herbs

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:

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:

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.

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.

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.

 

Mission Possible Challenge

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This post is part of a blogging challenge called: Divine Mission~ Possible, created by fellow blogger litebeing chronicles. The idea is for people to write about what their mission is, where they are on it, and really anything that relates to that. If you would like to join the challenge, please do! The challenge lasts through November and I did last year’s and found it to be quite inspiring to read the other bloggers posts and have to think through my own (Sense-ational Scents).

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I believe we are all here for a reason, or rather reasons, and that we all have special attributes, unique characteristics, and specific experiences that make up our paths and passions. Whether we fully enact these missions is up to us, though it is my belief that how we show up in the world on a daily basis is part of our mission, and every single day our missions leak out of us whether we like it or not. If we are on a path that resonates with our passions and values, then the ‘leaking’ is going to be mostly light-filled and uplifting. If we are not, then the leaking will come out as confused, inconsistent, and disembodied, though it may still be beautiful, but lacking clear energy behind it. (By the way, have you ever noticed how similarly spelled mission and passion are~ there must be something there!)

My mission relates to herbs, ecology, natural health, green beauty, and educating. 6E725201-6137-4617-B2DF-7FFBFFC0C674[1]The state of the environment is deeply concerning to me and specifically the state of our collective relationship to the environment. We (including myself) are not in flow with nature, giving and taking in a balanced way, but instead taking and taking with little regard for sustainability. It is my belief that the more people engage with nature in all ways, understanding nutrition beyond trendy diets, how herbs can help create and maintain health, how what we put on our bodies and the chemicals we surround ourselves with impact our moods, hormones, overall health, beauty, and aging, then that relationship with nature will start to be repaired. We have the ability to turn around humanity’s destructive ways, but it will take individual relationships to do that.

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Personally I love to create with herbs and building community through bringing people together to learn about herbs and making products with them. That is the next step in my mission and one that I’ve begun through the online courses I created, but creating with people in real life is something that I feel is an important step in this digital, often lonely era in which we live. I’ve actually been engaging in Facebook groups lately (although FB is not my favorite place to hang out!) trying to get a feel for what people need/want/are missing in terms of natural health and herbs and wow, there is quite a lot of misinformation out there. I’m hoping to provide people with reliable resources and inspire others to always seek out herbs and other natural products to help create and maintain optimal health and well-being. Even if it seems like something that seems just genetic, like hair loss, or there’s nothing to be done about it, like food intolerances or gum recession, or something that requires pharmaceuticals, like high blood pressure, there are always natural options to try, even if just as complimentary therapy to whatever pharmaceutical is needed.

How we treat ourselves is also how we treat others, including the non-human beings we share the earth with such as plants and animals, and earth itself. The more we take care of ourselves in natural, holistic ways, the more it reflects in our our overall wellness and longevity, and in every relationship we have. It’s a microcosm of the macrocosm and interconnected on every single layer. For me, I want to help make it a joyful, beautiful experience, because healthy food isn’t about deprivation, it’s about enjoyment and long-term goals, and green beauty isn’t basic, it’s luxurious, and herbs and other natural remedies are not folk tales, they are effective and our birthright. I’ll admit, being ecologically aware can sometimes be depressing, but I truly think if we focus on the beauty and joy of the natural world and how we interact with it, then we can collectively create positive change.

These values, passions, and missions have been a part of my life since childhood, and if you want to read more about how they have manifested in my life, I wrote about that here: Herbal Journey.  I would love to hear about your life missions and where you feel you are on that path. If you want to read more of these, you can find links to others on litebeing chronicle’s page.

I’m inviting energy healer, Nicole, to join in on this challenge and anyone else who would like to give this some thought and share. Good Luck on wherever your mission takes you!