Oh hey blog...there you are!
I suppose I could begin by apologizing and making excuses for why I haven't written in so long. You know, the usual...computer problems, busy at work, life in general. But thankfully I have something more exciting to share!
Yesterday my next door neighbors (really sweet older couple) had a Yardsale! I found two great books to satisfy some of my recent curiosities for natural medicine and herbal remedies. Woo hoo! I have done some sporadic online reading and I've visited our local herb shop called Smile, but I'm still quite a novice. Smile offers classes but unfortunately I neither could make the dates or the $150 payment. So, as a great Do-It-Yourself solution, I now have two great books at 50 cents a pop!
The first is the smaller of the two: The Vitamin Herb Guide: Natural Treatments For the World's 150 Most Common Ailments. Plus - A Complete Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, Amino Acids and Tissue Salts. It was printed by A Global Health in the 90's and is pretty easy to follow. It's first section alphabetically lists common ailments followed by a list of recommended vitamins and foods or herbs. The next section is all about the vitamins. It tells you the difference between natural and synthetic sources, and gives a brief explanation of what each vitamin is, where it comes from, how it can be used, and even symptoms of deficiency. And I love that its presented in the form of a chart; very easy to understand. This is a bit more like modern medicine than I was searching for though, breaking the earth's blessings down to elemental form, and going into proper mg dosages for body maintenance. But we do have a comeback with the book's following section: A Word About Herbs. It introduces several common herbs and what they are best used for. For instance, did you know that Dandelion is great for strengthening your kidneys and bladder? Yes, I'm talking about that little yellow flowering weed that every person is familiar with, whether you are a school child plucking the mature flowers and blowing the soft feather-like petals into the breeze as you make a wish, or you are a dedicated gardener pulling the young weeds from you flower bead while wondering how the seeds arrived there in the first place.
This seemingly pesky foe can actually become a dear friend when it's roots and leaves are steeped into a tea. It's a great diuretic, a soothing cure for a urinary tract infection, and is a high source of iron and calcium. And one more fun fact, though this one is from prior knowledge, dandelion is also a natural caffeine source and can be used as a healthy coffee substitute, or ground into a powder and added to coffee grounds to make them last longer. Getting back to the book though, the last few pages are slightly over my head, discussing Amino Acid supplements and Tissue Salts. I suppose I will learn these as I become more familiar with the topic of natural medicine. All in all, I'd say this is a good book and will come in handy as a sort of pocket referencing guide of the somewhat modern variety.
I'm more excited however about the second book I found called Our Earth Our Cure. This handbook of natural medicine was published in 1974 and I love it as a total throwback to the hippie movement. This one is longer-winded than the first book and offers deeper explanation and insight into these practices. I was surprised when the book began with the topic of clay as this is something I know so little about. I remember a time though when I was maybe 4 or 5 years old, my family was visiting my great grandmother at her home in Maine. I was outside playing in the dirt when a bee stung me on the knee. My great grandmother brought out a small glass of water and made a mud paste using the very dirt I had just kicked up and applied the paste to the sting. What I remember most is the instant cooling affect it had, and how quickly I forgot about the pain of the sting and went back to playing. I imagine this very basic practice of medicine was almost lost around the time humans discovered germs and how essential sterilization can be. We clean the dirt from our wounds now, rather than apply more. But this age old practice shouldn't be forgotten for according to the book, "the earth itself, receiving it's energies from sun, air, and waters, is a most powerful healing agent of physical regeneration." I've learned now that clay may be used externally and orally (dissolved in water). It has numerous benefits including the power to heal sores and ulcers, aids in the rebuilding of healthy tissues and cells, and even of fractured bones and vertebrae. Surprising, huh? The rest of the book similarly covers the use of herbs while recommending a specific infusion recipe for each ailment discussed. I will not go into such detail because I really would recommend this as a great read. I would however like to share just one of the many simple recipe's found in the pages of this treasure. Profound focus is given towards maintaining a healthy liver, as the liver is central to clean blood production and therefore essential to all other parts of the body, so here is an Infusion for Stimulation of the Liver.
Infusion for Stimulation of the Liver
Horsetail 30gr.
Licorice root 30gr.
Rosemary (flowered tops) 30gr.
Woodruff (flowered tops) 30gr.
Yellow Bedstraw (flowered top) 30gr.
Marigold (flowered tops) 20gr.
Mint Leaves 20gr.
Put 2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons in a cup of boiling water. Infuse 10-20 minutes. Take a cup after each meal. Sweeten if necessary with some honey. Note: The stronger concentration is recommended for an average adult while the weaker concentration can be used for a child or elderly person.
Peace and well wishes,
Danielle
Create Peace
This seemingly pesky foe can actually become a dear friend when it's roots and leaves are steeped into a tea. It's a great diuretic, a soothing cure for a urinary tract infection, and is a high source of iron and calcium. And one more fun fact, though this one is from prior knowledge, dandelion is also a natural caffeine source and can be used as a healthy coffee substitute, or ground into a powder and added to coffee grounds to make them last longer. Getting back to the book though, the last few pages are slightly over my head, discussing Amino Acid supplements and Tissue Salts. I suppose I will learn these as I become more familiar with the topic of natural medicine. All in all, I'd say this is a good book and will come in handy as a sort of pocket referencing guide of the somewhat modern variety.
