Herbal Wisdom's topics - tribe.net

Burdock pickles

amanda — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:41:35 GMT

hi linda. i am getting ready to make these, and wanted to make sure i was going to store it right.

i sliced the roots about 1/4-1/2 in slices
i am steaming the roots until soft but still crisp (just expanding the cell walls here?) , saving the water
making the brine with
1/3 burdock steam water
1/3 tamari
1/3 raw apple cider vinegar

and here, do i just store in a dark, cool place- or the refrigerator?
or do i process them in the canner? (even though i suppose that extra cooking will leach some medicine)
they are on the stove now.... i hope you see this soon :)

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

Combating Swine Flu

Trish — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:41:10 GMT

What is your approach to combating swine flu? For me, I've drawn a link between the 1918 pandemic and today's swine flu. The 1918 pandemic survivors were shown to have used dandelion root, and I'm doing the same for prevention. Yet, there are so many things out there. Please share what you know. I'm interested in the many options out there.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 8 replies

Products Thread

Linda — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:57:54 GMT

Ok here it is, list your favorite products and what it is useful for. This way, if I want to read about a product I will come here and if I am not interested, which I typically am not, I can skip this thread.

I will start, as there is only one food product that I am a super fan of and that is South River Miso http://www.southrivermiso.com/ and particularly their, Dandelion Leek Miso. It contains seaweed, dandelion, nettle and wild leeks..super nutreints dense. I often add this to my salad dressings to increase nutrients density and to thicken the dressing.

I hope this meets people's needs...and please try to refrain from promoting products on other threads., you can always come here and post, if you feel compelled. Thanks.

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Mountain Ash (Sorbus Aucuparia)

Linda — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:13:38 GMT

Has anyone worked with this plant? It is so abundant, the berries are striking this time of and I am thinking about making wine and jelly with them. Does anyone have experience working with these berries?

According to Grieve's Herbal: The ripe berries furnish an acidulous and astringent gargle for sore throats and inflamed tonsils. For their anti-scorbutic properties, they have been used in scurvy. The astringent infusion is used as a remedy in haemorrhoids and strangury. The berreis have also been ground as a flour in Europe and a kind of perry or cider can be made from them.

So would love to hear others experiences or any information that you have about this plant.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

Treating Seizures Naturally

Trish — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:55:49 GMT

Linda suggested this thread in hopes of exploring various ways to treat seizure disorders. I've successfully managed to treat my own using the following: zinc, magnesium, folic acid, and Vitamin K. The magnesium, I feel, is the key nutrient. However, the others are as essential because they allow the magnesium to do a more than adequate job. In foods, leafy greens are an epileptic's friend, and Omega3 fatty acids are crucial to good cognitive health. In fact, they've been linked to improving one's' neuro-transmitters and thought retention, among other things. Rosemary is a lovely herb linked to improving memory and clarity of thought.
What other things have others used to assist with improving their nervous system?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 4 replies

Maintaining Health and dealing with swine flu

Linda — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:41:46 GMT

First off let me say that I hope this is taken the way it is intended. It is interesting that when I saw the last thread about "combatting" swine flu, I was startled. I felt scared and worried. Then I read the thread and was relieved that Julie spoke about language and the importance of where we choose to shine the light on a situation. I find using war metaphors in general to be hard on my well being and using them in terms of my health, I find down right disconcerting.

While I do not want to down play the importance of keeping an eye on public health and finding ways to prevent illness, as well as to treat it when necessary, I just do not want to fight anything.

So my strategies in general apply when I think about the swine flu. They are many fold.

First I need to maintain my health (this is an ongoing dance and sometimes I am better at this than others)...human I guess you would say. But the bottom line here is nourish, nourish, nourish. No matter what, one cannot nourish enough. So I maintain my health by eating well, drink nourishing herbal infusions, excercise, getting enough rest and maintaining close connections with those who nourish me. I also wash my hands and during the winter months I increase the number of herbs that I ingest, which nourish my lungs and respiratory system. I also collect information and stay informed.

Secondly, if need be I ingest antiviral and immune boosting herbs. In this realm it is a dance for me, as I do not believe there is one herb that is a cure all for everyone who has a cold or flu. I find that I am usually working with the symptoms and the sense I am getting from the illness. This is true no matter what is happening, I assess the situation and choose from the herbs I have available to me. Of course there are certain herbs that I tincture and have ready to support me if needed. Antivirals are important here of course and elecampane and elder are two of my favorites. I also have poke root tincture and frozen berries on hand. If I had the flu, I would eat a few berries each day (and not chew the seeds, as the berries are edible the seeds are not).

Finally, If I am sick and need support I will ask for it. Before one gets sick, I think it is advisable to find people you trust, that you can turn to for guidance. As when we are really ill, it can be hard to think clearly and make the best decisions. Knowing who that person is ahead of time can be really helpful in assuring you will get the support and guidance that is in your best interest.

Lastly, I do not worry about nor do I fight the flu. What I do is I collect tools (herbal remedies and the knowledge that goes with it are tools. And I collect options. This feels sound to me and is proactive, rather than fear based. The media and the current medical establishment is working from a place of fear and a need to protect a public that is not always willing to take responsibility for their health. So I hope that by taking responsbility and collecting tools, I will not act out of fear, even if the swine flu appears at my door step. I am also happy to act as a tool and support for others.

Again I did not mean to uspurp your post Trish, I just feel that changing our language from a fighting to a nourishing tone is imperative to sustaining health. How do others feel, first about what I am saying and secondly about supporting your immune and respiratory system...what are your tools, what are your options?
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Clary Sage & Chamomile Oil for Lupus

silkmagik — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:51:21 GMT

Hi there, I posted a thread recently asking for advice for a young lady with lupus and rheumatoid problems. Just to keep you posted, I have given her some dried nettle and oatstraw as suggested by the tribe, along with some home-harvested chamomile oil mixed with some clary sage essential oil to rub on her wrists.

She has told me that it is the oil that gives her the most relief and takes the edge off the aches very quickly which has led to a more restful sleep which I am very happy about. Unfortunately her lifestyle is making the condition worse in my opinion as she holds down a stressful management job and has two young children so she is really not getting enough rest. I have suggested that to really keep in control of the illness she might need to lighten her load in her job but that probably is not an option she would take willingly.

Anyway, I just thought I would let you all know that the oil is definitely helping her short-term... any other suggestions would as always be very much appreciated if anyone has something to add.

Blessings

Lorraine

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

some thoughts on my winter syrup : burdock, licorice, astragalus, (elecampane)

amanda — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:55:49 GMT

i made this syrup for a winter time immune stuff. my girls deal with chronic infections, vaginal and viral .... i feel l-o-w energy and slow, and most of us (not the girls, but my husband and son and i) have asthma issues.

i think these problems stem from the mold issue a year or so back, and considering the problem, it isn't totally resolved in the basement- part of it is dirt floor :(

BUT now i am thinking, even though the syrup made with honey and elecampane tincture added to it is so damn good, that the sweet of it may be contradictory?
honey has it's healing virtues, is it still a concern with yeasty stuff?

i do know that my 2 yr old had a runny nose for four days, maybe five.... lots of mucus, clear, running freely. i had started out giving her elder flower, even though there was no fever. it stopped the nose, but then it sounded like it had just plugged her nose, because i could hear it in her head when she talked..... i just let her nose run after that....but it wouldn't cease or slow.
the girls sounded like they were catching a respiratory thing.... even though i had been giving them elecampane at times and then a combo of thyme and monarda at other times to prevent that.

i made the syrup anyway, thinking i shouldn't be giving astragalus if they were already sick.... but there was no fever so i gave it anyway... and the next day- no runny nose and we started getting all better.

and it is just so good, but i do wonder about the sweetness of it- even if it is just honey.

i wish i knew more about diabetes. this sounds like a good mix for that, but then it seems that the sweet would be an issue there too.....

any thoughts?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 12 replies

Harvesting Fall Roots

Linda — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:19:25 GMT

A few roots that can be harvested as long as the ground is not frozen, are wild parsnips, burdock, I still harvest wild leeks, wild ginger, dandelion, sunchokes, yellow dock and chickory. I am sure there are some I am not thinking of at the moment, perhaps others will have more plants to add.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 14 replies

Welcome and introductions

Linda — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:10:11 GMT

Greetings all and happy fall. We have had a few new folks join lately and I thought it was time once again to introduce ourselves. I always find it interesting to get an idea of what background folks have and what they might be hoping to experience by joining the Herbal Wisdom Tribe.

Even if you have been around for awhile, say hello and share about yourself. Perhaps something new is happening for you or you have insight into the plants that you are living to share. Whatever it might be.

I will share some, for those of you who do not know me I work with plants and find that the foundation of health is nourishment. The nourishing herbal plants that provide vitamins, minerals and other nutrients as well as whole and wild foods, provive the crux of where I like to put my energy. Without them, even applying the more alkaloid rich plants, seems misguided. My favorite saying is to ask "where is the nourishment?".

I started the Herbal Wisdom Tribe as an experiment to see if it was possible on tribe to have a place to share about plants without all the chaos that seems to go with many of the discussion groups that exist here. So far so good, it seems to be working. I enjoy moderating this tribe and learn alot about interacting with people and I love hearing about other peoples experiences with the plants.

Today I am catching up on paper work and getting ready to make soap. I enjoy making much of what I need in life from scratch or trading with others who do make things. I look forward to hearing from some of you as well.

Blessings,
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 7 replies

skullcap, biacal

amanda — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:10:11 GMT

i was wondering if any one has used this variety -
i have this growing and have read or heard (?) that it is used slightly differently than latiflora.... i was thinking of harvesting the root, and making medicine....

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Carminatives

Linda — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:11:49 GMT

I borrowed the definition below from David Hoffmann, as I like the way he describes the action of carminatives. While I apply many of the herbs mentioned below, mint is the one that I often reach for, as it is in my kitchen herb bed, right outside my door. I often do not even prepare it, I simply eat the leaf. A simple remedy. I also have sage in my greenhouse, so in the winter I often reach for it, sage tea is delightful. So what are some of your favorites and experience with carminatives? Even if you don't know this word, you have probably applied this herbal medicine. If you have ever eaten in an Indian resturaunt you probably ate fennel seeds after your meail. Do share.
Blessings
Linda

Carminatives' main action is to soothe the gut wall, easing griping pains and reduce the production of gas in the digestive tract. This is usually due to the complex of volatile oils present, which have a locally anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and mildly anti-microbial effect upon the lining and the muscle coats of the alimentary canal.

Although the carminative action is directly upon the intestinal tract, this leads to a more generalized effect on body systems. For example, carminatives may occasionally ease apparent heart symptoms through removing the pressure of flatulence and digestive pain.

Herbal Carminatives

Angelica
Aniseed
Balm
Caraway
Cardamom
Celery Seed
Chamomile
Cinnamon
Dill
Eucalyptus
Fennel
Garlic
Ginger
Hops
Motherwort
Mustard
Parsley
Pennyroyal
Peppermint
Sage
Thyme
Valerian
Wintergreen
Wormwood
posted by:

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

Yarrow Ointment

silkmagik — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:26:36 GMT

Hello, I just thought I would post the results of the yarrow ointment I had so much advice on a couple of months ago. As suggested I steeped the yarrow in olive oil for 6 weeks, then strained out.

I made a batch using melted beeswax and this has turned out ok, but is quite stiff, I probably added too much beeswax, I didn't weigh or measure anything as per usual!

So I beat some of the oil into some aqueous cream, as much as it would take without curdling and it has turned out a lovely pale green fluffy creamy ointment. These I have put into cleaned out mini pots which had honey in them. Are there any other suggestions for the rest of the oil? I have vitamin e oil, jojoba oil and vegetable glycerine which could be incorporated I suppose, but I really like the aqueous cream as a base as opposed to the wax.

Blessings

Lorraine

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 12 replies

Have any of you heard of Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride?

gliSTenz — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:14:44 GMT

Wow I feel like a light bulb has just gone off...she works with autistic,ADD/ADHD ,dyslexia and you name it..kids and adults with great success...as Hippocrates stated..All Disease Begins In The Gut!!!

Though my girl does not have any behavioral issues as above,she definately fits the bill for alot of the symptoms and yeh the whole her taking on my stuff when growing her makes total sense..my issues with digestion and malabsorbtion..
Hence the need for nurturing the gut and promoting good bacteria..and healing the tum ...with fermented foods and herbs and wholesome slow foods..
Do you have any thoughts on this doctor?She's exceptionally well qualified having a son who is now autism free...

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 5 replies

Fall Roots

Linda — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:16:41 GMT

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, One of the things I love about this time of year is harvesting roots. Below is a poem that I found in one of my old Spindleweed Magazines...an herbal mag that sadly does not exist anymore. I may have shared this poem in the past, but it is the season, so I am sharing again. The issue that I took this from is all about burdock, which is a wonderful root to harvest! So below is the poem...if you have fall stories to share about plants or roots in particular please do share.

The Rootwomen
by J. Goldspinner

The rootwomen are here and there and everywhere
They creep between long and shadowed trees at dusk
hurry down narrow paths
with their oakwoven baskets over their arms
scurry thru twisty tunnels under the ground
popping out of holes like moles
Called wise women by some, by others old fools
Spinsters, grannies, witches, crones, hags
Herb-women, baby catchers, baby snatchers
women-lovers, earth mothers:
The Irish call them faery folk, and fear them-
nay, revere them

The rootwomen are old, old as the hills.
Their bones are stone,
the stones are bone.
Gnarled and knotted, like old apple trees
(but like old apples, unexpectedly ablossom and fragrant)

The rootwomen are russet and orange,
myriads of browns and reds
like late oak leaves after the brights are gone.
Silver grey are the, and changing-shimmering-
Their long thin fingers beat at the window
drum on the pane with the rain
ra-ta-ta-tat Ra-ta-ta-tat

The wind's howl is their call,
the cricket's chirp.
And they laugh. Oh how they laugh-
Gleeful, mocking, shocking, rocking, crackling, laughing.

The rootwomen come out by night
dance by candlelight
dance by the light of the moon
to the tune of the lune
(and she the queen)

In spirals and swirls they whirl.
They dance to the stars,
the tides, the seasons;
the earth is their reason.

Ah but they're quick-
just out of sight around the turn.,
peering out the mole's hole
and gone when you look again.

Because you can't see them
you think them not real;
But be-ware-
be wary.

The great roots reach down
hold on
hold up the earth.

The rootwomen are here
and there
and everywhere.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 7 replies

?'s about comfrey

Michelle — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:46:03 GMT

I hurt my wrist, and am going to give comfrey a try. Tips on how to apply?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 11 replies

Terms to know: Nervine

Linda — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:40:58 GMT

I know this might seem self explanatory, but this is one of my favorite classes of herbs and there are so many wonderful nervines. I thought it would be fun and interesting to share about our favorites and when, how and why we apply them when we do.

A nervine is a remedy that has a beneficial effect upon the nervous system. This is quite generalized and so to completely understand nervines it is important to look for their overall affect on the body. According to herbalist David Hoffman nervines can be dividied into 3 disntict categories:

1. Nervine Tonic which would include Oats, St. Johnswort and Skullcap

2. Nervine Relaxing which would include Valarien, Vervain and Lemon Balm

3. Stimulating Nervine: which Hoffman lists as including Cola and Guarana

According to an article from medicine.net the word nervine "derives from the Latin nervinus, belonging to a sinew. Nervine travelled across the Channel from France to 17th-century England. There it was first applied to the sinews. That is not illogical because the Latin nervinus derives from nervus meaning "a sinew, tendon, thong, string (as a bowstring), or wire"

I love to drink oatstraw infusions as I experience this as a relaxing refresher. It offers me evergy and at the same relaxation. I usually drink some daily and extra on days when I am teaching as this helps me be focused and relaxed the same time.

So do share your experiences and wisdom to the thread. Which are your favorites and how do you apply them?

Blessinngs
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 11 replies

Herbs safe for pets

midnight03 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:04:59 GMT

I have been using echinaicia with my cat on and off for a year or so. I have been afraid to experimetn to much with herbs as I don't know exactly what is safe with her. She has had swollen lymph nodes for a couple of years now. The vets don't really know whats going on and with out spending a lot of money on tests I want to try to do things naturally first. I started this new topic as I read Linda's post on swollen lymph nodes in the Astringent thread. (I have swollen nodes myself at themoment so it was very helpful!)
Just curious if those same herbs for humans are safe for cats. I think what was mentioned was:

corn silk
parsley
burdock
Dandelion
Cleavers

Also I belive nettles is a diuretic.

What herbs have you used on or internally for your pets?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 20 replies

menopausal anxiety

Linda — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:07:39 GMT

Greetings. all. I have had my first experience of menopausal anxiety...funny as I always listened when women would describe this and I now realize I did not fully understand, I did not understand the concept that it does not necessarily have an external cause..it is a hormonal response. Of course I knew this intellectually, but it is different to know something in your mind, than to know it in your cells.

So, I am not generally an anxous person, energetic yes, anxious no. So I was surprised by a gradual wave of anxiety that came over me yesterday. I was simply lying in bed, talking to my partner preparing to go to sleep...one of my favorite activities. I felt an anxiety that had no origin that I could pin point. The few times I have experienced anxiety in my life, there was a direct cause ie an exam, a big move or other stressor. I suspect the stressor here is hormonal. So I did fall asleep easily and I did not continue to feel this the next day, but I have this feeling it will be back. My first herbal thought was to have Motherwort nearby, in case it does not pass so easily in the future. I also thought I would increase my intake of oatstraw to daily. So I am sharing this 1. just to share and 2. to see if there are others who have experienced this common occurance in menopause and to see if you have wisdom to share. And even if you have not experienced this and have something to add that would be great as well.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 7 replies

interesting article

smoorefu — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:54:26 GMT

Here's an interesting article about how even mainstream doctors are rethinking the recommendation to do screening for breast and prostate cancer:

http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_13604732?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

talking stick

amanda — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:57:41 GMT

it seems the other thread got lost in the mix... so here it is again...the talking stick

this has been another strange year for me... one seeming to be missing something, but for some reason.
last year we had the mold that halted our lives and gardening for a bit.... this year it was more personal issues, but none the less distracting from gardening and such.
this year, however, i feel myself growing as an herbalist..... more plants presenting themselves for my learning, less focus on outside events such as farmer's markets and making money..... it has been a struggle financially, but i am so very blessed with my adventures in herbalism. the wild crafting and learning about new plants has been prominent and i am thankful for it.
i hope it is twice so next year.
today i saw someone who vended at market a few times last year....we have talked here and there of plants, and today said something that made me smile...... ' i am so happy i saw you today, i think mullein has told me it's medicine is ready and i can take it now- '..... the coolest thing is that mullein had given itself to his garden the season after our farmer's market meetings....
for my birthday i received 'botany in a day' and 'weeds of north america' i am very excited to delve into these books, especially since my son is right there beside me wanting to learn too. he says forestry is for him. so we came home with a load of field guides from the library about trees and he is mapping and marking paths through our small wooded area, identifying along the way. i hope to keep his passion alive so that he learns what is important at the same time being focused on a path that will support him financially and spiritually at the same time.
i value this tribe, and have taken something from it that will last me a lifetime. but i miss you all as well, seems we are all busier!
so, thinking of you, and happy digging!

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 8 replies

pokeberry ink

amanda — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:20:55 GMT

hi all. my son is intent on making ink :) we are having a hard time finding a recipe. so far, from what i gather, i just crush the berries, boil with a little of water, and then let cool. then i would strain thru cheesecloth, and add salt and vinegar....

any thing amiss there? we'll be doing this tomorrow with the cousins, i'll check back to see if you all have any other suggestions to the making of. thanks!

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Terms to know Astringent

Linda — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:20:54 GMT

While we touched on this in the thread on demulcants, we did not specifically talk about one of the most abudant actions in the plant world:

Astringency

Plants with this quality are useful in the reduction of excessive discharge, by tightening and toning tissue. An astrigent substance is a chemical that shrinks or constrict body tissues. According to one source The word "astringent" derives from Latin adstringere, meaning "to bind fast"

Astringent plants can be applied both internally and externally. They are effective against diarrhea, skin problems, discharges, burns and hemorrhages. The following is a list of astringent plants. This list is only the beginning as there are many plants that are astringent.

Witch Hazel bark, Raspberry Leaf, Blackberry Leaf, Yellow Dock root, Calendula, White Oak bark, yarrow (stick yarrow leaves up your nose to stop a nose bleed) and acorns (not often thought of , but before leeching them I have had good results eliminating diahrea with these).

Please do add your favoites to the list!

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 11 replies

Terms to know: Nourishment

Linda — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:29:06 GMT

Nourishment is a term that is often left out when we are talking about herbs, yet I have found it to be at the core of my herbal work. So how does one define nourishment in relationship to herbs. The nourishing herbs are rich in vitamins and minerals. They nutritively strengethen and tonify the body overall, yet do have an affinity for particular body systems. They offer nutrients and are considered food herbs. Of course their nutritive value is somewhat dependent on how you prepare them and what part of the plant that you use for example the arial parts of nettle would be consider nutrient dense, while the root would be applied as a stimulating herb.

Nourishing herbs include: nettle herb, oatstraw, rosehips, red clover, burdock, seaweed, amaranth, lamb's quarters and dandelion. I consider comfrey to be a nourishing herb, but know this is controversial. I am sure others will add other herbs as well.

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Preventing and getting rid of the flu

Linda — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:40:33 GMT

I know we have discussed this in the past and I thought with the worries about the flu, we may want to reopen this topic. Knowledge is power and the more we know the less scared we will be. Here are some of my suggestions.

So to begin with, if you get the flu stay in bed for 7-10 days (in a matter of a few days you will feel better, don't be fooled, if you truly have the flu there will be a resurgance, so stay in bed even if you feel better). Those that rest do much better than those who push themselves to keep on going.

Eat lactofermented saurkraut. See this video with Susun Weed talking about sauerkraut and it's ability to prevent as well as treat the flu. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCaAkUDZK5U

I find elecampane to be one of the most powerful plants for getting rid of the flu. I often combine it with elderberries, which are also antiviral.

And finally, it is wise to avoid whenever possible crowded public places ie schools and other large institutions.

I hope you all stay healthy during the fall months and if you do get sick, I hope you rest and nourish yourselves.

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 6 replies

H1N1 (Swine) Flu vaccine

Linda — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:26:05 GMT

Here is an attachment to an article about Washington State's new ruling to temporarity allow mercury as a component of the H1N1 vaccine. An exception to a regulation that vaccines offered to young children be mercury free. The claim is that this will make the vaccine more readily available to pregnant women and young children. This seems misguided to me and while this is in Washington State, I suspect this could easily be the case in other states as well. I have also been listening to interviews with public health officials who are pushing this vaccine and they are not willing to weight the pros and cons of this. It is up to the public to weigh it for themselves. So I thought I would share this, so folks can add this to their pool of information gathering.

http://www.doh.wa.gov/Publicat/2009_news/09-154.htm

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 20 replies

by the moon

amanda — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:55:18 GMT

this is my first season going wholely by the moon. i am still learning a lot.

my question may seem silly, but i am curious anyway....

i missed this third quarter moon's root days. my roots are ready to be dug, and most harvesting charts go between sept-oct harvest for roots.

it hasn't *quite* frosted here, that comes this weekend. and some recommend waiting until the first frost to harvest roots. i like this practice.

is there any harm harvesting in nov, possibly after a couple of freezes? or is the hard ground my only concern? which is a big one for roots like burdock....

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

I will be away for a few days

Linda — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:13:58 GMT

Hi all,
I am going to be away from the computer for the weekend. We are hosting a weekend with Susun Weed and I need to give it my full attention. Be well and I will connect with you all next week.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

Calendula ointment and creams

Rainy — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:49:51 GMT

Hi all! I am currently working on a recipe for calendula ointment. I know many of you have your own mixture and I would just love to hear from any that would care to share or tidbits of wisdom you could float my way. Thank you guys....
Rainy.....
you guys have been a great help so far...I am really emjoying this group...

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

herbal events and links via Twitter- "onlineherbalist"

girlmark — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:33:32 GMT

I follow someone on Twitter who set up an account just for links to events, articles, websites, and other cool stuff related to herbalism. I've learned a lot from some of their postings. Occasionally I'll direct her attention to Tribe threads and she'll twitter about them, also.

http://twitter.com/onlineherbalist

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

Say hello

Linda — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:02:01 GMT

Hi all,
I notice we have a few new members, so if new or old would like to introduce themselves and share reasons for being here on the Herbal Wisdom Tribe, I think that would be awesome.

As you all know I am Linda and I love the plants. My experience is that everything we need grows right around us, even when we are traveling. I am currently spending a month in southern Calfornia and I do believe the fresh figs and avacados are keeping me healthy and strong, depsite the horrible air quality. I love to wild harvest what is growing around me and when I return home apples and pears will be waiting in abundance!

So please do share, what brought you, or what brings you here? What are your interests pertaining to the green world?
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 10 replies

Herbal Terms to know-Alterative

Linda — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:28:23 GMT

Alterative- An agent that helps to gradually and favorably alter the course of an ailment or condition. It helps to alter the process of nutrition and excretion and restore normal bodily function. Plants in that fit this decription are ingested for a period of time and they gradually restore body functions. They assist in nutrient and protein assimilation, as well as the removal of metabolic waste. They tend to be cooling to the system. These herbs improve lymphatic circulation, boost immunity, and help clear chronic conditions. The are particularly effective in clearing chronic skin problems.

Some of my favorite alteravites are:
Nettle (Uritca dioca)
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Burdock (Articum sp)
Dandelion root and leaf (Taraxacum officale)
Plantain (Plantago sp)
Chickweed (Stellaria media)

What are some of your favorite alteratives and/or what are your experiences with these plants?

An Herbal Wisdom Challenge, when posting about issues or things you are dealing with, see what altertaive herb might be beneficial in additon to other suggestions or ideas you might have.

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 6 replies

What do you mix to make a lotion?

silkmagik — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:06:22 GMT

Thanks for your warm welcome, it's great to be here.

I have a recipe for a yarrow lotion which was used as a cure-all in the 1900's. You need to simmer all the plant, including the roots, chopped up in a little water, strain and mix with something to make an ointment to store in little jars.

Please could anyone advice what would be a good "emolient" (i'm guesing) for mixing with the herb extract to store as ointment?

Many thanks

Lorraine

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 33 replies

acne

Rainy — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:22:01 GMT

I am hopeing to learn a few recipies to help with my acne. I take medication that causes me to have it really bad. any remilled soap recipes or creams perhaps anyone might know of? Thank you forany input. Rainy

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 14 replies

Leg cramps

amyirish — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:59:55 GMT

Last night I awoke several times with the most excruciating calf cramps. My whole lower leg would draw up so I couldn't move it. I'd breathe through it only to have another cramp start as soon as one ended. I made sure to have some bananas this morning and to hydrate myself, but what else can I do for this problem. Its not something I experience often.

I figured I'd come to y'all first as I get such great answers here. Thanks in advance.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 32 replies

alzheimer's disease

marquis — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:47:29 GMT

i was speaking to my bf's friend about memory loss and i was thinking of ordering something for my memory. i am looking up symptoms of Alzheimer's. i am 23 yrs old, is it possible to even experience it at my age? these are the symptoms i feel i do experience:

1. Decreased ability to remember names when introduced to new people.
2. Performance issues in social or work settings noticeable to family, friends or co-workers (noticeable to my bf)

3. Reading a passage and retaining little material (noticeable to my bf)

4. Losing or misplacing a valuable object (noticeable to my bf)

5. Decline in ability to plan or organize (noticeable by myself)
6. Decreased knowledge of recent occasions or current events (noticeable by me and my bf)
7. Impaired ability to perform challenging mental arithmetic-for example, to count backward from 75 by 7s (noticeable by me and bf)

8. Decreased capacity to perform complex tasks, such as planning dinner for guests, paying bills and managing finances (noticeable by me, complex tasks have been very difficult for me)

9. Reduced memory of personal history (noticeable by myself)

10. The affected individual may seem subdued and withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations. (noticeable by me and bf)
11. Become confused about where they are or about the date, day of the week or season (noticeable by me)

12. Have trouble with less challenging mental arithmetic; for example, counting backward from 40 by 4s or from 20 by 2s (noticeable by bf and me)

I believe i hit my head on something hard when i was a child, but i seriously can't remember at all. this memory issue has been affecting me as i was getting over the age of 10. this has been bothering my academic studies and my grades have never been so good.

it gets very hard to learn something and nothing doesn't stay in my long term memory (well a few things), but things stay in my short term memory. when it comes to auditory, i'm not really listening to something its like someone says somethin and i cant paraphrase what they asked me. i had to ask the question a few times.

my own teachers hated the fact that they had to repeat the question like 3 times. im tryin to take what my teachers said that they had problems with me up to now. my speaking ability has been...not good. i was told i should of been in speech therapy a long time ago. does anyone have any opinions about this?

also, i dont wanna talk to my doc about this. i really dont wanna bounce around to specialist to specialist cuz it always ends up in wasting $$.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 7 replies

Some good old hippy juice..

gliSTenz — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:59:57 GMT

Here's a lovely story I would like to share....

My neighbour prayed for an angel to come and help her ,this was about a year and a half ago..She had been through leukemia which she treated with apricot kernals and some other things..she also had severe discoid excema...she was wanting someone to guide her in the right direction as her skin was a huge issue...
I moved in next door to her , we chatted often about herbs healing acupuncture..
I talked with her about dear friends nettle and oatstraw and fish oil and all those goodies...
She has been treated by an acupuncturist since then and she recommended the very same things I had..so that was a neat confirmation..
Also her skin is doing alot better and she has better energy levels...and she is now smitten with drinking her herbal allies all the time...and is fast becoming a tea master...(she sez Iam that angel she prayed for !!)

The very cute thing is that her friends who visit who only usually drink alot of alcohol,black tea and coffee,all Maori who have grown up on not such a great diet are also drinking the teas...they only have one cup each visit but it is enough for them to notice the effects and ask for it next time...it's great..Iam so inspired and feel joy at seeing this...the power of our herbal friends is turning into a right royal hippy tea party...it really makes me laugh at the absurdity of it as only the hippies here would drink such concoctions like myself...Iam one of a few...

So she's keen to find our own fresh supply of nettles and elderberry...and save us some $$$...next step is to ring around to find which farmers may have some on their land..we live at the beach and they dont grow prolificly in sand..though my patch has afew nettles sprouting up from bringing in some soil...

Enjoy the blossoms the buds the roots the leaves ,love them up!!!

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

i am hoping someone can explain the term 'estrogenic cholagogue'

amanda — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:58:30 GMT

soo?? anyone?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 14 replies

Lupus and Rheumatoid - any suggestions?

silkmagik — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:17:32 GMT

Hi guys, a friend has asked me if I can do her a herbal remedy to alleviate the symptoms of lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. I have never claimed to be a clever herbalist, all of mine is from books, and instinct, listening to people. She is on several drugs and wanted something to relieve joint pain, in particular in her hands.

One of my herbal encyclopedias says Raynauds is a common condition. She looks a very fit and healthy young woman, I would say mid thirties at the most, I cannot see any rashes on her anywhere. She is very slim though. Is there anything I could make up into a tincture to help her without interfering with her medication? I am happy to come back and post exactly what she is on, if you think it is important before any of you can give me an answer.

I would really like to help her but I have made her aware that I am definitely not a medically trained person, and that she should probably seek advice also from her doctor to make sure he/she is ok with her taking anything herbal on top of her medication.

I don't want to get myself in above my head... is there something quite gentle that would help her please?

Many thanks,

Lorraine

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 9 replies

Multiple Sclerolis and herbs

memengwaa — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:25:00 GMT

hi.. i was wondering if any of u know much about MS and any helpful herbal treatment or physical therapies even that would be helpful. my friend has developed what is called 'progressive MS' and is definately progressing rapidly. she has trouble with movement and also has pain.

i have just started to research it a little. nervines i believe should be in order.. oatstraw for sure i'm thinking. and i've just finished a skullcap tincture. figure that she could try small amts for her pain and anxiety which she does suffer from, as well just to support her nervous system.

evening primrose oil i've read is great at protecting the myelin sheath... which covers and protects the nerves.. this is what gets eaten away in MS. for some reason the body is attacking this myelin sheath which protects the nerves..? it's almost like an autoimmune reaction... she bruises extemely easily which makes me think that there r some changes in her blood and the production of certain kinds of blood cells.

she is quite young and i feel very bad for her.. i'd like to help her as much as i can.. she seems intersted and willing to try herbal therapies as so far western medicine has only given her clonazapam which she doesn't like and painkillers.

thanks
meme..

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 16 replies

pruning the wormwood

amanda — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:09:24 GMT

last year i did it after it was finished flowering. this year i am waiting for the proper moon, but having a bit of trouble focusing and figuring it out. .. pruning in the wanning phase in the air or fire sign. i don't think it is coming up soon, but i will be looking closer.

i was wondering if anyone leaves the old growth until spring? and what if i wanted to move the massive bush??
any thoughts or growing, moving experience much appreciated!!

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 10 replies

diaphoretics

amanda — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:12:48 GMT

now that fever season is upon us, i have some questions

linda chime in on the proper definition-

a diaphoretic herb is used to aid the body in fever. most have volatile oils that are excreted through the skin. this opens our pores and increases the surface circulation, helping the body rid of wastes and complete a fever.

a fever is necessary in our immune response, and unless it is dangerously high, shouldn't be stopped with ibuprofen or aspirin

the heat from a fever will create holes in the intruding bacteria or virus, making it easier for our immune system and white cells to attack it.
it is better to aid the body in fever with diaphoretic herbs than to mask the fever with over the counter fever meds.

now to my question.
diaphoretic herbs are usually taken in hot teas.
yarrow, peppermint, elder flowers and berries (though i am thinking the flowers are more specific in fevers), catnip, boneset....are a few diaphoretic herbs

why EXACTLY is this (hot tea vs tincture or other prep? does it have to do with the hot making our body hot
or with the constituents being freshly extracted? or with constituents that alcohol precipitates? or what?
have any of you effectively used a tincture or syrup for fever, or do you, as good measure, always use the tea?

i would love to hear your experiences and knowledge on this subject-
a

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 5 replies

hops

amanda — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:34:13 GMT

i may be becoming enchanted.
i have watched the plant grow, and not really know how to utilize it. it is bending it's trellis and spreading to the porch, even wrapping around our chimnea....it's great.

i have tried the tea of the strobiles, but wow! that is some bitter, hard to drink stuff.
i don't know much about fermentation right now, but books are on my list....eventually.
now i am wondering about oils for salves, thinking about pillows for those who have trouble sleeping, and want to add it to my husbands diet somehow....
and what if i dried them and powdered them in honey? would a ball or lozenge be as terribly bitter? anyone try it?
juliette de-levy mentioned eating 6-8 flowers a few times a day, i am guessing she didn't eat the fruit.... i got one down and it wasn't intense until the end, haha. so i will look closer for the flowers, i am assuming some will still be around, because the fruits just don't stop....

i would love to hear about how you may work with this plant.....

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Postponing moon times

midnight03 — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:35:03 GMT

Does anyone know how to postpone moon times with out the use of birth control. Any herbs? Thanks

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 4 replies

Where are you on tribe? Please read and respond!

Linda — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:28:55 GMT

Greetings. I have noticed that this tribe and others have had a significant decline in activity. I also know that some people simply read and do not enter into conversation, which is fine. But I am wanting to get an idea of how many of you benefit from having this tribe available? Is it useful, does it contribute to your herbal wisdom? Is it not useful, are you finding other ways to get your needs met etc?

I would appreciate some feedback, as I am wondering whether to continue putting energy here or not. I am willing if there is a need and if not I can choose to use my energy in other ways. So would folks, please offer some feedback on what you would like to see happen here. If you are not comfortable posting here, feel free to pm me with a response.

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 20 replies

Herbal Terms to Know

Linda — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:31:35 GMT

There is a language that goes with learning herbs and many times we will read them and not quite know what they mean. So I thought it would be fun to teach each other some of the language we might encounter in our herbal explorations. Please share ones that you understand or look up and find herbs that are considered to have that quality. Here is one to get us started. Do add your own and if you have other plants that you think could be added to the list, feel free to add them!
Blessings
Linda

Demulcent is derived from the Latin demulcere which means to "caress". A demulcant is an agent that forms a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane. Demulcents such as pectin, glycerin, honey and syrup are common ingredients in cough mixtures. These demulcents will coat the throat and relieve the irritation causing the cough. They can be used to treat any type of cough, but are particularly useful to treat dry coughs.Here are a few plants that would be considered demulcants:

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Corn Silk (Zea mays)
Couchgrass (Agropyrum repens)
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum)
Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus)
Lungwort (Sticta pulmonaria)
Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Oats (Avena sativa)
Parsley Piert (Aphanes arvensis)
Plantain (Plantago major)[2]
Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva)

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 6 replies

sage ;^)

memengwaa — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:51:10 GMT

my friend just gave me tons of sage from her garden. the kind that u cook with. i don't really cook with sage that much myself. though i do use it in stuffing if i am roasting a chicken. i have plans on making some apple cider/sage deoderant with some of it. and perhaps some face cream though i still need to find a good recepie for that. ;^)

wondering what any of u do with sage? what kind of food do u use it with? and what kind of things do u make with it?

cheers
meme...

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 9 replies

interesting article

smoorefu — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:47:42 GMT

A very interesting article on using sugar or honey on wounds of all kinds, even gangrenous ones:
http://www.rejenuve.com/DrJulian%20Whitaker.htm

(I know that sugar and honey are not plants, but I'm hoping they don't really count as "products" either...)

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Awesome New Blog

Kate — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:42:08 GMT

Come check out this new blog, posts from women with all sorts of different herbal backgrounds from Western Washington.
http://medicinewomen.wordpress.com/

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Terms to know: Adaptogen

Linda — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:46:25 GMT

Adaptogens are herbs which appear to increase the body's ability to adapt to stress and changing situations.

In order to be considered an adaptogen, an herb must have certain traits. They need to be nontoxic to the user, at least in any reasonable amount. The plant must also generate a nonspecific response (not targeting a specific region of the body). Adaptagens benefit the body as a whole. Adaptogens need to support the body in creating a state of balance or normalization thus restoring the natural balance of to the body. Adaptogenic herbs are distinct from other substances in their ability to balance endocrine hormones and the immune system, and they help the body to maintain optimal homeostasis. In addition to helping the body adapt to stress, adaptogens also appear to be good for you; many of them are high in antioxidants, for example, which can help fight heart disease.

Adaptagens have long been used in Traditional Chinese as well as Ayurveda medicine and have become are applied in contemporary Western herbalism as well. Today, adaptogens are used primarily to support the body when faced wtih difficult emotional or physical circumstances. They help to prevent the body from being overtaxed of it's energetic resources. Below are the botanical names of a few of the adaptagens that are commonly used. Can you figure out the common names and what traditiona they are primarily used in? And can you add others, offering the common name, botanical name and origin of use.
Blessings
Linda

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Withania somnifera

Astragalus membranaceus

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 6 replies

pruning the lavender

amanda — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:52:30 GMT

i pruned when the flowers turned from bright purple to a dead ish gray. and the plant i cut back looks dead. i left plenty of growth and didn't cut the whole thing down to three inches like i read.....
the past years i have only had three or four plants, and i didn't prune at all. this last year they got to woody and i pruned and they died. so i started more seedlings and the last years seedlings i have pruned one and killed it i think, i hope not, but.... the others i am afraid to touch, but again, need to move them and want to get them growing happily cared for.
help!!

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 5 replies

rumex crispus (yellow dock)

amanda — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:01:06 GMT

i am going to post a picture, and though i am sure it is yellow dock, please tell me if i am wrong.

my family generally has good iron, but i would like to have a preparation on -hand. i have eaten the spring root, and i know usually it is dug in mid summer when the leaves die back.
i know it is great n helping to eliminate wastes, for people with heavy meat diets....
i would love to hear more on how it helps the acid stomach...
and any other experience with this plant.

the roots i was going to dig are from plants that have been cut down many times this summer. now they are large and the seeds are slowly turning. should i wait till the first frost?
thanks-

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Traveling

Linda — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:58:08 GMT

Hi all,
I am preparing to go to California for a month and so will not be as available during the month of September. I will be here, but a little less often. I trust you will all continue the wonderful dialogues and enjoy the fall, or spring unfolding (depending on where you happen to be). I will leave you with this quote from one of my favorite books, I was reminded of it recently on another forum and thought you all might enjoy it.
Blessings
Linda

"If we eat the wild, it begins to work inside us, altering us, changing us.Soon, if we eat too much, we will no longer fit the suit that has been made for us. Our hair will begin to grow long and ragged. Our gait and how we hold our body will change. A wild light begins to gleam in our eyes. Our words start to sound strange, nonlinear, emotional. Unpractical. Poetic.Once we have tasted this wildness, we begin to hunger for a food long denied us, and the more we eat the more we will awaken." -- Stephen Harrod BuhnerThe Secret Teachings of Plants

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

Pine needles

BJ_BOBBI_JO — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:36:20 GMT

I have done some research on pine needles and their madicinal affects.

I read that they have some kind of chemical in them used in making over the counter flue medications????

Also they are said to be good for combating the flu.

Anyone have any knowlege or experience with pine needles for madicinal purposes?

What type of ever green pine needles should we use?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

poke root

amanda — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:12:48 GMT

hi all. so i have not made a tincture of this yet, and it is calling. i do understand the need for cautions when considering it's use.... but my question is:
there all new little plants swalling up a flower garden. then there are plants taller than me with the berries. i am wondering which would be best for medicine: the new roots i weed from the garden, or waiting until fall for the roots of the older, mature plants.
thanks so much...

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 21 replies

yeast

Zip — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:17:17 GMT

hi - i saw david mention under glycerine about yeast. i would like to discuss this topic more. From a food, herb, supplement, lifestyle - insights people have experienced.

recently i have had hyper allergic histamine responses - and i am going with yeast as an underlying cause.

eliminating sugar and alcohol and limiting grains has been some ways that i have changed my diet. nutribiotics grapefruit seed extract has felt right. when i was in an acute phase, aloe was good, but seems unnecessary now that i am not so heated.

peace,
lisa

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 9 replies

non-alcoholic tinctures

amyirish — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:37:45 GMT

I have avoided tinctures as I am very sensitive to alcohol and do not consume it in any form. This morning I read a reference to "glycerine-based" tinctures. Has anyone tried this? Is it as effective and how would I go about preparing it. Thanks.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 13 replies

Goldenrod

Linda — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:55:31 GMT

Greetings. I am planning to harvest goldenrod in the next day or two. This plant has been unfairly blamed for causing hay fever, but actually has the capacity to relieve hay fever, allergies and other respiratory concerns. I have also read that this plant can be effective as a kidney tonic. Goldenrod is in the genus Solidago and is part of the asteraceae family.

So my wondering is, have others had experience with this plant and if so do you prefer to dry it for infusion or use it as a tincture. I will probably do both. I have use other plants historically for dealing with respiratory and kidney issues, but goldenrod is so abundant in my area that is seems prudent to incorporate it into my materica medica.

Any experiences with this plant would be appreciated.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 12 replies

Cedar Berries

BJ_BOBBI_JO — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:15:06 GMT

I have been researching cedar berries and their madicinal affects.

I found in my research that they are sopposed to be good for diabetics such as myself. I have been picking and drying them plus eating them.

Does anyone have any info or experience with them?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

Nuts are nourishing

Linda — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:46:41 GMT

On another tribe someone posted this link to an article: a Field guide to nuts and since I love nuts I thought I would share it here. Nuts are super healthful and nourishing and a wide variety can be found all over the world. My parnter has been working in New York State for the past week and has been harvesting acorns like crazy. We will store them for the winter and make all kinds of baked goods with, and will also just roast them. Acorns are a nutirent dense food, that are often neglected and left to the squirrels, but we too can they have a long history of human use as well. We also still have lots of black walnuts left from last year. Anyone else harvesting nuts and if so what kind? What are you doing with them? Even if you purchase nuts, what are your favorites and how do you prepare them?
Blessings
Linda

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/1988-09-01/A-Fall-Field-Guide-to-Nuts.aspx

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 9 replies

i have so much pain... herbs for pain or to speed healing

memengwaa — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:26:23 GMT

i have so much pain right now... i had surgery for a bartholins gland, which lubricates the vagina.. they ended up taking it out and taking some 'fibroid' tissue out too which was caused from it abcessing and swelling up like a golf ball. i treated it with herbs successfully but after a couple years it flared up again so we did the surgery. they took the scar tissue out of a highly vascular area. i developed what is called a hematoma... which i dealt with herbally and got rid of quite quickly..

i'm gonna see the dr tomorrow because all of a sudden today it felt like stitches internally were ripping... the pain was unreal. i have poulticed the swollen spots with some effect.... (they were there since surgery) i take oil of oregano internally with my herbal tea. i take cayenne capsules also. in herbal tea which i drink 3 times a day i simmer pine tree needles for Vit C, then yarrow and raspberry leaf to stop any internal bleeding, nettles and comfrey. i'd drink calendula but i'm allergic to it. i've made some herbal washes for external use also which work well.

right now i live off tyl ES and advils and am now taking diaudid too for the pain. iced pads and warm showers r great. i can't function without the painkillers... it wakes me up in the night when they wear out.. i seem to have developed complications with this procedure and would like to heal quickly and get back to my regular life...

do any of u have any suggestions re: healing and pain control? i hate taking pain pills every 4 hours, i've never had to do this before..

thanks soooo... much
meme...

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 14 replies

Ideas on how to make witch hazel toner/astringent

Megan — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:23:13 GMT

Does anyone know how to turn witch hazel bark into a skin astringent? My husband uses the cheap stuff daily, and I don't like that it has isopropyl alcohol in it when he uses it so frequently. I'd like to make it with 100 proof vodka, and am thinking I'd tincture it. Do you think that would work well, or is there another method?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Everything works

Linda — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:38:48 GMT

If this is true and I do believe it is, then how do we make sound decisions for our health? The question I like to ask, is how do I want to get there? What process do I want to go through in order to thrive? Thriving requires a journey and I know personally that I am most interested in nourishing myself and those around me. So my bottom line question no matter what other modalities I enlist is where is the nourishment?

An example of this would be in dealing with a cold or flu, while I may enlist strong immune boosting herbs, I would also eat chicken soup. Without the nourishment stimulating the immune system does not help the body thrive and do it's job, it relies only on the stimulation. I find that when I make sure that nourishment is present, then the body heals more quickly and I am able to to spend time doing the things that I love: gardening, hiking, cooking, eating, kayaking, communing with the natural world and many other things.

The beauty too of nourishment is that I do not have to wait for a disease state to enage in this practice, it is a lifeway, a way of approaching and thinking about the world around me. I often wonder how can I most nourish myself today. So this morning I cuddled in bed with my bog before we got up and then went outside to pick raspberries. I then ate the raspberries with my breakfast, so they nourished me twice.

What about you, what is nourishing you today?
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

How to Become a Master Herbalist in Thirty Years or More

Linda — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:03:20 GMT

A link to this article was posted on another forum that I belong to and I thought it might be of interest to some of you. The article is by herbalist Paul Bergner and I really appreciate the sentiment here.

http://naimh.com/Master-Herbalist.pdf

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

goats and herbs

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:04:15 GMT

so i know that some of you have juliette de-levi's book (my spelling may be off, sorry) . and julie, you have goats as well?
and any one else with information to share, please....

i am wondering about worming of the animals.
fiasco farms has a weekly herbal routine, but i don't know what exactly this is. and the wonderful people who gave us our goats worm once a year with horse wormer...... anyone have any ideas, recipes i could check out.......?
and any other information that may be of note concerning goats and herbal uses......

and julie, have you noticed yet which browse, weeds, etc....that makes the milk sweeter?

thank you all so much!
amanda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 37 replies

Susan Weed- Correspondense courses

memengwaa — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:56:27 GMT

just a question for u all... i was looking at Susan Weeds website.. i love it.. tons of useful and beautiful information. i was wondering if any of u have ever taken any of her correspondence courses? and what u thought about them. i am looking at the green ally course as i really feel a deep desire to communicate more readily with the plant spirits. i know a lot about plant medicines and how to use them. i respect them greatly. i just have this yearning to really be with them on a deeper spiritual level. have any of u ever taken this course in particular?

thanks
meme...

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

seaweed; herbal traditions

Linda — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:21:27 GMT

As many of you know I am a big fan of seaweed. I find it to be one of the most nourishing foods/herbs on the planet. I also have this strong sense that my Irish ancestors ingested seaweed for food and medicine. So recently a woman who attended on of my workshops, brought seaweed to me from Ireland. What a treat! She brought a type of dulse and carageenan. I am excited to try these and inspired to connect with my heritage. It is interesting that for years I was not connected to my sea vegetable roots and like many only associated seaweed with Japanese culture, but there are many coastal cultures that have seaweed traditions. The carageenan package talks about making a drink that will soothe a cold or flu, this makes sense as it is also used as a thickening agent, so has a mucilagenous consistency.

So, what herbal traditions resonate with you? Where do your herbal roots stem from?
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

memory

marquis — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:08:27 GMT

has anyone ever heard of neuro ps? i read about it at vitamin world from the people's health series written by doctors who are into herbal medicine. i was wondering if anyone knows if i can get this stuff in a liquid format? this woman my bf's knows got her degree as an herbalist and is getting ready to study to become a naturopathic told me about the supplements you buy in the store, u have no clue what is in them.

she is talking about if the ingredients say glycerin, stearic acid, silica (found out thats sand), vegetable coating, etc. she said that really isnt all that natural for a supplement. i am looking for a good potent herb/elixir, or tincture that i can use for memory. i am 23 yrs old and my memory sucks. my memory started to go downhill when i was younger and i started to forget everything or just about everything. i'm looking into chinese/ayurvedic herbs for memory problems. as i was getting older, i felt my memory was getting worse and worse. i cant even study for harder classes that includes a lot of terminology and when i do study i cant remember a single thing.

if anyone has any good websites let me know! :)

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 16 replies

update

Linda — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:08:59 GMT

Greetings all. Just to let you know that I am spending time on my land and am not getting to the computer very often. So not totally out of commission, but not posting a whole lot. Looks like you are having rich discussions and I will be around sporadically until August. Off to pick lamb's quarters and amaranth for dinner.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 4 replies

washing hair with baking soda and vinegar?

smoorefu — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:12:20 GMT

Have any of you tried this? A bunch of my friends are doing it and they are very happy with it. I'm a bit dubious as my hair is pretty oily, but I may try it out at least a few times to see. I found this explanation when I did a Google search: http://hair-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_wash_hair_with_baking_soda_and_vinegar

I'd love to hear others' experience with this technique.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 5 replies

poison ivy and a uti

amanda — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:04:53 GMT

last monday we had to sit in a patch of poison ivy, i bathed the girls with vinegar and milk, but days and days later she has spots. we treated those with a jewel weed poultice and they seemed to dry up and not bother her.
but then she has a uti, complaining of burning, having to pee and not being able to, stinky pee.....
i do not have any uva ursi on hand, i have been using yarrow, burdock, and echinacea...... along with diet and cranberry juice (real, no sugar added, though it is mixed with apple so it is palatable to her) and then teas of mallow.......

i am afraid the burdock is bringing out the poison, because since we have started it she has had a 'break out'.......

i am off to the woods to gather more jewel weed, but i would love some suggestions.

i do have cleavers, yarrow, echinacea, usnea, and mallow......should i use dandelion in place of the burdock or continue the burdock to 'clean' her blood of the poison....but ohh, the suffering for her........

thanks in advance

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 24 replies

Mugwort

midnight03 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:44:48 GMT

I have invited mugwort in to my garden this year. Such a lovely presense. I know it is good for dreams and healing of the stomach.
But I am unsure how and when to harvest this magical herb. Is it best used fresh or dry? thank you!

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

possibly of interest

smoorefu — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:53:43 GMT

Here's an article about organic farming versus food safety. Some of the measures large companies are taking are just insane.

http://tinyurl.com/lbouut

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Herbal Anti-Histamine?

inspeyere — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:28:42 GMT

Anyone know of a natural poultice or oil that can be made from herbs that will reduce inflammation bug bites? I'm thinking aloe or calendula or arnica?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 4 replies

Allergies....

memengwaa — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:39:12 GMT

greetings ;^)

i was wondering if any of u know of any hayfever or allergy remedies.. my son and i suffer from wicked hayfever. i am especially allergic to the month of july.. so bad that i'm totally incompacitated by them. along with cod liver oil every day and buckwheat honey thruout the year. i try to take the local bee pollin ahead of time to boost my immune. nevertheless i still have them.. i have had to resort to flonase nose spray which is totally against my way... but i do have to function somewhat. i take vit C and have been drinking ginger, nettle and lemon balm tea. black cumin seed oil taken daily helps a bit and when they're not full blown the homeopathic remedies work.
we had a leaky wood stove and stove pipe in my last rental which seemed to take eons to remedy. every time the stove pipe was replaced it would leak smoke again.. i feel that this is the cause of our allergies. since we did not have them before. i just moved in august and moved my herb garden also. this fall i plan on making a tincture with my elecampagne. i think we need some lung healing..

wondering if any of u have any suggestions for allergy relief and lung cleansing and tonics... i read somewhere that it could be from weak adrenal glands? i'm not sure about this.

thanks ...

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 15 replies

"Wicked" Plants!

smoorefu — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:51:57 GMT

I am going to a book signing and discussion tonight by the author of the book "Wicked Plants", a book about poisonous plants and the stories of people that have run afoul of them (like Socrates!).

Book on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Plants-Lincolns-Botanical-Atrocities/dp/1565126831/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245096306&sr=8-1

Author Amy Stewart's home page: http://www.amystewart.com/index.html

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 4 replies

here's a question about goldenseal

amanda — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:01:00 GMT

my daughter and her poison ivy and her uti.
she was doing great, then complained on a friday of her belly hurting in the area of the bladder so i thought: oh great, this is not any improvement -this is a turn for the worse. so i gave her doses of goldenseal 5-8 drops (she's between 35 and 40lbs) three times a day for three days (over the weekend). she looked great, her complexion was the best i have seen in a long time. her face, her poison, everything. it was monday and i took her to the doctor and got a clean bill of health, no infection, just a trace of blood and protein in the urine -he wasn't even going to tell me about, i had noticed on the paper as he held her folder to his side.
i stopped the goldenseal and continued with tea and burdock and plantain.
i don't know much of using goldenseal, never really had.....i know to much can be irritating to the mucous membranes......
BUT now her complexion is back to her 'normal' not nearly as good as it looked the second and third day of the goldenseal. the poison is slow healing (as are all her bumps and boo-boos no matter how i try to add zinc to her diets and such) and it doesn't look as good as it did those days either.
i know goldenseal can be a tonic. and i know you don't usually recommend it, as it is so strong... but i was hoping you could clarify it's uses as a tonic for me.
i feel like we have such a problem with these slow healing sores and have since her bouts of strep last year. i was truley amazed at how different she looked, so much more healthy. and i didn't want to continue on it either without more knowledge. my books don't do much more than describe it's uses, nothing on how to use it safely and with a child.
what are your feelings on my feelings here? i would again love some insight and experiences.

thanks so much.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 18 replies

Learning to sense or scan

David — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:10:31 GMT

Mary, who operates this Tribe, thought maybe it would be helpful to explain what I do and about sensing.

I was born being highly sensitive, being a very sensitive Empath, sensing other feelings and vibes as my own. I had health issues growing up and the military really messed me up, and they had not answers, only drugs which I really did not want. I turned to natural holistic methods to help myself. About 20 years ago, I got deeper into natural health sciences and learned to use a pendulem to tap into my subconscious and body energies. In time I learned to muscle test, after prayer. And much later I discovered I was feeling something when I was muscle testing and realize i could sense and know with out muscle testing, though I do use it as back up to verity at time, just to make sure. You do have to make sure your energies are in alignment, or you can get some false data sometimes. This can be corrected by taking your hand and brushing your third eye and heart Chakra; learned this from a one of my Chiropractors.

Decades ago I heard about body sensing, as some call it. I knew women, in their 50 or so, who had acquired the ability. I never thought I would be there some day. Like them, I get up and take my herbs and vitamins, I sense what I need and how much. I can sense at a distance, when I need to order something from a catalog, and those in our local Vitamin Shoppe store know what I do, in selecting new things and often ask for advice.

I maybe be more sensitive, but we can all learn to do it do some degree, especially muscle testing. Some use little fingers to test against, I use my arms, your body also works. It is mostly a matter of letting your body and mind know what the parameters are. Someone online told me, he does it with his body. When he closes his eyes and holds something or senses it, and it is good for him, he leans forward some, if not, he leans back wards some, I tried it and it works for me too.

Our bodies function by electrical and magnetic energy, and chemical processes, controlled by a very sophisticated computer. Our spirit is attached to our bodies, and their are connective energy lines and points. When something enters our bodies energy field, it is neutral, positive or negative. If positive it will strengthen us, if negative it will weaken us. If you place something on you for some time, the reading maybe not be correct. Some times we have to take it away, or stop eating it to test sometimes bad foods or herbs we don't need or are not good for us, if we are already taking them, sometimes cleansing the Chakras will do it too. Along this same line, some times our bodies can be so used to bad junk foods and etc, they will read positive when you test them. Sometimes too, if we really want it to test good, it will, even it not, the mind is very powerful.

I guess I could post some links to help, but I have never searched for any. Part of the way this works too at more advance levels, is that ones spirit is not bound by the body and the world, to it there is not space and time.

If you practice, you can even learn to feel your own and others spirit/energy fields. I knew of one family years ago, who did it for a family night event.They practiced and learned to muscle test. They also experimented with feeling each others energy fields. They found that when they held some bad food, it pulled closer to their bodies, same thing happened when they said negative things to them. And of course their energy fields expanded when they held good things and said positive things to them.

It can be a great adventure and very useful in life. It helps to take doctors out of the picture, who often time really have not idea of what is going on, or it can assist them, if they are open to it.

Like a muscle or a talent, the more you use it and practice, the easier it is to do, and the more you can do with it. I guess the best way to deal with questions, is just deal with them as they arise, if they do arise.

David

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

Abundance!

Megan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:17:29 GMT

Is anyone else feeling dizzy with the gifts of summer?

We've been reveling in eating all kinds of berries lately right off the plant (strawberries, mulberrries, black and red raspberries), munching on snap peas that are still producing tasty pods, cooking with greens and early veggies, and admiring the ongoing show of gorgeous perennials and reseeded flowers that somehow are still flourishing without water in a long, long drought we've had here. Huge-headed sunflowers are opening their faces today, and the smell of the bee balm is intoxicatingly wonderful to me.

I feel so lucky and grateful to have so much healthful food all around and so much beauty to look at everywhere. And my body is one that really appreciates the heat and never quite fully relaxes until this time of year.

What are you enjoying eating, smelling, touching and/or looking at in your area these days?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Vetiver

Maurie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:46:57 GMT

I first came across vetiver many years ago when I had been suffering from insomnia for far too long - where it had moved past an opportunity to have extra hours for creativity to where I was hanging on by a thread - desperate for sleep. I had tried all the usual herbal remedies, some that had worked for me in times past but for some reason were not working for me this time. I figured the root of the insomnia had somehow changed and with that change there was a need for a different herb. I visited another herbalist in my city and she suggested I try vetiver. I have no idea where she got this use for it - since I hadn't seen it listed in any of my references, but I was game to try. The first night I sat out the thick honey like liquid next to my bedstand I slept and soundly - not pestered by my overactive dream life or anything. Real sleep. I have used it off and on since then to help me get a more peaceful nights sleep. Including over the last couple weeks. I had gotten so tired of the constant on the go aspects of my dreams I was ready to quiet them so I could actually feel rested. I set the vetiver out and had only hazey recolection of dreams while it was out. (That is a miracle in itself considering I am an acive and lucid dreamer with incredible dream retention - sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse.) Last night I wanted to open myself up to dreams again for part of a spiritual practice and so removed the vetiver. The effect was immediate and intense. A floodgate of dreaming was let loose and recalled again.

I had started out using vetiver as a way to get past insomnia and somehow discovered it as a tool for dream control as well. Interesting. Anyone ever heard of vetiver being used for these purposes or had similar experiences.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Russian article on herbalism and folk remedies and my folk tradition experiences

girlmark — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:34:57 GMT

http://www.times.spb.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=29326

note: "coal" is actually regular old activated charcoal, "mumiyo" is probably shatavari (I think that's what that's called? it's an adaptogen used in some Asian herbalism), the mustard remedy is the same as mustard plasters in other herbal traditions.

I grew up with all that stuff they're talking about, and more- one of the things they don't mention in the article is that herbalism survived because people really didn't have good pharmaceutical healthcare widely available for several decades after it was widespread in the West. There are also interesting cultural differences between Americans and Russians that probably contributed to modern attitudes- and it gives us a glimpse of how "a different world is possible" when it comes to blending pharma and herbal approaches to medicine in a culture.

The Soviet history about attitudes towards herbalism would be an interesting one for someone to research (as is the history of how herbal medicine was nearly eradicated among most economic classes in the US). There are several interesting issues I'm aware of from talking to family members or reading about the American histories of pharmaceutical and herbal medicine:

-no AMA type politics lke happened to the US herbal doctors in the early 20th century (see what Michael Moore and others wrote about the history of the Eclectics, MD's who practiced herbalism and were victims of a witch hunt by another branch of physicians at the start of the AMA)

-poorly available pharmaceutical solutions to health care. There were plenty of hospitals and doctors, but the equipment that they had was truly atrocious for most of the Soviet history. A lot of drugs were unavailable- things like painkilllers and virtually everything else was in short supply at one point or another due to the terrible economy.

-doctors tended to be women. This meant two things- they were poorly paid, and they sometimes had less "attitude" than American doctors, because they were poorly paid and not viewed with the same prestige as American doctors. They may have been less invested in getting rid of patient self-treatment than American doctors seem to be.

I'm not saying that they were more compassionate than male doctors or US doctors, but because of the lack of prestige, there was less of the weird ego games that get in the way of some American pharma doctors' doing of their jobs. This is probably balanced out by the fact that a lot of people were really mean during the soviet era, and power games of all sorts got played in the course of commerce, business, mediicne, etc- people in the West can't begin to imagine how nasty some Russians became under communism due to the Soviets attempt at destroying traditional culture and behavior. Think China during the Cultural Revolution and you get some idea of the Russian version. Anyway, I suspect that some of the bad attitude that American doctors sometimes have towards patients taking their health into their own hands, is related to ego due to the prestigiousness of the profession, and related to the horrible history that the AMA had with trying to eradicate all competition from other modalities such as chiropractic, homeopathy, midwifery, and herbal traditions.

-I think that Slavic cultures are much more recently agrarian than some Western European ones, and more so than 20th century Americans. We have a hell of a lot more superstitions around the agrarian calendar, etc, people in the 80's and 90's were more likely to grow gardens than in the US, and the Orthodox church didn't make a concerted effort to wipe out old pagan ways the way the Catholics did a few centuries ago, so I think traditions that tie people to the land were stronger in the 20th century and today than they are in 20th century America and even parts of Western Europe. It seems to me that herbalism is just more widespread there because it's just part of the many agrarian traditions we practiced in modern times. For instance my mother, who's a total city person who doesn't pay any attention to health issues, was able to rattle off a bunch of traditional herbal lore when I showed her the section on Russian herbalism in one of Susun Weed's books, and she was able to tell me a bunch of additional things the plants in the book were used for, some of them using folk sayings and rhymes.

-there was a period under Stalin when the government attempted to destroy traditional folk culture because of it's link to traditional farming (whcih they were trying to change with enforced collectivization) and a lot of other issues. I think- I might be wrong- that they outlawed herbalism for a while at least as a practice by doctors. I could be wrong abput this. It would have been in the 30s.

I was told there was an official reversal of this policy once things got bad enough with pharma supplies. (a similar reversal happened when they started to allow shamanic rituals sometime during the 40's , after conducting a huge campaign against practitioners and jailing or killing a lot of elders who practiced these religions in their non-Slavic, primarily Siberian cultures. There's a very similar analogy in the US policy towards Native Americans at various times. Anyway, at some point there was a political need for more support for difficult Soviet policies, and the government actually began to allow rituals again in some areas and thawed it's attitudes towards other religious practice, including Christianity in Christian areas.

I was told that when the Soviet Union was courting China politically, they allowed Chinese herbalists to come to the Soviet cities and set up practice- which was great for the Soviets, considering their medical system was a shambles. So when my brother was a kid in the late 60's and had asthma, the family got an expatriate Chinese herbalist to treat him (pretty much succesfully- she pretty much got rid of his asthma completely).

I recall other kids getting 'cupping' treatments for colds or flu (I think that's what it was for- we didn't do it in my family), which is related to the mustard plaster remedy that the article above describes, at least in terms of the rationale I heard for it. I'm curious how much that particular practice- cupping- had to do with Russian traditions versus was imported from China. I don't recall that anyone talked about acupuncture points, or that acupuncture was at all mentioned by my family.

This is curious to me because I think the opposite may have happend in the US when Traditional Chinese Medicine came here- I've been told (by Bay Area herbalist Adam Sellers, I think) that when Traditional Chinese Medicine came to the US, and went through a fight for legitimacy and licensing, one of the things that was downplayed was the herbalism aspect, since the medical boards, AMA, and other influential parties in American medicine were deeply biased against herbalism (there's a long political history behind this, at least in the case of the AMA). I can see how the opposite would have been true in the Soviet Union- they'd been doing herbal research in the 50's and 60's when these Chinese practitioners were coming over, and I can see how they'd have adopted just that aspect of TCM rather than the more unfamiliar acupuncture. Virtually every family in Russia and related cultures probably practiced herbalism at that point, although I think that at one point prior to the political flirting with Communist China, the official Soviet party line was actually biased against herbalism (I was told that the coming of the Chinese doctors was a reversal of political policy)- part of Stalin's attempt to eradicate folk 'superstitions' for various political reasons. Like many things in Soviet history, expediency forced a change- poor pharmaceutical availability, eroding political support during hard times, meant that they thawed some hard-line attitudes towards practices that were previously on the blacklist.

Thoughts, anyone?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

Welcome

Linda — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:27:57 GMT

We have had a few people join in the past few weeks, so I thought I would encourage folks to introduce themselves...even if you have been around for awhile, introduce yourself. It is helpful to know each other a little, when offering support.

As for me, my name is Linda, I am an herbalist, dancing in the wise woman way. I focus on nourishment and promoting health...treating only when needed...but never without nourishment. I see nourishment as the backbone to whatever we do. I love wild foods and plants in general. I also love folk music, raising rabbits, the moon, and spending time in kelp beds. My passions are many and I am never bored...Do share...
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

was denied elder flowers.

amanda — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:24:53 GMT

i am thinking of this one, trying to wonder any connection. haha.
there were three or four beautiful bushes/trees in a large field across from a house i work at. i asked the lady (and i understand that having strangers come to your do to request of your weeds is a little odd, and may throw a few off) if it was alright if i were to harvest a bit, but she declined saying she was afraid i would get hurt. i told her i understood, but if she would think on it, i could come back with a note saying she wouldn't be held responsible....but she was weirded out and said no. so i left.
a little up the road there was another field and wayyy off in the field were a few more. so i went to pull off of the road to go check it out and maybe harvest a few. ha. but there was nothing to pull off onto. so my van goes boom on its axles on the edge of the road. i got the girls out through my door, afraid the van would tip, haha- i was shaking! so i walk around to see, and the weeds come up to my knees. geez i have to be more careful!
so three hours and 95$ later while sitting in a nice patch of poison ivy, we got to go home. and i *think* my car will be ok. i hope.

so twice denied elder. i couldn't leave the girls in the teetering vehicle while i checked out the elder and it was too far off in the deep grass to lug them along through it all too, so i did no communing with the plant. i am left wondering why, and what the message may be.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 10 replies

sea rocket

Julie — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:14:07 GMT

Hi,
I will be going to the beach with my apprentices tomorrow to gather and hang out with several plants.
I know there will be I think it is called "Sea Rocket". We talked about this awhile ago. I couldn't find the page where that info is.
If anyone remembers where it is, can you post a link.....also.....Linda, I think you said you made pesto or vinegar with it??
I have a longing to find it and harvest it....I actually think it would grow here on our land if I wildcrafted a few seeds.
We have a place on our land where it looks like a stream bed, probably from a long time ago when the water level was higher.
(we have a little creek now).
Enjoy the summer and solstice everyone!
Peace, Julie

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

do you want to grow spilanthes

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:54:46 GMT

just a thought.
lyme disease is pretty prevalent lately. i remember finding so many ticks last year, and they are arriving much earlier. my husband has already found a deer tick on him, it is just the beginning of april.
as many of you know i love spilanthes...i have a quart jar of dried flower heads that are full of seeds, however i don't know if they will grow..i haven't tried these.....though i do not see why not. and if you get at least one plant, you can take cuttings in water very easily....there are so many seeds on just one flower head, tiny little buggers...like most herbs
spilanthes is known to aid in lyme's disease....i have never tried to treat it, but seems logical for a preventative......eat a flower head every day.

anyone want to try and grow it.....i am willing to send them out

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 23 replies

anyone used stevia leaves?

smoorefu — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:39:04 GMT

Greetings all you wonderful plant people!

I have a friend who is growing stevia for the first time. It is growing really well, but she is wondering what is the best way to use the leaves. Other places she's asked people said <paraphrased>, "Oh, just buy the powder at the store!" Any insights would be appreciated.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

ADD

amyirish — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:14:05 GMT

I'm back to ask for y'all's wisdom. I believe my daughter may have ADD. She's not hyperactive but the innattentive kind. She has great difficulty staying present in the moment and processing spoken information. I'm not able to get an official diagnosis because there are no reputable facilities in my area that do that. When she was a baby we thought she had Sensory Integration Dysfunction because she was so completely overwhelmed by even moderate sensory input.
Let me first say that drugs are not an option.
I'm weaning her off of the yucky foods that kids love in pursuit of a cleaner diet. I've also started her on Flaxseed Oil.
Any suggestions for herbal support to either cleanse her system or help with the ADD? She's 14.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 16 replies

Growing Echinacea

amyirish — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:07:47 GMT

Early last spring a friend thinned out her patch of Purple Coneflowers and gave me some starts. They did okay last year but this summer they are going gangbusters. In addition to the their usefullness I think they are just so beautiful. When I thin them I'd like to move some out of the herb garden and into the flower garden out front.
When is the best time to do this? I planted these in spring but can I move them in the fall?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 2 replies

What do you choose to nourish you?

Linda — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:03:07 GMT

"To change ourselves, we change what we open ourselves to. We change how we nourish
ourselves."

This is an excerpt from Susun Weed's on line course The Seven Rivers. I recently received this section of the course and am reminded of how important what we open ourselves to is. I used to think I needed to be open to everything, but truly as I have explored many healing options I have found that I can pick and choose what I want to be open to, what I want to nourish me. This seems over and over to be the cornerstone of my own life journey and to what keeps me vibrant and alive.

One piece of this is that I choose relationship to all that comes into my life. To my food, my medicine, the land, the people that surround me. Nourishing relationship seems critical. What about you, what nourishes you to the depths?

Herbally, I nourished myself this evening with a salad from the yard. Many wild things: chickweed, dandelion, lambs quarters, sweet cicely, violet flowers and others. I feel particularly nourished by this, after being on the road for several days. Along the way we harvested Arnica flowers and they nourished me with their vibrancy..the flowers practically shake in my hands when I held them. I give thanks and would love to hear what is nourishing to you.

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 6 replies

Children and plants

Linda — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:47:55 GMT

Hi all..I am preparing for a children's program which is next week. I have lots planned, but wanted a few more ideas. We are going to plant broom corn, make a broom, learn that broom corn is in the grass family...we will learn about the band aid plant, how to choose plant friends..as well as learn to enjoy being outdoors with the plants. We will make sachets, drink oatstraw lemonade, learn that oats are the plant that oatmeals is made of. We will also plant oats. We will make a lip balm and healing salve, as well as make a soothing spray. We will eat plants and see how they taste as well as prepare a wild salad. Of course there are always, many spontaneous learnings in these situations, but wanted some suggestions from others as well. These are a few things I have planned...and or course much more. But if anyone has some really good suggestions I would love to hear them.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 7 replies

spring cold congestion

waveyoga — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:34:17 GMT

aahhhhhh it came on when I helped with my elder mother's house

sweeping lots of dust

it has been bad since sunday morning.. so thats 4 days now
I am tired, nose has been running.Throat hurt , now its just congested. I have slept a lot. As I was at sis home in a place with few healthy help I didnt begin til today.
iam using zinc and vitamin C. What next?

Zicam did help the nose running.. I wish I coudl swab my throat with it.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 18 replies

Arnica

Linda — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:36:42 GMT

Each year when I travel west, I stop in the mountains of Montana and harvest mountain Arnica (Arnica montana). This plant is such a gift, I have applied it topically when I have struggled with sciactica and it helped immensly, and have applied it when I have experienced an injury. One source I found explained the actions of arnica in this way:
"Arnica preparations used topically have been demonstrated to act as an anti-inflammatory and assist normal healing processes by facilitating transport of blood and fluid accumulations through a dilating action of subcutaneous blood capillaries."
*this plant should not be taken internally, except in a homeopathic preparation.

This is an amazing plant and I would not be without it in my first aid kit. Do others utilize this plant, what has been your experience?

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 6 replies

Supersize Me

waveyoga — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:26:21 GMT

ever see that movie?

You can watch it free on hulu.com.

It corroborates everything most of us know.

The experiemnter decided to eat only fast food for 30 days.

He has gained 5% of his original weight in 5 days only... 10 pounds!

In 5 days only..

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

touchy subject

waveyoga — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:54:08 GMT

Tribe is a very wonderful place to come to interact, share knowledge interests and friendship. It does however, contain a potential for addiction. People have been known to take this too seriously.

To neglect orinary life by posting too much .. etc.
it is a balance .. using the internet and really living.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

more on elder

amanda — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:12:47 GMT

so, red elder flowers are distinctly different in flowering stalk shape (botany here?? please....what is the right words?)
more cone like, whereas black-berried elder, or sambucus canadensis (or nigra) has a more umbrella, or flat shape.

so good news. the elder i am finding EVERYWHERE :) is not poison.

i went to a mountain in wva, to harvest some st. john's (alas, lost phone signal and the drive to the farm was well hidden....no st. john's today)
the elder and rose (!! it rained and rained here. i got a half as much rose as i would want for the year of the variety we have on our property)
among many others i was happy to see in such abundance, were so very prominent. i cannot wait to get the chance to get off the road (alone, yes....how nice to do this with out hot, hungry, tired children....) and really spend some time harvesting, unrushed.

what to offer the elda mor?

i am just so excited, i cannot wait to go back.
tentatively though :) she's got something to teach me.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 3 replies

what other flowers have inflated seed pods?

amanda — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:36:59 GMT

that is all. i found a plant i can't identify, doesn't have the lobelia like flower. it's white, five petals all fanned out with inflated seed pods.

i'd get a picture, haha, but i have to get on my boots. a nice snake surprised me while i was out there yesterday. i am glad we don't have many poisonous snakes around here. a black snake had it's babies in an unused raised bed this year. been seeing these guys everywhere.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Solstice blessing

Linda — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:20:22 GMT

I spent the solstice at the Midwest Energy and Sustainability Fair. Saturday, we danced into the night to the sound of Michelle Shocked, one of my favorite all time women singers, check her out if you have not, http://www.michelleshocked.com/

Anway I am sharing because I have not been around for a few days and noticed a fair number of postings. I will read them over tomorrow when I am more awake and respond if need be, otherwise I am sure you all have had plenty of good discussions.

Happy Solstice...I saw my first St Johnswort (or as many women like to call her, St Joanswort) blooming...time to harvest, this golden summer plant.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

sumac berries and creeping bellflower.....

amanda — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:07:12 GMT

so i have a beautiful sumac tree in full berry now.
stories, experiences, anything to share would be appreciated. i am going down to check it out much closer in a bit and spend some time with it. beautiful, it is.

and the bellflower. truthfully was hoping this mystery flower that popped up behind my peony was a skullcap of a sort, but it is a bell flower, rather nice plant too. i am going to leave it alone and hopefully collect seed to create a nice little stand of them. the only thing i have read is it is good for whooping cough and i suppose coughs n general....but anyone else have any thing to share about this plant? it is a nice purple....what does purple coincide with?

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 1 reply

Spiderwort seeds.

amyirish — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:32:43 GMT

Thanks to all of you for putting up with my silly questions. I'm not a trained herbalist (obviously), my grandmother did teach me a few things. I may never know much about y'all's profession but I am a darned good gardener. I've been in this house for 3 years now, carefully observing all the beneficial plants that sprout up in my yard and I'm beginning to wonder if a previous resident may have put them there on purpose.
Whether put there on purpose or by accident, the spiderwort plants are very happily producing seed. If anyone wants some pm me and I'd be pleased to share.

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 0 replies

In honor of Herbalist Rose Barlow

Linda — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:18:38 GMT

My friend and sister herbalist, Rose Barlow left the earth yesterday. She died at 8:30am. Rose was one of the most inspiring Wise Women on the planet. Her teachings and generosity touched manyI will miss sharing wild foraging and meals with her, and will always remember the kindness she emparted when I arrived in the midwest. If you are not familar with Rose's work visit her website http://www.prodigalgardens.info/
There are some wonderful writings there. Friends will continue to maintain her webiste, so mark it as a resource, it is truly a gift.!

Blessings
Linda

posted in Herbal Wisdom - 4 replies