Blue Otter School of Herbal Medicine

Sleep Time – Part One

To listen to a radio broadcast on this topic click here.

Sleeping well is an integral part of our health. Sleeping well is also something a lot of people struggle with. If sleep is not your issue, hooray! Get off the computer and go outside.

While there are many possible physical causes of sleep disturbances,  it is important to look at the whole picture. Many factors go into sleep quality; stress levels, eating habits, pre-bed activities and hormones, just to mention a few.

It is also important to look at your relationship to sleep. Many people do not allow themselves enough time for sleep and are in a constant state of sleep deprivation often supplemented with a stimulant of choice; coffee and nicotine being common ones.

What does this say about how you are taking care of yourself if you won’t even allow time to rest?  I understand many people have busy lives, sometimes fueled by economic necessity and/or child rearing, but there is a point where something has to give and sleep gets its time.

For some people sleep is the only time they ever slow down and relax. So slowing down, in and of itself,  is unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable. It is a lot to expect of yourself to go from 110% all day and then abruptly stop and sleep.

In some ways, a lack of sleep can be more taxing on the mind and spirit than the body. What kind of message are you sending to yourself if you constantly deprive yourself of something so vital and nurturing as sleep?

We also need to allow ourselves our dream time, time to connect with our sub conscious and inner wisdom; this too helps us to keep our balance in this very out of balance world.

Why is sleep important?

Just what is your body doing for all those hours while you could think of many other ways to fill that time. Experts say adults need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep per night. For teens 8.5 – 9.25 hours per night are recommended.  It is a myth that we need less sleep as we age. Our sleep is just more likely to be interrupted as we get older.

Lack of sleep can be linked to : weight gain (hormone disruption affects growth hormone, appetite and insulin), Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, negative mood and behavior, decreased productivity, poor memory, lack of alertness and safety issues (at home, work and on the road).

Sleep contributes to healthy immune system and more balanced hormones as well as emotional and spiritual relaxation.

Napping isn’t just for five-year-olds   

I’ve been delighted to see articles about napping in several types of media lately. Most of the chatter seems to be stemming from a fairly recent study on naps published by the US Department of Vetereans Affairs Medical Center .

When we are young and when we are old, we are encouraged to nap. However, it seems our culture has limited more and more the acceptable ages for napping. Take back the power of a nap!

Here are some reasons why you might benefit from a nap:

• Increase or restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents. A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness 100%.
• Scheduled napping can help those who are affected by narcolepsy.
• Napping has the psychological benefits of providing relaxation and rejuvenation.  A nap can feel like a luxury, time away, without the hassle and expense of an actual vacation.

Tips for a successful nap:

• A short nap (20-30 minutes)  is usually recommended for short-term alertness. This type of nap provides significant benefit for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with nighttime sleep.
• Find as restful of a place as you can and that the temperature in the room is comfortable. Try to limit the amount of noise heard and the extent of the light filtering in. While some studies have shown that just spending time in bed can be beneficial, it is better to try and get some actual sleep
• If you take a nap too late in the day, it might affect your nighttime sleep patterns and make it difficult to fall asleep at your regular bedtime. If you try to take it too early in the day, your body may not be ready for more sleep. So find you optimal time.

Good sleep habits

• What to avoid before bed: all the blue screens in your life (TV, computer, smart phone, etc.), food, vigorous exercise, lots liquid
• What are your body’s natural tendencies/rhythms? Are you working with them or against?
• Create a bed time routine. This will help signal your subconscious that it is time to slow down.
• Is your bedroom esthetically pleasing? Comfortable? Calming? Dark? Quiet?
• Lower your stress level during day so you have less winding down to do at night.
• Get enough exercise but avoid strenuous exercise up to three hours before bed. Exercise earlier in the day can aid sleep.
• Reduce stimulants; especially in the late afternoon and evening, but also during the day. Remember that nicotine is also a stimulant.
• Avoid alcohol. While it makes some people sleepy it can backfire when it wears off. If you are awake when it wears off you can feel energized and if you are asleep when it wears off you may wake up.

Essences

Here are some examples of essences that can be helpful for a good night’s sleep:

Peace Beach  (Hawaiian Essences, http://janebellessences.com/flower-essences/hawaiian-essences) changing the habit of perpetual motion to allow our bones, blood, nerves, senses, brains and fluids to rest; deep interconnected relaxation that restores our peace and protects our sustainability

Dolphin Blessings (Hawaiian Essences, http://janebellessences.com/flower-essences/hawaiian-essences) helps you to cultivate an affinity for the resting cycle and an awareness of restoration through connectedness; deeply experiencing how rest, play love and joy recalibrate our nervous system toward greater health and well-being

Olive (Greek Tree Essences,  http://www.melissaassilem.com/) builds and maintains new pathways in the brain and slows down the striving

Moon Milk (Planetary Essences, http://stargazerli.com/essences/planetary-essences) comforting, nourishing, gentle; brings in the energy of the moon, the time when most people sleep

Japanese Beautyberry ( Flora of Asia,  http://www.floraofasia.com ) toner, provides a base level of peaceful support and trust that all will be well; the energy encourages harmonizing with challenging situations, to find the place of peace and ease within conflict

Giant Burnet  (Flora of Asia,  http://www.floraofasia.com) deeply calming; releases heat and aggravation from the body; soothes the heart and eases a nervous stomach

So, take a look at your relationship to sleeping and relaxation. Come back in a couple of weeks and I’ll go over some of the common sleep problems and what we can do about them. In the meantime, take a nap!

Sweet dreams!

Sarah

Spring is on the wind

Welcome to spring! The spring equinox, from a scientific perspective, is when the light and the dark are in perfect balance. This happens on the spring equinox and the fall equinox. Our days will continue to lengthen up until the summer solstice.

Spring in the mountains, where I live, can bring sunny, short-sleeve-weather days or snow. We really get to see the adaptability of the plants as they work with dramatic temperature changes and variable conditions. Looking to nature is a good way to check in with yourself.

As this transition happens from winter to spring, allow yourself some ease and gentleness. Don’t dive into full-speed-ahead-gear all at once. Winter is a slow time and spring is a very active time, so find your balance through this transition.

People often get sick during season changes; especially the two that bookmark winter. This winter has also produced some particularly strong bugs wreaking havoc on many people. So, easy does it. Keep building your immunity (think of astragalus or medicinal mushrooms) and use your common sense.

Spring can be a good time to do a gentle cleanse, however, if you are sick or just recovering…wait. You want to cleanse when you are feeling strong, especially if you are doing it without the guidance of a professional. Cleanses when you are sick or weak often deplete you further and weaken, rather than strengthen you.

During spring we want to lighten our foods, start moving away from the heavier and fattier foods of winter and bring in more fresh, green vegetables and fruit as they come into season.

Spring is about new beginnings, creativity, sexuality and birth. We can feel this in our lives even if the weather doesn’t indicate that spring is in the air. It is a good time to start projects, create change and just plain create.

In order to start with the new, sometimes we need to clean out the clutter and make space; whether that is on a physical, emotional or spiritual level.

Below are some essences to support your energetic shift into spring. It is time to readjust and find our new balance to reflect the changes of nature. I’ve loosely sorted the essences into different categories; motivation, awareness/clarity, creativity, sexuality and courage.

Motivation

Saturn Sipper (Keeping Time Planetary Essences) clarifying, strengthening resolve

Mars (Keeping Time Planetary Essences) upright, rooted presence

Sticky Geranium (Alaskan Essences) tendency to procrastinate, feeling unfocused and indecisive;  lacking energy to reach goals; helps move to decisive and focused action; enables you to move on to the next step with focus and sense of order;  tunes into inner knowing and releases old programming and resistance;  helps free up inner potentials and move in life with energy and enthusiasm

Ladies’ Tresses (Alaskan Essences) lacking enthusiasm, prone to procrastination;  promotes awareness of our life goals; become aligned with soul forces and move forward along a chosen path; helps release trauma that can be in the way of accessing that information

Cliff rose (Desert Alchemy) unfocused and unmotivated;  meaning to manifest creative idea or project but not quite following through due to lack of clarity about intentions;  uniting will, intention and power to act;  helps keep you connected to ‘the source’ and bring that energy into a manifested

Awareness/clarity

Diamond (Alaskan Essences) lack of clarity about the future;  confused about what one is supposed to do; helps to see through illusion; strengthens ability to act in alignment with our purpose

Paper Birch (Alaskan Essences) difficulty making decisions that affect life direction; unsure of where we are on our path; lacking determination to reach goals; gives calm determination, steady awareness of purpose and focus that comes from a clear connection with deeper levels of the self

Aquamarine (Alaskan Essences) maybe you think too much, this essence helps when you have repetitive thoughts that are difficult to let go of; not present to others because of being preoccupied; overstimulated from study, worry, thinking; brings a calm cooling clarity to an overactive mind

Pluto  (Keeping Time Planetary Essences)  deep, spacious, transformative

Greenland icecap (Alaskan Essences) helps us to become more aware of our own deep impulse for change and the fears that can obstruct those positive impulses; helps to embrace rather than fight those fears so they can become guidance for our movement from old to new

Creativity

Wild Iris (Alaskan Essences) lack of trust in one’s own capacity to create; blocking creative expression because of unwillingness to share self with others; helps create new thought structures that encourage the flow of our creative energies; stimulates creative awareness and potential and allows to flow in a relaxed and focused way from our center

Bougainvillea (Desert Alchemy) agitation or nervousness, feeling uninspired; creativity blocked or not flowing naturally; grief; relaxes and slows the body, especially through deepening the breathing; calms  the mind allowing for reflection and inner listening; helps sadness be felt without suffering

Sexuality

Green Jasper  (Alaskan Essenc es)synchronizes body rhythms with earthly rhythms especially when there has been a disruption to the natural flow (as in abuse); restores earthly sensuality; connects us with our instincts; opens to the energy and grace of the wild feminine

Pomegranate (Desert Alchemy) helps free feminine, creative, sexual, artistic energies; for women acceptance of femininity, for men enhances relationship to inner feminine

Cardinal Flower (Desert Alchemy) allowing only your senses to dictate your responses; feeling at the mercy of your sexual desires; helps with conscious use and direction of life force, mastery of the body and senses; transforming sexual energy into other usable types of energy

Courage

Alpine Azalea (Alaskan Essences) self-doubt, low self-esteem; for those who only have conditional self-acceptance; connects with a vibration of love and helps to release old patterns of self-doubt; as old patterns are released the corresponding parts of the body where these patterns were being held come into balance; this strengthens the overall flow of vital life energy

Tamarack (Alaskan Essences) no confidence in one’s unique skills and potentials; helps maintain a conscious, grounded connection with the source of our own individuality; enhances awareness of who we are, strengthens knowing of our true selves, unique abilities and what we can do

Enjoy the sun and may your sprouts (in whatever form they take) be vibrant!

Be well!

Sarah

Good Grief

To listen to a radio broadcast on this topic go to: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/88312

Grief is an unavoidable, and important, part of life. Grief can also be really challenging to find a balance with. Grief is often not dealt with very well within our culture and so when we are going through it, there isn’t always the support and understanding that we need to go through our process; even, or should I say especially, within ourselves.

When I talk about grieving, I am talking about loss. Loss could mean the death of a loved one, human or otherwise. Loss can also mean the loss of a job, home, relationship, you name it.  Beyond the personal, we also have more global issues that can bring us grief; war, global warming, lack of food, water, medicine. The list goes on.

Moving from one stage of life to another can be a time of grieving as well as celebration. Our dominant culture doesn’t offer much in the way of meaningful rites of passage for moving from one stage of life to another so these can be times when people get stuck in the grief process.

It is important, because it is so often not talked about, that each of us find our own balance with grief. Before, I mentioned the word process. Grief is not a moment, but a process, especially over big losses like the death of a loved one. So, finding that balance of feeling and processing  your feelings and going back and forth is important. Good days and bad days.

Like most of life, if you are in your power and in your heart, most things become more clear. So you will know when to have more compassion for yourself and you will know when you need to get yourself out of bed and into the world. And you will know better what you need so you can express those needs to the people in your life who are there to support you. Sometimes the well-meaning just miss the target and can make you feel worse. Grieving is an individual process that looks a little different for each of us. If the people around you are not comfortable with your grief, you may need to expand your web of support. That can be part of the gift of times of transition.

Bleeding heart. Photo by Claire Bohman

The herbs and essences

There are, thankfully, an almost endless list of plants and essences to support us. Here are just a few to give you an idea of what you might be looking for. I have them loosely categorized, of course there is overlap, into the following categories: shock/trauma, nurturing, expressing feelings, transformation/transition and reconnecting with life.

Shock/trauma

Comfrey – feeling cut off at the knees; trauma from sudden loss; helps re-integrate self and experience; brings structure and form; helps with transitions, especially grief

Skullcap – gives ability to handle things; helps with shock or fears; allows to grieve without being edgy; gets out of mind and into heart and body

Judas Tree (Greek Tree Essences) supports you to retrieve pieces of  your soul that were unwittingly given away or left during trauma

Tamarisk  (Greek Tree Essences)   relates to the breath chakra which includes the lungs; helps you to relate to the leaves of the tree which exchange the life breath with us; for those who cannot take a breathe without trauma; releases unwashable grief and repairs the body’s filters

Nurturing

Honey Paw Elixir (Planetary Essences/Elixirs) – for deep nuturing and feeding from an archaic root

 Moon Milk  (Planetary Essences/Elixirs) comforting, nourishing, gentle

 Royal Poinciana (Hawaiian Essences) brings emotional refuge for those who care for others or need to feel safe and cared for; helps you to access ancient wisdom and an openness to receive the future

Water Goddess Temple (Bali Essences) surrounds you with a mist of compassion so that you can drop into the deep silence and simplicity of who you really are; connecting with your wise heart and ancient wisdom; makes room for clarity by stilling the mind and allowing the heart to speak; grounds your focus in your heart

 Dolphin Blessings (Hawaiian Essences) cultivating affection for the resting cycle and an awareness of restoration through connectedness; deeply experiencing how rest, play, love and joy recalibrate our nervous systems towards greater health and well being

Peace Beach (Hawaiian Essences) changing the habit of perpetual motion to allow our bones, blood, nerves, senses, brains and fluids to rest; bring a deep interconnected relaxation that restores your peace and protects sustainability; good too if burnt out from being caretaker

Ancient Power (Bali Essences) access core power and strength of the earth connect with own authority, power of truly being present of being able to move forward in life with core strength; balanced masculine energy of grounded strength and authority, sense of gentle and safe containment; act from heart with intention and authority

Expressing feelings

Hackberry (Desert Alchemy) resistance to grieving process; seeing yourself as inadequate for the length or depth of your grieving; resistance to allowing old grief to surface and be felt; gives permission to feel grief; helps complete or continue unfinished or unresolved grief

Wolfberry (Desert Alchemy) deep sadness from past; holding onto or denying grief; feeling overwhelmed by too many things happening at once; gives: allows personal grief or sadness to take you to a transpersonal level; empathy; feeling emotions while not being victimized by them

Blue Elf Viola (Alaskan Essences) – emotional repression; unable to get in touch with and process deep-seated anger, rage and frustration; difficulty resolving conflicts, esp in group situations; gives: calming vibration supports the process of understanding and releasing deeply held anger and frustration; understand the root of these emotions; brings heart into the process, forgive those responsible (including self) and bring whole emotional cycle to completion

Bougainvilla (Desert Alchemy) agitation or nervousness especially if accompanied by shallow breathing or a spastic diaphragm; feeling uninspired; creativity blocked; suffering with grief; relaxes and slows the body through relaxing and deepening the breathing; calms the mind allowing self-reflection and inner listening; helps us to find peace and ease in the face of hardship or crisis through inner stillness; facilitates an easiness with feeling grief and sadness; helping sadness to be felt without suffering

Transformation/Transitioning from life in this form to the next – for the person dying and/or their loved ones

Beyond Time with Sister Infinity Elixir  (Planetary Essences/Elixirs)  for stepping through a doorway into a vast expanse

Restructuring Elixir  (Planetary Essences/Elixirs) for strength and focus in the midst of intense transformation

Pomegranate (Greek Tree Essences)  allows you to recognize when closure is needed

Persian Lilac  (Greek Tree Essences) crown chakra, recognizing our wings to take flight into the realms of the spirit world; when you cannot see the beauty in your life and  see everything in terms of monetary worth; helps keep your heart in focus

Banyan Tree (Hawaiian Essences) strongly rooted presence that helps us stay grounded while integrating change and growth during times of expansion good for times when our life is up in the air. Soothes our nervous system when we feel tired and wired

Thurbur’s Gilia (Desert Alchemy) fear that you may never emerge from a limiting situation or from your own limitations; feeling entranced by your fears; fear from losing previous sense of self; gives insight and movement through anything fear related; moves beyond concept of limitation; courage to face fears; comfortable in limbo state while old self has dissolved and new self is not yet apparent

Sphagnum moss (Alaskan Essences)  feelings of failure, overly critical and judgmental of one’s healing journey; unable to see the positive side of transformational experiences; supports our ability to turn inappropriate judgment and criticism into unconditional love and acceptance; helps open the heart in the moment when the urge to judge or criticize first appears and clothe the object of our judgment with unconditional love

Reconnecting with life

Sweetness of Life Elixir  (Planetary Essences/Elixirs)  for opening to life, with strength and support

Aliveness Elixir  (Planetary Essences/Elixirs) for gently powerful embodiment with a sense of graceful fruitfulness

Sun Shine  (Planetary Essences/Elixirs) warm, uplifting, radiant

Jupiter Juice  (Planetary Essences/Elixirs) expansive, smooth, grounding

Yellow Rose (luna fina) bringing in your own sun

Violet Rose (luna fina) awakening to love and light

Chiming Bells (Alaskan Essences) if you are feeling sad, discouraged, worn out and feeling out of touch with life; brings regeneration and renewal when you have lost track of who you are; helps reestablish peace and stability at the physical level of your being and opens you to the joy of physical existence

Plumeria (Bali Essences) brings sensual aliveness; embodying pleasure; helps you to feel pleasure in every cell of your body; encourages you to take care of your body and reclaim and own heart connected physical sensuality and pleasure

Tundra Rose (Alaskan Essences) motivated by fears, especially of dying; uninspired; lack of clarity in thought or expression; if you have lost hope; communicates a love for life; affirmation of the power of life over death; brings our deepest fears of living into the light of love so we can be motivated by a love of life rather than a fear of death

So don’t run out and get all of these at once; or buy them all for you friend who is really going through it, you’ll just overwhelm them. Select one or two, three at most to start working with. Get to know them. Notice how they move in you and see where they support you to move through your process.

Most of all, remember to have patience and be gentle with yourself.

Be Well!

Sarah

Resources:

If you can’t find these essences at your local herb store, go to the individual websites for further information.

Rose Chakra Flower Essences -  www.lunafina.com

Greek Tree Essences – www.melissaassilem.net

Planetary Essences – www.stargazerli.com

Hawaiian and Bali Essences – www.janebellessences.com

Desert Alchemy – www.desert-alchemy.com

Alaskan Essences – www.alaskanessences.com

Rattle Those Bones ! – Part 2

Red Banks on Mt. Shasta. Photo by Sarah Holmes.

To listen to a radio broadcast on this topic from The Herbal Highway, go to this link: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/88126 

Back to basics, back to our bones. In my previous article I covered osteoporosis, basic bone info and focused on diet and exercise. In this installment I’ll cover supplements, and herbs; for physical, emotional and spiritual support.

Supplements

If you have received a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis, you may want to consider supplementation. Also, if your digestive system is not working well and you are not absorbing all of the nutrients that you are eating, you  may also want to consider supplementation.

If you simply aren’t eating well it is really best to put your time, energy and money into eating better rather than taking supplements. It is possible to over-do supplements, contrary to popular opinion there can be too much of a good thing. So, the safest route is to eat what you need. Eating well is better for your overall health anyway.

All of that being said, there are two supplements to consider for bone health; vitamin D and calcium.

Vitamin D

• vitamin D along with adequate sunshine helps your body to absorb calcium

• adequate sunshine is defined as three times per week for about 10-15 minutes; if you are younger and spend time outside regularly.  ‘They’ say older folks need more sunlight because there is an assumption that they are getting out less and their body is now less able to utilize sunlight efficiently. If you are older and spend quality time outdoors, you are likely getting enough sunlight and using it well because your body is used to doing that function. Younger folks who never spend time outside may need additional sunlight along with their elders. For folks that cannot get outside,  full spectrum lighting is important.

• The recommended dose for adults is 400- 800 IU; for men and women over 50 it is 800-1000 IU

Calcium

• Calcium is an important mineral for our bone composition. Calcium citrate is the form most recommended.

• A recent study found no link between increased calcium supplementation and increased heart risk; which has been a concern to some people. (National Osteoporosis Foundation, 2012, http://www.nof.org/ )

• Calcium is also important for healthy nerves and proper heart function.

• The recommended dose for adults is 1000 mg/day; women over 50, 1,200 mg/day; men over 50, 1000 mg/day.

Herbs

Photo by Moose Wesler.

Tea and herbal vinegar are the best ways to take your high mineral herbs. Think of these herbs as concentrated food. Vinegar is especially helpful as it makes the minerals easier to assimilate. I’m not including the full list of what these herbs do, but giving you a glimpse with a focus on bone health.

•  Oats – (avena sativa, not oatmeal); straw for tea or vinegar or fresh milky top tincture or vinegar; thought of mostly for adrenal and nervous system support, but is highly nutritive and good for the bones as well

•  Nettles – aerial parts;  alterative, anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, astringent; nutritive: calcium and magnesium, to name a few;  improves hair, skin, nails;  warning: do not use leaves post flower (oxalate builds up and can cause kidney irritation/stomach upset)

•  Red clover – flowering tops; nutritive: high vitamin and mineral content; alkalizes blood; anti-histamine; warning: fresh plant is estrogenic

•  Alfalfa – aerial parts; nutritive: high vitamin and mineral content

The following herbs are  less food  and more medicine. So that means, take them with more caution and check with your health care practitioner first if you have a serious illness and/or are taking pharmaceuticals.

• Comfrey – leaf; one of its common names is ‘knit bone’;  anti-inflammatory; demulcent;  stimulates laying down of bone matrix; helps heal broken bones;  heals damaged tissue, encourages cellular growth; aids connective tissue healing; also high in calcium and other important minerals; warning: do not use on punctures or deep wounds; leaf is safer than root for liver concerns

•  Yellow dock – root; cold and stimulating; blood cleanser;  anti-microbial; liver stimulant; high in manganese, magnesium, calcium and other minerals and vitamins; warning: not for acute liver issues/disease, not for long term use

Photo by Karyn Sanders.

I second that emotion…

Last but not least, let’s talk about the emotional and spiritual aspects of osteoporosis.

On a metaphorical  level, our bones are our structure, the frame, what holds us up, our foundation. This can take us to issues of feeling supported, ‘does anyone have my  back?’ ‘feeling stabbed in the back’. People often experience their back going out when they have had an emotional upset or betrayal with a close person in their lives. Even though our skeleton is throughout our body, I also relate it most strongly to the root or first chakra; which is again, about our foundation.

It is not uncommon for people with osteoporosis to feel vulnerable and fragile and get very fearful. That real fear of breaking bones can permeate other areas and become a generalized fear. This isn’t helpful. It is important to stay strong in your spirit while you strengthen your bones. Otherwise it can be easy to feel fragile on all levels.

So, when we have a physical issue, it is important to also look at possible emotional, spiritual and energetic patterns as well. You can argue, and it will vary from person to person, what came first; the physical imbalance or the energetic one. In either case, both need to be addressed if both are being impacted. With that in mind, here are some essences to consider. You can think of this list as a starting point, if you don’t find one that speaks directly to you, it will give you an idea of what direction to go in:

First chakra specific: ancestors, survival, root, grounding

• Red rose (Luna Fina, http://lunafina.com/rose_chakra.html) connection to earth and sky

• Valonia Oak (Greek Tree Essences, http://www.melissaassilem.com/) connecting to the earth’s center, awakening kundalini, brings self-reliance; walking without crutches

• Petrified sequoia (Greek Tree Essences, http://www.melissaassilem.com/) survival of the earth, survival fears and physical health; inherited belief systems

Gem essences

Jane Bell once explained that the gem essences in general help with structure, provide a matrix. Since they are mineral and our bones are largely mineral, there is a nice affinity here. Here are a couple of gem essences, from Alaskan Essences (http://www.alaskanessences.com/products/gems.html) that you might consider:

• Peridot – projecting failure when attempting to learn or do something new; feeling unprotected while in ‘the void’; provides support and protection for any new cycle of growth; supports the heart; supports deep experiences of healing and transformation

• Aventurine – lacking stamina; wanting to quit when faced with obstacles; fearful when facing the unknown; strengthens the central, vertical axis (sounds like the spine, right?) which stabilizes us during expansion; provides energetic support structure that helps us move into and through new experiences with grace and perseverance

Other supportive essences:

• Aloe (Desert Alchemy,http://www.desert-alchemy.com/txt/essences.html) – impatience with healing process; resistance to allowing anything you have ‘stuffed’ or repressed to come up; key quality of this essence is feeling supported from within self (so you are providing your own support/structure); cultivates patience and surrender to the healing process; gets you in touch with the underlying joy

• Milky Nipple Cactus (Desert Alchemy, http://www.desert-alchemy.com/txt/essences.html ) – problems with mother connection;  issues about nurturing; needing constant attention from others; avoidance of deep issues; brings calming, rooting, belonging to the earth, autonomy; helps ground energy firmly to the earth; brings a secure sense of connectedness to the physical level

• Restructuring elixir  (Keeping Time, http://stargazerli.com/essences/essence-elixirs)  – for strength and focus in the midst of intense transformation

• Still Here elixir (Keeping Time, http://stargazerli.com/essences/essence-elixirs) – helps you to be present by rooting you in the earth and attuning to the north star

• Coral (Hawaiian Essences,http://janebellessences.com/flower-essences/hawaiian-essences ) – creating structures for pleasure and nourishment in our lives to allow fluidity of movement within our bodies and in the world; good for nourishing bones and fluids; again an essence made from something largely mineral

• Lava (Hawaiian Essences, http://janebellessences.com/flower-essences/hawaiian-essences ) – holds the wild creative potential to flow with change rather than resist it; owning our power to manifest intention into form; resistance; here we have literally, liquid, fluid rock

Hopefully, this has given you some pause for thought to look at how you are nourishing your bones and how you are nourishing your spirit around issues of strength, support and grounding. Take the time to evaluate where you stand in your self care around your bones and see what steps you can take toward improving your attention to this important part of our bodies. Afterall, the foundation is what all else is built upon.

Be well!

Sarah

Rattle Those Bones!

 To listen to a radio broadcast of The Herbal Highway on this topic click on the following link: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/88126

Osteoporosis is a growing concern in our country as we get older as a nation. Before you decide this isn’t an important topic for you personally, consider that good bone health is important for everyone, even if you aren’t in a high risk category. And, from a holistic perspective we are always looking at prevention.  Prevention ideally starts in childhood, however, you can start in at any time.

What is osteoporosis?

Our bones are living tissue and they are in a constant flow of change called resorption and reformation. Resorption is the process where the body pulls minerals from the bones to be used elsewhere in the body, or if something is out of balance that causes the leaching of minerals. Reformation is the process where the body adds minerals to the bones.

In osteoporosis the natural process of bone resorption and reformation is out of balance and the resorption is faster than the reformation. In other words, the bones are losing more than they are gaining and lose density.

Some people have osteopenia which is also low bone density but not low enough to be considered osteoporosis.

Who gets it? What is the prevalence?

You have a higher risk of getting osteoporosis if any of the categories below are true for you:

• Born female
• Caucasian,  Asian 2^nd highest racial group
• Post-menopausal woman
• Older adult
• Small in body size
• Eat a diet low in calcium
• Physically inactive
• Family history of osteoporosis

Please remember, being in a higher risk group does not mean that is your destiny, it means that you need to take better care of your bones because the likelihood is higher.

Here are some statistics, for you number lovers, from the Center for Disease Control (2004):

•  1 in 2 women are likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis in her lifetime
• Eight out of 100 (or 7.94%) adult women reported being diagnosed with osteoporosis
• Twenty out of 100 (or 19.8%) adult women said that they have a family history of osteoporosis
• Women with a family history of osteoporosis were 2.4 times more likely to have osteoporosis than women without such history

What are bones anyway?

Many of us think of bone as inert, when actually it is living tissue in a constant state of resorption and reformation. Bones are made up of minerals embedded with living cells and collagen (which provides flexibility). These living cells of our bones need food and oxygen, like all cells in our body.

Our skeleton is also designed to protect our internal organs and allow movement. It is rather interesting that one of the hardest, most solid structures in our body is what allows us to move. Our muscles would be useless without our bones to pull against and give shape.

Density of bone is important as is flexibility. The big concern is breaking bones, especially later in life.  So, that flexibility also helps protect us from breakage, not just the density alone.

Bone formation is determined by hormones, diet and stress on a bone. Stress on a bone causes it to grow; part of how anthropologists determine the occupation of skeletons that they find. Greater levels of testosterone mean greater bone density. So men are less prone to osteoporosis, but not immune. And diet, as always, you are what you eat…and how well your body assimilates what you eat.

Peak bone mass refers to the genetic potential for bone density. By the age of 20, the average woman has acquired most of her skeletal mass; men a little later. As we age, we lose bone mass which increases our risk of osteoporosis. For women this occurs around the time of menopause.

It is important for young girls to reach their peak bone mass in order to maintain bone health throughout life. A person with high bone mass as a young adult will be more likely to have a higher bone mass later in life. Inadequate calcium in the diet and not enough physical activity early in life can affect someone’s ability to reach their peak bone mass as an adult.

Move your body!

Yes, exercise is beneficial for just about everything.  Lack of exercise is a huge factor in osteoporosis. We need weight bearing and muscle strengthening exercise; including activities that improve posture, balance, and flexibility.

The experts recommend at least 30 minutes most days of moderate activity. Children need at least 60 minutes of moderate activity most days. Examples of weight bearing exercise include walking, running, weight training and aerobics. Exercise such as the following help with strengthening and flexibility: stretching, yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong and swimming.

What to avoid

So, we don’t have control over a lot of the risk factors (except exercise and proper nutrition) but there things we can do. Not surprisingly, the list of what to avoid to help prevent osteoporosis is the same list of what we want to avoid for many other health issues.

Things to avoid:

• Diets high animal protein, sodium or sugar
• Artificial carbonation
• Smoking, alcohol, caffeine
• Many pharmaceuticals

Many pharmaceuticals have bone loss as a potential side effect. So when it is necessary to take a drug, and sometimes it is, stay in contact with your doctor about your lowest effective dose and when, or if, you can come off of it. They include many common drugs such as; antacids containing aluminum,  some types of chemotherapy, lithium, PPIs (like Prilosec), SSRIs (such as Zoloft and Prozac), some steroids and excess thyroid hormones, just to name a few.

It is important for you to know the potential side effects of any medication that you are taking and know how often you need to get tested (either for blood levels or organ function). Most drugs are metabolized in your liver, kidneys or both; so those two organs are working harder, under more stress. You can find this info on your drug insert, from your pharmacist, doctor or online on websites such as, www.rxlist.com . (I don’t particularly endorse this site, it is just one example of many.)

What to eat

Obviously you want to eat a good, healthy diet in general. More specific to osteoporosis you want to eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables; with a focus on calcium and anti-oxidants.

Foods that are high in calcium include:

• sesame, sunflower, pumpkin seeds, almonds, brazil nuts (make sure all of these are good quality and not rancid since they are high in fat)
• Dark green leafy veggies (eaten with lemon or vinegar to aid assimilation) such as: spinach, kale, dandelion greens watercress, parsley, collard greens, broccoli , bok choy
•  Whole grains
• Legumes, especially: black eyed peas,  kidney and black beans
• Black strap molasses: use in moderation and make sure it is not from GMO beets
• Seaweed; careful about source especially post Fukushima
• Dairy; fermented, organic.  Skim milk is devoid of fat and enzymes necessary for proper calcium absorption. It is best not to rely heavily on dairy as your calcium source because too much animal protein leaches calcium from the body.
• Canned salmon and sardines with bones. Balance your intake of canned fish with the issues of mercury levels and BPA in cans in mind.
• Bone broth made with vinegar. Consider the quality of your meat sources if you do this.

Anti-oxidant rich foods improve bone health as well. To get the most antioxidants, eat a diet that includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Variety is important so include a mix of colors, especially the dark green, orange, red and blue fruits and vegetables. Hawthorne berries and rosehips are also high in antioxidants and taste great in tea blends.

 Tune in to the next installment of this article where I’ll go over herbs to physically support your bones as well as a look at the emotional patterns connected to bone health.

Be well!

Sarah

Stomach Grumbles

To listen to a radio broadcast on this topic, click on this link, http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/85965

I am often talking about how important digestion is; as are many alternative health care practitioners. Good food, good eating habits and a healthy digestive system are the foundations of good health. Our food provides vital nutrients for our bodies to function properly. So we need the good food going in and the body working well to assimilate that food. Not a new concept but so important  to remember.

Today I want to focus on the stomach, as digestion is a big topic and so many people have stomach issues. Starting with looking at the function of the body as metaphor, what does the stomach do? The stomach is where we take in nourishment; so it has to do with issues of receiving, nourishment, nurturing. Because of this, stomach issues can also be related to mother or father issues. If you have stomach issues and any of these topics are also issues for you, you might consider that they are interrelated and that both the physical and emotional need to be addressed to get deeper healing/balance.

Look at common expressions regarding the stomach: Can’t stomach it, tough to swallow. These expressions give a picture into our culture of how we view the stomach. The stomach is located near the third chakra so you can consider issues around personal power and will as well.

Many essences deal with these issues, here are just a few examples to consider:

Mother Temple  (Bali Essences, http://janebellessences.com/) sense of home, comfort and security of belonging, safety, celebrating connections, love, opens the heart to trust and be nourished by or connection to the seen and unseen that we share life with

Monkeypod Tree (Hawaiian Essences, http://janebellessences.com/) healthy male nurturing energy that shelters us from outside influences that could confuse or distract us from living authentically with purpose; being sheltered in a big safe canopy of nurturing care while we discover who we are and why we’re here

Moon (Planetary Essences, http://stargazerli.com/essences/planetary-essences) comforting, nourishing, gentle

Covellite (Alaskan Essences, http://www.alaskanessences.com/products/gems_1.html) feeling unprotected and vulnerable, too easily stimulated by the energies of others, unsure of boundaries and unable to claim one’s own space; brings: strength, clarity and definition to your energy field, protective filter that allows you to relax energetically, enhances our ability to receive love and support from the environment

Maybe you think your stomach is working just fine but you have digestive issue further down the track, like your intestines or liver. Supporting your stomach to work optimally will help the related organs that are impacted; especially important if they are under stress.

Getting started

Remember what you do before the food gets to your stomach plays a role in how well your stomach handles the food. Are you relaxed, chewing slowly and carefully? It is also important not to drink too much liquid during your meal, this dilutes the digestive enzymes in your stomach and you won’t digest your food as efficiently.

Of course you need to consider what foods you are eating, when you are eating, how they are prepared, etc. For the sake of this article, I’m not going to go over those specifics. While there are many schools of thought on food combining, most agree that fruit should be eaten by itself. Ideally two hours apart from other types of food.

If you are nervous do you get a dry mouth? If so, it is especially important for you to relax when you eat, because that saliva drying up in your mouth means that your stomach is secreting less gastric enzymes.

Consider taking bitters 10-20 minutes before meals. There are many wonderful herbal products on the market called bitters, or you can make your own blend, or you can take a simple, one bitter such as gentian.

 Stress and anxiety

So, it is important to note that it isn’t just about what you eat or just how well your digestive system is working but it is also about what you are doing the rest of the day. Your lifestyle. There is no magic pill or food or herb. In order to fully participate in our health we have to look at our whole life. It is all connected. Even the scientists will tell you that; at least the physicists. A couple of herbs that really work on the physical/emotional connection of the digestive system are:

Chamomile – warming, relieves gas, colic, strengthens appetite, decreases inflammation, heartburn, emotional tension held in stomach, anti-anxiety

 Lemon balm – cooling, flatulence with spasms, colic, stomach tension when worried, has a gentle emotional uplift

Herbs

Many of these you will recognize as culinary herbs, this is no coincidence. Most culinary herbs either support digestion, inhibit unwanted microbes/germs or both. All of the herbs below work on many other issues as well, but I’m focusing here on digestive support.

 Basil – cooling, aids digestions, carminative (stimulates the digestive tract to work correctly and with ease – soothes smooth muscles of the gut), nervine, slightly sedating, colic (gut spasoming)

 Thyme – warming, carminative, antiseptic, antispasmodic

 Oregano – Indigestion, cough, headache, emenagogue, poultice for painful swelling, EO for toothache

 Ginger – hot and stimulating, stimulates appetite, nausea, with peppermint for motion sickness, increases pelvic circulation

 Cinnamon – astringent, carminative, antibacterial, antimicrobial, helps dispel gas, helps diarrhea

 Cardamom – flatulence, indigestion, sweetens breath, takes edge off adrenal stress from caffeine

 Cayenne – hot, anti-microbial, carminative, promotes stomach secretions, stimulates peripheral circulation,

 Fennel – warming, flatulence, indigestion

 Coriander – seeds soothe upset stomach, aid digestion (tea or chew on seeds)

 Black pepper – stimulating, increases flow of gastric enzymes, helps prevent constipation

Stepping away from the spice rack:

Gentian – cold, great bitter, stimulates saliva, gastric secretions and bile, stimulates appetite, sluggish digestion (gas, indigestion); contraindications: debilitated state, acute GI inflammation, w/ care in pregnancy

 GERD/reflux :

Note that most pharmaceutical and over the counter ant-acids exacerbate the problem. They reduce the stomach acid, the body gets a message that there isn’t enough acid and produces more. So a vicious cycle is in place without the healing happening.

Meadowsweet – cooling, anti-inflammatory, antacid, demulcent; contraindications: allergic to salicylates, on blood thinners, pre-surgery, animals

Calamus – carminative, calms stomach, relieves heartburn, ulcers, bitter, wasting syndrome, IBS;  contraindications: pregnancy, bleeding disorders, MAO inhibitors

 Stomach and duodenal ulcers:

 St. John’s Wort oil -  one tsp twice daily

 Marshmallow root – cooling, demulcent, healing to mucous membranes, anti-inflammatory; cold infusion best

 Comfrey – cooling, anti-inflammatory, demulcent, wound healing, promotes cell growth, stimulates mucous membranes contraindications: do not use root internally with severe liver issues

So consider what ails your stomach, why is it grumbling at you and see what you can do to not just relieve symptoms but get to the heart (or stomach) of the matter.

Some good books to consider:

Digestive Wellness by Elizabeth Lipski

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill by Udo Erasmus

Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz

Be Well!

Sarah

Dealing with Environmental Toxins

To listen to a radio broadcast on this topic go to the following link: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/83183 .

Cascade Falls, Colorado

I consider this post a collaborative effort of several herbalists. Much of this information was gathered by Dixie Pauline, https://www.facebook.com/notes/dixie-pauline/herbal-advice-concerning-radiation-in-the-atmosphere/10150109089498412

Information was also contributed by:

Karen Rae Ferreira at Gaia Sophia Center, karen@gaiasophia.com

Greta Montagne of Gentle Strength Botanicals and Massage Therapy, 707.834.0617

Karyn Sanders of Blue Otter School of Herbal Medicine (you are already on this website)

Claire Bohman, http://www.clairebohman.net/

And, of course, my own two cents.

Many thanks to all involved for getting this information out to the public in a timely manner!

For those of you not living in Northern California, this article was written in response to a leak of toxic gas and the subsequent fire that resulted from a Chevron refinery in Richmond, California last week. Many of you live in areas where you could be impacted by similar environmental toxins so do read on.

In such toxic releases the first strategy is to limit your toxic exposure as much as possible. Get inside, close your windows and doors, change your clothes, take off your shoes. Taking off your shoes in your home is a good idea all of the time. So many toxins and germs get tracked into your home via your shoes. This is especially important in households with children, pets and anyone else who sits on the floor. Bring your pets and plants inside if possible.

Also, check out the Center for Disease Control’s  information on responses to toxic contamination, http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ . You can look up specific toxic substances and how they impact the body, depending upon what type of environmental toxin you are dealing with.

Anytime we are dealing with environmental issues it is important that we give special care to the more vulnerable members of our community; children, elders, people with chronic illness and our animals.

Food is Medicine

Remember to eat good quality foods. Now is a good time to motivate toward cleaning up your diet. Avoid the usual culprits; artificial anything, sugar, long names that you couldn’t begin to pronounce, high fats, alcohol, MSG, smoking. Rely on simple, whole foods; clean, nutritious and delicious. Eat organic as much as you can.

Increase you intake of anti-oxidents, green tea, lots of fresh veggies and fruit (try for all colors of produce), cilantro, miso, seaweed, Celtic and Himalayan salt. Cook with burdock root and medicinal mushrooms such as shitake and oyster.

Generally speaking

You want to limit the toxins in your environment that you do have control over and especially what you take into your body. Besides your food this includes: soaps, shampoo, lotion, cosmetics, household cleaning products, laundry detergent; you get the idea.

Sweat, whether from exercise or a sauna. Epsom salt and baking soda baths will also help pull toxins out of your body. Since I brought up sweating, don’t forget to drink lots of water. Nettles tea will also help replace lost minerals and alkalize the body.

The main areas of the body that we want to focus on for this particular toxic event are three Ls; liver, lungs and lymph. I’ll address each of these below.

Exposure to toxins generally heats someone up. For this reason, I’ve stayed away from recommending many herbs that are warming and sticking to those that are cooling to neutral.

Liver

Our liver has many important jobs and one of them is dealing with toxins; both in storing or excreting them as well as cleaning the blood. So, when you have had a toxic exposure you want to support your liver. In addition to cutting out the bad stuff, see above, add in some supportive herbs.

burdock root – neutral in temperature, good as tea or tincture, supports the liver, cleans the blood and pulls toxic waste from the intestines; increases peristolsis (it is important not to be constipated when you are trying to detox

dandelion root – cold in temperature and more stimulating to the liver; increases peristolsis, mildly laxative, cleans the blood; good as tea or tincture

 milk thistle seed – warming but I included it here because it is so good at protecting the liver and helping it to regenerate; tincture or grind over food

Lungs

Many people’s lungs took a hard hit from exposure to this toxic fire. The many people with asthma to start with are especially vulnerable.

mullein leaf – great lung tonic; good for wet or dry cough; tea or tincture

 licorice root – moistens the lungs and good adrenal support; contraindicated with high blood pressure; tea or tincture

marshmallow root – very moistening and soothing to irritated mucous membranes; best as cold infusion; this is gloppy, so you may need to mix with juice, yogurt, oatmeal…

elecampane – warming and drying to help with a wet cough; tea or tincture

passionflower – a wonderful aid to the nervous system that also opens the bronchi, making it easier to breath

Cascade Falls, Colorado

Lymph

Our lymphatic system plays another key role in cleansing our blood and detoxifying the system. Cleavers and red clover are both good, gentle lymph cleansers and can be taken as tea or tincture.

You also want to further support your deep immunity with the medicinal mushrooms, astragalus and chlorella. I’d avoid the other blue-green algaes for now as they are more heating than chlorella and you want to cool your system down.

Last, but not least, remember all of the good self care that you already do. Keep it up and encourage your loved ones to do the same. It is a wonderful way to express your love to someone to support their self care…without nagging, that only creates stress.  Remember that your self care includes how you take  care of yourself emotionally and spiritually, in addition to the physical.

Be well!

Sarah

Food for Thought…and your Body

To listen to a radio broadcast of The Herbal Highway on this topic click on this link, http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/79617 .

a peek in the spice cupboard

I often talk about the importance of good digestion; as do many alternative health care practitioners. Good food, good eating habits and a healthy digestive system are the foundations of good health. Our food provides vital nutrients for our bodies to function properly. So we need the good food going in and the body working well to assimilate that food. Not new concepts but so important.

It is also important to realize that not only do the digestive and nervous systems interrelate; the digestive system has its own nervous system, the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system keeps track of a lot of what is going on. It isn’t just about the brain. Indeed, the brain is left out of a lot of the process.

 In an article I read on a friend’s blog,  http://nightingaleacupuncture.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/gut-health-brain-health/ , I learned a new fun fact about the digestive systems’ nervous system capacity. The small intestine alone has as many neurons, nerve cells, as the spinal cord. To me that is amazing to consider! The spinal cord, along with the brain, is called the central nervous system. Command central. Or so we thought.

We are learning that the heart has far more neurotransmitters than we thought and we are learning more about the complexity of the digestive systems’ nervous system. Another reason not to over-think things since the brain doesn’t have all of the information.

On an energetic level, and even a scientific one for those of you more comfortable in that realm, we really need to listen to our bodies and not let the brain have the final word in everything since it doesn’t have all of the information.

The health of your gut, or intestines, is not only important for your digestion, but studies are showing that gut health can also impact; bone formation, learning and memory, allergies, links to Parkinson’s Disease and inflammatory processes. This last one is really important because many major illnesses are rooted in inflammatory processes.

The Bugs: Good vs. Bad

Imbalances in the gut flora are also linked to anxiety, depression, autism and how the body responds to stress. It is important to note the studies aren’t saying this is necessarily the only factor, but an important one.

The beneficial bacteria that we have in our gut helps us to process our foods and can get out of balance for a number of reasons. One of the big ones is from taking antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed to kill micro-organisms in the body. They don’t discriminate and leave the beneficial bacteria alone. If you don’t make this up after taking antibiotics or over-use antibiotics, you can be setting yourself up for poor digestion at the least and potentially more serious, chronic illness.

Another reason our beneficial bacteria can get out of balance is a poor diet and from our digestive enzymes getting out of balance, which can happen for any number of reasons, stress being one of them.

Intestinal bacteria need to eat, and mounting evidence indicates that beneficial bacteria prefer nutrients called prebiotics, which are primarily found in high-fiber foods including onions, garlic, bananas, artichokes, and many greens.

Bad bacteria, on the other hand, prefer the sugars and fats found in processed foods. There is also evidence that a low-fiber, high-fat creates an environment for that helps the unhelpful bacteria to thrive.

There are many probiotic supplements that you can take these days. Some good products are out there and some not so good products. Like usual, I like to promote eating your medicine. Including foods in your diet that contain beneficial bacteria/probiotics is a great way to go. The main creatures you are looking for are lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium.

You can find organic dairy products containing these cultures; such as yogurt, kefir and sour cream. You can also look into fermented foods such as:  pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, soy sauce and vinegar. Not all pickles are equal. You want to look into the more natural versions of these foods.

a sauerkraut crock

Or, better yet, start making your own. The following books are good resources to get you started:  

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, http://www.newtrendspublishing.com/SallyFallon/

Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz, http://www.wildfermentation.com/ 

Continue to experiment in your cooking and try new foods. This will keep you interested and it is healthy for you to maintain a variety to your diet. Eat with conscious attention and gratitude and cook your food with love. You take this into your body as well.

The Stress Factor

Okay, now it is really time to get real. Our gut flora, if out of balance, can lessen our ability to handle stress. Conversely, being in a stressed state, fight or flight, lessens our body’s ability to digest well.

Many of you when you feel anxious get digestive disturbances and likewise, as I mentioned earlier, an imbalance in gut flora can cause anxiety and depression. So you can see what a vicious cycle you can get into with anxiety and stress.

So, it isn’t just what you eat and just how well your digestive system is working but it is also about what you are doing the rest of the day. Your lifestyle. There is no magic pill or magic food or magic herb. In order to fully participate in our health we have to look at our whole life. It is all connected. Even the scientists will tell you that; at least the physicists will.

The Herbs

I’m going to focus on a few herbs that are typically used in cooking. That means that you may already have them handy and if you don’t they are easy to find.

Talking about culinary herbs also highlights the important concept of eating our medicine. Most culinary herbs, around the world, either support digestion or help protect the body from unwanted microbes.

If you are cooking with dried herbs, soak them in a liquid medium before adding them to the food you are preparing. For instance, if your recipe calls for olive oil, broth, melted butter, lemon juice, etc., pour a little into a small bowl and let your dry herbs soak in that medium until you need it. This will help bring out the flavor of the herb as well as the medicinal qualities. Fresh herbs are often added in later in the cooking process to maintain the vibrancy of their flavor.

You can also make herbal vinegars and have these on hand to use in your cooking or as salad dressing. Making an herbal vinegar is quite simple and I’ll go over that process in an upcoming post.

Basil – carminative (stimulates the digestive tract to work correctly and with ease, soothes smooth muscles of the gut), nervine (supports the nervous system), helps with colic (gut spasoming)

Cardamom – flatulence, indigestion, sweetens breath, takes edge off adrenal stress from caffeine

Cayenne – antimicrobial, carminative, promotes stomach secretions, stimulates peripheral circulation, opens bronchi, strengthens heart, capillaries and arteries

Cinnamon – astringent, carminative, antimicrobial, helps dispel gas, diarrhea

Fennel – flatulence, indigestion, intestinal seasoning

Ginger – stimulates appetite, nausea, increases pelvic circulation, motion sickness with peppermint

Oregano – indigestion, cough, headache, poultice for painful swelling, emenagogue

Rosemary – circulatory and liver tonic, digestive aid, emenagogue, headache (make an infusion, soak a cloth and put on head, warm or cold depending upon the headache), antiseptic, skin toner, hair rinse for dark hair

Thyme – carminative, antiseptic, antispasmodic, works on lungs for shortness of breath

Turmeric – analgesic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, emenagogue, liver support, aids digestion

 So get into that kitchen, put on your favorite music, cook up some medicine and share it with someone you love.

 Be well!

Sarah

Allergies – Part Two: Symptom Relief

apothecary rose, photo by Madeline Ryan

To listen to a radio broadcast of The Herbal Highway on this topic, follow this link, http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/78737

Welcome to allergy season! If you haven’t read the first part of this series, back up and read it. I don’t recommend going straight to symptomatic relief before doing preventive work. That is not holistic care.  Going straight to the symptoms is simply taking an herb in place of a pill. You’re not using the plant respectfully nor are you fully participating in your own health. Okay, lecture over.

So, you have prepared for the allergy season as best you can and you are still experiencing allergy symptoms. That happens and this is when we look at symptomatic relief. That being said, if you are allergic to something you are allergic to something.

With allergy prevention I’m looking at reducing your reactivity, not ‘curing’ you of your allergy. You will likely find, however, that if you are taking good care of yourself and doing the preventive work, you may find yourself not just less reactive, but non-reactive to things that aren’t truly allergies but you are sensitive to.

The first two herbs that I think of for symptomatic relief of allergies are ambrosia and eyebright.

Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisifolia – anti-histamine for allergy and hayfever symptoms; reduces mucus secretions

Eyebright, Euphrasia – anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, allergies with sinus and eye component; itchy eustachion tubes, dry, itchy, red eyes

 Sometimes you need to dry or moisten your mucous membranes to feel more comfortable. If you do this, make sure that you don’t use the wrong herb. In other words, if you have too much mucus, use a drying herb. If your mucous membranes are dry, use a moistening herb. If you reverse that, you will make yourself more uncomfortable. Trust me on that.

Drying herbs

Yerba santa, Eriodictyon; leaf and flower – slightly stimulating to lungs; best for constant cough with lots of uninfected (white) phlegm; tones down inflammation in lungs, sinuses and bronchi; sinus congestion with mucous; works well in combination for hayfever

Yerba mansa, Anemopsis; root – cold, damp respiratory ailments; better for chronic than acute; laryngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis; contraindications: pregnancy

Horehound, Marrubium;  leaf – expectorant,  basic lung cold, moist hot bronchitis, asthma; mildly stimulates cardio function and mucus secretions; gagging w/ cough

Moistening herbs

Licorice, Glycrrhiza; root – dry cough, dry bronchial conditions; contraindications: hypothyroid,  high blood pressure

Break-up and move out the mucus

 Elder and mullein do this, see part one of this article for details on those plants.

Opening the lungs

 Mullein yet again! Passionflower also opens the lungs by relaxing the bronchi.

Cayenne, Capsicum; fruit – anti-catarrhal (inflamed mucus membranes, excess secretions and congestion); staves off colds and debility; gargle for laryngitis; opens blood flow to the bronchials; contraindications: acute renal failure or acute GI inflammation

Working with allergies energetically

I’ve talked a lot about the physical considerations when working with allergies herbally.  Now I want to talk about the energetics of allergies and how we approach improve our balance in that way. With allergies you’ll remember, we are talking about an over-reactive immune system. Our immune system is about boundaries and protection on a physical and metaphoric level. So consider any issues you might have with those topics and work on them. Here are some essences that may help you out.

Yarrow in bloom. Photo by Madeline Ryan

Yarrow- of course, yarrow, many of you already know about how yarrow helps you from merging with others; many flower essence companies have a yarrow FE, or you may just carry the plant

 From Alaskan Essences, www.alaskanessences.com

Black Tourmaline  – helps to release toxins held in the physical and spirit bodies; helps clean and clear the energy to create a space for positive energy in our environment

Covellite – when you feel unprotected, vulnerable and too easily stimulated by others; brings strength, clarity and definition to the auric field; acts as a protective filter so you can relax and be in your heart

Hematite – emotionally co-dependent; difficulty containing your emotional energy, especially in groups; promotes emotional independence; compassionate detachment; be clear with your energy

 From Greek Tree Essences, www.melissaassilem.com

Turpentine Tree – support where auto-immunity is an issue; recognize what is one’s self and what is not; blood cleanser

From Jane Bell Essences, www.janebellessences.com

Ancient Power – connection to earth and ones’ own authority; being present and moving forward with core strength; balanced masculine energy; safe and gentle containment

 Sea Turtle – learning how to share space with others so you feel nourished rather than depleted by connection; increases appreciation for interdependent relationship with nature and other beings; helps move with grace and peace in any environment

 From Desert Alchemy, www.desert-alchemy.com

Bright Star – encourages healthy boundaries so your individuality can shine; feeling safe and secure in yourself so that you can offer all of your actions from the heart and not become entangled in others and in situations 

Canyon Grapevine – see obstacles as opportunities; giving without fear of enmeshment; appreciating others because independent from you, not enmeshed; harmonizes issues of alienation

So, let’s use this last bit of winter energy to try clear up what is stuck, stagnant and get ready for the cleansing, new beginning energy of spring …without too much sneezing.

Be well!

Sarah

Allergies – Part One: Prevention

apothecary rose bud, photo by Madeline Ryan

To listen to a radio broadcast of The Herbal Highway on this topic, follow this link, http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/78737

Allergy season is just around the corner with the arrival of spring, and for some of you, it is already here. For people living in more temperate places the allergy season can be almost year round. And for many areas, having had such a mild winter, the allergy season is likely to be extended. In this first of a two part series I will cover strategies for preventing or reducing the impact of allergens as well as how to support your system longer term. In part two I’ll cover symptomatic relief and addressing the energetics of allergies with the use of flower essences.

The respiratory system is where most allergy symptoms manifest; sneezing, nasal congestion, mucus in the lungs. Remember that lungs are not fully developed until the teen years, usually by age 18. So, if you are considering a younger person, the respiratory support is that much more important.

Also keep in mind, besides actually being sick or having allergies, other things can irritate the respiratory system. Smoking is an obvious one. Besides paralyzing the cilia, smoking stimulates mucus production and usually leads to thicker mucus accumulating. Accumulation of thicker mucus increases your chance of a lung infection. Especially if the cilia are not working, that thick mucus just sits there not moving, providing a breeding ground for microbes. If you do smoke or live with someone who does, I’d encourage you to take a lung tonic such as mullein. The specific properties of mullein are outlined below.

Living in areas with air pollution, near the freeway or environments that contain a lot of allergens such as dust, dust mites, rodents, cockroaches, pets, molds, etc. can also impair people’s breathing. So, as much as you have control over your environment, keeping it clear of these things can help take some stress off of your lungs during allergy season.

If you have allergies, be mindful of environmental impacts, besides the pollen, that can further irritate your respiratory system; and avoid what you can when you are under the additional stress of allergy season.

As winter is winding down and spring is winding up, it can be difficult sometimes to tell if you are getting sick or your allergies are starting; especially in the first couple days of symptoms. If your symptoms include any of the following chances are you’ve caught a bug, not allergies; fever, fatigue, malaise, chills. If there is a possibility that you have a cold or flu, take one of the following herbs for 2-5 days; 10 drops of tincture 2-4 times/day.  If your symptoms don’t clear up in that time, you are likely having allergy symptoms.

Echinacea, Echinacea agustofolia or purpurea; root and flower

Elder, Sambucus canadensis; berry and flower

Flowers make a good steam for head cold congestion; berries: clear lungs of mucous, nausea; both: anti-microbial, reduce fevers, sore muscles and joints (as bath), getting in and clearing up deep lung issues; contraindications: use only Black Elder not Red, use only ripe berries

Using a netti pot or a good old-fashioned steam can also soothe irritated mucous membranes and help clear out excess mucus. If you are doing a steam add 1-2 drops of any of the following essential oils to the water; eucalyptus, thyme, oregano, peppermint. Be sure and close your eyes in the steam, otherwise the essential oils can irritate your eyes.

With allergies, we are talking about an overly reactive immune system. So that means we are working with an immune system that needs strengthening. The other strategy is to make sure the digestion and liver are working well. Many folks with allergies also have some digestive issues.

Deal with your digestion now, before your allergies really start. Clean up your diet. Think about your liver during allergy season. Be kind to it. That means avoiding toxins including excess poor quality fats/oils, alcohol, the usual suspects. A little liver support such as dandelion root or burdock root tea or tincture can go a long way toward alleviating the symptoms of allergies.

To support your deep immunity consider the following:

Medicinal mushrooms are great for deep immune building; both if prone to cold/flu and if you have allergies which are an immune system deficiency. Consider; shitake, maitake, turkey tails, reishi (also anti-histamine).

Tonic tea to drink

Mix these three plants in equal parts, or a little less of the red clover since it is more expensive, and drink 6-8 ounces/day. This is a good tea to reduce your histamine response, support your respiratory system and clean up your blood.

Mullein, Verbascum; leaf – opens lungs and bronchi, increasing air flow; tonic to respiratory system; any type of cough; steam to clear lung and sinus congestion; mucilaginous so toning and soothing to lining of lungs, intestines and stomach

Nettles, Urtica dioica; leaf – good tonic for allergies; astringent, diuretic, alkalizes blood; anti-histamine, very nutritive

Red Clover, Trifolium; flower -  anti-histamine, blood cleanser, high in minerals

While preparing for the allergy season, consider the above herbs and get your body ready for the additional stress of the season. You may just sail through the allergy season. Check back in for Part Two of this series and I’ll cover symptomatic relief and essences to support you emotionally as well.

Be well!

Sarah