Health Related | My Hippie Views on Green Living

Neti Pot – The Modern Hippy’s Second Experiment & Directions

Posted on 9th March 2010 in Health Related, Life, Opinions, Reviews

Neti Pot and Sea Salt

I will be singing the neti pot’s praises for a long time! I used it again this morning in and out of the shower. Let me say, I was very nervous, being a bit of a chicken when it comes to nose/sinus stuff. Yeah, so I had done it once before, but I was still nervous. Maybe it was because I had been in so much pain last night. Not from the neti pot experiment, but just from feeling like poop, forgetting to take my fish oil pills, sitting in a chair all day, not being able to nap properly, having a monstrous sinus and tension headache AT THE SAME TIME! It was so pathetic and bad that I cried four times, over silly things like dropping the chicken sausages on the floor and not being able to see where one rolled. Yup, that’s how ridiculous I am when I’m sick. But that’s not the point. The point is, today I feel much better. And today, I was able to get the water to come out the OTHER nostril! And I got to see it happen!

I tried it in the shower, still made the back of my eyes feel cool and tear. And I coughed a lot. Today though, I was brave and curious enough to try it in the sink – while watching myself in the mirror. Sorry, no photos, I still have some self respect, or is it self consciousness?

Per request of a friend and occasional reader, Yosh (hope you don’t mind the mention), of the modern hippy, I will be giving instructions and other information about using the neti pot.

First, what you’ll need is a neti pot. Funny I know. Can you tell I’m feeling better? Please wash your neti pot out and thoroughly rinse. You don’t want soap behind your delicate eyeballs – imagine that headache! Then decide where you are going to do it. Over the sink? In the shower? I suppose you could do it outside if you’d like. Where ever it won’t matter if you splatter. (Hahaha, rhyming too!) Measure out 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Unrefined is okay, I used it. I wouldn’t recommend any of the colored sea salt. No need to dye your sinuses, plus that might cause problems I don’t know about. I DO NOT recommend using iodized table salt, as brands like Morton’s actually contain dextrose, an artificial sweetener. Artificial sweeteners are not meant for sinuses! Let alone eating, but once again I digress.
Fill the neti pot with warm water. I used warm tap water, though when I get a filter I’ll probably use that. Mix until the salt is completely dissolved.

Now comes the fun or scary part. Remember, you will be breathing through your mouth through this, your nose will be busy. Lean forward, tip your head to about a 45 degree angle. If you aren’t leaning forward enough the gunk will flow down the back of your throat and make you sputter and probably gross you out a little. Stick the spout of the neti pot in one nostril. Make sure there is a good seal and the water won’t sneak out. Steady your hand if you are shaking. Very slowly tip the pot. Can you feel the water enter the bottom of your nose? Good. Keep pouring slowly and wait unti for a funny feeling behind your eyes. It’s almost out! Try to remember to breathe, but breath holding is acceptable if you don’t hold it too long. It’s a very strange sensation to be breathing while water is running through part of your breathing apparatus.

Something to remember is that you are in control of how much water flow there is. The more you tip the pot, the faster the water will flow. I’m a fan of slow flowing.
Also, the more you do it the better you will get, the easier everything will be.
Rinse through both nostrils. I didn’t use the whole saline solution that time. I was still getting used to it. I think I used about a third of it. Do what is comfortable for you, and what gets you the best results. I’ve read that some people use a whole pot for each side of the nose.
When you stop rinsing exhale gently through your nose to help the gunk out. Use a tissue or do this over the sink. I’ll say this again: Do blow gently to avoid hurting yourself. Also, don’t plug either side of your nostrils. Allow things to come out on their own, without the closing of one side.
Then wash your neti pot!

After you are done see how you feel. Can you breath better? I could. It felt strange, but good.

Some considerations:

I read that if you can’t blow your nose (though I’m not sure if this means “don’t have the ability” or “it hurts too much”) consult a health care professional first. If you are sensitive like me, go slowly, don’t rush it. Children should be closely supervised! Don’t share!

Where to get a neti pot?

I got mine from our local co-op. If you don’t have a natural food store, or supplement store, try a pharmacy. You can of course check online! Etsy has some cute stuff, if you’d like something handmade and unique! If I hadn’t been so desperate, and hadn’t put buying one off until the last minute I would have gotten one there.

One last note.
Why use a neti pot?

It’s a great way to clean out your sinuses. If you are like me and have sinus trouble, use it. If you have allergies, use it. If you live in a polluted area, use it. If you live in a dusty area, use it. If you have a cold, use it. If you have pets, live in an old house, or live in a small place, or work in a poorly ventilated place, smoke, go camping, have kids, use it. “Have kids?”, you ask? Why not? You could win the gross out competition and show them that there are natural ways to deal with your sinuses. Just don’t let them play with it unsupervised. Maybe wait until they are older to show them, just in case.

comments: 2 » tags: cold care, Health Related, neti pot, Opinions, Reviews

Neti Pot – The Modern Hippy’s First Experience

Posted on 9th March 2010 in Health Related, Reviews

Neti Pot

Yesterday, a few hours before I tried to die from a horrible cold/sinus infection, I went to our co-op to get food and a neti pot. Yup, I could feel it, with each nose blow, each sneeze or almost-sneeze that caused my left eye to tear up(not my right eye – it was fine and well behaved), the pressure building that would cause my head to explode later that day.

I brought the little green box home and looked very suspiciously at it. Several people I know have used neti pots and recommended them to me. “They make you feel so fresh and clean.” “Use only sea salt or it will hurt.”
What?!? It’s going to HURT? “No, it will feel strange, but then you’ll get used to it.” What they didn’t know is every time I got lake water or pool water in my nose I dealt with horrible burning sensations and a terrible cough/gag reflex. Wonderful.

Despite being very nervous about it, I gave it a try in the early evening as I started to die. Might as well do something to help myself die a little more slowly and perhaps less violently. I followed the directions which called for 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a warm cup of water. (They recommended table salt, I thought they were crazy because it has other crap in it sometimes. Like dextrose. Yup, Morton’s iodized salt has dextrose! That’s for another post though.) I used unrefined sea salt because I don’t have regular table salt. The directions said to stir until the salt had fully dissolved. Pour into the pot. Then they mentioned some people just mix it in the pot. Right, didn’t read that far. I could have cut out a step. Then I was supposed to stick the spout of the pot in my nose and lean over a sink. I was doing it in the shower. Might as well not risk sputtering salt water and snot all over my clothes. Plus I was dying, er miserable, and the shower would make me feel better.

Well, it did feel weird. Once or twice it burned a little. Once or twice it threatened to go down the back of my throat. Gag. Bleh. Cough.
I used the hole pot, so about a cup of water. The funny thing was, I didn’t feel it come out of the other nostril. I’m pretty sure there was too much snot in my sinuses to let anything through. Let me tell you, even if it didn’t get fully clear, it did rinse out a lot of nasty snot. More than I thought possible. It did make my nose feel a little better. I didn’t get sick. Nor did I drown. But no satisfying spout of water out the opposing nostril. Oh well, it was my first try.

Today will be the second. Update impending.

comments: 3 » tags: cold care, neti pot, Reviews

Maintaining or Reclaiming Better Health – Cold Care

Posted on 7th March 2010 in Health Related, aromatherapy

It’s about time for another post about maintaining or reclaiming better health. Perfect timing since my nose is stuffed with recycled toilet paper in lieu of tissue paper. (That’s what happens when you almost never get sick – you run out of tissues and don’t think about getting more, until it’s too late.) Yup, I officially have a cold. It’s been a year and a half since I’ve had a cold. It’s been several months since I was officially sick. Score one for the modern hippy! It’s the little victories that count.

”How did you get sick?” – Rick asked me. I have no idea. Maybe it’s because my good sleep has disappeared again. Maybe it’s because along with the quality, the quantity has been down for a couple of weeks. There have been nights – very fun of course – where I didn’t get to sleep until 4 a.m. I haven’t done that since I was 20. Even if that is the cause of my drippy nose and left eye – it was worth it. A very good friend is leaving to do military stuff far away very soon. So what if I didn’t sleep the way I should have?

I digress… a lot…

So what to do once bad germs are ravaging your nasal passages, ears, throat, and general sanity? The modern hippy way of course!

1. Rest – get as much sleep as possible. Even a boring old, stick in the mud, M.D. will tell you that.
2. Drink lots of water, filtered if you can.
3. Don’t eat or drink sugary things. Sugar feeds bacteria.
4. Eat well – meaning no junk food. Your body needs real nutrients, not empty calories.
5. Take it easy, kick back, say “No” – let your body do it’s job of kicking the hell out of the germs you’ve recently acquired.
6. Drink some herbal tea like echinecea (as long as you aren’t allergic to rag weed).
7. If you have essential oils, pull them out and get ready to use them! Think lemon, eucalyptus etc.
8. Wash your hands – even a school kid will tell you that.
9. Try to stay positive – I’ve heard that if you are in the better mood you’ll health faster. Also, who really wants to be in a bad mood?
10. a. Experiment! Carefully of course. Call your friends for ideas on healthy ways to deal with a cold. Or check here!
10. b. Don’t be stupid. If you are horribly sick, not getting better, go see a doctor or a nurse practitioner. They are there for a reason.

What am I doing? I chose not to make cake – remember the sugar thingy. I’m drinking a lot of water, though I don’t have a filter yet. I’m making more tea – tasty tea that even Rick likes. The fun part, that appeases my inner Little House on the Prairie lover, is that it’s tea from scratch (just like a modern hippy would make).

Homemade Cold Care Detox Tea

Quick Recipe:
All you need is organic ginger root, organic peppermint leaves(stems have flavor too if you are using something you dried – like I am) and a couple of slices of organic lemon.
Slice the ginger thin. More surface area for the hot water to work on. And through in the whole slices of lemon, rind and all. Rind contains nutrients as well, though I’m not sure what’s killed by the hot water.
Let it steep in boiling hot water for 10-20 minutes, depending on how strong you want it.

Effects of this tea:
1. Warming – I’m not kidding, you will start to feel toasty. The thought is that raising your body temp will help to kill the nasty bugs.
2. Diaphoresis – fancy word for sweating. Good because it’s a way for your body to detox.
3. Peppermint will sooth a sore throat – it’s an analgesic – fancy word for pain killer.
4. It’s tasty – this is always a plus when you are feeling under the weather and you really want cookies and milk. Or whatever.
5. Ginger root, lemon, and peppermint all contain essential oils. Each of these oils work well for colds flus, among other things.

Note: I suggest, if you have any interest in theraputic aromatherapy pick up The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless. It’s a brilliant reference book – I bought one for a friend I love mine so much!

Best essential oil reference book

Note: These photos were taken with my new phone, the Memoir, old one need to be retired. I think this takes pretty fantastic photos. It will work while my point and click limps along – until I get myself a gorgeous DSLR.

comments: 0 » tags: aroma, cold care, Health Related

Detox For Better Health

Posted on 10th February 2010 in Green/eco-friendly, Health Related, Life, Opinions, detoxification

Among my home health experiments detoxing is climbing the priority ladder. The more reading I do the more it seems like a prudent idea. Much of the reading I’ve been doing says eat organically. It seems perfectly logical to decrease the amount of toxins in the form of pesticides you place into your body.

As frugally as possible I am switching our foods to mostly organic. Eventually we will be entirely organic. But as cost is a major factor in any life change, it’s going slowly. By eating organic foods I’m cutting out several toxins that would otherwise add to the crap already stored in my body. I decide what to choose to buy organically by referring to the list provided by The Environmental Working Group. Here they are by rank. Feel free to check out the full list here.

1. Nectarines
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes – Imported
11. Carrots
12. Pears
Potatoes make the list at #15. I’ve read that anything that grows in the ground like potatoes or peanuts should be organic because they are sitting in a mire of chemicals and dead dirt – they end up absorbing quite a lot of disgusting bits. I want my potatoes to live in a dark chocolate loam of purity until they get picked up for the co-op or other natural food store.
I have been following this for a couple of weeks. Lots of organic apples and lettuce can be found in our fridge at the moment. Honestly, what I’ve found in the last couple of years of buying more organic foods – they usually taste better. I’m all about taste. Food should taste yummy – not only a visual picture of yummy.

Organic foods are important to help eliminate the ways toxins get into your body. Wonderful. How do I get rid of the toxins I already have? That’s a little more complicated. There are a million things out there claiming to help detox. What I do, when researching things is to view everything logically, then pick the things that seem to fit together like a puzzle. Synergy is the idea. The logical things I’ve found, that are helping me shape what I’ll be doing to detox my body, short and long term are:

Eliminate processed foods – There is no way around this!
Cut out ways toxins get in – i.e. in food and personal care products
Drink enough water – you have to pee these nasty things out!
Drink filtered water – same idea behind eating organic foods!
Rest – it’s hard work for your body to clean itself!
Cut out things that aren’t beneficial for detoxing or are harder for your body to process – red meat, dairy, coffee etc.
Get enough vitamins – supplements or fresh fruit and veggie juices, preferably organic
Give your digestive system a break – do a water or juice fast. I’ll be trying a juice fast in the near future.
Exercise – It increases all sorts of good hormones, increases circulation which helps to get the nasty stuff out!
Add a probiotic – Miso, kombucha, keffir or yogurt, though the latter two do break the dairy rule
Colon cleanse – I’ve read something that compared your colon to your sink – if you never cleaned your kitchen sink imagine to horrible possibilities!
Drink some teas that promote detoxing – you can find them boxed, or make some lovely loose leaf blend!
Use milk thistle – a friend of mine mentioned that her mother’s naturopath said if she wanted to do a little detoxing buy a bottle of milk thistle, take double or so of the dose until the bottle is empty. (I’ve tried it, it’s amazing how it can help!)

I’m a firm believer in finding things that fit your life. It’s a westernized ideal to find the one magic treatment that will detox your body fully. My opinion is that detoxing will start to happen naturally after making certain life changes, i.e. cutting out processed foods or coffee. To further detox it seems that the idea of finding synergistic things to use will help you to cleanse your body the most effectively. It’s like clutter – clutter attracts clutter – the problem are habits and choices. I’ll use myself as an example.
I’ve cut out processed foods. Almost no coffee – only twice or so monthly. I’m cutting down on sugar – I do make fabulous gluten free baked goods so it’s hard. Switching to organic stuff. Cutting down on dairy. I’m lactose intolerant so I don’t drink milk, but I loooooove cheese and yogurt. However, these still create phlegm in the body – the idea is to not create more phlegm. From what I’ve been reading it’s a better idea to use goats milk products like cheese and yogurt instead. I haven’t tried that yet. I’ve done the milk thistle thing. I drink a decent amount of tea that either supports my immune system or helps to boost detoxing. (There are things that detoxing herbs will do that you might not expect. I’ll explain later.) I’ve started exercising at least twice a week. In the grand scheme of things that isn’t much, but it’s way better than what I was doing. I’ve added some needed vitamins such as B12 (I don’t eat a lot of red meat at the moment), D3 (we live in Washington and I know the lack of sunshine affects me profoundly) and minerals such as calcium and magnesium (necessary for proper muscle and nerve health). I’m doing more research to help me figure out what else is important and may need supplementation. I’ve started drinking Kombucha, which I love. I choose only the stuff at the store that has herbs added, no artificial or “natural” flavors or other additives. (Soon I’ll be making my own!) I drink a ridiculous amount of water in a day. I’ve adopted a system of drinking water 30 minutes before or after a meal. I’ve read many times over that drinking water with a meal will dilute the digestive juices and subsequently not allow food to be broken down properly. Thus improper digestion. I’m also planning on doing a juice fast, either using organic juices from the store or ones I prepare myself. Problem, I don’t have a juicer at the moment so I might just have to buy stuff from the store. I figure that one day, doing a fast won’t hurt me – as long as I use juice and teas. Just water will probably make my blood sugar drop too far. Also, a plan for further future would be the colon cleanse. I’m also thinking about adding a more broad vitamin B complex supplement as well. And I’ll be learning how to make keffir from both milk (cow and goat) and coconut milk (crazy I know!).

From what I’ve seen so far, each change is beneficial in a different way I didn’t know mattered. Not drinking anything 30 minutes before or after a meal has made a HUGE difference in my indigestion problem – I was getting uncomfortably farty.
I’m also trying to sweat out some of these nasty things through taking hot bathes at home and hopefully soon using the YMCA’s sauna.

A note on using detoxing herbs. Some herbs are laxatives. Laxatives shouldn’t be used long term as your body can become addicted to them. Stop using them and your body may have the opposite problem – not going enough. However, there are some that have a laxative-like effect, but are not true laxatives. Milk thistle is one of the ones I think falls in the last category, but I can’t find definite literature on that. Just be cautious. Aside from laxatives, sometimes detoxifying herbs will make you sweat, which I have found out the hard way several times. Peppermint, lemon, and ginger induce sweating. Since I’m making my own teas and using fairly fresh items I got the crazy sweats a few times and didn’t know why. Also, please understand that the fresher the herb or whatever, often the stronger the effect. So if you have a box of peppermint tea in the cupboard that has been there for awhile, chances are it won’t have the same effect. My advice, experiment on an day that doesn’t matter or be prepared for some entertaining times.

Also, remember that if you are taking any sort of prescription consult a trained professional. Though most herbs you’ll find are safe, many prescriptions drugs are not safe with herbs. On a little side note: many of the articles that are written by allopathically focused people tend to phrase their sentences to make it sound like the medicines are safe and the herbs are risky. (This makes me very angry.) Hands down, prescription medicines have more side effects and have a higher chance of having a negative reaction with another prescription, food, or herb. Herbs rarely have side effects. Almost all medications have side effects or things you must consider and/or change in order to “safely” take those medications.

Any suggestions on what to do to help clean myself out are always welcome!

comments: 1 » tags: detoxification, detoxing, Health Related, Life

Moon Time Again – Taking back control of your period and your life

Posted on 1st February 2010 in Female health, Health Related, Life, Opinions

Warning: this post contains girly subjects

Sounds dramatic doesn’t it? It conjures images of dreadlocked hippy women with upraised fists smelling of rosemary, lavender and patchouli. The dramatic stuff aside I feel like there is so much truth in it. I do research now and again about different things, such as say natural birth (when I catch the baby bug) or naturopathic medicine. Everything I learn further supports my conclusion that we have forgotten how to take care of ourselves – how to listen to ourselves. So many of us rush through life and only stop when we have cramps or a migraine to take a pill or get a shot. It doesn’t occur to many people that the problem is them – they don’t listen to their body, or let it repair itself.

Part of the reason for my blog is I want more people to feel as empowered as I do. Lacking medical insurance I’m relying on books and magazines, mostly alternative to heal myself. (Disclaimer: Please understand that if I had a serious emergency I would go to the hospital.) Also please understand, I don’t disrespect doctors. But I don’t think I should rely on them all the time. I can learn things on my own. I am woman hear me learn and tell you about what I’ve learned!

I think period discomforts fall under what is safe for me to experiment with. After a ridiculous amount of reading I no longer feel helpless. I don’t have to take pills to ease the pain in my belly. The name of my game for my period is proactiveness – yes I made up a word. First thing I did was to prioritize the irritations. Cramps are the most irritating for me. Then the horrible tired feeling for about week prior. After that the general shortness of temper.

It’s fairly easy to remember when I need to be proactive, I can feel a lot more now that I’m not taking the pill. When I feel heavy, bloated or more tired than normal I pull out my raspberry leaf tea. For the last several Moon Times I’ve had at least two cups of raspberry leaf tea a day until cramping stage was almost over. It’s amazing how quickly it works. And how long it lasts. I’ll make myself a cup of tea, just as I’m starting to feel uncomfortable. Then within a few minutes the deep cramp I feel releases. After a couple of cups I’m usually fine for the rest of the day.
I’ve also noticed that my period keeps getting easier. Less pain, less craziness, less general yucky feelings. It’s even strange. I feel alive, like parts of me that never really moved before are doing what they are designed to do.

Perhaps part of the reason I’m seeing an improvement is because my general attitude has changed. I’ve decided that rather than having a “get through it” attitude, I’ll make it “me time”. I’ll sit and watch a movie, take a hot bath, or sleep in more than normal. Of course there are the times when the cramps start at more inconvenient times such as while I’m working or out with friends. While I’d love to go directly home, I do have to finish my massages or hang out time. When this happens breath work helps a lot. Slow deep diaphragmatic breathing is best. A few calming breathes later and I can momentarily lose myself. Something I learned in massage school is when you are stressed your “fight or flight” nervous system is activated. When this happens things seem to feel more painful. Doing deep breathing will help to activate your “rest and digest” nervous system and allow you to relax, and not fight against the discomfort.

For those times when I’m not working, I find the best thing to do is to take time away from the world – to let go. Something that our society has lost is the ability to step away from everything and relax, repair, and live in the moment. For me, my period is the perfect opportunity to live in the moment and acknowledge a very important system of my body. And perhaps read a good book.

Ideas for treating the unpleasant things related to Moon Time:

Drink raspberry leaf tea
Use heat on your belly to ease cramps
Stay warm
Take a hot bath or shower
Use essential oils geared for relaxation and hormonal changes such as lavender and geranium rose
Combine the hot shower or bath with an essential oil blend
Turn off your phone
Read a book
Do a relaxing project
Take a nap
Diaphragmatic breathing
Procrastinate! (Yes, I said it. Why make yourself suffer today when you can do it tomorrow or the next day when you feel better?)
Get a massage, acupuncture
Find an herbalist or naturopathic doctor to get some herbs if needed
Say “No” and don’t feel badly about it

Through every bit of research I’ve done, every book listed under “consumer education”, I’m reminded that pills don’t cure – they only treat symptoms. Lifestyle changes be it food, work, recreation can often give you lasting results without unwanted side effects.
Though I still have cramps at least one day, it’s okay. I’m not polluting my body or the city water system with synthetic hormones. It’s one more guilt free step in the right direction.

comments: 4 » tags: Female health, Life, woman's health

Raspberry Leaf Tea Made in My New Tea Pot!

Posted on 10th August 2009 in Frugal, Green/eco-friendly, Health Related

Nifty tea pot that made the raspberry leaf tea

     On search for a printer, Rick consulted the almighty Craig’s List. The best option he found, was a chic moving out of state selling her printer-scanner combo. Saturday morning, while dealing with the effects of the drinks from only hours previously (gluten-free of course), we headed out to Kellog Road. The chic had mentioned that there were some kitchen things she was getting rid of as well. Being very picky I was skeptical of finding anything I liked or could use. Also, being very minimalistic now, I didn’t want to bring home anything unnecessary. To my surprise, and Rick’s satisfaction we found some things that we could use – for free!
     My favorite of the batch was a wooden cutting board, originally from Ikea. And a cute little tea pot that matched my rice bowls. The perfect little tea pot has been used several times in the last three days. You can put loose leaf tea in it. There is a little “filter” to keep the leaves from pouring out the spout. I love it!
     Today I am making another pot of raspberry leaf tea. I’ve been feeling tired all over and have had a scratchy throat since Friday. As I mentioned in my post Raspberry Leaf Tea – A Woman’s Tonic, this tea is packed with lots of vitamins and minerals. That’s just what I need to keep from getting officially sick. So far, paired with resting and eating well, it seems to be working.

Today, as part of my afternoon spent hibernating, I’m enjoying that tea with some peaches. There is something so satisfying about wrapping my cool hands around a warm cup of tea, breathing in the sweet earthy smell. To complete the homey feeling the window is cracked. The rain is falling creating a familiar, calming sound. (In December, I’m sure that will no longer feel calming but depressing.)
So thank you Rick for searching Craig’s List and thank you Kellog Road girl for my lovely new tea pot that is just right!

comments: 2 » tags: Frugal, raspberry leaf tea

The Herb Borage

Posted on 1st August 2009 in Gardening, Health Related, Nature

Borage Flowers

I’ve mentioned this nifty surprising herb. We got it for my herb garden at my parents. Originally I bought it to feed the bees and as an experiment. A lady at the Mount Vernon Co-op said she had it one year, but didn’t use it very much. She noticed that the bees loved it though. Well, I’m all for feeding those hard working bees.
My one plant has grown faster and bigger than any of the other herbs. It has to be at least two feet high, and four or five feet across. It’s funny looking, very hairy and gangly looking, with gorgeous, simple blue and pink flowers. It is horribly poky.

Cultivation:

It’s a low maintenance herb, an annual that will reseed itself well. It’s spreads and loves full sun. It’s recommended to plant with strawberries, squash, or tomatoes – it is suppose to improve the flavor of tomatoes and repel tomato hornworm.
My experience: It’s super easy. I planted a start and it’s been water a few times through the dryer months. It grew very fast and is starting to grow over a couple other herbs so I will have to cut it back. Be sure to leave plenty of space, even if you think it’s too much, it probably isn’t. I’ve read that trimming it will contain it a little. I haven’t done that with it though.

Uses:

*Culinary:
The leaves and flowers can be used fresh in salad. The leaves can also be steamed, but for a short time because they are so thin they will cook down quickly – or added to stew and soups at the last minute. They both can be used in tea. And have been used in gin drinks. The flowers can be candied and used on cakes. The fresh flowers taste like honey.
My experience: I’ve used the flowers several times to make tea. It has a very smooth soothing taste, like chamomile, but even softer. I like it. I have tried using the leaves in cooking a couple of times. However, I think I’ve put them in too early. Also, as far as I can see, it should be eaten and not turned into leftovers. It doesn’t keep well.

*Medicinal:
It’s is considered to be good for PMS and menopause. Used in tea is good for colds, respiratory infections, high cholesterol, constipation, soothing to the digestive tract. It can help to regulate the adrenal glands and is a galactogogue (milk production stimulant), and emollient.

Borage Oil:

Borage oil is extracted from the seed of the flower. It is showing through studies that it is good for eczema – on the list of things to try for me!

Cautionary Notes: I’ve read in many places that it is furry, but nowhere did it say how pokey it is. The leaves aren’t as bad, but the larger stocks are prickly enough to be painful so becareful! One site cautioned, and I will reiterate – be careful of bees. The flowers hang down so it may be hard to spot a bee before picking a flower without looking closer.

Borage Flowers on Fennel

Resources:
Borage(Borago offincinalis)
What is Borage Oil?

comments: 0 » tags: gardening, herbs, Nature

Fresh Herbs in My Cooking

Posted on 25th July 2009 in Frugal, Gardening, Green/eco-friendly, Health Related, Life, Sustainably grown

Baked Chicken Breasts with Fresh Herbs

It’s been about a year and a half since I’ve had to learn to cook everything from scratch. I’m getting very good. I’m also embracing the frugal side of me that lay dormant for many years. I search for deals, though if quality is more expensive then I will take a leap and buy. One thing last year that seemed to cost a fortune was all the herbs I was buying to flavor the food. I went through a ton of coriander, salt, pepper, paprika, rosemary and many, many others. Aside from the cost it bothered me that I had no idea how fresh the herbs were in those nifty little glass bottles. So I decided, after asking my parents if I could have a little plot of land in their garden for my herbs. I didn’t know what I was going to grow, or what would grow wonderfully in this climate, but I knew that I wanted fresh, cheap and quality. When you grow your own that combination is possible.
Now a few months after spading up the lovely, sweet smelling soil I am starting to see the fruits of my labor. I’m trying to use fresh herbs in my cooking daily. I’ve noticed that fresh herbs taste completely different than dried herbs (except for rosemary, that’s about the same just more potent fresh). Previously I thought sage was boring, but fresh it has wonderful flavor.

Baked chicken breasts with fresh herbs:
One of my first experiments was with chicken of course. To follow my “recipe”, you will need:

Two or more uncooked chicken breasts – not frozen (freezing meat changes it, makes it less yummy.)
A baking dish with a lid – the lid will keep the steam in and not let the meat dry out.
A selection of fresh herbs – I used sage, curry, oregano, marjoram, and basil.
Salt

Simply place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Tear or mince herbs to smallish size and sprinkle over meat and into bottom of pan. Sprinkle salt. Bake at 350 degrees F, for about 30-40 minutes, or until done. Temperature for poultry is about 160 degrees F. (Chicken is easy to tell though, it will no longer look clear and pink, but solid and more white or brown than pink.)

Raw Chicken Breasts with Fresh Herbs - before baking

comments: 0 » tags: cooking, gardening, Sustainably grown

Raspberry Leaf Tea – A Woman’s Tonic

Posted on 22nd July 2009 in Female health, Life, Opinions, Recipes, Sustainably grown

Raspberry Leaf Tea in a Brandy Glass

For some strange reason I’m on a menstrual cycle post kick. Rick asked me why. I don’t know, other than there were so many things I didn’t think about. Part of me feels so ignorant, there is so much to be considered with all the chemicals that make our lives convenient – at the same time it seems that they are hurting us and our home.

A few years ago, during a painful period my mom picked up raspberry leaf tea for me. The box said something about easing cramps etc. I tried brewing it a couple of times, but it tasted horrible. Like drinking brewed evil. So I packed it away for sometime. Eventually I tried it again – when I still didn’t like it I gave it away to my niece.
Years later here I am again looking for a preventative to cramps. Luckily I’m not in the throws of agony, in fact, if you read Aunt Flow Part 1, you would have discovered that my cycle is not what it was years ago. Nothing is too agonizing, just annoying. That is no reason not to do some research about menstrual aids or tonics – this leads me back to raspberry leaf tea.

I am now of the opinion that fresh is best. So the freshest raspberry leave tea will not be found in a store, but in my parents back yard. I was out picking raspberries with my parents a couple of days ago and I asked my dad about raspberry leaf tea, if they actually use these “common” leaves for that tea. He said he was pretty sure, he thought it was new growth that they use for the tea, but he wasn’t positive. I did some research on drying and benefits. When I was ready to start plucking he told me which areas were up for grabs.

“Normal” red raspberry leaves are used in the tea. They are full of vitamins and minerals. One site, The Eclectic Physician , said the leaves are best picked just as the plant begins to flower. There still are flowers on my parents’ bushes, but they are already providing fruit. I didn’t find anything about new growth leaves being used, or the best, but it makes sense that since they are new they would be excellent sources of those vitamins and minerals as well. Also, my dad has a degree in horticulture. He is rarely wrong about things that grow in the ground. In fact I can’t think of a time when he was wrong. Believe me, I try to question everything – he always said ask questions, so I do.

Recipe:

     To make your own fresh tea, pick leaves that you know have not been sprayed. One site recommended drying the leaves first, one used fresh leaves. Crush or mince the leaves. Bring water to a boil, add or pour over leaves and let steep between 5-10 minutes. Strain.
     Because I’m a flavor queen I tried adding a few berries to the mix as well. Nothing wrong with adding more vitamins and a little color to one’s tea. If adding fruit, squish the fruit before adding to the water, or pouring over them – makes sure that all the little sections are broken.
     Rick tried it too and loved it as well!
     *I made the mistake of not mincing the fresh leaves the first time I made tea. It had very little taste and it seems that the leaves were hardly effected. I have made it daily in the last few days, each time slightly differently – Once I simmered the leaves and berries for a few minutes. Then I steeped for a very long time (Forgot about there truthfully). Also, because of the summer heat they are drying out, so I have used varied types of leaves, some wilted, some fresh and some dried.

What is it about raspberry leaf tea that makes it so good for the ladies?

     It contains vitamins A, E, C and some vitamin B complex. All of which are strengthening to the immune system. Vitamin E promotes circulation and healing. It also contains phosphorus, potassium and calcium. According to Wikipedia larger amounts of calcium is needed to control nerve response in labor. Obviously (at least to me) being calcium, it helps the developing fetus with bone development. In menstruating women that calcium will be used for our bones. Reading about it easing cramps, my guess is the things that make laboring women deal with pain help us deal with our smaller amounts of pain.
From a massage point of view, I know that calcium and potassium are needed for proper muscle function, if you don’t have enough you get cramps. Your lovely, sometimes ambitious, uterus is a muscle that needs those minerals as well. So feed it!
     Most of the annoying problems with pregnancy or a horrible period can be connected to a lack of something, be it calcium or a vitamin.
     The leaves also contain an alkaloid called fragrine which is supposed to tone the muscles in the pelvic region which includes the uterus. The tannins in the red raspberry leaves act as an astringent which soothes inflammation, especially in the digestive tract. Pregnant or menstruating women can have digestive upsets on occasion.

Hopefully through eating well and supplementing with raspberry leaf tea a menstruating or pregnant woman will be able to better prevent unnecessary pain and discomfort.

My plans:

     After reading all about this magical leaf, I plan on keeping raspberry leaves handy all year round. Now I will probably just use fresh leaves (unless they dry before I use them). However, it would be an excellent idea to dry some leaves to use during the winter, when the garden is sleeping.
     I’m going to pick some new growth leaves and some regular leaves, lay them inside, on the counter or somewhere safe(perhaps in the shade on the deck). I wouldn’t recommend drying them in the sun as it can bake some of the nutrients out. After they are completely dry store them in a glass jar, (one of the many I keep from various store bought delights). It is best to store things away from direct light, so a dark cupboard would work well. Also remember to keep them away from heat, as that will kill some of the nutrients before you turn it into tea. (Yes the raw foodist would argue that once above 160 degrees most of the nutrients are lost, so tea isn’t as good as originally thought.) But teas have shown to be effective, just no reason to give sunlight or heat the chance to leach out the nutrients before being subjected to hot water.
     I will of course take pictures to mark the progression of my tea drying and storing.

If anyone has dried their own leaves for tea or cooking and have any suggestions, please feel free to share!

*I have only been drinking this since the first day of my period this time. (It is recommended to start drinking it about a week before to help even more.) I’m feeling pretty good – hardly had any cramps, feel a little less moody, and more awake. I’m convinced to the point where I’m drinking it in 80 degree weather now.

My sources:
http://www.eclecticphysician.com/archive.php?action=Nbr&Nbr=199
http://www.iemily.com/article-468.html
http://konzababy.tripod.com/RRL.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_raspberry_leaf
http://www.localharvest.org/red-raspberry-leaf-tea-C6483

comments: 5 » tags: Female health, Health Related, Life, periods, raspberry leaf tea, tea

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