Elderberry has been clinically proven to reduce symptoms of cold and flu, and is a must for any family medicine chest!
My Weeds Are Killing Me!
This spring I planted a new vegetable garden that included some flowers and medicinal plants. Thankfully, it’s been going really well in spite of a cool and dry spring. Each day, I would walk around the garden to “check” on its progress. Up until….
A recent vacation left my garden unattended. While the electric fence did its job keeping the animals out, the weeds were a different story….or a nightmare.
Leaning In On New Words for 2023
It’s a new year and many people put forth a valent effort to make real, positive changes in their life, especially one’s that affect their health and wellbeing. For the past five years, or so, I’ve chosen a word that becomes my word of the year. One that I mediate and pray on to see how it affects my life and watch to see how it manifests during the year.
Moving Thru Anger
I was not equipped to deal with anger or conflict. My “Leave it to Beaver” homelife was joyful memories. If my parents had disagreements, they surely never discussed it within the family. I did, however, witness my father giving “the business” to projects or vehicles he worked on. My mother called it the Bush Temper as if it was a contagious virus we need to watch out for. “He’s got the Bush Temper; you’d better look out!” I may have demonstrated some of that in my earlier days, however, I suppose I’ve mellowed in my older years….or have I?
Do You See Me?
During the recent American Herbalist Guild conference, an attendee shared to the group how she felt seen among us as to who she really is. In her hometown of California, where she grew up, among her family and friends, she lamented that she isn’t seen and therefore, feels out of place and frustrated. Can you relate?
A Noun Or A Verb?
Grammar wasn’t easy for me in school. Learning all the different parts of a sentence seemed like a waste of time. I wasn’t planning on writing anything of any importance, so my heart wasn’t into it. Nouns and verbs were the easiest to identify, especially proper names and action words. As if learning what each part of the sentences weren’t hard enough, I then found out that the same word used in a different way might have a different part to play. Arrrr! How was I ever going to get that straight?
A Fungus Amongus
My first impression of mushrooms, any mushrooms, were not favorable. As a matter of fact, I would pick them off of my pizza, avoid them at a salad bar, and basically turn my nose up to the rubbery earthy substance. Why would anyone eat those, I wondered? In my own childhood, the only mushroom I could remember my mother serving was Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup; and that was added to casseroles. God help us all!
Fly
A little of this and a little of that….
Sounds like a recipe? Well, for me, it’s my life. While some people can pick a lane and travel through life with one occupation, mine, well, let’s just say, I’ve been on many roads. In part, I think, it is due to my dosha, Vata, which is air/ether. Structure isn’t necessary for me as a whole and that becomes a problem only when trying to accomplish a large task. Oh, I’ll get it done, but I’ll be distracted along the way, so just be patient.
I Carrot For You
Recently, I discovered something AMAZING! So much so, I needed to share it with you!
We live in a world of estrogen disrupters. Plastics, by and large, are one of the biggest contributors, however, other products like liners of metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics and pesticides can do some damage too. If there is only one thing you can do each day to help with your overall health, it’s eating one raw carrot daily. You won’t believe how easy this one step is!
Salted Caramel or S'mores?
Seasons change, and that goes along with seasons in life. For almost nine years, I have been on a health journey that would forever change my life. During that time, I went from eating meat to becoming a vegetarian, then a vegan, back to vegetarian, then pescatarian, and now a flexitarian. If you are wondering if I was just confused, maybe I was. The biggest lesson I learned during this process was how to listen to my body…which isn’t easy to do. It takes a lot of practice and discipline.
Believe.....
Each year a word chooses me as the focus for the next 12 months. As I reflect on the new word, I begin to visualize the impact it can have over the course of the new year. It begins to take shape in my thoughts and beliefs as I let go of my control over it. What I want it to mean isn’t necessarily what will manifest. The year 2020 was difficult for many people even beyond the pandemic. Me included. My life was turned upside down and shaken. During those dark days, I wondered if I was lost, but then a new path begin to emerge.
Something To Chew On
The New Year is a time of reflection. Pondering the previous year, while making changes and goals for the upcoming year. It’s not uncommon to create a health plan that includes healthy eating and getting more exercise. As I get older, the more I seem to appreciate good food. Cooking with fresh ingredients of herbs and spices take ordinary to extraordinary. How often do we consider the process of eating? After food enters the mouth, it’s our teeth that are responsible for the first phase of the digestive process. Yet, how many people put improving their oral health on that New Year’s Plan?
A healthy mouth is a great asset.
YES!
How would a day of yes unfold? In a recent conversation with my friend, Angela, she confided to me the word, yes, had come to her mind as if today she was to say, “Yes” to whatever came to pass. During that same conversation, she shared an experience of negative speech within a group of friends. Dominating the conversation, the naysayer would not hear of anything except what she believed to be true. There seemed to be no negotiating or even an attempt to hear another perspective. In the end, she felt drained. Do you know someone like this? I hope it’s not you. This isn’t about being a “yes person” or feeling pressured to do things we don’t want to do. It’s about having courage and conviction to the things we really want to do.
Why Plant Medicine?
Products made from plants have been used to treat diseases and maintain health are called herbal products, botanical products, or plant medicine. Many prescription drugs and over the counter medications are also made from plant products, but contain only purified ingredients and are regulated by the FDA. Herbal products come in many forms, such as dried, chopped, powdered, capsule, or liquid. They can be swallowed as pills or tinctures, brewed as a tea, applied to the skin as lotions or creams, or added to bath water.
Another Relationship
What do you think about when you hear the word relationship? There are many types of relationships, like those with a spouse or significant partner, children, grandchildren, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. However, the relationship I’m thinking about today is the one related to food. Most people don’t correlate food as a relationship, but for many, it’s an unhealthy balance. Food is often used as a substitute or a bridge for emotional distress, loneliness, fatigue, or any other psychological issue. Rarely is obesity and overeating related to hunger. Rather, the overindulgence and binging, or on the other spectrum, bulimia or anorexia is using food for another means. Not nourishment.
Are You Exempt?
Sugar is in virtually every processed food in some way, shape, and form. Food manufacturers have chemically altered our food to make our brains crave it. As a result, the American population continues to become sicker with a compromised quality of life. Sugar cravings can be strong and the temptations are difficult to resist for those who have a sweet tooth. The white stuff can difficult to avoid, and a person has to be a savvy label reader to understand all the different names of sugar. Plus, the names keep changing, which makes it even harder. Don’t be fooled into thinking sugar free is better. As a matter of fact, it’s worse. It’s never a good idea to put toxins into the body and think there won’t be negative consequences.
A Little Sugar
During a recent conversation, I was made aware of our lack of understanding about sugar that left my head spinning. The person I was speaking to had dental decay and was concerned about the amount of money it was going to cost for all the repairs. I asked him if he knew what was causing his problem? After a short pause, he came up with the lack of coming to the dentist, then added probably that he drinks coffee. Hmmm…
Why do you think coffee is causing your problem? I probed. He explained that all he put in his coffee was “a little” sugar. That was the only thing he could think of that had sugar in it. I asked how much was “a little.”
The Penny Gum Machine
Shelter in Place, Self-Quarantine, Social Distancing…it’s given me time to reflect. Today I remembered a much simpler time in my life. I was probably 6 or 7 years old and my parents were at the department store. We shopped at K-Mart a lot. Each time we went to K-Mart (or any store) my mother would tell my brother and me that there was no extra money and to not ask for anything…and we didn’t. Back then, people paid with either cash or check. Rarely were credit cards used. My parents didn’t believe in credit cards anyway so they either used cash or check. At some point during my shopping experience, I would ask my mom if she was paying with cash. I was particularly delighted when she said yes, because I knew there would likely be change. That change would be an opportunity to buy a 1 cent piece of gum in the machine. It was the highlight of my shopping day. Children could be bought for so little then.
Just Breathe...
Just breathe. Last week, I became a GiGi to a healthy baby boy. In a world of chaos and uncertainty, there was a bright spot and a blessing in life. Stop right now and count the blessings in your own life. Food, shelter, clothing, family, health, etc. There really is so much to be thankful for; it’s just we lose sight of it. We tend to focus on the negatives things that happen and become nearsighted.
COVID-19
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of giving so much time and energy to this virus, but alas, here I am creating a blog post about it. While I understand it is a fast spreading illness, it seems to have caught the attention of nearly everyone. Rather than focusing on catching this virus, let’s place our energy and thoughts on staying healthy. The mind is powerful. So powerful, in fact,