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Fat-Blocking Ginger Juice

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Fat-Blocking Ginger Juice
Fat-Blocking Ginger Juice - Step 2
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Fat-Blocking Ginger Juice

Fat-Blocking Ginger Juice

POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 BY CRISSY JOSHUA IN ALL ARTICLESBACKYARD PLANTSHOUSEHOLD REMEDIESRECIPES33

Fat blockers help to prevent our bodies from absorbing fats. The fats are then expelled from the body naturally. They also help you feel full for longer which can help reduce your food intake. Some foods are natural fat blockers which are a healthy alternative to pharmaceuticals.

Even if you’re not trying to lose weight it is important to maintain a healthy weight and it’s all too easy to put on weight! Preventing excessive weight gain and obesity is important because it can lead to so many other diseases and conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. While this juice can help block fat, a healthy diet and exercise still need to be followed to maintain a healthy weight and body condition.

The ingredients in this juice that can block fat are ginger, apples, and apple cider vinegar. This makes it a good option for helping to block fat and also providing so many other nutrients that the body needs at the same time.

Medicinal Benefits Of This Ginger Juice

First, let’s take a look at how the ingredients in this juice will help block fat. Then I will describe the other health advantages they offer.

How Does This Juice Work To Block Fat?

  • Ginger has long been used in herbal medicines and it can help prevent and treat a number of ailments. It helps to block fat by slowing the accumulation of belly fat by lowering the cortisol levels that trigger the process. It may also reduce atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of dangerous fat in the arteries.
  • Apples are able to block fat because of their pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber and it absorbs water and forms a viscous consistency. By increasing mass it makes you feel full so you don’t feel the need to eat more. It also does this by slowing down how quickly your stomach empties and means it takes longer for food to enter the small intestine. By slowing digestion down, pectin also has the added bonus of allowing better absorption of nutrients.
  • Apple cider vinegar has acetic acid and pectin. The acetic acid in it can reduce the storage of fat in the belly and liver. It also suppresses your appetite which can help control food intake. On top of this, it speeds up your metabolism helping to burn calories faster.

What Other Health Benefits Do These Ingredients Provide?

  • The gingerol found in ginger is one of its main compounds with medicinal properties. This powerful compound can help prevent certain types of cancer. It also helps fight harmful bacteria and infections, reducing the risk of developing some diseases. Ginger can help manage osteoarthritis by reducing pain and disability. It can also lower blood sugar levels making it beneficial for people living with type 2 diabetes. Taking ginger daily can lower cholesterol levels too which could lower the risk of developing heart disease.
  •  The humble apple has a surprising number of health benefits. The soluble fiber in them can help lower blood cholesterol levels. They also have polyphenols which are antioxidants. One of these is flavonoid epicatechin, which can help lower blood pressure. The antioxidant properties also lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They may also prevent cancer thanks to their antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects. Eating apples has also been linked to better bone health by reducing the amount of calcium lost from the body. Various compounds in apples can also minimize mental decline and possibly help restore memory.
  • Apple cider vinegar also has its fair share of health benefits and has been used as a remedy for centuries, if not longer. Consuming a small amount each day (1-2 tablespoons) can help you to lose weight. It also aids with digestion and can reduce bloating and get rid of heartburn. The healthy bacteria found in it protects the immune system warding off infections and helping us to recover from illnesses faster. Apple cider vinegar also lowers triglycerides which cause fatty plaque buildup along the arteries, improving heart health.

How To Make This Ginger Fat Blocking Juice

The quantities in this juice are enough for one serving and will have approximately 125 calories in it. It is best to make this fresh each time you drink it and have it straight away, or soon after preparing it.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 red apple
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup water

Equipment

  • Blender (or juicer)
  • Bowl (if using a blender)
  • Fine-mesh strainer (if using a blender)

Method

  1. Wash your apple under running water (there is no need to dry it after).
  2. Cut it into small chunks and discard the core. Then add it to your blender (or juicer). You won’t start blending until all of the ingredients are in.
  3. Peel some ginger and grate it using a Microplane or the finest edge of a grater so that you end up with 1 teaspoon’s worth. If you’re using a juicer you don’t need to grate it and can add it in as is.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
  5. Add ½ cup of water. Blend it all on high for at least 30 seconds or until it has all blended well.
  6. If you’re using a blender, place your fine-mesh strainer over a bowl large enough to catch the liquid. Push down on the pulp with a spoon to extract any remaining juice.
  7. Pour your juice into a glass and drink it straight away.
  8. Drink some water afterward to get rid of any vinegar that could be lingering on your teeth.

While apple cider vinegar has many health benefits you should always rinse your mouth out with water after drinking or eating it because it can affect your tooth enamel. For this reason, you should also drink it with some water rather than straight.

This is a drink with a slight kick to it thanks to the vinegar and the ginger. If you don’t like strong flavors you can test it first and dilute it with more water if you like. It’s very refreshing though and you can add ice if you prefer your drinks cold which makes this a lovely drink on a warm day. Otherwise, it’s a very warming drink on a cool day.

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33 Comments

  • VALERIE E ESCABI POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 3:14 PMThank you love your recipe all are very helpfulReply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 4:36 PMHi Valerie,Thank you so much for your comment.
      We are glad to hear that you like our recipes.Many blessings and good health!Reply
    • CYRIL AUGUSTIN POSTED JANUARY 6, 2022 10:30 PMThank you for this priceless infoReply
  • JC POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 3:45 PMYou mention a “RED” apple. Is there a particular reason for this or can a grannie smith (a green apple) is ok.Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 4:37 PMHi JC,You can use a green apple if you like.
      Green apples tend to have a sweet and sour flavor whereas red varieties are sweeter and offset the sourness from the apple cider vinegar but both red and green apples are healthy so feel free to use any kind.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • DEBBIE WARDLE POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 4:19 PMHow often should one drink the ginger fat blocking juice?Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 4:38 PMHi Debbie,You can have up to 1 serving of this drink per day. There are about 2 grams of fresh ginger in a teaspoon and usually, the maximum recommended dosage per day is 4 grams so keep this in mind if you take ginger in any other meals. The maximum recommended dosage per day of apple cider vinegar is 1-2 tablespoons but it’s safer to stick to 1 to protect your tooth enamel.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • SHERRY POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 4:27 PMIs there a reason you have to strain it? I mean, you could drink the apple “mush,” too, right?Reply
    • PAUL POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 10:17 PMYes, I have this question too. I have a Vita-Mix blender and when I make any type of green drink, I never strain it.Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 4:43 PMHi Sherry and Paul,You can drink the “mush” or pulp. Just make sure you swish some extra water around your mouth after you have finished because you may be tempted to chew it (as it will be thicker) and it’s important not to leave any apple cider vinegar in your teeth.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • MICHAEL POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 4:33 PMApple’s always make me feel hungry is it the same on everybody?Reply
    • EILEEN POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 7:47 PMApples always make me feel hungry too. So I typically eat cheese with them.Reply
    • LYN POSTED SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 2:53 PMYup! Me too.Reply
    • BRANKA POSTED OCTOBER 6, 2021 6:48 AMyeah, apples always make me hungry too!Reply
  • ROBIN POSTED AUGUST 23, 2021 8:34 PMCan you substitute grated ginger for ginger powder? And if so how much powder would one use?Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 4:55 PMHi Robin,While you can substitute one for the other, ginger powder is going to be less astringent than fresh ginger and the texture will be slightly different.Since ground ginger has a much more concentrated flavor than fresh ginger, you will need to use less of it. For every tablespoon of fresh ginger, you will need to substitute Âź teaspoon of ground ginger.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • KATHLEEN POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 7:54 AMI am an RDN and overall I see the some nutritional benefits of this juice but not really as a weight loss product. Think about it, If it were that easy we would all be doing it!!!Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 5:04 PMHi Kathleen,Thank you so much for your comment.
      We are happy to have you as one of our readers. Your experience as RDN is very important to us as well as to the other readers.Indeed, losing weight is never too easy, however, we believe that adding this juice to your diet, can be helpful especially when accompanied by exercise, good sleep.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • GABBIE POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 10:39 AMGinger ALWAYS works WONDERS! Any time I need to lose some weight, I always make sure to add plenty of ginger to my diet! This, paired with a 15-minute exercise each morning is sure to get rid of a couple of pounds in a month or so! Thank you so much The Lost Herbs Team, you’ve been my to-go site since the beginning of this year and I don’t go anywhere else for advice!Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 4:58 PMHi Gabbie,Thank you so much for your feedback. We really appreciate it!
      We are glad to hear that Ginger works wonders for you.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • BEV POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 12:45 PMWhile I do not need to lose weight, I like the other advantages of this combo of ingredients…improving heart health, preventing mental decline, etc. Are there any negatives or cautions I should know about? Could this cause excessive weight loss?Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 5:24 PMHi Bev,Ginger can have side effects such as abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth and throat irritation if taken in large doses. Apple cider vinegar may help reduce appetite, but it may also cause feelings of nausea, particularly when consumed as part of a drink with a bad flavor.
      If you’re considering using ginger and apple cider vinegar while pregnant, consult your health care provider.You can have up to 1 serving of this drink per day. There are about 2 grams of fresh ginger in a teaspoon and usually, the maximum recommended dosage per day is 4 grams so keep this in mind if you take ginger in any other meals. The maximum recommended dosage per day of apple cider vinegar is 1-2 tablespoons but it’s safer to stick to 1 to protect your tooth enamel.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • GWEN GARCELON POSTED AUGUST 24, 2021 5:42 PMIs there a time of day that is best to take the tonic?Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 31, 2021 7:25 PMHi Gwen,It’s best to have it before a meal or empty stomach to maximize its health benefits.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • STEPHANIE RUTLEDGE POSTED AUGUST 25, 2021 3:26 AMAddressing the side effects of apple cider vinegar: I was on omeprozole for acid reflux for about 15 years and started noticing some issues (hair thinning, nails thinning….all attributed to long term use). Looked up causes for acid reflux and it turns out that sometimes…it’s too LITTLE acid in your system. So…I started taking a tablespoon of it in a glass of water and quit the omeprozole for a month. Summagumma…no acid reflux. Have been off the med for a year and take the apple cider vinegar every morning. BIG fan.Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED AUGUST 31, 2021 7:26 PMHi Stephanie,Thank you for sharing this with us.
      We are glad to hear that ACV works well for you.Many blessings and good health!Reply
  • NAOMI POSTED AUGUST 25, 2021 11:09 PMI am allergic to ACV is there anything else to replace that? Or can I just use rice vinegar or white vinegar?Reply
  • MARY BETH THAKAR POSTED AUGUST 27, 2021 6:33 PMI am glad for these answers. Can I get more particular advice on seizure medicines here? I have more particular questions about Western Skunk Cabbage — and Lobelia Cardinalis. (I think I should have gotten the liquid for the latter.)But I do appreciate everything that Nicole is suggesting. Lovely to hear about her great experiences!!!Reply
    • MICHAEL POSTED AUGUST 27, 2021 10:39 PMI suffer from seizures to I like skullcap but you have to be careful and don’t use too much of itReply
      • MARY BETH THAKAR POSTED AUGUST 31, 2021 8:55 PMThanks, Michael. We all need encouragement about our seizures.Have you tried the other things, suggested in Nicole’s book? I am having trouble taking the Valerian. It makes me too sleepy. So I take it on and off during the day: That is, that is what I am trying now.I’d be glad to hear about your experiences with the remedies.
  • CARLY POSTED SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 6:02 AMIs this drink safe for girls trying to lose weight? (Say from age 13 and up?)Reply
  • VALERIE POSTED JANUARY 6, 2022 7:33 PMWhat can I use in place of the apple? I’m on a low carb diet and I can’t have an appleReply

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How To Quickly Cool Any Fever

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How To Quickly Cool Any Fever

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever

Posted March 10, 2022 by Stacy Filton in All Articles, Backyard Plants, Household Remedies, How To6

Fever is a natural defense mechanism that the body uses to fight off infections and illnesses. However, it must be treated immediately when fever is high or persistent.

Waiting until symptoms worsen can lead to further complications and worse outcomes.

Understanding how fever works can help you diagnose a fever and provide the appropriate treatment.

This article will show you how to naturally and rapidly cool a fever, including identifying fever symptoms.

What Is A Fever?

Fever is a natural defense mechanism that the body uses to fight off infections and illnesses.

It is a response the body has to boost the immune system and when your body fights an infection, it raises the temperature.

It sends out cytokines that cause water to evaporate from your skin and sweat glands. This cooling effect allows heat to escape, which lowers fever and other symptoms of severe illness such as nausea, vomiting, elevated rate, or debilitating headaches.

The most likely cause of fever is infection by microbes like viruses or bacteria, which can be easily picked up during day-to-day living.

However, other causes may be:

  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Toxins
  • Infections
  • Heatstroke
  • Organ Failure

How do you know if you have a fever?

There are many obvious signs that can indicate the presence of a fever. For instance, you may experience:

  • A feeling of intense warmth within the body.
  • Physical chills.
  • Sweating.
  • A rapid heartbeat.
  • Nausea and vomiting.

Cooling treatment options for adults

There are many ways to naturally cool a fever in adults.

You can try:

Using A Cold Compress
How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Cold Compress

One of the best options is using a cold compress, which can be made at home or bought from a pharmacy.

This can provide relief without any risks of adverse effects.

Another option is to use ice packs on the forehead, neck, chest, and back. When using ice packs, it’s important to remember that they should be used for up to five minutes every 20 minutes or so to avoid frostbite.

Take A Tepid Bath

Many people think of taking a cold bath when they have a fever.

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Vinegar Socks

This might seem appropriate at first glance, but doing so can raise your body temperature even more.

Taking the time to take tepid baths is not only good for you, but it can also help with muscle fatigue and stress relief.

Vinegar Socks

If you have high fever, just soak your socks in vinegar.

Keep them on your feet for about 20 minutes, and refresh them every half hour until the temperature begins to drop. You can use regular or apple vinegar.

Try A Freshly Brewed Herbal Tea

There are many teas that have been shown to assist in reducing the signs and symptoms of fever, including:

Yarrow Tea:

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Yarrow Tea

To cool yourself down from a fever, make a cup of yarrow tea.

The herb will open your pores and trigger the sweating that accelerates a fever toward its end.

Steep a tablespoon in freshly boiled water for 10 minutes, and then drink it until you start sweating!

Yarrow tincture is one that everyone should have in their herb kit! Nicole likes this botanical for its antibacterial properties. It is effective for ear infections, wound care, relieving fevers, shortening the duration of the cold and flu, and helping to improve relaxation during illness. You can buy your own from the Apothecary!

Ginger Tea:

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Ginger

To make a ginger tea, use half a teaspoon of minced ginger root in 1 cup just-boiled water. Strain and drink it down quickly before the water cools off.

Ginger is well known for its sweating properties and easing cramps, so this will be beneficial to you.

Elderflower Tea:

Another natural drink, elderflower tea, helps us sweat.

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Elderflower

It is also suitable for other problems associated with colds and flu-like mucus congestion.

To make it, mix two teaspoons of the herb in a cup of boiled water and let the mix steep for at least 15 minutes before straining out the leaves.

Drink three times a day as long as you have a fever or continue to feel sick.

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Echinacea

Echinacea Tea:

An echinacea-based tea has been used for centuries and is a trusted source of boosting your immune system.

Drinking the tea when you first start to feel some sense of illness can help you fight an infection faster so that it doesn’t last too long.

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Willow Bark
Willow Bark Infusion:

If you are looking for some natural substitutes to over-the-counter pain relievers such as anti-inflammatories, consider willow bark!

Willow bark can be made into an extract and taken as a tincture, made up as a tea, or in powdered form.

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Vitamin C
Opt For More Vitamin C

Orange juice and other fruit juices such as cranberry juice rich in vitamin C are good choices when you have a fever.

Vitamins, especially vitamin C, can help your immune system fight off infection by strengthening cellular defenses and giving your immune system a boost to help reduce the fever.

Turn Up The Spice
How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Cayene Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a well-respected ingredient that can be added to your foods when you have a fever.

It contains capsaicin, an alarmingly hot component found in many types of peppers.

This spicy seasoning will make you sweat and rapidly distribute blood through your body.

Opt For Soups
How To Quickly Cool Any Fever - Soups

Eating little and often when suffering from a fever is always the best advice, as the digestive system can weaken under the threat of infection or disease.

Soups are by far the best meal to have, and having soups loaded with herbs and spices such as basil, capsaicin, and pepper will produce sweat which will help cool the body down.

Broth-based soup provides energy and nutrients to fight disease or lower a fever.

Light And Airy Clothing

The body’s heat will escape through your clothes and provide some relief to the surrounding environment.

Wearing light, breathable clothing is recommended as it ensures that you don’t overheat, which is especially important if your fever happens when the weather is hot too.

Hydration To The Max

If you are experiencing difficulty keeping food down or have no appetite, it’s best to drink!

Water, iced tea, or very diluted juice are all great options to sip as much as you can manage, or the alternative is to suck on ice chips, which can also reduce a fever temperature.

Rest

This seems like the most simple piece of advice ever. Still, resting is repairing when your body is fighting something that can cause a rapid onset fever.

Rest as much as possible.

Cooling treatment options for children

To quickly cool a fever, there are a variety of treatment options.

One way is to apply a cold, wet cloth on the forehead or neck and keep it on for five minutes.

How To Quickly Cool Any Fever for Children

Another option is to put protected ice on the chest or back and keep it on for as long as possible.

When cooling a fever, you should also stay hydrated and avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and soda because they can cause dehydration and worsen the fever symptoms.

Additionally, you should avoid placing children in direct sunlight because it can cause an escalation in a fever.

When To Seek Medical Assistance

A fever is certainly not always a bad thing!

Yes, it may feel terrible at the time, but it is the body’s way of ridding whatever is happening inside that you simply cannot see.

However, there are some instances where, no matter what you try, the fever just will not be controlled. In this instance, it’s always best practice to seek medical assistance.

For Adults:

Suppose your fever goes above 103°F (39.4°C) or doesn’t go down within two days. In that case, a call to the doctor is warranted as you may also be experiencing symptoms such as severe pain in any part of your body or shortness of breath and confusion.

Adults with these symptoms should also seek immediate medical attention for further diagnosis and treatment.

For Toddlers To Young Adults:

If your child is experiencing irritability or muscle aches, they could benefit from medication.

If their fever goes above the 102°F (38.9°C) mark, it may be necessary to use pharmaceutical interventions to bring it right down.

If your child is uncomfortable or distressed, or if the fever persists for more than three days, you should consult with a doctor.

For Infants:

Babies up to 3 months old be seen by their doctor if they have a temperature above 100.4°F (38°C).

If your baby has other symptoms, or the fever goes beyond 102°F (38.9°C), you should call for medical attention immediately.

This is because children ages 6 months to 2 years who have temperatures at or above 102 degrees can be offered over-the-counter medication under supervision by their doctors.

Take Away

A high fever can be very serious.

However, an occasional lower temperature fever is nothing to worry about as it helps your body heal itself!

All over-the-counter medicines generally have risks and side effects just like other treatments for this condition, so instead of heading for the pharmacy, you could try one of these alternative remedies first. Here are also a few of Nicole’s top picks that are found in the Essential Winter Defense Bundle. Whether maintaining lung health, boosting immunity, or reducing fevers, each herb supports overall well-being this winter and beyond.

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5 Ways Narcissists Project and Attack You

Written by Darius Cikanavicius on September 25, 2017

Most narcissists generally lack self-awareness. Indeed, their sense of self-esteem and self-worth depends on how others perceive them, and they tend to deny flaws in themselves and blame others for their own shortcomings, mistakes, and misfortunes. This is called projection, and people with narcissistic tendencies are projection-heavy individuals.

Here we will explore five different but related ways people with strong narcissistic, sociopathic and psychopathic tendencies deny, project, blame, confuse, and hurt others.

1. Calling you things that you are not

A classic example, Youre cheating on me,when you are not, but you can bet theyre cheating on you.BEZZY COMMUNITYMeet Bezzy for Depression, a community that cares

Find encouragement and support through 1-1 messaging and advice from others dealing with major depressive disorder.

Or, Youre selfish because you dont want to do what I am asking you to do. You only think about yourself.Meanwhile they are the ones who constantly make up excuses, break promises, are unreliable, think only about themselves, or compete with you. Not only that, they will forget all the things that you have already done for them.

In their eyes, they are entitled to your resources (time, money, energy), and you are aggressing against them when you wont, cant, or dont give them what they want. They will not reciprocate unless there is some reason for them to. They will use various manipulation and abuse tactics like name calling, mocking, bullying, triangulation, minimizing, character defamation, berating feelings, trolling, obscuring the issue, deflecting, gaslighting, guilt-tripping, provoking, unreasonable criticism, nitpicking, or plain verbal abuse all to make you feel bad and give into their demands.

If its not you, then theres always someone else. Look how horrible this other person is! And do you know what that person did? Meaning, forget about me and my shortcomings; lets find someone else with flaws and talk about them. That way, in their mind, we don’t have to think about my shortcomings, or we will come to a conclusion that Im great by default because everyone else is so horrible.

2. Grandiosity, mimicking, and exaggeration

Narcissists think that they are super-ultra-turbo-mega special, that they deserve exceptional treatment, or that they are justified in hurting others. They have grandiose goals and exaggerate their achievements to appear more impressive and more superior.

Narcissists often feel a need to compete with others since they are factually not that special and terribly insecure on top of it. They will pretend, lie, hurt or exploit others, or do whatever else they deem necessary for personal gain.

As a result, they may take upon other peoples character traits and achievements. This originates from a place of envy and self-aggrandizement. Often to the degree of mimicking, plagiarizing, stealing, and being a fraud, all while defaming and belittling others. This is meant to destroy the credibility of their victims while appearing to be more competent themselves. This provides a handy distraction from what is really going on.

This is another weird form of projection where they see something they admire in someone (be it actually admirable or just a status symbol), and then instead of actually working on achieving it they simply claim they already have it or that they are entitled to it. Usually simply by saying it, with confidence and conviction. Consequently, as they claim the positive traits, achievements or characteristics of others, they discard their own negative features onto their victims. They may or may not be aware that it is happening, but it is happening nevertheless.https://inline.psychcentral.com/r/ssr/f097396d-c3cc-4597-b750-1e3236901b40?utm_campaign=pc-bh-mid-social-proof-driver&utm_medium=embed&selector=%23m26976eaf-2be7-4e3a-b723-0502452900e9+%3E+div+%3E+div&csid=38b6faa4-c3b0-4497-bb5e-39a3c908512b&caid=3572cef0-16b1-41e7-88b5-b7a17ffb82fa&ciid=701856df-473d-468c-a76b-4ac6105cc72c&tenant=wk_1hYmqsRCbwXB0ndTQdgXxNR6252&srckey=src_1hYmqunTHJvIJ8xGurFf1jMyi5f&cxsid=b95e92f4-77f9-47a4-b268-5925a456d09d&imre=aHR0cHM6Ly9wc3ljaGNlbnRyYWwuY29tL2Jsb2cvcHN5Y2hvbG9neS1zZWxmLzIwMTcvMDkvbmFyY2lzc2lzdGljLXByb2plY3Rpb24%3D&_mfuuid_=c954392b-6ec3-4ac4-8b05-1b0d5e737b6f&width=368&subId=betterhelp_psy_mid_socialproof_37786

This whole process requires a lot of delusion, pretending, and deception. Sadly, many people fall for that and see the narcissist as this wonderful and amazing human being that they present themselves as, yet in actuality are lightyears from.

3. Preemptive strike

Whenever a narcissistic person feels threatened, they will call you the things that they themselves are as or are afraid that others see them as. And then they will try to stalk you, slander you, or discredit you. They will try to sabotage and destroy you. They will start a smear campaign and attempt character assassination. In their mind, frighteningly, you have become their mortal enemy.

They also have no problem doing all of it preemptively and calling it defense.

So if you privately call them out, set healthier boundaries, or end the relationship, they may be afraid that you can see their flaws, or that you will tell others what kind of person they are. Whether you do that or not is not important to them. Because in their mind the mere possibility of it is a good enough excuse to label you as an enemy. And because a narcissistic type of person has little or no empathy, they may imagine that you will behave as they would in these situations. If they would lie, or more likely are already lying, they will accuse you of lying.

And so they will do all these things just because they think you are somehow trying to or might hurt them. They also will accuse you of the very things they themselves are doing.

4. Playing the victim

A common narcissistic strategy is to play the victim. You hurt me! Poor, poor me. Instead of working through the issue with you or internally, they have no problem dragging others into it by lying and painting you as the perpetrator and themselves as the victim.

Oftentimes, this involves the aforementioned preemptive strike or provoking to get a reaction. For example, destroying your property, slandering you, turning people against you, or physically attacking you. And then when you respond appropriately to their active or passive aggression, now they can say that youre the aggressor because you are hurting them or that youre unreasonable because of your wild, unacceptable behavior.PSYCH CENTRAL RESOURCESSetting better boundaries starts here

Learn more about defining boundaries in your relationships, practicing consistency, and living with intention with our limited series.

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Its callous and calculated, and again, it involves accusing you of the things that they themselves are doing or have done. So its not uncommon that the audience of this dramatic spectacle doesnt see the whole picture or doesnt care enough to figure out the full story. It is not uncommon that many will take the side of the narcissist. The narcissist is desperate that their spectacle be believed for the sake of their emotional management, so much so that they will say and do almost anything.

For a narcissist, it is rarely about the truth and almost always about their audiences perception.

This way they receive false validation that they are right and good, and that you are wrong and evil. Here, their sense of self-esteem is restored and their feelings of shame and inadequacy are managed. So its all well and good. Except for those who got hurtbut who cares about them, right?

5. The No, you! defense

If you call them out on their crap or if they suspect you can see through their smoke and mirrors, they will say that its youor otherswho are all these things. Or that all of it is false and nonsense. They may even say that they are honest, caring, and authentic, and that you dont understand these things, you are projecting, you are pretending, you are triggered, you are gaslighting,you are narcissisticyou are whatever buzzword they have learned!

Because people with narcissistic tendencies can be interested in human psychology, too. A lot of them actually work in the helping, teaching, and medical fields or pretend to be experts and intellectuals on social media. Some of them are really smart, eloquent, and popular, which makes their statements more believable to an unaware audience.

They can learn all these fancy terms and phrases, yet they often dont understand or even care about how to apply them correctly. Here, its another tool for manipulation. For them, learning means finding ways to justify all of their disturbing thoughts and behaviors, or use the knowledge as a tool against others for personal gain.

They will do anything but accept reality and become a decent personyet they can play one quite well.

Have you encountered any of these things when dealing with narcissistic people? Did you notice anything that was not included in this list? Feel free to share it in the comments below or write about it in your personal journal.https://inline.psychcentral.com/r/ssr/8d286959-be7f-4294-bb9c-d2479730b04e?utm_campaign=hl-mental-health-mpl&utm_medium=embed&selector=%23m6f8d2901-e164-4f93-8f95-9eaa0c410ee0+%3E+div+%3E+div&csid=38b6faa4-c3b0-4497-bb5e-39a3c908512b&caid=3572cef0-16b1-41e7-88b5-b7a17ffb82fa&ciid=701856df-473d-468c-a76b-4ac6105cc72c&tenant=wk_1hYmqsRCbwXB0ndTQdgXxNR6252&srckey=src_1hYmqunTHJvIJ8xGurFf1jMyi5f&cxsid=b95e92f4-77f9-47a4-b268-5925a456d09d&imre=aHR0cHM6Ly9wc3ljaGNlbnRyYWwuY29tL2Jsb2cvcHN5Y2hvbG9neS1zZWxmLzIwMTcvMDkvbmFyY2lzc2lzdGljLXByb2plY3Rpb24%3D&_mfuuid_=c954392b-6ec3-4ac4-8b05-1b0d5e737b6f&width=368&subId=bhwidget_psy_33003

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Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider

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Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider
Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider - Utensils
Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider - Step 1
Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider - Step 2
Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider - Step 3
Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider - Step 5
Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider
Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider

Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider

POSTED MARCH 8, 2022 BY CRISSY JOSHUA IN ALL ARTICLESBACKYARD PLANTSHOUSEHOLD REMEDIESHOW TORECIPES4

Making your own antiviral herbal mulled cider is a great way to ward off viruses and colds or lessen the symptoms if you do happen to catch one. This antiviral herbal mulled cider is also delicious as an added bonus. The healing herbs and spices infused in the apple juice and water will make you feel better and recover faster.

A mulled drink is just one that has been made prepared with spices by heating everything in a pot and straining it. Many of the spices are warming on their own but the result is extra comforting when you take them in a hot drink.

Let’s look at the medicinal qualities of the ingredients first and then I’ll show you how to make this recipe in just 25 minutes.

Medicinal Benefits Of The Ingredients

To make this antiviral herbal mulled cider you need seven ingredients: apple juice (or apple cider), water, licorice root, orange peel, cloves, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon. Here is how each of these works to fight viruses.

Benefits Of Apple Juice / Apple Cider

The antiviral activity of apples are present in the skin and the pulp of the fruit. Apple juice is antiviral due to its tannins and related compounds. Apple juice and cider also help keep you hydrated, which is important if you have a virus and to flush the system out.

Benefits Of Water

While water is essential for staying healthy and hydrated for general day-to-day wellbeing, it’s even more important when you have a virus. When you’re sick with the flu or another type of virus many of the symptoms lead to dehydration.

Staying hydrated when you are sick speeds up your recovery too. It also helps with symptoms by keeping your mucus thin which helps your body clear it from the sinuses and lungs. Water will also help you eliminate toxins and bacteria.

Benefits Of Licorice Root

Glycyrrhizin, liquiritigenin, licochalcone A, licochalcone E, 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid, and glabridin are the main antiviral compounds found in licorice root. Commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, licorice root contains nearly 300 flavonoids. Many studies have proven the effects of licorice root as an antiviral herb.

One of the ways it helps is by stopping virus replication. It’s also anti-inflammatory which helps to improve your immune response. However, if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease, you should avoid licorice. You can still benefit from the other antiviral ingredients in this recipe.

Benefits Of Orange Peel

Oranges contain important polymethoxylated flavones, which are most prevalent in the peel. The flavones have antiviral properties. Orange peels are also rich in vitamin C and A making them a good antioxidant that boosts your immune system to help fight viruses. If you do get a cold or flu then orange peels help to remove phlegm, improving your symptoms and making you feel better.

Benefits Of Cloves

The clove plant is one of the best sources of phenolic compounds and has long been used in alternative medicine for its antiviral activity, among other benefits. Cloves also have anti-inflammatory properties which are useful when you have a cold or flu. They can help to relieve symptoms of respiratory infections and speed up the recovery process.

Benefits Of Ginger

Ginger has long been used in natural medicine, particularly in southeast Asia. It’s even part of a common modern-day remedy used around the world to fight colds and the flu with many people swearing by the old ginger, lemon, and honey tea remedy. Certain antiviral compounds in ginger help to keep viruses at bay. The gingerol in ginger is anti-inflammatory and has antioxidants, helping to boost your immune system and health in general.

Benefits Of Star Anise

Star anise holds a special place in traditional Asian medicines and has been used for centuries. Today, it’s widely accepted further around the world that star anise has antiviral properties. One of the main compounds found in star anise is shikimic acid which is the primary ingredient used in Tamiflu, an antiviral drug. Star anise has the highest levels of shikimic acid out of any plant.

Benefits Of Cinnamon

Cinnamon has been found to prevent and/or eliminate viruses. It is also rich in antioxidants so another immune booster, helping to keep you healthy and fighting illnesses faster. Cinnamon also boasts anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that prevent harmful bacteria from growing.

All of these ingredients have many other medicinal properties other than fighting viruses too. Combining them in a tasty, healthy drink is a great way to consume them at once. So, let’s look at the quantities to use and how to make this mulled cider now.

How To Make This Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider

As I mentioned earlier, this takes around 25 minutes to make. The quantities below make two portions and each one will have approximately 114 calories. This will depend on the type of apple juice or apple cider you use. If you can prepare fresh apple juice yourself ahead of making this recipe, even better.

Ingredients
  • 2 Cups of apple juice or apple cider
  • 1 Cup of water
  • ½ A stick of licorice root
  • The peel of 1 orange
  • 3 Cloves
  • 1 Inch knob of ginger
  • 1 Star anise pod
  • 1 Tsp of cinnamon or 2 sticks
Utensils
  • Medium-sized pot and lid
  • Sharp knife
  • Chopping board
  • Strainer
  • Container (large enough to cradle the strainer)

Method

  1. Add the 2 cups of apple juice or apple cider to a pot along with 1 cup of water, 1 tsp of cinnamon (or 2 sticks), ½ a stick of licorice root, 1-star anise pod, and 3 cloves
  2. Roughly chop a 1-inch knob of ginger and add it to the pot (peel it first if it isn’t organic)
  3. Wash and peel 1 orange and add the peel to the pot
  4. Cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes (don’t let it boil)
  5. Let it cool for 10 minutes or so. Then, place your strainer over the container and pour the mixture through and drink it while it’s still warm

You can have up to one serving per day. Since apple juice contains sugar it’s best to drink it a few hours before you go to bed if you take it in the evening.

With the cold and influenza season in full swing, we need all the help we can get to keep our immune systems healthy and strong. Here are also a few of Nicole’s top picks that are found in the Essential Winter Defense Bundle. Whether maintaining lung health, boosting immunity, or reducing fevers, each herb supports overall well-being this winter and beyond.

Antiviral Herbal Mulled Cider

Making your own antiviral herbal mulled cider is a great way to ward off viruses and colds or lessen the symptoms if you do happen to catch one. This antiviral herbal mulled cider is also delicious as an added bonus. The healing herbs and spices infused in the apple juice and water will make you feel better and recover faster. Print Recipe Pin RecipeTOTAL TIME25 minsSERVINGS2CALORIES114 kcal

EQUIPMENT

  • 1 Medium-sized pot and lid
  • 1 Sharp knife
  • 1 Chopping board
  • 1 Strainer
  • 1 Container (large enough to cradle the strainer)

INGREDIENTS  

  • 2 cups Cups of apple juice or apple cider
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 stick licorice root
  • 1 the peel of 1 orange
  • 3 Cloves
  • 1 inch knob of ginger
  • 1 Star anise pod
  • 1 tsp cinnamon or 2 sticks

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Add the 2 cups of apple juice or apple cider to a pot along with 1 cup of water, 1 tsp of cinnamon (or 2 sticks), ½ a stick of licorice root, 1-star anise pod, and 3 cloves
  • Roughly chop a 1-inch knob of ginger and add it to the pot (peel it first if it isn’t organic)
  • Wash and peel 1 orange and add the peel to the pot
  • Cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes (don’t let it boil)
  • Let it cool for 10 minutes or so. Then, place your strainer over the container and pour the mixture through and drink it while it’s still warm

NOTES

You can have up to one serving per day. Since apple juice contains sugar it’s best to drink it a few hours before you go to bed if you take it in the evening.

You may also like:

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Dandelion Root Infused Honey for ImmunityPlease Spread The Word – Share This Post

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Yerba Santa

imgHomeArticlesPlant Of The WeekDIY VideosStoreAbout NicoleContactSearchYerba SantaYerba SantaPOSTED MARCH 4, 2022 BY ANN MARIE IN ALL ARTICLES, BACKYARD PLANTS, HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES, PLANT OF THE WEEK 1Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) is a native California medicinal plant with a Spanish name that means “sacred herb.” The plant earned its name for its potency in healing many medical problems. This aromatic shrub bears a cluster of creamy white and purple flowers that produces the nectar essential for variable checkerspot butterflies. Yerba Santa has a distinctly pleasant smell and a bitter tang that ultimately turns into a sweet, bubble gum-like taste.In ancient spiritual rituals, Yerba Santa was used as a smudge that clear heavy and dark energies from people. Smudge or smudging is the traditional act of burning natural medicines to purify the body, mind, and soul. The Yerba Santa plant is considered an effective herb for clearing away negativity in people and improving their spiritual health.The history of the Yerba Santa is anchored in the religious quintessence for thousands of years. Native Americans have long been using the herb in medicinal practices. When Spanish missionaries came to America, they discovered the ability of the Yerba Santa in treating respiratory illnesses. It was highly revered for its potency that Spanish priests considered it as a holy herb.Where The Plant Is FoundYerba Santa – where to findYerba Santa is a perennial and woody shrub native to Canada and Oregon. It is found in Arizona, Nevada, and Northern Mexico. Yerba Santa grows in chaparrals and coast redwood forests. It also occurs in dry, hilly, rocky slopes and ridges and can survive even in disturbed communities. Yerba Santa is also known as mountain balm, bear’s weed, gum plant, and consumptive weed.Related: The Complete Map of Edible Plants: Find Out What You Have in Your Area! (Video)How To Identify Yerba SantaThe sacred herb is a low and erect evergreen plant. It grows attractive flowers which attract bees and butterflies that produce spicy amber honey. Yerba Santa is an attractive plant ideal for landscape gardens, especially those that are prone to soil erosion. The genus Eriodictyon or woolly net in Greek refers to the fuzzy underside of the Yerba Santa’s leaves.Yerba Santa – IdentificationLeaves. Yerba Santa leaves are tough and leathery with a simple lance or oblong shape. It has smooth green to yellowish hue with its upper side coated in varnish-like resin that makes it look shiny. The underside is also yellowish-white with a network of markings and felt-like hairs.Flowers. The flowers of the sacred herb which blooms from July to August have white to pale lavender colors. These are shaped like little trumpets arranged in terminal clusters of 6 to 10 flowers. Each flower measures about 1 to 2 cm long and appears just above the leaves.Roots. Yerba Santa roots are shallow, but they are multi-branching rhizomes that easily spreads underground. The main roots of the holy herb are often found at only about 3 inches deep in the soil.Seeds. The small, capsule-shaped fruit of this plant will produce around 2 to 20 black seeds. Yerba Santa seeds are fire-follower that germinates after wildfire events. It means that the seeds lying dormant for decades will germinate after a fire disturbance.Stem. A glutinous resin covers all the upper parts of the Yerba Santa plant. Its stems are smooth and are branched near the ground. The lower branches are usually woody and with shredding outer bark. Yerba Santa shrubs will grow at around two to eight feet tall.Related: Plant Identification Guide – 400 Wild Plants That You Can Forage For (Video)Yerba Santa has around 16 species distributed in California. The most widely occurring are the Eriodictyon califonicum. But other popular varieties are:Eriodictyon angustifolium or narrow-leaf Yerba SantaEriodictyon crassifolium or thick-leaf Yerba SantaEriodictyon trichocalyx or hairy Yerba SantaHow To Grow Yerba SantaYerba Santa can be cultivated as an ornamental shrub and is easy to grow in a conducive environment. They are well-acclimated to the Mediterranean climate and are tough enough to grow in sun-blasted locations.Growing Yerba SantaYerba Santa thrives in USDA Hardiness 7 to 10.The Yerba Santa plant can propagate either through its seeds or sprouting rhizomes. Over time, the rhizomes will spread and form a colony.The seeds of Yerba Santa are available in many seed stores online. Local nurseries may also have this sacred herb growing and ready for transplanting.Early spring is the best time to plant Yerba Santa. Seeds for sowing are soaked in water overnight. Other gardeners use the smoked water treatment for germinating seeds. They may also apply direct heat to char the seeds and hasten the germination. Yerba Santa seeds will germinate for 20 to 60 days.You can sow Yerba Santa in the garden or containers with an equal mixture of sand, soil, and leaf molds. Place the seeds on the slightly moist mixture and tamp the soil down. Make sure that the area or container gets full sun and stays warm. Water the potting mix only when the surface gets dry. When planting it in a container, you may transplant Yerba Santa in larger pots.Related: 10 Plants That You Should Never Plant Together (Video)Heat Treatment For Yerba SantaYerba Santa is a fire-following plant with a unique germination process. This fire-adapted plant may sometimes have a hard time germinating and growing. One trick that seasoned gardeners use is passing the seeds through a fire.Heat Treatment Yerba SantaHere are some unique ways of germinating a Yerba Santa:Adding charred wood into the potting mix.Heating the seeds in an oven at 190F for 5 minutes.Placing the seeds in hot water between 180 to 200°F.Mechanical scarification or scraping of seedsGrowing Yerba Santa From RhizomesThe sprouting underground rhizomes of Yerba Santa are capable of regenerating themselves after an episode of fire. Some species of Yerba Santa in the wild will grow by adding charate into the soil. Charate is charred woods that contain leachable chemicals that mimic the reaction of soil after a wildfire.Plant Care And MaintenanceYerba Santa is fairly easy to maintain once the plant is already well-established. It is fire-resistant, drought-resistant, and deer-resistant and tends to get dominant in its locality. This residual soil colonizer is also a survivor in many disturbed communities.Maintenance of Yerba Santa is fairly easy. It will need the following conditions to flourish lushly:Plant Care – Yerba SantaFull sun to part shadeWell-drained sandy-loamy soilLittle irrigation in summerKeep in mind that Yerba Santa reproduces vegetatively through its rhizomes. In two years, it may overwhelm the garden and overrun other plants. So, consider your location wisely before planting, or better yet, plant it in large individual containers.How To Harvest Yerba SantaHarvest Yerba SantaHarvesting the leaves of Yerba Santa is beneficial for stimulating new growth. Gather the vibrant new growth sometime in the early to late summer. You may cut the upper part of the twig just above a bud to encourage lush growth.Let the stem with the attached leaves dry completely. You may lay them flat on a surface and turn them regularly to prevent the leaves from sticking together. Once the harvest is thoroughly dry, separate the leaves from the stem.Store the leaves of the holy herb in a dry container for future tincturing, smoking, or tea use. Keep the stems in a separate container for use in smudging.What Yerba Santa Is Good For And Natural Remedies Made From ItYerba Santa is the saint herb of all herbs among the native Californians. It is revered as an herb with some supernatural power and hanging dried leaves in the house merits general purification. As interesting as its capability of clearing negative vibes, it is also valued for its many medicinal uses.Yerba Santa aids in respiratory problems by reducing the inflammation of the lungs, throat, and sinuses. It also dries out excessive secretions in the upper respiratory tract to cure cough. The holy herb is also a potent herb for the treatment of tuberculosis.This plant is also a natural remedy for digestive issues. It can relieve indigestion, acid reflux, dysentery, and stomach pain. Yerba Santa has a highly effective action as a digestive tonic and laxative.Related: Add This “Unusual Nutrient” to Coffee or Tea, to Effortlessly and Fully Empty Your Bowels Every Single Morning (Learn More)Various skin conditions like sores, allergies, and aging are also alleviated by Yerba Santa. It is also used as a poultice for treating wounds, insect bites, sprains, and bruises. When used in a steam bath, it is said to cure rheumatism and other joint pains.Yerba Santa – Natural RemediesEssentially, Yerba Santa is conferred as the shrub that will treat the following body conditions:Respiratory problems including tuberculosisDigestive issuesJoint troubles and spasmsSkin conditionsMouth diseasesCancerFever and coldsFatigueWhat Parts Of The Yerba Santa Is Used For RemediesThe leaves of this plant, either dried or fresh, are used in making herbal remedies. The stem is also widely used for smudging. Its flowers are edible and can also be made into a tea or decoction with a bitter but sweet-soapy taste.Yerba Santa leaves are made into infusion or tea. It is also mashed and applied externally to wounds and for treating other skin problems. For people with fever, sticking the leaves on the forehead can reduce the bouts of headaches. You can also do this with other aching body parts to alleviate joint pain, inflammation, or spasms. The natural resin that will stick to the skin helps the Yerba Santa leaf stay in place.As a consumptive weed, the leaves are either smoked or chewed for relieving respiratory symptoms.Smudging or burning the twig and stem of a Yerba Santa is similar to using an incense stick. It is used for various reasons like bringing good health to an infant and protection for family members. Yerba Santa smudge bundles are also used for honoring ancestors and calming the environment.Yerba Santa is also now available

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Yerba Santa Spiritual Aid Tea - Step 1
Yerba Santa Spiritual Aid Tea - Step 2
Yerba Santa Spiritual Aid Tea - Step 3
Yerba Santa

Yerba Santa

POSTED MARCH 4, 2022 BY ANN MARIE IN ALL ARTICLESBACKYARD PLANTSHOUSEHOLD REMEDIESPLANT OF THE WEEK1

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) is a native California medicinal plant with a Spanish name that means “sacred herb.” The plant earned its name for its potency in healing many medical problems. This aromatic shrub bears a cluster of creamy white and purple flowers that produces the nectar essential for variable checkerspot butterflies. Yerba Santa has a distinctly pleasant smell and a bitter tang that ultimately turns into a sweet, bubble gum-like taste.

In ancient spiritual rituals, Yerba Santa was used as a smudge that clear heavy and dark energies from people. Smudge or smudging is the traditional act of burning natural medicines to purify the body, mind, and soul. The Yerba Santa plant is considered an effective herb for clearing away negativity in people and improving their spiritual health.

The history of the Yerba Santa is anchored in the religious quintessence for thousands of years. Native Americans have long been using the herb in medicinal practices. When Spanish missionaries came to America, they discovered the ability of the Yerba Santa in treating respiratory illnesses. It was highly revered for its potency that Spanish priests considered it as a holy herb.

Where The Plant Is Found

Yerba Santa - where to find

Yerba Santa is a perennial and woody shrub native to Canada and Oregon. It is found in Arizona, Nevada, and Northern Mexico. Yerba Santa grows in chaparrals and coast redwood forests. It also occurs in dry, hilly, rocky slopes and ridges and can survive even in disturbed communities. Yerba Santa is also known as mountain balm, bear’s weed, gum plant, and consumptive weed.

Related: The Complete Map of Edible Plants: Find Out What You Have in Your Area! (Video)

How To Identify Yerba Santa

The sacred herb is a low and erect evergreen plant. It grows attractive flowers which attract bees and butterflies that produce spicy amber honey. Yerba Santa is an attractive plant ideal for landscape gardens, especially those that are prone to soil erosion. The genus Eriodictyon or woolly net in Greek refers to the fuzzy underside of the Yerba Santa’s leaves.

Yerba Santa - Identification

Leaves. Yerba Santa leaves are tough and leathery with a simple lance or oblong shape. It has smooth green to yellowish hue with its upper side coated in varnish-like resin that makes it look shiny. The underside is also yellowish-white with a network of markings and felt-like hairs.

Flowers. The flowers of the sacred herb which blooms from July to August have white to pale lavender colors. These are shaped like little trumpets arranged in terminal clusters of 6 to 10 flowers. Each flower measures about 1 to 2 cm long and appears just above the leaves.

Roots. Yerba Santa roots are shallow, but they are multi-branching rhizomes that easily spreads underground. The main roots of the holy herb are often found at only about 3 inches deep in the soil.

Seeds. The small, capsule-shaped fruit of this plant will produce around 2 to 20 black seeds. Yerba Santa seeds are fire-follower that germinates after wildfire events. It means that the seeds lying dormant for decades will germinate after a fire disturbance.

Stem. A glutinous resin covers all the upper parts of the Yerba Santa plant. Its stems are smooth and are branched near the ground. The lower branches are usually woody and with shredding outer bark. Yerba Santa shrubs will grow at around two to eight feet tall.

Related: Plant Identification Guide – 400 Wild Plants That You Can Forage For (Video)

Yerba Santa has around 16 species distributed in California. The most widely occurring are the Eriodictyon califonicum. But other popular varieties are:

  • Eriodictyon angustifolium or narrow-leaf Yerba Santa
  • Eriodictyon crassifolium or thick-leaf Yerba Santa
  • Eriodictyon trichocalyx or hairy Yerba Santa

How To Grow Yerba Santa

Yerba Santa can be cultivated as an ornamental shrub and is easy to grow in a conducive environment. They are well-acclimated to the Mediterranean climate and are tough enough to grow in sun-blasted locations.

Growing Yerba Santa

Yerba Santa thrives in USDA Hardiness 7 to 10.

The Yerba Santa plant can propagate either through its seeds or sprouting rhizomes. Over time, the rhizomes will spread and form a colony.

The seeds of Yerba Santa are available in many seed stores online. Local nurseries may also have this sacred herb growing and ready for transplanting.

Early spring is the best time to plant Yerba Santa. Seeds for sowing are soaked in water overnight. Other gardeners use the smoked water treatment for germinating seeds. They may also apply direct heat to char the seeds and hasten the germination. Yerba Santa seeds will germinate for 20 to 60 days.

You can sow Yerba Santa in the garden or containers with an equal mixture of sand, soil, and leaf molds. Place the seeds on the slightly moist mixture and tamp the soil down. Make sure that the area or container gets full sun and stays warm. Water the potting mix only when the surface gets dry. When planting it in a container, you may transplant Yerba Santa in larger pots.

Related: 10 Plants That You Should Never Plant Together (Video)

Heat Treatment For Yerba Santa

Yerba Santa is a fire-following plant with a unique germination process. This fire-adapted plant may sometimes have a hard time germinating and growing. One trick that seasoned gardeners use is passing the seeds through a fire.

Heat Treatment Yerba Santa

Here are some unique ways of germinating a Yerba Santa:

Growing Yerba Santa From Rhizomes

The sprouting underground rhizomes of Yerba Santa are capable of regenerating themselves after an episode of fire. Some species of Yerba Santa in the wild will grow by adding charate into the soil. Charate is charred woods that contain leachable chemicals that mimic the reaction of soil after a wildfire.

Plant Care And Maintenance

Yerba Santa is fairly easy to maintain once the plant is already well-established. It is fire-resistant, drought-resistant, and deer-resistant and tends to get dominant in its locality. This residual soil colonizer is also a survivor in many disturbed communities.

Plant Care - Yerba Santa

Maintenance of Yerba Santa is fairly easy. It will need the following conditions to flourish lushly:

  • Full sun to part shade
  • Well-drained sandy-loamy soil
  • Little irrigation in summer

Keep in mind that Yerba Santa reproduces vegetatively through its rhizomes. In two years, it may overwhelm the garden and overrun other plants. So, consider your location wisely before planting, or better yet, plant it in large individual containers.

How To Harvest Yerba Santa

Harvest Yerba Santa

Harvesting the leaves of Yerba Santa is beneficial for stimulating new growth. Gather the vibrant new growth sometime in the early to late summer. You may cut the upper part of the twig just above a bud to encourage lush growth.

Let the stem with the attached leaves dry completely. You may lay them flat on a surface and turn them regularly to prevent the leaves from sticking together. Once the harvest is thoroughly dry, separate the leaves from the stem.

Store the leaves of the holy herb in a dry container for future tincturing, smoking, or tea use. Keep the stems in a separate container for use in smudging.

What Yerba Santa Is Good For And Natural Remedies Made From It

Yerba Santa is the saint herb of all herbs among the native Californians. It is revered as an herb with some supernatural power and hanging dried leaves in the house merits general purification. As interesting as its capability of clearing negative vibes, it is also valued for its many medicinal uses.

Yerba Santa aids in respiratory problems by reducing the inflammation of the lungs, throat, and sinuses. It also dries out excessive secretions in the upper respiratory tract to cure cough. The holy herb is also a potent herb for the treatment of tuberculosis.

This plant is also a natural remedy for digestive issues. It can relieve indigestion, acid reflux, dysentery, and stomach pain. Yerba Santa has a highly effective action as a digestive tonic and laxative.

Related: Add This “Unusual Nutrient” to Coffee or Tea, to Effortlessly and Fully Empty Your Bowels Every Single Morning (Learn More)

Various skin conditions like sores, allergies, and aging are also alleviated by Yerba Santa. It is also used as a poultice for treating wounds, insect bites, sprains, and bruises. When used in a steam bath, it is said to cure rheumatism and other joint pains.

Yerba Santa - Natural Remedies

Essentially, Yerba Santa is conferred as the shrub that will treat the following body conditions:

  • Respiratory problems including tuberculosis
  • Digestive issues
  • Joint troubles and spasms
  • Skin conditions
  • Mouth diseases
  • Cancer
  • Fever and colds
  • Fatigue

What Parts Of The Yerba Santa Is Used For Remedies

The leaves of this plant, either dried or fresh, are used in making herbal remedies. The stem is also widely used for smudging. Its flowers are edible and can also be made into a tea or decoction with a bitter but sweet-soapy taste.

Yerba Santa leaves are made into infusion or tea. It is also mashed and applied externally to wounds and for treating other skin problems. For people with fever, sticking the leaves on the forehead can reduce the bouts of headaches. You can also do this with other aching body parts to alleviate joint pain, inflammation, or spasms. The natural resin that will stick to the skin helps the Yerba Santa leaf stay in place.

As a consumptive weed, the leaves are either smoked or chewed for relieving respiratory symptoms.

Smudging or burning the twig and stem of a Yerba Santa is similar to using an incense stick. It is used for various reasons like bringing good health to an infant and protection for family members. Yerba Santa smudge bundles are also used for honoring ancestors and calming the environment.

Yerba Santa is also now available in capsules and liquid extracts, as well as dried leaves and smudging bunch.

Yerba Santa Spiritual Aid Tea

Ingredients:
  • 8 oz or a mug of boiling water
  • 1 tsp dried Yerba Santa
  • Honey, if preferred
Steps:
  1. Pour the boiling water into a mug and add the Yerba Santa leaves.
  2. Allow the Yerba Santa infusion to steep for about 30 minutes, covered.
  3. Strain the leaves out from the cup, and sweeten with honey if desired.

How To Use This Remedy:

The leaves of the holy herb make a strong tea and are used for the treatment of cough and sore throat. You may also use this infusion as a tonic for stomachache and diarrhea. You may take 1 cup of tea daily until your symptoms begin to clear until about 10 days.

Alternatively, you can put the Yerba Santa leaves in a loose tea bag. Follow the same direction as the Yerba Santa infusion. The dosage for Yerba Santa food supplements depends on the age, health, and other underlying conditions of the patient. Follow directions on the product labels and talk to your doctor before using holy herb food supplements.

If you find yourself suffering with congestion from illness or allergies, Yerba Santa is for you! It helps to loosen, expel, and dry up phlegm in the chest and sinus. What’s more, Yerba Santa helps to reduce fevers. It is one of my core medicinal herbs that I always keep on hand in a form of a tincture.

And you can buy your own Yerba Santa Tincture Here.

 What Plants Resemble Yerba Santa

FeatureYerba Santa
(Eriodictyon californicum)
Bell Flower
(Campanula)
Chaste Tree
(Vitex agnus-castus)
chaste-tree
Size2 to 8 ft tall2 to 4 ft tall8 to 10 ft
LeavesLance or oblong-shaped; tough; leathery; with glossy resin; green or brown to yellowishLance-shaped; serrated; alternate; with white latexLance-shaped; opposite; gray-green or silver
FlowersWhite or pale lavender; trumpet-shaped; in clusters; 1 to 2 cm longBell-shaped; blue or purple; 2 to 5 cm long; clusteredSmall pink/ purple/ white; in loose pannicles
Stem/TrunkSmooth; branched; woody with shredding barkErect; non-branchingDeciduous shrub; dark gray smooth or furrowed bark
ScentPleasant scentSweetSweet, sage-like smell

Showing 1 to 6 of 6 entries

Warning And Cautions

Yerba Santa is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women due to little scientific evidence. Large doses of Yerba Santa are also damaging for the kidneys.

Yerba Santa may also interfere with drugs, herbs, and other dietary supplements. If you have an underlying condition, taking other medications or herbal medicines, talk to your healthcare provider.

Yerba Santa works like a water pill or diuretic and may increase the level of lithium in the body. Talk to your doctor if you are taking lithium medication before using Yerba Santa.

Additionally, there is no exact range of dosage for Yerba Santa due to lacking scientific evidence. When taking any herbal and food supplement always check with your doctor for your safety.

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1 Comment

  • BRIAN POSTED MARCH 4, 2022 9:09 PMWhat do doctors know about herbal medicine, other than to say, “I can’t recommend it, because I don’t know about any of them?” I know you have to say that; but this herbs appears to be able to solve many of my personal issues, so I find it frustrating!Reply

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The Healing Power of Backyard Plants at Your Fingertips

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Amaranth

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Amaranth - Identification
Red Amaranth Microgreens
Amaranth

Amaranth

POSTED FEBRUARY 25, 2022 BY SHERRA V. IN ALL ARTICLESBACKYARD PLANTSHOUSEHOLD REMEDIESPLANT OF THE WEEK5

Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.), known by many as pigweed, is an abundant garden weed. This common plant is a North American native that is not only edible but also holds a host of potential health benefits.

As food sovereignty evolves from general awareness to a leading priority, amaranth is a plant worth knowing and knowing well. Amaranth produces a highly nutritional pseudocereal or seed that contains impressive medicinal benefits while being rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. As a food source, amaranth helped to give rise to many ancient Mesoamerican civilizations including the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incans.

Of the 75 or so amaranth species, some are notably grown for their seed, others for their especially tasty leaves, and others are grown for their ornamental value. Most amaranth species are edible. Amaranth species readily cross-pollinate, so keeping track of individual varieties can become complicated. Some amaranth species grown specifically for their seed production are red amaranth (A. cruentus), and (A. hypochondriacus), while (A. tricolor) is more often grown for its flavorful leaves.

Leaves are known to have a sweet, spinach-like flavor and are used fresh in salads. Older leaves of some species make a nice cooked green as well. The seeds are tiny, like poppy seeds, and smaller than quinoa. Amaranth seeds can be used the same way, in baked goods, grain bowls, pilafs, breakfast cereals, and smoothies.

Where Amaranth Is Found

Amaranth - where to find

Amaranth is a common garden weed that is becoming more and more popular in alternative agriculture. Weedy species prefer the disturbed ground and are often spotted in the degraded prairie, fallow fields, sunny spots along roads, and waste areas.

Native to the Americas, amaranth is cultivated throughout North, South, and Central America. Interestingly, the largest amaranth producer is China, and the largest importer of amaranth grain is the USA.

This possibly underutilized pseudocereal may be an important food of the future. Its success in the past, its incredible adaptability, partnered with its impressive nutrition profile, and high yields make amaranth a significant plant to know and grow.

Related: The Complete Map of Edible Plants: Find Out What You Have in Your Area! (Video)

How To Identify Amaranth

  • Shape: Summer annual 1 to 8 feet tall that may be upright or pendulous with a stout central stem.
  • Leaves: Alternate leaves are oval with pointed tips, average 6 inches long and 4 inches wide.
  • Flower: Upright or pendulous flower spikes in pink, burgundy, orange, red, or green.
  • Stem: Thick, round, hollow stems.
  • Fruit & Seeds: Seeds are tiny grains that may be black, brown, red, yellow, or white.

Related: Plant Identification Guide – 400 Wild Plants That You Can Forage For (Video)

How To Grow Amaranth

Amaranth tolerates many conditions but prefers full sun, average to poor soil, and average moisture. They can handle dry heat better than most leafy greens. Most species grow in zones 2 to 11. Interestingly, amaranth seeds can stay viable in the soil for over 30 years.

Growing Amaranth

Amaranth’s abundant seed can joyfully sprout throughout the garden, yard, and field. Seeds germinate within 7 to 14 days, after the last frost date. Once identified, amaranth volunteers can be thinned or transplanted to their preferred location. As their flowers dry, the seed will easily drop from the plants. It may be best to let amaranth seedlings grow in an area suitable for future generations. If many amaranth species grow nearby, seedlings may not grow true to the parent plant.

Related: 10 Plants That You Should Never Plant Together (Video)

How To Harvest Amaranth

Harvesting Amaranth

Amaranth greens can be harvested throughout the growing season. Luckily, they don’t turn bitter with age. Instead, their flavor is fuller with age. Keep in mind though, younger amaranth leaves are more tender.

Harvesting the abundant amaranth seed is rewarding. As the flower heads begin to dry, trim the heads off and place them in bags. Let the seed ripen for a few days or weeks. Shake the seed heads into the bags or take the dried flowerheads and tickle the seeds out over a large bowl. Then, the seed needs to be cleaned from the chaff. Luckily, the seed is heavier than the chaff. This process is explored further below.

What Amaranth Is Good For & The Natural Remedies Made From It

Amaranth-plant - Benefits

Amaranth is an excellent food source full of important micronutrients. It has more protein than many cereal crops at 9.3 g per 1 cup of cooked amaranth. The seeds are also high in manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron.

This ancient grain, with its many health benefits, is increasingly more available through health food and grocery stores. It is wonderfully versatile. The enjoyable nutty flavor is perfect for adding to cereals, grain pilafs, granola, or using as a salad topper.

Related: How to Make Amaranth Pilaf (Video)

What Parts Of Amaranth Are Used In Remedies?

amaranth seeds

The phytochemical composition of amaranth seeds shows many potential health benefits. This is due to research strongly suggesting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Amaranth seeds not only contain many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein, they also have macronutrients and micronutrients such as fatty acids, tocopherols, and carotenoids.

Research has shown amaranth in the diet provides medicinal benefits. These include lowering cholesterol levels, stimulating the immune system, and lowering the risk of oxidative stress. They each have positive effects on obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Amaranth Seed Harvest

In the harvesting below, I used a black seeded variety common in my garden. (Amaranthus retroflexus)

Method

Amaranth Seed Harvest - Step 1

Step 1: Collect amaranth flowerheads in the fall. They will be dry and brown. This one is quite prickly, so wearing gloves may help. I snipped off the seed heads and placed them upside down in paper bags. They were tucked out of the way until other more pressing fall chores were done.

Amaranth Seed Harvest - Step 2

Step 2: In the quieter times of early winter, I pulled the bags out and started winnowing the seed from the flowerheads. In their dryness, the flowerheads were even less friendly and sharper, so gloves were necessary for me. In a large bowl, I roughly winnowed the seed. You can see the seed amongst the dried plant debris.

Amaranth Seed Harvest - Step 3

Step 3: Shake the seed to the bottom, the light plant material is easy to skim off the top.

Amaranth Seed Harvest - Step 4

Step 4: This colander has the perfect-sized holes for amaranth seeds. Either a tedious or meditative task, I slowly brushed the seed through the colander.

Amaranth Seed Harvest - Step 5

Step 5: To further remove the chaff from the seed, I brought the bowls outside and tossed the seed back and forth from bowl to bowl in a light breeze. The breeze helped blow away lots of chaff. Seed likely blew away as well, so I did this task over an area where amaranth is welcomed to grow over the coming years.

Amaranth Seed Harvest - Step 6

Step 6: As you can see, the seed is not perfectly clean. It was used in sprouting experiments, so I wasn’t overly concerned. If I wanted to eat this in other ways mentioned below, I would process it a little more making it as clean as possible.

Potential Uses

Amaranth is simple to enjoy. It has a nutty flavor. The seeds are very small and can be used the same way you might include flax seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or chia seeds in your diet. They work well added to baked goods, salads, or smoothies.

Amaranth is perfect added to grain bowls, sweet like oatmeal, or savory like a pilaf. Amaranth also pops. I like to toast certain seeds and grains, such as quinoa, before cooking to improve their flavor. Amaranth can be toasted in this way before adding water. Consider toasting with finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, or spices to infuse flavor into the nutritious ancient grain. The water to amaranth ratio is 1 ½ cup water to ½ cup amaranth.

In some microgreen and seed sprouting experiments, I did try sprouting and growing amaranth microgreens.

Growing Amaranth Microgreens Guide:

  • To successfully grow amaranth microgreens you need to have a deep medium, about 3-4 inches. This will give your roots room to grow and the soil will stay moist enough.
  • It’s a good idea to use a seed shaker for your seeds but you can do it by hand if you prefer. You’ll need to lightly cover the top of your growing medium.
  • Once you’ve planted the seeds slightly mist them with water.
  • You should then cover the tray with another tray
  • For the next 2-3 days lightly mist the seeds once a day; you should see signs of germination by the end of this period.
  • Once they have germinated you can leave the cover on for an extra 24 hours, this will help them grow a light pink color. However, as soon as they reach ½ inch tall it’s time to remove the cover and transfer them to the light.

Once they hit 10 days old they should be ready to harvest!

Related: Add This “Unusual Nutrient” to Coffee or Tea, to Effortlessly and Fully Empty Your Bowels Every Single Morning (Learn More)

Dosage

Amaranth can offer significant health benefits and enhanced nutrition to the diet. As with any new ingredient to your diet, start with a small amount to ensure no unwanted effects.

How To Preserve Amaranth

With an 8000-year tradition, amaranth is certainly worthy of preserving. Seeds have a very long shelf life. Through many civilizations, this powerful, healthful plant has been targeted with extinction in efforts to concur with traditional communities. And amaranth persists!

What are the best ways to preserve amaranth? Know it. Grow it. Harvest seeds in the autumn. Dry them with good air circulation in the dark. Collect them. Plant them. Share them. Oh, and eat them too!

Common Species Of Amaranth

Common and Scientific NameGrowth HabitInflorescence*Geographic RangeOther Plant Characteristics
Redroot Pigweed Amaranthus retroflexusErect, branched, 2–7 ftStiff, branched terminal spikes, individual branches usuallyThroughout North America including AlaskaUpper stem and leaves usually covered with fine hairs; leaf blades large (6 in) on vigorous plants
Smooth Pigweed Amaranthus hybridusErect, branched, 2–7 ftSoft, highly branched terminal spikes, individual branches thinner than pencilThroughout North AmericaSimilar to redroot but highly variable, many local variants, may hybridize with closely related species
Palmer Amaranth Amaranthus palmeriErect, branched, 2–10 ftLong (to 18 in), simple or sparingly branched terminal spikes; male soft, female bristlySouthern half of U.S., Great Plains, MexicoExtremely rapid, aggressive growth in hot climates, male and female flowers on separate plants; plants smooth and hairless
Powell Amaranth Amaranthus powelliiErect, branched, 2–6 ftStiff, branched terminal spikes, branches 4–8 in long, thicker than pencil, held close to main axisThroughout North AmericaFirst true leaves narrower and more tapered toward tip than redroot or smooth; plant may be smooth or hairy
Spiny Amaranth Amaranthus spinosusErect to bushy 1–4 ftSlender, branched terminal spikes mostly male flowers; axillary clusters mostly femaleThroughout North America, but mostly Southeastern U.S.Pair of stiff, sharp ½-in spines at base of each leaf; stems smooth, hairless, often red
Waterhemp Amaranthus rudis or A. tuberculatusErect, tall 3–10 ftSlender, simple or branched terminal spikesThroughout U.S. and southern Canada except driest areasMale and female flowers on separate plants; stems and leaves smooth and hairless; leaves often longer and narrower than other species
Prostrate Pigweed Amaranthus blitoidesProstrate mat to 3 ft acrossSmall, dense clusters in leaf axilsThroughout U.S. and southern CanadaLeaves small (blade about 1 in) with distinct notch at tip; seeds dull black, larger than in other pigweeds (0.06 in)
Tumble Pigweed Amaranthus albusGlobular bush, 1–3 ft diameterSmall, dense clusters in leaf axilsThroughout North AmericaMature plants break off at ground level, and are carried by wind, dispersing seeds; stems white to pale green, leaves light green

Warnings And Cautions

There are no dietary concerns found as this food has been used by humans for millennia. Do always check with your healthcare provider before starting new diets or consuming large amounts of a new ingredient.

There isn’t enough reliable information to know if amaranth is safe to use as a medicine when pregnant or breastfeeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

If wild harvesting amaranth, do take care that it is from a toxin- and pesticide-free area.

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5 Comments

  • JOHN L. MOESCHE POSTED FEBRUARY 25, 2022 11:21 AMGet your gloves and Walgreens bags ready for the harvesting season.Reply
  • J POSTED FEBRUARY 25, 2022 1:07 PMSeed to plant (A. tricolor)
    https://amzn.to/3M5YvNcSeed to plant – Red Garnet
    https://amzn.to/3M2jro8Seed for healthy diet
    https://amzn.to/3HfblVCCOOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Combine Amaranth and water in a nonstick saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil; cover, lower heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes. Use 2 1/2 – 3 cups liquid per cup of grain.Also good for baking.Reply
  • MARK POSTED FEBRUARY 25, 2022 2:08 PMThank you! This is a Wonderful article about an amazing plant!
    And All the instructions we need! Thanks again…Reply
  • KATHLEEN POSTED FEBRUARY 27, 2022 9:20 AMA word of caution: about 6 years ago I found out I was celiac so I started a gluten free lifestyle. One day I tried a bowl of hot amaranth. I prepared it like oatmeal with some butter and sugar and ate it. I enjoyed it! Well about 45 minutes later I was in the shower and suddenly got very sick, like projectile uncontrollable vomiting. I don’t remember how long I threw up for, I just remembered waking up under a cold stream of water as I had passed out. I should have gone to the hospital! Anyway, I realized it was the amaranth I had had, it must have been. I looked it up and found that it was super rare to experience adverse effects, but just in case you are like me and react like I did, now you know. I’d advise starting with a very small dose, like a tablespoon full, wait an hour and go from there. Watch out for gluten free products which are now including amaranth more and more in a variety of items. I tried some of my boys GF cereal without reading the ingredients first and ended up calling in sick to work because I accidentally consumed amaranth. It was not as much as the first time I had it, so I was not on the verge of death, but I was vomiting again. If you aren’t allergic to it like me, then good for you! It is very versatile. If you are allergic to it, you might also be allergic to other ancient grains. Anyway, I love “The Lost Herbs”, I have learned so much! I just had to comment being that I’m probably the only person in this hemisphere who has had adverse effects from amaranth.Reply
  • JORGE POSTED MARCH 2, 2022 2:31 PMAmaranth can be popped in a dry medium-high heated skillet, for about 30s when doing 1 Tbsp at a time. Then add to your cereal or other morning foods and enjoy! I do not know, however, whether the anti-nutrients are countered by just popping the seeds or whether they would need to be cooked. Anyone knows?Reply

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Devil’s claw




Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is a flowering shrub represented by its fearsome-looking hook-like fruits that resemble a claw. These claws or pods are notorious hitchhikers that can cling to clothing and animal furs and get transported elsewhere.
They are invasive, but these leafy perennial branching roots and shoots are used in the production of herbal drugs and dietary supplements. The plant is native to South Africa and is the floral emblem of Botswana.
Locals believed that the devil’s claw can cure a variety of pain conditions and used it as an analgesic. For thousands of years, the devil’s claw was valued as a natural and herbal healing plant.
Harpagophytum procumbens shares the same name devil’s claw with the North American plants Proboscidea.Devil’s claw was introduced to Europe in the early 1900s, where the dried roots have been used to restore appetite, relieve heartburn, and reduce pain and inflammation.Prebiotics
Devil’s claw does not only possess fearsome-looking fruits, but it is also a notorious wild plant that can cripple or kill an animal. Animals that accidentally eat the devil’s claw can starve to death since the claw can attach itself firmly to the beast’s jaw.Leaves: Devil’s claw leaves are very sticky and are covered with fine hairs. Its leaf blades are broad and ovate that measures about 6.5 cm long and up to 15 cm wide.

They are arranged alternately and opposite across the stem with a green to grey color.
Flowers: During summer, the devil’s claw plant flaunts its trumpet-shaped flowers with mottled corollas.

Their color ranges from pink, and red, to purple blossoms with yellow or white throats.
Fruits: After the flower blooms, it will give way to the devil’s claw fruits. The fruits are woody with long, branched protuberances that have barbs. The inner part of the fruit is also woody, with a fleshy exterior.

When matured and dried, its inner pods split at the end like pointed claws. It tends to stick to animal fur or pants for seeds to be transported to other places.Seeds: Inside the seed pods of the devil’s claw are tiny seeds of about 40 per capsule.
Roots: Devil’s claw has a branched root system and also branched and prostate shoots. The strong, central tap roots have upright collar-like sections with fissured cork layers and branch off horizontally.

Its lateral or secondary tubers have thick nodes and are often light to brown or red to brown in color. The taproots can grow 2 meters deep while the secondary storage roots are 25 cm long and 6 cm deep.
Stem: The stem of the devil’s claw is hollow with a slightly sticky gland covered with fine hairs. It secretes sticky and slimy fluid when briefly touched. This low-growing plant has a height of 50 cm but can spread up to 1.5 to 2 meters wide.What Devil’s Claw Is Good For And Natural Remedies Made From ItBased on its long-standing use, devil’s claw is important in the treatment of the following health conditions:
• Arthritis, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, and other joint pains
• Allergy and infections
• Afterbirth pain, difficult menses, difficult pregnancies
• Any inflammations
• Atherosclerosis and poor blood circulation
• Fever
• Digestive complains
• Respiratory ailments
• Liver and kidney problems
• Pancreatitis
• Skin problems
• Obesity
Devil’s Claw Healing SalveWhat You Will Need:

• Double boiler or microwave
• Small, empty jar with a lid to put the ointment

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp devil’s claw infused oil
• 1 Tbsp beeswax
• 1 tsp cocoa butter
Steps:

1. Mix the devil’s claw oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter.
2. Heat the mixture in a double broiler with low heat or on ½ power microwave until the beeswax melt.
3. Pour the devil’s claw salve into the ready jar and let cool
4. Cap the salve, label it, and keep it in a cool and dry place
You can use this healing salve for headache, nerve-type pain, lower back pain, and joint pain.
You may also apply it to sores, boils, and skin ulcers. Use the devil’s claw salve twice a day to get relief from your symptoms.
The dosing for oral intake of devil’s claw varies per patient age and health condition. But the safe dosage should not exceed 600 mg a day. When taking devil’s claw tea, always take it right before meals to avoid gastrointestinal disturbances.
The safety of devil’s claw for long-term use is not yet established. Thus, it should not be used for a prolonged period and beyond the recommended dosage. It is also best avoided by pregnant and lactating mothers for lack of supporting studies.
Devil’s claw supplement also interacts with other medicines, herbs, and food supplements. When taking medication, always consult your doctor before using any homeopathic herbal supplements. The Best Natural Painkiller That Grows in Your Own Backyard 

   


Foods and Herbs For Heavy Metal Detox



Many aspects of this modern life can make us feel sluggish and fatigued and suffer from a few or many chronic conditions.
Suppose you lead a relatively clean lifestyle where you eat the right foods and look after yourself holistically. In that case, you might be surprised when you start to display symptoms that lead you to believe there is something medically astray.
In almost every way of life, you will find a high level of toxicity. While much of this toxicity can be avoided or eliminated through exercise, healthy eating, and good living processes, a group of toxins can accumulate in your body over time and create some very worrying symptoms.
Let’s look at some powerful herbs and spices that can help cleanse and eliminate some of the heavy metal build-ups in our bodies.Basil
Basil is an excellent way for your body to protect against toxins that enter it by increasing the levels of antioxidant enzymes.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase are two types of antioxidants you can find in basil.
Basil protects your body from damage caused by toxins, which is why it’s included in a heavy metal detox.

However, there are also various other benefits to taking basil daily as part of your regimen: it helps create more efficient liver enzymes. It will eliminate those harmful substances from the body safely, which can be toxic due to their overproduction or because they have been accumulated for an extended period of time.
Here is the best way to include basil in your diet to assist in cleansing metals:
Easy Pesto Recipe:

• 85g fresh basil leaves
• 250ml olive oil
• 80g grated Parmesan cheese
• 70g pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch nutmeg
Place basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and nutmeg into a liquidizer. Blend until smooth.
Cilantro
Cilantro is a fresh herb related to parsley, and both have a savory flavor.
Cilantro also has very high levels of beneficial antioxidants, which may support the removal of toxins in your body.
Cilantro helps you flush out heavy metals like mercury while supporting the excretion of lead via the kidneys.A fresh Cilantro salad is the best way to incorporate this beautiful herb into your diet.

Fresh Cilantro Salad:

• 1 Cucumber
• 1 red and yellow bell pepper
• Fresh cilantro
• Black pepper
• Lime juice
• Extra virgin olive oil
Directions:

1. Dice or slice the cucumber.
2. Dice the bell peppers and add to the cucumber
3. Roughly chop the cilantro and add to the cucumber and pepper; proceed to season with salt and pepper.
4. Emulsify the liquid elements of the lime juice with the olive oil, generously season.
5. Combine the dressing with the salad and accompany with fresh trout or salmon.
Garlic
Garlic has been proven to have detoxifying properties. Garlic oil is a sulfur-containing compound that can help support heavy metal detoxification.
It works by amplifying and speeding up the function of metabolizing liver cells, which are responsible for processing the harmful chemicals in our bodies.
Once the harmful metals have been caught up during the liver’s clever metabolization, they can be flushed from the body permanently.
Garlic is such as versatile ingredient. It can give value and detoxification properties to most dishes, but this is one we love.Wild Rice with Roasted Shallots and Garlic:
• 3 goves garlic
• 4 whole shallots, peeled, sliced in half
• 2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup wild rice, rinsed well
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme
Directions:
1. Preheat an oven and place the garlic and shallots in a roasting pan and cook until soft and golden in color.2. Remove from the oven and set aside until they are cool enough to handle and roughly chop.3. Bring your stock to a boil and add the rice with salt, and your thyme.
4. Bring back to a boil, cover, and transfer the pan to your oven.
5. Cook further until rice begins to split and is tender (45 to 50 minutes.)
6. Stir the roasted shallot mixture together with the rice and serve warm.
Parsley
Parsley is an excellent source of antioxidant compounds that helps clear out toxins and heavy metals from your body. It also has a diuretic effect that supports the detox process, helping eliminate toxins via the urinary system.
Parsley can be helpful in supporting healthy kidney function during this time period as well.
For quick and detoxification dishes, we love this one:
Egg and parsley salad with watercress dressing:

• 6 fresh dnd free-range eggs
• small bunch of parsley leaves, freshly picked
• 1 medium shallot, peeled and sliced into very thin rings
• ½ tsp dried chili flakes

For the watercress dressing:
• 
70g watercress
• 75ml olive oil
1. Bring a pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil and boil the eggs whole for 9 mins. Drain, cool, peel, and halve.
2. Blend the watercress and oil together with a pinch of salt and set aside.
3. Mix the chili flakes with some flaky salt and set them aside. Everything can be prepared the day before eating it and chilled.
4. Scatter the eggs with the parsley and shallots, then drizzle everything with the watercress oil and do a final season with the chili salt.
Rosemary
Rosemary has been known to help support the detoxification process.It helps excrete bile, which is a fluid that comes from the liver and gallbladder of animals. It is deemed as a cholagogue herb for this reason.
The toxins are then removed through feces or urine- both natural ways they can be eliminated from your body.

Again, Rosemary is one of those incredibly versatile herbs that add so much flavor and cleansing to most savory dishes; however, we love rosemary tea, and here’s how to make it!
Rosemary Tea:
• Boil a pot of water
• Add 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary.
• Fill up a pot with the boiling water and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
• Add a touch of agave and squeeze lemon juice from 1 wedge of lemon.
• This is required to get the best flavor as the Rosemary may be too overpowering.
Other Foods to Eat
Heavy metal detox foods to eat include:
• bananas
• oranges
• grapefruit
• kale
• beets
• wild blueberries
• lemon water
• spirulina
• chlorella
• barley grass juice powder
• atlantic dulse
• curry
• green tea
• tomatoes
• probiotics
Heavy metal detox is something that can be really simple to do with the inclusion of herbs and spices in your food. The ones we have indicated here are some of the best that taste great and have some excellent antioxidant properties.

The Forgotten Shelf Stable Food You Need for Healthy and Vital Fats

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Herbal Mixture For Chronic Cough

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My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Ingredients
My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Step 1
My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Step 2
My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Step 3.1
My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Step 3.2
Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough

Herbal Mixture For Chronic Cough

POSTED NOVEMBER 18, 2021 BY RUTH JOY MOELLER IN ALL ARTICLESBACKYARD PLANTSHOUSEHOLD REMEDIESHOW TORECIPES15

Coughing is a perfectly normal reaction. It can help with keeping your throat clear from phlegm and other irritants as well. However, sustained coughing can also represent a symptom of a few conditions, such as allergies, viral infections, or bacterial infections.

A modern herbalist does not use a suppressive but favors expectorants or an ‘eliminative’ to soothe irritated surfaces and expel the excess mucus. An expectorant helps with promoting the removal of mucus from the respiratory system.

If a dry, unproductive irritating cough persists despite treatment, a qualified practitioner should be consulted. According to Penelope Ody, the act of coughing removes irritant particles from the airways. Chesty coughs are loose and produce white, yellow, or green mucus. Colored mucus may indicate an infection of bronchitis.

Recipe

In this recipe, I used fenugreek seeds, anise seeds, and licorice.

Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum)
My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Fenugreek

Also known as Methi in India.

Constituents: flavonoids, volatile oil, saponins, alkaloids.

Action: leaves a soothing, protective coating over irritated surfaces (internal demulcent, external emollient); nutrient, anti-inflammatory, galactagogue, hypoglycaemic—a natural lubricant for the colon.

My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough -Anise

Caution Insulin-dependent diabetics should avoid fenugreek unless it is used under professional guidance.

Aniseed (Anise. Pimpinella Anisum)

Action: carminative, expectorant, antispasmodic, oestrogenic, Anti-parasitic.

Uses Flatulence, dry coughs, whooping cough, tracheitis, bronchitis. Externally for scabies and lice infestation.

Licorice Root (Sweet Root. Glycyrrhiza Glabra L.)

Shredded or powdered dried root, licorice has a history of strength and long life in Chinese medicine. It was considered the sweet of the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Historically speaking, it was carried by armies of Alexander to allay thirst and as alternative medicine.

My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Licorice

Constituents: volatile oil, coumarins, chalcones, triterpenes, flavonoids.

Action: demulcent, expectorant, glycogenconservor, anti-inflammatory, mild laxative. Adrenal restorative, Anti-depressive.

Uses Adrenal insufficiency Hypoglycaemia. Peptic ulcer – reduces gastric juice secretion. Inflamed stomach. Mouth ulcer. Duodenal ulcer.

It can also aid with respiratory infections: dry cough, hoarseness, bronchitis, lung troubles, catarrh.

Honey

Honey is not a herb, however, it preserves herbs and spices and represents a base for all cough syrup remedies. It is tasty, sweet, and comforting.

My Herbal Mixture for Chronic Cough - Honey

Honey is used as a beverage and medicine. Whilst not a herb, honey is processed by bees from the nectar of flowers and has an ethereal quality that enhances its healing properties. A source of vitamins and minerals. Action: Many bacteria cannot live in the presence of honey, since honey draws from them the moisture essential to their existence. It is a potent inhibitor of the growth of bacteria: salmonella, shigella, and E. coli. Taken internally and externally, hastens granulation and arrests necrotic tissue. A natural bacteriostatic and bactericide. Of an alkaline action, honey assists digestion, decreasing acidity. It is used with success for burns, frostbite, colic, dry cough, inflammations, involuntary twitching of eyes and mouth; to keep a singer’s throat in condition.

The Ingredients

  • 4.2 fl. oz. approx. of runny honey
  • 1 tsp of anise seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds
  • Small piece of licorice juice stick
  • ž cup of water

Utensils:

  • a pan to boil ingredients
  • Dark glass bottle to store ingredients
  • A funnel or a tiny jug to pour the mixture into a bottle

Steps:

    1. Dissolve the licorice juice stick in a pan with the water. Mine did not dissolve completely. In my opinion, it does not matter if you can see that the water changes color. It does not represent a problem if a tiny piece does not dissolve.
    2. You can see from this photograph how the water is now flavored with the licorice juice stick and a tiny lump remains. This is because they used wheat flour to bind juice into a stick with molasses.
    3. One teaspoon of anise seeds and ½ a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds.

I had a lot of herbal mixture leftovers, somehow more than I expected. I put the remaining mixture into a jar and added it into the freezer.

Don’t forget to make a herbal chest rub as well and take echinacea so you can combat the possible infections.

Dosage: take one teaspoon up to 6 times a day. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

With cold and influenza season in full swing, we need all the help we can get to keep our immune systems in touch with its needs. Here are a few of Nicole’s top picks that are found in our Essential Winter Defense Bundle. Whether maintaining lung health, boosting immunity, or reducing fevers, each herb supports overall well-being this winter and beyond.

Caution For Coughs

If the cough is persistent or recurrent at any age, this is a sign of a serious health problem. Seek professional help if the cough lasts for more than 7-10 days, or if there is chest pain and no obvious signs associated with cold or infections. Seek professional help if the mucus from a productive cough is streaked with blood.

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15 Comments

  • CRISTINA POSTED NOVEMBER 18, 2021 4:11 PMIs this safe for kids? Do you use the same dosage? Thank you!Reply
    • THE LOST HERBS POSTED NOVEMBER 24, 2021 8:17 PMHi Cristina,Unfortunately, Fenugreek should not be used by children as a supplement. Potential side effects of fenugreek include diarrhea, nausea, and other digestive tract symptoms and rarely, dizziness and headaches.For children over the age of one, you can just try a homemade cough recipe of honey dissolved in warm water and lemon juice.
      Studies have shown that honey is better than medicine for relieving coughs and helping a sick toddler sleep better. Honey is safe for children age 1 and older.
      Children age 4 and older can also suck on sore throat or cough lozenges, sugar-free hard candies, or even frozen berries.Keep a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s room to help loosen chest and nasal congestion, which is a great remedy for toddler coughing at night.Many blessings and good health!Reply
      • CRISTINA POSTED NOVEMBER 25, 2021 2:51 AMThank you so much!
  • DAVIDO HYER POSTED NOVEMBER 18, 2021 4:45 PMWhat do you do different to use licorice root instead of the licorice bar?Reply
  • JOHN L. MOESCHE POSTED NOVEMBER 18, 2021 7:24 PMQ: What did one casket say to the other casket?
    A: Is that you coffin?Reply
  • MELISSA POSTED NOVEMBER 19, 2021 12:51 AMGlad you revealed how licorice stick is held together with wheat…..Allergic to wheat so what now?Reply
  • BAZIL POSTED NOVEMBER 19, 2021 4:28 AMThank you Ruth for this wonderfull article. My father 67 yrs of age suffers from asthma and struggle with a mild cough during the evening and the mornings. Can I give this cough syrup mixture to him and my children (between 10 months & 7yrs)? Thanks for your reply.Reply
    • CLAUDIA JONES POSTED NOVEMBER 19, 2021 7:17 PMI have a morning cough every day, but I’m not sick. I drink Mullien tea, with 1/2 tsp. of ginger drink {which I find at the Asian market. Brand name is Gold Kili – Honey Ginger Drink. The Ginger drink is also good for mild acid reflux, that bloating feeling or mild upset stomach. I love the ginger}. Mullein tea has helped my cough, a lot. You can also buy Mullien in a bottle… 1200 mg. capsules…. both are good any cough related to COPD, asthma, bronchitis or just an average mild cough. Mullein helps break up the mucus in your lungs, so it can be expelled. I would think for COPD, bronchitis or asthma, you would want to use the 1200mg. capsules, so you’d know what strength you’re getting. You can buy Mullien on Amazon. It can also be grown in your yard {and I think Amazon sells the seeds}.
      For Me… I buy one lb. of loose Mullein tea in a bag, on Amazon Prime and make a tea pot full. {I bought my tea pot at the Asian Market. I fill the strainer, with loose tea and rinse loose with cold water, to remove any dust, before pouring boiling water over it.} Hope this helps you, with some other ideas.Reply
      • CAROL L POSTED JANUARY 21, 2022 3:29 AMGlucose, sugar honey and fructose….. oh, yeah, 60% ginger…that is what your gold kili is…..just make ginger tea, and forget all the other stuff that isn’t healthy!!! ( honey is NOT healthy after boiling! All healthy enzymes are destroyed by heat) So basically all you are getting is sugar!
        Hello diabetes!
  • DAVID RINALDI POSTED NOVEMBER 22, 2021 3:30 PMIt wasn’t the coughin’ that carried her off, it was the coffin they carried her off in.Reply
  • MARK POSTED NOVEMBER 23, 2021 3:32 AMPrintable recipe pleaseReply
  • KENJA FEALY POSTED DECEMBER 8, 2021 10:52 PMWhere do you get Licorice juice sticks. I made it with Licorice Root that was cut and dry. I can find dry licorice juice and licorice extract. Can I use either of those licorice products?Reply
  • LORNA POSTED DECEMBER 23, 2021 5:43 PMLiving in Northern NJ – any suggestions on where to get herbs by the bulk or loose?Reply
  • LISA MILLER POSTED MARCH 24, 2022 1:53 PMHi Nicole,
    Do you have a recipe book with all your remedies? I would love to have one.Reply

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Better Than Sleeping Pills

David Michael Cain, you are receiving this email because you purchased The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
➤ Read it on The Lost HerbsHi David Michael Cain,

Pills, teas, and tinctures are all great methods of utilizing plants as sleeping aids and there is even the potential to grow your own ingredients (depending on your climate of course). Choosing which method will depend on which plants you use, how much you take, and your own personal preferences.

A tea is hands-down the easiest way to prepare a homemade sleeping aid. You can use either fresh or dried plant matter. This method is particularly good for when higher doses are required (1 – 2 teaspoons), but it means that only the water-soluble compounds will be ingested.
Making your own sleeping pill. When combining powdered herbs, be sure to thoroughly mix everything together. Pills are suitable for low-dose herbs (less than 1 gram per night) and since the whole plant is ingested, a wider variety of compounds are present in the pill form.Tinctures are suitable for a wide range of plants (fresh or dry) and can be made with either alcohol or vinegar. A tincture takes 1 – 2 weeks to prepare, but again, it contains a greater variety of compounds and at a higher concentration compared to a simple tea. It also potentially reduces your water intake before bedtime, since only a teaspoon or two are required.
Why Choose A Natural Remedy?While there’s no guarantee that herbal remedies won’t have any negative reactions, prescription and over-the-counter drugs commonly used for insomnia tend to produce a wider range of side effects including stomach issues, daytime drowsiness, heart problems and withdrawal symptoms, just to name a few.When it comes to natural remedies for improving sleep, some of the results are a bit all over the place. Much of this is to do with the lack of standardized research and methodology, and often the sample size is too small to draw any strong conclusions.
But some scientific reviews comparing the effects of plant-based remedies with those of over-the-counter medications found similar outcomes, but warn, as always, that more research is needed.Plants Suitable For A Sleeping Tincture• Hop flowers (Humulus lupulus) are proven sedatives, especially when taken with valerian. Either take 300 – 500 mg in pill form, 1 teaspoon of tincture, or 2 teaspoons of dried flowers in a tea.

• Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) also has mixed outcomes, even compared to diazepam. But most reviews concluded that valerian could be a safe sleeping aid due to its sedative effects, but usually only after 2 weeks of usage. In pill form, take 600 mg but if combining it with hops or lemon balm then only 300 mg is necessary. As a tincture, only a teaspoon is needed.

• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) was found to decrease sleep disturbances when taken for as little as 2 weeks, but it is safe to take for up to 8 weeks. It is easiest taken as a tea (2 teaspoons) but for higher doses, a teaspoon of tincture is recommended.

• Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) shows promising results for improving sleep quality and duration. You can take it as a tea at low doses (1 g) or as a tincture in higher doses (1 – 2 teaspoons). When combined with hop flowers and valerian, it was comparable with the famous insomnia drugs on the market.

• Pansy (Viola spp.) has a tranquilizing effect and increases sleep duration, but most of the research (performed on mice) showed that the effect is only significant at very high doses; the equivalent of about 3 teaspoons, so it is best concentrated into a teaspoon of the tincture.

Note: Don’t stress if don’t have some of the herbs listed below, the key is to have twice as much alcohol as herbs (i.e 5 oz of herbs soaked in 10 oz of alcohol).Ingredients:

• 0.9 oz (25 g) of hop flowers
• 0.7 oz (50g) of valerian root
• 0.9 oz (25g) of lemon balm
• 0.9 oz (25g) of passionflower
• 0.9 oz (25g) of pansy
• 10.5 oz (300 ml) of at least 80 proof/40% alcohol, or vinegar


DIY Tincture to aid sleeping: Place all of the ingredients in a sterilized jar ensuring all of the plant matter stays submerged by the alcohol (or vinegar). FYI: fresh herbs are easier to keep submerged.

Place in the fridge for 1 – 2 weeks, staking every day. Strain and store in a dark, cool location. Take 1 – 2 teaspoons before bed.
Plants Suitable For Sleeping Pills• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) improves sleep quality but does not increase its duration. It usually comes in powdered form, so is best in pill form (600 – 1000 mg).

• St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) at low doses (less than 300 mg) has an anti-anxiety effect, whereas at higher doses (over 700 mg or a teaspoon in a cup of tea) has a sedative effect.

• Kava Kava (Piper methysticum) has been banned from some countries due to its over-abuse which can lead to liver damage, but it is a known sedative and muscle relaxant. Take 200 – 250 mg as a pill.

Ingredients:

• 0.7 oz (20 g) ashwagandha powder
• 0.6 oz (16 g) St John’s wort powder
• OPTIONAL: 0.1 oz (4 g) of kava powder


DIY Pills to aid sleeping: Grind up and mix all of the ingredients thoroughly, fill up size 00 pill capsules (approximately 1 gram each which should make 40 pills), and store in an air-tight container. Take 2 pills before bed.Plants Suitable For A Sleeping Tea• Chamomile (Matricaria spp.) is a well-known relaxant that improves your sleep quality. Two teaspoons are recommended when taken as a tea, but it also works well in a tincture (half a teaspoon), or pill form (up to 400 mg).

• Linden flowers (Tilia spp.) are a relaxant at low doses (less than a teaspoon in a cup of tea) and a sedative at higher doses (1.5 teaspoons).

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons of chamomile leaves and flowers
• 1.5 teaspoons of linden flowers


DIY Tea to aid sleeping: Place the herbs (dried or fresh) into a large mug and pour boiling water over them. Allow brewing for 3 – 5 minutes, strain, and drink before bed.
So, in the end, considering the dosage of each herb will help to determine the most appropriate method of taking them; utilizing pills for low doses and teas and tinctures for higher doses.
Most of the plants listed (except Kava and St John’s wort) are thought to be safe for long-term usage (8 – 12 weeks) and many people tested didn’t see any improvements until the second week.

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