Tea Made At Home

Hi everyone I hope the winter hasn't got you down yet..... I know its getting cold and where playing games with who's gonna get the next cold or flu, so I wanted to drop in a share how you can make tea at home to help those cold symptoms disappear. Remember you need to know what herbs your using before you make your tea, you will also need to know how much to use of each.

In this video I made tea for my kids because they were getting sick.

Enjoy

Road Rash.......and The Prickly Pear

Boys will be boys, they take risks and sometimes get hurt. I previously posted a video on how I handle cuts scrapes and burns that come along with being a parent, the following post shows how the prickly pear healed some cuts and scrapes my son obtained by face planting the pavement during a speed bump jump on a bike.

Photo 1

 Photo 1, was taken shortly after my son fell from his bike. He had been warned a few times about what could happen when you jump your bike over a speed bump, but he decided to do it anyway and one day the bike didn't land right and you see the result. All and all it wasn't so bad but my main worry were scars on his face from the accident, so the plant was used on this area of his head.

Photo 3

Photo 2

I want to note in photo two and three, I did not use the plant on this area of his injury to show the difference in how the body heals on its own .

I wrapped my son's head with a bandage with the prickly pear between the skin and the wrap. The dressings were changed about 3 times over the next two days and then removed for the air to quicken the healing process.

Photo 4

 This photo was taken on the morning of day four. It shows the result from using the prickly pear for the first two days after the injury occurred. I want to point out that the scar is almost non existent at this point in the healing process.

 Below are the before and after photo's to show the healing result using the Prickly Pear.

Before

After

Heal A Wound With Nature

Hello fellow readers! I have to apologize for the long delays between posts, I have been quite the busy collage student!  My motherhood duties are in full swing and midterms have been interesting. I graduated and enrolled at a NMSU branch to pursue my field in herbal medicine. They offered me eight semesters paid for and I plan to take advantage of the invitation. I plan to do my best to keep up with new posts regarding useful information for you to use in your everyday life. 

Today I wanted to share with you my most common complaint from my children, the band aid. In our home we don't believe in using band aids or the topical antibiotic gel to treat a cut, scrape, or burn that you might get from being a kid playing outside, we use the prickly pear!

An Herb Or Two to Fight Off That Urinary Infection

Dealing with a urinary track infection sucks on every level, and typically those of us who get them run off to the doctor at the first sign of infection. 

Why do we do that?

Well for starters most of us don't know how to treat an infection without the anti biotic the medical world has provided.

Have you read some of the side effects that your doctor thinks are just fine?

I bring this up because I deal with urinary track infections a lot; due to a medical practitioner overlooking a kidney infection during the pregnancy of my first child, witch ultimately dealt a pretty big blow to my entire bladder system.

Having problem's with this myself, I have seen first hand the kinds of drugs they try to force on you without a safer alternative.

Just recently I required a set of these anti biotic's to kick a pretty bad infection apparently, because i have never used this particular drug before. They put me on a drug called Nitrofurantoin mono/mac 100mg tabs, and I was reading the side effects of this drug and I'm not sure I even want to keep using it.

The side effects for this medication include, allergic reactions like skin rash or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, chest pain, cough, difficulty breathing, dizziness, drowsiness, fever or infection, joint aches or pains, pale or blue-tinted skin, redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth, tingling, burning, pain, or numbness in hands or feet, unusual bleeding or bruising, unusually weak or tired, yellowing of eyes or skin not to mention it can cause liver, lung, and kidney failure.

But what can we use to combat a urinary infection without risking our health? 

Cranberry

This plant is used most often and because of it's compounds it does not allow the bacteria to stick to the lining of the bladder. To get the best result when using cranberry, use only pure unsweetened cranberry juice or cranberry capsules.

Uva Ursi

The Herb contains chemicals, primarily hydroquinone and hydroquinone derivatives, that make it potentially useful for urinary conditions and is used to treat infections such as cystitis, urethritis and nephritis.  It is absorbed in the stomach and converted into a substance with antimicrobial, astringent, and disinfectant properties. During urination, as it passes out of the body, it acts on the mucus membranes of the urinary tract to soothe irritation, reduce inflammation, and fight infection. Uva Ursi also contains diuretic chemicals, including ursolic acid, powerful astringents, and a chemical that helps promote the growth of healthy new cells. In addition to its antiseptic and astringent actions, Uva Ursi may help to flush out bacteria by promoting urination.

Goldenrod

Has been useful regarding inflammation. You can use this herb to assist in the pain that comes with a urinary infection because it decreases inflammation and also helps control the painful spasms you may experience with a urinary track infection. It is also a diuretic.

Dandelion

This herb is  used for the treatment of the gall bladder, kidney and urinary disorders. As a tonic, Dandelion strengthens the kidneys. An infusion of the root encourages the steady elimination of toxins from the body. This is a powerful diuretic but does not deplete the body of potassium.

Marshmallow Root

The abundance of mucilage makes the herb an excellent demulcent and emollient. These properties make it useful in inflammation and irritation of the alimentary canal, and of the urinary and respiratory organs. Decoctions of the plant; especially of the root, are excellent in painful complaints of the urinary organs, exerting a relaxing effect upon the passages. Powdered root boiled in milk is recommended for hemorrhage from the urinary organs and in dysentery.

There are other things out there, that you can use to kill pesky bacteria and things you can use to prevent it but before you go and try an herb for an infection talk it over with your doctor or see some one who specializes in alternative medicine.

The only universital herb on the planet

In today's world in America, we have been blinded by money, how to make a quick buck. Blind to expenses the people will deal with.

They have invented one prescription after another with a disregard to how many side effects have been created. We push off that we can bleed from our eyes because the medication is supposed to treat something ells, and the Doctors think that bleeding from the eyes is OK, if it takes care of the problem.

We totally buy this too!

From those of you who know me, I study herbs, how to use them, witch ones are most effective, and how they help you. I do my best to direct people towards things that are lost costing or free and supply information to my knowledge regarding what herbs can be use in regard to most problems. I do not presume to have a medical degree nor do I intend to harm anyone. I am however pursuing school in the study of plants and how they affect the body in biology, and plan to obtain a PHD on the subject.

In regards to being a plant lover, I have covered most plants here on my blog and how you can use them in your everyday health, but I wanted to talk about the most versatile plant in the world and clear up some common misconceptions regarding its nature.

 I do want to point out that the plant we are going to be talking about is currently illegal and for many reasons should not be, but for sure would bankrupt the pharmaceutical industry and I think the truth should be told regarding the real reasons they keep this plant illegal and how this plant, benefit's many different things.

What is this magic herb?

Cannabis

Yes, I said Cannabis. There are many common misconceptions and lies regarding this plant, how it's used and what it really does for the body. I have to admit the government has done a good job of scaring people into believing that this herb is dangerous. They tell you that it kills brain cells and causes cancer, not to mention that they say it's addictive.

Have you ever wondered why there is no deaths or hospitalizations as a direct result of using the plant? If the plant is so bad, why do they have no stats to back up any of their claims? Why tell us lies?

  What they don't want you to know is that it is one of the most safest and effective treatment for just about any medical ailment you may be suffering from.

First let me stuff the lies back in the closet where they came from and dish out some hard core truths.

The idea that Cannabis causes brain cell death is completely a myth, they did perform one study in regard to this "brain cell death" theory where they provided Cannabis to a group of monkeys, what they didn't tell you about that study was that the monkeys where gas masked and fed huge amounts of Cannabis without any oxygen over a period of 30 minutes, hows that for animal cruelty. Of course when you deprive the brain of oxygen your brain cells die, but had they administered the Cannabis correctly the test would have shown an entirely different result.

Cannabis causes cancer......If this were so, we would be able to find a single case, truth be told there are none that are attributed to just the use of Cannabis.

OH and the gateway theory.......That is quite simple, the country has made Cannabis out to be so bad and has made it illegal to possess, it is then put into the hands of people who sell illegal things, all illegal things. In order to use Cannabis you have to buy it from someone who sells illegal things and those people introduce other illegal things to you, to make more money. So in honesty, people are the gateway.

As far as the plant being "addictive" in the minds of what America wants you to believe, the plant itself has no additive quality's that span from its use.  That means that unlike opiates this plant can be used and stopped without any form of withdrawal from its use. Including long term use.

Now lets get into just how the Cannabis plant can benefit your health.

Cannabis uses include, analgesic-hyponotic, a topical anesthetic, anti asthmatic, antibiotic, anti epileptic, antispasmodic, antidepressant, and tranquilizer. Witch means you have a plant that alleviates pain pleasantly, can be used to numb the skin, treat asthmatic problems, kill bacteria, control seizures, spastic muscles, cures depression and helps you sleep.

With these benefits alone its a wonder the government doesn't want people to know of its uses.

The plant is also useful as an anti tussive, appetite stimulant, and anodyne for neuralgia, including migraines.

Witch means that you can also use this plant for the common cough, to increase your desire to eat, and is a very highly affective pain reliever for the nerves.

The plant also aids in psychotherapy and aids in the withdrawal from alcohol and opiates.

Would this be better than methadone?

Above all things the Cannabis plant is the number one treatment for any and all forms of nausea this includes nausea induced by medicine.
With all of the uses this plant has to offer why would it still be illegal?
The answer to that is money. The United States has built up this persona revolving around what new medicines we can push on the public for profit regardless of how many side effects they may have, with the idea that because they help with the main problem, the side effects are to just be dealt with. Cannabis grows freely from the ground and can not be manipulated by science.

The bottom line is that nature provides wonderful aids to our health and when they are kept in there natural form they treat the problems you are dealing with directly and usually without a side effect.

Lets get one thing strait, I do not wish that you go out and break the law to use this herb but I do not believe this herb in anyway causes danger to it's users and my goal is just to inform people of the truth behind what the law has misinformed regarding one of natures best.
With all that Cannabis can do for your health you can expect some side effects, they include happiness, munchies, and sleepiness but all of the above things that you would have treated pretty much explain what you will be expecting.
Before you completely ride Cannabis off as something that is bad, take the time to research the topic and try and find some solid evidence behind what the Unites States wants us to believe......I can tell you its very taboo.

Are Doctors Really Clueless?

I received an interesting piece of mail today, did you know they have yet another drug out on the market? This one is to assist people with sleep disorders, the "wake up" drug they call it. The worst part was that they give you a free trial with a card that allows you to go get some......

Should we be worried?

I got to reading about this medicine, and my favorite part of all medication they have on the market today is reading what they can do to you if you use them..... That's right the side effects.

So this new "wake up" pill is supposed to make you wake up or stay awake but not without the possibility of, skin rash, hives, sores in your mouth (ahhh that's a good one, we all want that), peeling skin (yum), swelling um mm all over, dark urine, and skin turning yellow. You can also deal with depression, anxiousness, hallucinations, aggressive behavior and other mental problems, heart problems, oh and trouble sleeping, just what we need, no sleep. What I can not seem to understand is why you would put yourself through so much just to help something that may just need a direct treatment.

Is staying awake worth so much? What if you could treat the problem and leave the mess? Would the doctors tell you how?

From my experience with the use of alternative medications, is that they are not met well, with the doctors of today, one recent event proved my point to this. I went to see a doctor not to long ago regarding pain that I could handle, but didn't know why it hurt and I was looking for an answer to that. They gave me all the usual tests and found nothing to be out of the ordinary, but the pain was still there, they could do nothing further but offer me pain med's. I told the doctor that I didn't need any of the medication, that I had stuff at home to help, the doctor asked me what I was going to use and I told him that I used natural things to assist my pain and told him I would be using Valerian. To my surprise the Doctor didn't know what that was and then tried to persuade me to get another form of pain reliever such as Tylenol. Only Tylenol isn't any better on the stomach and I like my body parts.

I do have some faith restored in the nursing communities, due to the new requirement for plant education, because the nurses were quite familiar with the herb I chose.

Regarding the new "Wake up" drug and Pain relievers in general I wanted to throw out some herbs that can be useful in place of the ones they want to make money off of, and have results directly related to pain and staying awake.

Regarding your "Wake up"

You can use five different herbs in the area of a body stimulant, to help you feel more awake and lively.

Cayenne Peppers:

  Act as a heart stimulant which regulates blood flow and strengthens the arteries. In tincture and capsules is how it may be administered. (use caution regarding people with ulcers)

Ginseng: 

Can stimulate bone marrow production, stimulate the immune system, inhibit tumor growth, balance blood sugar, stabilize blood pressure, and detoxify the liver, among many other tonic effects. You can use this in tea, tincture, and capsules.

 Guarana:

   Used to enhance athletic performances, also as a stimulant, and to reduce mental and physical fatigue. Can be taken in a tea, tincture, and in capsule form.

Gotu Kola:

 Good in helping to overcome stress, depression, fatigue and mental confusion. It can also be used to increase the development and maintenance of blood vessels, can be taken in a tea or a tincture.

Rosemary: 

 A relaxing beverage, helpful in treating depression, headaches, and muscle spasms, Is to be used in a tea, tincture, and also capsules.
~

Regarding alternative "Pain" medication.

Five things you can use instead of a narcotic medication.

Valerian: 

  An effective stress reducer, has benefits to nervous tension, depression, irritability, hysteria, panic, anxiety, fear, stomach cramping, delusions, exhaustion, and nervous sleeplessness. Eases muscle cramping, rheumatic pain, migraines, uterine cramps, intestinal colic, stress-related heart problems, and hypertension.  Has also been used to treat attention deficit disorders in children and adults, hyperactivity, and anxiety headaches.

Vervain: 

 Very effective as a nerve tonic, the herb is considered a relaxant and a sedative. It is also an effective anti-inflammatory.

Cramp Bark: 

 Reliving cramps, including muscle spasm's, cramps you would experience on your menstrual, and cramps during pregnancy. It has also been used as a kidney stimulant for urinary conditions that involve pain or spasms.

 Enchinacea: 

  Known to enhance the activity of the immune system, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects.

Skull cap:

   Powerful herb, used as an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, nervine sedative . Has a  treatment of a wide range of nervous conditions including epilepsy, insomnia, hysteria, anxiety, delirium tremens, including withdrawal from barbiturates and tranquilisers. This should not be given to pregnant women since it can induce a miscarriage. This has also been an affective treatment for ADD.

It never hurts to questions the ones who we have been programed to listen to, It is your body after all, and you know it best. 

Upcoming info....

Hello fellow readers, I have to apologize for my lack of posting my health has been keeping me a bit on the slower side. I do want to inform you all that I have been compiling and categorizing different herbs that I will be posting about over the next few weeks. They will include herbs that treat specific common problems that everyone deals with on a regular basses. I also plan to include how the herb should be prepared.

I have also started school and have made my main focus in biology to advance the knowledge i have with plant to continue to help those how are interested.

So lots to come form The Green Witches Corner and I hope you all enjoy the sight. Don't forget to leave your comments, I want to know what it is that you want to see!

Blessed Be

Herb Or Two For The Flu...

Hi every one! I'm happy to inform you all that my boyfriend is feeling much better and we have avoided the phenomena! These last few days I have been doing my research for those cold flu treatments and I thought I would share a few things I found out!!


Well with each herb there are qualities that either help it in a recipe or just should not be added. Today I am want to go over some herbs and what they work for. I happen to find so far nine different types of herbs that can be useful to use in tea to treat the flu.


Echinacea
Also known as a blood -purifier. This herb helps activate the immune system and can be used for bacterial and viral infections regarding the flu. Caution: do not use the root stock once it has lost its odor


Golden Seal
I may have already mentioned this herb uses but for conversation sake I will include them again.
This herb acts particularly on the mucous membranes, witch is very useful for regarding that stuffy nose! If you can not seam to get your hands on this you may use Turmeric Root and you can buy that at any store.
 Caution: Eating the fresh plant produces ulcerations and inflammation of mucous tissue.
So make sure to use powder or dried plant,


Garlic
Can be use for chest infections and also ear infections.
Only problem with using garlic is that you will inherit the smell along with the benefits, Garlic is usually used for digestion problems but can be useful to the flu.


Ginseng
Ginseng is a very versatile herb and can be used in different ways for different problems. For the flu ginseng helps to increase mental and physical efficiency, is especially valuable for fevers and inflammatory illness, coughs, colds, and various chest problems.


Hyssop
Hyssop is a wonderful herb that can be used for respiratory infections, the lungs, congestion, cough, and for hoarseness. It is also useful for nose and throat infections.
Caution: Do not use continuously for extended periods.


Licorice
Licorice is primarily used as a bronchial healer, useful for coughs, hoarseness, mucous congestion, and may help reduce fever.


Elder Berry
Makes for a very powerful immune system stimulant, induces sweat, is wonderful for the sinus congestion, reduces pain from swelling, and also helps promote waste removal.
Two cautions with Elder Berry:
 All parts of the fresh plant can cause poisoning and some children have been poisoned by sucking or chewing the bark.
Cook berries are safe and have been commonly used in pies and jams.

Mullein
Mullein is fantastic for coughs, hoarseness, bronchitis and whooping cough.
A tea of the flowers helps relive pain and induce sleep.

Slippery Elm
This is useful for sore throat, diarrhea, for an uneasy stomach, and also can be use to boost the immune system.

I wish you well in the rest of this winter season. When I finish up some of the treatments I will be posting up one for you to try at home.

~Blessed Be~



Update! Winter knocked.........

With winter finally kicking in down here in New Mexico, I have been setting my sights on developing a few different treatments for the flu. Ones that work for daytime use, ones good for when you have to work, of course night time, but I also want to develop one that covers pain along with the flu.

For a few months now, my boyfriend has been on bike to a from work. For some ridiculous reason or another he has been on this five am shift; they know it takes him a whole hour to bike there, but don't seam to care, needless to say he's a champ and hangs in.
So around a week ago his body started to give on him and he caught the flu. My challenge has been trying to create a workable aid without all the herbs I need in my written treatments. Then I noticed that the treatment I use for the flu, was only missing its sedative counter part, hence my daytime treatment, but I still have some tweaking to do.
So I tried what I made on my boyfriend using what I had and converting a thing or two; for lack of actual plant, I made him one and a half cups of the tea, one cup some time in the day and  half before bed. Today he is looking better and isn't using all my toilet paper! I plan to give him another cup tonight and with hope, tomorrow it's gone