicines-101-make-your-own-herbal-crafts/

https://21acres.org/event/become-a-master-perfumer/

https://21acres.org/event/cut-the-sniffles-herbal-immune-boosters/

https://21acres.org/event/holiday-culinary-gifts/

https://21acres.org/event/holiday-green-beauty/

Come if you can and please share with anyone who might be interested. Even if you aren’t around for an herb class, if you are in the area then you should really check out 21 Acres in Woodinville. They have a lot of great events there, a working farm, a market with local foods, camps for kids, and the people who work there are all warm and inviting. Definitely a good vibes place! (I took that pic up top there btw.)

Have a great solstice everyone!

 

 

Summer HABA (Health and Beauty Aids)

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Here are some of the recent samples that I received from the New Hope Network. The surprise flavor winner is this Kids Probiotic from Kyo-Dophilus. It’s a surprise because my kids generally like gummy vitamins far more than any other kind of chewable supplement, but this one is vanilla flavored and very good. In fact, every time my oldest took one he had to comment on how good it tasted, so I eventually had to try one, and he’s right, it’s really good! If you can imagine a small chewable tablet tasting like vanilla ice cream, then that’s pretty much what these are, but they are dairy free, gluten free, and soy free. They have 1 billion CFU and three different strains targeting regularity and immune health. If you are having trouble finding a probiotic your child will take, I’d give these a try. Suggested use if for kids 4 and up, but younger than that can take half a tablet crushed and mixed with food or juice.

Also for youngsters, this adorable face stick sunscreen is specially designed for babies. It is by Earth Mama, is SPF 40, and the active ingredient is zinc oxide so this is a healthy, mineral based sunscreen. For a reminder of which ingredients are good and which are sketchy, read the post here. It is a very clean formula with natural, moisturizing ingredients and absolutely no (potentially irritating) smell. Plus the packaging is really sweet and I have to admit I have a weakness for good packaging.

For the older-than-infants set, this sunscreen by Goddess Garden is for those with sensitive skin. It is SPF 30 and also has zinc oxide as its active ingredient. It is reef safe (so is the baby face one above), vegan, cruelty free, and water resistant. This rubs in much more easily than any other mineral sunscreen I’ve ever tried so I’m sold on it. It is labeled as ‘sheer’ and it really is! When I rub it on I can see a little bit of residual shine, but not the layer of actual sunscreen which I normally see with other brands.

goddessgarden-sunscreen

Sun Chlorella is apparently the only company that properly pulverizes their chlorella for optimum access to the nutrients. This is one mega-green-tasting supplement and I’m very used to taking green powders. I like it, it tastes exceptionally healthy, although I add a squeeze of lemon to it because it is just so very green tasting and the lemon gives it a lighter kick. They do make tablets too if you are not one to drink your greens. It is full of great nutrients, including B12 which as any vegetarian or vegan knows is nearly impossible to find in non-meat sources. They have 25% off their website for June, so if you want to check them out, now’s the month!

Curaleaf sent a CBD tincture that is flavored with lavender and sweet orange and is by far the tastiest CBD oil I’ve taken. As CBD always does, it helped me feel less anxious in situations which normally trigger my anxiety. They also sent a menthol lotion which came in handy the other morning after I woke up with a sore neck and shoulders. I used the CBD lotion and it worked quickly to soothe the pain away. These patches look interesting too.

curaleaf

I haven’t had a chance to try this allergy supplement from Tango Advanced Nutrition because my sons and I seem to be getting off easy this year with allergy season. There are not a lot of herbal allergy supplements though so I thought I would share this one called AllerPhase in case you are looking for something to try. It has great reviews on amazon with 57% being 5 stars, so if you are suffering with allergies, this just might be your saving grace.

Thanks for reading and I hope you are enjoying the beginning of summer (here in the northern hemisphere anyway). I can’t believe we are coming up on solstice already in a couple of weeks and soon this entire year will be half over! When will they make a supplement to slow down time?

 

Infusing Witch Hazel

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Witch hazel is a great ingredient to have in your natural beauty cabinet. It is anti-inflammatory, soothing and healing, great for acne and other skin conditions, balances pH, and can be used to cleanse the skin. It is most often used as a toner, the step between cleansing and applying serum and/or moisturizer, and can be mixed with other ingredients to create a more multidimensional product. I have shared a couple of toner recipes here already, this more basic one and this one with a glycerine infusion, but you can also infuse the witch hazel itself with herbs to customize it for your particular needs. I like to infuse witch hazel with green tea for toner concoctions, but for this tutorial I’m infusing healing herbs for after sun spray for a class I’m giving later in the month.

If you follow me on instagram, you might already know that I’ve chosen to infuse two herbs into witch hazel intended for after sun spray. Calendula and rose are both well-known skin herbs that add extra healing qualities to the witch hazel and essential oils (added later) for sun damaged skin. Either one would be a great choice, but since I happen to have both of the herbs in stock, I am using both. After the infusion sits for 2-4 weeks, I will strain the herbs from the witch hazel, pour the liquid into spray bottles, then add essential oils. It’s surprisingly easy to do, just like making a tincture, and really the hardest part is straining it without making a royal mess.

Here’s how to infuse witch hazel:

You will need the following:

witch hazel infusion

Fill the jar about half full with the dried herbs, cover with enough witch hazel so that the herbs are completely saturated and there is at least an extra inch of liquid on top. Push the herbs down (they will float to the top) with a wooden chopstick until they are completely covered. Put a piece of plastic wrap over the cover if using a metal lid, otherwise just cover with a plastic lid and shake gently. Let it sit in a cool dry place for 2-4 weeks. The longer it sits, the stronger the infusion will be so wait the full 4 weeks if you can. Strain and use as is or add other ingredients such as aloe and/or essential oils such witch hazel infusion1as peppermint for cooling or lavender for skin healing (or both).

Store in a cool, dry place, preferably the refrigerator since it is specifically for over-sunned skin. It will feel especially cool and soothing if it is fresh from the fridge, and if you do put aloe vera gel or juice into the mixture, it really needs to stay in the refrigerator to last for about 10 days. If there is no aloe in it, it will last for longer, so you can count on it being potent for a good three months or more, assuming no stray germs got into it during the creation process.

Thank you for reading and enjoy the sun safely! Please share with anyone prone to over-sunning themselves in the summertime.

 

Herbal Classes

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I’m excited to announce I’ll be giving herbal classes at the gorgeous 21 Acres starting this summer. Teaching these workshops has been a long term goal of mine ever since I started this website about a year and a half ago, because I love giving people the opportunity to be creative in a community setting, working with herbs and other natural ingredients in ways they might not have thought of before, and also having all the materials there makes it easier to delve into an herbal crafting project rather than having to track down the supplies on one’s own. I’d love to have you join me there for crafting more natural wellness into your life. Here’s the first one, coming up soon!

https://herbalsummerselfcare.brownpapertickets.com

Please share with anyone in the greater Seattle area, or anyone who wants to travel here too of course :0).

Peppermint Perks

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(Featured image courtesy of New Hope Network)

If you have ever grown peppermint in your garden, you already know that it is an herb that likes to multiply and thrive. I like to think that its natural abundance has to do with its bountiful health benefits, especially in the summertime. Although sometimes associated with winter because of candies and cocoa, peppermint is actually a great herb for summer because it can cool the skin after too much sun, and ease foot and leg pain from too much activity. Of course, peppermint is great year round, but since we are quickly approaching summer and it might already be prolifically growing in your yard, I thought I’d share parts of this article by Jessie Shafer, RD from the New Hope Network. As a reminder, I am a member of the New Hope Influencer Co-op, a network of health and wellness bloggers committed to spreading more health to more people.

I am also currently creating a class that includes peppermint for after-sun care, and I am debating having the class make a cooling body spray or a body butter or balm. Which would you prefer for sun-soaked skin? I’d appreciate the feedback! In the meantime, here are 7 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Peppermint from Jessie Shafer:

For centuries and in cultures around the world, mint has been used in similar ways: Ancient Egyptians prescribed mint to ease upset stomachs, and it was served as an after-meal digestive aid in ancient Greece and Rome. Both Chinese and Ayurvedic medical traditions also have relied on mint to relieve digestive distress.

1. Reduce daytime fatigue

A 2018 study of 24 participants with an average age of 25 years showed that those who were given a peppermint oil capsule experienced less fatigue during a cognitive test. In another study, participants who were in a room where peppermint oil was diffused showed significantly less daytime sleepiness than those who were in an odorless room.

2. Relieve menstrual cramps

As a proven muscle relaxant, peppermint may provide some relief from the pain associated with menstrual cramping. In a 2016 study, 127 women with chronic painful periods experienced reductions in the intensity and duration of menstrual pain. The outcome was just as effective with peppermint extract capsules as with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Nausea and diarrhea, however, were lower in the group taking peppermint than the group taking the pharmaceutical drug.

3. Unclog sinuses

Ever experience a cooling, opening effect on your airways after eating a breath mint or sipping peppermint tea? What you’re feeling is menthol—one of the active compounds in peppermint—at work. Research demonstrates that menthol improves the perception of airflow in your nasal cavity. Additionally, the antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties in peppermint may relieve infection-induced sinus clogging.

4. Calm an upset stomach

Animal studies show promise that peppermint eases pain in the digestive system by preventing smooth muscles in the gut from contracting. In a systematic review of nine research studies, which included more than 700 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), treatment with peppermint oil for two weeks provided significantly better relief of symptoms than for those who took a placebo. Also, a review of 14 clinical trials involving 1,927 children and adolescents with gastrointestinal disorders showed that peppermint oil reduced the frequency, duration and severity of abdominal pain.

5. Decrease symptoms of seasonal allergies

Rosmarinic acid is a compound found in peppermint, as well as rosemary and other plants in the mint family. In one three-week study involving 29 people with seasonal allergies, those given a supplement containing rosmarinic acid ad fewer instances of itchy nose, itchy eyes and other allergy-related symptoms than those given a placebo. In an animal study, rats that suffered from allergic rhinitis—an irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose—experienced fewer allergic symptoms such as sneezing and itchy nose after being given peppermint extract.

6. Diminish tension headaches and migraines

Research has shown that peppermint oil induces a significant increase in blood flow of the forehead’s skin after local application, measured by laser Doppler, and provides a cooling sensation, possibly easing acute headache pain. In a 2010 study of 35 people with chronic migraines, the majority of whom were women, those who received peppermint oil aromatherapy applied to the forehead and temples showed a statistically significant reduction in pain after two hours, compared with those treated with a placebo oil. In another study involving 41 patients who experienced a combined total of 164 headaches during the trial, the effect of a locally applied peppermint oil preparation on tension-type headache was examined. In those patients, peppermint oil applied to the forehead was shown to be as effective as taking 1,000 mg of acetaminophen.

7. Fight bacterial infections

Peppermint oil has been shown to kill several types of bacteria that lead to human illnesses, such as E. coli, Staphylococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacterium linked to pneumonia. Also, in one study, peppermint oil was found to kill and prevent the growth of common food-borne bacteria, such as Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli, in mango and pineapple juices. Further, in a systematic review of 52 relevant articles in the PubMed database, menthol from peppermint oil was found to reduce common bacteria living in the mouth that can lead to oral problems such as dental caries and periodontal disease.

How to make peppermint tea:

  1. Tear 5–10 organic peppermint leaves into pieces, and place them in a small tea strainer inside a teapot or cup.2. Bring 2 cups filtered water to a boil and pour over the strainer (the strainer should be submerged in the water); cover pot or cup and let leaves steep for 5 minutes.

    3. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently bruise mint leaves to release their oils. Remove strainer, pressing the leaves to extract as much liquid as possible.

(End of article)

The above infusion is not just for drinking by the way, it can be added to a foot bath or a whole body bath for aches and pains. Peppermint foot soaks are a great way to relieve foot/leg fatigue from standing all day or extra activity time. As with all herbs, if you use peppermint for one thing, such as allergy relief, you still get a multitude of other benefits such as lifting of brain fog and fatigue, not to mention the anti-bacterial bonuses. I just love how wholly positive herbs are and how they truly enhance all aspects of life~ they are beautiful to look at and have around, and they offer even more beautiful benefits when we take them internally and apply them externally. How many other things in life are so buoyantly beneficial?

Thank you for reading and please share with anyone who might need ideas on using all the peppermint in their garden.

 

How to Use Powdered Herbs

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There are many ways to take herbs or use them externally: pills, teas, tinctures, syrups, honeys, oils, extracts, and more. Using powdered herbs is another way to work with herbs and I like to use certain types of herbs this way for several reasons that I’ll discuss below, but first, which classifications of herbs work as powders? I’ve found digestive blends and adaptogens to be especially easy to use when they are ground into powders and often, blended together. Herbs in powdered form means you can use the whole herb with no fillers nor additives, which is sometimes preferable, plus you are not discarding any part of the herb whatsoever so you really do get all the nutrition. With teas and tinctures and other extraction methods you always end up throwing away (or hopefully composting) some of the benefits with the discarded herbs. With powders you get the full benefits of the herbs with nothing else added.

You can make your own powders by using an old coffee grinder and dried herbs, or a food processor, or if you are more patient than I am, a mortar and pestle. You can also buy herbal powders, but if you are interested in using herbs from your own backyard, simply pick them, dry them, pick a method above for grinding them into powder, then store them in a clean glass container with a tight fitting lid. I generally use 1/2 teaspoon at a time in a warm beverage, and anywhere from 1/2 t to 2.5 teaspoons in smoothies. I use less for the kids (up to 1.5 teaspoons in a smoothie) and have worked my way up to the bigger amounts through the day. I also sometimes add powdered herbs to yogurt and/or granola.

When you take a powdered herb you get the fiber as well as all the vitamins, minerals, and other properties of the herb, so if you add to much to your daily diet too soon, the fiber can cause digestive problems. Also, not all adaptogenic herbs are suitable for kids. A couple of common adaptogens that are suitable for kids are astragalus and tulsi. Ginseng is one adaptogen that is definitely not for people who are pre-pubescent or currently going through puberty, and ashwagandha is also one to use long-term only after puberty, although it can be utilized for short term use on kids.

The reason I like digestive blends and adaptogens in powder form so much is because they are so easy to add to the daily smoothies I make for my sons and myself. The digestive blend I make helps the digestive system to work properly, and it also is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, so it’s a potent dose of nutrition without any fillers (like a gel capsule) nor any additives like an alcohol base. The body doesn’t have to work as hard to get the benefits of the herbs since they are free and clean and already in a tiny form. The adaptogens are also herbs I use daily for both the kids and myself and they go right into our smoothies too. I continue to use adaptogens  all day long in my coffee and teas. The warm drinks make a great delivery system and I like beefing up my drinks with potent herbs. Powdered herbs can even be added to matcha, which really is a powdered herb itself. I know I’m very late to the matcha craze and that is because I already drink a lot of coffee and teas throughout the day so I didn’t have a burning desire to add another tea to my life, but oh my goodness, if you haven’t tried it, try it, at least once. It’s so darn good and so full of health promoting properties that I think I’ve found a new love in my life. The place I feel it most is in my eyes (which I realize may sound strange) and in this article on organicfacts.net it verifies that one of the health benefits is for the eyes, plus it gives a nice overview of all the health promoting properties of matcha. I can seriously feel it benefiting my eyes, just like I can literally feel sweet potatoes benefiting my skin. (Is that odd? It’s kind of a tingling sensation. Anyone else??) I’m especially excited about matcha because it’s a powder and I intend to add tulsi powder to my matcha teas which is a powerful adaptogenic herb with so many beautiful benefits and is so revered that it’s also known as Holy Basil. Here’s just a few of the traditional attributes of tulsi:

  • Calming to the nervous system
  • Healing to digestive and respiratory systems
  • Protective to cardiovascular system
  • Potent anti-inflammatory and anti-aging
  • Prevents hypoglycemia and migraines
  • Lowers cholesterol levels
  • Repairs skin damage and eases fevers

Plus I just love the grassy taste of it. Usually I use blends of adaptogens, but tulsi is one that I like to put a half teaspoon of alone in my coffee and tea.

You can also turn herbal powders into pills if you wish. There are capsules you can buy, often found in the bulk sections of natural food stores but if not, definitely online. You can also add honey, ghee, agave nectar, or maple syrup to your powdered herbs and mix it all together to form a paste. Make balls with the concoction, let them harden up a bit in the refrigerator, then add them to hot drinks or pop them in your mouth like a lozenge that you somewhat chew on and somewhat just let melt. Don’t swallow these~ they will not go down smoothly. Here’s a quick video on how to do this:

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Thank you for reading and please share with anyone looking to incorporate more herbs into their life.

 

Natural Bloat Busters to Always Have on Hand (and You Probably Already Do)

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The discomfort of trying to sleep with a bloated stomach is terrible. It’s always evening and nighttime too when the bloat is at its worst, after all the meals have been eaten and certain foods throughout the day trigger our digestive systems to retaliate. Bloating is often caused by food intolerances, but can also be caused by other things such as eating too fast or too much. We often know what will bloat us~ dairy, beans, wheat, soy, or some other food or food group that we know we personally should avoid but sometimes we just can’t. It’s hard when food is such a communal activity and you don’t have a true allergy as an excuse to avoid certain foods, and sometimes it’s a favorite food and we just eat it anyway and hope for the best. There are some things that can be done in prep of those trigger foods though, and things that can be taken after eating the foods, or even later when the bloating is intense and maybe you don’t even know what triggered it.

Before you eat, enzymes can be taken to help break down your food. A broad spectrum enzyme will cover all the bases, but if you have one particular food group that is your personal trigger, you can take an enzyme supplement that targets that specific food. Some examples are: for gluten and casein intolerances take these, this one for lactose intolerance, or for beans, this one can help.

You can also take herbs called bitters to help stimulate the body’s natural enzyme production. You should take both bitters and enzymes about 10 minutes before you eat. Enzymes can also be found in fresh produce, so having fresh fruit and/or vegetables at every meal will also help with digestion. You can also prepare your stomach for work by drinking a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar (with the mother) in a cup of water before eating. Doing so can also help ease heartburn issues for some people.

Right after a meal, you can eat about a nickle-size amount of fennel seeds to help digest your food, or mix some fennel essential oil into a base oil like sweet almond oil or sesame seed oil, and rub that on your stomach. (Five drops of essential oil in 1 tsp. of base oil.) Fennel is also the main ingredient in Gaia Herbs’ Gas and Bloating tea. Traditional Medicinals has a helpful tea too called Gas Relief. Having a soothing herbal tea on hand to sip after meals is a nice way to fight the discomfort of bloating.

Probiotics can make a huge difference in how well you digest your meals. Taking them regularly will help keep your microbiome in optimal shape, but taking them right after eating possible trigger foods is especially important. It’s a good idea to switch brands to get a wide spectrum of probiotic strains in your system, but if you find one that works really well for you, stick with it. My all time favorite is VSL-3 and I highly recommend it if you suffer from IBS, colitis, or have had multiple rounds of antibiotics in your lifetime. My kids like Rainbow Light’s probiotic gummies.

If those don’t work, you can use activated charcoal to make the bloating go away. This is not something to use all the time though, because it soaks up not only the bloating agents, but also the good nutrition, so only use it when you have tried other things first. It really does help one to get to sleep though if you have a bad case of the bloats keeping you up at night. Activated charcoal is also something you can use if you suspect food poisoning, so it really is a good supplement to have on hand at all times.

Some people get relief from food intolerance issues by drinking kombucha daily. This hasn’t been a magic bullet in my family like it has with some other people I know, although we do drink kombucha, we still need other digestive aides to tackle our multiple food issues here at times. We are much better than we used to be, but dairy, soy, and many other beans still cause problems. If your food intolerances are mild, adding kombucha to your days just might be all it takes to keep you bloat-free and pain free.

Digestive discomfort can be such a nuisance, so it’s nice to know there are things that can help ease the issue, especially when it’s disrupting sleep. Thanks for reading and please share with anyone who might need some tips on keeping away their ‘bloat baby’.

 

What’s in a Name?

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Shakespeare probably didn’t know how appropriate this quote would be:

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”  Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

There is a lot of confusion out there on what rose oil is compared to rose essential oil compared to rose hip oil. It surprises me every time someone says something like, “Oh I would never put undiluted rose hip oil on my face” or “What do you infuse in your essential oils?” or “Do you make essential oils at home?” I get these comments and questions all the time and it throws me, until I realize they are not talking about the thing that they think they are talking about. If those questions sound reasonable to you, rest assured you are not alone. I was talking to an aesthetician this weekend who is a brand rep for a natural beauty company, and even he was confused on what rose hip oil is. He thought it was an essential oil, which it is not. It is a highly potent base oil, closer in properties to olive oil or coconut oil, and can absolutely go directly on the face undiluted. Rose hip oil is full of antioxidants and vitamin C, in fact you will find it in vitamin C supplements, and has been used for its beautifying properties for ages. It is known to improve texture and tone of the skin, lightening dark spots and reducing fine lines and wrinkles, as well as firming and brightening the skin. It can be found as an ingredient in many facial creams and serums, but can also just be used as is, on your face, hair, and body. Rose hips, sometimes spelled rosehips, are the little fruits left over after the rose petals have fallen away. The oil should be cold pressed, as heat can damage the active constituents.

Rose oil and rose essential oil are made with the rose petals themselves. To make rose essential oil, you need a rather large steam distillation system and quite a few roses, around 60,000 rose blossoms in fact to make one ounce of essential oil. This is why rose essential oil is one of the most expensive oils you can buy. (This is also why I get taken aback by the question of making my own at home. Although that is possible with the right equipment and access to a lot of fresh flowers, it is pretty rare. I can only think of a couple of herbalists that have their own distillation equipment, and they are people who live on farms, not the ‘burbs.) Rose essential oil is also known to be great for the skin, but it should be diluted before going on the skin. It makes a great addition to a toner, serum, or moisturizer, and is especially good for mature skin. You cannot “infuse essential oils” with anything, though you can add essential oils to bath and body products, thereby infusing them with the qualities of the essential oils. In other words, essential oils cannot be a menstruum (solvent) for other products, but they can be added to common solvents such as a base oil or alcohol.

Here’s a quick video to show you how to keep your rosehip oil from going rancid, which essential oils can be added to your rosehip oil to take it to full serum status, and how to get the benefits of rose essential oil at a more affordable price:

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Rose oil is easy to make in any kitchen and far less expensive than rose essential oil. I’ve made it here a couple of times, once using the Folk Method and once using the Quick Method. This is a great way to use rose petals from your own garden because you can make as small of a batch as you want. Rose oil makes a great base for perfumed body oils, balms, and butters. It is easy and fun to make, and makes lovely gifts as well.

Rose water or hydrosol is another beauty staple for green beauty lovers. These are especially good in homemade toners. Roses have a long history entwined with beauty and love, and there are many ways to take advantage of the their traditional qualities. I hope this clears up any name confusion out there, and maybe entice some of you to look at including roses in some form in your face and body routines. We are in an age of self care and self love reminders, and roses do it all like no other.

Thank you for reading and please share with anyone who might have questions about how to use roses in their beauty regimes.

*This website has links to affiliations with amazon which provide a small incentive back to me. This helps to keep the information coming in such a way that is free to the reader. I only talk about products or services I truly love and believe in and hope this information brings every reader/watcher closer to their optimal health and wellness whether or not they buy anything through these links.

Making the Most of Thyme

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Thyme might not be one of the more popular essential oils, but it is a potent one to have and to use. Just as the herb is highly medicinal with recipes as old as Hippocrates’ using thyme for the respiratory system (see that recipe here if you missed it), the essential oil is an all around anti-germ powerhouse. In Valerie Ann Wormwood’s book, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, she includes thyme essential oil in her travel kit in order to use it to wipe down the sinks and counters and such of the places where she stays. It is indeed a great one to include in cleaning concoctions because it is antiviral, antibiotic, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic.

Thyme is great to inhale for its immune boosting and invader fighting properties. It is especially good for difficult viruses and superbugs such as the flu and MRSA. Diffusing the essential in the air is a great way to experience the healing benefits of thyme. In my ceramic diffuser which holds water on top, I add three to six drops of thyme and let the candle burn for no more that half an hour. In my water-less wood and glass diffuser, I add 15-20 drops of essential oils at a time.

Even better than just inhalation though, is to make a body oil with thyme and add that to your feet, or anywhere else on your body, so it soaks directly into your bloodstream.

Making a body oil is incredibly easy and really any vegetable oil will work, so if all you have available is olive oil, that’s completely fine, but jojoba and fractionated coconut oil are particularly good for soaking right into the skin quickly so you aren’t left with oily palms to deal with. You want about five drops of thyme essential oil per teaspoon of base oil. You can reuse a small glass bottle with the mixture and add it to your body three times per day, or add about a teaspoon of the mix to a hot bath. Thyme essential oil can also just be used in a bath straight, up to five drops in the tub, but do not use the essential oil directly on the skin (neat) without a carrier. Thyme can even be used in a shower by flinging a couple of drops onto the back wall of the shower stall, where no direct stream of water hits, and the steam will work with the essential oil quite beneficially.

Thyme essential oil is herb-y smelling and distinct, so it might not be one that a lot of people are drawn to right away when picking out essential oils, but it really is worth having around for it’s immune boosting and germ fighting properties. Perhaps that is why thyme has traditionally been associated with warriors and courage~ it is certainly an avid defender against invaders of all sorts. In fact, it is even a good one to add to blends for keeping away mosquitos and other bugs as well. Life circumstances have thrown me a bit lately and along with the jolt came a rather severe cold, so I’ve been very glad to have thyme around for both the fortitude and the immune boosting. My sister has been an even more important healer and helper at this time so I’ve been well taken care of during this rough patch.

Take care of yourselves, and of each other, and when you need a little extra green help, don’t forget thyme is on your side.

 

 

 

Herbs for Constipation

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Ayurveda doesn’t shy way from talking about bodily functions. In fact, ask any Ayurvedic practitioner about elimination and chances are they will have a rather strong opinion and be able to give you a lengthy description on what it should like, how often it should be happening, and when it should be happening in relation to your meals. I’m not an Ayurvedic practitioner myself but one of my herbal teachers and mentors, Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, was steeped in Ayurvedic herbalism so I do remember long class discussions on the subject. As for the looks, think of an overripe banana~ brown, in-tact,  and buoyant. With timing, food should take about 18-24 hours to travel from one end of your digestive system (mouth) to the other. If the timing is shorter than that, you may not be getting all the nutrients out of your food. If it’s longer than that, you could be experiencing chronic toxic build-up. If you don’t know how long the process takes for you, eat something that you will recognize when it pops back out such as beets, which like to make quite the dramatic exit if you aren’t expecting the bright red color. (You’ve been forewarned.) Elimination should happen for every meal, so around three times a day is ideal.

One way to get things moving first thing in the morning is to drink a cup of lukewarm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This can also be done at other times of the day, on an empty stomach, but first thing in the morning works best. It’s a nice morning ritual for general cleansing as well.

For occasional issues with constipation, there are two common herbs used traditionally as stimulant laxatives: senna and cascara sagrada. Both should only be used occasionally, because as with any stimulant laxative, herbal or otherwise, they lose effectiveness over time as they train the intestines to rely on the outside stimulation. They do normally produce results within hours of ingesting, (pills, teas, or tinctures), but keep in mind, they are not fixing the root of the problem. Herbalism works best when focused on balancing out health issues at their root, so although these herbs can get you through a rough patch, it’s important to dig deeper into the problem and make adjustments there, so look into the foods you are eating, the amount of water you are drinking, the amount of exercise you might be getting, etc.

There is an herbal combination called triphala that can be taken long-term to enhance intestinal health and kick constipation to the curb (as long as the root of the issue is also properly addressed.) Triphala is a combination of three herbs: Amla, Haritaki, and Bibhitaki. These three herbs each have special benefits for the three doshas, Pitta, Vata, and Kapha, therefore when they are all together they are considered tri-doshic, meaning good for all three doshas. (You can take a dosha quiz here to find your personal doshic profile.) This tri-doshic quality is one of the reasons it is one of the most well-known and popularly used Ayurvedic formulations of all time. In fact, it has been around for over 2,000 years and still going strong. This combination might take longer to work than the herbs above, but within 24 hours elimination should occur and you don’t need to worry about taking it for an extended amount of time. Although it’s a relatively safe formula for most people, Banyan Botanicals lists these cautions: “Contraindications can include diarrhea, dysentery, and if you are pregnant or nursing. There are no known drug interactions with the herbs that make up triphala.1, 6 Some studies do report findings that would advise caution in people taking blood-thinning medicines,7, 8 as triphala may affect platelet function. From an Ayurvedic perspective, if your stools are dry and hard, consider using haritaki in place of triphala.” (Banyan Botanicals)

When I worked at health food stores, the box of tea that was far and away the top seller was Smooth Move by Traditional Medicinals, which, as you might have guessed, is for constipation. It has senna plus other herbs that support the digestive system, and is only supposed to be for occasional use only. They have a couple of different flavors for the teas and also capsules.

As with many health issues, making sure you are drinking plenty of water, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and actively moving your body everyday will get you far on your path towards optimal health. Herbs offer another level of support in those health, body, and life goals.

Wishing you health, happiness, and at least one herbal ally in your life.