Herbal Medicine Trends and Traditions

                                         



I received this book for my birthday and am really enjoying it. Trends and Traditions is very in-depth and covers the uses for over one hundred herbs. It includes instructions on  wildcrafting, preparations, dosage and cautions. The section on tinctures, salves, teas, ointments, syrups, etc is extremely thorough and covers methods not taught in my other herb books. It explains how and why the hebs work rather than just a list of herbs to use for different ailments. There is a section in the middle with color pictures for identifying herbs. The book is very well laid out and organized, making it easy to find the information you need. In my opinion it is very reasonably  priced for the vast information it contains!


 

Coconut Honey Lip Balm

For an easy, creative project try making your own lip balm. It's fun to experiment with different oils, scents and tastes. The recipe that follows is very basic and makes a firm lip balm. If you prefer a softer balm try adding oils like almond or avocado. Caster oil can be added to make shiny lip gloss. If you want a tinted lip gloss add a little of your favorite lipstick for color. Essential oils like peppermint or lavender can be added for taste and scent. This makes a fun project for the the kids to join in with.

Coconut Honey Lip Balm

Melt together on low

2 tablespoons beeswax
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Add and mix well

 1 teaspoon honey

Pour into containers and let cool.

The Complete Guide to Creating Oils, Soaps, Creams, and Herbal Gels for Your Mind and Body: 101 Natural Body Care Recipes (Back-To-Basics)

Natural Beauty at Home, : More Than 250 Easy to Use Recipes for Body,Bath, and Hair (Revised Edition)

Organic Body Care Recipes: 175 Homeade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin & a Vibrant Self

Yummy French Toast

For some strange reason I've been craving French Toast for a while now. My mom made French Toast often growing up, but of course hers used milk. I decided it was time to come up with a new dairy free family recipe. Maybe it's because I haven't had the real thing in such a long time but I think this recipe is just as good as mom's.

Yummy French Toast

Mix together

8 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt

Dip bread slices in the egg mixture and fry on a griddle till browned, usually about two minutes on each side. This is a great way to use up old, gluten-free bread, but be sure to let your bread slices soak a couple minutes in the mixture if they're really dry.

We like to eat these with homemade peach syrup made by mixing one 29 OZ can of peaches and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Enjoy!

Vitamin Smoothies

I've been wanting to find a good quality, affordable vitamin that my kids could take. Most children's vitamins contain dye and sweeteners that I don't want my kids eating. Good children's vitamins do exist, but with five kids they get pretty pricey. I was reading The Bulk herb Store newsletter and saw their Daily Boost Herba-Smoothie. I thought it was a great idea but wasn't sure it would work for us. We don't have access to raw dairy in Wyoming and I'm not about to feed my kids ultra pasteurized-homogenized milk from the store. After thinking about it for a few days I decided to start experimenting with smoothie recipes to see if I could come up with a non-dairy smoothie. I also wanted our smoothie to use less berries than the Bulk herb Store recipe since berries are so expensive. After quite a few not so good smoothies I have two recipes that my kids and husband like, and gladly drink every morning.

Orange Julius Herb Smoothie

3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup water
1/2 frozen banana
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1 teaspoon powdered herb mix
*1 tablespoon water from lacto-fermented veggies

Blend all ingredients in blender and serve

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1 teaspoon powdered herb mix
1-2 frozen strawberries
1/2 frozen banana
*1 tablespoon water from lacto-fermented veggies

Blend all ingredients in blender and serve.

The lacto-fermented veggie water is optional but add natural probiotics to your smoothie.

You can use any of the herb mixes the Bulk Herb Store sells or make your own. I wanted herbs that would supply calcium and other minerals, be good for my husbands heart, give us an energy boost and help with cleansing and detoxing. I decided to use the same mix of herbs as The Bulk Herb Store, ginkgo, siberian ginseng, oatstraw, bilberry fruit, hawthorn, burdock root, and horsetail plus I added some rosehips for extra vitamin C. We enjoy our smoothie every morning and I love knowing my kids are getting a yummy, natural vitamin shake.

Healthy Habits

Trying to start a new healthier lifestyle can be overwhelming. What foods should you eat, which ones to cut out, should you take supplements and don't forget to start a new workout program. Many people that I talk to wonder where to even begin. It can be a daunting task, but I think with a little planning, making healthy changes doesn't have to be that hard.

A great way to start living healthier is to start new good habits. Pick one goal and implement it into your routine. Choose something simple like cutting back to only one desert every week, stop drinking soda, eating raw veggies each day, drinking more water, switching to whole grains or making time to exercise. Once you're new habit is firmly established as part of your routine add another health goal. One healthy habit at a time can lead to a much healthier lifestyle.