HERB COMPANION SERIES
GUIDE TO
TURMERIC
& SUPER HERBS
MORE
ON
TURMERIC, GARLIC AND OTHER
GOOD-FOR-YOU HERBS
S
S
IN
SI
DE
:
TASTY
SOUP
RECIPES
PAGE 72
PLUS:
RE B O O T Y OU R H EALTH WITH HUN D R E D S O F T IP S• Read the Research and Eat More Garlic
• Use Natural Sources to Sweeten Food
• Add Chives, Dandelions & Chamomile
• Grow a Stress-Relieving Tea Garden
• Learn More About Aromatherapy
Undergraduate and graduate degrees that
serve the mind and spirit.
Naturopathic Medicine
Acupuncture
Nutrition
Psychology
Herbal Sciences
Midwifery
Certificate in Permaculture
MIND
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maculture
bastyr.edu/Gardening
Turmeric is the most
Turmeric is the most
important herb in the
medicine chest. “It’s safe
medicine chest. “It’s safe
and considered a panacea,
and considered a panacea,
one that’s helpful for most
one that’s helpful for most
any condition and for all
constitutions.“
LANCE ROEHRIG, “THE WONDERS OF TURMERIC,” PAGE 52
9
ON THE COVER ON THE COVER More on Garlic More on Garlic 5858 Natural Sweeteners Natural Sweeteners 7676 All About Chives All About Chives 8484 Grow a Tea Garden Grow a Tea Garden 9191 Learn Aromatherapy Learn Aromatherapy 1717 Know Your Essential Oils Know Your Essential Oils 2020 Cover Image: Ben Pieper Cover Image: Ben PieperHerb Basics
HERBALISTS’ FAVORITE HERBS 6
We asked some of our favorite herbal-ists to name their favorite herbs.
4 BULK HERB COMPANIES YOU CAN TRUST 9
For high-quality bulk herbs pro-duced in sustainable ways, turn to these responsible and conscien-tious companies.
HOUSEHOLD USES
FOR CHAMOMILE 13
Known for its sturdy reputation as an herbal remedy, chamomile has a multitude of unique uses.
HOUSEHOLD USES FOR WITCH HAZEL 15
Discover why humble witch hazel should be your go-to remedy for first aid and skin ailments.
Health & Beauty
ALL ABOUT AROMATHERAPY 17Learn about the scientifically backed health benefits possible through the ancient art of employing the scents of nature.
HOW TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS 20
Improve the health and happiness of your home with these two safe and effective methods to use essential oils.
FLORAL THERAPY 22
Beautiful and healing flowers offer a bouquet of benefits to our skin and our psyches.
THE NATURALLY
AROMATIC HOME 24
Check out these natural blends—with options for any mood and personal-ity—to freshen your living spaces with-out toxic chemicals.
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84
Kitchen Garden
EASIEST MEDICINAL HERBS TO GROW 78
These multipurpose, easy-to-grow healing herbs belong in every gardener’s medicine cabinet for their range of benefits.
GROWING, HARVESTING & USING CHIVES 84
Discover the many healthy ways to use this attractive, easy-to-grow, cancer-fight-ing perennial.
GROW, HARVEST & USE DANDELIONS 86
Dandelion is much more than just a weed. The tasty plant offers potent natural medicine, too.
STRESSREDUCING TEA GARDEN 88
Grow herbs at home that are perfect for deli-cious, relaxing and health-boosting tea blends.
TEA TIME 91
These five flavorful ingredients are stand-outs not just for taste, but for their many well-documented health benefits
65 BOTANICAL REMEDIES 94
Use this handy chart as a jumping-off point for inexpensive, gentle herbal
health solutions.
HERBAL HAIR CARE 101 26
Supplement your basic hair care with these five beautifying herbs to condi-tion, soothe and brighten your locks.
ESSENTIAL SALVES FOR
EVERY HOUSEHOLD 29
These multipurpose salves are easy to make and an effective way to treat all sorts of ailments—from burns to ecze-ma, fungus to bruises, splinters to cuts.
Herbal Remedies
YOUR NATURAL DRUG STORE 34
Try these herbal alternatives to the most commonly purchased over-the-counter drugs for relieving common ailments
19 WAYS TO PREVENT AND TREAT COLDS & FLU 38
Stay well this winter with these proven strategies for fending off and bouncing back from colds and flu.
MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR DISEASE 42
Strengthen the body to fight against disease before it even has a chance to grab hold.
HOW TO MANAGE
OCCASIONAL ANXIETY 44
Anxiety is a familiar sensation for most of us. Turn to these herbs and habits to keep calm.
SWEET, SWEET DREAMS 46
If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, these habits, herbs and nutrients can help you claim a better night’s rest.
7 HERBS THAT REDUCE
INFLAMMATION 50
Tackle chronic inflammation, which may play a major role in the development of many dis-eases, with anti-inflammatory herbs.
Herbs to Know
THE WONDERS OF TURMERIC 52
This ancient panacea shines under the lens of modern research. Studies have con-firmed its ability to ward off brain disease, cancer, digestive disorders and much more
GLORIOUS GARLIC 58
Long considered one of the world’s healthi-est foods, garlic has given us many reasons to love, eat, grow and even worship it.
Food & Recipes
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE 64
Try these 10 lesser-known spices to add new flavors and medicinal properties to your food.
HEALING SOUPS 72
Enhance wellness and ward off disease with these tasty and nutritious soup recipes.
NATURALLY SWEET 76
Many natural alternatives can satisfy your sweet tooth without wreaking havoc on your health.
WIN FREE STUFF
We’re always giving away prize packages. Check our website frequently for your chance to win one of our exciting giveaways.
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READER BLOGS
Take part in our online conversation by becoming a guest blogger. We are proud to offer blogs written by our readers from across North America, ranging in topics from growing an organic garden to leading a healthy lifestyle. Email us at webeditor@ motherearthliving.com to join the fun.
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Join our Editorial Advisory Group to vote on covers, upcoming story ideas and more. It’s fun, free, easy and tremendously valuable to us.
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THE ORIGINAL GUIDE TO LIVING WISELY ®
Guide to Turmeric & Super Herbs ■ Winter 2016
This special issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS was created by the editors of Mother
Earth Living, which provides reliable, in-depth information on creating a healthy
home and lifestyle—from yard to table, and everything in between. Throughout this issue, we direct you to motherearthliving.com for great web content.
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| FAN FAVORITE |“Just as it’s important to care about the quality of
foods that go into our bodies, so too is it important
to care about the products we put on our skin.
Soap, one of the most ubiquitous body-care
products, rids our skin of daily grime, makeup,
dead skin cells and oxidized sebum. Yet, whether
in the form of a body wash, foaming cleanser
or bar, many soaps on the market are filled with
harsh detergents that can damage our skin.”
—Gina DeBacker, motherearthliving.com/simple-homemade-soaps
THE HERB DATABASE
Do you want to learn more about a spe-cific herb? Visit the Mother Earth Living Herb Database to browse alphabetic list-ings of popular medicinal herbs. moth-erearthliving.com/herb-database
DIY HERBAL STEAM
To combat nasal congestion, turn to this simple, tried-and-true herbal remedy. Herbal steams open up stuffy nasal sinuses without relying on potentially toxic camphor. motherearthliving.com/ diy-herbal-steam
PLANTS TO BALANCE
BLOOD SUGAR
It’s beneficial for us all to keep blood sugar levels stable, and type 2 diabetics can particularly benefit by incorporating these plants into their gardens and kitch-ens. motherearthliving.com/plants-to-balance-blood-sugar
| JOIN US ONLINE |
Dawn Combs
AN ETHNOBOTANIST, educator
and Mother Earth Living contributor, Combs’ experiences supporting her own health and that of her family have led to the practical education she provides online at heallocal. com; in her classes at Mockingbird Meadows (mockingbirdmeadows. com); and through her nationally recognized product line of botan-ical supplements. She believes everyone can take charge of their health by reclaiming the knowledge of our ancestors, using mod-ern medicine wisely and connecting with the natural world. She is the author of Conceiving Healthy Babies and Heal Local, available at motherearthliving.com/store.
✽ASHWAGNDHA FOR IMMUNITY: Ashwagndha (Withania
somnifera) is my favorite herb for anyone who needs a stronger
immune system. Common plants such as ginger and garlic are there for us when we’re sick, but with an adaptogen like ashwa-gandha we can build our health and reduce the negative effects of stress to the point that we need intervention less.
✽USAGE: The root of this tropical plant
from the tomato family (Solanaceae) can be decocted for a tea, tinctured, or used in capsule form by anyone who is not pregnant or hyperthyroid.
Chris Kilham
MEDICINE HUNTER Chris Kilham is
a TV personality and author who has conducted medicinal plant research in more than 40 countries, helping popu-larize medicinal plants globally through media. He is the author of 15 books, including The Ayahuasca Test Pilots
Handbook and the best-selling yoga
book The Five Tibetans. Visit his website at medicinehunter.com.
✽SCHISANDRA FOR MENTAL CLARITY: The
beautiful berry of schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) boasts millennia of traditional uses for counteracting the aging process, for increasing energy, for fighting fatigue and as a sexual tonic. It’s
consid-ered one of the most highly protective of all medicinal plants. Schisandra offers special benefits for the mind. Several human studies show schisandra extract improves mental
concentration, coordination and endurance. Schisandra helps prevent mental fatigue and can increase accuracy and
quality of work. In various human clinical studies with doc-tors, students, soldiers and other groups, schisandra demon-strated superior mind-sharpening powers.
✽USAGE: Consider two capsules daily, or try a ¼ teaspoon of
concentrated schisandra powder in water or juice.
WE ASKED SOME OF OUR FAVORITE herbalists to name their favorite medicinal herbs. The result is a list of five herbs that can come in handy in any medicine cabinet. In fact, many of these herbal stars can be taken on a long-term basis to support our overall health.
LEFT : CARSON C OMBS ; RIGHT : JEFF SKEIRIK
Herbalists’ Favorite Herbs
Discover outstanding herbs for a range of health concerns with these expert recommendations.
K.P. Khalsa
KARTA PURKH SINGH KHALSA,
a nationally registered herbalist and certified Ayurvedic practitioner, has been practicing herbalism for 45 years. Khalsa is a state-credentialed dietitian-nutritionist, president emer-itus of the American Herbalists Guild, director for the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, and a teacher at Bastyr University and National College of Natural Medicine.
✽ GOTU KOLA FOR VITALITY: This
unassuming member of the parsley family, often called brahmi, is a treasure chest of benefits for tissue healing and mental functioning. Used as food (in salads, sauces and drinks) and as medicine in high-dose tea, gotu kola (Centella
asiat-ica) is recommended in all three of
the world’s major traditional herbal systems. It fortifies nerve tissue and memory, and heals skin and joints.
✽USAGE: For acute use, such as
in the case of clinically diagnosed cognitive decline, nerve injury or a connective tissue condition, brew 60 grams gotu kola as tea. Enjoy a beverage-strength cup of tea daily for long-term health.
Rosemary Gladstar
A STAR FIGURE in the field of modern
herbalism, Rosemary Gladstar is interna-tionally renowned for her technical knowl-edge and stewardship in the herbalist community. She has been learning, teach-ing and writteach-ing about herbs for more than 40 years and is the author of 11 books. Gladstar co-founded Traditional Medicinals Wellness Teas; founded The California School of Herbal Studies; is the Founding President of United Plant Savers; and is the director of the International Herb Symposium and The New England Women’s
Herbal Conference. She lives and works from Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center and Botanical Sanctuary. Visit her website at sagemountain.com.
✽ RHODIOLA FOR STRESS: If I had to
choose one herb for long-term stress, it would the fabulous adaptogen rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea). This beautiful little suc-culent helps us adapt to the stresses of our full and busy lives. Not an evening tea, rhodiola is better in the morning as it provides energy for the day.
✽ USAGE: To take as a tea, blend 1 part
rhodiola with ½ part cinnamon and ½
part ginger. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of the mix per cup, simmering lightly for 15 mintues. Drink 1 to 2 cups in the morn-ing. To take rhodiola in tincture form, put ½ teaspoon tincture in ¼ cup warm water with a bit of lemon or lime. Note: Wild rhodiola grown in remote areas such as Siberia has been overharvested. I’m delighted to see more U.S.-grown organic rhodiola sources available now.
Aviva
Romm
FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES,
Aviva Romm has bridged traditional medicine with good science. A midwife, herbalist and Yale-trained M.D., Romm is also Board Certified in Family Medicine with Obstetrics, as well as a graduate of Dr. Andrew Weil’s Integrative Medicine Residency through the University of Arizona. Her focus is on women’s and children’s health, with an emphasis on the impact of stress on health, food cravings, weight, chronic disease and hormone imbalance. Romm is one of the nation’s leaders in the field of botani-cal medicine and is the author of seven books, including the textbook Botanical
Medicine for Women’s Health. ✽ TURMERIC FOR ARTHRITIS:
Curcumin—an active anti-inflammatory constituent in the traditional food season-ing turmeric (Curcuma longa)—is almost always included in my prescriptions to my patients struggling with arthritis (both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis). The anti-inflammatory effects, as well as support for systemic detoxification in those with rheumatoid arthritis, are an important part of treatment.
✽ USAGE: I typically recommend 1,000
mg one to two times a day. It’s safe for most people to take daily and for an extended time. I love to combine it with ginger, an anti-inflammatory that has been shown to be as effective as NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen for pain— a factor in both types of arthritis. For ginger, I suggest 250 to 500 mg one to two times daily in capsules.
Identify the right type of natural health-care provider for your wellness goals with our expert help, from herbalists and nutritionists to homeopaths and acupuncturists. Visit motherearthliving.com/natural-health-care-provider to read more.
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C OUR TESY FRONTIER C OOP
Frontier Co-op
Norway, Iowa frontiercoop.com (800) 669-3275 facebook.com/frontiercoopFounded in 1976, Frontier Co-op is headquartered on 56 acres just outside Norway, Iowa, where its 145,000-square-foot facility houses its bulk herbs, seasonings and spices. Owned by its 40,000 active co-op member-owners, Frontier Co-op offers a full line of natural and organic products, including bulk herbs and spices in addition to culinary spices, organic aromatherapy products and much more. The company’s goal is to provide its customers with the high-est quality organic and natural prod-ucts while also supporting
and promoting social and environ-mental responsibility.
✽ INGREDIENT SOURCING & QUALITY
Frontier was one of the first suppli-ers to actively advocate organic prod-ucts and agriculture, carrying its first organic products in 1978 and becom-ing the first herb and spice manufac-turer in the U.S. with certified organic processing. Frontier Co-op also offers farmers fair prices, dealing directly with growers whenever possible. Frontier’s comprehensive sustainable sourcing program, Well Earth, pro-motes the sustainable production of natural and organic products and cre-ates partnerships built upon a mutual respect for quality botanicals and sound social and environmental prin-ciples. The Well Earth program is built on the sourcing expertise Frontier Co-op has gained in more than three
4 Bulk Herb Companies You Can Trust
These responsible, conscientious companies offer bulk herbs produced in sustainable ways.
Choose them for high-quality herbs to make your own health-supporting remedies.
MANY OF US LIKE to take our health into our own hands and create our own herbal remedies—tinctures, teas, salves and oils. Of course, growing our own herbs is the absolute best way to get the freshest possible ingredients. But there are many reasons we might not be able to supply all of our own medicinal herbs, and that’s when we turn to bulk herb suppliers. When it comes to mak-ing medicinal products, though, it’s more important than ever that the herbs we source are high-quality, grown organically and harvested and handled by experts who know how to best maximize and retain the plants’ medicinal qualities.
The following Editors’ Picks are some of our very favorite suppliers of high-quality herbs grown, processed and distributed in conscientious ways. They all showcase a dedication to superior quality, whether growing their own herbs or developing long-standing relationships with trusted small farmers. In addition, these companies make it obvious that they value the people who work for them through innovative corporate policies. And they value their customers, too, answering every question promptly via phone, email or Facebook.
Frontier Co-op CEO Tony Bedard visits a Madagascar vanilla grower.
decades of experience buying botanicals and meeting personally with growers all over the world. Frontier says, “The Well Earth program is good for our suppliers, their communities, the environment, our co-op and our customers.” Through this program, Frontier helps bring more organic, sustainable and ethically sourced products to the natural foods market, giving consumers the opportu-nity to use purchases to influence the way the world does business.
✽ RESPONSIBILITY
Frontier Co-op is committed to sustainability in the storage, process-ing, packaging and shipping of its products. Its operations practice water conservation; offset 100 percent of power use with renewable energy cred-its; recycle as much waste as possible; and offset the carbon generated from shipping. Frontier Co-op’s mission is “Nourish people and the planet. Always be fair.” To this end, Frontier Co-op donates 4 percent of its pre-tax sales to support sustainability and community development programs, and to promote organic agriculture research, education and practices in communities across the globe—this standard ranks Frontier among the top companies in the nation for yearly social giving as a percent of sales. Some of Frontier Co-op’s many causes include the Frontier Co-op Foundation, which supports social, educational and environmental causes; the Simply Organic 1% Fund, which supports organic agriculture through research, education and grower devel-opment; and the Aura Cacia Positive Change Project, which supports orga-nizations that empower women to transform their lives. Through the Well Earth program, Frontier helps improve the communities where its farmers and growers live. In one recent example, Well Earth worked with its partners to bring expanded dental care services to 41 co-ops of farmers in the mountains around Coban, Guatemala, serving nearly 25,000 people.
Pacific Botanicals
Grants Pass, Oregon pacificbotanicals.com (541) 479-7777
Pacific Botanicals is dedicated to empowering people everywhere to experience the miracle of good health. For more than 37 years, Pacific Botanicals has been growing cer-tified organic medicinal herbs. Pacific Botanicals’ farm in Oregon’s Applegate Valley employs organic growing meth-ods and beyond, saving seed from its own plants suited to the microclimate where they grow, feeding the soil with organic nutrients, and harvesting herbs at the peak of health. For those herbs the company does not grow on its farm, it turns to its network of worldwide cer-tified organic farms and suppliers who understand its stringent quality require-ments. Pacific Botanicals has become a leader in organic medicinal herb production through a passionate and uncompromising dedication to quality.
✽ INGREDIENT SOURCING & QUALITY
As leaders in the field of provid-ing herbal alternatives to conventional pharmaceutical medicines, Pacific Botanicals believes it must start with the finest chemical-free ingredients possible. The company views its farm, people and processes not as a factory but rather as a living whole system. Recognizing that organic produc-tion integrates social, biological and mechanical practices that foster cycling
of resources, promote ecological bal-ance and conserve biodiversity, the Pacific Botanicals farm has many inter-woven components—from the seeds to the soil, from the climate to the work-ers. Each piece of the farming process contributes to making something greater than the sum of its parts.
✽ RESPONSIBILITY
Pacific Botanicals is a good stew-ard of the earth. Sustainability is the foundation of organic agriculture, and at Pacific Botanicals that means cooperating with the natural renew-ing and sustainrenew-ing power of the earth. The company works to build up its soil and protect its watershed. Its rigorous recycle/reuse program includes every-thing from recycling the bags in which herbs are received and composting earth-friendly paper towels to purchas-ing and adaptpurchas-ing used equipment for farming and reusing cardboard boxes to ship out orders. The farm also has a 27 kW solar-electric system that sup-plies about 35 percent of the total elec-tricity used to power its dryers, pumps, processing equipment and the owner’s personal residence.
Oregon’s
Wild Harvest
Redmond, Oregon oregonswildharvest.com (800) 316-6869 facebook.com/oregons wildharvest Founded in 1994 by a husband-and-wife team, Oregon’s Wild Harvest is a whole plant herbal supplement company headquartered in Redmond, Oregon. In harmony with its team of more than 40 farmers, scientists and quality assurance experts, Oregon’s Wild Harvest is dedicated to nurturing good, healthy soil and clean water and saving and replanting its non-GMO seeds on its three farms strategically located in distinct growing zones. With the well-being and care of its customersBO T T OM LEFT : C OUR TESY OREGON ’S WILD HAR VEST ; T O P RIGHT : C OUR TESY MOUNT AIN ROSE HERBS ; OPPOSITE : C OUR TESY P A CIFIC BO TANICALS
at heart, the company is committed to growing and procuring only the very highest-quality fresh, whole herbs, which are tested for optimum potency and prepared in small batches.
✽ INGREDIENT SOURCING & QUALITY
Oregon’s Wild Harvest offers 80 varieties of dried herbs and spices in whole, cut and sifted, and freshly milled powdered form. The company’s extensive assortment of bulk herbs is the same pre-mium plant material that goes into all of its finished herbal products sold in natu-ral foods stores around the country and online. All of its bulk herbs go through the same rigorous, in-house quality testing process as its bottled products to verify identity, purity and potency. Oregon’s Wild Harvest grows many herbs on its certified organic and biodynamic farms. The company also sources from a community of trusted suppliers. Each bulk pouch has a lot number and date for identification and traceability. Herbs are stored in a temperature-controlled room, out of direct light and in whole form, prior to processing. Each bulk bag is hand-filled to ensure the herbs remain in whole form as much as possible to minimize essential oil loss.
Oregon’s Wild Harvest’s hands-on, closed-loop approach gives the company maximum control over the identity, quality, potency and safety of all of its ingredients and the process itself every step of the way.
✽ RESPONSIBILITY
Oregon’s Wild Harvest says running an organic herb company requires land, energy, family, farmers, scientists, great partners and a lot of passion. Through its daily practices and operational decisions, the company is dedicated to minimizing its impact on the planet.
The responsibility starts with the company’s farms, which are dedicated to 100 percent non-GMO organic seed-saving and use Demeter Certified Biodynamic farming practices. The farms are also certified USDA Organic by Oregon Tilth and certified by Salmon-Safe, a nonprofit working to keep urban and agricultural watersheds clean enough for native salmon.
More than 10 percent of the farm habitat is dedicated to pollinators. The company sources plants it doesn’t grow from growers and wildcrafters with the same standards employed on the farm. The company also operates a resource-conscious production facility, purchasing carbon offsets via Clean Wind Green Tag, amounting to the equivalent of planting more than 5,400 trees each year. The office and manufacturing plant use 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper and recycle 100 percent of all plas-tic, glass, cardboard and paper.
Mountain
Rose Herbs
Eugene, Oregon mountainroseherbs.com (800) 879-3337 facebook.com/ mountainroseherbsMountain Rose Herbs offers a wide selection of organic and fair-trade certi-fied herbs, spices and seasoning blends. All products are fresh and potent thanks to the company’s dedication to support-ing suppliers who use skillful growsupport-ing, harvesting and drying practices.
✽ INGREDIENT SOURCING & QUALITY
Since 1987, Mountain Rose Herbs has been growing and offering high-quality
certified organic herbs, teas and spices. Herbalist-owned and operated, the staff at Mountain Rose understands the importance of sourcing the most vibrant plants harvested at peak potency, dried and processed with expert care for mak-ing teas, tinctures, salves, infused oils and other medicinal preparations. The company has built long-standing rela-tionships with family farms in the Pacific Northwest, Appalachia and abroad to grow fair trade, organic crops that help sustain agricultural livelihoods around the world. The company has an on-site Quality Control laboratory to analyze plant identity, test for macroscopic and microbial contaminants, and screen for heavy metals.
✽ RESPONSIBILITY
Not only is Mountain Rose a zero-waste company, Fair Trade Certified, solar-powered and the founder of a river restoration project, it supports medicinal plant conservation. The company’s mis-sion to preserve wild places and promote organic agriculture led to a partnership with the nonprofit United Plant Savers in support of the Forest Grown Program. This initiative fosters cultivation of native medicinal woodland crops in Appalachia, using third-party verification and organic certification to guarantee forest prod-ucts most at risk of poaching are grown and harvested in a sustainable and legal manner. The company is committed to its community and sponsors more than 30 educational events focused on herbal medicine and sustainable living, as well as 35 environmental nonprofit organiza-tions each year.
© 2 0 1 6 T h e M e t a l W a r e C o r p o r a t i o n • Tw o R i v e r s , W I 5 4 2 4 1
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LUMINOUS LOCKS: Rich in anti-oxidant, cleansing and moisturizing properties, chamomile does wonders for conditioning hair and soothing an itchy, irritated scalp. It can also be used to lighten hair color. Make a chamomile rinse by steeping ¼ cup fresh or dried flowers in 2 cups of boiling water, then strain. Wash hair normally, then pour rinse over clean hair in the shower; do not rinse.2
NATURAL FIRST AID: Becausechamomile is an anti-inflammatory, it works as a gentle, natural treatment for arthritis, sprains and swellings. It works internally taken as a tea, or externally in a poultice made from freshly cut, crushed and blanched flowers. Chamomile oil, made from pressing fresh flowers with an oil or citrus press, soothes skin irritations, scrapes and rashes. To make an all-purpose salve with chamomile oil, blend the oil with melted beeswax and a drop or two of peppermint or spear-mint essential oil.
3
EASE EYES: The sensitive skinaround our eyes is prone to puffiness from lack of sleep, seasonal allergies and many other factors. Fortunately, chamomile is a great remedy. To soothe puffy eyes, make a compress by pour-ing 2 cups of boilpour-ing water over 1 tablespoon each of dried chamomile and dried elder flowers. Steep until the mixture is cool, then strain. Chill the liquid in the fridge. When needed, soak two clean cotton pads in the herbal solution, and place over closed eyelids for 10 minutes.
4
SKIN CARE: Chamomile’santiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties are the basis for many soothing and refreshing natural skin-care treatments. To ease the sting of sunburn, mix ½ cup fresh chamomile flowers with 1 cup boiling water. Pour the water over the flowers, allowing it to steep for at least one hour. Strain out chamomile and pour the liquid into a clean spray bottle. Spray it on clean skin, or apply with a cotton pad.
5
CHAMOMILE IN THE KITCHEN:Chamomile’s delicate flavor is perfect for desserts. Use our recipe to include it in homemade marshmallows: mother earthliving.com/chamomile-vanilla-marshmallows. Or try roasted apricots with chamomile from the blog Nordljus at motherearthliving.com/roasted-apricots-with-chamomile.
6
PREGNANCY AID: To relievemorn-ing sickness, herbalist, doctor and midwife Aviva Romm recommends chamomile tea sweetened with honey. Note, however, that chamomile is a mild emmenagogue, and should only be taken during pregnancy with the approval of a medical professional. The herb can also be used in a balm for stretched bellies. Get the recipe: moth-erearthliving.com/whipped-belly-butter.
7
BEYOND THE TEAPOTChamomile may be most commonly used in tea, but it’s great in other drinks, too. For an herbal smoothie, blend dried German chamomile flowers with nut milk, apple, cantaloupe and yogurt. Or try mixing up a tasty herbal liqueur with white wine, chamomile and orange zest. Get the recipe: motherearthliving.com/ chamomile-flower-wine.
Chamomile’s sturdy reputation as an herbal remedy is centuries old. Commonly used as a tea for aiding sleep, stomach upset, or cold and fever relief, this calming herb is useful in a multitude of areas, from medicinal to culinary to beauty. The two most common varieties of chamomile are German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and Roman or English chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). Most remedies and recipes can use either variety, though German chamomile is more readily available.
8
ULCER RELIEF: Chamomile works double-duty ontreating stomach ulcers. As a soothing herb, it helps relieve stress and induce calm. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help speed the healing process and fight ulcer-causing H. pylori bacteria. For maximum effective-ness, drink four cups of chamomile tea a day.
T O P RIGHT : SARAH GOLDSCHMID T
8 Household Uses
for Chamomile
11
CLEAR YOUR COMPLEXION:Witch hazel’s astringent properties make it a great natural treatment for acne. Treat blemishes with a cotton pad soaked in witch hazel extract. The witch hazel will remove dirt and oil without drying skin.
2
DIY DEODORANT: Use witch hazel as an alternative to commercially pro-duced deodorant. For a basic deodor-ant, pour witch hazel extract onto a cotton pad and dab under arms, letting it dry before you get dressed. For a scented solution, mix 3 tablespoons vodka with a blend of essential oils (try 6 drops lavender, 8 drops cypress and 4 drops neroli) in a spray bottle and shake. Add 1⁄2 cup witch hazel and 1⁄4cup rosewater; use daily.
3
TREAT TROUBLESOME SKIN:In Germany, witch hazel is a main-stream psoriasis treatment, and research proves its effects. Apply witch hazel cream to relieve this troublesome skin condition, as well as eczema and dermatitis. Note: Be sure to check with your health-care provider before altering any psoriasis treatment you may be on.
4
TERRIFIC TONER: The tannins in witch hazel help it tone skin and tighten pores, leaving skin cooled and refreshed, and killing breakout-causing bacteria. To make a toner, combine equal parts distilled water and witch hazel, along with a few drops of naturally antimicrobial tea tree oil.5
DON’T FEEL THE BURN:Treat blisters from a minor burn by applying a gauze pad soaked in witch hazel extract, then covering the area with an adhesive bandage.
6
HEAL MINOR CUTS: Also known as “nature’s Neosporin,” witch hazel is a natural antibacterial that will help treat minor wounds. To disinfect and heal cuts, scrapes and abrasions, apply witch hazel extract directly to the affected area with a cotton pad or washcloth.7
LIGHTEN UP: The sensitive skin around our eyes is prone to swelling and inflammation from lack of sleep, stress or a host of other factors. To treat puffy eyes and dark under-eye circles, lay cotton balls doused in witch hazel on your eyes and relax for 15 minutes. Witch hazel is one of the world’s wonder plants—its skin-healing uses have beenwell-known for centuries. A natural astringent, witch hazel owes its medicinal properties to the tannins in its leaves and bark, which help treat skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis, as well as minor cuts and scrapes. Witch hazel extract is used in many lotions, ointments and other skin treatments. It can also be used alone.
When shopping for witch hazel, look for the plant’s bark or leaves in either powdered or full-leaf form. It’s also available as a clear liquid distillate in drugstores. To make your own witch hazel extract, put a pound of broken witch hazel leaves, twigs and stems into a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for about eight hours, until the stems become soft, covering the mulch with more water as needed. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then strain the liquid through a cheesecloth into a bottle or jar, and keep it in the fridge.
8
ELIMINATE INSECT BITES: To relieve itching and swelling from bug bites, simply apply a cotton pad soaked in the extract to the affected area.8 Household Uses for Witch Hazel
Discover why humble witch hazel should be your go-to remedy for first aid and skin ailments.
You deserve to know exactly what’s in your supplements. That’s why we developed MeetYourHerbs®, the industry’s first and only herbal traceability platform.
At Gaia Herbs, we trace each herb from seed to shelf and share the results online. Every product has a unique batch ID so you can see the proof for yourself. From providing pesticide testing to herbal potency, we take a step beyond transparency to deliver you the highest quality products. We invite you to take control of your own wellbeing & experience the Gaia difference.
Do you know where
your herbs come from?
Learn about the
scientifically backed
health benefits possible
through the ancient
art of employing the
scents of nature.
B Y A R T H U R O. T U C K E R
SMELL IS OUR MOST PRIMITIVE SENSE, directly affecting the limbic system, the section of our brains involved with sex, motivation and emotion. According to propo-nents of aromatherapy, we can harness this connection by using scents we find calm-ing, pleasing or uplifting. Yet mainstream physicians in North America debate the health benefits touted in the field of aromatherapy, largely citing a lack of rigorous, scientific study for the claims of aromatherapy, which are drawn mainly from anec-dotal case studies and folklore.
However, good research on aromatherapy has been published, primarily in Germany and Japan. It probes the effects, on both mind and body, of inhaling essen-tial oils or applying diluted forms of them to the skin. The research shows that, indeed, there is something to the practice of healing through aromatherapy.
The Science of Scent
Before describing some of the most intriguing studies (all of which involve human use of various aromatherapies, unless otherwise noted), a word of caution is in order: Plants vary. People vary. And any living organism will react according to both genetics and environmental factors. It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that some people have strong reactions to some essential oils, while others have no reaction at all, and that sensitivities can vary over time. Also, just because an oil is natu-ral doesn’t guarantee that it’s safe— imagine the consequences of giving a massage using “all-natural” poison ivy! Here’s a summary of some of the studies that have been conducted on aromatherapy’s benefits.
✽Researchers at the Toho University School of Medicine in Tokyo mea-sured the shift of brain waves when inhaling jasmine oil, and found it produces a stimulating effect similar to that of coffee.
✽Based on computer measure-ments of subtle and rapid reactions, researchers at the University of Innsbruck in Austria concluded that inhaled lavender oil sedates the cen-tral nervous system.
✽In a study at the University of Vienna, researchers focused on the effect of several oils on mice that had been overagitated by caffeine. The team found that the scents of laven-der oil, lime blossom, neroli oil and East Indian sandalwood oil sedated the mice.
✽Japanese researchers have found that inhaling the odors of orange oil
or Taiwan hinoki oil (Chamaecyparis
taiwanensis) decreases blood
pres-sure, and that inhaling the odors of peppermint and jasmine oils reduces peripheral blood pressure. Researchers at International Flavors & Fragrances in Union Beach, New Jersey, found that inhaling nutmeg oil odor reduces blood pressure in response to stress.
✽Researchers at Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University in Griefswald, Germany, found that essential oils in general are local anesthetics when inhaled in very low doses because of their fat-soluble nature, which means that they easily alter cell membranes.
✽At the neurological clinic of the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany, researchers found that a combination of peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil significantly relieves headache pain in humans.
✽Researchers in Japan found that bitter orange odor makes it easier to fall asleep while under stress (they linked it to an inhibition of the excite-ment of the central nervous system).
✽Researchers at the Free University of Berlin found that people who use hops pillows inhale the hop constitu-ent 2-methylbut-3-en-2-ol from the pillow, which is a sleep-inducing agent in pharmacological trials.
✽People who inhale chamomile shift from describing images in negative terms to describing them in positive terms, according to research-ers at the Univresearch-ersity Department of Experimental Psychology at Cambridge University.
✽ Angelica root oil
✽ Cassia oil
✽ Chenopodium oil
✽ Cinnamon oil
✽ Citrus oils (especially bergamot, bitter orange, lemon and lime)
✽ Costus root oil
✽ Fig leaf absolute (absolutes are alcohol-soluble perfume materials)
✽ Lemon verbena oil
✽ Marigold oil and absolute
✽ Oak moss absolute and resinoid
✽ Opopanax oil
✽ Peru balsam oil
✽ Oils of pine, balsam fir and other members of the Pinaceae family
✽ Sassafras oil
✽ Savin oil
✽ American and Asian styrax
| GOOD TO KNOW |
Essential Oils to
Use with Caution
Essential oils are not inert. They change when isolated in the lab or when they come into contact with the body, either through inhalation or absorption by the skin. Lemon verbena oil, for example, contains two allergens formed during distil-lation. Safrole, the active ingredient of sassafras oil, is not carcinogenic by itself, but can quickly metabolize to become several compounds that quite definitely can cause liver cancer.
Scientific journals, including
Contact Dermatitis, are full of
docu-mented reactions to many essential oils, but several fragrance ingre-dients stand out as the causes of repeated problems. The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) has issued warnings against the essential oils listed below.
6,000
The number of years humans
have been using aromatherapy
ARTHRITIS RELIEF
This recipe may help soothe pain and inflam-mation of the joints.
2 tablespoons carrier oil, such as almond or jojoba
10 drops lavender essential oil 10 drops rosemary essential oil
Combine ingredients and rub gently onto painful areas twice daily. Do not use on large areas of the body.
MASSAGE OIL FOR COLDS
Use this oil as you might Vicks VapoRub.
1 ounce sunflower oil 6 drops rosemary essential oil 4 drops peppermint essential oil 3 drops ginger essential oil
Mix ingredients in a glass bowl, then rub over chest, upper back, neck and shoulders. Apply morning and evening, or
as needed.
RELAXING HONEY BATH
Honey nourishes the skin, and essential oils dissolve easily into it.
4 tablespoons honey 5 drops lavender essential oil 3 drops sandalwood essential oil
Mix ingredients together in a container, then add to bath under running water and enjoy.
| REMEDIES|
The Scent-Body Connection
The effects below are supported by research. Please remember that using essential oils requires caution—some can irritate or do harm, especially if you are sensitive or allergic to constituents within these oils.
✽Stimulating: Jasmine, rosemary, dwarf pine
✽ Calming: Lavender, East Indian sandalwood, chamomile,
lemon balm, valerian, neroli
✽May reduce headache severity: Peppermint, eucalyptus
✽May improve test performance: Peppermint, vanilla
✽Sleep aids: Lavender, bitter orange, hops
✽May reduce blood pressure: Peppermint, jasmine, nutmeg
| SCIENCE SAYS |
Only in Dreams
Some research focuses on the effects of inhaled essential oils on sleep. Researchers at Bowling Green State University in Ohio found that people are more responsive to odors when sleeping than when awake. Jasmine and peppermint odors both disrupt sleep; androstenone (a key component of human body odor) was by far the most disruptive of the odors tested.
Further, they found that androstenone, peppermint and ‘Grosso’ lavandin (hybrid laven-der) odors affect dream content and brain-wave activity, and the odors are sometimes incorporated into dreams. German researchers found that inhaled orange oil not only produces a positive effect on dream content but also causes significant increases in heart and respiration rates. The latter study also incorporated skatole, a common odor-ant of feces, and human vaginal secretions in a pilot study involving seven men. Skatole produced very negative dreams; the reaction to the female odors varied by individual.
Can Science Really Prove
Aromatherapy’s Value?
The principles of aromatherapy are, scientifically, very hard to study and prove. Normally the goal in sci-entific studies is to remove all vari-ables to account for only one effect. But massage, touch, music, lights, words and pleasant surround-ings can all contribute to modify the mood in aromatherapy. Also, patients seeking aromatherapy are often psychologically predisposed to an effective treatment. Another fact to consider is that natural essential oils may consist of almost 300 dif-ferent constituents, and these act in both a synergistic and antagonistic manner, yet scientific studies focus on only one constituent at a time. Add to this already-complicated equation the choice of parameters researchers choose to measure, namely, the metabolism of oils, the study participant’s body fat, the variation among individuals and so on, and you can see why a proper experiment is extremely difficult to design and execute.
As scientists, we know that psy-chological stress causes the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which, in turn, suppress immune responses. This leads to more infection and further emotional depression. So if a particular treatment makes us feel good, does it not then provide a positive influence on our immune systems? Whether the final results are a placebo effect or not, in the final analysis the question must be asked: If it improves a condi-tion without doing harm—and at a reasonable price—is it not of value? Until science provides more answers about aromatherapy, we may do best to rely on both anecdotal findings and scientific research as it emerges. ARTHUR O. TUCKER is a Delaware State University professor whose work has focused on the essential oils and tax-onomy of herbs.
BO T T OM LEFT : C OUR TESY STILLPOINT AROM A TICS , STILLPOINT AROM A TICS .C OM ; BO T T OM RIGHT : C OUR TESY A T THE PICKE T FENCE , A T THEPICKE TFEN CE .C OM
INHALER: Inhalers are a convenient way to carry essential oils—consider tossing one in your desk to relieve stress at work; carrying one when traveling to help ward off illness; or bringing an inhaler with a stimulating blend on a road trip. Using an inhaler targets delivery so not everyone in the room is exposed to the essen-tial oils. They can also be a helpful smoking-cessation aid. Buy “blank” inhalers in most health-food stores or from online sources such as Stillpoint Aromatics (stillpointaromatics.com).
TIPS FOR ESSENTIAL OIL INHALERS ✽ Use eight to 10 drops of an individual
essential oil or an essential oil blend.
✽ Saturate the cotton wick with eight to 10 drops of essential oil.
✽ Place the wick inside the tube.
✽ Insert the cap at the end of the tube.
✽ Screw the tube into the outer casing.
✽ “Recharge” the wick every two to three months by removing the cap and satu-rating the wick with another eight to 10 drops essential oil. Always recharge inhalers with the same essential oils.
DIFFUSER: You can diffuse essential oils in a variety of ways. Heating oxi-dizes essential oils and creates caustic substances that damage the lungs and can cause other harm. Please use non-heat methods to diffuse the oils. One of the simplest options is essential oil ornaments—easy to make, beautiful decorations that scent closets, cars, bathrooms or work spaces.
TIPS FOR ESSENTIAL OIL ORNAMENTS ✽ Use nonfiring clay.
✽ Mold the clay into your desired shape. You can use cookie cutters or simply roll the clay in a ball and then flatten it for an even, round shape.
✽ Decorate if desired, e.g. with stamps or designs etched with a toothpick.
✽ Add a hole at the top if you plan to hang the ornament.
✽ Allow to dry thoroughly (usually 24 to 72 hours, depending on climate).
✽ Saturate with six to eight drops of a single essential oil or a blend.
✽ Hang in your desired location.
✽ “Recharge” by adding additional essential drops every three weeks.
MISTER: Even at levels too low to consciously smell, essential oils dif-fused into a room can improve mood, increase concentration and reduce bacteria and viruses in the air. Additionally, research has shown that less is more. Increasing the concentra-tion may actually decrease its effec-tiveness. A 1 to 2 percent dilution is enough. It’s best to choose glass spray bottles to contain mists, as essential oils will degrade plastic over time. Opt for dark blue or amber glass to help prevent light from damaging your blends. You can find glass spray bottles from many online sources, including Mountain Rose Herbs (mountainroseherbs.com).
TIPS FOR ESSENTIAL OIL MISTERS ✽ Fill an 8-ounce mister with water.
✽ Add 1 to 2 tablespoons vodka or pure grain alcohol, which helps disperse the essential oil in water.
✽ For a 1 percent concentration, add 48 drops (single oil or a blend). For a 2 percent concentration, add 96 drops.
✽ Shake the bottle before misting. Even if you can no longer smell the essen-tial oils after 15 to 20 minutes, their therapeutic effect will continue for another one to two hours.
Method 1: Inhalation
When we breathe in essential oils, they penetrate the cells lining the lungs and cross immediately into the bloodstream. As we inhale, these oils also cross the blood-brain barrier and directly influence the blood-brain. Explore these three inhalation methods.
To make a reed diffuser, add ½ cup carrier oil and 10 drops essential oil to a bottle and drop in bamboo skewers. Flip skewers every few days; refresh essential oils every few weeks.
How to Use Essential Oils
Learn about two safe and effective methods to use essential
oils to improve the health and happiness of your home.
B Y J U D I T H B O I C E
✽ ANXIETY: Lavender, lemongrass, ylang ylang ✽ INCREASED CONCENTRATION: Rosemary, basil, peppermint ✽ IMPROVED ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE: Peppermint ✽ SLEEP: Lavender, lemon balm, ylang ylang
✽ MEDITATION: Frankincense ✽ BRONCHODILATION: Eucalyptus ✽ ANTIINFLAMMATORY FOR NASAL PASSAGES: Peppermint ✽ ANTIBACTERIAL:
Thyme; tea tree; eucalyptus; pine and other conifers; lemon and other citrus family members ✽ MY FAVORITE COMBINATION: Siberian fir and grapefruit | EXPERT ADVICE |
Essential Oils
for Inhalation
These essential oils can be used with any of the inhalation delivery methods at left, including inhalers, misters or diffusers.
Method 2: Topical Application
Salves and lip balms deliver both the healing and beautify-ing benefits of essential oils. This recipe can be used either for salves or lip balms, although you may need to adjust the amount of beeswax slightly depending on how firm or soft you want the salve or balm to be.
TIPS FOR SALVES AND LIP BALMS
✽ In a double boiler (or a bowl over a pot of water), gently melt 2 ounces of beeswax over low heat.
✽ Add 1 cup of polyunsaturated vegetable oil such as almond, avocado, safflower or sunflower. Essential oils absorb best when combined with polyunsaturated oils. You can use mono-unsaturated oils such as olive or coconut oil, but the essential oils will not absorb into the skin as well as if you use a polyun-saturated vegetable oil.
✽ Test the thickness of the salve or lip balm by putting a tea-spoon of the oil-beeswax combination in the freezer. If you want a softer consistency, add another teaspoon or two of oil and retest. If you want a firmer consistency, add a small amount of beeswax and retest.
✽ When you have the consistency you want, remove from heat, then stir in either a single essential oil or a combination for a total of 48 to 96 drops (1 to 2 percent concentration).
✽ Quickly pour into shallow glass or metal jars for salves; pour into small jars or tubes for lip balm.
✽ Allow to cool completely before putting on the lids.
✽ Keep the lid on when the salve or lip balm is not in use so that essential oils do not evaporate. Always label herbal salves and lip balms.
JUDITH BOICE is an award-winning author, international teacher, natu-ropathic physician and licensed acupuncturist in Fairbanks, Alaska. For more information, visit drjudithboice.com.
| EXPERT ADVICE |
Essential
Oils for
Topical
Use
These essential oils make good therapeutic blends for salves and lip balms.✽SOOTHING AND HEALING SKIN: Lavender, helichrysum, St. John’s wort, rosemary verbenone, rose, German chamomile ✽LIP BALM: Peppermint, helichrysum (for very chapped lips), vanilla, rose geranium, fennel, coriander (avoid the citrus family as they increase sun sensitivity)
✽CHEST CONGESTION:
Pine, Siberian fir, pinyon pine, eucalyptus (use Eucalyptus
radiata for children)
Caution:
When making topical herb products, remember to use only pure, natural ingredients you intend to absorb deeply into the skin. Avoid adding essen-tial oils to products that contain mineral oil or other petroleum products; parabens; and/or sodium laureth or lauryl sulfate. Current research demonstrates essential oils can enhance the absorption of many potent drugs and chemicals.| TRY THIS |
Powered by Flowers
Enjoy flowers year-round by incor-porating these simple DIY ideas. It’s wise to do a reaction test before using essential oils: Combine a single drop with a carrier oil and test on a delicate patch of skin such as the inner wrist.
1
START YOUR SHOWER WITH A BURST OF FLORAL THERAPY. Add fiveto 10 drops of your favorite floral essen-tial oil (try rose, jasmine or geranium) to the tub before turning on the shower. The steam coupled with the fragrance will deliver a spa-like experience.
2
TO KEEP THE SCENT GOING,add several drops of floral essential oil to plain castile soap. Start small: Try 1 ounce castile soap and three to six drops essential oil.
3
TO SOFTEN YOUR SKIN, blendfloral essential oils with your favorite carrier oil (we like jojoba, almond and sunflower seed oils) for a custom body or massage oil. Use three to six drops of scent for every ounce of carrier oil.
Let the power of flowers heal
skin and ease the mind.
B Y K I M WA L L A C E
A REFLECTION OF OVERALL HEALTH, our skin often reacts to heightened stress levels. This can result in exacerbated conditions— both physical and emotional.
Fortunately, a natural solution may help calm mind and body. Beautiful and healing, flowers offer a bouquet of benefits to our skin and our psyches. Florals and their extracts have been beauty staples for millennia; it’s rumored that Cleopatra anointed her body with floral oils and the floors of her palace with rose petals. Although covering our floors with petals is prob-ably not practical today, it’s easy to make use of their alluring effects.
Blooming Benefits
Research on floral remedies is lim-ited, and much of it is anecdotal. The few studies on floral extracts’ effects on anxiety and mild depression sup-port their ability to calm our minds. In one 1997 Italian study, researchers used flower essences to help patients with symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression and found that, after three months, 89 percent of patients reported an improvement in symp-toms, particularly of anxiety (this study did not include a control group). In a more recent study, researchers examined the clinical efficacy of floral extracts as an adjunct to tradi-tional treatment for mild to moderate depression; they found floral therapy reduced depressive ratings by 50 per-cent on two symptom scales.
“Flower oils are tried-and-true happy oils that soothe heated emo-tions and help us release tension,”
says Hope Gillerman, a holistic health practitioner and founder of Hope Gillerman Organics. “Flowers can help us reverse the effects of stress that show up on our faces, and add a noticeable, natural glow to the skin.”
If you’re just beginning to experi-ment with the power of flowers, try a topical approach. Katie Hess, founder of Lotus Wei, recommends choosing a product you reapply several times a day, such as lip balm or facial mist, to get a continual dose of floral essences. For further effects, incorporate bloom-based oils into your morning and evening routines. Gillerman sug-gests using a facial serum or body oil with organic essential and fatty oils.
Besides experiencing flowers through scent, Hess looks to fresh flowers for an improvement in mood. A Rutgers University study confirms that just being around flowers elevates mood. “Women are recognizing the importance of self-love, confidence and fearlessness,” Hess says. “That’s what makes us look beautiful—when you bring nature into your life.” KIM WALLACE is the founder and editor of natural beauty blog kimberlyloc.com.
22 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO TURMERIC & SUPER HERBS
Floral
Therapy
Æ
GERANIUM: One ofthe most celebrated oils in aromatherapy, geranium boasts olfactory and topical benefits. It’s naturally antibac-terial and often used to pro-mote emotional stability.
Æ
HELICHRYSUM: Ahealing oil, helichrysum is reported to help fade scars and regenerate skin tissue. Helichrysum essential oil is often referred to as “immor-telle” and may be effective at treating acne.
Æ
LAVENDER: Thispow-erhouse oil is reported to treat skin and calm the mind. Research confirms the scent of lavender produces mild calming effects. Use it at bed-time and keep a roller oil at work to help relieve stress.
Æ
NEROLI: Essential oilof neroli comes from the blos-soms of orange trees. Used to calm the mind and support skin regeneration, neroli is known for its reported skin- and mood-brightening effects.
It’s also a wonderful astrin-gent. Neroli should not be used by pregnant or breast-feeding women. Some also caution against using it when you need to be alert, such as when driving.
Æ
ROSE: As the queen offlowers, rose owns total-body healing. Topically, it may con-tribute to capillary health and help reduce redness while nourishing dry skin. For the mind, the scent of rose offers a sense of calm.
| EXPERT ADVICE |
5 Flowers to Soothe Your Skin & Senses
When it comes to florals, options abound. To narrow the flower field, holistic health practitioner Hope Gillerman recommends starting with these five oils.
| RESOURCES |
FLOWERS, BOTTLED These flower-infused companies create organic, wildcrafted self-care solutions.
ALEXIS SMART REMEDIES
alexissmart.com EVAN HEALY evanhealy.com HOPE GILLERMAN ORGANICS hgillermanorganics.com LOTUS WEI lotuswei.com SIDDHA FLOWERS siddhaflowers.com UMA OILS umaoils.com | TRY THIS | ROSEWATER 8 to 10 cups rose petals, washed 2 to 4 quarts water, ending on the pan size Ice cubes
1. In the center of a large pan or stockpot, place one small glass or ceramic bowl upside-down. Place rose petals around bowl in bot-tom of the pan.
2. Place a second small bowl on top of the inverted bowl, so it’s above the rose petals. Fill pot (not bowl) with water to just cover petals.
3. Place lid on the pot upside-down. Bring water to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low and let water and petals simmer. Fill the inverted pan lid with ice cubes.
5. Every 10 to 15 minutes, check water. It should smell like roses.
6. Stop the process when you have 1 to 2 cups rose-water. Note: If you steam the petals too long, the fragrance will be diluted. The entire process should take 20 to 30 minutes.
7. When cool, pour the scented water into a clean jar or bottle.
Recipe courtesy Janice Cox, co-author of EcoBeauty. Use science-backed
lavender oil at bedtime to relieve stress.
24 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO TURMERIC & SUPER HERBS
The Naturally Aromatic Home
Check out these natural blends—with options for any mood and personality—
to freshen your living spaces without toxic chemicals
.B Y S T E P H A N I E TO U R L E S
FEW THINGS ARE MORE PLEASANTthan walking into a beautifully scented home, but most commercial air-freshening products contain synthetic ingredients that can release a deluge of potentially hazardous chemicals. In fact, 95 percent of the chem-icals in synthetic fragrances, listed on ingredient labels as “fragrance,” are derived from petrochemicals.
Artificial fragrance is one of the most sensitizing and toxic of all ingredients used in personal- and home-care products today. The 3,000-plus chemicals used in the manufacture of commercial air-freshener ingredients can include volatile organic compounds, or VOCs; carcinogens such as benzene and formaldehyde; as well as a group of hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates. (For more in-depth infor-mation about phthalates and hormone-disrupting chemicals, visit motherearthliving. com/hormone-haywire.)
When the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) tested 14 air freshen-ers, it found that 12 contained phthalates, which can cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects and reproductive problems. In the study, even air fresheners marketed as “all-natural” or “unscented” contained the hazardous chemicals, which also can cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks, eczema and a host of other sensitivities. Manufacturers use these chemicals because they generally last longer and are cheaper than essential oils.
Make Your Own
Blending our own room sprays circumvents the shelf-life issue, as we don’t need to plan for complex distribution logistics. As for expense, some essential oils are pricey, but they are used in sparing amounts and are incredibly useful around the house.
Besides smelling lovely, essential oils can affect our mood. When we breathe in an odor, scent molecules enter the bloodstream and are carried to other parts of the body. Depending on the chemical makeup of the plant, we can soothe or boost our spirits. Another upside to air fresheners made with botanical oils is the germ-fight-ing power of many essential oils. All the blends in this article contain mild antibacterial and antiviral properties.
To make these air fresheners, you will need a 4-ounce spray bottle for each blend. Glass will be prettier sit-ting on your kitchen table or in your powder room—plus, you avoid plastic chemicals. You can find glass bottles at Wyndmere Naturals Aromatherapy (wyndmerenaturals.com). If you want to use plastic, look for a bottle made of hardy polypropylene.
To make each blend, add the water and essential oils in the amounts given for each recipe (at right) to the spray bottle. Then shake vigorously to blend. Label and date the bottle, and use within one year for maximum potency.
The ingredients will naturally separate, so shake well before each use. To deodorize your home, lightly mist the air several times a day. Follow common-sense safety precautions, and avoid spraying it into eyes, nose and mouth. Essential oils can smell deli-cious—keep them away from pets and children, and only use externally. RA
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