In our country right now we have a political hotbed happening. The world seems a dangerous place with angry and worried people seemingly everywhere. This climate all seemed to happen with change. The change of Republican to Democrat. The change of going from an economy that wasn’t great to one that is going straight into the toilet.
As a natural health expert; I’ve seen those changes on an almost daily basis. People are afraid of the future and it translates into a feeling of hopelessness. This in turn causes untold health issues of stress and other issues.
As an alternative health person; I’ve watched the political atmosphere with some trepidation as this climate of change can cause me grief as well. I’ve been working with my mentor/ teacher for a couple of years trying to do something about it. She has become the head of the steering committee to help our state with a safe harbor bill to allow practitioners such as her and myself to be allowed to help people to better health. We wish to be able to do our work in peace without interference from governmental issues.
Now having said that I wish to address some questions I see forming in some skeptical minds. When I say we wish to have freedom to do our work; I mean we want to be able to work with our clients toward better health without harming anyone. This is a very important distinction from what people might think. We cannot go willy nilly through our life; just throwing out advice that is dangerous or irresponsible. We believe in what traditional medicine used to say about themselves. “First Do No Harm” was a quote most often described to show the physicians role of healer.
This idea of great health for all is one I firmly believe in and in following this path have found a way of life that suits me well. As a person who was sickly as a child; found myself at the doctors clinic more often than not through my growing years. And as a married woman found myself as a healer again in the form of helper to my asthmatic husband and children. But the traditional approach to asthma and other issues was not working for us at all. In fact I found that the medicine that I was put on actually was making me much much worse. And when my husband was told he had to have back surgery or would be crippled; we looked another way and found it. Several months and trips to a Shiatsu massage therapist later and my husband is driving over 2000 miles a week in a semi.
So you ask; how does a person get to this healthy way? It takes time; it takes patience and it takes an alternative view of alternative means of health.
When a physician sees an illness he wishes to stop the reaction to it. For instance if you have back pain; such as my husband did; you get a pain killing pill. This belief of stopping the reaction of the body to the ailment is a common belief in traditional medicine. But in an herbalists eye; this is a very dangerous thing! The body is designed to “talk” to the different body parts; to communicate things that may be important to the body as a whole.
So if your back tells you that it’s in pain; we believe that we need to get to the root cause of that pain rather than just stop the nerve response to it. If we stop the pain sensation it doesn’t fix the issue at all does it? It just stops the uncomfortable feeling we have with it. But if we work on the aliment and muscle tenseness and build up the back structure (which we did with my husband) we can have better health without surgery.
Now having said that I note that not all things can be fixed by herbs. If you are in a car accident and your spleen is damaged, or your appendix bursts; then YES you need to have surgery! I don’t ever want anyone to misconstrue what I say about herbs helping all things all the time. But having said that I must also say that if I or another of my family is in the hospital for a health issue I will do my level best to help them heal quickly with herbs and other alternative methods that I can provide.
So today I’m going to think of better ways to help with our cause in the state of Colorado. It looks to be a big year with many issues to work on. Many are issues of people that want what they want in our realm of alternative health instead of thinking of the whole. Many are financial in nature. We have a long row to hoe in this fight for our freedom and the freedom of others to be able to treat their body the way God intended.
If you wish to learn more about our organization you can reach us at this website http://cosunshinehealthfreedom.info/
Although I hesitate to mention this; it’s vital that for all our health benefits; we pass this bill. We are in dire need of monies to provide a bill to the legislature this year. If you wish to donate you may do so by going to the website to find the information on where to send donations or you may reach us at my email address of wenigater_54@yahoo.com.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
My Life with Herbs
People often ask me where my inspiration comes from in using herbs to cook with; and I have to say that it was all started by a fluke. You see the garden I had was pretty big and as I got older was really getting tired of having to work several hours each day on those rows of corn, beans and tomatoes. So the next logical thing to do was to add things that needed little care and were able to be there year after year without replanting.
I had already put in a border of flowers around the outside and down the middle but wanted more useful things besides just for show. So the next step was planting herbs. Boy was I ever surprised at the result!
The first year I planted two kinds of Sage, Lemon Verbena, Chamomile and Chives. The second year I put in Rosemary, another Sage, another Chive, Mint and Parsley. The third year I put in Cilantro. By that time the Verbena was gone, and even though Chive is not perennial; was still surviving; due to a mild winter. The Sage however was humongous! It ended up becoming as large as a picnic table and almost as tall as me!
The real problem with planting a hardy perennial is that it can take over the whole blasted garden. This is what happened with the Mint. Now most of you that garden realize what I learned the hard way. Mint is an insidiously strong plant that can withstand almost any issue from drought to bugs to even burning….something I tried to do in my effort to rid myself of this pest. I had already tried digging it up; to no avail. It is a tuber; meaning it sends roots up from the bottom of the plant to another spot a short distance away from the mother plant. This makes a complex network of strong roots and is almost impossible to get rid of! After weeks of chopping, hoeing and digging found the end to my project and taught me a valuable lesson on gardening. A tough native plant can become a real problem if you don’t keep it in control. I have since learned that if you wish to have mint (I don’t!) to plant it in a container and then bury the container in the ground for easy culling should you wish to move or remove it. Just remember that the plant can hop over the side of the pot if you’re not careful!
As the herb patch in my garden flourished; I found that they not only tasted good in my soups and other dishes but they; for the most part; were a great help in becoming a “pest control”. I found that Sage is like mesquite; it is strong smelling and virtually impossible to kill; not tasty for grasshoppers and gets big enough to act like a live barrier to outside influences. I found that Parsley; although tasty to the caterpillar; will actually keep them off other plants like tomatoes if I plant enough! And the added benefit is that I am contributing to the Monarch butterfly world by doing so.
I also found that Garlic Chives is not tasty to anything in the animal world but humans. It has a delicious flavor and smells so strongly of Garlic that I sometimes use it instead of Garlic when I am out of the healthy bulb.
The world of herbs is an amazing place to visit. I have planted herbs for my canning needs; I have planted herbs for beauty such as Chamomile; and have even planted herbs for my cats. If you’ve never seen a cat enjoy Catnip you really haven’t been kind enough to your kitty. The Catnip plant is not a beautiful one and after a summer of your four legged friends wallowing all over the leggy plant; is quite an eyesore. But this useful herb is a joy for not only cats but us as well. The properties of Catnip; also called Catwort; are as a sedative, antispasmodic and can be used for insomnia, cramps and migraine headaches. A great way to use it is to put a couple of stems with leaves intact in boiling water to steep for 10 minutes. Catnip tea has been traditionally used as the more popular Valerian as a calming tea at the end of a hard day.
So when you plant the garden next spring take into account the valuable properties of herbs as not only a beautiful plant to add to the garden but a healthy alternative to our diet!
I had already put in a border of flowers around the outside and down the middle but wanted more useful things besides just for show. So the next step was planting herbs. Boy was I ever surprised at the result!
The first year I planted two kinds of Sage, Lemon Verbena, Chamomile and Chives. The second year I put in Rosemary, another Sage, another Chive, Mint and Parsley. The third year I put in Cilantro. By that time the Verbena was gone, and even though Chive is not perennial; was still surviving; due to a mild winter. The Sage however was humongous! It ended up becoming as large as a picnic table and almost as tall as me!
The real problem with planting a hardy perennial is that it can take over the whole blasted garden. This is what happened with the Mint. Now most of you that garden realize what I learned the hard way. Mint is an insidiously strong plant that can withstand almost any issue from drought to bugs to even burning….something I tried to do in my effort to rid myself of this pest. I had already tried digging it up; to no avail. It is a tuber; meaning it sends roots up from the bottom of the plant to another spot a short distance away from the mother plant. This makes a complex network of strong roots and is almost impossible to get rid of! After weeks of chopping, hoeing and digging found the end to my project and taught me a valuable lesson on gardening. A tough native plant can become a real problem if you don’t keep it in control. I have since learned that if you wish to have mint (I don’t!) to plant it in a container and then bury the container in the ground for easy culling should you wish to move or remove it. Just remember that the plant can hop over the side of the pot if you’re not careful!
As the herb patch in my garden flourished; I found that they not only tasted good in my soups and other dishes but they; for the most part; were a great help in becoming a “pest control”. I found that Sage is like mesquite; it is strong smelling and virtually impossible to kill; not tasty for grasshoppers and gets big enough to act like a live barrier to outside influences. I found that Parsley; although tasty to the caterpillar; will actually keep them off other plants like tomatoes if I plant enough! And the added benefit is that I am contributing to the Monarch butterfly world by doing so.
I also found that Garlic Chives is not tasty to anything in the animal world but humans. It has a delicious flavor and smells so strongly of Garlic that I sometimes use it instead of Garlic when I am out of the healthy bulb.
The world of herbs is an amazing place to visit. I have planted herbs for my canning needs; I have planted herbs for beauty such as Chamomile; and have even planted herbs for my cats. If you’ve never seen a cat enjoy Catnip you really haven’t been kind enough to your kitty. The Catnip plant is not a beautiful one and after a summer of your four legged friends wallowing all over the leggy plant; is quite an eyesore. But this useful herb is a joy for not only cats but us as well. The properties of Catnip; also called Catwort; are as a sedative, antispasmodic and can be used for insomnia, cramps and migraine headaches. A great way to use it is to put a couple of stems with leaves intact in boiling water to steep for 10 minutes. Catnip tea has been traditionally used as the more popular Valerian as a calming tea at the end of a hard day.
So when you plant the garden next spring take into account the valuable properties of herbs as not only a beautiful plant to add to the garden but a healthy alternative to our diet!
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Perfect Medicine Cabinet
When looking at the vast array of herbs in my cupboard and storage I think it looks like the herb store I work at! To people that have seen it and don’t understand how herbs work; probably think I’m a bit of a hypochondriac. This is absolutely false. The thing is; herbs work much different than traditional medicines do. So if you use only traditional meds; you will have only two or three bottles of pills to treat many types of issues. But these medicines are harsh on the body and to an herbalist like myself; very toxic.
So what does the average alternative medicine cabinet hold? I carry many of the same types of helps for body imbalances such as anti inflammatory and stomach help. I tend to get headaches and have something for that as well. I get body aches when I’ve worked beyond my normal exercise routine and a rub for that as well as sleep aids and energy boosters.
The difference with me and the average household is that the herbs; oils, flower essences and rubs I have are not as strong. They may well be more effective than over the counter meds or Rx drugs are; but they take up more room because they are not encapsulated into as small a pill form. So if I take Adrenal Support for tiredness; I take four or five of them in a day. If I need Vitamin C; I eat as many as I can in a day to knock out that cold I’m trying to get. That might be as many as 8 or 10 a day.
This means that my medicine cabinet is bigger than yours.
But although these herbs are not as concentrated; they are amazingly accurate in helping just what I want helped without damaging my liver or causing any other side effect. The most common side effect of over doing most herbs is diarrhea. Which is exactly what the body would do to eliminate anything you take too much of; such as eating 20 apples in a day. You don’t need that much fruit and what does the body do? Eliminate what it doesn’t use.
So one question I’m asked frequently is what should the average person have on hand for every day use in their cabinet?
I decided that there are several things that everyone should have in their cabinet; especially during flu season. Here is a list of suggested herbs, vitamins and other helps that I recommend. Please remember that there are other herbs that work similarly but these are my personal favorites. You might like to talk to a certified Herbalist for advice or feel free to ask me! And remember this is the list I'm using regularly at this time. This varies with the seasons and with issues of health in our home.
Please note; these are Natures Sunshine Products. This is the only company I will use.
Colds:
Citrus Bioflavonoid ( a particularly effective type of vitamin C)
VS-C ( a great help to stop viruses)
Garlic ( a powerful anti oxidant and immune booster)
Elderberry Defense ( immune booster)
L- Lysine ( an essential amino acid perfect to help cold or canker sores)
Colloidal Silver ( anti viral, anti fungal, anti bacterial)
Skin:
Silver Shield Gel ( Colloidal Silver in gel form; use as you would anti bacterial ointment)
Black Ointment ( amazing ointment used for all skin issues)
Golden Salve ( similar ointment to Black Ointment; that has an olive oil base)
Aloe Vera Gel ( perfect for sunburns; scrapes and cuts)
Stomach:
Stomach Comfort ( herbal version of ant acids; chewable)
L- Acidophilus ( a pro biotic; refrigerate after opening to keep culture alive)
Food Enzymes ( a combination of food enzymes very effective to restore flora in stomach)
Papaya Mint ( chews that work as an anti acid)
LB-X ( a mild laxative)
Gentle Move ( a bulk laxative)
Pain:
Capsicum ( the heat of Capsicum will help move toxins in the body to help inflammation dissipate in the body)
IF-C (Chinese combination of herbs formulated to stop pain)
IF ( another version of herb combination to help pain)
Everflex ( ointment formulated to help sore muscles)
Headache:
Lavender Essence ( a few drops on the back of the neck; at temples works wonders on a headache!)
Herbal Sleep ( a combination of herbs formulated to relax)
Chamomile Tea ( the perfect herb tea to soothe)
De toxifying
All Cell Detox ( a combination of herbs that will help the body eliminate poisons)
Activated Charcoal ( capsules of activated charcoal to absorb poisons and toxins)
Tiao He Cleanse (a mild cleanse to boost energy and help the liver and bowels)
Candida Clear ( a cleanse designed to rid yourself of excess Candida Albicans)
Para Cleanse (a cleanse to rid the body of parasites)
NSP also carries a large selection of men’s and women’s formulas as well as herbs especially for the younger set. It would take many blogs to mention them all so I am only putting some of what I have in this feature.
Now to those that are reading this; it seems a lot. And not everyone keeps what I have on hand but I have to say that I use these herbs regularly and I have not been to a physician in years! I use no vaccines for illness; I take no traditional medicine either to prevent it or to stop an illness in play. And yet I’m healthier than I’ve ever been!
And my husband; once a skeptic; is now handing out my cards so fast I’m always out!
So the next time you run out of aspirin or Tum’s please remember that there are great substitutes that will not cause long term damage to the body and are as close as your browser if you wish to get healthy!
So what does the average alternative medicine cabinet hold? I carry many of the same types of helps for body imbalances such as anti inflammatory and stomach help. I tend to get headaches and have something for that as well. I get body aches when I’ve worked beyond my normal exercise routine and a rub for that as well as sleep aids and energy boosters.
The difference with me and the average household is that the herbs; oils, flower essences and rubs I have are not as strong. They may well be more effective than over the counter meds or Rx drugs are; but they take up more room because they are not encapsulated into as small a pill form. So if I take Adrenal Support for tiredness; I take four or five of them in a day. If I need Vitamin C; I eat as many as I can in a day to knock out that cold I’m trying to get. That might be as many as 8 or 10 a day.
This means that my medicine cabinet is bigger than yours.
But although these herbs are not as concentrated; they are amazingly accurate in helping just what I want helped without damaging my liver or causing any other side effect. The most common side effect of over doing most herbs is diarrhea. Which is exactly what the body would do to eliminate anything you take too much of; such as eating 20 apples in a day. You don’t need that much fruit and what does the body do? Eliminate what it doesn’t use.
So one question I’m asked frequently is what should the average person have on hand for every day use in their cabinet?
I decided that there are several things that everyone should have in their cabinet; especially during flu season. Here is a list of suggested herbs, vitamins and other helps that I recommend. Please remember that there are other herbs that work similarly but these are my personal favorites. You might like to talk to a certified Herbalist for advice or feel free to ask me! And remember this is the list I'm using regularly at this time. This varies with the seasons and with issues of health in our home.
Please note; these are Natures Sunshine Products. This is the only company I will use.
Colds:
Citrus Bioflavonoid ( a particularly effective type of vitamin C)
VS-C ( a great help to stop viruses)
Garlic ( a powerful anti oxidant and immune booster)
Elderberry Defense ( immune booster)
L- Lysine ( an essential amino acid perfect to help cold or canker sores)
Colloidal Silver ( anti viral, anti fungal, anti bacterial)
Skin:
Silver Shield Gel ( Colloidal Silver in gel form; use as you would anti bacterial ointment)
Black Ointment ( amazing ointment used for all skin issues)
Golden Salve ( similar ointment to Black Ointment; that has an olive oil base)
Aloe Vera Gel ( perfect for sunburns; scrapes and cuts)
Stomach:
Stomach Comfort ( herbal version of ant acids; chewable)
L- Acidophilus ( a pro biotic; refrigerate after opening to keep culture alive)
Food Enzymes ( a combination of food enzymes very effective to restore flora in stomach)
Papaya Mint ( chews that work as an anti acid)
LB-X ( a mild laxative)
Gentle Move ( a bulk laxative)
Pain:
Capsicum ( the heat of Capsicum will help move toxins in the body to help inflammation dissipate in the body)
IF-C (Chinese combination of herbs formulated to stop pain)
IF ( another version of herb combination to help pain)
Everflex ( ointment formulated to help sore muscles)
Headache:
Lavender Essence ( a few drops on the back of the neck; at temples works wonders on a headache!)
Herbal Sleep ( a combination of herbs formulated to relax)
Chamomile Tea ( the perfect herb tea to soothe)
De toxifying
All Cell Detox ( a combination of herbs that will help the body eliminate poisons)
Activated Charcoal ( capsules of activated charcoal to absorb poisons and toxins)
Tiao He Cleanse (a mild cleanse to boost energy and help the liver and bowels)
Candida Clear ( a cleanse designed to rid yourself of excess Candida Albicans)
Para Cleanse (a cleanse to rid the body of parasites)
NSP also carries a large selection of men’s and women’s formulas as well as herbs especially for the younger set. It would take many blogs to mention them all so I am only putting some of what I have in this feature.
Now to those that are reading this; it seems a lot. And not everyone keeps what I have on hand but I have to say that I use these herbs regularly and I have not been to a physician in years! I use no vaccines for illness; I take no traditional medicine either to prevent it or to stop an illness in play. And yet I’m healthier than I’ve ever been!
And my husband; once a skeptic; is now handing out my cards so fast I’m always out!
So the next time you run out of aspirin or Tum’s please remember that there are great substitutes that will not cause long term damage to the body and are as close as your browser if you wish to get healthy!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Herbs are food!
When I talk to people about herbs and how they act and react with the human body I am always fighting the basic principle of what herbs are. For millions of years people have used herbs as a way to heal; to feed themselves and a way to flavor otherwise dull food.
But most people have the idea that if it comes in a capsule; it's a medicinal product. And while I do suggest herbs for ailments such as sinus trouble and headache; herbs are basically food. They are plant material from a God made living thing.
Most of us have been to the doctor in the last ten years and they will inevitably prescribe some medicine for the ailment we went to them for. And as it usually is in a pill form; we know that these medicines will have some warnings and side effects.But if you go to the grocery store and grab a bunch of organic parsley you're thinking food right? Well; parsley has amazing properties to heal!
Most people don't realize that by adding parsley to your diet you can help with kidney issues, menstrual cramps or lower your blood pressure. Parsley (Petroselinum sativum) is a great source of dietary calcium, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin A. The main ingredient in parsley is it's color. The color of green has an ingredient in it called flavonoids; which are renowned for being one of the highest antioxidants in the world. It has beta carotene, folic acid and one of the most important ingredients of all; chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a powerhouse of energy to boost the body's defense system and has one of the most important health benefits by alkalizing the body. To have an alkalized body is to have a healthy body. Bacteria, viruses and even cancer cannot live in a high alkaline body.
And you thought parsley just tasted good in spaghetti!
So the next time you reach for an herb at the store or chop up garlic for your Italian dish; remember that herbs are food and they are great for your body!
But most people have the idea that if it comes in a capsule; it's a medicinal product. And while I do suggest herbs for ailments such as sinus trouble and headache; herbs are basically food. They are plant material from a God made living thing.
Most of us have been to the doctor in the last ten years and they will inevitably prescribe some medicine for the ailment we went to them for. And as it usually is in a pill form; we know that these medicines will have some warnings and side effects.But if you go to the grocery store and grab a bunch of organic parsley you're thinking food right? Well; parsley has amazing properties to heal!
Most people don't realize that by adding parsley to your diet you can help with kidney issues, menstrual cramps or lower your blood pressure. Parsley (Petroselinum sativum) is a great source of dietary calcium, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin A. The main ingredient in parsley is it's color. The color of green has an ingredient in it called flavonoids; which are renowned for being one of the highest antioxidants in the world. It has beta carotene, folic acid and one of the most important ingredients of all; chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a powerhouse of energy to boost the body's defense system and has one of the most important health benefits by alkalizing the body. To have an alkalized body is to have a healthy body. Bacteria, viruses and even cancer cannot live in a high alkaline body.
And you thought parsley just tasted good in spaghetti!
So the next time you reach for an herb at the store or chop up garlic for your Italian dish; remember that herbs are food and they are great for your body!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)