New Blog Site

Looking for Spiraea Herbs' blog?

The blog posts can now we found on the following sites:

http://spiraeaherbs.wordpress.com/

http://spiraeaherbs.tumblr.com/

Thanks for reading!

Calling All Readers

Hiya Folks!


I'm writing this post to see how much of a following I have on this particular blog. I am currently posting on three blogs which is more work than I'd like. I am trying to narrow it down to one or two. If anyone follows Spiraea Herbs on blogger please let me know by posting a comment or sending an email my way - spiraeaherbs@gmail.com. Thank you so much!


Peace,

Correne

Harvesting

Today was an excellent harvesting day! Although the idea of wild-harvesting may seem like a romantic one, the truth is not quite so rose-coloured. Between the vigorous hiking, the mosquitos (yes they are out already in full force), the blistering heat and getting lost (which is not uncommon for me) - harvesting is darn hard work! I will admit though, as hard as it is, I love every minute of it. There is nothing more satisfying than making your own herbal medicines by hand from herbs harvested in their natural habitat.


Today we decided to scope out a new harvesting location. Part of starting a new herbal practice is scouting out viable harvesting locations. Whenever I arrive at a new spot, I have no idea what I'll find. Perhaps I'll find a great source for multiple herbs or perhaps there won't be a large enough population to sustain harvesting. It can be frustrating - spending hours in a location only to find that it isn't as great a source as you had hoped. Today however, luck was on our side.

This new location will be an excellent source for herbs such as Horsetail, Sulfur cinquefoil, Hawthorn, St. John's wort, Plantain, Queen Ann's lace, Goldenrod and tons more!

Here are some photos of today's finds:

Ox-eye daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare

• Harvested enough for 500 ml

Red clover - Trifolium pratense

• Harvested enough for 120 ml

Herb Robert - Geranium robertianum

• I was so excited when I found a HUGE patch of herb Robert. Last year I wasn't able to harvest any and this year I managed to at least get enough for 120 ml. Woo hoo!

Fleabane - Erigeron spp.

• Harvested enough for 250 ml of infused olive oil

Have a fantastic weekend!


Peace,


Correne

Drying Coltsfoot Leaves

Hi all! Went out harvesting this past long weekend and managed to find a huge section of Coltsfoot leaves. Made 250mL of tincture and dried the rest. Check it out!

I channelled MacGyver and turned my laundry drying rack into Coltsfoot drying central! When you're a student you work with what you have.



Peace,

Correne

The Great Soap Experiment

Hello all!

 

I didn't have class today so I decided to use my free day catching up on some much needed product making. I know... on the most gorgeous day so far this season I decide to stay inside and make soap!

I've never made soap before and I honestly don't know how the whole experiment will turn out, but it was great fun either way!

This one has patchouli and bergamot essential oils, orange zest and a bit of ground cinnamon! I haven't decided on a name for it... if anyone has any suggestions please comment and send me an email!

Enjoy the sun!

Correne

Making Menstruum

MAKING MENSTRUUM

This is Part II of a series of posts about making your own herbal medicines. Part I was on wild-harvesting your own herbs.

Introduction

For herbalists and fellow herb-lovers the beginning of wild-harvesting season also brings a new season of herbal medicine and tincture making. Vital to the formation of your own herbal medicines is the creation of a menstruum. When I first heard this term, it was completely unfamiliar to me. My exact words were something along the lines of “men... what?”

Technically a menstruum is “a solvent, especially one used in extracting compounds from plant and animal tissues and preparing drugs.” 1 In laymen’s terms, a menstruum is the medium you are using to extract the constituents from the plants. If you are making tinctures, your menstruum will most likely be alcohol based.

Every person who works with herbs, either professionally or as a hobby, will have their own methods for making plant-based medicines. The following menstruum recipe is the one that my teacher shared with us in our field studies classes.2 It is not the only method available and I invite you to experiment with a variety of menstruums to find one that you feel works best for your needs.

The Ingredients
Alcohol

Unless you have a license for the purchase of 95% alcohol, your choices are limited to what you can procure from your local beer/spirits store (e.g. LCBO in Ontario). After doing a brief Internet search on making menstruums I quickly discovered that most people simply listed “alcohol” as the main (or only) ingredient. Although your choices can vary from rum to brandy, not all alcohols are created equal.

When choosing an alcohol to use as your base you have to consider what its ingredients are and what it’s made from. If your alcohol contains sugar, other herbs, colouring or added flavourings, these ingredients could affect the extraction of the constituents. There is also the possibility of altering or adding to the effects of the constituents. For example, gin is made from juniper berries (a common herb used in herbal medicine). The gin will still contain some of the constituents from the juniper berries, which means your medicine/tincture will as well.

The alcohol of choice (as suggested to us in class) is vodka. Vodka is composed of ethanol (usually 40%) and water. That’s it. It can be made from any of the following fermented substances: potatoes, rye, wheat, molasses, sugar beets, grapes or rice. Of your choices of alcohol, vodka has the cleanest list of ingredients.

Water
The percentage of alcohol to use in the making of your menstruum is almost as varied as your choices in alcohol. Some herbalists prefer 50% alcohol solutions and others less than that. Most vodka that you can purchase in liquor stores is 40% alcohol. Some folks have a preference for straight vodka, which is a perfectly acceptable option. This will give you a tincture made in a 40% alcohol solution.

If you choose to make a menstruum solution with a lower percentage of alcohol, you will have to water it down. The water you use should be filtered or from a spring. Personally I use twice filtered tap water (using a Brita filter). Avoid using water that has been stored in plastic bottles. When making my own herbal tinctures, I use a 30% alcohol solution. This means that my vodka has been watered down by 10% (see below for the exact recipe).

Glycerine
Vegetable grade glycerine is another popular option for the making of tinctures. I use approximately 10% in the making of my menstruum. Glycerine’s sweet taste helps to cut the harshness of alcohol. It also works with the alcohol to extract some of the herb’s constituents.

When making tinctures for recovering alcoholics, glycerine is often used as the main ingredient in a menstruum. As an example you could use 50% glycerine and 50% water.

The Recipe
What You Will Need
• Measuring cup
• 1 litre mason jar
• Vodka or other 40% alcohol
• Filtered or spring water
• Vegetable grade glycerine (optional)

Instructions – with glycerine
• In your measuring cup pour out 750 mL of vodka (or other alcohol)

• Add 150 mL of filtered or spring water to the alcohol

• Measure out 100 mL of glycerine and add to the measuring cup
o Ensure that it is vegetable grade glycerine that is safe for consumption

• Pour contents of the measuring cup into the mason jar

• Shake the jar vigorously to ensure the glycerine doesn’t separate

The end product will contain 30% alcohol, 60% water and 10% glycerine.

Instructions – without glycerine
• In your measuring cup pour out 750 mL of vodka (or other alcohol)
• Add 250 mL of filtered or spring water to the alcohol
• Pour contents of the measuring cup into the mason and shake vigorously

The end product will contain 30% alcohol and 60% water.

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In the next blog post we will be exploring the wonderful world of tincture and herbal medicine making. Thanks for reading!

In good health,

Correne

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References

Dictionary.com - http://dictionary.reference.com/ 1

Living Earth School Field Studies – class notes 2

Stinging Nettle Lasagna

Good morning all! My friend and fellow student at Living Earth School shared this recipe with my fans on facebook this morning and I wanted to pass along the good fortune.

Here is the link to a recipe for Stinging Nettle Lasagna. Thanks go to Munna and the fine folks at Learningherbs.com!

Have a lovely morning,

Correne

Harvesting Herbs

WILD-HARVESTING HERBS

Spring has officially sprung, and with its arrival brings the beginning of the wild-harvesting season. The coming of sun, rain and bird song is a welcome sign to many an herbalist. It speaks of new growth and bringing with it the amazing healing power that herbs have.

There is no better way to learn about and get to know our herbal friends, than through observing (and eventually harvesting) them in their natural environment. That being said, there is most certainly a right way and a wrong way of doing it.

Why Wild-Harvest?

Wild-harvesting your herbs is a lot of work and with an abundance of with dried herbs available at most health food stores, one may wonder why undertaking such a laborious task is necessary. My teacher often talks about the relationship an herbalist has with their herbs. He speaks of the importance of touching, tasting and observing the plants in their natural environment. The ultimate goal is the formation of a respectful relationship and an understanding of all plants that we use in our practice and our daily lives.

Before starting my classes at Living Earth School, I had taken some other herbalism courses through correspondences. Although their information was valuable, most of it was through books and websites. I spent much of my time memorizing and not understanding. My ability to truly appreciate herbs and their properties only came when I started working with them hands on. Being involved in the process from harvesting to tincture making gave me a deep respect for herbs and nature in general.

When you purchase dried herbs – even from a reputable source – it is unlikely that you will ever be able to see the environment in which those herbs were grown. Wild-harvesting gives allows you that ability. It also brings an element of control. Is the environment polluted? Do people abuse the land where the plant is growing?

Plants growing in their natural environment also tend to be hardier than those grown in a controlled setting like a garden. Even in larger commercial gardens, the herbs are planted in the optimal soil, with the optimal lighting conditions and are given water a regular basis – basically, they are pampered. They have never had to struggle for survival. Think about “survival of the fittest”. Herbs in the wild have had to fight to live – through adverse soil conditions, possible drought or flooding, insects and other creatures. Those that survive are stronger and therefore have the strongest properties.

Know Your Herbs

Identification
I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Not all herbs are alike and many have toxic side effects. A misidentification could mean the difference between life and death. My goal is not to scare you off from wild-harvesting – instead I invite you to learn everything you can about a plant before you go out and harvest it.

For anyone who is considering wild-harvesting plants of any kind (or just simply has an interest) I recommend purchasing at least one (but preferably more) wildflower identification guides. If used correctly they will allow you to properly identify the plant in question. This does take some practice, but with time you could be at a 90-95% success rate. A list of book suggestions can be found below.

I also recommend signing up for some local herb walks or herb identification courses. Bring along a notebook and a camera. Take notes on the herbs you’re interested in and take photos for reference later on.

When it comes to flower/herb/plant identification there are two simple rules:

• If you don’t know what it is – DON’T TOUCH IT

• If you don’t know how it’s used – DON’T HARVEST IT

Medicinal Uses and Parts Used
Before heading off into the wilderness with your handy dandy books and your knife you must also know why you’re harvesting in the first place. Is it for food, for medicine or for drying herbs to make tea? Whatever the case may be it’s wise to know the properties of a plant (and their possible related toxicity) prior to harvesting it.

It’s also important to know which parts of the plants are traditionally used. For some herbs you will only use the flowers, others perhaps the root or rhizome. Being armed with this information is essential to successful harvesting. There would be nothing worse than arriving home with a bunch of leaves and flowers only to discover that the berries were traditionally used.

When to Harvest

Each herb has an optimal time in which it should be harvested. As a rule of thumb, if you are harvesting flowers and/or leaves, it is usually at the beginning of its flowering period. If you are harvesting roots, it tends to be in the fall (October to November). These, however, are just generalizations.

Sustainable/Ecological Harvesting

I would be amiss as a future herbalist to not discuss the proper and ecological way to wild-harvest herbs. Overharvesting plants of any kind is nothing but disastrous to the plant population and the surrounding ecosystem. When wild-harvesting it is always best to err on the side of caution. Here are some general guidelines to think about when you’re out in the field.

• Never harvest anything you don't need or plan on using. Also never harvest more than you need.

• The herb should not be rare or endangered. It should be common and abundant, not only in the area you are harvesting, but in the surrounding region as well.

• Only harvest from a plant if it (and the rest of the herbs in the area) look healthy. Just as people are susceptible to disease, so are plants. Rainy harvesting seasons can also cause mildew to form on some herbs. Watch out for this as well.

• Never take more than 5-10% of the plants in a particular area. More than this could stress out the species and decrease its chances for successful reproduction for the following year. Also, many plants spread by rhizome and if you harvest too much you risk killing the entire colony.

• If it looks like someone has been harvesting in the area before you – don’t harvest there. This may seem like a strict rule, but if you take 10% and the person before you takes 10% and the person after you... well you get the idea.

• Avoid harvesting the same herb from the same location every year. Give the species at least 2-3 years to recover and then go back to that area.

• Unless you grow it yourself you shouldn’t harvest in cities or other urban areas. They tend to be polluted and dirty. Also be wary of harvesting locations near farms – you don’t know what kinds of sprays and pesticides they may be using.

• Do not harvest from provincial parks and conservation land – it’s illegal.

What You Will Need

Each wild-harvester has their own method to harvesting. Tricks of the trade and individual flare will come with time and experience. Whenever I go harvesting I always have the following with me. Some of the items are essential (in my opinion) and others are just super duper extras!

• 2-3 identification guides
• A knife
• A compass and/or map of harvesting location
• Paper bags

• Camera

• Spring scale *

My teacher recommended the purchase of a spring scale and it has been a life saver! It is impossible for me to tell if I have 10 grams of an herb or 50! I am very careful to not harvest more than I need and the spring scale allows me to measure my herbs with relative accuracy while I’m out in the field. I always take a few extra grams to be sure and I’ve never arrived at home short! Here is where I purchased mine: Efston Science


Book Suggestions
Identification Guides

• Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide – Lawrence Newcomb

• Peterson Field Guides – Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs – Steven Foster & James A. Duke

• The ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario – Timothy Dickinson, Deborah Metsger, Jenny Bull & Richard Dickinson

Herbal Information Books

• Earthwise Herbal Series – Matthew Wood
• Holistic Herbal – David Hoffman
• Medicinal Herbalism – David Hoffman
• New Encylopedia of Herbs & Their Uses – Deni Bown
• Prescription for Herbal Healing – Phyllis A. Balch

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to email me or leave a comment.

Happy harvesting,

Correne

My Detox - Day 12 - The Finish Line!!

Day Twelve – My Thoughts, Reflections and Results

My twelve day journey through Wild Rose’s Herbal D-Tox has finally come to its conclusion. I am happy to report that the experience has been a mostly positive one – something worth repeating in the future. As with all life experiences, there were pros and cons to my cleanse/detox. I always like to save the best for last so we’ll begin with the cons.

The Cons

Everybody Poops... But Seriously Now!?!
I found this formula to be way too laxative! The herbal philosophy I’m being taught in school is one of least interference. We don’t want the herbs to do the work of the body, we want them to support the body’s natural processes. That being said, the use of no less than three stimulating laxatives in Wild Rose’s formulas was overkill. I can understand their desire to ensure that people’s toxins are being properly eliminated from the body, however if a person’s body doesn’t need stimulating laxatives to get the job done, then they shouldn’t be in the formula. They were too strong for both my husband and I. A bulk laxative like flax seeds would have done the job just fine!

Headaches and Breakouts and Fatigue, Oh My!
Although I was fully expecting some of the regular detoxing side effects with this particular kit – I still have to place it firmly in the con category. For me personally, the side effects were relatively mild and didn’t last very long (3 days tops). For someone who is inexperienced with cleansing or is especially toxic, these side effects would be a huge deterrent and moral killer. No one wants to feel like crap and most people won’t put up with those types of reactions even if the end result is a good one. I truly believe that you don’t have to feel like you’re detoxing to know you’re detoxing.


The Pros

Honey!! Do you know where I put that extra weight I lost?
Many people who are interested in doing a detox/cleanse kit want to see results in the form of weight loss. Shedding unwanted pounds is a measurable result that people can appreciate and understand. Sometimes the result of “you’re less toxic” just doesn’t cut it for people. Due to the combination of dietary changes and the herbal formula, Wild Rose’s kit delivers in this category. I lost a total of 6 pounds over the 12 days detox and my husband lost 7 pounds.

As a caveat I will say this – I completely expect some of that weight to come back as a few of the food categories are integrated back into our diet. As long as we do it properly, in moderation and continue to eat the same amounts of food the weight gain should be minimal.

Who Knew Mother Nature Was Such a Good Cook?
By far the best benefit I had during this cleanse was the experience of new foods, cooking and healthy eating. My husband and I (like many people) have often used two common excuses as to why we didn’t eat as healthy as we could – money and time. In twelve short days we discovered that wholesome, nutritious and healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive (it was actually cheaper) and it doesn’t really have to take more time (and the extra time it does take is more than worth it). Although we ate fairly well to begin with, we still consumed some processed foods and junk at times. Many people eat nothing but those food items because they believe that it will be cheaper, but when we cut out everything junk-like and processed we found our grocery bill dropping by almost 40%! We ate better, felt better and it was cheaper. That’s a tune that most people can appreciate!

The eliminatory diet also allows people to integrate food groups back one at a time. This gives the added benefit of discovering what your food sensitivities/allergies might be.

I’m So Buzzzzzed!!!
When I told my husband no caffeine, no energy drinks and no sugar he looked at me like I’d just grown a horn in the middle of my forehead. You’ve got to be kidding right? What do you mean I can’t have my “wake-up juice?” This part of the diet change could be a major obstacle for people, but I tell you folks, it is worth it in the end. One may think that 12 days just isn’t enough time to eliminate the need for these nasty vices, but the results will surprise you. Sure, at the beginning of the cleanse I would have given my right arm for some chocolate or ice cream. But now that I’m finished I don’t even desire sweets, caffeine or junk food. I have more energy now that I ever did consuming caffeine and I’m sleeping better to boot!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Has the Best Skin of All?
Well certainly not me! But I will tell you this, my acne and my eczema have both improved dramatically. Sure I suffered a few aggravation promoted breakouts in the beginning of the cleanse, but now that it’s over I can see a huge improvement in the appearance of my skin. I’ve had to deal with acne since I was a teenager and this was a most welcome change.


Well there you have it folks! My twelve day detox has come and gone. I’d like to thank everyone who supported me during this cleanse and for all of you who have followed me on my blog and fanpage. I really do appreciate it. If I’ve inspired even one person to cleanse/detox this spring then it was all worth it.



Until next time,

Correne

My Detox - Day 11

Day Eleven

Hello all! My apologies for the tardy post. I've just got in from a day spent in Waterloo and I am exhausted. I promise my Day 12 post will be much more exciting!! Thanks to everyone who has been following me on this journey and I will update you all on my last day of detox sometime tomorrow.


Good night (almost morning),
Correne

Pine Needle Basket Update

My pine needle basket making journey continues. I've finally finished the base of the basket and now I'm just starting the side. It's taking a lot more time and needles than I originally thought, but I'm loving every minute of it. Here are some updated photos for you to enjoy!

For those who are interested this is the website that I'm using for instructions.

If anyone else has started a basket making project I would LOVE to hear about it. Drop me a line at spiraeaherbs@gmail.com and tell me all about it!

My Detox - Day 10

Day Ten - Detoxing = Social Outcast?

Nothing in this life is entirely good or bad. I have experienced enough benefits from this cleanse/detox already, to know that it was worth whatever discomforts I may have had to endure. Most of the negatives I had expected. Many of the positives – weight loss, more energy, clearer skin, better sleeps – I had hoped for. But as with all things in life, I should have expected the unexpected.

Making drastic changes to your diet and lifestyle – both permanent and temporary – can be a hard adjustment. Cravings, headaches, frustration due to lack of options and of course hunger are just some of the obstacles that you’ll have to overcome. What I didn’t expect was how the other people around me have been affected by this cleanse.

I’ve gotten used to being a pain in the butt when it comes to social occasions. Being a vegetarian seems to be a major impediment for non-vegetarians to overcome – especially if I’ve been invited to dinner. No one ever knows what to cook and it always seems to cause copious amounts of stress. I usually end up with a frozen vegetarian lasagne and perhaps some bread. Now that I’m detoxing, even those options are off the table!

In the last ten days I’ve had no less than three people remark that my husband and I “picked a bad time” to cleanse. In each one of those situations my detoxing status had somehow become a burden to the other people I was with. Either they didn’t know what to feed me or we couldn’t go to such-and-such a place because she can’t drink alcohol right now. Somehow my cleanse had rained on other people’s parades!! Last night was the kicker when one of our friends said, “I can’t wait until you’re done detoxing so we can have fun again!” I will admit, I was insulted by the insinuation that I was somehow “unfun” because I couldn’t eat chips and get drunk. When did our society become so tightly bound to our junk food and alcohol?

So now I’m left feeling rather torn. I like how I feel when I’m cleansing. My mind and my body function better, I’m sleeping well, losing weight and my skin is finally clearing up. But I’ve come to dread social situations. The subject inevitably comes up because people ask you why you’re eating carrot sticks when there is cake and sweets to enjoy. It’s even harder when you would trade all the carrot sticks in the world for one bite of that damn cookie! So what happens if I want to make some of these changes permanent? Do I risk being a social outcast forever, or will people get used to the fact that I don’t eat this or I won’t drink that.

Tomorrow will be a whole other challenge, as I spend my last day of the cleanse at my father-in-law’s retirement party. Although I’m glad to be going, I am dreading the inevitable alcohol-ladened toasts that will be made and the needed explanations of why I’m turning down the cake and appetizers. Well you know what they say – whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!

Until then,

Correne

My Detox - Day 9

Day Nine – The Great Cheesecake War

Three more days until my Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox will be complete. Day nine was the hardest day of all for temptations. My husband and I went to my parent’s place to celebrate his and my mother’s birthdays. We brought our own dinner so we wouldn’t be enticed by barbequed burgers (veggie burgers in our case), but the desert proved to be a far more formidable opponent.

Once all the dishes were cleared away my mother plunks down not only one, but four types of cheesecake. Like a beacon in the night that cheesecake was guiding us back to our sugary home! The only saving grace was my brother, who told us that we weren’t really missing much and that it was rather bland. It was a kindness.... even if he was lying. We satisfied our sugar craving with fresh strawberries instead. Needless to say we won the battle against the cheesecake and I couldn’t be prouder.

For today’s recipe I’m going to share one of our favourite ways to make potatoes. This recipe is thanks to my friend Christy who gave it to me years ago.

Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes

2 lbs of new red potatoes (left whole is small – halved or quartered if large)
8 cloves of garlic – pressed/minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried rosemary

• Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
• Mix the garlic, olive oil and rosemary in a small bowl
• Place the potatoes in a shallow baking dish in a single layer
• Drizzle the oil, garlic and rosemary mixture on the potatoes & toss
• Roast uncovered for 40-50 minutes – turn half way through cooking

We’ve also done these potatoes in a frying pan as a part of a breakfast – usually with scrambled eggs.

A big thank you to everyone who is following me on my detox and a super huge thanks goes out to brother, who kept us away from cheesecake sin!

Until tomorrow,

Correne

My Detox - Day 8

Day Eight

Good morning everyone! I can’t believe that Day 8 has come and gone already. This detox is going by so fast! I’m happy to report that my energy levels are back to where they should be. My husband and I went out for four hours yesterday hiking and harvesting herbs. I never thought we’d be able to last the day, but we survived.

The other detoxification side effects have all but gone. No more headaches, my skin has cleared up (including my eczema) and most of my cravings are under control.

Yesterday I shared my recipe for my breakfast smoothie. Today I will share one of the salads I often make for lunch.

Chickpea Salad

14 oz can garbanzo beans/chickpeas (or the equivalent in soaked/cooked beans)
4 carrots
1 bunch scallions (green onions)
1 medium cucumber
1 red bell pepper, sliced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 tbsp lemon juice

• Thinly slice the carrots. Cut the scallions into small pieces. Thickly slice the cucumber and then cut the slices into quarters. Thinly slice the red bell pepper.

• Mix the vegetables and chickpeas in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge.

There are plenty of vegetables in this salad which are high in anti-oxidants and tons of other nutrients. The garbanzo beans are also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals as well as protein.

Thanks for reading and I’ll be back tomorrow!

Correne

My Detox - Day 7

Day Seven

Hi everyone! Instead of doing the same old entry about my side effects and symptoms (which have mostly remained the same at this point), I’m going to do the next few posts on some of the foods I’ve been eating.

In Day One’s post I mentioned that I’m on a fairly strict alkaline diet. That means no flour or bread products, no dairy, no gluten, no caffeine, no sugar (of any kind) and no processed foods. For many people in North America that list of no-no’s would eliminate half, if not all of their diet. So you must be wondering – “What do you eat then?!?”

When I first starting cleansing years ago the diet that accompanied most cleanse kits was a huge challenge for me. I found myself eating nothing but salad and feeling unsatisfied. I often got sick with a cold or flu while I was detoxing and I was constantly hungry. As years went on I invested more time in learning about different foods and how to cook them. I also got my hands a couple of vegan cook books that were huge lifesavers.

• How It All Vegan – Sarah Kramer & Tanya Barnard
• Garden of Vegan – Sarah Kramer & Tanya Barnard

So I guess what I’m saying is that I know it’s hard. When you first look at an alkaline food list you see more of what you can’t eat than what you can. If you stick with it and if you really care about detoxing and cleansing, you WILL get through it. To give you a bit of help I will post a few of the recipes I’ve made over the last few days.

My staple in any cleanse is my morning smoothie. It gives me tons of energy, it tastes great and it provides me with some essential nutritional requirements.

1 ½ cups of frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
1 tbsp flax oil
1 tbsp greens powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Unsweetened milk alternative (soy, almond, rice etc.) – add to until desired consistency is achieved
* I use Almond Breeze’s Unsweetened Vanilla (yummy)

Stick it all in a blender, whirl it up and viola, you’ve got breakfast!

For this cleanse I decided to go with Trophic’s Pure Essential Green Concentrate for my greens. I went with this one because it was in my budget and it was one of the few greens powders that didn’t have herbs in it.

The flax oil provides a healthy amount of good fat and the cinnamon not only tastes great, but it helps to keep my blood sugar stable until the next meal.

So there you have it folks! Day seven has come and gone and I feel fantastic! Thanks for reading and get out and enjoy the sunshine.

Until tomorrow,
Correne

My Detox - Day 6

Day Six

Hi all! I'd like to wish you all a most wonderful Earth Day!

I would have got to post this last night but unfortunately I sliced my thumb while making dinner last night. It made typing difficult... well frankly it’s still difficult this morning, but much more manageable now that the bleeding has finally stopped!

So my detox is officially half over – well at least the Wild Rose portion of it. It seems that the emotional side effects have completely taken over the physical ones. I’m not too sure which camp I liked better. Every time I have an emotional crisis (which is far too often for my liking), I have to take a step back and realise that it is most likely cleanse related. With Day five it had all to do with depression and sadness, but Day six’s theme was frustration and anger (which is directly related to liver cleansing). Luckily I was able to recognize and control my feelings (mostly) before I bite someone’s head off!

• Hunger – My appetite has completely adjusted to the new amounts of food I’m taking in. Less than six days of minor discomfort is not bad at all. I’ll have to remember this when people tell me they can’t lose weight because they don’t like going hungry. It doesn’t take long for the good ole body to adjust folks!
• Food cravings – Still having sugar cravings, but again I think that might be emotional cravings more than physical.
• Headache – Woke up with a headache, but that may have been due to the stress of my final exam and the fact that I dreamt about herbs all night!
• Muscle pain/tension – Things seem back to normal!
• Energy level – I was a little tired by the end of the day – but I’m attributing that more to stress than anything else.
• Emotional side effects – See above.
• Other detoxing side effects – No more breakouts on my face, but my eczema is crazy itchy!

Thanks again for reading my detoxing adventures. In my next post I will address the most common question I get when I do a cleanse like this: “What do you eat??”

Happy Earth Day!

Correne

My Detox - Day 5

Day Five




It’s so strange how life can suddenly flip flop. Yesterday was such a good day. I felt fantastic, had lots of energy... well today is an entirely different story. Thus far I haven’t really been affected emotionally on this cleanse (except for the sewing incident of course). I found it a little surprising since I’m such an emotional person normally. Today that all changed.



I woke up this morning feeling rather melancholy and depressed. I had a strange tightness in my chest that I couldn’t really explain. Every time I took a deep breath I would feel a tension/pulling feeling in and around my heart. For most of the day I sort of just wandered around the house. I had things to do but I just couldn’t get myself to do them... I was in quite the funk. This was problematic of course since I have a final exam tomorrow. I forced myself to study, but I would just end up reading the same sentence over and over again. Although I really do hope for brighter horizons tomorrow, in a way I’m glad I experienced this. Obviously I’ve got emotional baggage that needed to be tossed! Then again... don’t we all?

• Hunger – My hunger level was down significantly. I didn’t really feel like eating and when I did I didn’t have much of an appetite.

• Food cravings – The sugar monster is back in full force. Perhaps it had to do with my mood – I often crave sweets when I’m feeling sad or depressed.

• Headache – None to speak of.

• Muscle pain/tension – My entire body (especially my legs) felt tighter and more tense than usual.

• Energy level – Although I wasn’t tired exactly, I had no motivation to much of anything today.

• Emotional side effects – See above.

• Other detoxing side effects – No more breakouts on my face, but my eczema is crazy itchy!

Sorry for the downer post. Tomorrow is a brand new day and once 11:30 a.m. rolls around my exam will be done and in the past! That’s something to look forward to.



Until tomorrow,



Correne

My Detox - Day 4

Day Four

What do you do when life gives you lemon juice, avocados, tomatoes and onions? You make guacamole!

I’ve been experimenting with very simple recipes during this cleanse. Meals with lots of ingredients are more complex for the body to breakdown and digest. Right now all the systems of my body are working overtime to try and eliminate stored toxins. If I give my body a complex meal to digest, it’s only going to take energy away from detoxification actions.

All in all, today has been a good day. I actually got to work out! I jumped on the stationary bike for 35 minutes (I might have actually been able to do longer, but my assets were KILLING me) and I felt fantastic afterwards. I didn’t need a nap at all today, which is also great news. I was very productive – laundry, cooking, cleaning etc. – but I still found it hard to concentrate on school work and studying.

Some new symptoms revealed themselves today and some old ones seem to be gone for good:

• Hunger – I find myself hungry more often throughout the day, but it’s taking much smaller amounts of food to satisfy me.
• Food cravings – I thought about having something sweet once today and again if was after dinner. I am a desert person through and through.
• Headache – Zip, zilch, nada!
• Muscle pain/tension – Minor neck and shoulder pain – nothing to write home about.
• Energy level – Almost back to normal. I was able to keep busy, workout and study (sort of) all without the need of a nap.
• Emotional side effects – Felt fantastic today!
• Other detoxing side effects – The skin side effects have finally reared their ugly heads. My eczema (on a few of my fingers) has flared up and I’ve broken out slightly on my face. I’m fairly acne prone anyway, so I’m not surprised by this. I knew it was coming! Urination and laxative side effects remain the same.

A big thank you to all of you who are supporting me during this cleanse! It is hugely appreciated.

In good health,

Correne

Garlic Mustard Pesto

I got this recipe from Patches of M. Mugwump’s blog. Although I haven’t made the pesto myself, it sounds fantastic!

Garlic Mustard Pesto



3-4 cups of fresh garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) herb
½ cup of olive oil
½ cup of toasted pine nuts
½ cup of Italian cheese (Parmesan, Romano etc.)
2-4 cloves of garlic (to taste)

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor, whirl it up and enjoy!

My Detox - Day 3

Day Three

Hi all! Day 3 of my cleanse came to a close yesterday and so far I’m feeling pretty good. I will admit I did a lot of the leg work for this cleanse before it started and in hindsight I’m glad I did. I cut out most sources of sugar and all caffeine from my diet a week before I started the kit. This has helped immensely with any food cravings I might have had. For anyone doing a detox or cleanse I definitely suggest this prep work – it’s made a big difference!

On my food list from Wild Rose, I am allowed to have a small amount of white rice. So as a treat, my husband and I went out for sushi with some friends. We did everything right – avoided the tempuras (which was easier to do than I thought it would be) and had salad for an appetizer. We split two maki rolls (avocado, cucumber and red peppers), and a tofu dish. All in all it was a good experience and we left the restaurant feeling satisfied!

Day 3 in a nutshell:

• Hunger – I often amazed by the human body. I’ve quickly adjusted to eating smaller portions and I’m not feeling nearly as hungry as I did for the first two days.
• Food cravings – Still craving sugar a little and I also craved sushi... so I had it :)
• Headache – Had a slight headache after dinner but I drank a big glass of lemon water it went away.
• Muscle pain/tension – Some minor pain in my lower legs.
• Energy level – My energy level is still not quite where I’d like it. Had to take yet another short nap (20 minutes), but I also got a lot of sun so that may have affected my napping needs.
• Emotional side effects – No problems in this neighbourhood.
• Other detoxing side effects – Still urinating a lot. Remember how I said I’d was hoping for a change in the non-laxative effect of the pills... well I take that back! If today is like yesterday I may have to reduce my intake of the colon/laxative herbs. My focus and concentration were much better today – I actually got a decent amount of studying done yesterday.

Thanks for reading and I’ll do my best to post today’s results in a timely manner!

Correne

My Detox - Day 2

Day Two

Hiya folks! Day two of my Wild Rose D-Tox kit is almost complete. I’m happy to report that this day had fewer side effects than the first. I am a little surprised by this – I was expecting today and tomorrow to be the worst of the days... however I shouldn’t speak too soon. Tomorrow might be awful!

Here is day two’s rundown of side effects and reactions:

• Hunger – Still hungry, but I’m beginning to adjust to the lower amounts of calories I’m taking in.
• Food cravings – Less today than yesterday. I’ve really been craving sugar; especially after dinner (what I wouldn’t give for chocolate!). Luckily I planned ahead and made sure that there was nothing in the house with sugar in it. Probably a smart precaution because I just might have gone for something sweet if it were available.
• Headache – Again I’ve had a mild headache for most of the day. As evening approached the pain lessened.
• Muscle pain/tension – Neck and shoulder pain/tension was worse this morning, but as the day passed it got better.
• Energy level – Still down. I started the day with a hike, which may have proved to be a bit too ambitious for me. I’m used to working out three or four days a week, but with such low energy levels I might have to take it easy.
• Emotional side effects – I was okay today; no temper tantrums or hissy fits.
• Other detoxing side effects – I’m definitely noticing an increased need to urinate – most likely my body releasing water soluble toxins which is fine by me. The kit warned that the herbs may prove to be too laxative; however I’m noticing the opposite. Hope that changes!

I am hoping that the reduction of my side effects is a sign of good things to come. I think the hardest thing to deal with is my waning energy levels. I was fully prepared to handle insane food cravings, but being this tired all the time is taking its toll. I’m finding it more difficult to focus and concentrate – which isn’t a good thing because I have a final exam on Wednesday. That being said, I’m off to study the respiratory system.

Until tomorrow,
Correne

My Detox - Day One

Day One

Spring has sprung and the time has come for me to do my yearly detox/cleanse. This year I will be doing a combination of things. First I will be completing Wild Rose’s 12 day Herbal D-Tox Kit. After I’m done this kit I will follow up with tinctures from herbs I wild harvested myself.



So why the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox kit? Well there are a few reasons:

• When I was choosing herbal schools Wild Rose was in my top three. Because I almost went to this school, I want to experience one of their products for myself first hand.
• I also want to compare an over-the-counter herbal cleanse kit to tinctures I’ve made myself – check for differences in both results and side effects.
• Lastly I wanted to challenge myself. This cleanse kit is not for the faint of heart (or stomach). Since I’ve cleansed in the past I am fairly certain that I can handle whatever this kit throws at me – however, only time will tell.

A note about my diet during this cleanse. Wild Rose suggests a fairly strict alkaline diet to accompany their kit and do not suggest straying from this meal plan. Basically I have to cut out all flour products, sweets and sugar of any kind (including natural sources like honey), processed foods, dairy products and tropical fruit (sugar content is too high). As an additional personal goal I am also going to be eliminating all sources of caffeine as well. To make matters more complicated I am also a vegetarian so that narrows things down even more. Admittedly, I like my sweets. I wouldn’t call myself a full-blown addict, but cutting out sugar will probably be the hardest thing for me to do during these next 12 days.

As Day One draws to a close I am very surprised by the numerous side effects I’ve already noticed.

• Hunger – I am so insanely hungry, but honestly I was expecting this side effect.
• Food cravings – Chip truck fries, sushi and bubble tea (weird combination I know).
• Headache – I’ve had a mild, but persistent headache for most of the day. This also includes an increased sensitivity to light.
• Muscle pain/tension – Again this side effect is pretty mild, but noticeable, especially in the neck and shoulder region.
• Energy level – This is definitely down. My husband (who is also doing the same cleanse) and I came home for a day of errands and ended up needing an hour nap to recover from our hustle and bustle.
• Emotional side effects – Tonight while I was attempting to sew something I just lost it! My hand sewing leaves much to be desired and I guess I just couldn’t handle my imperfections this evening. I threw the sewing down and started blubbering like a child. I got over it pretty quickly and soon after that released it must be cleanse related (I’m emotional, but not THAT emotional!)
• Other detoxing side effects – I had a metallic taste in my mouth for most of the morning.

Well that’s day one out of the way. I’m heading off to bed with aches and hunger, but I bet I’ll sleep like a baby.

Until tomorrow,
Correne

To Detox Or Not To Detox, That Is The Question!

Detoxification and Cleansing

With warm weather and sunny days fast approaching, spring is certainly in the air. Traditionally this is the time of the year to clean house and to get rid of those old unnecessary things. Just as this is the perfect time to cleanse your home, it is also the perfect time to cleanse your body.

Cleansing and detoxing have become quite the trend in the natural health industry. As with all things that become trendy there is a sudden upsurge of available information and unfortunately not all of it is good or accurate. With every company under the sun rushing to come out with a new and revolutionary “cleanse kit” and with every practitioner having their say – it’s no wonder that people become overwhelmed with the plethora of information available.

I am a firm believer in people making their own decisions. That being said, decisions made with little or no information are not always the wisest course of action. My goal in this post is to give you some background information. Armed with the right knowledge you can forge your own path through the detoxing world confident that you’ll come out the other side!

So what exactly is this cleansing business and is it really necessary? In my humble opinion, it is crucial to the health of all people. In fact it is one of the simplest things that one can do to improve their overall health and wellbeing. Yet despite its ease, it is still an underutilized tool.

To explore the topic of cleansing we must start at the root of the issue – toxicity. Found in the pool of cleansing buzz words, toxicity is a major concern for all people regardless of health, status and physical location.

Toxins
Sure we’ve all heard about how bad toxins are for us and how they are all around us at all times, but what exactly is a toxin? Directly from my class notes...

Toxins: any substance that has the capacity to harm our body cells in some way or alter the physiological functioning of cells in a way that disturbs homeostasis.

Before you start scratching your head let me simplify. A toxin is a substance that has the ability to interfere with the proper and healthy functioning of our body. They can do this in a variety of ways. Toxins can block a cell’s ability to function, they can replace or interfere with components of cells, they can block, add to, or mimic the effects of hormones and they can cause oxidative damage to tissues. Needless to say they have the ability to reek havoc in our bodies.

Toxins can be broken down into two major categories – water soluble and lipid/fat soluble. Water soluble toxins can be easily dissolved into body fluids (blood and lymph). These toxins are fairly easy to eliminate from the body because our body fluids (urine and sweat) are easy to eliminate. All of the cells in our body are protected by a membrane that is made up of lipids. Thanks to this protective membrane, water soluble toxins have a tough time getting into our cells (which is a good thing).

Alternatively, lipid soluble toxins are absorbed into our body fat. These toxins can easily pass through cell membranes and can therefore cause damage both inside and outside the cell. The elimination of fat soluble toxins is not as efficient as water soluble. They are eliminated through the feces and sebum (oil on our skin), but this process is inefficient because a certain percentage of bile is always reabsorbed into the body. Where bile is reabsorbed, so are toxins. This allows lipid soluble toxins the ability to accumulate over time, building up to high levels in our body.

Eventually our body reaches a point when it can no longer deal with the toxic load. Those toxins are disturbing body functions and they are in such large amounts that the body can’t effectively eliminate them. When this happens our body needs a short term solution. Strangely it does what many of us do when we have an ever growing to-do list – it procrastinates. It sticks the toxins in fat cells to be stored and dealt with at another time. Although this seems fine and dandy in the short term, it is a solution that doesn’t serve the modern-day person. Most people just continue to accumulate more toxins and the old ones on the back burner never get eliminated.

Sources of Toxicity
Most of us are familiar with the more well-known forms of toxicity – air and water pollution, herbicides, lead etc. However many of us are unaware of the ability of toxins to hide in seemingly safe items. Here is a short list of some sources of toxicity.

Environmental
Environmental toxins are found in our soil, air and water supply. Sadly the impact of these forms of pollution is far reaching. Most of the world’s fruits and vegetables are grown in toxic (and/or dead) soil and watered from polluted sources. Cattle, pigs and chickens consume foods grown in those same conditions and since we now know that toxins are stored in fat... that’s right folks, they are still toxic when they land on your plate.

Indoor Pollution
The sources of indoor toxins are vast and varied. Many of our cleaning and personal care products are full of ingredients that we shouldn’t be using on, in, or anywhere near on our bodies. Most tap water is treated with chlorine which can irritate mucus membranes and kill off friendly bacteria in our body. It should also be noted that traces of pharmaceutical drugs can be found in tap water as well (they are found in urine and urine ends up in our water system and if that system can’t filter them out... ta da!).

Another source of indoor toxicity is off gassing. Off gassing is basically the slow release of gases that were trapped in a material of some sort. Carpets, laminate flooring, furniture, building materials, paints and other finishes are just some of the sources of toxic gases that we breathe in on a daily basis.

Food Sources
Most of the food sources of toxicity are as a result of the agricultural process itself. Many farmers still use a variety of chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, nitrates, fungicides etc.) in the growing of our food. Many of these chemicals have fat soluble constituents which can accumulate in our body over time. Unfortunately washing our produce only removes the surface toxins. Unless the fruits and vegetables are organic, they are most likely being grown in less than perfect conditions. The very cells of our food have toxins stored in them which can’t be washed away.

Channels of Elimination
We can marvel at the magnificence of the human body, but when it comes down to it, our bodies are basically machines. Just like a car, our body needs fuel to function. No one ever got far on an empty gas tank! And like cars our body creates waste products that need to be disposed of. A machine can only run as well as the fuel that’s used. I still chuckle at the folks who refuse to use bronze grade gasoline, but can down a bag of Doritos in five seconds flat!

Our body has many channels of elimination at its disposal. Most of us are familiar with at least two of them – our kidneys and our bowels (colon), but it may surprise you to learn that our body eliminates its waste products through much more than these two systems.

Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is a transportation system for lymph – a clear watery fluid. This system works with the blood circulatory system to help maintain a fluid balance in the body by helping to drain excess fluid, waste products and toxins out of the body. The lymph is filtered through a network of lymph nodes. These nodes also contain immune cells which help the body fight infections. Some toxins will be dealt with in this manner, but most travel through the lymphatic system and eventually end up in the plasma (the liquid portion of our blood).

Liver
I often refer to the liver as our body’s Brita filter, only instead of filtering water, our liver filters our blood. At any given time there is anywhere from 4.5 to 6 litres of blood circulating through our body. Every drop ends up at the liver to be filtered and processed. Although I use the Brita filter analogy to illustrate, the liver’s job is a little bit more complex. It has the ability to deal with a higher proportion of toxins because it has options on how to deal with them.

The liver will first try to break the toxin down into simple, non-toxic components (water, oxygen, carbon dioxide etc.). Unfortunately most toxins are too complex to be dealt with in this manner. If the toxin is water soluble, it will be sent it on its way to the kidneys to be excreted. If the toxin is fat soluble the liver will try to convert it to a water soluble toxin. It does this because, as we discussed earlier, the elimination of water soluble toxins is much easier and more efficient. If it can’t be made water soluble the liver has one option left – it will emulsify the toxin. This means the toxin will be mixed with a substance that dissolves in fat so it can be eliminated through the bowels.

Kidneys
As mentioned earlier, the role of the kidneys is to eliminate water soluble toxins. This system is quite efficient which is why the liver always tries to convert toxins into water soluble forms first.

Colon
When we talked about fat/lipid soluble toxins being eliminated through our feces, we were in fact discussing elimination through the colon. Although I have mentioned this before, it is an important fact to repeat. Elimination through the colon is not the most efficient eliminatory method our body has. This is because a certain percentage of bile is always reabsorbed and toxins often accompany the bile.

Lungs
Our lungs have the important job of getting rid of carbon dioxide – a waste product that we produce in abundance. If we have too much carbon dioxide in our body we could die. Although it is the major waste product released through this system, our lungs can also eliminate volatile substances (something that evaporates easily).

Skin
Our skin has the ability to release both water soluble toxins through sweat and lipid soluble toxins through sebum. Although it has the ability, the skin was not designed to eliminate large quantities of toxins. In fact it usually only occurs if our other eliminatory systems (liver, kidneys etc.) are being overworked and can’t handle their toxic load. It may also occur if the function of our other systems is compromised in some way (e.g. liver disease).

The Process of Detoxing
Now we’re armed with information. With this new found knowledge you may decide that you would like to give detoxing a try. Perhaps you are suffering health issues of some kind and are wondering if cleansing could help alleviate symptoms. Or perhaps you simply want to see if you can feel better than you do now. Whatever the motive, detoxing is a rewarding experience (if done correctly).

There are many options for cleansing. The choice depends on the level of your health and vitality, whether you’ve cleansed before and how much work/effort you are willing to put into it.

If you have never cleansed before or your health is not as it should be, a simple diet change may be all you want to do for your first cleanse. The diet changes usually involve taking out gluten containing foods, sugar (all forms), caffeine and processed food. For the more experienced cleanser you may wish to undertake one of the many detox kits available or perhaps even a juice fast.

My good friends at The Laundry Tarts (their website) posted an article not too long ago regarding the many detoxing options and products that are available. As opposed to reiterating their informative post, I will simply provide a link (Link). If you are keen on detoxing and want to give it a whirl this spring, I suggest reading it.

I know that undertaking any new adventure can be overwhelming. If you have questions at all or desire advice about cleansing and detoxing please don’t hesitate to contact me via email (spiraeaherbs@gmail.com).

Thank you for reading and happy cleansing!

Correne

Pine Needle Basket Project

Thanks to some inspiration from a former classmate of mine, I have undertaken the task the making a pine needle basket by hand. I will admit that at this point I am going for pure function - hopefully my next basket will be pretty :)

I've used the following website for instructions -Pine Needle Basket Instructions

If you go to the last page of instructions there is a link for a pdf file for the same set of instructions.

As my project progresses I will add more photos!

Wishing you good health,

Correne

Ginger

HERBAL INFORMATION - Ginger

Family: Zingiberaceae
Latin names: Zingiber officinale
Common names: Ginger, Root ginger
Parts Used: Rhizome; essential oil
Constituents: Volatile oil (1% to 3% - occasionally more), primarily containing the sequiterpenes zingiberene and β-bisabolene; oleoresin (4% to 10%), containing gingerols, gingerdiols, gingerdiones, dihydrogingerdiones, shogaols; lipids (6% to 8%) (1)

Description
Ginger is a tuber of a perennial plant. It produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers. This reed-like plant can grow to approximately one metre (3-4 feet) in height.

Most everyone is familiar with ginger, either by its scent, its taste or its medicinal uses. The cultivation of ginger is believed to have begun in Asia, but has since spread to parts of Western Africa and the Caribbean.

As a medicine, ginger was used in Indian, Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine traditions since the 1500s. Sometimes called Jamaica ginger, its use has spread worldwide, with many countries utilizing it in their traditional or folk remedies. In Africa it has long been used to kill intestinal parasites. The Burmese combine ginger with a natural sweetener, boil it and take it as a flu preventative. In China slices of cooked ginger are combined with brown sugar as a remedy for the common cold. In India, ginger can be used in tea form as a remedy for the flu and colds. In North American ginger is commonly taken in capsule form for nausea and motion sickness.

In cooking, ginger is used in anything from Indian, Chinese and Japanese cuisines to the making of candies, cookies and ginger ale.

Therapeutic Properties
Antihepatotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, antioxidant, antiprotozoal, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, antithrombotic, antiulcerogenic, aperient, cardiac, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, digestive, hypocholesterolemic, hypolipidemic, nervine, rubefacient, sialagogue, stomachic, vulnerary

Contraindications
Use with caution in pregnancy or if taking heart medication, nervous system medications and sedatives. Due to its pungency ginger should always be used in formulation in tincture form (maximum 5-10%). Topical use can cause reactions on sensitive tissues.

Medicinal Uses
Catalyst

• Excellent for adding heat to liver/gall, cardiovascular and digestive formulas

Epithelial

• Deeper tissues injuries (bruises, sprains, strains), cold extremities
• Other musculoskeletal conditions (arthritis, rheumatism)

Digestive System

• Poor appetite, indigestion, cramps, spasms, anorexia, gas, bloating, ulcers, nausea, motion sickness, dysentery

o Good for morning sickness – not to be taken on an ongoing basis
o Consult an herbal practitioner before using ginger tincture during pregnancy

• Inflammatory conditions (colitis, diverticulitis, mouth ulcers, sore throats etc.)

Respiratory System

• Sore throats, colds, flu, lung conditions (bronchitis, pneumonia), feverish conditions, coughs

Cardiovascular System

• Heart conditions, poor circulation, serious vascular conditions, high blood fats/cholesterol, blood clots

Essential Oil
Physical conditions

• Aching muscles, arthritis, cold symptoms, flu, nausea

Psychological conditions

• Self-acceptance, self-awareness

References:
AromaWeb - http://www.aromaweb.com
Class Notes – Living Earth School
Earthwise Herbal, The – Matthew Wood
Holistic Herbal – David Hoffman
Medical Herbalism – David Hoffman (1)
New Encylopedia of Herbs & Their Uses – Deni Bown

Scouting for Harvesting Locations

My husband and I went out looking for new harvesting locations for the upcoming season. Here are a few of the pictures we took on our hiking adventure.







Verbascum thapsus - Common mullein





Equisetum arvense - Common horsetail



Sumac - not sure which species though



Tussilago farfara - Coltsfoot flowers


Once again, all photography credit goes to my husband.

In good health,
Correne

Yarrow

HERBAL INFORMATION - Yarrow

Family: Asteraceae
Latin names: Achillea millefolium
Common names: Yarrow, Milfoil, Thousand leaf, Soldier’s Wound-Wort, Nosebleed plant
Parts Used: Flowers and leaves; essential oil
Constituents: Volatile oil (α- and β-pinene, borneol, bornyl acetate, camphor, α-caryophyllene, 1,8, cineole); sesquiterpene lactones (achillicin, achillin, achillifolin, millifin, millifolide); tannins, flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin, isorhamnetin, rutin); alkaloids (betonicine, stachydrine, achiceine, moschatine, trigonelline and others); phenolic acids (caffeic, salicylic); coumarins (1)

Description
Yarrow is a hardy flowering plant from the Aster family native to the Northern Hemisphere. Producing one to several stems, yarrow’s alternate leaves are largest near the bottom and middle of the stem. The flowers are arranged in flat top clusters with colours that range from light pink to white. There are approximately 31 species of yarrow. The information in this post pertains to Achillea millefolium specifically.

Yarrow has been used throughout history, mostly due to its astringent properties. Yarrow’s name (Achillea) is attributed to Greek legend about Achilles who was said to have used the plant to heal soldier’s wounds during the Trojan Wars. The use of yarrow in wartimes in is reflected in one of its common names – Soldier’s Wound-Wort.

Yarrow stalks have traditionally been used in many forms of divination. In the Chinese I Ching, an oracle would toss and then read yarrow sticks of varying lengths. It was said that Druids used yarrow stems as a method of weather prediction.

Today yarrow is used by herbalists all around the world from varying traditions and backgrounds. Many of its uses in Western herbalism stem from its long-established applications in the Native traditions of both Canada and the United States.

Therapeutic Properties
Antiallergenic, antibacterial, anticatarrhal, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiulcerogenic, antiviral, aperient, appetite stimulant, astringent, bitter, carminiative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hemostatic, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, stomachic, vascular tonic, vulnerary

Contraindications
Due to its emmenagogue properties it is not recommended in pregnancy and lactation. Use with caution if you are taking oral contraceptives or any heart or blood pressure medications. Some cases of hypersensitivity to yarrow have been reported.(1)

Medicinal Uses

Epithelial
• Topical conditions (cuts, bites, scrapes, stings, burns, infected wounds)
• Deeper tissues injuries (bruises, sprains, strains)

Vascular Conditions
• Spider veins, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, arteriosclerosis, nose bleeds, hypertension

Digestive System
• Poor appetite, indigestion, cramps, spasms, anorexia, gas, bloating, ulcers
• Inflammatory conditions (colitis, diverticulitis etc.)

Respiratory System
• Upper respiratory conditions (sinus infections, cold, hay fever, flu, fevers)
• Useful in childhood fevers however its taste is a deterrent to its use

Liver and Gall Bladder
• Congestion, inflammation, acute hepatitis

Female Reproductive System
• Amenorrhea and menorrhagia

Urinary System
• Cystitis, nephritis

Essential Oil

Topical Uses
• Hair care, hemorrhoids, scars, stretch marks, varicose veins

Physical conditions
• Indigestion, insomnia, menstrual cramps, migraines

References:
AromaWeb - http://www.aromaweb.com
Class Notes – Living Earth School
Earthwise Herbal, The – Matthew Wood
Holistic Herbal – David Hoffman
Medical Herbalism – David Hoffman (1)
New Encylopedia of Herbs & Their Uses – Deni Bown

Lavender

HERBAL INFORMATION - Lavender

Family: Lamiaceae

Latin names: Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula latifolia, Lavandula officinalis

Common names: English lavender, Common lavender, French lavender, Garden lavender

Parts Used: Flowers, essential oil

Constituents: Volatile oil (linalyl acetate, linalool, lavandulyl acetate, borneol, limonene, caryophyllene); coumarins (umbelliferone, herniarin, coumarin); triterpenes, flavonoids 1

Description
There are many species of lavender, however, Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula officinalis are the most commonly spoken of species in herbal medicine. Lavender is a small perennial shrub from the Mint family, growing to 1-2 metres in height. The leaves are evergreen and the purple flowers are arranged in tall spikes.

Although lavender can now be found all over the world, it originated in the Mediterranean basin. It has naturalized in North America and will grow in Ontario (zones 5-8), but it prefers slightly warmer winters.

As with many Western medicinal herbs, lavender has been used throughout history. Its name comes from the term lavare (“to wash”) – so coined by the Romans as they commonly used it to scent baths. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, the essential oil was used to disinfect hospital floors and walls during WWI. In modern days, much of its healing ability remains unknown to the average person. Instead we are familiar with its scent. Lavender essential oil and synthetic versions of it are used in anything from perfumes to fabric softeners.

Therapeutic Properties
Analgesic, antibacterial, anticatarrhal, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, anxiolytic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, choleretic, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, nervine, relaxant, rubefacient, tranquilizer, vulnerary

Medicinal Uses
Nervous system
• Anxiety, depression, headaches (including tension headaches & migraines), insomnia, nervous exhaustion, inflammatory conditions of the nerves

Digestive system
• Flatulence, bloating, indigestion, inflammatory conditions, cramping, poor appetite, motion sickness

Epithelial
• Skin conditions (acne, eczema)
• Topical conditions (cuts, bite, scrapes, stings, burns, infected wounds)

Essential Oil
Topical Uses
• Acne, arthritic pain, blisters, bites, burns, bruises, cuts, earaches, eczema, sprains, stings, sunburns)

Physical conditions
• Exhaustion, headaches, insomnia, migraines, nausea

Psychological conditions
• Depression, fear, hyperactivity, impatience, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, negativity, panic attacks, relaxation, worry


References:
Aromatherapy – Christine Westwood
Class Notes – Living Earth School
Earthwise Herbal, The – Matthew Wood
Holistic Herbal – David Hoffman
Medical Herbalism – David Hoffman 1
New Encylopedia of Herbs & Their Uses – Deni Bown

Herbal Sitz Bath

Today I finished making my very first batch of Mum & Babe Herbal Sitz Bath. Next weekend they are being delivered to my friend who runs a midwifery clinic in Orangeville. I’m super excited! Here are some photos of the whole process.

Enjoy,

Correne



Getting everything prepared.



Calendula flowers



Marshmallow root





Lavender flowers. They smelled divine!



The finished product!





All packaged and ready to go. Orangeville here we come!