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[tai-korczak]

23 Emotions people feel, but can’t explain

Sonder: The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.

Opia: The ambiguous intensity of Looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.

Monachopsis: The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.

Énouement: The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self.

Vellichor: The strange wistfulness of used bookshops.

Rubatosis: The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat.

Kenopsia: The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.

Mauerbauertraurigkeit: The inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends who you really like.

Jouska: A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.

Chrysalism: The amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.

Vemödalen: The frustration of photographic something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist.

Anecdoche: A conversation in which everyone is talking, but nobody is listening

Ellipsism: A sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out.

Kuebiko: A state of exhaustion inspired by acts of senseless violence.

Lachesism: The desire to be struck by disaster – to survive a plane crash, or to lose everything in a fire.

Exulansis: The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it.

Adronitis: Frustration with how long it takes to get to know someone.

Rückkehrunruhe: The feeling of returning home after an immersive trip only to find it fading rapidly from your awareness.

Nodus Tollens: The realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore.

Onism: The frustration of being stuck in just one body, that inhabits only one place at a time.

Liberosis: The desire to care less about things.

Altschmerz: Weariness with the same old issues that you’ve always had – the same boring flaws and anxieties that you’ve been gnawing on for years.

Occhiolism: The awareness of the smallness of your perspective.

[fishingboatproceeds]

I’m pretty sure these are all taken from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a blog that creates beautiful new words that we need but do not yet have.

[saboskirt]

[toofacedd]

Toofacedd

[topinstagirls]

[toofacedd]

Toofacedd

[stayfreshpl]

[astrobeak-blog]

The Planets & What They Mean

Sun: The ego: Center of gravity; Self-expression. (Ruler of Leo)

Moon: The emotions; One’s temperament; Need for security. (Ruler of Cancer)

Mercury: Mental approach; Reflexes; Sociability. (Ruler of Gemini)

Venus: Romantic self; Style of creative expression; Aesthetic style. (Ruler of Taurus/Libra)

Mars: How one uses their energy; One’s sexual nature; What sparks your passion. (Ruler of Aries)

Jupiter: Urge to expand; Search for understanding; One’s tendency to overdo. (Ruler of Sagittarius)

Saturn: Urge for stability; Structure in one’s life; One’s attitude toward discipline. (Ruler of Capricorn)

Uranus: Flashes of insight; Our desire to emancipate and liberate. (Ruler of Aquarius)

Neptune: Imaginative realm; Visions; Dreams; Fantasies. (Ruler of Pisces)

Pluto: Transformative and regenerative cultural changes; Exposing the underworld. (Ruler of Scorpio)

Ascendant: One’s vibe; One’s mask.

MC: Career; Public persona.

Chiron: Point of pain and healing.

North Node: Life lessons; Qualities learning to embody in life.

Make free and beautiful birth, synastry and composite charts at:

http://astro-charts.com/tools/new/birthchart/

[gazellegalaxy]

I have this thing where I just enjoy the act of smoking cause its calming to me so I smoke alternative herbs that actually have health benefits and are 100% legal in all states, but I have to mix them because of of them is super harsh, but sometimes I don’t because I like playing with the thick smoke :)

[paintheism]

Fire Cider

So I finally got around to making this stuff, and ohhhhh my goodness, I do love it. I sort of threw the recipe together, but I think I’ll be sticking with it.

PAINTHEISM’S FIRE CIDER (creates ~~1 liter/ just over 4 cups)

2 cups (1 bottle) Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

2 jalapeños, chopped with seeds included

2 apples, chopped up and seeds removed

1/3 cup fresh cranberries, sliced in half

¾ cup organic honey

4 tbsp lemon juice

½ cup fresh orange juice

1 cup water/chosen dilution juice/material

½ onion, chopped

5 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1 tsp bourbon vanilla extract

2 tbsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric powders, fresh ginger root

2 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp fennel seed

2 tsp nutmeg

Shook it all up, put it out to soak up the moon overnight, and I keep it in a jar in the fridge. 3 tbsp of it+honey and hot water makes an amazing tart tea sort of thing.

[botanarchy-deactivated20220105]

Chinese Soup Cure: Medicinal Bone Broth

Never does a week go by in our household where the scraps of our epicurean labors aren’t heaped in a giant enamelware pot and stewed for hours while we mill about the homestead. We’re fanatical about our bone-collecting, surreptitiously slipping chicken carcasses into napkins under the table, asking waiters to box up our goat bones after indulging in a hearty pot of Birria De Chivo Goat Stew. The result of our rampant scrap-mongering is a rich, profoundly nourishing bone broth, imbued with golden melted life-force, exceedingly nourishing to the illustrious Three Treasures of Chinese Medicine:

Jing, our Essence, the source of life, the basis for all growth, development, and sexuality.

Qi, our energy, giving us the ability to activate and move our bodies, whilst protecting us against external and internal pathogenic factors.

Shen, our inner light, the vitality behind Jing and Qi, the mental and spiritual force that shapes our personality and spirit.

Bone Broth- or ‘stock’, depending our your particular cultural milieu- is a pan-cultural old world panacea, utilitarian kitchen alchemy transforming vegetable scraps and bones into pure nutritional gold. Heaps of vegetables, herbs, and leftover bones are pragmatically piled in a pot, and left to simmer slowly for long periods of time, extracting every morsel of function and flavor. The resulting infusion is a gently potent brew, teeming with trenchant, bio-available nutrition, easy to digest and suitable for all matter of medicine, both preventative AND curative. A complex, rich mosaic of variegated flavors, it is also an opulent addition to stews, soups, sauces, poaching liquid, grains, beans, and porridge, transforming blasé cooking water into a savory swill. It nourishes our tendons, ligaments, skin, bones, and blood, keeping us limber and spry, with an assassin-worthy immune system. As a grounding force in our otherwise hypersonic, twenty-first century lives, it forces us to spend a few hours a week at home, tending to our hearth fire. If I seem a little in love with it, it’s because I am. I get to melt bones in a giant pot, like a surly wizard necromancer.

Many moons ago, before I was religious about my bone broth, I was stricken by a persnickety set of symptoms that left me vacillating between a sprightly 20-something yoga warrior and a knobby, decrepit old crone. One day, I would be handstanding in yoga class like nobody’s business, and the next day, I could barely touch my toes, plagued with spells of tightness, pain, and numbness, accompanied by bouts of sleep seizures that made me feel ancient, neurotic, and utterly powerless. After getting diagnosed with a vague autoimmune disease, delivered with a despondent, helpless send-off from the Western Medical Hegemony, my homegrown recovery was rooted in cutting out all inflammatory foods (gluten, sugar, ungainly processed rubbish), and going the way of old man Hippocrates by using food as my medicine. Through Traditional Chinese Medicine and the wisdom of thee Weston A. Price Foundation, I discovered the ancient magic of bone broth, and have never looked back. Years later, I am symptom free (though on occasion, I go to town on Chocolate Stout and homemade bread), and enjoying all sorts of bendy melee on the regular. And really, despite seeing tons of under-the-weather patients daily, have developed a super-human resistance to colds and flu. I make my cauldron of bone broth weekly, and drink a cup a day, increasing in times of debauchery, disorder, or debilitation. I suggest this to everyone that walks through my door, as I’ve seen countless miracles in managing all matter of disease (you can check out the foxy graphic below from Vanessa Romero at Healthy Living How To for a list of its wiles and wonders).

If broth seems too good to be true, it’s because it is. Our leery, infirmed culture has taught us to be inherently disdainful of anything that seems ‘too good to be true’, a silly idiom I’ve always despised for shading the world in a Saturnine hue, thwarting the everyday magic of simple things, and propagating the ‘snake-oil’ mythos that impedes the advancement of traditional medicines. I much prefer the wisdom of wise old Yeats, who knew that “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

Why is bone broth so beautiful? The venerable Dr. Mercola at The Mercola Institute drops some science on this egregious elixir below, adding some credence to my highfalutin claims:

BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH

Helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion.

Inhibits infection caused by cold and flu viruses: A study published over a decade ago found that chicken soup indeed has medicinal qualities, significantly mitigating infection.

Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage. (Aside: glucosamine and chondroitin are usually sold over the counter as fancy supplements for arthritis).

Fights inflammation: Amino acids such as glycine, proline, and arginine all have anti-inflammatory effects. Arginine, for example, has been found to be particularly beneficial for the treatment of sepsis (whole-body inflammation).Glycine also has calming effects, which may help you sleep better.

Promotes strong, healthy bones: As mentioned above, bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation.

Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, thanks to the ample gelatin in the broth.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Large Stainless Steel Stock Pot or Crock Pot

Roughly two pounds of organic chicken, beef, lamb, or fish bones, procured from a local butcher, or culled from recent feastings and stored in the freezer until needed. We’re talkin’ carcasses, knuckles, and hooves, oh my! If you plan on making a habit out of your stock making shenanigans (which you should!), I suggest finding a sympathetic meat peddler to bro-down with in your hood. In Los Angeles, I’m sweet on J&J Grassfed Beef. You can peruse sustainably raised local livestock on LocalHarvest.org, or check out the CrossFit gyms in your area, as many CSA’s are starting to offer gym delivery.   

¼ cup vinegar: Of paramount importance, for extracting the minerals from the bones into your broth.

A Mirepoix, consisting of 1 coarsely chopped onion, 2 carrots, and 2 sticks of celery.

Other coarsely chopped vegetables and assorted kitchen detritus: Perhaps the most admiral facet of broth is its commonsensical use of otherwise discarded cooking debris, with a peasant zeal otherwise reserved for Bruce Springsteen. Yellowing parsley, disfigured carrots, celery tops, blood-red chard stalks, onion skins, the graveyard of your heroic juicing efforts, haunted specters from the crisper… they all get their day in the sun. Your ingredients will be subject to the capricious nature of your weekly eating habits, producing a protean olio that is romantically un-reproducible from one week to the next. We keep a jar in the freezer that we fill with our forsaken vegetable fragments just for this purpose. My mainstays for flavor are 1 bunch of parsley, 2 quartered potatoes, a few hearty sprigs of rosemary and thyme from the garden, and a few cloves of garlic.

1 tsp black peppercorns

Fresh, cold water

I love to add a smidgen of Chinese herbs to my brew, to enhance and direct the healing vectors of my broth. 2-3 ounces of each herb should do the trick, always being intuitive with your needs and working with what you have on hand, like the cunning egalitarian Kitchen Witch that you are. These folks are mainstays in my cabinet, and on any given Sunday, I may sprinkle a smattering of the following into my cauldron:

A handful of Dang Shen/Codonopsis Root: To help strengthen the qi, counter mental and physical fatigue, build blood, and nourish body fluids.

Perhaps 5-10 slices of Huang Qi/Astragalus Root: To boost the immune system and strengthen qi, ensconcing one in protective energy that helps prevent illness due to external influences.

Certainly always a knuckle or so of Sheng Jiang/Fresh Ginger Root: To stoke the digestive fires and stimulate the circulatory system.

A pinch of Xi Yang Shen/American Ginseng Root: Boosting gentler Ginseng tendrils than the Chinese or Korean varietals, an admirable addition to combat fatigue and stress, whilst improving athletic and mental performance,

Dong Quai/Chinese Angelica Root: The ultimate femme tonic, invaluable for strengthening the blood, nourishing the reproductive organs, regulating menstruation, and alleviating period pain.

Shan Yao/Chinese Wild Yam: A lovely anti-inflammatory that tonifies qi, nourishes yin, and strengthens the spleen, lungs, and kidneys, particularly puissant after a long-term illness.

A sprinkling of Shan Zhu Yu/Dogwood Fruit: An excellent astringent herb and reproductive tonic that strengthens the liver and kidneys, while securing leakage of vital essence.

6 or so strands of dried Dong Chong Xia Cao/Cordyceps Mushroom: My most favorite herb in the Chinese pharmacopeia, Cordyceps is hailed on the street as the Himalayan Viagra for its revered ability to increase stamina, sex drive, virility, strength, brainpower, athletic prowess & focus. It’s a favorite of Chinese Olympians, so you know it’s gooch.

HOW TO

1. Break your precious bones up into smaller pieces (ideally about 3 inches long), with kitchen scissors or a fun weapon (living with a ninja has infinite perks). This will increase the surface area of bone exposed to the water, giving you a higher nutrient yield.

2. If using beef bones, you’ll want to roast your bones until browned at 400 degrees F for roughly 60-90 minutes to add richness.

3. Place the bones in your stockpot or crockpot, along with your vegetables, scraps, peppercorns, and Chinese herbs. Cover with cold water, adding a few fingers for good measure. Add your splash of vinegar and cover with a lid.

4. Slowly bring your stock to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer gently for 6-48 hours (yes, I know 48 hours is a very daunting commitment in our breakneck world). I love to use a crockpot, because you can just pile all your business in, turn on high until boiling, reduce to low, and then promptly forget about it whilst retiring to your bedchamber for the evening. It’s so egalitarian, I can hardly stand it. If using a stockpot, you can use the following guidelines (and your own pending commitments) to gauge cooking time: 6-48 hours for chicken bones, and 12-72 hours for beef and other meats.

5. Give your bone broth the occasional shout-out during simmering, checking to see that there is always a fair amount of water covering your accoutrements.

6. At some point, you will inevitably notice a thick, insalubrious scum rising to the top of your broth. Many folks will trick you into thinking you MUST skim this off routinely, to clarify the product and make a finer tasting brew. To this I say, “ain’t nobody got time for that!” The whole skimming off the top thing is sadly overrated, as testing has shown that this “scum”, while unsightly, contains nothing harmful. If you wanna be fancy, go right ahead. Otherwise, fret not!

7. When you’re ready to call it quits, remove your bones with a slotted spoon, discard, and strain the rest through a colander into a large bowl. If you’re feeling spry, you can strain again through a sieve or cheesecloth to achieve an extra-fancy, clear broth. Chill your luscious potion of collagen and gelatin in the fridge, until the fat congeals and rises to the top. If you want a liquid broth for cooking purposes, you can skim the fat off and store the remaining liquid in the fridge for roundabout a week’s time. However, if you want your broth to drink like a rich toddy of hot buttered rum, I say leave the fat on (we do), and enjoy your broth like molten velvet bone mojo. Enjoy in radiant heath, golden ones!

[plantmakeup]

Just posted a new DIY herbalist kit in the shop, filled with all local herbs i gathered this summer 🌿💕

featuring ::

yarrow leaf + flower (Achillea millefolium) red clover blossoms (Trifolium pratense) tansy leaf + flower (Tanacetum vulgare) mint hybrid (peppermint x spearmint) elderflowers (Sambucus canadensis) purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina) beach rose petals (Rosa rugosa) mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

[plantmakeup]

Medicinal Guide to Plants - Part 3

G to O (from my master herb index) - my collective / continuously growing online guide to herbs

Garlic :: Allium sativum Family : Alliaceae

Part Used : cloves

Cultivated In : USA

Medicinal Uses : Cardio-Tonic Herb (has beneficial action on the heart and blood vessels but do not contain cardiac glycosides . Depurative- purifies the blood

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant.

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Ginger :: Zingiber officinale Family : Zingiberaceae

Plant Info : perennial

Part Used : rhizome

Cultivated In : Indonesia, China, Hawaii, Amherst, MA

Medicinal Uses : Nausea . Vomiting . Motion Sickness . Stomach . Anti-Inflammatory

Preparations : Ginger Tea (2-4 (dime size) slices of fresh ginger, 1 1/2 C. boiling water, 1 tsp sugar-honey-or maple syrup to taste, simmer slices in water for 10 minutes, add sweetner or lemon, 1 serving

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant, also those with stomach or liver problems.

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Gingko :: Gingko biloba Family : Ginkgoaceae

Part Used : leaves

Growing Info : hot sun and rich, sandy soil

History : the sole survivor of a primitive order of plants dating from 200 million years ago.

Cultivated In : China

Medicinal Uses : Age-Related Memory Loss . Anti-Oxidant (stronger than vitamin E) . Brain Power . Cardio-Tonic Herb (has beneficial action on the heart and blood vessels but do not contain cardiac glycosides) . Circulation to the Brain . Tinnitus

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) : the seeds and leaves are used to treat lung problems

Remarks : Not recommended for those who take blood-thinning agents.

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Goldenseal ENDANGERED :: Hydrastis canadensis Family : Ranunculaceae

Parts Used : leaf + root

Cultivated In : USA

Medicinal Use : Anti-Septic . Traveler’s Diarrhea . Cold + Flu . Stomach/Digestion

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant, or for long term use. An Endangered plant, use with thought.

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Gotu Kola (Indian pennywort) :: Centella asaiatica Family : Mackinlayaceae

Plant Info : low growing, creeping vine, up to 25 inches (50 cm), fan shaped leaves, grows in subtropics, tropics, damp grasslands, bitter-acrid taste

Growing : annual, indoors in hanging pot

Parts Used : aerial (flowers + leaves)

Cultivated In : Sri Lanka, Southeast USA

Western Medicinal Use : Nervine . Rejuvenative . Alterative . Febrifuge . Diuretic . Tonic . Anti-Inflammatory . Laxative . Sedative . Liver Complaints . High Blood Pressure

-Alzheimers and Memory Loss : restorative tonic for mental decline in old age, herb protects blood vessels supplying oxygen to the brain (therefore normailizing brain’s use of oxygen), improves memory & concentration. Reduces cholesterol plagues in blood vessels serving the brain cells in the cerebral cortex & hippocampus (memory and reasoning center). There are over 4 million cases of alzheimers, 250,000 diagnosed each year and it’s expected to get worse.

-Reduces mental fatigue

-Cellulite, Swollen Ankles, Varicose Veins: cellulite occurs when connective tissue under the skin that hold deep-level fat cells, break down and are no longer able to hold fat in place. More component of these tissues: glycosaminoglycans. Gotu Kola stops fat cells from displacing by increasing glycosaminoglycans. The herb also stablizes connective tissue that surrounds veins of legs, the herb increases the amount of oxygen transported through veins. The herb improves symptoms of vercose veins (comfort, tiredness, swelling), but not sightness of them.

-Stimulates deep cell replacement

-Wounds, Scarring, Psoriasis: the herb stimulates regeneration of skin cells underlying connective tissue, saponins in the herb have beneficial effect on collagen & inhibit scar formatiion, accelerates healing of burns, skin graftings, minimizes scarring, successful for healing a episiotomy, cream of herb helps relieve scaly red welts of psoriasis.

-Leprosy: asiaticoside in Gotu Kola is one of the most promising treatments

Western Preparations: Burns- take with vitamin C (combo of C, asiatic acid, asiaticoside and madecassic acid stimulate collegen synthesi, a key element in skin repair. Use Gotu Kola extract externally for skin, make tincture for wounds.

Eastern Medicinal Use :

Ayurvedic Info : bitter/cooling/sweet VPK=, tonic for pitta, inhibits vata, calms the nerves, reduces excessive kapha

-Helps develop spiritual powers

-For nervous system disorders, epilepsy, senility

-Venereal diseases

-The herb causes changes on a cellular level in 48 to 72 hrs. However, the body (from clinical tests) does not accumulate a maximum amount (level) of asiatic acid, the chief ingredient, until the herb is taken for at least 3 weeks

-Revitalizes nerve and brain cells

-Increases intelligence, longevity, memory, brain food

-Premature aging, hair loss

-Treats leprosy, skin ulcers, and other skin problems (chronic & obstinate)

-Powerful blood purifer, specific for chronic skin conditions (leprosy, syphilis, eczema & psoriasis)

-Fortifies the immune system, both cleansing & feeding it

-Strengthens the adrenals

-Period fevers, malaria

Eastern Culture : In India it is sometimes found as a vegetable in salads

Eastern Preparations : take as an infusion (hot or cold), decoction, milk decoction, powder (250 to 500 mg) medicated ghee, medicated oil

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing, pregnant, or trying to become pregnant. May interfere with oral diabetes medications: glipizide (Glucotrol) + tolbutamide (Orinase). May raise cholestrol levels, do not take if your on cholesterol lowering medications or niacin. Do not take if on traquilizers or sedatives: herb has a narcotic effect. Do not give to children under the age of 2. May cause allergic skin reaction or carcinogenic if applied topically, in large doses may cause headaches, veritigo or temporary loss of consciousness.

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Green Tea :: Camellia sinensis Family : Theaceae

Part Used : leaves

Medicinal Use : Anti-Oxidant . Chemotherapy . Stops Tooth Decay

Remarks : contains caffeine, do not take within one hour of taking other medications.

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Gymnema sylvestre :: Family : Asclepiadaceae

Medicinal Uses : Diabetes

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Hawthorn :: Crataegus laevigata Family : Rosaceae

Plant Info : evergreen shrub, mountains, lowlands

Parts Used : berries, leaves, flowers

Found : North America, Europe, North Africa, India

Cultivated In : Croatia

Medicinal Uses : Cardiovascular Disease . Decreases Cholesterol . Decreases heart rate due to stress . Dialates Coronary Arteries . Directly effects cells of heart muscle enhancing activity and nutrition . Hypotensive Agent . Increases circulation through dilation of coronary arteries . Increases contractibility of the heart . Increases blood flow rate . Kidney/Bladder . Lowers Blood Pressure . Speeds Recovery from heart attacks . Sore Throat

History : In World War I, hawthorn leaves were used as a tobacco substitute, the seeds were ground and used as a coffee substitute

Plant Spirits : puts heart back in rightful place as primary organ of perception, for those too much in there head and not enough in their heart 

Preparations : flower essence (for the heart, opens heart and expression of love, helps with giving and receiving love)

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Hibiscus :: Hibiscus sabdariffa Family : Malvaceae

Part Used : flower

Cultivated In : Tanzania

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Horsetail Leaf :: Equisetum spp. Family : Equisetaceae

my secret horsetail leaf patch (pictured above) . horsetail leaf is best gathered in the spring time . as the season progresses, the silica content increases + therefore is hard on the kidneys if taken internally . also, horsetail is better as a vinegar extraction, then alcohol for tincture purposes … late season horsetail is excellent as pot scrubbers . they seriously take the grime out of anything

gather some horsetail leaf up here

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Hops :: Humulus lupulus Family : Cannabaceae

Parts Used : strobiles, flowers

Cultivated In : USA

Remarks : Not recommended for long term use.

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Hyssop :: Hyssop officinalis Family : Lamiaceae

Plant Info : semi-evergreen/erect herbaceous, 2 ft. tall, hardy, perennial,

Found : lowlands

Parts Used : aerial (leaves + flowers)

Growing : sunny and dry sites, space 15”

Harvest : use youngest stems and leaves as needed

Cultivated In : USA

Medicinal Uses : Essential Oil to Strong for Aroma Therapy

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant

Uses : tea, essential oil

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Irish Moss :: Chondrus crispus Family : Gigartinaceae

Cultivated In : Canada

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant.

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Jasmine :: Jasminum sambac Family : Oleaceae

Plant Info : member of the olive family,evergreen vine/shrub, flowers bloom year-round, flowers open at night and close in the morning, grows up to a meter.

Part Used : flower

Found : Southern Asia, known in the Philippines as Sampaguita, Himalayas

Cultivated In : China by cuttings (does not bear seeds)

Uses : flowers are super fragrant and have prized ornamental use: weddings, important guests; perfumes, cosmetics, beverages, aromatherapy, teas, infusions

Medicinal Uses : headaches . diarrhea . fever . cough . abdominal pain . decongestant . aphrodisiac . impotence . inflammation . a syrup was made for coughs

Remarks : not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant, may lower blood pressure

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Linden :: Tilia americana Family : Tiliaceae

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Marshmallow :: Althaea officinalis Family : Malvaceae

Growing Info : loves water 

Parts Used : flowers, leaves (summer), & root (late autumn)

Found : indigenous to Africa, damp areas of Europe and western Asia, now naturalized in Atlantic coast of USA

Medicinal Properties :

Leaves : beneficial for lungs (demulcent, expectorant) and kidneys (diuretic, kidney stones), skin (emollient)

Root : Internal- similar properties to leaves, also vulnerary (wound healing), skin problems (especially in the mouth) digestive issues, increases flow of breast milk, soothes bronchial tubes, constipation, IBS. External- varicose vains, ulcers, abscesses and boils

Food : roots have been boiled and eaten

Preparations : cold macerations, warm infusions, tincture, fluid extract, capsule, tea

Other Notes : used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

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Milk Thistle :: Silybum marianum Family : Asteraceae

Growing : annual, full sun, grows up to 3 feet

Found : Mediterranean, grown in Europe, known as a weed in California

Parts Used : dried seed

Cultivated : China, Hungary

Medicinal Uses : contains compound silymarin, vitamin E, fatty acids . inflamed liver from alcohol toxicity, cirrhosis and hepatitis . enriching lactation . kidney diseases . liver diseases . liver tonic . helps inflamed kidneys, spleen, and liver . mushroom poisoning . reduces cancer growth

Preparations : alcohol extract; glycerin extract; tea; capsules

Food : milk thistle seeds were once used as a coffee substitute; the roots were once eaten raw, boiled and roasted; the spiny parts on the flower head were eaten like an artichoke after peeling (can soak overnight to remove bitterness; the leafs can be eaten like spinach and boiled if you remove the prickers

Remarks : may cause mild diarrhea by stimulating the release of bile. Most notable in a high fat diet

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Mints :: Mentha spp. Family : Lamiaceae

Growing: perennial, part shade/some sun

(see also: peppermint in P herbs)

gather some mint up here

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Motherwort :: Leonurus cardiaca Family : Lamiaceae

Medicinal Uses : Cardio-Tonic Herb (has beneficial action on the heart and blood vessels but do not contain cardiac glycosides)

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Nettles (Stinging) :: Urtica dioica Family: Urticaceae

Plant Info : Erect herbaceous, mountains, low lands

Parts Used : leaves, root

Garden : encourages beneficial insects, the presence of nettles reveals a high fertility area

Harvest : Spring, young leaves the best, before plant starts to flower or show signs of flowering (using the plant with flowers is said to be toxic); use caution- plant stings.

Medicinal Uses : Aphrodisiac (root) . Arthtritis . Anemia . Bleeding Allergies . Benefits Blood . Constipation . Eczema . Hay Fever . Kidney Problems , Prostate Disorders . Rheumatism . Vitamins A, C, D, K, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium . Water Retention

Preparations : cook like spinach; infusion (1 oz dried nettles to 1 quart of water in jar, steep 4 hours or overnight in fridge, amazing cooled); liquid fertilizer (infusion of nettles is high in nitrogen, low in phosphate, also contains magnesium, sulfur and iron)

Uses : topical, beauty products (cream, anti-itch remedies), tea, tincture, soup, nettle cordial popular in Europe, textiles, dye (yellow from roots, yellowish green from leaves)

On the Farm : cut +; add to hay for cattle and rabbits, powdered into chicken and duck food, boil for pigs

Removing Stingers : cook; dry or make wet to reduce stingers

Good4You Note : I believe it’s one of the most beneficial plants known to man.

gather some nettle leaves up here

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Oats :: Avena sativa Family : Poaceae

Plant Info : erect herbaceous, lowlands

Parts Used : milky oat tops, straw, berry.

Uses : Grains in bath water keep the skin soft

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Orange Peel :: Citrus × sinensis Family : Rutaceae

Remarks : Avoid over-exposure to sunlight when using large amounts.

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note : please do a ton of research before using medicinal plants

💕j

[plantmakeup]

Medicinal Guide to Plants - Part 1

T to Z (from my master herb index) - my collective / continuously growing online guide to herbs

Thyme :: Thymus vulgaris Family: Lamiaceae

Plant Info : evergreen shrub, coastal, low lands

Parts Used : leaves

Medicinal Uses : Anti-Fungal . Anti-Bacterial . Anti-Viral . Anti-Spasmodic . Child’s Asthma . Eliminates Phlegm . Enhances Immune System after Infection . Stimulant . Throat + Chest Infection

Modern Medicine : Thyme contains thymol used in mouthwashes (controls microbial growth around gums of teeth)

Ayurvedic : Heals Kapha

Other : Bees Love It, wild thyme has a lower thymol content

Preparations : Cold Thyme Tea- headache relief, Hot Tea- for sleep, stomach, diarrhea; Essential Oil mixed with carrier oil for topical application

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Tobacco :: Nicotiana tobacum

Plant Info : annual, biennial, 3 feet

Harvest : leaves

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Tulsi (aka Holy Basil, Sweet Basil) :: Ocimum sanctum Family: Lamiaceae

Plant Info :  20” tall,

Parts Used : aerial parts (leaves & flowers)

Growing Info : annual, full sun, space 6 to 12”, full sun, pinch stems to promote bushy compact growth

Harvest : cut leaves just before flowers open

Medicinal Uses : COX-2 Inhibitor (modern painkiller) . Antioxidant . Adaptogen . Cancer Research . Decreases Cholesterol . Diabetes . Immunity . Improves Digestion . Lowers Blood Sugar in Type 2 . Prevents Gastric Ulcers . Protects Against Radiation Damage . Stress Relief . Wound Healing

Ayurveda : Known as the Queen of all Herbs; colds, headaches, stomach, heart disease, inflammation, poisoning, malaria

Plant Spirits : connects the soul to the heart, makes one conscious of the “Holy Heart”

Uses : tea, fresh leaves, essential oil

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Not for infants or toddlers. Mild blood thinning properties, may lower blood sugar.

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Turmeric :: Curcuma longa Family: Zingiberaceae

Plant Info : perennial

Part Used : rhizome

Medicinal Uses : Antioxidant . Cancer Prevention . Eczema . Inflammation . Soothes Colon . So many amazing specific benefits, look Here for More Info 

Ayurveda : highly regarded for inflammation, known as the king of herbs 

Preparations : Culinary (I suggest putting a little in dinner meals); for warts, mix with a little water and flour, apply daily till it disappears (about a week if persistent); teas

Remarks : Not recommended for those with stomach or liver problems, use in moderation

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Uva Ursi (also known as Bear Berry) :: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Family: Ericaceae

Parts Used : leaves

Medicinal Uses : UTI . Kidney + Bladder . Reduces Period

Native American Use : Used as an alternative to tobacco.

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant, not for people with a history of kidney stones, renal dysfunction or inflammation, not recommended for long term use.

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Valerian :: Valeriana officinalis Family: Valerianaceae

Medicinal Uses : Insomnia . Nervousness . Restlessness . Sedative

Other : flowers attract deer, some cats love it

Good4You History : I first bought the plant when I was 20 years old on an errand run with my mom. We bought it at a small farm stand off Rt. 6A on Cape Cod. I was so excited when I first saw it. The lady who sold it to me said “Be Careful with That Plant”. I thought it was too funny, because I knew all about it (it’s a heavy sedative). I started growing it in our garden. The flowers smell like dirty socks. Low and behold a few weeks later it attracted some deer I got to see! They ate the whole thing! + now nine years later i can say valerian is super powerful, alot of people don’t agree with it if taken internally . i’ve noticed this with people who have alot of fire energy in their general composition

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Vitex (aka Chaste Tree) :: Vitex agnus-castus Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)

Parts Used : berries

Medicinal Uses : Hot Flashes . Menstrual Disorders . Menopause . PMS

Remarks : Not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant.

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Violet (aka Common or Sweet Violet) :: Viola odorata Family: Violaceae

Parts Used : leaves and flowers (fresh or dried)

Growing : appears at the end of February till the end of April 

Medicinal Uses : Anti-Inflammatory (whole plant) . Asthma (internal use) . Coughs (internal use) . Diaphoretic (whole plant) . Diuretic (whole plant) . Emollient (whole plant) . Expectorant (whole plant) . Lubricate the Throat . Mouth Infections(external use) . Slightly Laxative (fresh flowers or syrup) . Throat Infections (external use)

Plant Spirits : heals familiar heartbreak

Preparations : eat flowers and leaves fresh in salads; tea (dried leaves); infusion (fresh leaves and flowers); salves; compress, poultice; the syrup of violets was used for ailments such as jaundice, inflammation of the eyes, sleeplessness; soups; jams and jellies

Remarks : taking excessive amounts can cause nausea and vomiting

Gather up my garden grow violet leaves here

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Wild Lettuce : Lactuca virosa Family: Lactuca

…there are a few kinds, a ton of the domesticated lettuce comes from these amazing plants…

food use : wild lettuce contains latex when it goes into bolt . it gets bitter fast . when the plant is low to the ground, it is more edible

medicinal use : medicine is in the stem . pain relief (without affecting the mind) . analgesic . in formulas where people need to change there mind a little . wild lettuce + indian pipe in combination for people who need to change their mind a little . anti spasmodic . put in blender with alcohol for tincture extraction

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Wormwood :: Artemisia absinthium Family: Asteraceae

Parts Used : aerial parts (leaves and flowers)

Plant Info : perennial

Uses : the main ingredient in absinthe

Good4You History : was once formulated in a tea to help people gain an appetite… I made the tea Them Belly Full, and wormwood was in a tea blend called But We Hungry… I discontinued the blend because it was too bitter.

Remarks : not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant, not for those with stomach inflammation, ulcers, serious digestion and/or liver problems.

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Yarrow :: Achillea millefolium Family: Asteraceae

Plant Info : erect herbaceous, low lands &amp, mountains, perennial

Parts Used : aerial parts (flowers and leaves)

Growing Info : space 12 inches, sun

Harvest : first to second week of June in New England when flowers start to bloom, cut 3 inches above ground

Medicinal Uses : Cardio-Tonic Herb (has beneficial action on the heart and blood vessels but do not contain cardiac glycosides . Colds and Flu . Decreases Menstrual Flow

Other : it contains azulene, so it can be used instead of chamomile.

Use : most preparations dried, use fresh to stanch wounds.

Preparations : insect repellent (make a tea and splash on); essential oil; Yarrow Ale; tea from dried flowers &amp leaves in small amount, best if added to peppermint or another herbal base.

Remarks : not recommended for women who are nursing or pregnant.

Good4You History : this was one of the first herbs I read about, because it’s latin name was listed first in all the herb books! I loved how it could stanch wounds, and was used by soldiers, it was even known as the “military herb”.

Gather up some yarrow here

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Yellow Dock :: Rumex crispus Family: Polygonaceae

Part Used : Root

Harvest : harvest the root in early spring or late fall

Medicinal Uses : Skin . Liver

Use : fresh for immediate use or dried for tea or stronger decoctions.

Preparations : make tincture using fresh root as a liver cleanser.

Remarks : not recommended for those with a history of kidney stones, renal dysfunction or inflammation.

Gather up some yellowdock roots here

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Yerba Mate :: Ilex paraguarensis Family: Aquifoliaceae

Medicinal Uses : CNS Stimulant . Depression . Headache Reduces Fatigue . Obesity . Weightloss

Cultural Use : In Argentina and Uruguay even carries around a bombilla and gourd with a thermos of water. People wet the herb with a little water, then fill the rest of the gourd up with hot water. It is South America’s coffee, and the green tea of South America.

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note : please do a ton of research before using medicinal plants

💕j

[plumpmouth]

Red Clover Tea

Red clover is a perennial plant that grows wild in America…and in many countries abroad from what I read about it. It purifies the blood and enhances the function of the liver, which is the body’s natural detoxification organ. A cup of soothing red clover tea also relieves monthly PMS symptoms and menopausal hot flashes for many women.

These are some of the reasons to gather clover blossoms for winter tea. The flower head, used to make herbal tea, ranges from pink to purple or red. Hang clover blossoms in a warm attic or pantry to dry. My method for making Clover Tea is below.

RED CLOVER TEA | A LIVER CLEANSER

INGREDIENTS

½ cup of dried clover flowers

2 cup of boiling water

dried mint leaves

honey

INSTRUCTIONS

Place clover flowers & mint leaves in a pint jar and fill with boiling water.

Steep 30 minutes and strain

Add honey to taste

Drink 2 cups daily - sipping throughout the day

WARNING

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take red clover.

via natural design studio

[monongahelanymph-blog]

12 of Nature's Most Powerful Medicinal Plants From Traditional Cherokees

Indigenous, nature, wildlife and companion animal news. Pass it on!

[fernferns]

Plant ally winter tincture 🌿 Bacopa, Withania, Passionflower, Vervain, Rosemary & Eleutherococcus gaining so much colour as the day progresses. I’ll bottle this in a month to help w/ anxiety, stress, cognitive function amongst other things ✨

[punkmonkbotanicals]

Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) is a flowering plant of the Apiacieae (or Umbelliferae). Like the cultivated carrot, it is edible while young, but quickly becomes too woody to consume. Extra caution should be used when collecting this plant as it bears a close resemblance to poison hemlock and water hemlock, both of which can be fatal. 

Wild carrot has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Juliette de Bairacli Levy successfully used wild carrot leaves to help control blood sugar levels, and used them as part of a nutritional approach to help treat diabetes. However, most of the medicinal claims for the wild carrot point to its use in supporting the elimination system, stimulating the flow of urine, and to the removal of waste products by the kidneys. The seeds are anti-lithic, helping to prevent or clear out sand and gravel from the kidneys, and so are also useful in cases of gout. They  are also carminative, helping calm and settle the stomach and easing flatulence.

Finally, and possibly most notably, wild carrot seeds have traditionally been used as a contraceptive and abortifacient. For this purpose, wild carrot seeds can be made into a tincture, as otherwise they need chewing on to release the essential oils. This works best when used at the very early onset of pregnancy, so traditionally a tincture would be taken everyday for the week or so around the period of ovulation. The seeds can induce uterine contractions, and their use is not recommended for pregnant women.

[herbconscious]

Osha Root (Ligusticum porteri)

Osha induces sweating, and is thought to prevent the development of a full-blown cold or flu. Osha is also used to help coughs become productive. Like other bitter herbs, osha stimulates appetite (“feeds a cold”).*

Osha root or Ligusticum wallichii (Ligusticum) root can be steeped in ethanol (whisky, vodka, etc.) for at least a month. The resulting tincture is an effective, albeit pungent, liniment for sore muscles that can be stored (in a cool place) indefinitely. 

Osha is also known by the following names:

Osha root, Porter’s lovage, Porter’s licorice-root, lovage, wild lovage, Porter’s wild lovage, loveroot, Porter’s ligusticum, bear medicine, bear root, Colorado cough root, Indian root, Indian parsley, wild parsley, mountain ginseng, mountain carrot, nipo, empress of the dark forest, chuchupate, chuchupati, chuchupaste, chuchupatle, guariaca, hierba del cochino or yerba de cochino, raíz del cochino, washía (tarahumara).

In the Jicarilla language, osha is called ha’ich’idéé. The White Mountain Apache call it ‘“Ha ‘il chii’ gah”.

[archaicecstasy-deactivated20190]

Osha is very soothing to lungs when a cough is developing, breath the steam from boiling roots. Amazing!

[ethnobotanica-blog]

Tinctures Not Forgotten.

If you need a little more help with tincture making this is a wonderful and simple instructional video from Herbal Basics. 

Tinctures Rock Out!