Dogs can actually catch your cold or flu. Who knew?? Like us, they can come down with a whole slew of respiratory bugs: cold viruses, flu viruses, bacterial respiratory infections such as kennel cough (Bordatella). Dogs even have a doggie-specific flu virus, “canine influenza virus” and the symptoms are similar to our own annual people version of the flu…achiness, fatigue, fever, runny nose, wet cough.
Wait, you might be thinking, mints can be bitter? Yup…not all mints have a lovely aroma and flavor. But this doesn’t mean they aren’t great medicine. Some of my favorite all-time herbs are bitter mints. In fact, I just processed pounds-worth of one of them, motherwort, yesterday with my herb-growing friend.
For those of us with cold winters, cold fingers and toes are often a problem when we’re outside playing or working. For lots of us, this can be downright painful, aside from the fact that our hands don’t seem to want to work properly when cold.
It doesn’t even have to be winter to notice poor circulation to the extremities. Some folks seem to always have cold hands and feet. I’ve even had elderly clients whose frigid feet kept them up at night.
Many people are familiar with growing chives, parsley, cilantro, and mint, but tea herbs can open up the world of gardening. This past year, I’ve pushed myself to go beyond the typical varieties and try growing my own herbal tea garden. The results? A delicious (and economical) way to increase my consumption of tea and reap the benefits that herbs can offer.
Arthritis can strike at any age—the condition doesn't reserve itself to the elderly. And the pain this condition causes can be considerable. Medications can help alleviate the suffering, but they tend to come with a host of unpleasant side effects, rendering the remedy worse than the cure.
I’ve written before about some fantastic plant allies for dealing with panic attacks that are also helpful for day-to-day anxiety and tension—though some of these botanicals may be a bit too sedating when you’re trying to shave off some tension and relax
It's that time of year. That’s right, I’m talking about the avalanche of everything pumpkin spice. Lattes, baked goods, protein shakes, hand soaps, room sprays and, yup, even toilet paper. Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice is here for the next couple months.
Healthy teeth don’t just make us look good. Our teeth and gums are critical for health. We obviously need our teeth for chewing so that we can break down food in one of the most important steps in the digestive process. Inadequately chewed food leads to many problems down the line. But, did you know that the
Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), is a common weed in the Mustard family. It is not native to North America, but was introduced by Europeans and has since naturalized to all states in the U.S. and provinces in Canada. Shepherd’s Purse is common along trails, sidewalks and roads; in disturbed areas; in lawns; and as a volunteer in gardens.
Puppies. Adorable, entertaining, but a real responsibility to take on. If one of these exuberant little bundles of fur comes into our life, then it’s our job to give them the best start we can to, hopefully, a long and healthy life. (Though really, dogs don’t live nearly long enough!)
Here are some ideas to help you get started.