Friday, February 3, 2012

Herbal Mouthwash

 Parsley, Sage, Marjoram, Thyme & Mint....


These herbs make an effective mouthwash just as a strong infusion. They are astringent, antiseptic and  have cleaning qualities that are great for oral hygiene.


Simply pour boiling water over fresh or dried herbs.Cover tightly with a lid & let sit for 24 hours to infuse.


Strain herbs and store infusion in a lidded jar or cup.
Swoosh around in mouth any time for a soothing, alcohol-free mouthwash.



Also, fresh sage leaf has been used for centuries to clean and freshen breathe.  Try it! Rub the leaf on your gums and teeth. Its antibacterial properties help clean and heal gum inflammation.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Herbal Syrups





Sore throat syrup
4 cups water
2 tablespoons osha root
1 tablespoon echinacea root
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon slippery elm bark
1 teaspoon ginger root
Cook this down to two cups as directed above and then add:
One half cup honey
One quarter cup brandy
One quarter cup black cherry fruit concentrate
This is a great syrup to soothe the throat. It works best if you take one
tablespoon every two hours at the first tickle of a sore throat


Herbal-C Syrup
6 cups water
3 tablespoons elderberries
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds or cranberries
2 tablespoons rose hips
1 tablespoon pine or cedar tree needles
1 tablespoon lemongrass
Cook this down to three cups and add:
One half cup molasses
One half cup honey
One half cup fruit concentrate
This is wonderful tasting syrup to take as a tonic during cold and flu season.


Wet and Damp Cough Syrup
4 cups water
2 tablespoons elecampane root
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon horehound leaf
1 tablespoon yerba santa leaf
Cook this down to two cups and add:
One half cup honey
One half cup brandy
This syrup is for lingering wet coughs with lots of stuck phlegm and mucus.


Elderberry Syrup
3 cups water
4 tablespoons of fresh or dried elderberries
one half cup honey
one quarter cup brandy
Put the elderberries and the water into a stainless steel sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then let simmer on low heat for fifteen minutes. Turn off the heat and let the elderberries infuse for a couple of hours. Strain the elderberries out and put them in the compost pile. You now have a strong elderberry tea. Turn the stove on low and simmer the tea without a lid on the pot until the tea is down to one half of its original volume. In this case you are starting with three cups of tea and cooking it down to one and a half cups. This process is called decocting. Take the tea off of the stove and add the honey while the tea is still warm. Stir in the honey until it is dissolved. After the tea cools, add the brandy. Store this syrup in the refrigerator with a shelf life of about three to six months. Take a tablespoon every hour and a half at the first signs of a cold or flu.





The designs of the universe radiate through you...



These are the ways of our grandmothers, the ancient ones. Every pain, every plant, every problem is cherished. Night is loved for darkness, day for light. Uniqueness is our treasure, not normalcy.

These are the ways of our grandmothers, the ancient ones. Receive abundance with compassion, knowing you will be food for others. Know that dying is a portal just as birth is. Celebrate all comings and goings, they are the turnings of the spiral. 

These are the ways of our grandmothers, the ancient ones. The joy of life is the give- away. You are the center of your universe. You are the axis, life's matrix, the still point in the ever-moving. The designs of the universe radiate through you. You are god, goddess, unique and whole.

- Susan Weed