I have drank milk like so many for years and had started to notice that at times it bother my stomach but not truly paying head I continues to drink away at the one substance that would eventual become persona non grada to some degree in my life. I found out the hard way or as I say I was hit with the cosmic 2 by 4 for not listening to the warnings my body was giving me, and had a large chai latte and walk to the park with my kids and before we got there my stomach was churning and cramping, I started getting how and walking became more of a effort. and finally my stomach rejected the milk and I felt a bit better or at least well enough to get home.

Once at home i crawled into bed and proceeded to writhe in pain as my stomach cramped beyond belief. Needing relief my kids crank the ac to 60 so it was ice cold in the house and my daughter feed me ice chips every 30 min or so. I knew this was not going to work for me so my daughter brought me my crystals. Pain has a tendency of making it hard to think clearly so on instinct I reached for Banded agate, desert rose, quartz Angelite. after I placed the grid on my stomach I covered up and after a few min I began to get warm. which was a comfort then I realized that only the area in the grid was getting warm and the rest of me was freezing. after about 10min the warmth subsided and I took the crystals off and was able to rest for a few hours. When I woke up I was far better off than before and more weary of milk than before. The Crystals help bring my body and those organs back to the correct vibration and triggered my body’s natural ability to heal it self.

I look at crystals not as the doctor who fixes your ills but as the nurse who assist you in getting your strength back so you can care for yourself.

Quartz – Relates to all chakars and is used to cleanse, heal and amplify other stones

Dessert rose – Relates to Root Chakra if brown Heart if Red
Banded agate – relates to the Solar Plexus chakra and is an all round healer but is particularly good for the colon, kidneys, liver, skin, spleen and stomach areas impacted by the Solar Plexus Chakra
Angelite – excellent at balancing, polarizing and aligning the physical body and is calming

Herbalist Corner
I now have the opportunity to teach out of my favorite coffee shop Blend of Buckroe in Hampton. I will be there every Wed from 9-12 doling out helpful information to teach you how to stay Healthy. Cost will be five dollars or donations.

Please note that certain herbal classes will have a cost of $20-30 depending on what it being taught and cost of supplies.

Herb Walk
I will be looking into doing a herb walk in the fall per suggestion I was given by a young lady who comes to my meetups.

Meetup
Here is the link to my Meetup group join and keep up with what is going on

In large container combine tea and hot water, let steep for 10 min and then and sugar or honey and chill. When ready to use add sparking cider and serve with ice and garnish with the lemon wedge or lemongrass

Lemon grass can be found at any Asian food mart or the garden center. Since we always speak of food being your medicine here is the great thing about this cooling drink.
Lemongrass is used for headaches, colds,fevers, nervous and stomachache. studies show it destroys many bacteria and fungi and is a ingredient in natural deodorant. Promotes sweating and excretion of phlegm.

Hibiscus has its own horn to toot as well. good source of calcium, manganese, potassium and vitamin C. Good for the heart and has several anti cancer constituents.

So sit down have a glass or two of Hibiscus Tea Punch and be good to yourself.

Today we tasted a decoction of Astragulus root  and one comment was that if bamboo had a taste that is what they would think it would be.  All agreed that it has a sweet flavor to it, easy and pleasant to drink. The difference was felt in how the herb affected each person. One said that she was normally just full of energy and this was very calming and relaxing to her. another felt it immediate in the bladder area while another in the nodes around her neck. I could feel it flowing thru my arms and neck.

we also tasted Elderberry and rosehip decoction before and after the honey was added and 2 felt it was fine while others said it had a bitter taste but once the honey was added   spoon licking ensued so I would say all in all it was a good day and a great class.

Now I give out homework  with my class and you many think geez I have to look up stuff.. nooo you have  to do stuff as well. now that you have the information you have to use it make  work with what we have learned and track how each herb affects you.

we are all individuals and each thing we eat or take affects us according to our own bodies not some cookie cutter idea.. Your health is your responsibility. Learning to listen to it is the first part to better health. Our doctors know the human body but only You know your body.

There are several reason to buy local one of which is the flavor and improved taste of your food. My children have had corn in many ways from can to frozen and bagged but the first time they had it fresh was according to the the best they had had and did not know corn could taste this way. now my  daughter who has become accustomed to the excess salt and additives was not fond of it but that did not stop her from eating it.

Her reaction was reason enough for me to work toward eating healthier let alone my sons Aspergers  and the overall health of the family. Other reason included helping the environment, supporting local family farms and the community. So go ahead Buy Local it taste great and your will be doing your part to support your community and your health at the same time.

Here is the link to find a location and restaurant near you that server local produce.while you are ther check out the Co-ops and CSA locations…

.Buy Local Virginia

This month we used Dandelion and I have been makeing oils and cooking with it. Last night I made Salmon patties and broccoli and for those who follow  me on face book here is the recipe

Please note I cook like my mother and grandmother before me. measurement are rare things…

2 cans of Pink Salmon

2 handfuls of dried Dandelion leaf

2 good dashes of Garlic, Salt and Pepper and Turmeric

Fresh out the garden

4-5 leafs cut up Basil,

1 sprig cut up Rosemary and Majorium

1 Egg

Flour or bread crumbs enough to make them hold together**

from in to patties

Put a little oil in the pan and cook  till Golden brown on both sides turning once

** note I use a combination of half wheat and White Flour . you can use what Type of flours work for you to fit your dietary needs..

Enjoy…

There are several ways to make toothpaste and several can be found on WikiHow , eHow and nichetopics to name a few.We followed the one one  WikiHow and made a few substitution, instead of using mint we let them pick there own flavor and used Xylitol instead of Stevia powder.

The highlighted links above lead you to the page for the toothpaste and steeps needed. Wiki How also tells you the benefits of each ingredients less the Xylitol which is linked in the list below.

So here is what we used:

• Mixing bowl
• Teaspoon
• Baking soda
• Flavored oil of your choosing
• Xylitol
• Hydrogen peroxide (optional) (for household use, not for hair bleaching or industrial use, see Warning
• Glycerine (available in craft stores and pharmacies–make sure it is unscented, as glycerine is also a skin moisturizer.)

Well my kids use what they made and enjoy it will have to try other flavors and recipes and see which is the best…

Nettle Infusion

Several months ago my son and I made our first herbal infusion. It was easy to say the least. Pick herb and hot water and wait 4 hrs. We are doing the basic herb lessons on herbmentor which used nettles and so did we. Picked up some dried from The Heritage store being that we had yet to get a good grasp on what they looked like.. So an ounce of herb in a quart jar add water and wait 4 hrs..

Finished Nettle Infusion

Once ready strain and squeeze the liquid from the herbs. What we got was this dark green liquid that both of us shuddered to try. 1st time is the hardest.. We tried it a few ways to see which we liked or could stomach best. room temperature Nettle not cause many faces to be made. We added some wild local honey to the next taste and it cut the bitter twang down some but not enough for us and finally we tried it with warm milk and honey much better than the other two ways. We have yet to try it warmed or chilled to see how it taste will have to let you know how that goes. Once we get the exact formula down for the milk I will post it and maybe I will see if I can find a Chai recipe this will work good in.

If you know nothing about the weed you are about to drink (yes I said weed)here is some information on what it is good for. Wiki- Nettles Herbmentor and Zhion and Herb Wisdom

Seasonal allergies, arthritis, bronchitis, bursitis, gingivitis, laryngitis, prostatitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, tendinitis, to name a few. Do some research and try it out…