holistic healing

Usnea is an incredible lichen that has many healing properties.  Lichen is an organism that grows in symbiotic relationship consisting of fungi and algae. A lichen grows slowly up against other surfaces in the wild. Usnea grows in forests all over the world, and it is known throughout as Old Man's Beard. Many people have likely seen the lichen and walked right past it. There are several hundreds of species of Usnea, but the species that hold the best healing properties are Usnea barbata and Usnea hirta.

Garlic and honey are both individually renowned for their medicinal properties, a few of which include antibacterial components as well as components that increase health. Garlic and honey are both very well-known for being great ancient medicines  Ancient cultures and traditions have used both garlic and honey as staples to holistic healing. Turns out, they can be even more powerful together. When combined, garlic and honey can pack some serious healing power into even just a little spoonful.

Tinctures are a wonderful addition to the household medicine cabinet. A tincture is a concentrated liquid herbal extract.  Tinctures are really easy to make and highly effective. They are made using consumable alcohol and medicinal plants, herbs, roots, berries, or bark. For those of you who do not use alcohol, a similar product can be made using apple cider vinegar, vegetable glycerin, honey, or white vinegar.

We have all experienced not being able to sleep, whether it is due to insomnia, nightmares, stress, or an overactive mind. There are several types of teas to help you drift off to sleep. In this episode, we will go over 4 of my favorite sleepy time tea recipes.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is a mild tranquilizer and sleep inducer.

Spices and herbs are great for flavoring food, but did you know that they can also be beneficial for your health as well? Here are 12 super herbs and spices said to have some marvelous uses for health.

1. Turmeric

Kids are hyper, but that doesn't mean that they all need to be on some form of medication. Let's take a look at some of the approaches to calming kids the natural way. There are so many natural ways to help your little ones calm down when they're too anxious or hyper. Taking the natural approach can be safer and healthier than prescription medication, not to mention how much cheaper it is, too.

Using Teas For Calming Relaxation

Summer is in full swing here in the Northern hemisphere, which brings mixed reactions: some revel in the long, warm days, enjoying innumerable outdoor activities, while others seek cooling respite from the sun's rays and thick humidity. In the ancient practice of Ayurveda, summer (particularly late summer) is the season of Pitta—the firey, transformative energy at work in both nature and the body. Pitta is the fire that digests food and thoughts or ideas, so it's essential, but can easily get too intense as things heat up.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has been dubbed the miracle solution by many, from holistic healers and practitioners of natural medicine, to the old timers who know the backwoods remedies. It is easy to make, only takes 3 basic ingredients, serves so many purposes, and can be stored indefinitely. Some people choose to pasteurize their ACV to be sure it will keep, while others do not find this step necessary. I suppose it is up to the individual; just be sure and do your own research.

Essential oils and plant extracts have become increasingly popular in recent years, but health practitioners have been using essential oils for millennia. Health, beauty, aromatherapy, cleaning, and cleansing are some of their uses. Essential oils also have mental, physical, and spiritual benefits as well.

The average shelf life for essential oils is around 3 years, but some may last longer.

So you find yourself unable to sleep at night, and you’ve tried everything. What’s next? How about aromatherapy! But what exactly is aromatherapy you may ask? Aromatherapy uses fragrant parts of aromatic plants to help revitalize and relax the body.