Herbal Products

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Seeing Red Can Help Delayed Menses

Sometimes women in their reproductive years experience a delay in their menstrual cycles to other circumstances beyond pregnancy such as stress, excessive amounts of exercise, and change in diet. When experiencing a delay in the menstrual cycle, due to the above stated, a woman can turn to red for assistance.
Why red ?, one may ask..
In a woman...the reproductive system is governed by the root chakra..


As demonstrated in the picture. Red is the color of the root chakra. Therefore the color red stimulates the energy in the chakra, and the organs goverened by that chakra.
Stimulating this chakra therefore will bring on the menstrual flow. There are several red foods available, especially in the summer with yummy cherries, red grapes, strawberries,apples,rhubarb,pomegranate, and of course red raspberries which ease the pain associated with menstruation. A glass of ginger iced tea or a hot cup of ginger tea, wouldnt hurt either,even though the color of this root isnt red, it has a red taste to it, and brings on a delayed menstrual flow.



Laying red stones on the root chakra also assists this process. Good stones to use are bloodstone,garnet, and ruby. When used with a clear quartz, the energy of these stones are enhanced.



Other things to bring in the color of red to bring on the menstrual flow are red flowers,red clothing, red underwear, and red blankets.


Once the flow has been stimulated, these measures may be ceased, as not to over stimulate

Metaphysical Benefits of Breastfeeding

Metaphysical Benefits of Breastfeeding

By Afiya Orara

We have all heard about the physical benefits of breastfeeding on mother and child. Studies have shown that breastfeeding helps the new mother lose weight, is a natural firm of birth control, helps contract the uterus to pre pregnancy size, allows bonding with the baby. The advantages for the baby are getting the essential nutrients to build a better brain; the baby is also at a lower risk for developing allergies, colds, childhood illnesses, and childhood obesity amongst others.

But what about the metaphysical benefits of breastfeeding for mother and child? In my studies of the chakras, color therapy and other natural healing modalities. I have noticed that there are more benefits to breastfeeding than previously noted, and that the public is aware of. We all know where the breasts are on the woman. Between the breasts, is the area called the breast bone. The breastbone is one of the main energy centers of the human body, known as the heart chakra.

The heart chakra is the center from which feelings of love emanate. It is also associated with other virtuous emotions, such as joy, happiness, honesty, respect, compassion, understanding, and generosity, and with loving oneself in a sincere, non-egotistic way. This is also the chakra through which we connect with others whom we love or have affection towards. The color of the heart chakra is green and pink.

When a woman breast feeds her child. The child is feeding off of the aura of the heart chakra (pink and green) of the mother from which he/she was born, and is stimulating the heart chakra of his/her mother. Therefore the child is receiving orally, joy, happiness, honesty, respect, compassion, and understanding etc from the mother combined with the healing colors of the green and pink from the energy of the chakra.

..

The color pink is soothing. It is used in physical applications for the immune system. It is used to soothe feelings of anger and neglect; it awakens compassion, love, and purity. It is comforting to the emotional energies of the individual. It stimulates the thymus gland, and eases stress upon the immune system.

The color green is balance, growth, soothing. It is used in physical applications for the circulatory, sympathetic nervous system. It is the most predominant color on the planet. It balances our energies; it can be used to increase our sensitivity and compassion. It has a calming effect. It is soothing to the nervous system. It awakens peace. It balances the autonomic nervous system.

The child therefore receives all of this when breastfeeding. Of course no-one can see these colors with the naked eye unless specifically trained to see auras. If one took an aura photograph or had their aura read, they would see these colors of the heart chakra and some others as well.

When the child is breastfeeding. The child is keeping his/her mother's heart chakra balanced. The heart chakra when balanced causes peacefulness, heart problems are eased, the nervous system is healthy and balanced, and there is growth for the mother. There is also an acupressure point between the breasts on the breast bone known as CV 17. When stimulated, can be treated to ease depression, anxiety and breathing difficulty.

Last but not least, breast feeding also stimulates the crown chakra in the child. The mother's milk is a white. White has color benefits as well, and enhances the healing powers of the heart chakras green and pink colors.

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White is related to purification, purity, and amplification. White contains the entire light spectrum. It is strengthening. It is cleansing and purifying to the entire energy system. It awakens greater creativity. It stabilizes the energy system, and amplifies the effects of any other color.

White is also the color of the crown chakra, and is being stimulated by the ingestion of the white colored milk of the mother.

Located above the head, this chakra links individual and universal. The Crown chakra is associated with the pineal gland, brain and central nervous system.

The crown chakra is the body's primary co-ordination center. It ensures a connection to universal sources of energy and with the world as a whole. A balanced crown chakra allows for expanded awareness on an emotional level.

These are the reasons why formula will never be as good as breast milk, and why scientists cannot formulate a product that is even close to as good. The nutrients and the metaphysical aspects of breastfeeding can only come from the mother and not from any specialized formula. I hope that those who breastfeed or are thinking about breastfeeding can use this article as a useful tool and will pass it on to their friends

Low price of herbs vs High Price of No Insurance

Low price of herbs vs High Price of No Insurance
by Afiya Orara

A skill that most people do not have but could benefit from is knowing how to use herbs for medicine. Herbs have been around since the beginning of time, and were used for treating ailments long before modern doctors and hospitals came along. Herbs are easy to acquire, and much less expensive than modern day medicine.

People would benefit from having this skill in this day and age because the cost of medicine is on the rise, less people are employed, and even less has health insurance.

A large amount of people have bad credit due to having so many hospital bills. I know, I was one of them. My bills became astronomical, because I did not have insurance to go to the doctor when something as simple as bronchitis would ail me. Instead I would have to go to the emergency room, and pay one thousand dollars just to get cough syrup! One state is even considering making people without insurance pay more for health services. If people mastered the skill of learning how to treat ailments such as colds, flu, indigestion and similar ailments, they would be much happier. People would know how to treat their own minor ailments, incase they get laid off, and or lose their insurance. They would not have to pay one thousand dollars for a bottle of cough syrup, and wreck their credit. It is very easy to grow herbs in your backyard or on your windowsill.There are several books and classes for the herbal novice. There has been a big boom in herbal medicine education, since the start of the healthcare crisis in America, the cost of prescription medicine, and people not getting any relief from traditional medicine.

Even if someone does have a major ailment, and without a doubt has to go to a hospital to get treated, herbal medicine can speed up the healing process, and is a perfect compliment to western medicine. For example, my cousin had viral meningitis. It usually takes three weeks to overcome viral meningitis. She was given ibuprofen, and Vicodin to ease the pain, and no antibiotics since it was viral. I bought her some items to reduce the pain, and help her body get the virus out of her body. Instead of the usual 3 weeks, she only needed one to heal from the ailment. Herbs are also good to use for antibiotics, incase you have developed a resistance. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise, due to the abuse of antibiotics, strains of bacteria becoming resistant to traditional antibiotic treatment, and doctors over prescribing antibiotics for something like a cold. This can have detrimental effects on humans. Deaths, and unnecessary complications from treatable diseases could be nipped in the bud, if doctors and others became open minded to using herbal antibiotics. Another advantage of herbal antibiotics, is that one cannot develop a resistance to them For example, say a person has developed gonorrhea, and has developed a resistance to the traditional treatment of penicillin or tetracycline or perhaps any other traditional antibiotic. They can use a blood building tea that contains herbal antibiotics can kill off the bacteria, as well as using garlic on a daily basis for a good period of time which is even more powerful than tetracycline. Which means you can treat it with garlic which is 3 bulbs for one dollar, and tetracycline can cost upwards of 20 dollars, or more without insurance. There is even herbal birth control. Herbal birth control is just as effective as the pill and other types of birth control. The advantage is that this type of birth control is readily and easily reversible, unlike its mainstream counterparts, which can cause long term infertility. Herbal birth control is also readily available as well. So as you can say, herbs are the earth's pharmacy.

Learning how to use herbal medicine as well as create can improve math and science skills. It will improve your math skills because you will learn how to perfect herbal formulas. It will improve your science skills, because you can learn how to identify medicinal plants. Learning how to use herbal medicine will also make you more open minded towards using other healing modalities such as crystal therapy, yoga, and aromatherapy among many others. How many herbs have you seen pulled off of the market? Not many, right? Unlike traditional medicine, they are usually safer to use, even though you have to treat them like any other medicine, and use them properly, readily available. They do not cause horrendous side effects, and are gentler on the body.

There are many benefits to using herbs, and I hope you will experience them.

Red Raspberry Leaf

Red Raspberry Leaf©
by
Afiya Orara©




If I could only recommend one herb to females, it would be red raspberry leaf. Red raspberry leaf nurtures the woman from menustration to pregnancy to menopause. Red raspberry leaf tones a weak uterus, eases/and or prevents menstrual cramps,regulates the menstrual cycle,prevents miscarriage,eases child birth,promotes healthy lactation. Susan Lark M.D states that red raspberry leaf contain calcium,magnesium,iron and vitamin E. Lark also states vitamin E is essential for fertility,& reducing menstrual pain. Magnesium optimizes calcium,effects the neuromuscular system in reducing cramps. Lark states again that calcium helps prevent cramps by maintaining normal muscle tone,and combats insomnia due to menstrual discomfort. Iron helps to prevent anemia which causes menstrual cramps. Red raspberry leaf is also easy on the tastebuds, has a delightful herbal flavor, and is an easy herb to find.
I can attest to the power of red raspberry leaf. From the time I was eleven years old until I was twenty three, I had horrible menstrual cramps that cost me days at school, lost hours at work, and emergency room bills. I felt immobilized, cursed to be a woman, I just wanted the pain to stop. I got tired of taking two 800mg motrin just to get relief,and sometimes that didn't even help. I decided to go the herbal route, I spent days looking up herbs,to put an end to the pain. So the day, I came across information on the red raspberry leaf, I was blessed! I went to my local healthfood store and purchased just a small amount,to see if it worked. I made an infusion of the herb daily for a week before my cycle was due. The cramps eased greatly. The pain was still there,but not enough for a motrin,or tylenol, maybe just a heating pad for a couple of minutes. I then moved to purchasing a large amount of the herb,and began to drink it daily through out the month. The results were incredible. The menstrual cramps ceased, my menstrual flow lessened considerably. I knew I would no longer go without my red raspberry leaf tea daily. I also began recommending this wonderous herb to women that I knew suffered from this common ailment. They were impressed. So if you or the woman you know is suffering from menstrual maladies,want to ease pregnancy or ease menopause, or just want to mantain reproductive health, red raspberry leaf is the herb for them. A healthy diet will increase the effectiveness of the herb,and men if you are reading this article, and want to introduce this herb to the lady in your life, have a cup with them, red raspberry leaf increases your fertility as well,& nourishes the male reproductive system,
To make a red raspberry leaf tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of herb and steep for ten minutes. Drink 2-3 cups daily.
Enjoy!

Herbs For Each Astrological Sign

Herbs can be mixed and combined to produce a "recipe" that's just right for each of us. Since the Sun sign you were born under has such an amazing influence on your health and well-being, using the herbs that correspond with that sign alone can be a tremendous help in times of stress or illness.





Here's a short list of herbs that seem to be tailor-made for each of the
signs, due to their associations with both the planetary ruler and the positive qualities of that sign.





Aries - Mars

Allspice, basil, cayenne, garlic, ginger, mustard, onion, pepper.




It's no secret that Aries is the astrological equivalent of a bullet.




It's a red-hot burst of energy that's capable of overcoming any
obstacle by charging straight for it.



The ruler of Aries is Mars, the "red"
planet, the ancient god of war who was known for his equally fiery
temperament.



No wonder, then, the herbs that correspond with your sign
are also a bit "hot" to the taste.



Use them in cooking to raise your
endorphins, the substance Mars loves best.





Taurus - Venus

Apple, apricot, blackberry, cherry, heather, hibiscus, raspberry, rose.




Taurus is the sign that's fondest of the pleasures that life inside
these bodies can provide.



Whether it's a blazing sunset, a symphony by
Mozart, or a delicious meal, you folks are experts at enjoying the
physical delights of the senses.



It's no surprise that the herbs you'll
enjoy most are the sweet ones, since your planet, Venus, is the
purveyor of sweetness. Use each of them to satisfy that sweet tooth.





Gemini - Mercury

Clover, eyebright, fennel, lemongrass, lemon verbena, marjoram, parsley.




Your quick-witted, fleet-footed energy just loves variety - in fact, the
expression "variety is the spice of life" was written with you in mind.




Each of these herbs provide a different type of taste, and most can be
combined in a light, aromatic tea you can sip on the run.



Use clove or
slippery elm to protect against gossip and to keep your thoughts and
actions grounded.





Cancer - Moon

Aloe, lemon balm, chamomile, mimosa, lavender, lilac.




Nurturing is your business, Cancer, and you distribute your soothing
touch to one and all.



There's nothing you like better than a home that
smells good, too, whether it's because there's something wonderful
simmering on the stove, a vase of fresh flowers on the dining room
table, or a warm, fragrant bubble bath waiting for you upstairs.



Each
of the herbs listed above are known for their ability to calm, heal, or
bring a wonderful aroma to the environment.



Use aloe to soothe burns
and scrapes and chamomile for a wonderful bedtime tea.





Leo - Sun

Chicory, cinnamon, goldenseal, rosemary, St. John's Wort, sandalwood.




Your planet is the Sun, Leo, the source of life and warmth that keeps
us all alive and provides us with the energy we need to keep pursuing our
life's quest.



It makes perfect sense, then, that the bright, cheerful
sunflower would be the perfect representation of your equally bright
and happy sign. Herbs like goldenseal and St.



John's Wort are tailor-made
for you, too, since their ability to keep the body resistant to illness
and depression are well known.



Mix a bit of chicory with your morning
coffee to help remove any obstacles that come up.





Virgo - Mercury

Caraway, dill, eyebright, horehound, lily of the valley, marjoram, savory.




Your quick-thinking meticulous sign likes nothing better than a mental
challenge, Virgo, whether it's organizing a pile of papers at the
office, solving a puzzle, or learning a new skill.



The herbs listed
above are all well known for their subtle abilities to strengthen the
mind, and many can be mixed together in teas to give you a boost you
often need at the end of a long day.



The lily of the valley seems
perfect for you, too, with its subtle, "clean" scent and delicate flowers.





Libra - Venus

Catnip, passion flower, persimmon, rose, sugar cane, violet.




There's no sign as fond of pleasing others as yours, Libra, whether it's
by saying just the right thing to bring warring factions together, or by
using your polite charm to draw the object of your desires closer.



Of
course, catnip is famous for its effects on our feline friends, but its
also traditionally used in conjunction with rose petals to bring loving
relationships that last forever.



Since you're ruled by Venus, you're
capable of being every bit as sweet as the sugar cane - but if you need
a bit of help to attract a beloved, use this potent plant (sugar cane)
that's long been used to conjure love - sweetly.





Scorpio - Pluto/Mars

Ginseng, dill, patchouli, pomegranate, saffron, vanilla.




As fond as you are of intensity and intimacy, Scorpio, it's no wonder
the herbs you'll love best are famous for their use in stirring up
passion.



Drink ginseng tea (or offer some to your beloved) to induce a
magnetic physical attraction.



Wear patchouli to arouse lust and silently
conjure the magic of the Beltane rituals.



Present the object of your
desire with a pomegranate, the fruit traditionally associated with
seductive Pluto, your ruling planet.





Sagittarius - Jupiter

Anise, clove, fig, hyssop, mugwort, myrtle, nutmeg, rosemary, sage.




There's no sign that hangs on to youth with more fervency and
determination than yours Sagittarius.



To keep that youthful appearance
and disposition going as you travel the world in search of yet another
experience, drink a tea made of anise, rosemary, and Vervain.



To aid in
making your dreams more prophetic than they already are, use mugwort.




Burn clove incense to attract the wealth you'll need to pay for your travels.





Capricorn - Saturn

Comfrey, horsetail, mint, poppy, sassafras, woodruff.




You've always been described as a very "focused" sign, Capricorn, intent
on self-sufficiency and material success.



The influence of your planet,
Saturn, gives you the ambition and self-discipline to attain those
goals, and to ensure success and prosperity in business matters, too.




Each of the herbs mentioned above are known for their ability to attract
that success, and most can be mixed together in a tea.





Aquarius - Uranus/Saturn

Anise, bittersweet, citron, dandelion, lemon verbena, rosemary, sage.




Your sign is a cerebral one, Aquarius, and your ability to turn "odd" or
eccentric ideas into strokes of genius is well known.



Since
communication (and mass communication in particular) is your specialty,
the herbs above are all associated with the air principle, which rules
the intellectual side of life.



To increase your already powerful
intuition, use citron, clover, or rosemary.



Above all else, listen to
that intuition. It will seldom prove to be wrong.





Pisces - Neptune/Jupiter

Aloe, bay, cotton, eucalyptus, lavender, Norfolk Island pine, rue.




As the most sensitive and psychic of all signs, Pisces, yours is the one
that requires help to ward off the adverse thoughts and intentions of
others.



Since you have no boundaries to keep you separate from others,
you also need protection against negative influences.



To that end, use
rue, a powerful herb known to ward off ills of every kind.



To stay
positive and healthy keep a lavender plant growing either outside or inside your home.



To Purchase any of the herbs mentioned, leave a comment with your email for an invoice or email
afiyaorara@yahoo.com

Purifying with White Sage

Purifying of the vibrations of the home, and ourselves is good to do on a regular basis. People enter our homes, we enter other people's homes...are out amongst the public..Collecting different amounts of energy...some good some bad..that we need to cleanse from our bodies. We can use white sage for that..
White sage is also great for purifying our crystals before use..so that they may be clear and charged for our sacred intentions...
Sage is sacred to the Native Americans...Here is a piece on the sacred white sage....

SACRED WHITE SAGE
A way to clear negativity...
By Eileen Nauman

Copyright 2004-2005 Eileen Nauman
All Rights Reserved

Every Nation has its sage for ceremonial purposes. I was shown specific white, 'female' patches of sage a long time ago by my medicine man teacher, who was western Cherokee.

Sage is used for clearing negativity--inside and outside ourselves, and from our dwellings, a room, an office, an attic or any other type of structure. We use it to cleanse our auras, too, when we have a 'bad hair day' and we're carrying around a lot of junk that we want to get rid of in a hurry.

Sage emits negative ions; just as a waterfall or running water, emits the same thing. This is why, when people are near running water, they always feel cleaner, cleaned off or just 'better' for seeming no reason at all. But there is a deeper reason. Our aura holds positive ions, much like a carpet when you walk across it, creates static electricity. Only, these positive ions are like dust in our aura and it simply makes us feel sluggish, tired, or just not our usual frisky, peppy self.

The smoke from the sage meets the positive ions, clings to them and neutralizes them out of our aura, or from the room or house where you live or work.

PROTOCOL FOR THE USE OF WHITE SAGE

Let me take you, step-by-step, on how to utilize a wand or stick of sage:

The first rule is this: once the sage is lit, you do not stop it from burning. The spirit of the sage knows just how much negativity or positive ions are around and it will burn accordingly. When the ions have been neutralized, it will cease burning on its own. You can tell how 'bad' it is by the quality of the smoke the smudge stick emits: thin, light smoke indicates the place or person is fairly clean. Thick, rolling white smoke means the place or person has a lot of positive ions or negativity around them and it needs this thicker smoke to deal with it. If you are done smudging, then set the bowl on your electric or gas stove and let it burn itself out until it is done. Under no circumstances are you to put it under water to douse the smoke or do something to stop it from burning. The spirit of the wand knows what is needed, and where. If you watch the smoke, you will see it drift to a particular part of the room, car, or person because that is where the healing/catalyzation of energy needs to be done and accomplished.

1. Always have a heat proof bowl to put the sage in, after it has been ignited. We use an abalone shell; but any piece of thick, fired pottery (or even a Pyrex bowl) will do. If you are using a bowl, you may well want an oven mitten on you hand to prevent burns because sage burns HOT. It is the spiritual nature of it to do so. Do not use a container that is not bake or tempered for high heat--it will crack it and it could cause a fire. Do not use anything metal, because heat is conductive and you will get burned.

2. Be safe. Do not have doors or windows or a fan on when you "smudge" yourself, a room or your house. It can blow sparks out of the bowl and onto the floor or surrounding area. Don't be wearing billowy, long-sleeved blouse or shirt when you fan the smoke. Don't have long hair draped down near the bowl with the smudge stick being held in it. Be common sensed about this.

3. Light the sage with a match at the very tips of the leaves on top of the wand. Once they flame to life, then blow them out quickly. We use a feather fan to do this, but you can use a piece of stout paper or even cardboard or a paper fan. It's important to NOT let it blame and burn. Once it is lit, and the flame is blown out, it will smoke thinly or thickly, afterward. The catalyzation comes with the smoke, not the flame.

4. Place the lit, smoking top of the wand of sage deep down inside the bowl and steady the rest of it, on the stick portion at the other end, with your other hand.

SMUDGING A ROOM

Keep the windows and doors closed to the room you have chosen to smudge. You can take a fan or a small piece of cardboard and start in one corner of your room, and gently waft the smoke after it clears the bowl, from the floor, up, toward the ceiling. Do this in a clockwise circle in each corner of your room. When you are done with the fourth corner, move to the center of the room, raise the bowl chest high and waft smoke up toward the center of the room. You are now done. When you leave the room, shut the door behind you. When you go back in an hour later; you'll see that the room feels better and is even "lighter" appearing to your eyes than before.

SMUDGING A HOUSE

If you are doing a complete house, then do each room in this fashion. Do not miss a room. Get all of them. If you want only one room done, then close the door behind you and smudge the room--and leave the smoke in that room--do not open windows or doors to let it out. It will dissipate surprisingly swiftly. You can also smudge your garage and basement in the same, above manner. Just make sure the garage door is closed and that the door leading to the basement is closed while smudging and closed after you depart from it.

SMUDGING YOURSELF

Bend over, so that the bowl is about the level of your feet and ankles. Gently waft the smoke, with your fan, upward. As you slowly unbend and straighten up, you are bringing the sage/bowl and fanning the smoke up, up, upward until you've sent the smudging smoke up above your head. You are now "smudged" and clean, as we say.

SMUDGING AN ANIMAL

Take care not to burn the animal, or have sparks fly out on their coats or hair. Start at their head and gently waft the smoke from their feet to their head, and then move back, over their spinal area, and to their rear feet/tail region. They are now smudged.

SMUDGING AN OBJECT

If you have a piece of jewelry given to you, an heirloom piece, or something that you love, but it has "bad vibes" or just a bad feeling on it, then you can do the following: Lay it out on a table or some place where it is flat. Start at one end of the piece and gently fan the smoke across it, so that the smoke covers and flows across the entire piece. When it's done, let it sit for 24 hours, and then you can use it. The feeling/vibes will be very different. On a stubborn piece, you might have to do this 2 or 3 times, once a day, to get it entirely cleansed.

USING IT AS A TEA

I was taught to take 3 leaves, crinkle and break them up and put them into the bottom of a tea cup. Pour boiling water over them and let it steep 10 minutes. You can then drink it and eat the leaves. This is used to break a fever, induce a sweat and we drink this during a sweat lodge to cleanse ourselves of our inner negativity and darkness. If you're feeling bad, sometimes a cup of white sage tea helps a lot. Drink only one cup in a 24 hour period.

A SAGE BATH--AHHHH...

One of the nicest things you can do for yourself is crinkle up an entire wand or one ounce of dried leaves, into your bathtub. Fill it with warm to moderately hot water (don't burn yourself). Then, settle down into this big cup of tea for about 10-15 minutes. The sage is a natural cleanser and your physical body and aura both get cleaned up this way. It is particularly wonderful after a highly stressful time.

****Do Not Use During Breastfeeding/Pregnancy...**** Will Dry up Breast Milk!!!!



$30.00 Per Lb plus shipping

Eczema Salve

I have created a beautiful salve for any body suffering from eczema, or any skin irritation. I make it freshly every week :) It's made from calendula, olive oil, shea butter, beeswax and vitamin e oil.
Calendula is good for:


Calendula, more commonly know as Marigold, is one of the most common herbs and can be found growing in people's homes throughout North America and Europe. The colorful petals of the calendula have been used in herbal preparations for hundreds of years.In the past, calendula flowers have been used on injuries to reduce inflammation and as an antiseptic against infection. It has also been used as a remedy for a variety of skin problems ranging from skin ulcerations to eczema. Taken orally calendula has been used to sooth stomach ulcers and inflammation. It has been reported to be effective in fighting fever, boils, abscesses, and recurrent vomiting. As a tea, it has been used for relieving conjunctivitis. The salve or dilute tincture of calendula has and continues to be used in connection with bruises, sprains, pulled muscles, sores, and more.

Medical indications of calendula

Calendula has been used to treat a variety of skin disorders, ranging from skin ulcerations to eczema. It has also been used to sooth stomach ulcers and inflammation. Today Calendula is still used by many for the medicinal and health related effects it offers. Flavonoids, found in high amounts in calendula, are thought to account for much of its anti-inflammatory activity as well as medicinal effects. Triterpene and caretonoids are two other constituents of calendula that may play an important role in the herbs medicinal applications.


Olive Oil is good for: Anti aging, good for moisturizing skin, makes it supple

Shea Butter is good for:

- Helps heal scars, burns, and stretch marks.

- Prevents ashy skin, chapping, and skin rashes.

- An ideal hair dressing that protects the scalp from sores and rashes and prevents dandruff.

- Helps prevent weak hair from breaking, fading, or thinning out.

- Fortifies cuticles and nails.

- Helps bruises to heal.

- Helps drain toxins from sore muscles: perfect for sports participants.

- Helps prevent skin irritation for babies: used for generations to help babies sleep better.

- Use after shaving to prevent irritation and restore skins natural luster.

- Ideal for dry skin, dermatitis, eczema, sunburn and athletes foot.

- Rejuvenates skin pores and adds elasticity to skin.

- Firms up aging skin and helps clear wrinkles.

- Massage shea butter into areas affected by arthritis, join pains, or other muscular ache.

- Naturally contains vitamins A and E.

Vitamin E Oil is good for:Antioxidant Anti-Aging Sun Protection and Sun Burn Treatment Treatment of Skin Diseases Treatment of Scars Skin Cancer

• vitamin e products help reduce the appearance of stretch marks
• vitamin e can help prevent the appearance of age spots
• it helps maintain the skin’s oil balance during the cleansing process
• it reduces transepidermal water loss from skin and strengthens the skin’s barrier function

Small Calendula Salve Tin $7.00

Soothe Your Nerves with Oatsraw and Lemon Balm

There are two herbs that I love to use when my nerves are frazzled, and I feel like I am at the end of my wick..they are oat straw and lemon balm. Both are great for soothing the nerves, and restoring balance at the end of the day or whenever you need a pick me up.

Oat straw is the first herb. Oat straw is a tonic for the nervous system. It soothes, and helps one feeling depressed or stressed. It builds bones, full of magnesium and calcium, and all the other properties of the good oatmeal that you eat in the morning. To make a cup of soothing oat straw tea, take 1 tablespoon to 8oz of hot water,and steep for thirty minutes.
If you want to use it in a bath, strain and add to bath water for a quick uplift and soothing skin softener.












Lemon Balm is another favorite soothing herb of mine. It has the properties of mint, with a nice lemony flavor. Mix it with some oat straw to soothe your nerves in bath or tea to help you ease your mind

My 5 Part Health Series on Solution's Now Radio

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Solutions_Now_Radio/

Gardening helps everyone in the family

By Afiya Orara

Gardening is a beautiful activity, which can benefit everyone on more than an aesthetic level. Inviting gardening into the family life can be beneficial on a wide scale. Teaching gardening to children can benefit them from infant hood and beyond and supplement their education whether it is public or home school. In infant hood, children that are exposed to gardening during this age period can learn different textures. Have your infant child feel the soil in their hands, brush a smooth rock on their legs, let them touch the leaves of different plants. In toddler hood, gardening can help children fine tune their motor skills, by learning how to grasp garden tools that are age appropriate and safe for them such as small shovels, to add soil or other nutrients to your garden. Preschool age children can learn how to plant seeds, the alphabet with simple plant names; school age children can learn how to track bean and other seeds’ germination, the names of plants, learn how to think scientifically, and learn math skills. Women when gardening, stay in touch with their sacred feminine energy by working with the feminine energy of the earth.

Men will also get in touch with their feminine side, which is done by tending to the plants, and looking out for their well being. They will even get in touch with their reproductive systems, by seeing how the seed when planted in the earth produces, just as when the sperm when planted in the egg of a woman and then that egg plants (roots) into the woman’s uterus (like the soil), produces a child.

Gardening also has benefits on a health level. Standing barefoot on the soil for a few moments will reduce electromagnetic pollution in the body, which is caused by the body absorbing the electricity of the televisions, computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. Standing barefoot in the soil also grounds a person. Grounding is important; it aligns your mental, spiritual, and physical being, and your personal power.

Gardening is also good for stress relief, by it being a quiet place for one who tends to it, to become peaceful, as they feel the dirt, and see how their plants are growing

Gardening has also been found to be therapeutic for people who have suffered from trauma, alcoholism, and birth defects.

I hope this article gives you more reason to garden., and don’t worry about if you don’t have a lot of space, even a container garden, or plants within the house provide the same benefits, just use your creative powers to make it work best for you! If you want to learn more about gardening, visit your local library, or find out when your local gardening club holds meetings.

Recommended Sites

www.ahs.org/ (American Horticultural Society)

www.ahta.org (American Horticultural Therapy Association)

www.kidsgardening.com (Gardening Activities with Children)

Health Benefits of Dandelions

Health Benefits of Dandelions

Order Dandelion from the leaflady's garden through N22 Nutrition

By Peter Gail

Suppose your doctor tells you, on your next visit, that he has just discovered a miracle drug which, when eaten as a part of your daily diet or taken as a beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of your body chemistry:

prevent or cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis or jaundice;

act as a tonic and gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise improve gastro-intestinal health;

assist in weight reduction;

cleanse your skin and eliminate acne;

improve your bowel function, working equally well to relieve both constipation and diarrhea;

prevent or lower high blood pressure;

prevent or cure anemia;

lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half;

eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and gas buildup by cutting the heaviness of fatty foods;

prevent or cure various forms of cancer;

prevent or control diabetes mellitus;

and, at the same time, have no negative side effects and selectively act on only what ails you. If he gave you a prescription for this miracle medicine, would you use it religiously at first to solve whatever the problem is and then consistently for preventative body maintenance?

All the above curative functions, and more, have been attributed to one plant known to everyone, Taraxacum officinale, which means the "Official Remedy for Disorders." We call it the common dandelion. It is so well respected, in fact, that it appears in the U.S. National Formulatory, and in the Pharmacopeias of Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, and the Soviet Union. It is one of the top 6 herbs in the Chinese herbal medicine chest.

According to the USDA Bulletin 8, "Composition of Foods" (Haytowitz and Matthews 1984), dandelions rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall nutritional value. Minnich, in "Gardening for Better Nutrition" ranks them, out of all vegetables, including grains, seeds and greens, as tied for 9th best. According to these data, dandelions are nature's richest green vegetable source of beta-carotene, from which Vitamin A is created, and the third richest source of Vitamin A of all foods, after cod-liver oil and beef liver! They also are particularly rich in fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and the B vitamins, thiamine and riboflavin, and are a good source of protein.

These figures represent only those published by the USDA. Studies in Russia and Eastern Europe by Gerasimova, Racz, Vogel, and Marei (Hobbs 1985) indicate that dandelion is also rich in micronutrients such as copper, cobalt, zinc, boron, and molybdenum, as well as Vitamin D.

Much of what dandelions purportedly do in promoting good health could result from nutritional richness alone. Vogel considers the sodium in dandelions important in reducing inflammations of the liver. Gerasimova, the Russian chemist who analyzed the dandelion for, among other things, trace minerals, stated that "dandelion [is] an example of a harmonious combination of trace elements, vitamins and other biologically active substances in ratios optimal for a human organism" (Hobbs 1985).

Recent research, reported in the Natural Healing and Nutritional Annual, 1989 (Bricklin and Ferguson 1989) on the value of vitamins and minerals indicates that:

* Vitamin A is important in fighting cancers of epithelial tissue, including mouth and lung;

* Potassium rich foods, in adequate quantities, and particularly in balance with magnesium, helps keep blood pressure down and reduces risks of strokes;

* Fiber fights diabetes, lowers cholesterol, reduces cancer and heart disease

risks, and assists in weight loss. High fiber vegetables take up lots of room, are low in calories, and slow down digestion so the food stays in the stomach longer and you feel full longer;

* Calcium in high concentrations can build strong bones and can lower blood pressure;

* B vitamins help reduce stress.

Throughout history, dandelions have had a reputation as being effective in promoting weight loss and laboratory research indicates that there is some support for this reputation. Controlled tests on laboratory mice and rats by the same Romanians indicated that a loss of up to 30% of body weight in 30 days was possible when the animals were fed dandelion extract with their food. Those on grass extract lost much less. The control group on plain water actually gained weight.

Beyond nutritional richness, however, are the active chemical constituents contained in dandelions which may have specific therapeutic effects on the body. These include, as reported by Hobbs (1985):

* Inulin, which converts to fructose in the presence of cold or hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Fructose forms glycogen in the liver without requiring insulin, resulting in a slower blood sugar rise, which makes it good for diabetics and hypoglycemics;

* Tof-CFr, a glucose polymer similar to lentinan, which Japanese researchers have found to act against cancer cells in laboratory mice; Lentinan is a yeast glucan (glucose polymer) that increases resistance against protozoal and viral infections.;

* Pectin, which is anti-diarrheal and also forms ionic complexes with metal ions, which probably contributes to dandelion's reputation as a blood and gastrointestinal detoxifying herb. Pectin is prescribed regularly in Russia to remove heavy metals and radioactive elements from body tissues. Pectin can also lower cholesterol and, combined with Vitamin C, can lower it even more. Dandelion is a good source of both Pectin and Vitamin C;

* Coumestrol, an estrogen mimic which possibly is responsible, at least in part, for stimulating milk flow and altering hormones;

* Apigenin and Luteolin, two flavonoid glycosides which have been demonstrated to have diuretic, anti-spasmodic, anti-oxidant and liver protecting actions and properties, and also to strengthen the heart and blood vessels. They also have anti-bacterial and anti-hypoglycemic properties, and, as estrogen mimics, may also stimulate milk production and alter hormones;

* Gallic Acid, which is anti-diarrheal and anti-bacterial;

* Linoleic and Linolenic Acid, which are essential fatty acids required by the body to produce prostaglandin which regulate blood pressure and such body processes as immune responses which suppress inflammation. These fatty acids can lower chronic inflammation, such as proliferative arthritis, regulate blood pressure and the menstrual cycle, and prevent platelet aggregation;

* Choline, which has been shown to help improve memory;

*Several Sesquiterpene compounds which are what make dandelions bitter. These may partly account for dandelions tonic effects on digestion, liver, spleen and gall bladder, and are highly anti-fungal;

* Several Triterpenes, which may contribute to bile or liver stimulation;

* Taraxasterol, which may contribute to liver and gall bladder health or to hormone altering.

These chemicals, individually, are not unique to dandelions, but the combination of them all in one plant, along with high levels of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fiber account for the many claims made regarding the plant.

These claims include the following results of clinical and laboratory research, again as reported in Hobbs (1985):

* A doubling of bile output with leaf extracts, and a quadrupling of bile output with root extract. Bile assists with the emulsification, digestion and absorption of fats, in alkalinizing the intestines and in the prevention of putrefaction. This could explain the effectiveness of dandelion in reducing the effects of fatty foods (heartburn and acid indigestion);

* A reduction in serum cholesterol and urine bilirubin levels by as much as half in humans with severe liver imbalances has been demonstrated by Italian researchers;

* Diuretic effects with a strength approaching that of the potent diuretics Furosemide and Lasix, used for congestive heart failure and cirrhosis of the liver, with none of the serious side effects, were found by Romanian scientists. They found that water extract of dandelion leaves, administered orally, because of its high potassium content, replaced serum potassium electrolytes lost in the urine, eliminating such side effects common with the synthetics as severe potassium depletion, hepatic coma in liver patients, circulatory collapse, and transmission through mothers' milk;

* In 1979 a Japanese patent was filed for a freeze-dried warm water extract of dandelion root for anti-tumor use. It was found that administration of the extract markedly inhibited growth of particular carcinoma cells within one week after treatment;

* Dental researchers at Indiana University in 1982 used dandelion extracts in antiplaque preparations;

* In studies from 1941 to 1952, the French scientist Henri Leclerc demonstrated the effectiveness of dandelion on chronic liver problems related to bile stones. He found that roots gathered in late summer to fall, when they are rich in bitter, white milky latex, should be used for all liver treatments;

* In 1956, Chauvin demonstrated the antibacterial effects of dandelion pollen, which may validate the centuries old use of dandelion flowers in Korean folk medicine to prevent furuncles (boils, skin infections), tuberculosis, and edema and promote blood circulation.

Also, Witt (1983) recommends dandelion tea to alleviate the water buildup in PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome).

There are many testimonials from those who have benefited from the use of dandelions in the treatment of what ailed them.

Robert Stickle, an internationally famous architect, was diagnosed as having a malignant melanoma 21 years ago, and was given, after radical surgery had not halted its spread, less than 2 years to live. He said, in a letter to Jeff Zullo, president of the Society for the Promotion of Dandelions, (June 23, 1986):

" I went on a search for the answer to my mortal problem, and [discovered] that perhaps it was a nutritional dilemma.... To me, cancer is primarily a liver failure manifestation. {Italians are very concerned about problems of the 'fegato']. [I discovered that] the cancer rate in native Italians is very low among the farming population (paesanos). When they get affluent and move to the city, its the same as the rest of civilized man. Paesanos eat dandelions, make brew from the roots, and are healthy, often living to over 100 years."

He states that he began eating dandelion salad every day, and his improvement confounded the doctors. When he wrote the letter in 1986, 18 years had passed and there had been no recurrence of the melanoma.

A benefit which comes from writing articles for national media is that you hear from people who have interesting stories to tell. I recently received a call from Peter Gruchawka, a 70 year old gentleman from Manorville, NY, who reported that he had been diagnosed with diabetes melitis 3 months before and was put on 5 grams of Micronase. At the time, he had a 5+ sugar spillover in his urine. He took Micronase for about a month before he learned, from his wife who is a nurse, that Micronase can do damage to the liver. He had read in "Herbal Medicine" by Diane Buchanan and "Back to Eden" by Jethro Kloss about the effectiveness of dandelions in controlling diabetes. Without saying anything to his doctors, he stopped taking Micronase and began drinking dandelion coffee each day. During the first week, his urinary sugar, measured night and morning, was erratic and unstable, but after a week, his sugar stabilized and when he called, he had been getting negative urine sugar readings for over a month. The doctors are amazed and can't explain it. An interesting side benefit to replacing Micronase with dandelion coffee is that, while Micronase damages the liver as a side effect, dandelions are particularly known for strengthening the liver.

According to Mr. Gruchawka, he changed nothing but the medication. He had cut out pastries and other sugars when he was diagnosed and started on Micronase, and has continued to do without those things while taking dandelion coffee.

In reporting these claims, however, I must add three qualifiers:

1. First, unfortunately, neither herbs nor synthetic remedies work for everyone in the same way. Different bodies respond differently to medicines, and what works incredibly well for one person may not work at all, or work less well, for someone else.

2. Second, good health results from a combination of healthy diet and enough exercise to keep the body toned. Bob Stickle, for all his insistence that dandelions cured him, changed, according to a mutual friend, his entire lifestyle. He didn't just add dandelion salad to what he was already doing.

3. People with health problems need to seek the advice and care of a competent physician, with whom this information can be shared. It is important to reemphasize that it is presented as information only. I am not a medical doctor, and neither advocate nor prescribe dandelions or dandelion products for use by anyone or for any ailment. Only your doctor can do that.

Because there are so many variables, it is hard to attribute Mr. Stickle's cure to any one of them directly. Likewise, Italian farmers live a lifestyle which combines a healthy diet, lots of work and clean air. They heat and cook with wood, which they have to cut and split. They haul water for household use. When they move to the city, diet, exercise, and environmental conditions change. Stress and sedentary habits increase.

And there is the importance of faith in the healing process, whether it be faith in God or faith in the curative properties of the herb being taken.

While dandelions, given all these variables, may never be proved to cure any specific ill, they are an extremely healthy green which cannot in any way hurt you. Research on how much you would have to eat to cause harm indicates that eating grass is more dangerous than eating dandelions (Hobbs 1985). Therefore, with everything going for dandelions, it is highly probable that everyone can derive at least some nutritional benefit from them by eating or drinking them regularly.

The medical and pharmacological establishment is generally critical of claims regarding the use of herbs on disease, and their concerns need to be put in perspective.

Herbal medicines have been used very effectively far longer than synthetics, and many current pharmaceutical products have been derived from research on plants used as medicine by many cultures. The problem with plants, however, is that they are available to anyone. It is impossible to patent a plant, and thereby gain proprietary rights to it. As a consequence, pharmaceutical companies attempt to isolate the active properties from medicinal plants and synthesize them so that they can patent them. Many of the synthetics have serious side-effects which were not present in the natural plant product, often because other chemicals in the plant offset them (i.e. the large quantities of potassium in dandelions which allows for potassium replenishment when dandelion is used as a diuretic).

USDA botanist Dr. James Duke (1989) suggests that a proper and appropriate "herbal soup", filled with "vitamins, minerals, fibers and a whole host of bioactive compounds," from which the body can selectively strain the compounds it needs to restore itself to health, will be more effective than synthetic medicines containing a "very select and specialized compound or two plus filler, usually non-nutritive." This is especially true if the "herbal soup", in the form of a potent potherb like dandelion, is a regular part of the diet so that the appropriate bioactive substances are present in the right amounts when the body needs them.

The book that this reprint was taken from "The Dandelion Celebration-The Guide to Unexpected Cuisine" is recommended to anyone who would like to know more about this remarkable plant. It covers everything you could want to know about dandelions and more, including recipes, planting, picking and preparing, along with the wonderful history of this "Official Remedy for Disorders", Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion.

Copyright© 1989 by Goosefoot Acres, Inc. All rights reserved.
This is an excerpt from the excellent book by Peter A. Gail, Ph.D., titled "The Dandelion Celebration-The Guide to Unexpected Cuisine."
Important notice: The information presented here is not presented with the intention of diagnosing any disease or condition or prescribing any treatment. It is offered as information only, for use in the maintenance and promotion of good health in cooperation with a licensed medical practitioner. In the event that any individual should use the information presented on this website without a licensed medical practitioner's approval, that individual will be diagnosing for him or herself. No responsibility is assumed by the author, publisher or distributors of this information should the information be used in place of a licensed medical practitoner's services. No guarantees of any kind are made for the performance or effectiveness of the preparations mentioned on this website.
Furthermore, this information is to be used for educational purposes only and has been based solely on the traditional and historic use of a given herb, or on clinical trials that are generally not recognized by any US government agency or medical organization. This information has not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration, nor has it gone through the rigorous double-blind studies required before a particular product can be deemed truly beneficial or potentially dangerous and prescribed in the treatment of any condition or disease.