Iris – Pocket Herbal
Iris versicolor – Iraceae family In 1147, King Louis the VII had a dream. In it, according to legend, he was commanded to adopt the blue iris as the national flower. It stirred him so deeply that he had the iris carved into his coat of arms. For the next six hundred years, the iris, […]
Juniper – Pocket Herbal
Juniperus communis – Cupressaceae family Juniper plays the role of the trickster in the herbal world. Its history is colored with paradoxes. The ancient Greeks started its use innocently enough by brewing the berries into a medicinal liquor. Variations of this recipe remained popular for hundreds of years as a tonic to the urinary tract. […]
Wild Cherry – Pocket Herbal
Prunus serotina/virginiana – Rosaceae family Wild cherry trees dress up the global landscape. These North American beauties have been prized for centuries for their ornamental value due to their leaf shape, fragrant blossoms and colorful fruit. Wild cherry’s classic beauty is more than skin deep. Cherry pits were part of renaissance Europe’s medicine chest. Families […]
Horse Chestnut – Pocket Herbal
Aesculus hippocastanum – Hippocastanaceae family Readers of Anne Frank’s book, Diary of a Young Girl, may already associate horse chestnut trees with rejuvenation. A tall horse chestnut grew outside the Amsterdam warehouse were she and her family hid from the Nazi persecution. Anne Frank wrote frequently of taking breaks from their stuffy attic refuge to […]
Lower Your LDL Cholesterol Naturally
Cholesterol is the bane of our modern existence. Sure, you can go to great lengths to avoid those high cholesterol levels the doctors warn against, but most of us just don’t. The result is that by middle age, you may well be faced with a choice, continue to do as you have been or start […]
Relax with this Simple Eye Pillow
Recycle a faded silk scarf by stitching it into a relaxing, microwavable flax seed eye pillow. Flax seed has long been used in eye pillows in part because of it’s soothing qualities. Add a little scoop of lavender buds and you’ll have a recycled eye pillow with a heavenly scent sure to help your tired, […]
Treat Athlete’s Foot Naturally
Those who suffer from Athlete’s foot know that burning, itching sensation can simple awful to endure. The good news is, there are a few all-natural solutions to combat athlete’s foot. A cotton swab of Myrrh tincture on the affected area is an excellent place to start. Myrrh will ease the itching and burning while it […]
All Natural Sugar Substitute for Beverages
The next time you’re looking for a healthy, all natural sugar alternative, look no further than Licorice root. As an addition to teas, Licorice can help balance your hormones and improve your digestion. The best part of Licorice root is that it tastes 50 times sweeter than sugar. That makes licorice a delicious non-sugar, non-artificial […]
Turning Weeds into Salad Greens
If you are gardener, you are used to pulling weeds. With the right might mind set, it can be a meditative process. With the right knowledge, it can be a treasure hunt. Many of those pesky weeds are tasty additions to your salad bowl. The trick is to be sure you identify the plant you […]
Keep Your Feet Warm with Cayenne Powder
Cayenne was rumored to have been used in ancient times as an effective foot warmer. Back in 1987, the San Diego Chargers gave it a try when they faced the Denver Broncos on their home turf; it was mid-December in what to the Chargers must have felt like a very frigid Mile High Stadium. Whether […]
Kitchen Herbs That Soothe Your Stomach
Nutmeg was once coveted for its digestive prowess. Ladies and gentlemen alike grated a dusting of nutmeg on their morning cereal, afternoon puddings, evening soups, and even feast foods such as roasts and rich desserts. Why? Because Nutmeg goes a long way toward helping your stomach and intestinal tract process whatever foods you’ve eaten no […]
Cold Care for Winter
The common cold is defined as a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. Stuffy noses, coughs and constant weariness are warning signs of an oncoming cold. There are over two hundred different types of rhino-viruses and since they travel through the air and via physical contact with ever benign objects such as doorknobs or light switches, these viruses are very successful. Although colds only last 2 weeks and host only mild symptoms, they can open the door to other more complicated bacterial infections like the flu, strep throat, or ear infections.