Rosemary

This time of year, it seems there are very few greens outside. Lately, it seems even THOSE aren't green- they are white with snow! If you'll dig under that snow just a little, you'll find that your rosemary plant you put out last spring is still there and still green and still fragrant. Gather some! Bring it indoors, give it a gentle rinsing, spread it on newspaper and let it dry for a week or two.

Once you've done that, what do you do with it? Ohhhhh so many things!

• Potpourri- You can't buy dried herbs as fresh as this! And this is the season for such wonderful fragrances!


• Cooking- Have you ever cooked chicken or fish with fresh rosemary? Mmmmm!


• Tea- Ok, I'll admit that rosemary tea isn't my first choice if I'm just sitting down to enjoy a cup of hot tea. I'm pretty finicky about what I taste. BUT... if you have a terrible headache, it just might not taste all that bad! Plus you will get some vitamin c from it and sinus-ease.


• Bath- Go ahead and make up that tea, make a good bit of it too. (By that, I mean about 4 cups.) Let it cool for a little while, then strain out the herb particles. Take that rosemary tea to the tub with you and soak in a nice hot bath with rosemary tea added to the water. This is a great muscle soak for those tired aching muscles!


• Hot oil hair treatment- You can make a hot oil treatment for your hair using rosemary and improve the condition of your scalp AND hair! This is a great option for those who need its astringent action.


• Flower arrangements- Fresh plants invite warmth and comfort to our atmosphere, so add a few sprigs to your floral arrangements! Enjoy the benefits of its fragrance AND beauty!

There are many things that are well complimented by the use of rosemary. If you don't have a fresh plant to pick from, try visiting the produce section of your local grocery store. If you find that rosemary is amazing but the work isn't for you, well stop in to your friendly neighborhood herb shop and pick up a bottle of rosemary essential oil! The work is done for you, the rosemary is concentrated (so it takes very little) and the fragrance is just as divine!

For a little more information about rosemary, try whfoods.com (or click this link to go directly to the source).

Rescue Remedy

This time of year, bills from Christmas are coming in, the weather is unpredictable, inventory work is going on in our jobs, taxes are looming, and stress is mounting. These things can build up and result in anxiety. Feelings of panic are not uncommon, and are also not pleasant. The longtime effect of relief comes from a change in diet and improving sleep habits and stress-relieving practices. That sounds great, but during a panic attack, who cares what the future can be like? We want relief NOW! This is what the Bach flower essence Rescue Remedy can do.

Let's use our imagination for a moment. Imagine you are a metal bowl, and someone walks by you and strikes you with a metal spoon. Those vibrations ring in your ears and shake your whole frame and seem to go on and on and on endlessly. In the moment, it seems like the world is crashing down on you and there is no opening to escape through. If this is happening to YOU, then let's suppose I walk by you and see this vicious vibration you are experiencing. I very gently place my hand on your shoulder, and start absorbing some of that vibration. When I do, it takes some of that intensity away from you...which gives you breathing room. The more firmly I place my hand, the more vibrations are settled and the more relief you experience. Doesn't that sound wonderful?

Rescue Remedy does this. It begins absorbing those anxious vibrations as soon as you take it. How can that be? Rescue Remedy is a liquid, and a few drops are placed under the tongue. There are 2 good sized blood vessels under the tongue that start absorbing that liquid which allows your body to begin using it right then. Because it is a flower essence, it can be taken again in 15 minutes if you feel the need for it.

Of course, this remedy does not replace a doctor nor does it replace health practices that improve your nervous strength. But it does help you find relief in the moments of panic and anxiety when they strike.

This very same remedy has been used with children and pets for the very same purposes, and comes in a lotion and a spray. The lotion is more suitable for muscles that tense during anxious times.

These statements are not validated by the Food & Drug Administration.

Herbal Christmas Gifts

blogged by Marianna Bailey, Robin's Herb Shop employee

I think my favorite Christmas gifts are the ones someone takes the time to make for me. It doesn't normally matter what the gift is, because for me, it represents time someone spent thinking about me and working on a "thing" they hoped would show me they love me. How can you not love a gift like that?

I remember one year, one of my sisters made me a bottle of massage oil. It was a simple thing, but it was one of my favorite scents - jasmine - and it was so light on my skin. She put it in a blue glass bottle (knowing how I adore blue glass) and then she prayed I would like it. LIKE IT???? I LOVED IT!!!! And what made it so wonderful was learning that I meant a lot to my little sister. She inspired me to look for ways I can make Christmas gifts for all of my family. It means I work hard sometimes and oftentimes run out of time to get things finished, but I truly spend time thinking about those I love as I try to show them how much they mean to me. So for me, a tradition was born.

I've made several different natural gifts, so this month, I will be sharing some of those things with you, and perhaps my tradition can become yours as well....at least in some way.

Bath Salts

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup epsom salt
1 1/2 cup fine grind sea salt
40 drops essential oils
4-6 drops food coloring (optional)
container

Directions
Blend both salts into a gallon size ziploc bag. Add essential oils and food coloring. Seal bag and use hands to "mash and mix" ingredients. When the coloring seems to be well blended, open one corner of the bag (or use scissors to cut one corner off) and pour bath salts into jar. Seal tightly and label with instructions for use.

Instructions for Use
Mix approximately 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup salt in warm bath and relax!

********************

The hardest part about this recipe is deciding what essential oils (or fragrance oils) to use! Some of my favorite blends are:

25 drops jasmine
15 drops vanilla

10 drops bergamot
15 drops ylang ylang
5 drops clary sage

40 drops lavender

10 drops lavender
10 drops tea tree
10 drops eucalyptus

10 drops lemon
20 drops sweet orange
10 drops grapefruit

Experiment with the essential oils of your choice to get a blend you love and share some beautiful aromatherapy with your family this Christmas!

Herb Shop gets new look!

Seasonal changes oftentimes bring about the desire to make changes for ourselves. If you've been to the herb shop lately, you might have noticed evidence of this. If you haven't noticed our changes, take a tour through our photos and see what we've been doing!

The herb shop building needed a little "pick-me-up" to its exterior. So Mrs. Linda gathered her family, chose paint colors and got to work. The old tired white paint was quickly overtaken by the new tan color.
Mr. Herb supervised beautifully :)
(Note that his shoulder is doing well, but isn't quite ready to take on a task like this.)

Mrs. Linda works just as hard as the rest of her crew and soon the windows are trimmed in pretty contrasting colors.

It didn't take long to achieve a new look!

But wait! There is more! Look closely at the posts on the porch,....

...and now see them as a work in progress as Ms. Christine Scott decorates them with artwork.

And the finished painting looks like this.

So if you've not had a moment to come by and see the changes, please do! We're pretty happy with them and are feeling motivated to get new plants in the landscape to add to the eye appeal!

Blackstrap Molasses

The end of October, I will be sending out a newsletter to all subscribers that contains more information on this subject. I hope you are subscribed!

Blackstrap Molasses

Molasses is not just a sugary syrup our grandmothers used to bake, it is a fabulous health food! There are many, many incidents of health improvement attributed to blackstrap molasses. To name a few:

• Acid Reflux
• Acne
• Anemia
• Anxiety
• Arthritic Pain
• Cancer
• Canker Sores
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Circulation
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Digestive Difficulties
• Energy (low)
• Fibroids
• Gas
• Graying Hair
• Hangover
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Menopausal Complaints
• Menstrual Issues
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Sugar Cravings

Was that more than "a few"?

Do you wonder where we get it from? It's actually a byproduct of refining cane sugar to make table sugar. It's the byproduct left over from the third boiling of sugar, which is highly concentrated (and if you taste it, you'll know that for sure!) Imagine all those minerals in the original plant boiled out. That's what you are getting! Cook with it, eat it raw, blend it in drinks or sauces.... however you choose to ingest it, include its sweet goodness in your diet and reap some healthy benefits!

Flax Seed

You've likely heard that flax seeds are good for you, and flax seed oil is important, ... and if you are like I was a few years ago, that's about all you've heard. It's sad that flax seeds don't get a bigger pat on the back, because they really do so very much for you. Let's pull out important points:

Vitamin Content
Flax seeds are so nutritious! They contain many vitamins and minerals, particularly B vitamins and magnesium. That alone makes them a great food, but that's not all....

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3's are crucial! They are a key force that fight against inflammation, and inflammation is a key force in many diseases, such as arthritis and certain cancers.

High Fiber
You can get the omega-3 and vitamins/minerals from taking flax seed oil, but by consuming the flax SEEDS, you also get fiber. Fiber is an important part of the diet that helps stabilize blood sugar, improves elimination, reduces bad cholesterol, and prevents certain illnesses. The average American diet is generally very low in fiber, making the addition of flax seeds to the diet a valuable consideration.

Now of course, you should not rely totally on flax seeds to cover all the bases. You need other sources of fatty acids in your diet (such as those found in fish oils) and you need a variety of vitamins and minerals. You can get too much fiber at one time too, which can influence the bowels rather suddenly - not a pleasant experience normally. Fiber consumption without adequate water poses an opposite difficulty too. So wisdom is important in this case. That doesn't mean be afraid of flax seeds. They are amazing and very versatile. Grinding your flax seeds gives you a fabulous addition to homemade breads (and with the invention of bread machines, making bread is a snap). Sprinkle a tablespoon of ground flax seeds into your morning smoothie and see how great your day goes!

Notice the improvements to mental function, joint discomforts and skin condition after making flax seeds a part of your regular diet.

Find more information on flax seeds online at sites such as About.com

Are you pH balanced?

At the herb shop, we hear a lot of stories from customers who suffer from inflammation, joint pain, weight problems, yeast and low energy. We also hear customer concerns about heart health, acne, blood sugar, allergies and infections. Of course, there can be numerous causes to some of these difficulties, but one thing they have in common is pH. All of these conditions are supported by an acidic body.

There are many foods that are alkalizing and can help to reverse the affects of an acid pH. Things such as cabbage, peas, spinach, carrots, green beans, lemons, tomatoes and cucumbers are all beneficial in this way. The body has defense mechanisms to protect itself, but it can be overwhelmed if it doesn't have enough help from time to time. When our diet does not consist of enough alkalizing foods and has an over-abundance of acidic foods, then those defenses get out-numbered and symptoms begin to show. The acid culprits are meats, sugars, dairy products, coffee, alcohol, sodas, artificial sweeteners, eggs, vegetable oil and others.

We all know processed foods take a toll on our bodies, but if we realized just how much, perhaps we would reconsider the menu one more time before ordering. Trying to organize our plate so that 70-80% of the meal is alkalizing foods and 20-30% is anything else can alter that pH balance of our body.

So what are those foods?

Alkaline Foods

Asparagus Artichokes Cabbage Lettuce Onion Cauliflower Radish Peas Red Cabbage Leeks Watercress Spinach Turnips Chives Carrots Green Beans Beetroot Garlic Celery Grasses (wheat, barley, kamut, etc) Cucumber Broccoli Kale Brussels Sprouts Lemon Lime Avocado Tomato Grapefruit Rhubarb Watermelon (is actually neutral) Fresh Vegetable Juice Pure water Lemon water Vegetable broth Almond milk Non-sweetened soy milk Almonds Pumpkin Sunflower Seeds Sesame seeds Flax seeds Buckwheat Groats Spelt Lentils Cumin Seeds Any sprouted seed Flax oil Hemp oil Avocado oil Olive oil Evening primrose oil Borage oil Coconut oil Hummus Tahini

Acidic Foods

Pork Lamb Beef Chicken Turkey Seafood (apart from occasional oily fish such as salmon) Milk Eggs Cheese Cream Yogurt Ice Cream White Pasta White bread Wholemeal bread Biscuits Soy Sauce Tamari Condiments (tomato sauce, mayo, etc) Artificial Sweeteners Honey Fizzy Drinks Coffee Tea Beer Fruit Juice Dairy Smoothies Traditional black tea Sweets Chocolate Microwave Meals Canned foods Powdered Soups Instant Meals Fast Food Saturated Fats Hydrogenated Oils Margarine Corn Oil Vegetable Oil Sunflower Oil Peanuts Cashew Nuts Pistachio Nuts

Of course, you can take supplements that assist your body in balancing out, so stop in and ask about those too!