It’s that time of year again for many of us – less daylight, busy holiday schedules and colds and flus making the rounds. The discomfort (and even pain) associated with congestion is one of the most common symptoms. (Not to mention that the inability to breath is just plain annoying.) In this post I’ve gathered together several home remedies for congestion that will hopefully get you breathing right and on the fast track to healing the next time you’re battling congestion. Continue reading »
Herbal antibiotics have long been used by herbal healers to ward off colds and flu, clear infections and speed wound healing. Now, they may be moving back into the mainstream as an alternative for bacteria that have become resistant to synthetic antibiotics. This post is based on the book “Herbal Antibiotics” by Stephen Harrod Buhner, and related materials. We’ll start with some background information and then discuss antibiotic herbs and their use. Continue reading »
This is a guest post from Jennifer Downing of Nourish about cooking with herbs.
I love my vegetable garden. It’s tucked in the corner of the yard surrounded by a white picket fence. It makes me happy. Buzzing with honey bees from our hive, bushels of beans and towering tomatoes, this modest garden produces a lot of food for my family.
I dream of acres and neat rows of rotational planting but ironically, the yellow house garden has wonky paths and a patchwork of seed plots. It’s fun, but not efficient. So, it may make sense a disproportionate percentage of my garden is filled with randomly placed herbs. They creep across the dirt and sway in the breeze. In spring, I anticipate the arrival of perennials like old friends. Selecting annuals is thrilling as I search for something new to play with in the kitchen. Since many herbs are easy to grow, I am left with little do but harvest and, harvest, and harvest. I step into the garden, gather fragrant arm loads full and return to the kitchen and get cooking with herbs. Continue reading »
Looking for creative, easy ways to use homegrown herbs, or maybe you’ve tried some fancy flavored oils or vinegars and wondered about making your own? Now you can make any meal a little special with your home infused oils, vinegars, alcohols and honey. Continue reading »
I’m tickled to be reviewing some new e-books I found recently – AND – better yet! – I’ve got free copies to give away. Three lucky winners will be receiving a copy of all three books!
The books are all written by Diane Kidman of DKmommyspot.com, and they are:
Herbs Gone Wild! Ancient Remedies Turned Loose
Beauty Gone Wild! Herbal Recipes for Gorgeous Skin and Hair
Hair Gone Wild! Recipes & Remedies for Natural Tresses
There’s a ton of information in these books – they’re a great value. You can read through them from beginning to end just to get new ideas (which is how I found that ox-eye daises may be helpful for allergies). As I was reading, I kept thinking, “I didn’t know that plant was good for that!’ Alternatively, you can use the search function to find help for specific ailments or beauty needs. These books may finally prompt me to get a portable e-reader, as I find myself wanting to take them into the kitchen, garden and bath.
Herbs Gone Wild! focuses on home remedies for cold, flus and viruses; first aid; and aches and pains. Diane tells you how to make teas, tinctures, and salves, and the basics of stocking your herbal medicine chest. Recipes are simple and easy to use for those just getting started with herbs.
Beauty Gone Wild! provides a wonderful assortment of recipes for body care that is safe enough to eat. Ever since I read “No More Dirty Looks” and found out exactly how much toxic stuff is put into our everyday products, I’ve been cleaning up our personal care items. Don’t get me wrong, I had started before, but I’ve become an even more avid label reader now. This book covers skin care, hair care, natural hygiene, and perfumes. Some of the recipes I’m most interested in are natural are products for treating acne, as my boys are coping with teenage hormone swings – poor guys! Standard OTC treatments can be very harsh, and several prescription treatments have been linked to depression and suicide – no thanks!
Hair Gone Wild! has wonderful ways to pamper yourself with great homemade products for your hair and scalp. After reading it, I think I’m ready to try going “no poo” (no shampoo) again, as Diane points out the most common mistakes made while going shampoo free. She also includes recipes for rinses, hairspray and hair gel, and treatments for everything from dandruff to dry hair, tangles to frizz – even hair loss.
If you can’t wait to read these, just order through the links above – you can always pass a spare copy along to a friend. 
Leave a comment below if you have herb related questions or ideas. Good luck to everyone, and I hope you all enjoy these “wild” ways to explore herbs!
