Herbs

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:

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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Plug in diffuser, candle diffuser, and essential oil

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.

 

 

 

How to Make an Herbal Syrup

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Herbal syrups are a kid-friendly and throat-friendly way to take healing herbs. They don’t have to be doled out in medicinal spoonfuls either, you can add them to tea, pancakes, or cocktails just like any other syrup. Elderberry syrup is a classic immune booster for wintertime cough and cold season, but other herbs such as licorice, thyme, and sage make excellent upper respiratory syrups as well. Even Hippocrates himself had a recipe for bronchitis that included thyme: For Bronchitis, 2 cups water with 3 T thyme, steep 10 minutes then drink twice/day~ Hippocrates.

I made licorice syrup with cinnamon in this tutorial. Licorice has many uses, from respiratory to digestive to adaptogenic properties. It is also anti-viral, making it a great cold and flu fighter. Some people are a little frightened of licorice because when taken in excessively large doses, it can raise blood pressure. Licorice is one of the top ten herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) though, and it is included in many TCM herbal blends for a variety of issues, (though usually in smallish amounts.) If it has worked for thousands of years for a multitude of different issues for so many, I think most people are safe to take licorice for their throat, stomach, and cough complaints. That is of course up to you and your personal health advisers. Other herbs can be used instead of licorice, with the same instructions, and you can of course use sugar as the sweetener if you want. Honey and agave nectar have soothing, coating properties to aid healing, and in agave’s case, less of a glycemic impact.

Herbal Syrup:

›Materials: Dried herbal material such as licorice, elderberries, or thyme, water, honey or agave nectar, a pot, a clean glass jar.

›Combine the herbs and water in a pot in a ratio of 1:2. (Example, 1 cup herbs to 2 cups water)

›Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, 30-40 minutes until reduced by approximately half.

›Strain the herbal material, put the liquid back in the pot and add the same amount of sweetener, over low heat, for another 10 or so minutes. In other words, if you have 3/4 cup of liquid left after cooking and straining, then you add 3/4 cup of sweetener.

›Let it cool, then bottle and refrigerate for longest storage.

This video shows you how easy it is (please ignore my messy house and hair. This was done within some time constraints and really needs to be updated. Soon…..) :

I hope you and your loved ones are making it through the winter season without any illnesses. The snowcopalypse that shut down the Seattle area is finally easing a bit and I have even spotted some robins already, so spring must be on its way. Take care and please share with anyone looking for an herbal boost.

Valentine’s Day Herbal Gifts

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Homemade gifts made with heart and intention are perfect for the holiday that celebrates love. Valentine’s Day is a warm reminder during this cold season that love should be celebrated fully and joyfully in all its forms, from friendship to family, and of course that special someone. Everyone can appreciate an herbal gift that conveys not only love, but also health, beauty, and green thoughtfulness.

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What plant could be more associated with Valentine’s than the rose? A flower of beauty that signifies love, it also has healing attributes that qualify it as an herb. Drinking rose petal tea is relaxing, due to its mildly sedative properties, and it also has some historical use as a headache reliever. The petals are used extensively for skin health, anti-aging, and beautification, while rose hips are full of bio-available vitamin C. Rose oil makes a lovely base for a massage or bath oil, and bath salts with rose petals would make a relaxing gift that encourages self-care and rejuvenation. Baths full of rose petals are picturesque and you will see plenty on Instagram, but if you don’t want to clean up wet petals after a restful bath, I suggest packing them in a muslin bag. You get all the benefits without worrying about the messy clean-up afterwards. The proportion of salts to rose petals is completely up to you, but if you want to add essential oils to the mixture, keep the essential oils down to about 10-20 drops per cup of mixture. Example: 1 cup Dead Sea Salt, 1/2 cup rose petals, 15 drops of lavender oil, and 10 drops of rose absolute in jojoba. Mix all together in a bowl before adding to a jar with a tight cap for gifting. Don’t forget to add the reusable muslin bag inside the jar, or tie it on the outside. 

Making a rose petal mask is another lovely way to gift roses and encourage self-care. Make a powder from dried rose petals either by using a mortar and pestle or a food processor. I actually use an old coffee grinder for making herbal powders and it works great. Mix the rose powder with either French Green Clay or another clay that suits the skin of your recipient (or yourself if this is a self-love gift) in the proportion of 1/3 rose powder, 2/3 clay. Example: 1 tablespoon rose powder mixed with 2 tablespoons clay. Store in a dark glass jar and mix one tablespoon at a time with either a water, a hydrosol, honey, or yogurt to apply. Actually, adding the powder mix to any of these one ingredient masks will make a multifaceted concoction, and you can choose if you want more of a firming, brightening, or evening out action. Leave on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. Skin will be moisturized, clean, firmer, and more even-toned.

Making a massage oil out of rose oil is as easy as adding the desired essential oils to the homemade rose oil. Aim for no more than 50-60 drops of essential oil per cup of base oil. You can also add in more base oils to the rose oil, so the mixture is more suited to the recipient’s particular skin. The heavier the oil, the more appropriate for dryer skin, and the lighter oils are more beneficial for oilier skin. Massage oil should not soak into the skin but rather allow for easy gliding, so sticking with sweet almond oil, avocado oil, apricot kernel oil, and grapeseed oil are good choices, especially when mixed together. Here’s a sample recipe including the aphrodisiac scents of rose, vanilla, and jasmine:

Massage Oil

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Making Massage Oil
1/2 cup Rose Oil (olive oil infusion)

1/2 cup Vanilla Oil (sweet almond infusion)

1/4 cup Avocado Oil

1/4 cup Apricot Kernel Oil

30 drops Sandalwood absolute in jojoba

40 drops Vanilla CO2 essential oil

5 drops Jasmine absolute in jojoba

 

I hope your Valentine’s day is full of love for your family, your friends, your partner, and yourself. We are experiencing the most snow in most of our lifetimes here in the Seattle region right now so I’ll be herbal crafting away happily this week. I also managed to make my first sourdough loaf this past weekend and it turned out splendidly! There’s a pic on my Instagram if you are interested.

Thank you for reading and Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

 

 

Vanilla Oil DIY

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Vanilla is a delicious, comforting, and sensual scent that is much loved. Like so many other good things, vanilla also happens to be a little bit high maintenance. For starters, it is second only to saffron in expense, largely due to how vanilla has to be handled and processed, plus it also cannot be made into an essential oil in the same manner as other plants (through distillation). You can find absolutes and CO2 extracts, but usually these are already premixed with a carrier oil and quite expensive. No worries though, because just as with vanilla extract, it’s simple to make your own vanilla infused oil to use in any bath/body product you want such as the base of a perfumed body oil, in body butter, lip balm, bath oil, or body scrub, etc. I’ll most likely be making all of those in fact, and more, because vanilla is just so all-around lovely and mood lifting.

Ingredients:

2 or 3 whole vanilla beans

2 cups carrier oil such as jojoba, sweet almond, or grapeseed oil

Prepackaged
Bulk Bin

Set up a double boiler arrangement with the water simmering. (I use a pyrex measuring cup in a pot of water.) C1719A6F-412D-401F-859C-9BA7BCDE381C Cut the vanilla beans down the middle and scoop out the insides into the top of your double boiler, then chop up the beans and add them as well. Pour the carrier oil over the beans, stir occasionally, and add more water to the bottom of the double boiler as needed. 2370B7C6-7D90-4DC7-B5E5-20FD7B049162 It will take an hour or two, so do this when you know you’ll be home for a while. Strain the oil once it has cooled, or just leave the vanilla bits in the oil to impart more scent over time. (It’s impossible to get all those little seeds out so don’t worry about that.) I put half of a vanilla bean into each of my containers to keep the infusion process going. 3D4EB8D7-3071-42D4-9D7A-8536996187CD You can add vitamin E for preservative properties if you aren’t going to use the oil within a month or two. Different carrier oils have different shelf-lives, but jojoba has the longest of the three I mentioned. The other two, almond and grapeseed, have about a year or so of shelf-life. I don’t think any vanilla infused oil is at risk of not getting used within a year though, it smells too good!

Thanks for reading and please share with the vanilla lovers in your life. Happy health and sweet scents to you!

Bouquet Garni Traditional Herbs

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Yesterdy I gave a class on culinary and medicinal herbs at my son’s middle school, and one of the crafts we made was a bouquet garni. I learned a lot of folklore while prepping the class, and thought it would be worth sharing it here too. I just adore the old symbolic language of herbs and flowers which speaks to the deep significance and intertwining relationship of herbs to humanity. The range of health benefits in herbs and spices generally known simply for their flavoring amazes me too. If there is one thing that is for certain, it is that adding more herbs into daily meals can not only enhance the food, but also your health. When in doubt, spice things up!

A bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs that can be used in soups, sauces, beans, casseroles, etc, to not only add flavor but also impart healing benefits. All of the traditional herbs used have digestive benefits, plus a lot more. The most basic traditional blend is Bay leaf, Thyme, and Parsley, with optional herbs such as Rosemary, Oregano, and Basil. These can be wrapped in the outer layer of a leek, or tied together in a bundle (hence the word bouquet) with cooking twine, or the dried herbs can be used in a muslin bag.

Thyme was used in ancient Greek and Roman times to symbolize warrior type bravery. It was given to warriors before going to battle to keep them courageous, and it was given to them afterwards to show appreciation for their valiant bravery. During the Middle Ages, ladies embroidered thyme on knights’ tunics to impart courage, and the knights also would put fresh thyme in their armor. It has also been used traditionally to cure nightmares by putting a sprig of dried thyme underneath a pillow. The health benefits of thyme have traditionally been mostly for the respiratory system, helping coughs and sore throats especially. It has also been used for digestive system support. It also is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal which means it actually reinforces the body’s defense systems. Thyme syrup is a traditional remedy for coughs and colds, and can still be found in supplements today. Hippocrates even had a recipe involving thyme for bronchitis: 2 cups water with 3 T thyme, steep 10 minutes then drink twice/day.

Bay laurel has a long history of being symbolic of victory, fame, status, and scholarship and wisdom. The words ‘laureate’ and ‘baccalaureate’ have originated from the significance of laurel leaves. Additionally, laurel leaves were believed to inspire creativity, so, they were placed under the pillow at night for creative inspiration through symbolic dreams. Olympians were crowned with laurel wreaths, and graduates wore bay leaf crowns before graduation caps. Both traditions can still be seen today (do a quick image search and you will see both!) Health-wise bay laurel has a wide range of traditional benefits. It has been used as a potent antibacterial, and a strong digestive aide. The herb is also associated with easing stress, lowering inflammation, used as a diuretic, for diabetes, and also in skin care and other cosmetic products, as well as topically for sore muscles and even arthritic pain. Bay leaves are always pulled out of soups, beans, etc, before the food is eaten because the texture is not very edible.

Parsley was revered by the ancient Greeks, who considered it sacred to the dead. They made parsley garlands to honor tombs and it was also planted at burial sites. The herb was dedicated to Persephone, queen of the underworld. Romans ate it profusely and were the ones to discover it deordorized the breath after eating garlic. Traditionally used for anemia (it has more iron than spinach), digestive problems, and as a diuretic. It is full of vitamins and minerals.

Rosemary has been used from ancient times by Greeks to adorn young women, Romans used it as hedges, and Egyptians in tombs. The genus name, rosmarinus, means “dew of the sea,” because it grows near the sea in the Mediterranean region.  It is used as a brain tonic, especially for memory and is also considered stimulating to both body and mind. It is a digestive tonic, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal. It makes foods more digestible and also preserves them due to antioxidant properties.

Oregano has been used medicinally for 50,000 years according to evidence found in a noblewoman’s burial and an ancient Greek ship. It was also used as a preservative of food b/c of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It is an extremely well researched herb, and is one of the most widely used on the planet. A wide range of studies have established oregano as a powerful antioxidant, antiseptic, and antibacterial agent. It has more antioxidants than any fruit of vegetable according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, with 4 times more antioxidant activity than blueberries. Oregano’s name means “mountain joy.”  Historically, oregano was often associated with good luck and happiness, which explains why it was in Greek and Roman wedding ceremonies where brides and grooms often wore crowns fashioned from oregano branches. Oregano growing on a loved-one’s grave signified a happy afterlife for the one buried.

To make the bouquet garni, simply collect these herbs, or any of them which you want to use, and tie them together with cooking twine, or if using dried herbs, simply use 1 bay leaf with 1 teaspoon each of the other herbs directly in the pot or in a muslin bag. Be sure to take the bay leaf out before eating, but the other herbs can stay in. Here’s a recommended bundle:

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of thyme (or 1 t. dried)

2 sprigs of parsley (or 1 t. dried)

2 sprigs of rosemary (or 1 t. dried)

2 sprigs of oregano (or 1 t. dried)

Tie together with cooking twine.

Put directly into soup, sauce, beans, etc, then take out before serving the food.

Unfortunately the class kept me too busy to take pictures until the very end. At that point, I was able to snap a few of the herbal mandalas they made while learning about the different parts of an herb that might be used. They all turned out so different, each one beautiful in its distinctness. A good lesson in itself. Here are 3 of the 18:

Thanks for reading! Best health to you and yours.

 

 

Cleansing for the New Year

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This is a repost of a blog I wrote around this time last year. Happy New Year everyone.

Is anyone else ready to put away the dairy and desserts and cleanse for the New Year? I personally love a good cleanse, though I’m partial to the low-suffering kind. I know people who think it’s not a real cleanse unless you take in nothing but fresh juice and water, but that never made sense to me. Our bodies like balance, and balance by extremes is not really balance at all at the human level. Just look at how bad yo-yo dieting is for people or how hard it is on the body when there are huge weight fluctuations. Gentle detox is a way to cleanse while giving the body support to adjust, instead of shocking the body and then reeling from its effects. Of course, there is a time and place for everything and if you know what you are doing and have the right support, then by all means juice away your days. If you prefer a cleansing reboot that doesn’t leave your blood sugar levels bouncing and your mood-o-meter permanently set to hangry, keep reading for some options.

Adding powdered greens to your daily routine is one way to activate detox mechanisms in your body. While cleansing you should be drinking extra glasses of water anyway, so adding a scoop or packet to one of your glasses or bottles of water is a great way to get extra goodness. It is worth noting that some green mixes, like Paradise Herbs, are formulated for energy~

while others, like the Food Science one below, are formulated more specifically for cleansing. Greens in general, whether in a powder or in a whole fresh or cooked form, are cleansing though so an energy greens mix will still work towards detoxing your system. Both these mixes came in my New Hope Blogger Box and they are tasty as well as healthy blends, but there are of course other reputable greens out there. Just be sure to read ingredients lists thoroughly.

Adding a cup or two of detoxifying herbal tea a day is another easy way to help your body cleanse. There are plenty of blends out there, such as detox teas by Yogi and Traditional Medicinals that are as easy as boiling water. Flora makes a tea concentrate that you just pour a bit out and add hot water to. They promote their cleanse every year on Facebook so you can actually join a group of others using their product to get tips and expand your knowledge a bit into the world of detox. (Plus if you join in you just might get a coupon I believe.) They do have a dry blend as well.

If you want to do something a little more involved than greens and teas, making up a batch of kitchari is what one of my herbal teachers drilled into us as the most healing, cleansing, tri-doshic thing you could do. Kitchari is a meal from the tradition of Ayurveda that is made up of mung beans and basmati rice (brown or white depending on your preference), spices, and ghee. You can eat it once a day to support a general cleanse, or you can eat kitchari three times a day and nothing else but herbal teas for 6 days straight for a more intense detox. As with all things herbal, kitchari is a traditional dish that you can find a thousand variations for so this recipe can be modified as you like. What follows is how my herbal teacher told us to make it and it has never failed me. It’s a calming meal, easy on the digestive system, and healing.

Kitchari Recipe:

1 C mung beans

1 C brown basmati rice (my herbal teacher actually used white basmati rice, so your choice really)

1 tbsp. ghee (vegans can use coconut oil)

1 tsp. each turmeric, cumin, and coriander

After soaking the mung beans overnight (or at least 6 hours), cook them in 4 C of water until they are thoroughly soft, about half an hour.

Cook rice according to its instructions, depending on white or brown, then mix together with beans.

Warm the ghee in a sauce or sauté pan and add the spices, cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes or so.

Mix the spices and ghee with the rice and beans and you are finished. Eat as often as you like.

I’ve never been big on resolutions, but I do like the spirit of renewal that January sweeps in. A gentle cleanse sets a nice tone for the year~ a reminder to think better, feel better, act better, and be better. Best wishes for health, fulfillment, beauty, and peace to everyone for the New Year. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

 

The Language of Nature

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Wreaths, trees, and greenery find their way inside our homes near the winter solstice, which is so fitting. It’s not always easy to be outside for long in the winter months, so it seems natural that we have traditions which bring nature inside. I love the smell of fresh evergreens inside, and I also just love the fact that we still hold onto these green traditions throughout the plastic-ness and consumerism of the season. Nature has a way of communicating authenticity, and actually a whole lot more. The language of flowers, herbs, and trees is a language that used to be readily understood and I hope does not go completely extinct. It was at one time a language that was prevalent, back when nature was a part of every day life and herbs were used in all parts of life from sun up to sun down~ from the herbs used in the houses and in bedding to keep away vermin, to the food they ate, and the medicines (the only option!) that kept them alive. They used herbs in rituals, for spiritual purposes, celebration, decoration, and communication.

If that sounds strange, think about what a red rose signifies. If someone gives another a red rose or 12, they are probably not giving a token of friendship, a get-well bouquet, nor a flower of condolence, right? A red rose equals love, a very specific type of love~ romantic love. This seems to be an enduring symbol that has lasted far longer than any other plant language symbols, but it is by no means the only way that plant with symbolic meaning. Here are a couple of examples:

Thyme used to symbolize warrior type bravery. It was given to Roman soldiers before and after campaigns to wish them luck and honor their courageousness. A few hundred years later, ladies used to embroider thyme into handkerchiefs for knights going to battle. Thyme means warrior, bravery, courage.

Bay leaves used to symbolize scholarly achievement, honor, and victory. The Greeks and Romans were active in embracing this symbolism by crowning the most learned of the statesmen with bay leaf crowns, and also those with the highest status. Bay laurel even gives it’s name to baccalaureate, and also the word laureate, as in ‘Nobel Laureate’ or ‘poet laureate’ for example. If you search online, there are plenty of examples of graduates donning bay crowns even today, so at least that tradition is still alive in some way.

Since it is nearing Christmas, I thought I’d share some holiday plants with their symbolism. I found a bouquet in the book, Tussie Mussies, by Geraldine Adamich Laufer that she calls “Christmas Joy” and would make a lovely wreath as well. Also, using these same meanings, one can put together an essential oil blend with a special holiday message. The bouquet has the following in it:

Pine: Warm friendship, vigorous life, spiritual energy

Cinnamon: Love, beauty, my fortune is yours!

Burnet: A merry heart

Rosemary: Remembrance

Bedstraw: The manger

Holly Berries: Christmas joy

Cone: Conviviality, life

Another bouquet in her book celebrates the New Year. It is called, “New Years Resolutions” and has the following:

Vervain: Good fortune, wishes granted

Sumac: Resoluteness

Rue: Beginning anew

Parsley Flower: At the very beginning

Hyssop: Cleansing

Elderberry: Zeal

These bouquets or wreaths might be fun gifts to bring to some hosts over the holidays, and a conversation starter if you include the meaning of the plants used. Essential oil blends can be used instead for a longer lasting gift, and of course there are plenty of other herbs, flowers, and trees to choose from. For example, Mint, another traditional winter holiday scent, symbolizes burning love, and also wisdom and virtue. There is also an old saying: “Grow mint in your garden to attract money to your purse,” so this plant has a lot to offer in the way of New Year’s wishes.

However you celebrate the winter holidays, I hope you are filled with peace, happiness, and good health. From all accounts, I’m not the only one eager to see 2018 come to a close and hoping for a lighter and brighter year ahead. In order to embrace this dark, quiet, inner-focused time of year, I’ll be taking a wee break from posting here until January. Hopefully I’ll be back with some news on a couple of other projects I’m working on so stay tuned! All the best to all of you and see you next year! Cheers!

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