KELP

Habitat:  Kelp is a seaweed harvested from rocky ocean shores around the world.  Many varieties of kelp grow in different parts of the world. It’s technically a sea vegetable. It can grow up to 30 meters and form kelp forests which rise from the ocean floor up to the surface.

Healthy Info:  Kelp is a member of the brown algae family and there are more than 30 different varieties. Bongo kelp is the most common form used in nutritional supplements.  This form of kelp is rich in iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, among many other minerals.  In fact, 70 minerals and trace elements are found in kelp.   One of the most recognized kelp benefits is thyroid regulation. Kelp is rich in iodine, which is important for thyroid function.  Your thyroid absorbs iodine from your blood in order to make and distribute hormones into the body.  Without iodine, your thyroid isn’t able to function properly.  When your body is deficient in iron, your thyroid doesn’t work correctly and your metabolism slows.  You’ll end up gaining weight and putting your health at risk.

Kelp is a natural diuretic, kelp is good for those troubled by water weight. Diuretics clean out the system and assist in shedding water and toxins in the system.

Many people are avoiding sodium in their diets, and for good reason.  Sodium is associated with heart disease and water weight gain. But when salt first became available for seasoning food at the table, manufacturers added iodine as a health benefit.  For years kelp stayed hidden in the closet while people got their necessary iodine from table salt.  But now that salt is being avoided iodine is not as readily available and so kelp is becoming more and more favored as a healthy source of iodine.

Additional kelp benefits:

• Lowering cholesterol
• Help with digestion
• Appetite control
• Boosted immunity
• Increased energy levels

Properties:  anti-bacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoal (medicines that treat infections), antihelmintic (expels worms), antineoplastic (inhibiting or preventing the growth or development of malignant cells)

Reference:

• www.herbs,lovetoknow.com/kelp
• www.herbwisdom.com/kelp

Submitted by: Jyll Renee’, Master Herbologist (Click here to learn more about Jyll Renee.)

Visit our FREE Online Herbal Materia Medica

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Thank goodness we have educated doctors to treat us when we have cancer, cataract, and health problems that we can’t take care of alone!

Doctors are good at blood tests, surgery, and prescription medicines.

They aren’t so good at telling you how to avoid getting cancer or cataracts in the first place. And they often don’t take the time to help you improve your arthritis and allergies at home.

You’re wasting your time and money when you go to see your doctor when you don’t need to. You’re wasting your money and your time when your doctor isn’t able to figure out why your head or your back or your stomach hurts all the time.

When you don’t want to be prescribed another pill and you don’t need surgery, count on this book to tell you what your doctor won’t–like how to prevent hearing loss or get a better night’s sleep.

You’ll find out how you may be able to cut your breast cancer risk by changing the way you wear your bra. You’ll discover vitamins to help calm your stress and anxiety and home remedies to get rid of hay-fever sniffles.

You’ll find spicy, natural sinus relievers and tips to get rid of fatigue. You’ll discover how to supercharge your memory, how to cure a headache, and how to treat an ankle sprain or a painful elbow.

And that’s just the beginning….  (-From the Introduction)

The title of this book, “Inner Cleansing Cures”, is a bit deceiving. This book is not merely about cleansing, but covers how to self-heal multitude of different ailments. If the condition is something that should be treated medically by a professional, the book explains this and often several options from which to choose along with tips to help the treatment go smoothly and aid in quick recovery. If the condition is something that cannot be treated or reversed, you will find tips to help make the situation more comfortable.

I really like this book and keep a copy in my personal library, and have also used it for several of the articles written for this website. The information explained in this book agrees with everything I learned about natural health through my studies at Clayton College, and brings forth the information in easy to access and easy to use format. I keep this book for precisely that reason… the alphabetical index of ailments makes it the information so efficiently accessible that this book is one of the first I reach for whenever I have a question about a specific condition. The information is also very user friendly, so that any person wanting to self-treat at home could easily do so.  The book also contains many small changes that can be easily made to cause dramatic improvements to one’s health–things that are often overlooked by medical professionals.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acne
Altitude Sickness
Alzheimer’s Disease
Angina
Ankle Sprain
Arthritis
Asthma
Athlete’s Foot
Back Pain
Bad Breath
Bladder Infection
Blisters and Calluses
Blood Clots
Blood Pressure
Body Odor
Breast Cancer
Bunions
Bursitis
Caffeine Dependence
Cancer of the Esophagus
Canker Sores and Fever Blisters
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Wrist Pain
Cataracts
Chapped Lips
Cholesterol
Chronic Pain
Colds
Colon Cancer
Constipation
Coughing
Cuts, Burns and Scrapes
Dandruff
Depression
Diabetes
Diaper Rash
Diarrhea
Diverticulitis
Dizziness
Drowning
Dry Eyes
Dry Mouth
Dry, Irritated Skin
Earaches and Earwax
Enlarged Prostate
Falling Accidents
Fatigue
Fever
Food Allergies
Food Poisoning
Forgetfulness and Poor Concentration
Frostbite
Gas
Hair Loss
Hangover
Hay Fever
Headaches
Hearing Loss
Heart Disease
Heartburn
Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke
Heel Spurs
Hemorrhoids
Hiccups
Hypoglylcemia
Immune System Breakdown
Impotence
Incontinence
Infertility
Ingrown Nails, Fungus Nails, Brittle Nails
Insomnia
Irregular Heartbeat
Knee Pain
Lactose Intolerance
Leg Cramps and Leg Pain
Lice
Loss of Sexual Desire
Lung Cancer
Menopause Symptoms
Migraines
Morning Sickness
Neck Pain
Nosebleeds
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Ovarian and Cervical Cancers
Panic Attacks
Poison Ivy and Poison Oak
Potbelly
Premenstrual Syndrome
Prostate Cancer
Psoriasis
Raynaud’s Syndrome
Shingles
Shinsplints
Shoulder Pain
Sinusitis
Skin Cancer
Smell and Taste Loss
Snakebites
Snoring
Sore Throat
Stomach Cancer
Stomach Upsets
Stress
Stroke
Stuttering
TMJ
Tooth Decay and Knocked-Out Teeth
Ulcers
Vision Loss
Weight Problems
Yeast Infections

Order the book, INNER CLEANSING CURES by The Editors of FC&A:

(sales tax will be added for TN residents)

Inner Cleansing Cures by The Editors of FC&A. Fouth Printing, June 1999. ISBN# 1-890957-24-0. Hardcover, 370 Pages.

The book for sale in the LuminEarth.com Product Shop is a hardcover in excellent condition.  The book comes without a dust jacket.  The book shows negligible wear to the cover or binding, and the inside text is clean and crisp.

• Gather, dry, store and blend 25 common herbs
• Make and use teas, tinctures, oils, salves, syrups and lozenges
• Build your own herbal medicine cabinet

Joyce A. Wardwell has studied herbal medicine and wild edibles for over 20 years.  She is the editor and publisher of Herbal Voices, a member of the American Herbalists Guild, and Northeast Herb Association, and director of 7th Direction, a non-profit, sustainable lifestyle organization.  She lives in Michigan.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I: THE HEART OF HERBALISM: KNOWING THE HERBS

Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Plants
Chapter 2: Selecting Quality Ingredients and Equipment
Chapter 3: Making a Simple Cup of Tea

PART II: THE BODY OF HERBALISM: PREPARING THE HERBS

Chapter 4: Potent Potables: Making Herbal Tinctures
Chapter 5: Practical Pampering: Making Herb Oils and Salves
Chapter 6: Homespun Alchemy: Making Medicinal Wines and Vinegars
Chapter 7: Bittersweets: Making Syrups and Lozenges

PART III: THE MIND OF HERBALISM: USING THE HERBS

Chapter 8: Stocking the Medicine Chest
Chapter 9: Making Herbal Blends
Chapter 10: Symptoms and Remedies: An A-Z Guide

This book was required reading for my “Home Remedies and Simples” course at Clayton College.  It is wonderful reference, and I keep a copy in my personal library.  The book is a very easy read and will quickly have you making your own tinctures, teas, tonics, syrups… and even herbal vinegars and wines!

I used this book as reference for these articles:

Herbal Blends: Why to Take & How to Make

Homemade Herbal Syrup in Six Easy Steps

Heal That Throat With Homemade Herbal Lozenges!

Make Your Own Tinctures in Eight Easy Steps!

How to Dry and Store Herbs – It’s Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive!

Order the book, THE HERBAL HOME REMEDY BOOK: SIMPLE RECIPES FOR TINCTURES, TEAS, SALVES, TONICS AND SYRUPS by Joyce A. Wardwell :

(sales tax will be added for TN residents)

THE HERBAL HOME REMEDY BOOK: SIMPLE RECIPES FOR TINCTURES, TEAS, SALVES, TONICS AND SYRUPS by Joyce A. Wardwell . Paperback: 176 pages. Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; 1 edition (January 3, 1998).Language: English. ISBN-10: 1580170161. ISBN-13: 978-1580170161.Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches. List Price $14.95 US.

The copy for sale in the LuminEarth.com Product Shop is a used paperback in good condition. The cover is moderately worn with some light creasing and edge wear. The binding is tight and the text is clean with no underlining or hilighting of text. The pages are crisp and clean, no bent pages.

(This book is also available on Amazon.com. Click here to view this book on Amazon.com)

From time immemorial man has relied on plants to treat sicknesses and sooth aches and pains. The same herbs, trees, and shrubs employed by ancient peoples have continued to be valued through the ages–by Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, by apothecaries an physicians in the Middle Ages and later, by the settlers who came to North America, by the Indians who met them here, and even by our own grandparents. Many of these plants are still used today; nearly half of all medicines currently prescribed are derived from members of the plant kingdom.

Over the ages, many magical and mystical powers were ascribed to such plants. Occasionally these beliefs were mere superstitions; more commonly they were based on keen observation. For although people knew that certain plants had indisputable healing powers, they could not explain how the plants’ medicinal powers worked, and so attributed them to supernatural forces. Today we understand many of the underlying chemical and physical principles that account for the medicinal properties of plants. Yet plants still do possess a magical quality–their beauty and the astonishing variety of their forms. This book is your guide to the wonderful world of magical, medicinal plants. -The Editors

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PLANTS IN MYTH AND MAGIC

ABC’S OF PLANTS

• Finding Plants in the Wild
• Making Your Own Herbarium
• The Anatomy of Plants
• Nature’s Chemical Industry
• About Plant Names

PLANTS, PEOPLE AND MEDICINE

GALLERY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

POISONOUS PLANTS

GROWING AND USING HERBS

• Growing Herbs
• Cooking With Herbs
• Herb Crafts
• Herbs for Beauty
• Herbs for Health

I love this book–it is a wonderful resource for plant identification and use!  I keep a copy in my personal library.  The “Gallery of Medicinal Plants” contains color photographs and paintings of over 200 American herbs.  The paintings point out the different plant details (stem, root, leaf, etc.) to help you identify the plant in the wild.  There is also a full color photo of each plant in its natural habitat and a description of where it is found, how it grows, and what type of environment it grows in.  The book also tells how the plant was used by the ancients–along with its magic and myths, as well as how it is being used or studied medicinally today.

Order the book, MAGIC AND MEDICINE OF PLANTS by The Editors of Reader’s Digest:

(sales tax will be added for TN residents)

MAGIC AND MEDICINE OF PLANTS by The Editors of Reader’s Digest. Hardcover: 464 pages. Publisher: Reader’s Digest; 4th Printing April 1990 edition (1990). ISBN-10: 0895772213. ISBN-13: 978-0895772213. Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches.

The copy for sale in the LuminEarth.com Product Shop is a used hardcover in excellent condition. The cover shows negligible wear and looks new.

(This book is also available on Amazon.com. Click here to view this book on Amazon.com)

Hibiscus

Botanical name:  Malvaceae family

Common name:  Roselle,  African mallow, Florida cranberry, red tea, Jamaica sorrel,  rose of Sharon

Habitat:  Hibiscus belongs to a flowering plant  genus of more than 220 species in the family Malvacea.  Native to warm temperate, subtropical and  tropical regions, it is an annual and sometimes perennial herb or woody-based  sub-shrub; growing 6-8 ft tall.  Leaves  are alternate and simple. Trumpet shaped  flowers are white, pink, red, purple or yellow, with a dark red spot at the  base of each petiole.

Info:  Hibiscus sabdariffa, which means delicate beauty in the language of  botany.  Hibiscus pfaffia originated in  the land of India and Malasia and may have been imported from there into Africa.  Seeds are said to have been brought to America  by African slaves. Hibiscus was grown in Brazil  in the 17^th century and in Jamaica by the early 1700’s.

A sugary herbal tea,  for example the ‘aqua dejamaica’ of Mexico, is a readily available sweetened  concentrate of the herb Hibiscus which is then mixed with additional water for  the final brewing beverage popular in and outside of the many sub-tropical and  tropical countries where it is grown.

By 1960, as wide spread alarm concerning coat-tar food dyes (ie: red dye #2) grew, hibiscus became imported for its safe food-coloring properties.

It is cultivated for bast fiber from the stem of the plant.  The fiber is a substitute for jute in making burlap.

Healthy Info:  A recent study revealed that hibiscus tea contains a number of antioxidants that may help to protect against  cell-damaging free radicals.  This tea may help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Hibiscus tea strengthens the  immune system as it is rich in Vitamin C. Hibiscus is a tart, caffeine-free vibrantly colored tea.  This beautiful flowering herb is popular in Europe countries as a heart health tonic.  Hibiscus is a member of the mallow family  with a mellow, sweet taste that is used to enhance flavor and bring harmony to  any tea blend.

Personal Info:  Hibiscus is an ingredient used in our  yummy Christmas and Kandy Kane tea blends (Jyll Renee, Master Herbologist –
jyllrenee@comcast.net and Dr. Deborahe Prock ND – dprock2002@yahoo.com)

Properties:  hypotensive, antispasmodic, anthelmintic  (expels worms) antibacterial, diuretic

References:

• www.herbco.com/p-490-hibiscus-flower
• www.teabenefits.com/hibiscus
• 20,000 Secrets of Tea, Victoria Zac pgs. 146

Submitted by: Jyll Renee’, Master Herbologist (Click here to learn more about Jyll Renee.)

Visit our FREE Online Herbal Materia Medica

Visit our FREE Online Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants

For more than thirty years, John W. Travis, M.D., and Regina Sara Ryan have taught hundreds of thousands of people a practical whole-self approach to wellness and healthy living. Each chapter of the comprehensive WELLNESS WORKBOOK explores one of the twelve interconnected forms of energy that contribute to your overall health and vitality:

• Self-Responsibility and Love
• Breathing
• Sensing
• Eating
• Moving
• Feeling
• Thinking
• Playing and Working
• Communicating
• Sex
• Finding Meaning
• Transcending

From how you breathe to how you view the world, these twelve areas affect all aspects of your life: your disposition toward injury and illness, your relationships, your general level of happiness, and beyond. In an optimal state of wellness, all of your energies are in balance, and you are less prone to disease, stress, and other life-depleting factors. Using a self-assessment tool known as the Wellness Index, you’¬?ll develop a clear picture of what areas in your life need attention.

Now in its third edition, the thoroughly updated and streamlined WELLNESS WORKBOOK provides hundreds of exercises and ideas to help you take control of your health and happiness.A classic text in the wellness field, thoroughly revised and updated, and streamlined for a more simple and practical presentation.Chapters cover self-responsibility and love, breathing, sensing, eating, moving, feeling, thinking, playing and working, communicating, sex, finding meaning, and transcending.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Wellness, Self-Responsibility and Love
Wellness and Breathing
Wellness and Sensing
Wellness and Eating
Wellness and Moving
Wellness and Feeling
Wellness and Thinking
Wellness, Playing and Working
Wellness and Communicating
Wellness and Sex
Wellness and Finding Meaning
Wellness and Transcending

This book was used as a textbook for one of my wellness classes at Clayton College of Natural Health.  It was an interesting and pleasurable read (unlike many textbooks!!), and brought to light many things affecting my health that I took for granted– ingrained belief systems, my mood when eating, stress patterns in my life, etc.  Included in this book is a “Wellness Wheel” or “Wellness Index”.  This was a most valuable tool for me, showing me exactly where my heath shortcomings and strengths resided.  The Wellness Index is a very detailed questionnaire and takes one to two hours to complete, but is well worth it. You can analyze and score yourself with the key included in the book, or for a small fee can obtain it in online interactive format at www.WellnessWorkbook.com.

I’m really glad this was required reading for my class at Clayton.  I also feel it would be a most excellent text for a high school health class, much of this is not taught to kids in school and should be!

Order the book, WELLNESS WORKBOOK: HOW TO ACHIEVE ENDURING HEALTH AND VITALITY by John W. Travis, M.D. :

(sales tax will be added for TN residents)

WELNESS WORKBOOK: HOW TO ACHIEVE ENDURING HEALTH AND VITALITY by John W. Travis, M.D. 3rd Edition. (c)2004 by John Travis. Berkeley: Celestial Arts. ISBN# 978-1-58761-213-8. Paperback; 323 pages. List Price $27.99 US, $34.99 CAN.

The copy for sale in the LuminEarth Product Shop is a used paperback copy in good condition.  There is some light wear to the edges of the cover and pages, but the binding is tight and the text inside clean with no writing or hi-lighting of text.

(This book is also available on Amazon.com.  Click here to view this book on Amazon.com)

White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Names:  Eastern White Pine, Northern Pine, Northern White Pine, Pin Blanc, Pinus strobus, Soft Pine, Weymouth Pine, Weymouths Keifer, Weymouthtall, White Pine

Appearance:  The White Pine (Pinus strobus) is a coniferous evergreen tree.  It’s trunk is tall and stright and the needles are blue-green.  Young trees are conical shaped, but as the trees age they develop wind-swept, horizontal, upturning branches.  This tree is easily identified by counting the needles in the needle-cluster bundles.  The Eastern White Pine is the only pine native to eastern North America that contains five needles per bundle.

Edible:  The Micmac Indians used the bark to make beverage and the Ojibwa used the young staminate catkins (the slim, cylindrical flower cluster, with inconspicuous or no petals that kind of resembles a “kitten’s tail”) for food and stewed them in with meat. They reportedly have a sweet flavor and do not taste like pine pitch.

A Russian writer says to use needles from 1 year old pine tree. Use 2 oz of washed needles. Grind them. Steep in 2 or 3 cups of poured boiling water. Let cool and steep in cool place for 2 hours. Strain, add honey and lemon to taste and drink. Loses vitamins if stored. Lots of C. 5X that of lemon juice. (Mama’s Home Remedies by Svetlana Konnikova)

-Cindy Moonrose, Eatable Weed Walks & Plant Classes

White Pine (Pinus strobus) has five needles per cluster.

I personally like to use white pine needles to make tea.  The taste is sweet and a bit piney, and tastes very good sweetened with honey. It is a wonderful way to get vitamins A and C, as well as all of the immune-boosting and detoxifying medicinal benefits as used by the Native American Indians.

Becki’s Recipe for Pine Needle Tea (Decoction)

• 1 gallon filtered or spring water
•  3 cups chopped pine needles
•  honey

In a large pot combine water and pine needles. Boil for 10 minutes, simmer until cool. Strain and sweeten to taste with honey. (This is technically a “decoction” because the needles are boiled.)

For convenience, I gather pine needles, chop, and fill a large ziploc bag full of the chopped needles and store them in the freezer. This makes it very easy to access the needles and to measure for making tea. To obtain the most benefit from the needles, it is best to pick the young needles located at the ends of the branches.

Note:  Always make sure you positively identify the pine tree before making pine needle tea!  Some pines are poisonous, such as Yew, Norfolk Pine, and Ponderosa Pine.

White pine needles are great in a vinegar! Take any size jar (with plastic lid) fill it with pine needles and then pour apple cider vinegar over it to fill bottle. Let sit for six weeks and it will be ready to use. I learned this technique from Susun Weed. Here is a link to her page on how to make vinegars: http://www.wisewomantradition.com/empoweringwomen/2009/03/making-springtime-wild-herbal-vinegars.html

-Cathy Webster

Medicinal:  Native Americans utilized White Pine for many medical ailments.  It has been said that Native Americans treated 80% of their medical ailments using pine.   Pine has been shown to bring relief to conditions such as fatigue, heart ailments, heart disease, kidney ailments, sclerosis, and varicose veins.  It has even been shown to improve eyesight!  Cancer patients drink pine needle tea to ease nausea, boost the immune system, and as a strengthening tonic.

Bark of the White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Bark: Native Americans used a decoction take internally for coughs, a poultice of wetted inner bark applied externally to the chest for strong colds,  a poultice of trunk of a young tree applied esternally to cuts and wounds, a decoction of raw bark was taken internally for rheumatism, steam from a decoction of raw bark inhaled for head colds, decoction of bark used externally for skin eruptions and scabs, and raw bark was taken internally for rheumatism, to prevent typhoid, and relieve stomach cramps.

Needles:  Native Americans used a poultice of needles bound externally to heal broken bones, needles were burned in the fall and the smoke used to fill the house and prevent all sickness, decoction of needles used used internally for coughs, colds and rheumatism, an infusion of young trees was taken internally as a blood tonic, decoction of needles taken internally to prevent scurvy.  Pine needles are very high in vitamin C and vitamin A (beta-carotene).  The needles were used to keep the early settlers alive during the first winter by preventing scurvy.

Scientists area currently exploring the medical uses of pine needles. Research is being done using pine needles as an antioxidant, antidepressant, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, anti-inflammatory.  Pine is also being studied for boosting the immune system, strengthening the heart, reducing triglycerides, treating Alzheimer’s disease, depression, anxiety, and dementia. A wonderful writeup on this can be found in The Amazing All-Purpose Pine on the website Dave’s Garden.

Branches of the White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Pitch (Sap, Gum): Native Americans used a poultice of pitch applied externally to felons and other similar inflammations, applied externally to boils to draw out pain and inflammation, used internally for coughs, colds and boils, the pitch was chewed for coughs, and boiled gum taken internally for sore throats.

White Pine (Pinus strobus) was extensively used by many Indians. New England tribes boiled the needles in water or maple syrup and drank this tea to prevent scurvy and to relieve coughs and colds. These needles contain five times more vitamin C than an equal amount of lemons, and they are also a rich source of vitamin A. Just chewing the freshly picked needles is very beneficial. The Obibway Indians used the seeds to flavor their cooking. The Iroquois Indians ate the sweet inner bark.

-Native Harvests: American Indian Wild Foods and Recipes by E. Barrie Kavasch

Sources:

• Kavasch, E. (2005). Native Harvests: American Indian Wild Foods and Recipes. Mineola: Dover Publications.
• Moerman, D. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Portland: Timber Press.
• Walker, B. (2011). Pine Needle Tea. Dave’s Garden. Extracted December 4, 2011 from http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3126/

Visit our FREE Online Herbal Materia Medica

Visit our FREE Online Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants

The LuminEarth Library

Here is a list of some the books used in our research and experimentation. Enjoy!

• A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide)
• Great Smoky Mountains Wildflowers: When and Where to Find Them by William Hutson
• Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places by “Wildman” Steve Brill
• Jude’s Herbal Home Remedies: Natural Health, Beauty & Home Care Secrets by Jude C. Williams, M.H.
• Ortho’s  All About Herbs by Maggie Oster
• Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
• Secrets of the Chinese Herbalists by Richard Lucas
• Sunset Herbs:  An Illustrated Guide by The Editors of Sunset Magazine
• The Forager’s Harvest:  A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Samuel Thayer
• The Herbal Drugstore by Linda B. White, M.D.
• The Herbal Home Remedy Book: Simple Recipes for Tinctures, Teas, Salves, Tonics and Syrups by Joyce A. Wardwell
• The Natural Physicians’s Healing Therapies: Proven Remedies Medical Doctors Don’t Know by Mark Stengler, ND
• The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine by Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D.
• The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D.
• Wildflowers of the Land Between the Lakes Region, Kentucky and Tennessee

Tis the season for giving!  How about giving the “Gift of Health” this year.  We also have the loose Christmas tea and Kandy Kane tea available again this year.

Christmas Tea – $6.00 for 2oz of loose tea

Kandy Kane Tea – $6.00 for 2oz loose tea

Tea Ball – $3.00

Healthy Tea Gift Sets – $25.00

100 tea bags of a variety of healthy yummy teas.

Herbal First Aid Kits – $25.00 Great for the car, traveling and vacations.  Everything
you need for illness, injury or just plain ole headaches!

Goatsmilk soap – $5.00 a bar

Here is a little information on the soaps and the lady that makes them!  I have a variety of soaps here that you can choose from. http://giftsfromgoats.webs.com/

Arnica Cream (with or without fragrance) -$5.50 for 2oz jar

Great for any kind of muscle pain and bruising!

Christmas Gift Certificate for Ionic footbath detox and typed evaluation $35.00 ($5.00 discount for Christmas)

If you would like more information on any of the articles listed here just email me and I will get that to you.  Get your orders in early there is a limited supply.

May your Christmas Holiday bring Blessings to you and yours!

To order any of the products listed above, please contact Jyll Renee’ directly:

jyllrenee@comcast.net
Days Healthy Living
1110 S. Peru Street
Cicero, Indiana 46034

Jyll Renee~
jyllrenee@comcast.net
(Click here to learn more about Jyll Renee.)

Visit our FREE Online Herbal Materia Medica

Visit our FREE Online Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants

 ASTRAGULUS (The Protector)

Botanical name:  astragulus membranaceous

Common name:  Huang Qi 

Habitat:  The grassy hills and the thickets along hillsides in areas such as the northwestern region of China the province of Manchuria and the country of Mongolia are places where astragulus grows in the wild.  If cultivated the astragulus herb is grown by sowing the seeds during the spring or autumn.  The herb thrives well in sandy and well drained soil, which is exposed to plenty of sunlight throughout the year.  Autumn is the usually time when roots of four year old plants are harvested. 

Healthy info:  Astragulus is an herb from China and, though not specifically indicated for live and endocrine imbalances, is such a wonderful tonic herb for the entire system.  Astragulus builds and strengthens the entire system and gives energy to the internal organs.  It is used for wasting diseases, for strengthening the immune system, and for improving digestion and the assimilation of nutrients.  A valuable tonic herb, it is especially recommended for those under thirty-five.  Astragulus is pleasant tasting and can be used daily in tea or tincture form.  In China, it is often cooked in soup or served with veggies and grains to improve the health of the entire family. 

The Benefits of Astragulus 

Fluid Balance.  Astragulus balances body fluids, which helps to stabilize every body process from healthy cell production to toxin elimination.

Heart Tonic.  Astragulus strengthens the cardio vascular system, lowers blood pressure, and stimulates circulation to make your hearts job easier.

Immune Energy.  Astragulus invigorates your immune responses.  Its and herb that can help you recover from exhaustion, illness, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.  It has been shown to revitalize white blood cells, and stimulate the production of natural antibodies and natural interferon which your body used to fight diseases.  It helps to restore adrenal function, and provide antiviral resistance.  If you get fatigued easily, catch every cold or flu that comes around, and struggle with infections that recur, astragulus is the tea to use to fortify your immunity.  A stronger immunity is your best weapon against premature aging and disease.

Protective Energy.  In Chinese medicine, astragulus is used to strengthen a unique form of energy that is called “protective energy,” which helps us adapt to external factors such as bad weather changes, and defends us against germs or microorganisms in the environment.  They locate this energy beneath the surface of the skin and along the outside of the body the first line of defense against harmful influences.

Special Feature:  Facilitator

Astragulus works like a catalyst to enhance the healing properties of other herbs.  When you combine one tea bag of astragulus with one tea bag of your “special needs” herb tea, you get a tonic for energy and renewal.  Many herbalists recommend astragulus and dong quai to balance hormonal chemistry in both women and men. 

Beneficial part: root

Astragulus and Orange Tea

Astragulus is sweet-natural and plan tasting. But when you add a spritz of orange, you can get a delightful flavor that’s like an English breakfast tea.

YUM!

Ref:

• 20,000 Secrets of Tea, Victoria Zak pg. 77-78
• Herbal Healing for Women, Rosemary Gladstar pg 79

 Submitted by: Jyll Renee’, Master Herbologist (Click here to learn more about Jyll Renee.)