Some of the most sacred and valued scents over the centuries are those deeper aromatics—Frankincense, Myrrh, Benzoin and others—whose use predates the millennia-old religious texts in which they’re noted. These scents are “heavier” because the chemicals they’re made of are heavier than those in “lighter” oils such as lemon or bergamot. Another way to look at it is that the scents
I recently wrote on citrus essential oils, my favorite oils for scent. Now, we’ll move on to conifer essential oils, another group I love. These are uplifting and motivating, and they blend beautifully with citrus oils for both scent and energetics.
When folks think of medicinal plants, they usually picture herbs, flowers, and such. But don’t forget about trees! Many tree species are great medicine; an entire book could be written on them. I’ll take it easy on you and cover just 5 really good ones here. Most likely one or more of these can be found near you.
Ah, winter—the season of retreating indoors, finding every way to keep warm, and snuggling up with your favorite book or Netflix show for a slow descent into hibernation, solitude, and a fair amount of seasonal down time.
While the frigid cold winter weather outside can affect your energy levels and leave you with the sluggish winter blues, there are seasonal winter herbs that can also lift you out of your winter funk to revitalize your well-being and mood with some natural herbal supplements.
The common misperception about fevers is that something is wrong. This couldn’t be further from the truth, for when the body decides to up the temperature it is not without good reason. Our bodies are absolutely genius when it comes to moving back towards balance and sometimes we need to kill some germs along the way—which only happens with an increase in temperature.
Mallows are great plant allies for our health. You may be familiar with marshmallow root, but did you know that the flowers and leaves are also good medicine? And that other mallows are equally useful? These include Hollyhock (Alcea rosea), that beautiful and easy-to-grow ornamental plant; Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea species), a denizen of more desert-type areas; and Wild or Common Mallow (Malva neglecta & M.
Sugar has now become public enemy number one, and salt is vying for second place as well, what with diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure issues becoming the norm rather than rarity.
Many people think strays can handle the cold better than indoor pets, but that's not necessarily true. The cold is tough on animals, including strays, and they can even die from frigid temperatures! I have several stray cats living around my complex, so I've come to learn a lot about them over the last couple of years. While stray dogs aren't as common, in some countries they're as abundant as feral cats. No matter what stray animal you have near you, please consider helping them out this winter.
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.
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is on my mind today after wildcrafting the root and leaf on a chilly, rainy morning this week. Despite the mud, wet days are great for root digging; it’s easier to unearth them. And, as mullein is considered a noxious weed in many places, no one will likely protest should you dig it up! Though disrespected as a lowly weed, mullein is a beautiful and immensely useful plant.