It wasn’t just the stains, either, although those were bad enough.  After all these years, my gums had begun to recede and I was developing a serious case of gingivitis.

Of course, I wasn’t about to take the ‘normal’ route.  I don’t do fluoride.  I don’t do dentists.  I don’t do antibiotics.  That kind of limited my options, but I knew there had to be some natural alternative. I was getting desperate.  My teeth were becoming an embarrassment.   I had to do something… So, I started researching.  Turns out, I was right.

Let’s run through the most popular natural options ~ baking soda, strawberries, peroxide.  While I won’t say they don’t work, I will say they don’t work well.  Baking soda tastes pretty bad and it scratches the enamel of the teeth.  Strawberries work minimally well, providing you have enough strawberries and time.  Peroxide…yuck!

My advice?  Skip the ‘trendy’ and move on to something that really works.

Ever heard of ‘Oil Pulling’?  I hadn’t.  I’ll admit that I was skeptical, at first. My desperation outweighed my skepticism, though.  Here’s the theory behind it:

You gently pull oil through the teeth and move it around the mouth for 10-15 minutes, avoiding letting it reach the back of your throat.  You don’t gargle it or swish it.  When the proper oils are used, they will help pull toxins from the body, tones and tightens the gums, whitens the teeth and generally improves overall health. You don’t want to swallow this oil once you have pulled it through your teeth because it is then full of toxins.

How does it work?  Some oils ~ especially sesame oil~ are known for their ability to draw waste and toxins from the body.  The mouth is a direct line to the blood stream and the digestive system, capable of absorbing and releasing vitamins, minerals, waste and toxins.  When you pull the oil through the teeth and move it around the mouth, it mixes with saliva and activates the body functions that control the cleansing process.  As you move it between the teeth, it picks up the bits of food and bacteria that like to hide there.  The oils capture toxins and food particles, bacteria, germs and other nasties, allowing them to be eliminated from the system. It also deposits healing properties ~ vitamins and minerals, moisturizing and healing agents.

Okay, I know it sounds  a little hokey, but after working with many oils on a regular basis, I’m confident in their ability to do all the things they are reported to do.  And, knowing how the body works, I’m convinced that the mouth is a viable detox organ.  The confusion came when I was trying to decide which ingredients to add.

Some advocates of oil pulling insist that only sesame oil would work.  Some suggested olive oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil…the list went on.  Finally, I narrowed down my choices and here is what I came  up with…

Sesame oil was a must.  It is one of the few oils that I have seen work well for pulling toxins from the system.  I use it in many of my products because of this characteristic.  However, it doesn’t have much to offer in the way of whitening, which was one of my main concerns.

Coconut oil, which has been touted as a miracle cure for everything from heart disease to dry skin, seemed to be a good choice.  In my research I stumbled across another lesser-known use for coconut oil.  It helps whiten teeth by loosening plaque and actually descaling the surface of the teeth.

Sunflower oil is not an oil that I often use, but the more I study it, the more I like what it has to offer.  It is healing, soothing and seems quite capable of being able to draw toxins from the system.

So, I started mixing.  I considered adding herbs and essential oils that are known for their dental-health properties, but decided against it.  Those, I would save for my mouth wash and tooth polish.

It took me a few days to work up the nerve to actually use the oil pulling method.  I have this thing about texture.  I can’t do slimy, and I was a little bit afraid that the texture of the oils in my mouth would make me gag.  Again, desperation overrode hesitation.  I was pleasantly surprised!  It was thick at first, but not gross or slimy.  After the first few pulls, it became the texture of any other mouthwash. Now, I kind of like it!

But, the real question is: Does it work?

Well, I’m a believer!  I noticed a dramatic whitening effect within 3 uses.  The gingivitis was gone in less than a week.  That ugly brown plaque that accumulates on the back of the teeth and around the gums…it was almost gone after less than two weeks.  My gums have tightened back up and the receding gum line is doing a rapid reversal.  I think the most amazing thing, though, is that even my crowns, which they say can’t be bleached or whitened, are becoming whiter by the day!

The routine: Use the oil first thing in the morning, at least 30 minutes before you eat or drink anything.  I use it again at night before bed.  It took a few times to work up to using it for the full 10-15 minutes.  Don’t swallow the oil and keep it in the front of the mouth.  Spit, rinse and brush.  Its that simple.

After the first week, I began using a tooth polish that I whipped up.  I made it with coconut oil, cocoa butter, baking soda, peppermint oil and clove oil.  It tastes a bit like a Mounds candy bar, which is just fine with me.

I chose cocoa butter because of some interesting research that has been done on it.  It seems that cocoa butter has much to offer in the way of dental health.  It contains phenols, which  reduce the presence of free radicals that damage cells and prevent fat like substances in the blood stream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries.  It has immune-enhancing properties, and it lightly coats the teeth and helps fight off tooth decay by preventing bacteria from sticking to the teeth and gums, helping to prevent the formation of plaque.

Clove oil, aside from its history as a pain reliever, is also anti-fungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and germicidal.  It has been used for a very long time to treat dental issues and has proven highly effective.  Besides, it tastes good.

Peppermint oil is a traditional flavor for tooth-care products, also, and its healing properties are backed up by loads of research from both the medical and the natural communities.  Sure, it tastes good, but there is more to it than that.  It stimulates blood flow to the gums, which helps heal damaged tissues, tones, and tightens the gums.  It contains a host of vitamins and minerals that benefit the teeth and bones, its a natural pain reliever and it freshens the breath.

Baking soda gently scrubs the teeth.  Unfortunately, it can also scratch the surface enamel of the teeth, allowing them to stain more easily.  I believe that the coating action of the cocoa butter provides a certain amount of protection from this, though.

The only downside to the tooth polish is the consistency.  I actually like the consistency, but if you are used to a thick, bubbly toothpaste, this will be a bit off-putting.  It is more liquid-y and it doesn’t bubble or foam.  Surprisingly, it doesn’t leave the mouth feeling oily, either, which was another fear I had.  The butters and oils soak in rapidly and leave your whole mouth feeling…well…clean!

I guess this isn’t for everyone, but if you are serious about finding a more natural approach to dental health and you are feeling adventurous, this routine just might be what you are looking for. I’m thrilled with the results and, for the first time in a long time, my teeth aren’t an embarrassment. Its wonderful to smile again without wondering how awful my teeth look!

Blackberries Galore!

July is not really one of my favorite months.  I don’t enjoy extreme heat unless I intend to be in the river.  I don’t like the ticks, the flies, the mosquitoes.  I don’t enjoy high electric bills caused by the constant running of the AC.  However, I do enjoy the bountiful blackberry harvest that July brings to our farm.  We aren’t talking a couple of gallons.  We have far more blackberries than we will ever be able to harvest, but we greedily grab as many as we can before the short fruiting season is over and we are left with nothing but dried leaves and vicious thorns.

Unfortunately, blackberries are not known for their long shelf life, so we have to find creative (and tasty) ways to preserve them for the year ahead.  Here’s a few ideas and recipes that we have come up with to ensure we have some of their sweetness to sample in the coming months.

Freeze them ~

This one is simple.  Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and place a single layer of berries on it.  Keep them from touching so they don’t freeze together.  Pop them in the freezer for a couple of hours, then transfer them to an air-tight freezer bag.  They will keep for several months and can be added to pies, tea, syrup, pancakes, or (our personal favorite) they can be added to drinks in place of ice cubes.  They add a little bit of summertime to tea, water, coffee or any other beverage!

Make some jam or jelly~

Now, before you dismiss this as too difficult or time consuming, just read on.  I was a little scared of the whole canning process at first because it seemed so complicated and messy.  But, I weaseled in on some friends who were doing canning a few times and realized that, once you knew what you were doing, the whole thing was pretty simple.  Jam, especially, was quick and easy and completely worth the effort. Three ingredients and a pot is all you really need.

Ready?

Ingredients:

5 cups mashed berry pulp or juice (for seedless jam)

7 cups sugar

1 box pectin

(7) 8 oz canning jars

Mix the pulp/juice in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for 1 minute.  Add sugar and continue stirring until the mixture resumes boiling.  Allow to boil for 1 minute. Put a spoonful of your jam in the freezer and see if it has reached the desired consistency.  If it is too thin for your liking, boil it for another minute and test it again.  Don’t boil for more than a minute at a time as things can happen quickly at this point and you don’t want it too thick.  When you have reached the desired gel, skim off the foam and set it aside.  Carefully ladle into sanitized jars and cap.  Place in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool.

That’s it.  It really is that simple.

The only problem I ran into was that I couldn’t convince my water-bath canner to boil, so I had to grab a smaller pot with a tight-fitting lid to use instead.  It worked fine.  Just make sure you have at least 1″ of water over the top of the jars and don’t have the jars packed in too close. Keep them from touching and clinking together while they boil.

If you are looking for a jam with less sugar, you can buy low-sugar and no-sugar needed pectin anywhere they have canning supplies.  The process remains the same.

Oh, and remember that foam you skimmed off?  Don’t throw it out! It is still good.  It’s simply jelly with too many air bubbles, which gives it a funky texture that kids love.  My kids snatch spoonfuls and eat it plain, but that’s a little too sweet for me.  Instead, I use it mixed in with a bit of  (or in place of) syrup on pancakes or waffles.  It easily re-liquifies when warm.  I’m thinking of adding it to the Gooseberry Sour Cream Pie that everyone has been asking for, too.  I’ll let you know how that turns out.

I also intend to juice up enough to make several more batches of jam throughout the year.  Somehow, I just don’t think 7 jars is going to last too long around this place…

Cucumbers ~

Okay, I’ll admit it.  I don’t like cucumbers all that much. Every now and then I’ll wish for a nice, fresh cucumber, but it is usually in the middle of winter when I’m wishing for a nice, garden-fresh anything.  So, why then, did I plant so many cucumbers???  You can’t freeze them, you can’t dehydrate them.  That only leaves canning.  Fortunately, we really like pickles.

This was almost as easy as the blackberry jam.  So easy, in fact, that I now have 21 jars of pickles made and have enough cucumbers brining to make another 10 or 12 jars.  Told you we liked pickles.

We don’t do sweet pickles, though, so all I made was dill.  Here’s how I did it.

Ingredients:

cucumbers, zucchini, garlic, green tomatoes or any other veggie you want to throw in the mix. Slice, cube or leave whole.  I like to slice and cube mine.

Pickling spices ~ you can use the pre-mixed, fresh or make your own up.  We us fresh dill (2-4 immature sprigs), mustard seed (about 10 seeds per jar, peppercorns (2-5 per jar), and sometimes chili peppers (1/2 per jar)

Grape or oak leaves – this is optional, but adding a leaf to each jar will help your pickles retain crispness

Fill sanitized quart-sized jars, packing as tightly as possible.  Keep the jars warm so you don’t break them in the next step.

Boil the following together, stirring frequently:

4 Cups vinegar ~ apple cider or white with 5-6% acidity

4 1/2 Cups water

6 Tablespoons canning or kosher salt

Ladle carefully into jars, leaving 1/4″ from the top of the jar.  Run a popsicle stick or butter knife along inside of jar to remove any air pockets trapped between the veggies and jar.  Place lids and rings on jars and place jars in water-bath for 15 minutes.  Remove from bath and set aside to cool.  This will take 10-12 hours.  Make sure they seal properly and store in a cool place.  You can eat them after a week or two, but they will take up to 6 weeks to fully develop their flavor.

A recent experience has convinced me that the time has come, though.  You see, I saw the effects of some of these ‘herbal smoke blends’ that are being to sold to anyone who cares to buy them on a group of teenagers, and it has me so mad that I’m willing to overlook being labeled ‘trendy’.  Let me just say for the record…if you are smoking these ‘herbal incense’ in some misguided attempt to duplicate a marijuana high, you are a first class idiot.  Not just a little bit of an idiot, either.  A really big, monster-sized, moronic idiot. If you have convinced yourself that these ‘smoke blends’ are safe, you are an even bigger idiot.  In fact, you deserve  an ‘idiot of the decade’ award.  What one of the more well-known blends did to a couple of teenagers was sickening.  Projectile vomiting, severely decreased blood pressure, dangerously lowered heart rate and profound disorientation.  It was enough to make me consider doing some serious bodily harm to a group of unbelievably stupid teenagers!

Throughout history, many plants have been smoked.  Some to attain an altered state-of-mind, some for medicinal purposes, and some just to see if they did anything at all.  Some produced miraculous results.  Some resulted in death.  Some produced permanent brain or lung damage.   Whatever the outcome, the point is this…if you haven’t been trained in the use of plants, or at least studied up on them, you have no business smoking them, eating them or otherwise introducing them into your body.

All that being said, here is the truth…some herbs have very valid, useful properties when smoked.

For instance, mullein is an awesome smoking herb ~ but only for clearing the lungs.  Really.  It eases muscle spasms, and loosens congestion and phlegm, which really comes in handy when you have a lung infection, fluid on the lungs or have a persistent cough. Want to quit smoking?  Try a toke off a mullein joint!  Catnip is a mild sedative that helps relax the muscles and the mind, but you aren’t likely to get anywhere a marijuana high from it. Sage, oregano and mint can also be smoked, but without a valid medical issue, why bother?  No mind-blowing highs will ever be achieved from any of them.

Then you have your other category ~ herbs smoked for religious purposes.  While it might sound like a sorry excuse, there are many religions that have smoked herbs in ceremony to achieve an altered state of mind.  They have been doing it for millennium with some astounding effects.  Shamans, dream-walkers, priests….all of them have their means of communicating with the gods, and often they involve smoking or inhaling the smoke of plants.  So, theoretically yes, you can achieve an altered state of mind with many of them.  Profoundly so.  However, in most cases, the dose between ‘altered state of mind’ and ‘permanently brain damaged’ or ‘dead’ is minute.

Which takes us back to this ~ if you don’t know what the herb is, the Latin name for it, how it has been used historically and what its possible side effects are, don’t be taking it.  Not by inhalation, ingestion, injection or topical application.  Don’t know how to find all that info out?  I don’t really suggest the internet be your single source of valid info.  Go to the library.  Go to the book store.  Ask a trained Herbalist.

There is a single exception to this rule.  You knew it was coming, right?  All together, now….marijuana.  Hemp.  Reefer.  Ganja.

Hot topic, right?  Remember that trendy title I wanted to avoid.  Here’s were it comes in.  It is constantly in the news.  There are television shows about it.  It has been used throughout history.  Should we legalize it?  Shouldn’t we?  Should it only be legalized for medicinal use, and how do you control how people will use it? Is it even a viable medicinal source?

I think the most telling argument for that question is this…both the medical establishment and the government, while labeling it of no use medicinally, has gone to great lengths to make a synthetic version of it and many state governments have legalized it for medicinal use in patients with cancer, glaucoma,  MS and several other medical conditions.  They synthetic version is something of a joke.  Useless, really, but the question remains ~ why spend million of dollars creating a synthetic version if the real version is so useless?

As an Herbalist, I am regularly asked if I ever give, sell or use marijuana.  While driving around in my van, people see my business name and ask me if I have any pot for sale.  My answer is usually, “Yeah, sure!  I have a thriving business selling it out the side of my family van!”  I’m seriously considering carrying around several  bags of a primo catnip/oregano blend with a few drops of patchouli oil mixed in to sell to anyone stupid enough to ask me that.

Here is my official answer.  No, I neither give away or sell marijuana.  What do I think about the use of it?  I would rather see someone prescribed a large quantity of marijuana than a single anti-depressant, pain pill, aspirin, acetaminophen or vaccination.  I won’t go into a rant about the dangers of any chemically-created, synthetic medication on the market.  Instead, I’ll explain my opinion.

Marijuana has been used medicinally since, at least, 1200 b c.  Go back further and you will find they were using the plant for many other things, also.  Paper.  Clothing.  Rope.  Something with that kind of history has to have some basis in fact.  Humans adapt.  They learn.  After a few thousand years, they would have thrown this herb by the wayside if it didn’t have a significant medicinal value.

There are a million-and-one studies out there concerning the effects of marijuana, both long-term and short-term.  For every one that finds a negative effect, another is there to contradict it.   So, who do you believe?  I believe the one with the most valid research and non-prejudiced starting point.  Those are increasingly hard to come by, but they do exist.  This is one of the better ones out there.

So, after years of study, I am convinced that marijuana has no negative effects, either long or short term.  It has been shown in several studies to be both safe and effective for relieving pain, increasing appetite, easing tension, calming the system and can help prevent the development of some cancers and other diseases.  It does not produce long or short term lung troubles, cognitive issues or any other issue.  There is not a single drug available through the medical institution that can boast those statistics.

Furthermore, unlike many other drugs, both legal and illegal, there is not a single documented case in which marijuana was solely responsible for any act of violence, public disorder or other crime.  It was found to be ‘a contributing factor’ when paired with alcohol, cocaine, barbituates, and a whole host of other drugs, but never on its own.  It is not a drug that makes you feel ten feet tall and bullet proof.  It doesn’t make you want to run out and pick fights with the biggest guy in the bar.  It truth, you are far more likely to sit on the couch and munch on stale chips than you are to even consider leaving your house.

Do I believe it should be legalized?  Absolutely.  Do I condone the use of it?  Absolutely.  Do I think you should write your congressman and insist they vote in favor of legalization?  Absolutely.  Do I recommend running out and buying some?  Not in the state of Missouri, but if you live in, say…California…absolutely, but only with a valid prescription.

Now, back to where we started.  Safe smoking herbs are out there, but most people, even those creating these ‘safe, legal smoking blends’ don’t know which ones they are or how they should be smoked.  They may be legal, but they are far from safe.  Just say no.  And, should you see or hear of someone who is smoking one of those blends…slap them in the forehead for me.

So, this then, is the newest medical ‘trend’.  Frightening.  Even more frightening is that most doctors are telling their patients that there is no way to reverse the disease or the damage it has caused.  Instead, the best they can hope for is to control the pain with some prescription meds.  ‘Experts’ tell you that osteoporosis drugs are the answer.   Forget the dangerous side effects.

Degenerative bone disease is, for all intents and purposes, the same thing as osteoporosis.   This is caused from a lack of calcium, vitamin D and other bone-building vitamins and minerals.  Many people run to the health food store and stock up on some multi-vitamin that claims to have these ingredients in it, hoping to prevent this disease.  You all know what I think about vitamin pills, right?  This is not the answer.  It is difficult for the body to process vitamins and nutrients that are not organic.  Raw.  In their natural state.  In order to prevent this disease, you have to get these essential elements from your food, not from a pill.

But, that’s not where this blog post is going.  We were talking about Degenerative Bone Disease. So, here’s how it works ~  our bodies, when kept in good working order, are designed to heal themselves.  Skin, tissue, bone and blood will all repair and replenish themselves, returning to perfect working order even after the most severe damage.  We have already dealt with healing skin and tissue, so lets talk about healing bones.

Like most people, I had always assumed that bones, once broken, never truly healed.  Not back to the way they were before.  In fact, when I broke my wrist I remember the doctor putting on that awful cast and telling my mom how careful I would have to be because that would always be a weak spot in my bone.  Later, I learned that it was not the broken spot, itself, as much as the area just above and below the healed fracture that was the most vulnerable.  Either way, things would never be the same.

Then, I decided to go and become an herbalist.  In earning one of my herbalist certifications, I was introduced to the possibility that the bones are, in fact, capable of healing completely.  Just like they were before they were damaged.  With the proper treatment and healing methods, even a shattered, fragmented mess of bones could pull itself back together so you’d never even know it was harmed.  Did you notice the big, dark italicized letters?

The body, when it is deprived of the things it needs to function (things like calcium and vitamin D), will start to pull these things from it’s storehouse – the bones.  When that storehouse is depleted, the shell becomes brittle and fragile.  Bones may break more easily, or even break off a single chip at a time.

It is not just depriving the body of the things it needs that is the problem, though.  There are many other things that will cause the body to lose these essential elements faster.  They will actually pull them from the body.  Iodized salt, white sugar, caffeine and many prescription and OTC medicines are some of the worst culprits.

Coincidentally, it seems that in most cases of osteoporosis, or degenerative bone disease that I have heard about, bad diet  and a history of prescription meds are prevalent.  Without exception, when I asked about their eating habits many of them ate canned or boxed meals on a regular basis, were at least minimally overweight, and consumed high levels of meat, sugar and caffeine.

So, what to do to fix things?  Treat the osteoporosis like it is a broken bone.  Give it what it needs to repair and regenerate stronger bones.  Of course, this isn’t always an easy thing.  For some of us, switching to a raw food diet is just not an option.  However, switching to a partially-raw-food diet is.  That doesn’t mean to eat a rare steak, either.  I’m talking raw fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains.

Here are some of the best foods and herbs to help your body help itself to heal from broken bones or even degenerative bone disease:

Bananas, cantaloupe, eggplant, cucumber, peppers, strawberries, avocados, cabbage, green foods (broccoli, kale, spinach)

And, don’t forget these bone-building herbs:

parsley, horsetail, red clover, alfalfa, kelp, rose hips, dandelion

But, you still need some vitamin D.  Vitamin D is critical because it allows the body to absorb calcium.  Without it, there is little chance of reversing bone damage.  If you ask most people, they will tell you that your best source of Vitamin D comes from milk and other dairy products, or from one of those great-tasting cereals off the grocery store shelves enriched with Vitamin D.  They would be way off the mark.  In fact, there is very little evidence that dairy products help at all with vitamin D.  In fact, most modern research shows that dairy products hinder the system in many ways.  That’s a post for another day, though…

So, what to do?  Simple really.  Step outside.  You know how I’m always spouting off about fresh air and sunshine?   10-15 minutes of sunlight on the face and hands every other day will provide you with the proper amount of vitamin D, among many other benefits.

Here’s the surprise, though.  You would think that brittle bones mean you should stay away from exercise to avoid injury.  This isn’t the case, either.  Gentle exercises like yoga or tai chi will help strengthen not just the bones, but the entire body.  It will stimulate the organs of the body to work properly, which in turn will allow the body to heal itself.  It will help calm and focus the mind, which has been shown to speed the healing of the body.  Plus, it just makes you feel good!

Finally, de-stress your life.  Stress has been shown to promote health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, ulcers and other digestive disorders, depression and even with how the body absorbs and uses the vitamins and minerals it is given.  I know, sometimes that is much easier said than done, but  if your health is at stake then maybe now is the time to re-evaluate your life.  Decide what is truly important and let the rest fall to the wayside. Take time to watch a sunrise.  Take a drive in the country.  Spend a night with friends.  Laughter really is the best medicine.

I guess I should warn you that I have an advantage.  Not everyone is fortunate enough to have garden-fresh, heirloom veggies in January.  What difference does that make?  Flavor.   I’m sure this recipe will be almost as good with supermarket veggies, but if you have access to organic heirlooms you can go from good to phenomenal, too!

Like every meal I cook, we winged this one.  You can use as much or as little of each ingredient that you would like.  We went heavy on the veggies and shrimp, light on the pasta.

Ingredients:

Raw shrimp

Angel hair pasta

Olive oil

Chipotle powder

2-4 leaves each of fresh  basil and oregano

Salt

Pepper

1 Fresh lime

Raw, Fresh Veggies (we used broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots, red leaf lettuce, adzuku beans, wild onions, garlic, apple)

In skillet, lightly cook wild onion, garlic, basil, oregano, chipotle powder and shrimp in enough olive oil to lightly coat everything.  Sprinkle with lime juice.  Cook until shrimp turns pink (about 4 minutes per side, depending on size of shrimp used).

At the same time, cook angel hair pasta.  When done, drain and add to skillet with shrimp.  Cook for 4-6 minutes to allow pasta to absorb flavor.

Cut fresh veggies to desired size.

Combine everything and serve hot!

It really is that simple.  It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and is so incredibly good that you’ll find it hard to remember that it’s super nutritious, too!  If you like your citrus fruit as much as I do, sprinkle a little extra lime juice over the finished dish for an extra bit of flavor.

And, for dessert we made homemade lemon bars.  It was a perfect meal for our spur-of-the-moment girl’s night feast!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Don’t worry.  This won’t be your typical history lesson.  It will be long and drawn out.  It would be nearly impossible to pull this off using all the technical terms and citing hundreds of sources in one blog post.  However, I really have no intention of elaborating on historical information that everyone else already knows and has written a two-page article on.  At least, not too much.  No, this will be done like everything else in my world ~ with a certain amount of sarcasm and enough weird to make it almost unbelievable.  Yes, I might drift off-course and go into small (or not so small) rants here and there.  I’ll apologize ahead of time.  Sometimes, I just can’t seem to help myself.

Like now.  See, here’s what happened…

My husband was watching a show on tv and some lady was spouting off about the lack of research concerning herbal medicine.  It was one of many utterly ridiculous statements made by the medical community at large concerning herbs and their medicinal uses.

I should know better than to watch shows like that.  Really, I should.  To take my props, though…I didn’t get on here and start screaming about the idiocy and ignorance of some people.   I calmed down a little and decided to fight the oppression with a bit of humor and, hopefully, I’ll be passing on a little bit of information that just might come in handy.  So, here goes…

I’m pretty sure there is no faction out there that doubts the use of herbs as medicine since the beginning of recorded history. Early Mesopotamian drawings dating back approximately 5,000 years show the use of herbs as medicine, as do many ancient Chinese and Indian drawings that are, perhaps, even older.  These websites have some very interesting information.

Ancient Egyptian Herbs

Ancient Roman Medicine

That being a fact, why would anyone be so ignorant as to say there is no viable research available concerning herbs?  I mean, really, how long does one have to research a thing for it to be considered ‘thoroughly researched’?  Last time I checked, many prescription medications are being considered ‘extremely safe’ after only 3-5 years of research, but 5,000 years of research concerning herbs is irrelevant?  I don’t suppose expounding on this point will do any good.  You either get it or you don’t.

After all these years of being an outspoken advocate of natural healing and warning everyone who’ll listen of the dangers concerning Western Medicine, I’ve heard almost every misconception possible about herbs and other alternative healing methods.  Some of them are so far from the truth that I just giggle and go on. I always say, ‘you can’t fix stupid’.

Some, though, are just close enough to the truth to be believable.  I have always made it a point to verify any information I gather with at least three separate, reliable sources that corroborate each other.  I search journals, magazines, books and the internet for viewpoints from both sides.  I see the evidence-not the opinion- that each side quotes.  Then, I dig a little deeper.

What I have found over and over again is that the medical community has a bad habit of taking a perfectly good herb, breaking it down into pieces, then testing each of those pieces.  It then finds that the pieces don’t work, or are dangerous.  Here’s the thing.   They are right.  Totally and completely correct.  Let me give you an example.

Lobelia is an awesome herb.  Magical, really.  Many herbalists use lobelia to induce vomiting.  Take it right and you’ll be puking your guts up in no time.  Oddly enough, those same herbalists will also use lobelia to stop vomiting.  Take it right and the puking will stop in no time.

For hundreds of years,  lobelia has been used to treat many other common complaints including influenza, worms, venereal disease, to relieve aches and pains, to heal abscesses, sore throats, coughs, chest congestion, asthma, bronchitis…the list is long.  Did you catch the part where I said ‘for hundreds of years’?  That’s an important part.  Why would an entire race of people (Native Americans) continue to use something for hundreds of years, passing it on to their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, if it was neither safe nor effective?

But, should you ask a doctor or pharmacist about lobelia and their answer will be quick and firm.  It is very dangerous and it doesn’t work.  Why would they say this?  Why would they believe this?  Because it is what they were told.  They didn’t bother to research it for themselves.  They didn’t weigh out the evidence.  They didn’t try it.

Here’s the problem.  As best as the medical community can figure, the active ingredient in lobelia is lobeline.  Using this assumption, they found a way to extract the lobeline from the rest of the plant.  Then, they ran around injecting various amounts of this concentrated lobeline into various objects…cysts, tumors, animals.  Guess what they found?  Yep.  Lobeline didn’t cure cancer and it caused some serious problems.

What any simpleton with a lick of common sense could have told them was that you can’t break something apart and expect it to work properly.  Lobelia is effective because of all of the things in it.  The lobeline is only one small part and it needs all of it’s other parts to work the way it is supposed to.   Furthermore, the amount of lobeline they injected was ridiculous.  In fact, it would take four pounds of lobelia herb to equal enough lobeline to render it dangerous.  That’s a whole lot of lobelia and I don’t really recommend eating four pounds of anything at one sitting.  It could cause terrible indigestion!

Seriously, though, do you see the problem?   And, its not just lobelia they did this with.  Several other herbs have earned a nasty, dangerous reputation because of this type of faulty research.  Chaparral, ephedra, comfrey…they have all fallen victim to the lies.  The point here is that, when studying anything you should always look at the methods used, as well as the results.  Look at the other criteria, too.  Who were the test subjects?  What was their medical condition going in?  What was their diet?  How old were they?

Which leads to my next point.  No two people are the same.  What works for one might not work for another.  That is why it is so important to consult an experienced herbalist.  Some herbs should not be taken if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, liver or kidney troubles.  Some herbs are nearly ineffective unless used with other herbs.  Some herbs will increase, or decrease, the effectiveness of prescription drugs, including birth control.  Never, ever forget that herbs are medicine.

That being said, there are an astounding number of herbs that are exceptionally potent, capable of healing the body of such things as cancer, diabetes and staph infections, yet safe enough that they could be eaten in limitless quantities without causing anything more that a bloated stomach.  Here is where we draw on history to guide us.  We look at ancient drawings by such advanced people as the Egyptians, who relied heavily on herbs as a primary method of medicine.  We look to writings by such esteemed figures as Hippocrates, who believed absolutely in the power of herbal medicine.  We read their notes on what worked…and what didn’t.

After all of this, you might think that I’m convinced that herbs hold the power to heal mankind of every imaginable ill.  You would be right.  I’ll take my chances with herbal medicine over prescription medicines any day.   But, I don’t think that herbs alone will do the trick.  In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.  Illness doesn’t just happen.  We create it.  We eat the wrong things, we use chemical-laden products on our skin, we don’t exercise, we lead stress-filled lives and we never take the time to walk barefoot in the grass or commune with Mother Nature.

If you want to find true, lasting healing it’s about more than finding a magic pill.  It is about feeding our bodies the things it needs.  Lay off the sugar and sugar by-products.  The commercials are absolutely right.  Corn syrup is no more dangerous to our health than regular sugar.  Unfortunately, sugar is detrimental to our body, leaching calcium and water from our bones and tissues, then settling in places like our hips, thighs and intestines where it ferments and turns rancid and deadly.  Instead, choose live foods whenever you can.  Raw fruits and veggies, whole grains that are sprouted instead of cooked.  Raw seeds.

It is also about keeping our bodies fit.  Exercise is essential, whether it is a walk around the block or an hour of yoga, do something.  Dance, walk, jog, climb or the personal favorite of many ~ sex!  Anything that gets your heart rate up a bit and stretches muscles and tendons without damaging them is awesome.

Finally, water.  This is one of the few places that every healer can meet and agree.  Water is essential to optimal health.  Not just any water, though.  Distilled water is the first and best choice.  Why?  Because it is actually ‘empty’ water.  There is no fluoride, no minerals, no vitamins…nothing.  What that means for your body is that is capable of traveling through your system and picking up toxins and other undesirables from your bloodstream and, ultimately, from your body.  Studies have shown that distilled water is actually 30% more efficient at cleansing and hydrating the body than tap or well water.

Don’t be fooled by the ‘enriched water’ scam.  Yes, there probably are many vitamins and minerals in that expensive bottle of water.  The problem is, the body can’t process those vitamins and minerals, and they are worse than useless.  I could go into a long and detailed explanation here about why, but I won’t.  If you want to understand the ‘why’ of it, check out this easy-to-understand article.

At the root of this all is Nature.  It is nature that can provide us with the proper foods to keep our body healthy.  It provides us with medicine to fix the imbalances that we create.  It is also Nature that can renew and revive both our body and our spirit by simply spending time with her.  Plant a garden, take a walk, sit on the front porch and watch the sun go down or walk barefoot in the grass.  Take in the beauty and symmetry that can only be found in Nature.  Be happy.  Be healthy.

In my own defense, I have been terribly busy.  Honest!  See, we kinda uprooted our lives and headed for the hills.  Literally.

See, here’s what happened….

My front porch view

We got the chance to move back to the family farm and take care of my husband’s mom and, well…you can read all about that at my sister blog, Tranquil Haven Hollow, if you want that whole story.  Needless to say,  it was one of those golden opportunities that you only dream about, so we couldn’t pass it up, right?

Here’s the secret that I’ve been holding back when everyone asks me how things are coming along on the farm…I’m exhausted!  My body aches in places that I never even knew existed and my brain is so fried I’m feelin’  like a hippie the morning after Woodstock.  My hands are blistered, cut and raw, my shoulders and back are so knotted up I don’t think I’ll ever stand up straight again, and I have enough dirt under my fingernails to start a new garden.  So, there you have it.  There’s my big secret.  I’m a big ol’ whinin’ sissy.

So, when I woke up this morning and couldn’t roll my butt out of bed because I hurt so bad, I finally had to admit defeat.  I am no longer 20 years old.

Don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not giving up, but I did have to remind myself of something that is easy to forget…sometimes, we just have to stop for a day or two and recharge.  Sometimes, it is necessary to simply do nothing but exist.  Walk barefoot in the grass.   Lose yourself in making pictures out of the clouds.  Wrestle with the dogs.  Laugh with the kids.  Cuddle with the husband.  Sometimes, we just need to stop and remember why it is we push ourselves so hard every day.

Apparently, it did me some good.  I’m here writing this post, after all.   Of course, I don’t have any magic tips or tricks, no sales pitch.  I got nothin’, so I guess I’m just gonna share a bit of what’s going on here at Tamara’s Herbes in the hope that you will all forgive me for not posting as often over the next few months.

We have a hell of a start on our new business.  The greenhouse is up and running.  Check it out!

Awesome greenhouse, huh?

We are researching and playing with solar and wind power.  Too bad we haven’t figured it out quite yet…

We have a lovely little flock of chickens, we are raising worms…um…what else…?  Oh, we are turning a pole barn into a house!  I think that about covers it.

I have a few winter projects planned.  I’d like to finish up the afghan that I started last winter.   I really want to make myself some arm warmers.  I have a beautiful old wooden kitchen table to restore and a grandfather clock to put together.  If I don’t make a batch of soap soon I’m going to have a smelly family!

Whew, I’m exhausted again just thinking of that to-do list!  Anyone out there have some insane need to come and do some hard physical labor in exchange for a meal and a tent?  Yeah, I didn’t think so…

Truthfully, though, I’m looking forward to getting an early start tomorrow after my day of rest and relaxation.  I remember, now, why I’m doing all of this and I’ve found my motivation again.  I won’t stay away so long and I promise to come up with something brilliant for my next post.  In the meantime, if you really need to find me, look in the greenhouse or out in the field.  I’ll probably be there talking to the plants and playing in the dirt!

No…I’m not feeding my family dog food.  Well, not really…ok…kind of…

Let me explain.

I’m sure you figured out by now that I’m kind of a ‘natural’ freak, right?  So, it really shouldn’t be a surprise when you learn that I’ve applied that to my entire life ~ including my dog.  Living 2 miles from a dog food factory doesn’t help.  I gotta tell you, there is nothing more stomach-turning than walking outside on the days they are cooking their food and being greeted by the smell of…well, I don’t really know how to describe it.  Either way, I sure don’t wanna feed that to my dog.

So, what’s the alternative?  For me, it was  raw food diet.  I know the arguments against it.  Really.  I do.  I’ve read and heard them all.  After weighing all the evidence, though, I’m convinced it is the better option.

I’ll admit, I tried it on our cat.  She wanted no part of it.  I tried it on a couple strays that we took in.  They weren’t going for it either.

Then, we got Lucy.

Lucy

She’s adorable, right?  I know!  That was 6 months ago.  Notice, if you will, the sad, soulful eyes…the beautiful red coat…the fat little buddha belly…

The day we picked her up, she was 6 weeks old and living in 20′ x 15′ area with her mom, her dad, two other adult dogs and a two litters of other puppies.  You could smell them from the driveway and we couldn’t get back to her without stepping in multiple, immense piles of dog crap. She was the one on the bottom of the pile of puppies that were all attempting to eat from one metal trash can lid.  She was the smallest and she kept getting shoved aside by the others.  She would whimper and dive back in.  It was sickening and heartbreaking.  And when she spotted us and looked up at us with those big brown eyes, it was all over.

The drive home was a nightmare.  She stunk to high heaven and she must have puked on my car mat 5 times.  My shoe, she got twice.

Then, we got her home and set her down in the yard.  Her first poop revealed a massive amount of worms and her little body just shook on her wobbly legs.

Okay, I know what most of you are thinking.  ‘You took her straight to the vet or you got her some dog wormer, right?’

You do realize that’s like asking if I took my kids to the doctor to get their vaccines updated, don’t you?

Instead, the little light bulb over my head sprang to life.  Here was an animal that just might accept the raw food diet.  Of course, I didn’t have any on hand, nor did I have the stuff necessary to make it.  So, I settled for an all natural dog food until I could make it to the grocery store.  In the mean time, I studied up on the best foods to incorporate, the necessary herbs to get rid of the worms, and the supplements I’d need include to meet all of her needs.

The first few days, we just kept her on the commercial dog food.  Call me lazy, but it was made with ingredients I could accept and she seemed to like it.  The herbs, we started immediately.  We used diatomaceous earth, psyllium, clove, anise, juniper berries, wormwood, turmeric, alfalfa, kelp, pumpkin seeds, parsley, thyme, cayenne and slippery elm.  Within hours, she was eliminating tangles of worms like I can’t even explain.  It was easily one of the grossest things I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I should also insert here that, if you have not been trained in the proper usage of herbs, don’t run out and buy these and try mixing them yourself.  If you don’t know the correct proportions and proper dosage, you are going to cause your dog more problems than you are going to fix.

After about a week, she was down to only a couple of worms a day being eliminated and within 2 weeks, the worms seemed to have disappeared completely.  I wiped the sweat from my brow and turned my attention back to the raw food diet.  While the commercial food was alright, I noticed that she was still having belly issues.  Loose stool, terrible gas and constant growling/gurgling sounds in her stomach.  A bit of research revealed that this was a common problem with coonhounds.  Adding rice to their food was the recommended course of action.

It was time.  I gathered my list and headed to the grocery store.  This was my list:

Sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, eggplant, carrots, celery, squash, zuchinni, garlic, peppers (green, red and yellow), apples, grapes, cauliflower, asparagus, oranges, chicken, fish, lamb, brown rice, brown eggs (we only use free-range, grass fed)

The true beauty of my plan was that, with the exception of the kale and mustard greens, these would have been on my list anyway.  The downside, this was gonna cost a bit more than a bag of dog food.  However, it was going to be a lot cheaper than a vet visit and treatment.

When I got home, I set to work preparing my first batch of raw dog food (aka BARF.  Yes, really.  Go ahead…google it!)  I had to take into account a couple of things when starting this process.  1)a  dog’s digestive system doesn’t break down fruits and veggies like a humans.  This means that you need to make the individual pieces as small as possible so the food gets broken down and absorbable before it gets eliminated from the system  2) Dogs need more protein than humans, as well as raw  bones and flesh.  Cooked food is as harmful to animals as it is to humans.  Don’t believe me?  Let me know the next time you see an animal cooking its dinner.

So, I started cutting.  And I kept cutting.  And cutting.  Two hours.  I’m totally not exaggerating.  After two hours, I had a very large bowl of salad ready for my dog.  Almost.

My next task was to cut up a chicken.  I got an antibiotic and steroid free, free range, grass fed chicken, including the internal organs and neck bone for $6.50.  It was thick and tender and raised locally.  Bonus!  I broke the chicken up into pieces and cut the meat into bite-size chunks, then mixed it in with the salad.

Next came the brown rice, garlic and eggs (The entire egg.)  We ground up some sunflower and  pumpkin seeds with the egg shell and added that.   Someone suggested wheat germ oil, aloe vera juice and olive oil.  Since these are common items in our house, we added those.  We poured in some honey and added the herb blend.

Then, we were finished.  I put some in a gallon bucket and stuck it in the fridge.  I filled a couple of gallon freezer bags and stuck them in the freezer.

And, I filled a bowl for Lucy.  She never flinched.  In fact, she inhaled her first bowl and tried to mug us for the rest of it.  She hasn’t stopped eating since then.  My dog will take you down for a bite of your salad.

Now, fortunately for me, this was just a few days before Yule.  Let me tell you how that works around our house.  It’s December 23 and suddenly we all realize that we only have one day of shopping left and we have gotten nobody anything at all.  So, we all take turns trying to sneak off and get the best ever present possible.  It seems to work for us.  Usually.

I’ll admit to this ~ I’m a sucker for a handy kitchen gadget.  It doesn’t matter if I’ll ever use it or not.  It really doesn’t even matter that I don’t truly know what it is for or how to use it.  I still want it.  If you really wanna bring me to my knees, put a new food processor or juicer in front of me.

That’s what my family did for me this Yule.  I got a new food processor, a new blender and a new juicer.  Jackpot!  If you could only imagine what a happy girl I was!

My juicer cut my dog-food making time way down. What took me nearly 3 hours to make the first time, now takes about 30-45 minutes and I have enough food to last her about 2 weeks.   I just throw everything but the meat in the juicer.  It shreds up the fruits and veggies and separates the juice from the pulp.  After I run it all through the blender, I mix it all back together.  This way, the pieces are all super-small, so her system digests them much more efficiently.  She is still getting all of the vitamins and other nutrients her body needs, plus the fiber from all of the shredded plant foods.  I make up larger batches of the herb blend and just add some to the food.  I put in  a bit of distilled water and apple cider vinegar.

The downside, like I mentioned earlier, was the cost.  I’m the first to tell you that, in order to be sure your dog is getting everything they need, it requires a large assortment of foods. If you choose this route, you can expect to spend $20-$25 per week  on food/herbs/other ingredients if you have a small-medium-sized dog.  That’s if you shop carefully.  For medium-large dogs, add an extra $10-$15 to that.

I have found that the extra cost is well worth it.  This is Lucy now.

Lucy 7 months old

As you can see, she’s growing up beautifully.  At just over 7 months old, she is already 24″ tall (at the shoulders) and weighs just over 35 lbs.  Wikipedia states “Males should be 22-27 inches (56-68.5 cm) at the shoulder, with females slightly shorter at 21-26 inches (53–66 cm). Weight should be proportional to the size and bone structure of the individual dogs, with a preference towards leaner working dogs rather than heavier dogs. Generally, weights will range from 45 to 70 lbs (20.5 to 31.75 kg).”

She looks a bit skinny most of the time, but she is by no means malnourished.  She has broken 2 leashes in the last month.  Her newest game is to pull my teenage daughter down the street on her bike.  It is second only to playing ‘follow the nose’.  It is a chore to take her for a walk because her nose tends to lead her astray and before you know it, there you are being drug down the road by this skinny red bag of bones.  Oh, the indignity!  I don’t wear skirts on our walks anymore.

The point of that was, obviously, this is working for us.  I have recently adjusted her herbal supplement blend.  We kept her on the original blend for 6 months to be sure the worms were completely gone.  Now, we’ve taken out some of the original herbs and replace them to  include some herbs that promote bone and joint growth, as we learned that this type of dog is prone to hip and joint dysplasia later in life.

Just for giggles, I guess I should post this, also.  The vitamins and minerals that a dog needs to attain maximum health are these:

Vitamin A, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, D, E, K, Folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, selenium, iodine

Let’s compare that to what Lucy’s diet includes:

Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E, K, folate, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, amino acids, chlorophyll, folic acid, iodine, chlorine.

That’s just in the spinach.  Do I think we should just feed our dog spinach and leave it at that.  If you really think that, please stop reading and back away from your monitor.

You should definitely check out some of the links I’m including.  This is by no means something you should undertake without studying for yourself both sides of the issue.   Learn about the specific needs of your breed of dog.  Learn what their common ailments are later in life.  Seriously consider the cost and effort required.

A last word, then I’ll end this eternally long post.  In the past few months I’ve had the opportunity to see this diet work near miracles. A family member owns a Blue Heeler who is 12-13 years old.  She has always enjoyed doing what Blue Heelers do…herd livestock.  Unfortunately, this means she’s taken a few horse-kicks in her time.  She developed severe arthritis that made it difficult for her to get up/down and to move around, which contributed to her becoming overweight.  A tumor developed near her front leg that was about the size of a baseball and her eyes were cloudy with cataracts and red. She was barely able to see and she was almost totally deaf.

She started on this diet and within 2 weeks, she had lost a noticeable amount of weight, she was getting up and down far more easily, the tumor shrank to approximately half the size and her eyes were becoming clearer.  Within a month, her eyes were clear, the tumor was about the size of a golf ball, her hearing was improving, she had lost nearly 10 lbs and she was playing with other dogs.  It was truly an unbelievable thing.  Had I not seen it for myself I wouldn’t have believed it.  Fortunately, the owners kept a video diary and a journal of the experience.

Here’s some great links to check out:

http://workingdogs.com/vcbarf.htm

http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

http://www.seefido.com/html/your_pet_and_barf_diets.htm

One more last thing…you all know I’m not a vet.  I’m not trying to tell you to run out and start your dog on this diet.  I’m not here to debate the topic.  I’ve already made up my mind.  I’m not telling you that most of the common ailments found in dogs will improve, nor am I telling you that your dog may live a longer healthier life.  That would be almost like giving advice and I can’t give you advice on your dog’s health and/or nutrition.  I’m just a simple herbalist.

Okay, I’m shuttin’ up now.

]]> http://tamarasherbes.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/is-that-our-food-or-the-dogs/feed/ 2 tamarasherbes Lucy Lucy http://tamarasherbes.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/our-scarlet-fever-adventure/ http://tamarasherbes.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/our-scarlet-fever-adventure/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:20:01 +0000 tamarasherbes http://tamarasherbes.wordpress.com/?p=184 ]]> “Are they gonna have to burn her clothes and body when she dies?”

“Oh. My. God.  Are you serious?”

“This is because you didn’t get her vaccinations, isn’t it?”

“If your an herbalist that knows what they are doing, how did your daughter get something like that?”

“I think it’s criminal that you aren’t taking your daughter straight to the hospital!  You should be arrested!”

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Yes, people really said those things to me.  I swear.  And, that was just from my family.

See, here’s what happened.

My youngest daughter is very prone to sore throats and she used to get an annual case of strep throat.  We know this.  We’ve known this for years.  So, you would think that we would just prevent it from happening, right?

Well, for several years, we did.  Things were running along quite nicely.  Then, I made the mistake of loosening the apron strings.  The result was three teenage children who don’t take the preventative measures they should.  Go figure.

Don’t blame me!  Every December, I make up a fresh batch of Immune Boost Extract and a bottle of Immune Boost capsules.  I keep a jar of raw, locally-produced honey and a fruit bowl full of lemons on my counter.   Our neti pot sits in the bathroom cabinet, right next to a small vial that holds a mixture of golden seal and sea salt.  I have instructions with everything and I’ve shown each of my children how to mix everything up.

Now, I know, trusting my children to actually do it may, at first glance, seem like a moronic thing to do.  After all, they are teenagers.  Honestly, though, we’ve been doing this for eons! I’ve seen them do it.  I know they know how.  What I underestimated was their actual desire to do it.

So, when strep-throat season rolled around in January, there all of those preventative measures sat, looking lovely on my shelf, untouched.  And, when my daughter came and said her throat hurt, I looked at those bottles and jars.  Then, I looked at my daughter and sighed as I pulled out the penlight and shone it on the lovely mass of white blisters coating her tonsils and tongue.

Now, as a rule, strep throat will usually run its course and disappear on its own.  There is no debating that, as far as I am aware.  However, doctors still hand you a prescription a for an antibiotic and tell you just ride it out.  We’ve been on that merry-go-round.  In fact, we were on it so long we started to get motion sickness.

So, we started treating it naturally.

Extra doses of immune-strengthening tonics several times a day,   limited diet to exclude anything dairy (I’ll explain that one in a minute) or white-flour based.  We don’t try to fight the fever.

After about 24 hours, as expected, her fever broke, her symptoms lessened and she was tolerating the recovery process pretty well.  After 72 hours, she was feeling great.  We kept her home from school all week, just to be sure.

I, feeling rather proud of myself, put the ordeal behind us and moved on the next item on my to-do list.

Imagine my surprise when, just a few weeks later, my daughter comes to me again and says that her throat is hurting and she isn’t feeling so well…

Sure enough, the blisters are back.  The fever is back.  Plus, she has this really weird red patch on her knee that hurts. I didn’t really think much about it, seeing as how my daughters are kinda like me…allergic to everything, and I was far more concerned with the reappearance of the strep throat.

Craptastic in a gift box!  Back to square one.  She took a shot of the Immune elixer concoction and went to bed.

The next morning, I awoke to her shrieks of horror.  She had spots.  Lots of spots.  They were all over her side and legs.  A quick bit of research  and a few phone calls and I was reasonably certain of what was going on.

My daughter had Scarlet Fever.

I’m gonna admit this, but I might deny it if you ask me later…I thought about taking my daughter to the emergency room.  I know, right?

But, I remained calm.  I asked a few medical professionals that I know what would happen if I took her in as far as treatment.   The unanimous answer was 1) internal antibiotics 2)external antibiotic cream.  Scarlet Fever, like strep throat, will disappear on it’s own in about a week.  The spots may hang out for a bit longer, and the resultant peeling may last up to a few weeks.  Also, expect a little scarring.

Hmmm.

So, I had a decision to make.  Do I take the information I’ve spent half my life gathering and put it to the test again, or do I take my daughter to the ER?   Well, of course you know what I chose.  Otherwise, what would be the point of this whole long, drawn-out story?

You know on those tv shows where they tell you this is being done by a professional and not to try this at home?  Well, you’ve reached that point in the program.  I’ve been studying herbs and their many uses for a very long time, but  I am not a doctor.  I can’t diagnose, treat or advise you on how to deal with any illnesses or diseases.  I don’t recommend doing this without the advice of a licensed medical professional.

What I did was to set my daughter down and explain to her what was going on.  I told her what I believed she had and what she could expect to happen.  I relayed to her all of the information I had gathered, including what the medical community had told me.  I gave her all of her options.

Lest you think this was irresponsible of me, let me explain.  My youngest daughter is fourteen.  She, like all of my children, has spent her entire life immersed in this lifestyle that I have chosen.  They know why I feel the way I do about Western Medicine, and they know why I have such a strong faith in Alternative Medicine.  They think that sometimes I go overboard with the whole ‘natural’ thing ~ you know, like making my own shampoo and soap ~ but they understand it, too.  They ask questions.  We have real, intelligent discussions.  They know the statistics.

Now that they have reached an age where they are able to rationalize and problem-solve with less help from me, I feel that they deserve to be able to have a say in any decisions that will personally affect them, including their choice of health care.

This situation was no exception.  My daughter considered all of the alternatives and took an hour or so to sort through them.  She decided that she wanted to treat it naturally if possible, but she reserved the right to change her mind.  Smart kid, huh?

Then, we laid out a plan.

Heavy use of the Immune-Boost/lemon/honey.

A blend of herbs to help cleanse her body thoroughly while providing it with some of the vitamins and minerals it would need to heal quickly.

Her diet was restricted to nothing but raw or lightly steamed veggies, distilled water, herbal tea,  fresh fruit juice and whole grain rice.  The purpose of this was two-fold.  Processed foods, dairy and meat are known to cause a mucus build-up in the body.  Bacteria and other nasties love this mucus and they entrench themselves in it, where they grow and multiply.  Group A streptococcus bacteria, which is the bacteria that causes both strep throat and Scarlet Fever, has been closely associated with the use of dairy products.  Plus, the fresh fruits and veggies would ensure that she was still receiving plenty of the nutrients her body would need to heal quickly, and they would help to cleanse her system of any toxins that had accumulated in her digestive tract.

She took a bath 3 times per day using a blend of salt, herbs and oils that are known to help detoxify the body.   This was followed by a vinegar/distilled water rinse to remove all the toxins from the skin.  The added benefit was that the oils and herbs helped to protect the skin from the damage caused by the toxins being released.

Three tablespoons per day of our Herbal Honey Soothing Syrup with a pinch of cayenne and three garlic cloves.

It was an aggressive approach and she knew that things could get worse before they got better, but we were ready.

By the end of the first day her fever had reached 104*.  I admit to being nervous, but I knew that the fever was fighting off the bacteria, so I didn’t fight it.  I know the common school of thought is that we want to bring a fever down, but natural medicine dictates otherwise in most circumstances.  The fever is simply evidence that the body is working exactly the way it is supposed to.  The heat generated by the body kills the invading bacteria and causes the body to perspire, thereby pushing out the dead, toxic waste through the skin.  This is a completely natural, healthy response.  This fever lasted for about 16 hours

She was mildly itchy, but she said it wasn’t unbearable or painful.  When it got to be too much, she would head back to the tub.  Over the next 24 hours, the rash got continually worse, eventually covering her from head to toe.  Literally.

We were expecting the rash to turn dry and scaly, since that is what we had been told and what we had read that we should expect.  It never happened.  We kept expecting her skin to start peeling, but that never happened, either.

Instead, on the morning of the third day, she woke to find the rash was fading.  Rather than peeling off, it was simply fading away.  It left her skin looking a little strange…something like a sunburn after it’s peeled.  Like this:

I took a deep sigh of relief.  Whatever we were doing was working!  She didn’t itch at all anymore, the blisters on her tonsils and tongue were shrinking and disappearing, there was no fever and she was feeling great.

With the worst past, I got to wondering why she had developed such a nasty thing in the first place.  After all, she had been taking the Immune extract.

Yeah.  Sure she had.  That’s another story.

I was concerned that she would grow lazy with our plan now that she was healing up, though.  To my eternal pride, she didn’t.  She stuck to it faithfully for the entire week that we had originally planned.  By then, the rash was completely gone.  There is nothing left behind to let anyone ever know that it had been there in there in the first place.

So, all this to say that, no, scarlet fever would not have been prevented if I’d gotten my kids their vaccinations.  Not unless they have come out with some type of vaccination against strep throat that I’m not aware.  We didn’t have to burn either her clothes or her body to prevent infecting other unsuspecting folk and yes, even a wise herbalist like myself still comes down with the common cold, flu, or even strep throat.  So do my kids.  As for me being a criminal and needing to be arrested, well…

That’s another story.

Today, I cut all of my prices.  We aren’t talking a few cents here and there.  I’ve cut them big.  Some of them by half.

You gotta be asking yourself why I would do that, right?  Did I change my formulas?  Did I invest in cheaper ingredients?  Did I pull the old, ‘shrink the size when noone’s looking’ trick?

The answer to all of those questions is, no.  My products are still made with the exact same ingredients they always have been.  Same suppliers and everything.  The sizes available are still the same.

As for the ‘why’? The short answer is, ‘because I can’.  The long answer is…well…long.  You ready?

It all starts way back in1995.  I told you it was gonna be a long story.  Do you wanna go grab a drink for this?

Okay, so that was when my medical problems began.  I was a child of the ’70′s with parents who firmly believed the medical system and all the hype about the miracles of modern medicine.  The result, for me, was a long string of medical problems.  Too many antibiotics, cough syrups, OTC meds, etc. had wreaked havoc on my body.  My immune system was crap.  I had migraines, ovarian cysts, painful periods, bronchial asthma and I was overweight.  I don’t mean 5 or 10 pounds.

Eventually, my medical problems became so severe that I went to the doctor.  They did blood work, ultrasounds, biopsies, CT scans…you know the drill, don’t you?  They found nothing.  So, they sent me to the first of seven ‘specialists’.  Now, when I say specialists you have to understand.  I was in St. Louis, Missouri.  Some of the leading hospitals, medical colleges and doctors  in the nation practice there.  When I say they sent me to the ‘specialists’, I mean ‘specialists’.  Still, they couldn’t find a single thing that could be causing the problems that I was having.

I can’t remember now what it was that caused me to try something ‘natural’.  An article in a magazine?  A story on the still-new world wide web?  A comment made in passing?  I guess it doesn’t matter.  Either way, it led me on a quest.  I suppose I just thought that if modern medicine couldn’t help, maybe the old stuff could.  After all, women had existed for thousands of years without synthetic drugs, right?

I found what I was looking for.  A handful of herbs took care of the symptoms that no pill prescribed had been able to touch.

That was the beginning.   Over the next 8 or 10 years, while I learned, I straddled the world of Western Medicine and Natural Medicine.  I was struggling to find a balance.  In my ignorance, I allowed my daughter to have her tonsils and adenoids removed and I had a partial hysterectomy.  I still want to cry just thinking about it.  I allowed them to remove functioning body parts because I didn’t have the knowledge I needed to fix them myself.  Hindsight’s 20/20, right?

I continued to study, experiment and learn.  I bought a gazillion books on herbs…ancient herbs, chinese herbs, siberian herbs, western herbs…and I dug through magazines and internet articles.  I attended lectures. I studied nutritional research, old wives tales, herbs, body systems and their mechanics… I recruited guineau pigs…er…friends to try out my concoctions.  Some worked.  Some were disasters.  Some were just plain worthless.

So, I took the ones that worked and tweaked them until they were perfect.  They worked just the way I dreamed, they were safe for every skin type, they never recieved a negative or neutral report.

Let’s jump ahead to 2006. Eleven years of experience was under my belt.  I had a full cabinet of salves, teas, extracts, syrups…you name it.  I was spending a small fortune to keep myself and my close friends and family stocked up on products that I had created.  My husband had had enough.  He issued me the ultimatum.  Quit giving away my stuff for free or quit making it.

Yeah, I was a little tweaked.  I don’t do well with ultimatums.  But, even I had to admit the validity of his thinking.

Hence, Tamara’s Herbes was born.  I had a name.  I had a plan.  I had a mission, dammit!

My mission was this:  to create all natural products that made a difference and didn’t cost a fortune. To make sure that everyone had easy, clear access to the information that I had spent more than a decade gathering.  I wanted people to know that they had options.

Creating the products was easy.  It was the ‘cost’  and ‘sharing the info’ things that had me stumped.  Let me tell you from experience, natural ingredients are not cheap.  Organic ingredients are even more not cheap.  All natural products made with organic ingredients were just downright expensive.  And, even if I could accomplish producing a low-cost, highly effective product, how do I go about getting it out there?

I found Etsy.  Then, I found out how easy it was to make my own website.  The rest is history.

Now, for anyone that knows me, I’m a great big push-over.  I can’t stand to see someone sick or hurting.  So, of course, every time someone came to my door with some kind of problem, I was still secretly handing them a tin of this or a tube of that.  While my husband wasn’t looking, of course.

All of that to say this; This business has never been about the money for me.  This thing that I have nurtured and loved for so long has always been about something more.  This is my passion.  This is my gift. If I cannot share my gift, then do I really deserve to have it?

The answer is, absolutely not.

The reality is, I can’t afford to share it for free.

The other part of that reality is this; An online presence has it’s benefits, but it has several drawbacks, too.  If I price my items too low, John Q. Public thinks they are inferior and passes over them for the more expensive product.  If I price them too high, John Q. Public passes over them for the cheaper product.  It’s quite baffling actually, so I simply allowed my prices to dangle somewhere in the middle and hoped for the best.

Maybe it is the horrible economy.  Maybe it’s this whole health care mess our country is in.  Maybe it’s just that inner part of me remembering why I started this whole thing in the first place.  Whatever it is, it prodded me to make some changes.

I’ve lowered all of my prices because I can.  Yes, I’ve cut into my profit, but I am still making a bit of a profit.  Nothing is free, right?  I’ve remembered that I am doing this because I want to be able to hear someone say, “Hey, that product was amazing!  It totally fixed my problem!”  I guess that would make it about egotism?

Yes, I know that some of my competitor’s will be angry that I’ve lowered my prices and think I’m trying to cut their throat.  Yes, I know that many people will think I’m putting out a lower-quality product.  Yes, I know that I’ll never get rich doing it this way.

That’s all okay with me, though, because I also know that I’m doing what feels right.

So, to all of my regular customers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity to share my knowledge with you.  To all of my prospective customers, I can’t wait to work with you.   For all of those who are just reading along with no intention of ever buying a single product that I make, I hope you find some bit of information that helps you live a longer, healthier, happier life.