Ashwaganda -Tasty Every Day Restorative Formulas

Ashwaganda (Withania somnifera) is by far one of the top herbs I have come to rely on in my work as a community clinical herbalist.  I generally look very closely at an individuals health history, constitution and long term health goals before suggesting any herb or practice, but time and time again, I have found so many  people, men and women of all ages, who immensely benefit from the rejuvenative and restorative properties of this root medicine.  Ashwaganda comes to us from the Ayurvedic tradition in India where it is known as a "rasayana" or that which restores, transforms, conserves and revitalizes energy of the body.  

In today's busy world how many of go walking around exhausted, half asleep, mentally foggy, in a constant state of adrenal stress, with sleep debt and often times not even on enough food/fuel.  I've seen numerous clients and friends in this state, and even myself more often than not- so busy they can't find time to eat, stay up late to finish work, drive long distances under stress, have too many responsibilities and tasks to accomplish and too little help, feel exhausted, drained, experience a loss of libido, sleep poorly, and have stressful and extreme mood swings.  Something is wrong with this picture.  This isn't living.  

First off, lifestyle changes and practices for managing stress, getting more sleep, eating properly all must be implemented to see positive and healthy changes in life.  For me lately, that is looking like taking a real hard, long look at exactly what I am capable of myself as one person, setting myself very specific time limits on work hours, making regular dates with friends to get outside, hike, or camp, taking regular walks and yoga breaks,  and asking for more help.  Each of us as individuals have to go through the processes of shifting our life-long habits that do not serve us or promote health and vitality, sometimes its often just a matter of learning a different way of doing things.

But on top of these sorts of changes, which are absolutely essential, during the process of making changes, and moving through transitions and challenging times- I have found this Ashwaganda to be an indespensible ally to many many people, myself included.  It supports people in evening out mood swings, restoring libido and sexual vitality, improves sleep quality, provides balanced energy throughout the day, without being overstimulating, provides nourishment to the blood (ashwaganda is extremely rich in iron) and the HPA axis  (hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis- i.e. the endocrine system).  People begin to notice effects when they start taking ashwaganda almost immediately, within a week or two.  But the best results continue to show up as they continue taking ashwaganda for 3 - 6 months, or even longer.  Consistenly people come back to me to tell me how much ashwaganda helps them.

Most commonly people are using the tincture of the root, or occasionally buying standarized capsules in a health food store, but I'd like to share the ways I like to use Ashwaganda myself and with my clients that don't involve taking a tincture!     These are very nourishing and delicious ways to take ashwaganda, which isn't really the yummiest of herbs on its own.

Ashwaganda & Cinnamon Infused Milk
This is the most common way I reccommend Ashwaganda to people, and is truly a delight to enjoy!  Ashwaganda was traditionally given in milk and so I like to use this method- using what has worked for hundreds if not thousands of years.

1 tsp ashwaganda powder
dash of cinnamon to taste
1 cardamom pod, cracked
8-10 oz milk (dairy, goat, almond, coconut)
1 tbsp honey
1 pinch of sea salt
1 tsp ghee or coconut oil
1 tbsp rose gulkand, or dried roses ( alternatively 1 tsp rose water)  (OPTIONAL)

Warm the milk to just bubbling at the edges and add powders, herbs, oil and salt and mix thouroughly.  Reduce heat and warm 3-5 min longer.  Remove from heat, add honey, and whisk the whole pot vigourously until oil and honey are incorporated.

Serve hot and drink the roses, ashwaganda and cinnamon powder down with the milk.  This is an excellent preparation for your morning wake up drink, after making love/sex, for an afternoon pick me up, or any time you need extra nourishment and sweetness. I suggest once or twice a day.  If only, once you might wish to up the ashwaganda to 2 tsp.

Ashwaganda Electuary
1 pt Ashwaganda powder
1/8 pt cardamom seed powder
1/3 pt citrus peel powder (orange is my favorite)
2 pt Honey
(1/2 - 1 pt cacao powder) - optional

Mix powders together in a bowl and mix with enough honey to make a thick jam like paste.  It will thicken with time, so err on the side of runny.  Place this into a jar with a lid and store.  You can take this electuary by the spoonful, mix into tea, mix into smoothies, spread on toast, breakfast cereal, rice or in stewed fruit. Take 1 - 3 tsp daily.

Ashwaganda Syrup
1 cup ashwaganda root, dried pieces
1.5 qts water
1 pinch sea salt
2 cups honey or sugar
2- 4 oz brandy or ashwaganda tincture (optional)

Simmer and cook ashwaganda root in water for about an hour.  You want to simmer, not boil to death, but also evaporate some of the liquid as you are simmering, until you have about 16 oz of ashwaganda decoction.  Simmering to reduce helps to concentrate the decoction.  Strain the ashwaganda roots out of the decoction and reduce further if needed to 16 oz.  to the strained decoction add the same volume of honey or sugar and mix thouroughly by stirring, or shaking a covered jar.  Add 2-4 oz of brandy or ashwaganda tincture to preserve your syrup longer.  If you do not add alcohol, store your syrup in the fridge and use within 2 months.

Take up to 2 tbsp 2-3 times a day.
This recipe is not appropriate for those with blood sugar issues, diabetes or insulin resistance!  You may also find you want to add a pinch of cardamom, clove, or a vanilla bean to your syrup as it is cooling as well.


Restorative Nutritive Tea Blend
1 pt Ashwaganda root
2 pt nettles
1 pt cinnamon
1 pt tulsi basil
1/2 pt ginger
1/2 pt licorice root

Blend herbs well in a jar and store away from the light.  Use 1 tbsp per pint, or 2-3 tbsp per quart of hot water.  Steep tea for 1 hr or more, or alternatively, simmer gently, gently for 15 min, covered.  This blend taken daily will replenish the body with nutrients and minerals, reduce stress, improve digestion and taste good too.  This is lovely with a bit of honey taken in your thermos to work, school or on your daily errands. Up to 1 qt daily.  It's been described to me as gingerbread love in a cup.  Hey, that sounds pretty great huh?

If you don't have time to make your own ashwaganda preparation, I have a few special syrups left at PoppySwap which have Ashwaganda as a part of the formula.  Parvati's Devotion- Herbal Syrup for the heart, romance and self-love.    They have been a huge hit and I only have a couple left!

10 Nourishing and Herbal Self Indulgences for Valentine's Day

1) **Nourishing and Nervine Herbal Infusions**- Deeply restore, rejuvenate, replenish and nourish your body and especially your nervous system with herbal infusions daily/weekly.
 Nettles is always a good choice for nourishment, but consider any of the following herbal infusions.
 Oats- to rebuild and replenish the nervous system
 Linden- to soothe the heart, calm and relax, and sweeten the spirit
 Red Clover- to nourish and replenish the female endocrine system
 Tulsi Basil- to brighten your mood, bring back a sparkle to your eyes, and a smile to your lips
 Roasted Dandelion Root with Cinnamon- tone up, stimulate and improve digestion, liver function, circulation and more


**2)Drink cacao**- It might seem obvious, to include chocolate on V-Day- but rather than sugar laden bon bons, brew yourself a deeply intoxicating cacao drink- to open and nourish your heart, induce a state of bliss and pleasure, and give yourself a love infusion of minerals and vitamins (magnesium & B vitamins) I like to use 1 oz raw cacao paste from Heartblood Cacao,mixed with 8 oz hot water, sweetened with a touch of honey and laced with cinnamon, nutmeg, rose water, orange peel, or hawthorn berry extract.

 **3) Take an Herbal Infused Bath**- Taking a warm bath is a natural way to indulge yourself, but you can double the pleasure and magnify the benefits with the addition of herbal infusions in your bath water! And don't forget the pleasure of scenting your bath with sensual essential oils like rose, patchouli, ylang ylang, jasmine, vanilla, or vetiver. For a deeply healing herbal bath, brew up 1 gallon of strong tea (3-4 handufls of herb) of any of the following herbs, strain and add to your hot bath water.
 Roses- to open and soothe the heart
Chamomile- to calm and soothe stress, anxiety, and tension
 Lavender- to calm tension, relax emotional fragility, or soothe a bruised ego
Marigolds (Tagetes)- to induce euphoria, relaxation and happiness
Rosemary- to clear the mind, stimulate the body, soothe soreness/achiness, and increase creativity


**4) Give yourself a scented herbal massage**- Either schedule with your regular massage therapist, or give yourself a healing, nurturing massage with a lusciously scented and herbal infused oil. Oils that have been infused with the healing properties of herbs are deeply restorative, powerfully healing, and super pleasurable. My favorite oils to use are sesame, coconut or olive- and I like to infuse them with flowers and herbs that are both sweet smelling, skin healing and deep tissue replenishing. Sesame oil is highly absorbable and good for all types of skin, Coconut is best for folks with hot constitutions, warm skin with redness, or oily skin, and olive is good for those with dry skin or cooler constitutions. Good choices to infuse in your oils are: Roses, Lavender, Calendula, St Johns Wort, Comfrey, Ashwaganda, Gotu Kola, Chamomile, Rosemary, Marshmallow, Violet Leaf, Ginger, Birch, Patchouli, Plantain


**5) Take restorative and rejuvenating adaptogens daily** - There are a lot of reasons to take adaptogens- to help manage stress, to replenish and restore adrenal health, to balance hormones/endocrine system, to improve libido, to improve sleep, to support good immune function, for more mental clarity and daily emotional balance. Your choice of adaptogens may vary based on your needs but my favorites are below!
 Ashwaganda- Try 1 tsp of powdered Ashwaganda in warm milk (almond or coconut works well), sweetened with honey, laced with cinnamon, and topped with ghee or coconut oil.
 Schisandra- mix the ground up berries with honey for a delicious sweet-sour treat- spreadable on toast like jam, or mix into tea
 Medicinal Mushrooms (Reishi, shitake, cordyceps, maitake etc)- Cook healing mushrooms into soups and broths, or make a syrup sweetened with honey or molasses.

  **6) Make and Drink Herbal Infused Bone Broth** - Make yourself a big pot, and freeze the extra to have around and nourish yourself every day! Bone broth (or seaweed broth for vegetarians) is a really easy, and deeply nourishing tonic for everyone- it is full of minerals to build and restore bone health and nervous system health, gelatin and collagen for strong skin, hair and nails- and digestive system tissues. You can add your favorite immune herbs, adaptogens, fruits with bioflavanoids or medicinal roots to the stock as it is cooking to increase the nourishment factor. Organic, free range bones (chicken, beef, lamb, eggshells etc) Enough water to cover completely 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar Simmer bones in water with lemon on low for 24 -36 hours in a crock pot, or on the stove on low. Add any of the following herbs to boost its health supporting properties: Burdock root, shitake mushrooms, lovage root, garlic, onion, calendula, hawthorn berries, kelp, sage, nettles, dandelion greens, schisandra, ginger, turmeric etc

  **7) Sit with a plant or a tree**- No matter what season or weather is happening around you, find a plant- inside or out, or a tree nearby, and spend 10-30 min sitting with the plant. Close your eyes, ground yourself by sending your roots down into the earth, focus on your heart- so full of life, so full of love, and open your heart to the plant you are with. Ask to share with the plant you are with, offer the plant a gift ( a song, a stone, a shiny object, a piece of fruit or chocolate, water, tobacco), and ask if the plant might have a gift- a lesson- a teaching for you. Sitting with plants always has been a remarkably powerful way for me to connect with nature, and the deep connection we all share as living beings on this earth. We can learn, feel ourselves, and feel the deep LOVE within the Earth for all her creations.

  **8) Buy yourself an herbal pampering gift** - This could be decadent perfumes made with love and only pure essential oils, an indulgent face cream with luscious skin healing herbs, an intoxicating tea blend with flowers and spices, a rich, lathering cold processed soap infused with herbs, or a sweet smelling essential oil blend for diffusing in your living space. And USE it- daily, give yourself 60 seconds to 5 mins just for you and pamper yourself with your gift to yourself.

  **9)Make herbal incense to sweeten your space**- Not as complicated as you might imagine- all you need is some charcoals for burning your incense on, a heat proof dish and some sweet smelling herbs. You can chop your herbs coarsely and use as a loose incense sprinkled on your hot coal, or you can finely powder your herbs in a grinder and mix with honey, dried fruits, and/or wine or mead into a thick dough which can be rolled into rounds or cones. I find a mixture of mugwort or salvia (to hold the burn), fragrant herbs and spices (roses, cinnamon, lavender, chamomile, mint, cloves, tulsi, rosemary etc), and resins (frankincense, pine sap, copal, myrrh) work best as a whole, but let your imagination guide you! You can add an element of magic and intention to your insence as well, by focusing your energy on your intention as you select and mix your herbs. Make a blend that speaks to you of self love, self honoring, your unique personality, or elements you want to welcome in. Burn your mixture daily during self care rituals, bath time, or bed time.

  **10) Build an altar to your plant allies and yourself** - Clear a space for yourself to build/create an altar to yourself- the qualities you love about yourself, and the elements you would like to call into your life and your self expression- and/or to celebrate your plant allies and all the ways they serve you, gift to you, teach you, heal you and your deepening relationship with them. You can pick one plant or several. Put up pictures of yourself, pictures representing yourself, words you wish to reflect on, affirmations of self love and honor, pictures of your plant allies, potted plants, dried plant parts or flower arrangments, flower essences, tinctures, essential oils, candles, or little cups of tea! Spend some time daily or weekly at your altar in meditation, gratitude, or prayer. Honor yourself- beautiful, abundant, loving, wise, luscious, nourished- and honor your plants- friends, teachers, wisdom keepers, allies and healers.

Have you seen the Poppy Swap?

Oh, I'm so excited about this new online storefront called Poppy Swap.  This is a store all about herbs, herbalists and plants!  Herbalists selling real herbal goods, plants, medicines and body care direct to other plant lovers!  I've already opened a Blue Turtle Botanicals store there, and suggest you check out the other great offerings beginning to show up there!
If you sell herbal products then you should go check it out!  Free listings, beautiful page, wonderful people.  3% of sales goes back to support the website, which includes a free forum for herbalists community sharing, a blog, and the store!

Don't delay- the first 100 swappers to register to sell get a free *seed membership*

www.poppyswap.com
Blue Turtle Botanicals @ Poppy Swap

10 reasons to love blessed Chamomile (matricaria recutita)

I've been feeling so uninspired to write these days- feeling like I have nothing new or interesting to say about herbs.  Its snowy here, so snowy, it requires utmost effort to even go for a walk - first bundling up appropriately- not too much, but not to little, then buckling on the snowshoes (which is an acrobatic sport in and of itself), and then trudging through the knee deep snow at a snails pace.  15 min to get to the woods, 45 min to the river.  It's not exactly easy these days.  And the plants are all but covered up.

There are the trees of course, sweetly dreaming in the winter dormancy, and I feel anxious for blossoms for making elixirs.  Evergreen needles beckon to be added to winter brews.  But I've got the winter blahs.    I thought maybe if I wrote about nothing fancy, nothing special, the most basic of herbal friends- without trying to be new or different or unique or stand out somehow with something   !WOW!  I'd find the joy in writing about plants again.

So I randomly picked an herb- well know, loved by all, used by herbalists and lay people and muggles alike.
The herb of grandmothers tea for upset tummies, and teething babies, and cranky pants adults and teens.  Humble and beautiful Chamomile.

Here are my 10 reasons to love chamomile right now.
1. Unsuspecting bitter digestive tonic.

 Yeah, chamomile is bitter. Did you know this?  Have you ever had a cup of chamomile tea that steeped a bit long?  It's truly bitter.  I think herbalists and folks forget this property of this humble herb.  The bitter taste is usually lacking in most American diets.  So they say take bitters- gentian, dandelion, oregon grape etc.  Yes, and drink chamomile tea before you eat.  Its gentle bitterness is paired with energetic warmth and aromatic carminative properties.  Not only will it fill the bitter need in our taste senses, and improve digestive secretions through this bitterness, it will, served warm, warm up the crockpot of the stomach to prepare it to digest food.  And those aromatics stimulate peristalsis and help to eliminate gas (especially if like many americans you don't chew your food well, and swallow air as you gulp down your meal.)

2. Unrecognized antiinflammatory
I use chamomile frequently in tea blends for inflammed digestive systems with much success.  Chamomile is often the perfect remedy for those folks who are generally stressed out, crabby-cranky, and have a digestive problem like IBS, food allergy related leaky gut, colitis etc.  It gently soothes their cranky nerves, and moderates inflammation on the digestive tract tissues.  Most folks think of chamomile as a good tea for nausea or upset stomach, but its effects reach much deeper, and I find it to be a supreme remedy for serious digestive complaints as well.  The nice thing about it is that everyone KNOWS chamomile.  Anyone will be willing to go to the store and buy some chamomile tea.   (though I do think quality of those tea bags is somewhat questionable).  But chamomile isn't scary.  Its easy, its familiar, its safe.   I also find that its gentle warmth is usually NOT too intense for folks with a warm constitution, but if concerned it can be combined with something cooling like marshmallow, or peppermint.

3. Ladies friend for PMS

  It's not always the strongest of remedies, but I've seen a strong chamomile infusion zap spasmodic, cold menstrual cramps in many women, at the same time pacifying their cranky baby irritability.  The classic indication for chamomile is for adults acting like children.  You know, when you feel like you are about 2.  and want to stamp your feet, have a tantrum, and whine till the cows come home.  Go make a cup of tea.  Or better yet, have your partner bring it to you. No complaining.

4. Be beautiful skin ally
  I love chamomile for the skin.  Just as it is an effective anti inflammatory for the digestive tissues, chamomile can be an excellent remedy for the skins many inflammations.  Itchy rashes- try a chamomile tea compress or bath.  You might want to put some oatmeal in the blend too, but even by itself, chamomile can clear up rashes and mild infections on the skin quite well.  Chamomile also contains a highly sought after plant chemical known as azulene.  You can find it in other herbs like yarrow as well, but azulene is this amazing BLUE oil that is used in skin care formulas as an antiiflammatory.  It also evens the skin tone, reduces dark circles and spots, and calms redness.  Azulene in chamomile can soothe burns- both from the sun and from the stove.  And it will turn your homemade cream blue.  Thats just too cool.    And don't forget the chamomile tea bag over the eyes trick.  Takes down the dark circles, addresses mild eye inflammation and infection- try it on styes, pink eye, allergy eyes, and plus, it feels great to lay there with cool sweet smelling chamomile on your eyes.  We should all do that more often.

5. Sweet Night cap
Instead of finishing off the night with a glass of wine or a hot toddy, try a hot infusion of chamomile.  I know, its simple, chamomile tea before bed.  But I love it.  Chamomile tea with a hint of lavender is one the best bedtime remedies I know, for adults and children alike.  It soothes any last remaining belly achin from the evening meal, calms and soothes the nervous system and eases the body gently to rest.    I told you I was getting simple and back to basics.  I'm tired of fancy specific indications all the time.  I bet your clients and skeptical family members are more likely to take a cup of tea than that bitter "to bed" tincture formula.  I agree, sometimes you need the big guns, but lets not forget the simplicity and beauty of simple, well known plants.  Chamomile tea- before bed, sweet dreams and sleep deeply.   Chamomile also happens to be a lovely remedy for those who get nightmares- I think it best in combination with flower essences, talking it out, and other specific herbs for the situation, but this can really soothe the frightened soul of a child or adult who has woken from a horrible dream with tears and sobs.

6. Pain easer
  Chamomile, a strong preparation, is a wonderful analgesic and pain reliever.  Another reason to use it on your burns or cuts and scrapes.  Chamomile tincture rubbed on teething gums soothes baby's complaints.  A cool tea bag as a poultice in the mouth for inflammed sore gums from erupting wisdom teeth, inflammed tissues, or post oral surgery.   Or try a cotton gauze soaked in the strong infusion or diluted tincture.

7. Bathing herb
I've mentioned this above, but I love chamomile in baths.  You can use blue chamomile essential oil if you like, or a strong tea of chamomile flowers. ( Make a gallon and pour it strained into the bath water).  Soothing, relaxing, pain relieving and antiinflammatory.  This makes a perfect bath before bedtime for young ones, or anyone, and is a wonderful way to treat yourself when feeling stressed and blue.

8. Easy to grow
I've managed to grow chamomile in a pot, in the desert, and beyond.  You can grow chamomile pretty much anywhere!  It spreads widely,  and can take a cutting.  Its fragrant blossoms and leaves gently waving in the wind, beckoning you to lay down in the field and take a nap.  Grow chamomile from seed, or seedling.  If you want a large bed, enough to harvest from, you will want several plants, and several feet of planting area.  But i've found I can harvest a decent amount for myself from just a few plants.  Harvest the flowers as they open fully, gently pulling the blossoms up and off between your fingers, or use a small collecting rake (used for blueberries as well).  The plants will continue to bloom even as you harvest daily.

9. Fermenting fun with chamomile.
I love to add chamomile to kombucha, but its also a lovely addition as a bittering agent with sweet aroma to homemade beers (herbal and standard alike) and is marvelous added to apple cider to ferment into a bubbly hard cider.

10. Yummy!
One of my favorite things about chamomile is it is YUMMY!  So many of our herbs are exceedingly bitter, nasty, unpleasant. Its nice to have a few reliable standby herbs that are so effective and multipurpose, but are also delicious.  I've not met too many people who object to a bit of chamomile tea with honey.  Healing medicines shouldn't always be unpleasant.  Effecting healing in a gentle and pleasant way is often just what the person needs.  I like to remind myself that often the most effective medicines are seemingly the most simple, and "unsexy."  Plain ol chamomile tea.  Its good.  Use it.

Delicious chamomile tea for all reasons

1 pt chamomile blossoms
1 pt lemon balm leaf
1 pt peppermint
1/4 pt lavender flowers
1/2 pt lemon verbena or lemongrass (optional)

Steep 1 tbsp of herbs in 8-12 oz hot water, covered, for no more than 5-7 min.  Serve with chamomile or lavender infused honey.  Yummy!

Want to buy blue chamomile essential oil?  Floracopeia!

Need to buy chamomile?  Mountain Rose Herbs!

Discovering Herbalism :Classes in Avon, Maine

January 29-30, February 19-20, March 12-13, April 23-24, May 14-15

Summer and Autumn Dates TBA

$100 - $150/month, payment plans and thoughtful barter proposals will gladly be considered.

Sean Donahue and Darcey Blue French are offering an opportunity for beginning and intermediate herbalists to develop or deepen their relationships with the healing plants of New England through a series of weekend intensives at our home in Avon, ME.

Through lectures and discussions, readings, meditations, ceremony, and direct experience, participants will learn about:

* Listening to and learning directly from the plants themselves

* The art and ethics of wildcrafting

* Making herbal medicines

* Understanding the energetics of herbal medicine and of the human body

* Nourishing the body, mind, and spirit

* Therapies for chronic and acute injury and disease

* Working with plants in ceremony and magic

* Plant identification and Materia Medica

* Establishing herb gardens

For more information or to register, e-mail herbalists@brighidswellherbs.com

Floor space and limited couch or bed space will be available for those traveling. 

Breakfast will be provided.  Lunch and dinner will be potluck.

The Sweet Taste of Life: A place for sweetness in the medicine cabinet and pantry

It's Blog Party time! Visit Kiva's blog for the rest of the contributions to this months blog party on sweet medicines!

Here's my exposition on the place for sweetness in our medicines and foods, and my "Sweet Melissa Divine" honey!

Who doesn’t enjoy the sweet taste of a special treat after supper, a little drizzle of honey in the evening cup of tea, or a morsel of sweet chocolate? It seems as if the sweet taste is irresistible to the human animal, and though will power and dedication can steer us away from indulging in sugary sweets daily that rot our teeth and lead us down the garden path of deteriorating health, there is still a craving for the sweet taste of fresh fruits and small indulgences that is natural to our taste buds.

Though I am the last person who will tell you that eating sugar is even remotely good for you, I want to explore how the sweet taste can mean so much more than “sugar” to our body, mind and spirit. Most traditional medical systems, including Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Unani Tibb reserve a place in the therapeutic toolbox for medicines and foods of a sweet nature. Yes, that is correct, the sweet taste DOES have a therapeutic value, and many traditional systems have recognized it and put it to work for thousands of years.

Both TCM and Ayurveda have a classification of the five or six primary tastes, which include sweet, sour, salty, acrid/pungent, bitter, and astringent. According to these systems the body must receive all the tastes on a daily basis to maintain balance. Too much of one or not enough of another can tip the scales in an unwanted direction. This is easily seen by the excess of sweet tastes in the modern SAD diet, and the resulting problems with obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes.

According to TCM, the sweet taste is warming, strengthening, harmonizing, relaxing and moistening. It builds up energy and strengthens spleen qi, nourishes body fluids and is associated with the energy of yang and earth. Too much of sweet flavor can produce dampness, obesity, and weakness in the kidneys, teeth and bones. In Ayurveda the sweet taste is used to pacify excess pitta and vata conditions (excess heat, dryness, or ungroundedness). It builds and restores the water element and ojas (life force/vitality). It represents the qualities of love nourishment and sustenance.

In a sense, the sweet flavor is the primary taste that provides nourishment and the building of energy both in the body and the mind. It is important to remember that the six tastes effect the spirit and mind just as much as they do the body, and the sweet taste will nourish the heart and spirit, build strength and energy of heart and spirit, and calm states of deranged pitta or vata (think bouts of anger, emotional upset, ungroundedness, bitterness, dryness or lack of luster and verve for living.) It’s not a surprise then that we crave sweet foods to console ourselves in times of emotional upset, or to soothe sensations of physical weakness, or deprivation. We must also remember that as much digestion as our stomach, spleen, liver and intestines do, our minds also digest myriad forms, thoughts, ideas, events and emotions on a daily basis. It is just as important to fill the mind with healthy, nourishing thoughts and emotions, and that our mind be able to digest well that which we provide it. The sweet taste is not to be reviled in our quest to shun refined white sugar which harms our health, but must be used with respect in appropriate fashion to nourish our minds with the sweetness of life, and nourish our bodies with strength and energy.

There are many foods which qualify as “sweet” that are completely unrelated to sugar, honey, syrup or candies. I generally recommend using the following foods as our main sources of “sweetness” on a daily basis.

Fruits (often of mixed flavor with sour, or astringent)

Nuts/seeds

Whole grains

Meats

Dairy products

Winter squashes and other starchy vegetables

But there is a time and a place for sweet medicines and you will often find traditional formulas from ayurveda or TCM with raw sugar, honey or syrup added as an important player, either as a corrigent or as an active component. For example, rose gulkand, a very cooling, soothing food to pacify pitta (especially in hot, dry summer months) is made primarily with rose petals and jaggery (raw cane sugar). Many herbal formulas are administered in honey and ghee, i.e. Chavawanprash- a complex rejuvenative formula.

All that said, let’s dive into the sweetest, loveliest of sweet medicines I’ve been creating lately, herbal honey!

Honey is one of my favorite methods of administering herbal medicines, and I often mixed powdered herbs into a jar of honey for a sweet easy to take honey herb paste. This is much like the Ayurvedic herbal jam Chavawanprash, which combines herbs, honey, and ghee. These can be spread on crackers, fruit, or eaten off the spoon. Honey itself is considering warming, moistening (demulcent/emollient), and rejuvenative/nutritive. It is full of nutrients, enzymes and other health promoting compounds aside from the sugar content. Honey is used to bring herbal medicines deeper into all the tissues of the body.

My favorite way to use honey medicinally is to steep fresh aromatic medicinal herbs in raw, local honey for a week or so and infuse it with all the properties of the herbs. These medicinal honeys can be used as a dressing for wounds and burns, as herbal syrup, stirred into hot or cool water for a refreshing drink, mixed in tea, or even used as a beauty treatment (there is something lovely and luscious about smearing honey all over your face as a hydrating, soothing face mask. Or anywhere else for that matter!)

The most recent herbal honey I’ve made is a fresh lemon balm in mesquite honey, and it is a lovely, divine elixir. I think I’m going to call it “Sweet Melissa Divine” in honor of the plant, the bees that made the honey, and the Bee Priestesses called Melissa in The Fifth Sacred Thing. This summer elixir will be put too good use as an antiviral wound dressing, a sweetener for fresh lemonade, as a mood brightening sweet treat to dress fruit, berries, or fresh yogurt. In light of the mood lifting and soothing properties of the sweet flavor, and the sweet uplifting spirit of Melissa officinalis, this honey will be a perfect remedy for a mild case of the winter blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), insomnia, stagnant depression and mild anxiety.

Sweet Melissa honey  has also found its way into a magical and delicious potion called Sweet Melissa Divine Elixir- a stunning and remarkably effective combination of the lemon balm infused honey and a full strength fresh plant lemon balm tincture.  This sweet medicine is delicious, easy to take, and excellent for soothing those grumpies in adults and children alike.  My partner Sean likes to use it at summer music festivals in cases of heat exhaustion.   No complaints with this tasty medicine!  It's a treat for everyone! I have a few of these available in my Etsy shop if you would like to get your hot little hands on one!

Sweet Melissa Elixir @ Etsy.com

Other favorite herbal honeys include rose, lavender, rosemary, bee balm monarda, and peppermint. I have a hankering to make St Johns Wort honey, but alas, I live in a land nearly devoid of fresh St Johns Wort, so will have to save it for another year.

Making herbal honeys is quite simple. Many times I’ve read to heat the honey, but heating raw honey too hot can destroy the properties, so I choose to cold process my herbal honeys.

1 pint jar

1 pint honey (raw and local if you can find it)

Enough herb of your choice to fill the jar full (do not pack it too tight, just loosely full)

Chop the herb finely and add to the jar. Pour honey over the herb until well covered, you may use a little less or a little more honey depending on the herb. Stir the concoction well with a spoon or chopstick to ensure all the herb bits are coated in honey. Put a lid on and set in a warm spot for 1-2 weeks. You may put it in the sun if it isn’t too hot.

After the allotted time (and several taste tests between putting it up and now), you may choose to strain the herbs from the honey using a wire mesh strainer. Hopefully your honey is relatively runny and warm from the summer climate and can be poured reasonably. If it isn’t, you may need to GENTLY warm it to thin it out. I recommend a hot water bath for just a few minutes. Reserve the honey in a special jar with a label. Eat the herbs! Or rub them on your body for an instant hydrating herbal scrub.

Use the honey generously and as often as you need to nourish the sweetness of life in your spirit and body.

Sources:

Chinese Nutrition Therapy, Joerg Kastner

Ayurveda: The Devine Science of Life, Todd Caldecott

Ayurveda: the Science of Self Healing, Vasant Lad

But I don't like the taste of water.....

I can't recall how many times I have heard that line from clients and friends when told they need to get more water in them.  Water doesn't taste like anything, right?  (Well I happen to disagree- good, fresh, clean water is sweet and delicious).   But I do agree that chlorinated, recycled city water often leaves a bad taste in the mouth.  There are a lot of fancy water filtering systems out there, you can take your pick.  I find a simple Britta pitcher or faucet attatchment is sufficient for me in the city.  If you have clean well water or rain water, you are blessed!

 So in an effort to hydrate people turn to those commercial fruit flavored waters sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup and full of artificial colors and flavors.

Ooops!

But there is a better way!  You can make your own hydrating, delicious and fun to drink flavored waters with fruits, vegetables and herbs at home!  

Cool water will graciously inherit the essence of aromatic flavors which you can provide to it.  What is your favorite flavor?  Melon?  Berry?  Mint?  Lemon?

Go beyond the simple squeeze of lemon or lime with a few interesting twists!  All you need is a few simple herbs, fresh water

Rose and Lemon Water

1 qt water

1 tbsp rose hydrosol

1 tsp rose infused honey

2 slices of lemon

Lime, Cucumber and Mint water

1 qt water

3 slices of cucumber

2 slices of lime

1 or 2 sprigs of fresh mint, crushed

Lemon Lover Water

1 qt water

2 slices of lemon

1 tsp lemon balm or lemon verbena infused honey

1-2 sprigs of  fresh lemon balm or lemon verbena, crushed

Lavender Melon Water

1 qt water

2-3 slices(thin) of honeydew, watermelon, or other melon

1 flowering sprig of lavender (you can use dried)

1 tsp lavender infused honey

Honey Water

1 qt of water

1 tsp honey (herbal infused honey is the most interesting)

Birch Water

1 qt of water

2 bruised or peeled twigs of black birch

Vanilla Cardamom Water

1 qt water

1 tsp homemade vanilla extract

1/4 tsp crushed cardamom seeds

1 tsp honey (vanilla infused if you have it)

Rosemary Lemon Water

1 qt water

1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, crushed

1-2 slices of lemon

Basil Water

1 qt water

1-2 leaves fresh basil, crushed (Tulsi basil is especially nice, but try lemon basil, or cinnamon basil too!)

1-2 slices lime

Lime and Cilantro Water

1 qt water

2 slices of lime

2 sprigs fresh cilantro, crushed

Orange Ginger Water

1 qt water

1 tbsp orange flower hydrosol

2 slices of fresh orange

1-2 thin slices fresh ginger

1 tsp ginger honey

Place all the ingredients in a quart jar.  Infuse for 2-8 hrs, either on the counter top or in the fridge. These will keep longer in the fridge. Serve cool!  I've found I can infuse water repeatedly with the same batch of ingredients 2-3 times, though you may want to add additional honey or hydrosol if using those in your recipe.

What other combinations can you dream up?  A splash of berry infused vinegar?  Frozen blueberries or strawberries used as ice cubes?  Other hydrosols?

Cool, calm and collected with Roses

Last months blog party was on staying cool in summer heat, and I wasn't able to put anything together in time, but we've been having a bit of a heat wave in the Northeast this past week or two and I've been turning to Rose to keep the heat from rising too much!

Rose, besides being sweet smelling, heart soothing and settling to emotional frights and upsets, is a wonderful cooling remedy. Roses gently move blood, are slightly bitter, astringent, antiinflammatory, nervine and nourishingly rich in vitamins, minerals and bioflavanoids.

I always turn to rose for burns. Sunburns respond amazingly quickly to an application of rose vinegar diluted in water. I've also used a rose tincture applied similarly with great results. I also turn to rose for cooling and calming red inflammed and damaged skin- either on the face or elsewhere- heat rash, red and painful chaffed skin, cold sores, and the delicate skin of the face in rosacea or general sun damage. Rose tea, rose tincture, rose vinegar, rose hydrosol, rose infused oil, and rose otto all work well in these cases. I choose the preparation that is both convienently close by, and appropriate for the situation at hand. i.e. tea or vinegar as a compress for heat rash, oil for damaged skin or inflammed dry rashes, hydrosol to cool and calm.

I use Rose tincture diluted in a saline solution as an eyewash that offers quick relief and healing from burning, redness, itchiness, or in removing a particle of something in the eye. Rose eyewash works really well for the unfortunate experience of hot burning chile pepper/cayenne in the eyes! Just make sure to strain the solution well through a coffee filter to avoid putting more particles in the eye. I dilute 30 drops of tincture in 1 oz of saline solution (1/2 tsp non iodized salt in 8 oz water), and use an eye cup, or a shot glass, or just use a clean dropper to rinse and irrigate the eye. You can also use rose hydrosol for this.

But lately, as I've been dealing with the hot, sticky humid New England heat wave, rose has made its way into my daily routine in the following ways.

After a sticky, hot walk outside I drink a glass of cool water with a splash of rose hydrosol. Yum! you can also add a spoonful of rose petal honey to this to make it a bit sweeter. Some days I add a generous splash of rose petal elixir to the mix as well. Feel free to mix and match to what suits you. If you like the taste you can also make a rose vinegar and rose honey mix to add to your water.

I frequently mist my face, neck, chest and back with a blend of rose tea, rose vinegar, and rose hydrosol mixed in a mister bottle. You can add a drop of rose otto, lavender essential oil, or peppermint essential oil if you like.

After a cool shower I massage my skin with a rose infused and scented oil- honestly I can't say how directly cooling the oil massage is, but it feels so beautiful after a cooling shower, and heart nourishing- do it just to love yourself. Anoint your heart with rose.

Include rose petals- either fresh or dried in your daily infusions. This can be very astringent and drying, so take note of how much rose you use, and if you are already dry and dehyrated or live in a dry/hot climate, you might consider adding a demulcent like marshmallow root to the infusion as well.

I like to use the fragrant wild roses for most of my medicinal preparations, but note that unsprayed cultivated roses and the wild multiflora rose which is less fragrant still make wonderful cooling medicines - as vinegars, elixirs, infused honey and tea.

Make New Friends.....

It's been 4 months since I arrived in New England, spring has sprung and summer is almost upon us. I thought I would reflect a little bit on some of the new plant friends I have met in the time I've been here....as an herbalist transplanted from the hot, dry Southwest, the lush, moist greenery of New England has been a deep drink of sustenence. Of course, as the song goes...make new friends, but keep the old..one is silver and the other gold....my golden oldies from the Southwest are still some of my favorite plant allies that I wouldn't want to be without...precious anemone tuberosa, who I was able to get from generous herbalists in Tucson, Tagetes lemmonii (marigold) euphoric and antiiflamatory healer, and the always useful and fragrant larrea tridentata.

But in my efforts to remain a bioregional and wildcrafting herbalist, I will remain most closely dependent and allied with the plants of my new bioregion....
here are some of my new friends
Betula lenta (black birch) and betula allegehenensis (yellow birch) sweet stimulating, relaxing, tonic root beer tree


Hammemelis virginiana (witch hazel) astringent, refreshing tonic for skin and mucous tissues

Rosa multiflora (multiflowered rose) sweet, fragrant sister to rosa rugosa, and soothing to my rose deprived heart

panax trifolius (dwarf gingseng) magical little friend to american ginseng, who greeted me by suprise this spring


Lady's Slipper Orchid who broke my heart open and brought me to my knees with tears in the forest with her tender beauty and emanating love.

Conquering Insulin Resistance Naturally with Nutrition and Herbs: Online Intensive

Conquering Insulin Resistance Naturally with Nutrition and Herbs: Online Intensive

Are you concerned about any of the following modern diseases: Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, trouble losing weight, cardiovascular health concerns, inflammation, cancer. Did you know that all of these are signs and or symptoms of what is called Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome. Underlying the syndrome/symptoms is a metabolic dysregulation called Insulin Resistance. Much to our dismay, this is rampant in the United States, and is causing health problems for millions of people, some without even knowing! Fortunately for us, there are many natural ways of dealing with and controlling insulin resistance through food, nutrition, herbalism and lifestyle changes. Western medicine will tell you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer and throw you a medication to control the symptom, but very rarely does the underlying cause of the symptom get addressed.

Join Herbalist and Nutritionist, Darcey Blue, for an 8 week long online intensive covering all aspects of Insulin Resistance and how to manage it naturally through food, herbs and lifestyle changes. We will cover the following topics.

*Physiology of insulin resistance
*Sugar/carbohydrate cravings and addiction
*Nutrient dense foods and meals that control insulin resistance
*Herbs and Supplements
*appropriate and effective exercise specifically for managing IR
*stress and sleep
*the role of inflammation

This course is specifically helpful for those who are working to manage Insulin Resistance in their own lives, but is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn more about health and the roots of many of today's chronic and rampant diseases, or those working with clients or family members with Insuslin resistance.

You will receive bi-weekly lessons and reading material, suggestions for additional resources, assignments which focus on experiencing first hand the ways you can use the suggestions for Insulin Resistance in your own life, personal attention and coaching from Darcey, a supportive group community all working towards the same goal! Classes are run via e-mail mailing list, and weekly computer access is a requirement for the course.

Class runs from July 5- Aug 30
Cost: Sliding scale $150-$200- payments plans are available
Some additional materials (books, herbs) will be needed for the course.

For more details or questions, or to register contact Darcey (shamana.flora@gmail.com or 520-429-2654)
Payments may be made via check/money order or paypal.


About the Instructor:
Darcey Blue French is an herbalist and food lover, who has over the years explored various ways of eating, interacting with food and preparing food. Educated as a Clinical Herbalist and Nutritionist at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in 2008, she has been in private practice since that time. She has experience in Ayurvedic Cooking, Vegetarian, Allergen Free, Insulin Resistance diets and the philosophies of Dr. Weston Price. Food is far more than fuel, and Darcey is passionate about food that not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit, and tastes wonderful too. She works closely with plants, both wild and cultivated that provide both food and medicine. She is an avid forager of wild foods, gardener of organic vegetables, and is passionate about local and sustainable food systems, and how our relationship with the land, nature and wilderness impacts our physical and spiritual health and wellbeing. She truly believes that one cannot separate the health of the people from the health of the ecosystem in which they live.

Intense, vibrantly wild and alive!

Herbal Lemonade: A new way to enjoy your herbal infusions

Today I made lavender lemonade. It is a warm early summer sunday, and I was craving a refreshing and relaxing tonic, so out came the herbs and I concocted Lavender lemonade.
Everyone loves a glass of lemonade, and what better way to enjoy your herbal infusions in summer! This will work with almost any aromatic herb you may want to use. But even other non aromatic herbs make a lovely lemonade base.
I like to use such herbs as Lavender, Rose, Mint, Lemon Balm, Tulsi, Rosemary, Lemon Verbena, Birch, Hibiscus, Schisandra, Violet flowers, Elderberry or Elderflower, Hawthorn, St Johns Wort, Nettle and Marshmallow.

To start you will want to make sure you have plenty of fresh lemons, local raw honey, fresh water and herbs on hand. The following proportions make approximately 1 gal of lemonade. Adjust to taste and your needs.

1 qt strong herbal infusion - Boil 1 qt water, and pour over herbs in a glass jar. Make sure you make it strong enough for the flavors to come through in the lemonade. For lavender- 1 c dried lavender flowers for a 1 qt of infusion. Best to let these sit for 30 min or more, depending on your herb choice. 4-6 hrs is better for hardier herbs like fruits, roots or barks, or if you want to take advantage of mineral rich infusions of nettle or oatstraw. Always cover aromatic infusions to keep the flavors in the infusion!

4 lemons- Juice four fresh lemons. I like to use a citrus juice reamer, but other juice squeezers or your hands work well. Catch the seeds in a mesh strainer.

1/2- 1 cup raw honey- I like to use raw honey as a sweetener. Yes it will still have the effects of sugar on the body, and may not be appropriate for all people. You can use stevia if you wish, to sweeten and avoid sugar. Or use a little honey and little stevia. Experiment with how sweet you like it.

3 qts Clean cool water

In a gallon container, strain your herbal infusion, add your honey or stevia and mix well. Add juice of 4 lemons, and fill to the top with additional water. Cool, and serve with a garnish of sliced lemon!

Try this with limes too- mmmm minty limeade!

Traditional Healing for a Modern World: A Week-Long Herbal Intensive

August 2-8 -- Boston, MA
www.commonwealthherbs.com
with Katja Swift, Sean Donahue, Darcey Blue French, Ryan Midura, and Mischa Schuler

Throughout history, most people around the world have depended on the plants around them as medicine for their bodies, minds, and spirits.

Here in New England, we have our own living herbal traditions, drawing from the knowledge and practices of Native American and European herbalists. Each new generation adds its own insights and experiences to the mix.

Come spend a week in Boston learning from practicing herbalists whose work is rooted in Traditional Western Herbalism, informed by science, inspired by the beauty and magic of the living Earth, and grounded in their own direct experience working with the medicine of the wild, feral, and cultivated plants that grow around them.

This intensive will provide beginners with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of herbalism as well as providing more experienced herbalists with an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and sharpen their skills.

Topics will include:

-- Herbal energetics and herbal actions
-- Plant identification and ethical wild crafting
-- Nutrition, food allergies, and food as medicine
-- Techniques for making and using tinctures, elixirs, decoctions, infusions, oils, and salves.
-- Clinical skills
-- The language and intelligence of plants

Tuition for the week is $950. Participants will bring a bag lunch and will be responsible for their own lodging.

Teachers include:

Katja Swift -- Katja Swift is an herbalist and teacher working to help adults, children, and families rebuild their relationships with their bodies and with their own ability to heal. By teaching people how to eat real food and use plants as medicine, she helps them to reestablish their connectivity to the earth, to themselves, and to one another. Katja believes that traditional medicine and modern medical practices can coexist as allies, and works to help people make good choices about which methods to use to bring about better health in their own lives. Katja trained with Rosemary Gladstar and later with Guido Masé, and presently runs a family practice in Brookline, MA. She has a beautiful seven-year-old daughter who would like to tell you all about linden, plantain, and dandelion.

Darcey Blue French -- Darcey Blue French is an herbalist & nutritionist, wildcrafter, gardener, food lover, Earth lover and wild woman. She was trained as a Clinical Herbalist & Nutritionist at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism under Paul Bergner, and studied under Rosemary Gladstar and Charlie Kane. Darcey has been using and learning from the plants, both wild and cultivated since childhood, and it is her deep love of the wild Earth and its creatures that fuels her passion for healing and teaching about plants, wilderness, spirit, nourishment and healing. She spends her time leading Edible and Medicinal Wild Plant walks, Plant Spirit Medicine groups, teaching herbal and nutritional classes and intensives both in person and online, creating nourishing and delicious meals, wildcrafting and making medicines from the plants, seeing clients and enjoying the wild places on the earth.

Sean Donahue -- Sean Donahue is an herbalist, poet, activist, and witch committed to healing and transformation through connection with the living Earth. As an herbalist, Sean works primarily with the wild plants of the forests and fields of New England. He views the plants as teachers, helping the body, mind, and spirit learn to correct imbalances that stand in the way of health. As a teacher, poet, and ritualist, Sean works to connect people with their own wild nature and with the life of the world around them. He believes that personal, community, and cultural healing are all deeply intertwined with the healing of our planet.

Ryan Midura -- Ryan Midura began his formal herbal training with the apprenticeship progam at the Boston School of Herbal Studies, with Katja Swift and Mischa Schuler. He continued with the advanced training program, led by Tommy Priester and Madelon Hope. He's become good friends with sage, solomon's seal, and the salamander living inside ginger; he's learned to feel the kidneys' fire in the pulsing of a wrist. As he develops his attunement to the world green and growing, he looks forward to sharing its gifts with the people all around who are in need of care and compassion, and those who seek to understand the connections from all things to all things.

Mischa Schuler -- Mischa Schuler is a community herbalist specializing in women's reproductive and sexual health . She also counsels on choices around natural contraception and general emotional and physiological health. She works with adolescents to support the menstrual cycle, ease allergies, and improve skin concerns and with children and infants to support the immune system in cold and flu. She has an M.S. in Herbal Medicine from the Tai Sophia Institute and has also studied and worked with Rosemary Gladstar, Deb Soule, and Dr. Mary Bove. She is Adjunct Faculty at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. And she is currently working with Robin Rose Bennett on a national study on the use of Wild Carrot as a contraceptive.