Chamomile, isn't just for kids

This happy little herb has a bigger story than you might think. When I put together my "Grocery Store Herbalist" class I found Chamomile's story to be far more medicinal than I had realized. Probably because, us herbalist's are used to using not the common  herbs, so may have overlooked this little beauty. It is part of the Daisy family, giving it such a happy appearance, and a sweet pleasant fragrance.
As we look a little deeper we find a bevy of health benefits that Chamomile has to offer.

Matricaria recutita also known as German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile or wild chamomile.  Related species, is Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile) can be used interchangeable with Matricaria recutita, but has contradictions for pregnancy due to its emmenagogue and uterine stimulant effect.

Key Actions:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-allergenic
• Antispasmodic
• relaxant
• Carminative
• Mild bitter

Traditional Uses:

Sleep: This is a mild and relaxing herb to the nervous system. The constituent spiroether has a strong antispasmodic effect on muscles, which proves beneficial for menstrual cramps and muscle tension. It also relieves irritability making it very useful in helping children fall and stay asleep.
Allergies:  Inhaling the steam from your cup of tea relieves allergy symptoms and asthma.  Using the tea as a poultice on eczema or any itchy skin area can diminish symptoms.  It has been used as an eye compress for pink eye and styes.
Digestion:  It has been taken for centuries to relieve gastritis, indigestion, bloating and colic.  It reduces the acidity in the gut. Being a mild herb it is very suitable for children and babies.

Here's my recipe I like to prepare for allergy relief and to relax muscle tension.  I made this for everyone at my grocery store herbology 101 class the other night. I have to say it really set the mood for good learning!

8 oz. spring water
3/4 tsp. Chamomile
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1/4 tsp. fresh Ginger Root
1 slice fresh Lemon
Raw Honey to taste
This is a great night cap before bed in the allergy prone months, or anytime really. Enjoy!

Do you feel kicked in the pants??

Do you feel like this winter is kicking you in the pants?  Is it hard to get up in the morning, are you living in a fog, or just dragging your caboose all day long?  Well there might be a good explanation for that, your body is being deprived of the sun's vitamin D and trace minerals.  This is just what happens throughout the winter months.  To you, me and even all the animals.  Nature is waiting to push up all the super nutritious herbs like chickweed, dead nettle and dandelion just to name a few.  In the mean time, what can we do to give our body's what they need to feel energized and vital?  So glad you asked, why kelp is the answer. Kelp, it is just loaded with vitamins, minerals and especially D3.  I like to think of as taking in a sunny spring time day.
Kelp can be taken in capsule form or in a tincture.  You know I prefer the latter, so it stays fresh for longer. I add Kelp to all my winter blends, it has the ability to clear the groggy fog that winter can bring on.
What is Kelp exactly you might be wondering?  It is a brownish-green alga that grows in our North Atlantic shores and western Mediterranean. It grows 3 feet in length with forked fronds containing air bladders.  Hence the common name Bladderwrack.  The constituents listed for kelp are polyphenols, polysaccharides, minerals (especially iodine).  The polysaccharides stimulate the immune system, we know that is all good, especially during cold and flu season.  The iodine can be a tonic for your thyroid gland, aiding in metabolism.
There have been test studies in Italy (1976) with a clinical trial that showed patients that took Bladderwack lost much more weight than the control group.  That is a good motivator to add Bladderwrack to your diet to help stave off the winter pounds.

Holistic approach

Since I have hung my shingle out, I have been encountering a reoccurring theme, the old habit of treating one condition or symptom in hopes of finding the cure. Allopathic medicine uses this model to treat ailments and disease.  Treating one symptom at a time with drugs to pinpoint that particular malady. Herbalism on the other hand uses an holistic approach to health, considering all bodily functions and systems when devising a treatment plan to support and nurture the body back to health.

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with treating the primary ailment, but when there are so many layers to a persons health it's just natural to consider the whole picture. This is the beauty of using herbs to nourish and support all the layers in our personal health fabric.
Herbs themselves are complex, having many medicinal, nutritional and inert components which allows them reach many of the layers of our "health fabric". When an herbalist combines these complex herbs together to form a tonic which enables all our layers to be nourished strengthened. This is why herbal tonics are effect and so often alleviate many ailments by using just one tonic.
This is one of the reasons why I love the herbal approach to healing, it keeps me learning and practicing this ancient form healing art. It is my hope that by spreading the word about the power of herbs it will become common place to have herbal apothecary's readily available like drugstores are today. Everyone knows the old adage," food is medicine", well herbs are food! Salute!

class is in session for 2014

Happy New Year Herb Lovers,

I am stoked for my herbal classes to begin.  I've planned to hold them on Saturday afternoon in hopes that this will be a good for all to work it into their schedules.  The first class is starting with the basics, "become a grocery store herbalist".  This ought to be a good place to start.

We brush by many herbs as we fill up our grocery carts, some we already use without knowing other medicinal uses for them.  This being said, I will highlight the grocery herbs here on my blog that will be discussed in class.

First on our grocery list is Garlic, "Allium Sativum", we all know and probable use this herb, but it has many benefits to our health.  It's actions listed in my Materia Medica are: alterative, antibiotic, antibacterial, cardiac tonic, hypotensive, digestive aid, appetizer, expectorant and vermifuge.

Garlic is used raw in medicinal remedies.  It is listed as a hot, dry, sweet and pungent herb that drains damp in the lung, spleen, liver and intestines.  It also tones yang of blood, heart and lungs.  But wait there is more, garlic also promoted tissue repair.

Garlic has been used for 3000 years, it has been found in the great pyramids which tells us how much our ancestors valued this herb.  It isn't for just keeping the vampires away, it has many uses.

Using the raw juice in a poultice is powerful in helping us fight infections of all spectrum's, viral, bacterial, and fungal. This is why garlic can cure warts and ringworm as well as disinfecting cuts and abrasions.  The juice can also be dropped into an infected ear to help clear it up.  This is especially effective if combined with St. John's wort and White Willow. Another home remedy is rubbing Garlic on the soles of your feet when you have a chest cold, then putting a socks upon going to sleep.  This really works, but it is a bit stinky.

Taking raw garlic internally helps to thin our blood and normalize cholesterol and blood pressure as well as boosting our immune systems to fight off infections.  It is said that cooked garlic still gives one the heart benefits. I would say that this is just another added bonus along with making our food taste so delish!