Mormon Tea profile and uses

Please join me at my new blog to learn more about Mormon tea and it's uses.

Mullen Profile and Uses

Have you ever used or wondered about Mullein ?
Click here to learn more about it and it's uses.

DoTerra Essential Oil Uses

 

Photo from DoTerra

 

 

As I mentioned the other day I am selling DoTerra oils. I am pretty excited about this since I love using them. I do have to admit I haven't really cooked with them, so looking forward to trying that out.

I wanted to do a post on some of the ways to use them, only I am going to cheat a little. On the DoTerra site they have this post about them you can read the full article  HERE . Here is some of what it has to say.

 
Aromatic

The sense of smell is a tool that can elicit powerful physiologic, mental, and emotional responses. Essential oils are quickly absorbed by the smell receptors, which have a direct link to the limbic system by way of the olfactory nerve. The limbic system is part of the brain that supports a variety of functions including smell, emotions, behavior, and memory. For this reason, essential oils have an especially powerful effect via aromatic application.
Some essential oils induce uplifting or invigorating effects, while others are more calming. Diffusion is one of the simplest methods for using essential oils aromatically. Diffusers that use cold air or water are ideal. However, using essential oils aromatically does not require any special diffusing devices.
You can achieve the same health benefits by simply placing a few drops of essential oil in the palm of your hand that is then cupped around the nose as you breathe deeply.

I love using oils in my cleaners not only do they help clean they just smell sooo good. I have a couple different blends that I use in my diffuser to make the house smell good or when every one is sick and I need to purify the air or help with breathing.


Topical

Topical application is a very effective method for applying essential oils. Because essential oils have low molecular weights and are lipid soluble, they easily penetrate the skin. Once absorbed, they stay in the applied area for a localized benefit.
Although essential oils are readily absorbed, there are many ways to increase absorption. Using a light massage will increase the blood flow to the area of application, in turn improving distribution throughout the body. Use of a carrier oil can also increase absorption, especially in skin that is dry or flaky as it helps moisturize the skin and slow evaporation of the oil.
To decrease the likelihood of developing a skin sensitivity, especially on young or sensitive skin, it is advisable to use a carrier oil (such as Fractionated Coconut Oil) to dilute more potent oils and when trying an oil for the first time. The recommend dilution ratio is typically one drop of essential oil to three drops of carrier oil.
It’s always advisable to use several small doses throughout the day rather than a single large dose. Start with the lowest possible dose (1–2 drops). A topical dose can be repeated every 4–6 hours as needed. Because every individual is unique, the dose will vary for each individual based on size, age, and overall health status.

I do a lot of topical, I make a blend for Katie's migraines, for the girls cramps and muscle aches to name a few. And in a bath with some Epsom salts wonderful.


Internal

Certain essential oils have a rich culinary history and can be used as dietary supplements supporting a variety of healthy conditions. When you sprinkle cinnamon on your oatmeal, sip a mug of peppermint tea, or add fresh basil leaves to your spaghetti, you are actually consuming some volatile aromatic essential oil compounds.
Essential oil contributes many health benefits as well as flavoring and aroma properties to foods. When in their concentrated form, essential oils can be used as dietary supplements for more targeted and potent health benefits. Internal use is a very safe and effective method of application because of the sophisticated physiologic processes of our bodies.
When ingested, essential oils directly enter the blood stream via the gastrointestinal tract, where they are transported throughout the rest of the body. Essential oils are lipid soluble so they are readily transported to all organs of the body, including the brain. Then, like all things we consume, essential oils are metabolized by the liver and other organs and are then excreted.
The composition of essential oils is highly complex. Each constituent possesses a unique set of biochemical properties that react with cells and organs in different ways. Although these mechanisms of action are not completely understood, the positive end results have been demonstrated. However, the body is only equipped to handle appropriate doses of essential oils.
Proper dosing according to labeling recommendations and other professional guidelines should be strictly followed to avoid toxicity.

As I mentioned above I haven't really cooked with them I have used them in my water and teas, so looking forward to cooking with them already have several ideas where I want to use them.

How do you use essential oils? Would love to hear the different ways.

Learning Herbalism with the Herbal Academy of New England.

 

 

Herbal Academy of New England

 

 

I am so excited after looking for what seems like forever. I finally found a herbalism class that is affordable and fits my needs.

Herbal Academy of New England. I have been trying to learn as much as I can on my own and have always felt there was so much more to know. I have looked at herbalism classes on line but they were so pricey and just not within my budget. This class isn't way cheap but a lot more doable. It is 360 dollars and if you need to they let you make 3 payment of 120 a month. There is sooo  much information. When I am done I will be able to take care of my family the natural way. Plus I will be able to share some herbal remedies here and with others. I feel like it is going to be well worth the money.

The Intermediate Herbal Course is for people with some herbal training. Be it what you have learned on your own, or classes that you may have taken. If you have never worked with herbs they offer a Introductory Herbal Course I do have several post on herbs that might be of a help if you are just starting out.
They also have a wonderful site herbalacademyofne.com/ that has tons of info.
If you are interested in taking the course let me know then maybe we could share ideas. Also if you do sign up for the class I do make a small fee from it. If you have a blog and you want to sign up they have an affiliate program where you can get a small discount on the course if you share the info on your blog. ( I didn't even notice this until after I had signed up, so just wanted to share that so others would know before they signed up, so they could get the discount)

So here is what is in the course I am so excited to learn all of this.


The Intermediate Herbal Course: 10 Unit Outline

Unit 1: Why Herbs And How They Work

History; Herbal Healing Philosophies; Homeostasis; Overview of Body Systems; Systems of Energetics, Actions and Constitutions; Medicine Making Review; Side Effects and Safety; Creating Formulations

Unit 2: Food is Medicine

Kitchen Cupboard Herbs; Vinegars; Oils; Honey; Edible and Medicinal Plants; Foraging; Wild crafting; Plant Savers; Gratitude and Ceremony

Unit 3: Digestive System

Alimentary System Overview; Digestive Health as Foundation of Health; Imbalances of the Digestive System and Herbal Remedies

Unit 4: Immune System

Building Immune Health; Prevention; Common Disharmonies; Creating a Materia Medica

Unit 5: Nervous System

The Central Nervous System; The Peripheral Nervous System; The Enteric Nervous System; Stress; Headaches; Sleep; Herbs

Unit 6: Cardiovascular

Anatomy of the Heart; Blood Pressure; Cholesterol; Heart Strong/Heart Health; Herbal Therapeutics; Diet; Glycosides; The Energetic Heart

Unit 7: The Liver

Anatomical Overview; Liver Health; Liver Imbalances; Herbal Treatments; Bitters

Unit 8: Respiratory

Breathing; Asthma; Lung Imbalances; Herbal Tonics; Natural Remedies

Unit 9: Urinary System

Kidney and Urinary Health; UTI; Herbs

Unit 10: Children

Common Discomforts; Formulas and Recipes; Which Herbs are Safe; Dosing

The units are broken up into lessons, and there is a quiz at the end of each unit before moving on to the next unit. I am still at unit one and almost finished with it.

Some of the things included in the course: 

Over 100 herbal recipes
Interactive ebooks
Printable handouts and charts
Videos throughout every unit
Online forums open for discussion and questions
 Easy access to a team of herbalists and medical professionals
 Printable Intermediate Herbal Certification upon completion
An online forum so students can share things with each other.

What do you need to take the course?

They have some recommended books that might be helpful I don't have any of these yet but hope to be able to get a couple of them

Botany in a Day by, Thomas J. Elpel

Medical Herbalism by, David Hoffman

 Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength , Stamina, and Stress Relief  by, David Winston

Nutritional Herbology: A Reference guide to Herbs by, Mark Pederson

The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism Basic Doctrine, Energentics, and Classification by, Matthew Wood

The Web Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine by, Ted J. Kaptchuk

 Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition by, Paul Pitchford  The Yoga of Herbs; An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine by, David Frawley and Vasant Lad The lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines for life on earth.by,Stephen Harrod Buhner Making Plant Medicine by, Rico Cech   Supplies: Some of these things you may already have.  8 oz. mason jars, cheese cloth, strainer, large bowls, funnel, small 1 or 2 oz. bottles, raw wildflower honey, apple cider vinegar, high proof brandy or vodka, natural waxed paper

You an use herbs you have grown your self or you can order them I like Bulk Herb Store
You can also use Mountain Rose Herbs these two have bottles and other supplies.
Frontier,Zack Wood Farms,Jean’s Greens are also recommended in the course

There are hundreds of recipes in this program.  This means many herbs to learn about. You will be asked to practice and share your experience working on one of the recipes for each unit.

Suggested Herbs For Tea and Other Recipes: Use what you have grown or forged yourself or you can order them.

Nettles
Lemon balm
Chamomile
Raspberry Leaf
Dandelion
St. Johns wort
Licorice
Peppermint
Motherwort

Other herbs featured in the program , pick some you would you like to try. They will not go to waste.

Angelica root
Bee balm
Burdock root
Calendula
Cardamom pods
Cayenne
Cinnamon
 Elder berry
Fennel seeds
Gentian root
Hawthorn berries
Hyssop
Lavender
Linden flower
Marshmallow root
Passionflower
Plantain leaf
Reishi
Rose petal
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Tulsi (Holy basil)
Tumeric
Valerian
Wood betony
Yarrow
Yellow dock root

 As you can see they cover a lot. So if you are wanting more information on herbalism this is the place to go.
Even if you don't want to try the class go check out the Site, as I said they have a ton of information on it.
If you have any questions just ask and I will try to answer.


Click Here to learn More

 

 

Medicinal uses for Mormon tea

 

Mormon tea is a shrub that grows in the south western desert of the United States as well as Mexico. Some of the other names are Brigham tea, Squaw tea, Popotillo, and Joint Fir. There is always a lot by the old Indians ruins.

Mormon tea can be used for colds. Flu, headaches, lung problems, water retention, rheumatism.

It can be used safely for urinary tract problems as a diuretic and a a urinary tract astringent and a moderate anti-inflammatory.

As a externally dressing for wounds.

Mormon tea is on of the best tea sources for calcium if using for calcium make it fresh each time. It is helpful alone or with other plants for a women at risk for osteoporosis and in early menopause.

If drank on a regular basis it can help alleviate seasonal allergies.

Mormon tea does not cure asthma but it can help with the symptoms related to asthma.

It can help stem diarrhea.

Dried and powdered stems can be used externally as a dressing on wounds and sores.

It was used by frontiersmen to cure venereal or sexually transmitted diseases.

To use Mormon tea you can use it fresh or dried to brew a tea and can be drank hot or cold.

I mix mine in my peppermint and spearmint tea and drink it cold I use about 1/3 cup of each and brew a strong tea then add to a gallon picture and fill with water I do add sweetener .

 In the winter I will brew a cup of Mormon tea to drink hot I can’t drink coffee anymore so it is nice to have something that I can replace it with, and since it grows wild here it is free.

Plantain and its Medicinal Uses

 

 

Plantain is a lot like dandelions, it is considered a weed, and they grow almost everywhere, there are two types a broad leaf and a narrow leaf both are good. You can use the Roots, leaves, and Flower spikes. As with dandelions you need to be careful where you harvest it make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with anything and don’t collect from the roadside. Plantain can be harvested from spring to fall.

Plantain is rich in magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads and sandwiches. The older leaves are tough and stringy so need to be cooked. The seeds can be dried and ground to make a flour, although it takes a lot of seeds. Plantain can be used both internally and externally.

For external application, it can be made into a salve, lotion, oil or compress. Plantain's anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties make it one of the most effective herbal remedies for topical treatment of skin conditions such as rashes, wounds, ulcerations, cuts, swelling, sprains, bruises, burns, eczema, cracked lips, poison ivy, mosquito bites, diaper rash, boils, hemorrhoids, and blisters. You can make a poultice to draw out splinters or thorns . It can also reduce some of the scarring with more severe cuts and scrapes.

It is also draws out the poison of bee stings, snake bites, and spider bites, If stung immediately rub some crushed or slightly chewed leaf on the area and around the sting to prevent swelling and itching.Internally you can use in tea ,tinctures, or syrup. Plantain has demulcent properties, making it soothing to mucus membranes. It is used to treat conditions of the respiratory tract including sore throat, cough, bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. It also has expectorant properties which help to expel mucus from the lungs when the respiratory tract is congested due to colds or hay fever.

The demulcent properties of plantain are also beneficial in treating urinary tract infections including cystitis with blood in the urine, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and diarrhea. The seeds of plantain contain mucilage and can be used as a laxative to relieve constipation. They can also be dried and infused in water for a soothing eye lotion.

So next time you see this in your yard you may want to just harvest it instead of trying to get rid of it.

Uses for Dandelion, Root, Leaves and Flowers.

Dandelions are such an amazing plant that has so many uses. They also grow just about anywhere so they are easy to find. Although most people just think of them as an annoying weed. In reality it is an herb that is beneficial from root to blossom. Do be careful where you gather your dandelion from, make sure they haven’t had pesticides or weed killers used on them.

Medicinal Uses

Dandelion has a great safety record it has no cautionary drug interactions, cumulative toxic effects, or contraindications for use. All parts a edible and they are in high nutritional Value. Dandelion root contains vitamins A, B-complex, C and D as well as the minerals Iron, Zinc and Potassium. This combination of vitamins and minerals also makes dandelion root a High Antioxidant Food.


Dandelions are regarded as one of the best herbs for building blood and curing anemia. It also acts a as diuretic and has ample potassium to replace what is lost from frequent urination. Aids in digestion. Stimulates liver activity. In Europe, it's used to treat Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes, It can help normalize blood sugar levels. Because of its blood-cleaning ability it helps eliminate toxins thus helping treat skin irritations such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

Dandelion tea is good for relieving constipation, flatulence, and can help reduce high cholesterol.

The white, milky sap is used as an effective wart remover.

　
You can make a tea, capsules, tinctures, syrups, and salves,

　
Eating and cooking

Dandelion greens are more nutritious then spinach. Leaves taken in the spring will need to be blanched to reduce the bitterness. In the fall there is no need to blanch as the bitterness will have dissipated naturally,

You can use the flowers to make wine, jelly (recipe here), add to butters and herb vinegars for color.

The roots can be roasted and ground then used in place of coffee ( you want the fall roots for this).

Do you have any other uses for Dandelions ?

Herbal Syrups

Herbal Syrups are concentrated herbal extracts that have been mixed with honey or other sweeteners to give them a thick consistency and a sweet taste . Herbal syrups make great cough syrups and sore throat soothers. They are easy, and a lot cheaper to make, then the store bought syrup. You can make any blend that you like, for cold, cough or what ever you need them for. This is a great way to get kids to take herbs that are strong or don’t taste very good. They are very easy to make. but  a little time consuming since you have to wait for the herbs to reduce down.

Use about a cup of dried herbs to each pint of water. Put the herbs and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let simmer until the water level is reduced to half. I usually have a line from the water and herbs on my pan where I started so I just use that line as a guide. This is your concentrate.

Let cool then strain the herbs out using a coffee filter, tea towel, or my favorite knee high stockings (new ones). I don’t like cheesecloth it doesn’t strain out the small stuff.

For each cup of liquid add ½ to 1 cup of sweetener, Honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, sugar or even glycerin. If you want a sweeter syrup use a 1 to 1 ratio ( 1 cup sweetener to 1 cup liquid) for a less sweet syrup use ½ cup sweeter to I cup liquid. Remember do not give honey to a child younger then a year old.

Pour the liquid into a pan add your sweetener warm over medium heat until thoroughly mixed If you are not using honey you can simmer for 20 to 30 minutes on a medium high heat for a thicker consistency (If you are using honey and you simmer this long you will lose the healthful enzymes in the honey.). If using honey, just warm it enough so the honey and the liquid mix together.

You can add a couple tablespoons of vodka or brandy to help preserve the syrup (this is optional) for 6 months to a year.

Pour into sterilized canning jars and add your heated lids. This should seal your jars or you can water bath for 10 minutes for  longer storage (you will lose some of the helpful properties  if you water bath).  Store away from heat and light. Store any opened jars in the fridge. Be sure to label what it is.

Take one to three tablespoons a day, cough syrup as often as every hour.

　

How To Build A Natural Medicine Chest

There is a very informative and great article over at Deep Roots at Home on how to build a Natural Medicine Chest. I don't normally post a link to another post instead of doing my own post, But I feel the information here needs to be shared. A lot of the things  she uses are things I use and some are things I am trying to incorporate into my own medicine chest. 
Here is just a small sample of what is in the post 

What Ails You?

Colds/Flu/Coughs

Vitamin D3 - This power vitamin can often reduce your risk of getting sick in the first place when taken properly. It is estimated that 25 to 50 percent of any healthcare budget could be saved with adequate vitamin D serum levels. The best way to get Vitamin D is outdoor sun, but in winter that is often impossible. For most adults, the daily Vitamin D maintenance dose is above 5,000 IU per day, and for children it is 35 IU per pound of body weight per day.

We keep powdered Vitamin C or Advan-C Capsules around at all times. At first sign of illness, we take 1000 mg. every hour until stools are slightly loose (bowel tolerance) and then continue taking but reduce dose to half. Often, the cold or flu never develops, especially when in combination with elderberry.

Elderberry - Antiviral elderberry has gained significant attention lately as an effective preventative and treatment for flu. You can MYO elderberry tincture or elderberry syrup with dried elderberries, cinnamon, and raw honey. A good brand if buying is Nature’s Answer. Both taste great. If flu does strike, large doses of this syrup can chase away the flu in a day or two or noticeably lessen the severity with no side effects.

Chelated Zinc - we take extra zinc first thing when our immune system needs a boost, we are under stress, or on a deadline.

Defense Plus Tablets (grapefruit seed extract)- we use this when a cold or cough goes into the chest and shows signs of becoming entrenched. Defense Plus and Oreganol Oil-P73 (between 3-4 drops in an empty capsule, 3x/day) are my go-tos for anything more serious than a cold since I can’t use traditional antibiotics. We have been fortunate and have had to use antibiotics only once for one of our children, so that is saying something about these products!

Give Fermented Cod Liver Oil to build the immune system and overall robustness like my grandmother used to give. We give up the old ways too easily!

I wrote a post on Honey and Cinnamon ~Powerful Duo Knocks Colds and More.

Garlic is a powerful, natural antibiotic. Odorless Garlic softgels are easily taken by children or adults, but fresh is best. When not going out, take 1 big fresh clove, 3 times a day (crush and expose to air for ten minutes before consuming in V8 juice, etc).
In this post, I write about making my own cost-effective, immune-boosting blend of Thieves® Oil. Diffuse it or take it orally.  

As you can see there is a lot of information and this is just a small portion of the post.
So if you have a chance go on over to Deep Roots at Home  and check it out. By the way this link just goes to her home page so just scroll down to find the article.

What Natural Medicines do you use?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making your own herbal capsules.

 

Making your own capsules are very easy a little time consuming but well worth it for what you can save by doing your own. You do need a capsule maker, most health food stores sell them, and the capsules. They are cheaper if you can go online, I get mine at starwest. You can make up a pretty good size batch at once and you can use any combination of herbs that you need and not only is it cheaper this way you know exactly what is in your capsules, and with no added fillers.

A capsule maker will cost around 20 dollars and the refills depending on what size around 10 to 20 dollars for a 1000. There are 4 different sizes of capsule makers"3" "2" “1” “0” “00”
You can go to  http://www.capsuleconnection.com/capsules   for information on the different sizes and how much they hold, here is a little of the information that they have.
　
Capsule Sizing Information"00" holds about 735 mg. "0" size holds about 500 mg. #1 holds about 400 mg. #2 about 300 mg. #3 about 200 mg.

One teaspoon will fill about 7 "0" capsules and about 5 "00" capsules. The weight depends on the density of the powder you are using. Some powders are much denser than others. It also depends on the fineness of the powder. The only way to be sure is to check the weight of each individual material. On a scale accurate to within one-tenth of a gram or even to one-tenth of an ounce or even to a gram, you can weigh 24 empty capsules and then compare with the weight when full. If you only want a small amount of active ingredient, then you can mix with a material such as milk powder or rice powder as a filler. That way you can use "0" or "00" size capsules with various weights of active ingredients.

 

You can go to my cold and flu pills here HERE to see exactly how to fill the capsules.

 

 

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas are one of the easiest and the most popular way to use herbs. Teas have the gentlest and slowest effects on the body and are usually the best way to treat infants and children under three.

You can grow, harvest from the wild, or buy your herbs. If you buy them it is cheaper to buy in bulk, if you are going to be using a lot. I am always on the lookout for plants that I can use when we are out in the wild, in addition to growing a lot of my own. You can use them dried or fresh, if you buy your herbs, if at all possible make sure they are organic, as organic will not have pesticides on or in the plants. When harvesting from the wild do not gather close to the road. Always rinse fresh herbs before making tea, lay on a towel to absorb the extra moisture after rinsing.

Almost any edible plant can be used to make tea, the leaves, stems, flowers and seed pods. As we go along we will learn what herbs are best for what aliments. Teas are not as potent as other herbal remedies such as tinctures and capsules, they are good for long term and chronic conditions.

You can use a combination of several herbs to make your teas or just one. I use a combination of peppermint spearmint and Mormon tea that I grow and harvest myself, to make a iced tea that I drink during the day.

Herbal teas can be drank hot, iced, or at room temperature. If you are wanting more then a cup during the day you can brew a picture of tea and keep in the fridge, it will keep several days when stored in the fridge. Some herbs make a bitter tea you can use these in a combination of other herbs or add a little honey to take the bitter taste away.

Always use a nonmetallic pot to brew your tea in ( you can boil the water in a metal pan or kettle.) before being poured into the brewing vessel. Do not use a metallic tea ball for brewing medicinal herbs as the metals can leach out and cause unknown reactions with the herbs. The pot needs to have a tight fitting lid. Place the recommended amount of herbs in the pot and pour boiling water over herbs allow to stand five to ten minutes with the lid on strain then drink.

Usually an ounce ( about 3 teaspoons)of dried herbs to 1 to ½ cups of water or 4 to 8 tablespoons per quart, if using fresh herbs double the amount of herbs. You can also place the herbs in a pan of cold water and slowly bring to a boil as soon as it boils take off the heat strain and drink. This method is especially good for roots seeds and barks. If you want a stronger tea let sit after you take off the heat for a few hours or overnight. Teas can ferment after a few days even in the fridge, so if you tea has bubbles ,an odd odor or odd taste throw it away .

What kind of herbal teas do you like to drink?