Gladiolus plants are a member of the family Iridaceae, commonly known as the Iris family. Its genus contains eleven species according to the United States Department of Agriculture but other professional horticulturists believe that there are many more species. The flower is native to South Africa and was a food staple for the native peoples.
Are adaptogens the next best thing for the human health quotient? Or are they as overblown as the antioxidant theory? Make an informed decision…
Go to any nutritional or lifestyle coach and you’ll hear the term adaptogen bandied about quite a bit. So what are adaptogens? To understand that, let’s begin with what adaptogens aren’t.
Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris and A. douglasiana) has a magical feel to it: The silvery green leaves that shine in the moonlight; the distinctive scent used for dream time. Then there’s the botanical name “Artemesia,” for Artemis with her silver bow and arrow, goddess of the hunt associated with the moon and things wild. Mugwort seems to put one into a different space.
Botanical names of herbs sometimes tell you what the herb does. Motherwort’s botanical name is Leonurus cardiaca, meaning “lion hearted.” It is, indeed, a supreme herb for the heart.
Here are some of the things Motherwort does for cardiovascular health:
Imagine feeling anxious: your palms sweat, your mind races, and you feel sick to your stomach. Sometimes anxiety comes out in the form of obsessive nail biting, while other times it rears its head in avoidance. Unfortunately, dogs can also have anxiety and while their paws can’t sweat and we don’t know for sure if their minds start to race, we do know the behavior that can come out: destruction.
I am making my way through my mid-40s and live in a dry, intensely sunny mountain town. This has been a wakeup call to start caring more for my face. I wasn’t bad before. After a couple of awkward teenage years, I’ve generally not used unhealthy cosmetics, harsh cleansers, or even soap on my face. But at a certain point, it may be good to put in a bit more effort. Not just for those of us of a certain age who’ve suddenly become vainer, but also to prevent cancer-promoting changes in the skin.
Want to avoid catching a cold or a flu?
The May Tree in the Celtic calendar, Hawthorn is the powerful grandmother of the Rose family and was thought in Europe to be the home of faeries. “Haw” means berry and “thorn”—well, that’s pretty self-explanatory. “Crataegus” derives from Greek…”kratos” means strength and “akis,” sharp. The thorns can be an inch long. Ouch!
The eyes and our other senses are our windows to the world. Vision is a powerful sense that we often take for granted. And this particular window is sensitive…to dryness, dust and other irritants. There are some simple steps you can use to support the health of these valuable portals of information and beauty. I’ve found all three to be useful for myself, for friends, and for clients in my wellness practice.