Keep It Movin! Herbal Corner

A couple of weeks ago I brought 2 packages of organic Turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder with the intention of taking it daily to support my health. Turmeric is known for it's healing and anti inflammatory properties, addressing all areas of the body. For me, that would be joint pain and seasonal allergies. Problem is, I cook to live, I am not a chef, so making dishes that incorporate Turmeric is not my thing. Turmeric milk is a nice treat at bedtime but after drinking it for a couple of days, my tooth enamel began to take on an orange glow, which my tooth brushing did not rectify. That's when I remembered my old pill maker! What you need: Capsule making machine which includes pill maker(Base and top), Tamper(helps to press the material into the pill), and Spread Card(moves material into capsule). Oh yes, you need the material/herb-I used 365 Whole Foods brand organic Turmeric and the capsules(XPRS Nutra Vegan pill capsules, size 0).      Video 1: Separate capsules, placing...

 Hey Everybody, I ran out of one of my favorite oils, Roman Chamomile. Most people are familiar with German Chamomile(Matricula recutita), used as a calming tea and digestive aid. I use Roman Chamomile(Chamaemelum nobile), which is also used for it's calming effects, as a topical, rubbing on sore muscles and areas of the body that may not be feeling too good:). Fortunately, I was successful in growing Roman Chamomile this year, I was able to harvest twice before the flowers said, "No more".  It was a great crop! Drying time You want to grind your herb as small as possible, less material to infuse. I harvested and dried the flowers, ground them up and will infused them in Extra Virgin Oil for about 6 weeks-yes, this is the long way, there are faster ways to do this. At the end of 6 weeks I will strain the oil, put some Vitamin E in the oil. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, helps preserve the oil so that it does not go rancid and it's great for the skin. I will follow up wi...

 Hello herbal enthusiasts! Ah, summer, hot, sticky, colorful and wonderful. For us gardeners, the best time of the year. Most of the plants and flowers I try to grow are not only beautiful to the eye but helpful for mind, body and spirit. I’m constantly trimming, cutting and pulling up roots to make teas, tinctures and rubs, things to keep me and my family up and running, especially when the body don’t feel like-you know what I’m talking about. This week I completed a Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and Willow(Salix alba) tincture. Both plants are known to have healing properties. Meadowsweet can be used as an aspirin substitute for Arthritic pain, sprains, back pain. Back in the day, my Herbal Teacher David Winston explained that Meadowsweet is less powerful and takes longer to work but relieves pain for a longer time and it also only mildly thins the blood. White Willow bark can also be used for muscular pain, and like Meadowsweet, does not notably thin blood.  When I am h...