The holidays are creeping up on us and now is a good time to get to work on some sweet herbal gifts for your loved ones…or for yourself. Homemade botanical gifts add a wonderful personal touch to holiday (or any time) gift-giving. Here are a handful of popular and easy-to-put-together projects.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is an often-overlooked medicinal weed (or, it’s a weed if you don’t live in Europe or Asia). “Stellaria” refers to flower appearance while “Chickweed” refers to the fact that chickens and other birds like to eat it.
For the uninitiated, the name chaga immediately pokes at one’s curiosity—as does its nickname, “black gold.” The chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) resembles a chunk of rough coal blooming from the side of a birch, stark in contrast to the tree’s white bark. Whether the name is just a bit of clever branding or finds its roots in its ancient medicinal context, it is, undoubtedly, correct.
Chronic stuffy sinuses may be due to allergies, diet, infection, or structural issues in the airways. More than one of these may be at play for some folks. When the mucus is clear, the issue may be related to allergies, diet, or chronic low-level infection. Acute infections are most often viral, which means that antibiotics won’t work.
I remember those days when I still lived at home, spoiled by a mom and a gran who love nothing more than feeding and caring for the family.
If I had just a hint of a sniffle, I would be plied with home remedies, most of them involving honey. Basic honey water for something mild, or the famous arad milk for more serious colds.
Called “arad milk” because of the very visible inclusion of arad (also known as haldi or turmeric) in the ingredients, this strange-looking, often-changing concoction was a staple of my childhood sick days.
As the summer winds down and nights wander in with cool breezes our bodies call out for different things to keep healthy and strong. Where the heat of the blazing summer sun was once enough to call forth the power of our immunity, without its penetrating rays staying strong in the sky, we require a bit more to support the seasonal transition into fall that leads the way to winter's doorway. Here are some essential nutrition tips for fall-transition and beyond.
1. Start with a Glass of Warm Water
With the kids back in school and colder weather on the way, it won’t be long before the sniffles and sneezing begin. That's right, cold and flu season is steadily creeping upon us. But no worries, because there is definitely an essential oil for that!
A look inside of Mother Earth's Medicine Cabinet will show you 7 different essential oils you should add to your collection to help combat cold and flu season. This list of 7 consists of my personal favorites to use.