Herb Spotlight: Hawthorn

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)  is a fabulous herb and not just because one of its names is “Faery thorns.”  The Celts considered Hawthorn as protective, as guardians of sacred springs and wells, along with embodying the three aspects of the feminine- Maiden, Mother, and Crone. (1) This herb is really a shrub or small tree as it can grow 15-30’ and is part of the rose family. (1) Serenity Meadows uses the leaves and flowers from this herb but you can also use the berries.

A well-known cardiac herb, it has been used in North America since 1896 (2) to support health in a number of heart-related conditions. (3) Hawthornhas been taken to reduce blood pressure (4), increase blood flow, and enhance heart muscle cells’ nutrition, energy reserves, and energy release. (3) It has been found helpful for anxiety and menopause as well. (1)

Hawthorn has been shown to dilate the arteries and veins to enhance blood flow and remove blockages. (5) It also has the benefit of stabilizing collagen, supporting ligament, tendon, or muscle tears, and strengthening capillaries. (5) With virtually unknown to have cardiac side effects, Hawthorn is not habit forming. (3)

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References:

(1) Forest, Danu. Celtic Tree Magic. Llewellyn Worldwide. 2014. p. 87-97

(2) Engels, Gale & Brinckmann, Josef. Hawthorn. Herb Profile. HerbalGram. The Journal of theAmerican Botanical Council Issue Number 96. November 2012-January 2013. P. 1-5

(3) Weiss, Rudolf Fritz, M.D. Weiss’s Herbal Medicine Classic Edition. Thieme. 1985. p.162-168

(4) Strauss, Paul. The Big Herbs. XOXOX Press. 2014. p.102-103

(5) Gladstar, Rosemary. Medicinal Herbs A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing. 2012. p. 144-146

Herb Spotlight: Tulsi

The Queen of Herbs is just one of the names for Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum L). This perennial herb is native to the Indian subcontinent and also grows well in my southwestern PA garden. It grows up to 1 meter (or over 3 feet) tall. The plant is purplish in color with narrow oval leaves. The leaves are green and purple and are in opposite pairs on a slightly hairy stem. The flowers bloom in mid-summer.

This pungent and bitter herb (1) has both warming and cooling effects. Often Tulsi is used for its anti-inflammatory as well as adaptogenic properties. (2,3)

It is included in both Serenity Meadows and Morning Harmony because it is an adaptogen, meaning it helps to balance the body especially in terms of the effects of stress. (3) Tulsi does this by lowering levels of oxidative stress and free radicals from chronic stress conditions (4), supporting mild blood thinning to help the liver’s metabolic functions, and eases mild indigestion. (5,1)

In India, Tulsi has been used to balance chakra energy, specifically the third eye chakra. The plant is believed to provide protection for homes around which it is planted and is regarded as a sacred plant. Malas can be made from the woody stems and worn around the neck or wrist. (5)

There are no known contraindications though as always, consult with a trained professional on your specific situation if you have any questions about the herb.

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References:

1. Holy Basil- Medicinal Uses (Posted on May 20, 2010) Herbalpedia. Retrieved from http://www.herbalpedia.com/blog/?p=22

2. Holy Basil (Last reviewed April 21, 2015) University of Michigan Health System. Retrieved from http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-4597000

3. Unravelling the genome of Holy basil: an “incomparable” “elixir of life” of traditional Indian medicine. Shubhra Rastogi, Alok Kalra, Vikrant Gupta, Feroz Khan, Raj Kishori Lal, Anil Kumar, Tripathi, Sriram Parameswaran, Chellappa Gopalakrishnan, Gopalakrishna Ramaswamy, Ajit Kumar Shasany. Published BMC Genomics 2015, 16:413. Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/16/413

4. Holy basil – a key herb for stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue. Joanna Sochan. Published September 2014 (Retrieved on October 17, 2015) Retrieved fromhttp://naturimedica.com/holy-basil-key-herb-stress-anxiety-depression-fatigue/

5. Maimes Report on Holy Basil. Steven Maimes. Version 1 November 2004 SALAM Research. (Retrieved on October 23, 2015) Retrieved from http://www.researchgate.net/publication/230634694_Maimes_Report_on_Holy_Basil

Three Ways to Overcome the Mid-Afternoon Slump

It is shortly after lunch and you are ready for a nap. The mid-afternoon slump is the downfall of many people’s determination to eat well. It is a time when reaching for caffeine, something sweet, or both is almost unconscious as we strive to make it through the afternoon. It does not have to be this way. It takes some time to create a shift to not having a mid-day slump and these three suggestions can help. As you change your habits, you will be able to use the feelings of tiredness, sluggishness, and poor concentration as gauges on your quality of sleep, food, and health rather than it being a constant state.

Reach for a rejuvenating herbal tisane and nix the caffeine

For many people, caffeine in the afternoon can cause poor or interrupted sleep that night. There are many herbs that can give you a boost without the caffeine. Serenity Meadows, Leaf & Twig’s newest tisane, has herbs that can calm and center you while increasing your alertness. I will be talking more about the herbs this month.

Get up and move

This is a very common reason why so many of us feel sluggish in the afternoon. We’ve been sitting all day! Try to take a walk at lunch to curb the tiredness later. Or instead of going for food in the middle of the afternoon, spend some time stretching and walking. Ergonomics is so important and there are easily found stretching series to help you maintain a good posture while working. In fact, changing your posture can make you more alert too!

Look at what you are eating for lunch

This is something I had to do myself. I kept a food diary regularly and found that I was the most tired in the afternoon after I ate certain foods. I also saw that if I did not eat enough protein at this meal I felt tired and unmotivated in the afternoons. Take two weeks to record your meals and rate your afternoon. Review and adjust, continuing to keep track. Once you discover what works for you have fun creating variations of it to keep you focused each day.

There are several other ways to lessen the effects of the mid-afternoon slump. What is your favorite solution?

Herb Spotlight: Chamomile

Chamomile is an herb I did not appreciate when younger. I just never cared for the taste of it. But maybe that is more from the way I tried it. The whole chamomile flowers are added into my Lavender Mint Dream tisane. With the blend of chamomile, lavender, and mint, it is a more enjoyable beverage for me. I enjoy the taste while getting the benefits of chamomile.

Our tisane incorporates German chamomile (Matricaria recutita). It is native to Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The plant reaches to 3 feet although some wild varieties are low growing. German chamomile is an annual, grows up to 3’. Flowers are harvested between May and August.

Energetically, chamomile is bitter, spicy, but also a little neutral.(1)  The herb is a nervine, sedative, and mildly astringent. It is most often used to calm nervous tension in the stomach, anxiety, insomnia, menstrual disorders, headaches, hay fever, Crohn’s disease and other gastrointestinal disorders. (1, 2, 3)

If using this herb to help with digestive problems, drink a cup after meals. The herb helps to increase intestinal peristalsis while relaxing the central nervous system. (2) Chamomile is frequently used to lessen an allergic reaction. The volatile oil, chamazulene, in the flowers can help to inhibit allergic responses. (4, 5)

It is recommended you avoid chamomile if you have asthma or are allergic to asters, daisies, chrysanthemums, or ragweed. There may also be an increased risk of miscarriage if pregnant. Chamomile may also interact with medications, increasing the risk of bleeding and may increase the effects of medications such as sedatives. If you have questions about herb-drug interactions, contact your physician.

While I love the herb in my Lavender Mint Dream tisane, you can also try chamomile in your bath to help relieve stress and sore muscles. Using it in this way, you can breathe the scent to ease anxious feelings as well. (6)

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1. Hoffmann, David (2013). The Complete Herbs Sourcebook. China: Harper Collins.

2. Srivastava, Janmejai K., Shankar, Eswar, Gupta, Sanjay. Chamomile: A Herbal Medicine of the Past with Bright Future. Published November 1, 2010. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

3. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita). Herbwisdom.com. Retrieved on November 8, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-chamomile.html

4. Balch, Phyllis A. CNC (2012). Prescription for Herbal Healing 2nd edition. New York: Avery, Penguin Publishing Group.

5. Stuart, Armando Gonzalez, Ph.D. Chamomile. Published 2004. Retrieved from http://www.herbalsafety.utep.edu/herbs-pdfs/chamomile.pdf

6. Gladstar, Rosemary (2012). Rosesmary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

3 Ways to Relax & Enjoy

Summer. As kids, it was all about fun, relaxing, and staying out until dark. All the neighborhood dads would whistle or call out to us as we ran around or biked the streets to call us home. There is a laziness to summer and an openness that can be tempting to fill. It can be hard to slow down. Here three ways I like to take things slow.  Summer is a great time of year to do this but these relaxation habits work well year-round.

Create a morning habit that enhances your sense of calm and well-being.

In a Facebook group I belong to, there has been some discussion around the book The Miracle Morning. Who’s doing it and what their experiences are. Just starting to read the book and I have not incorporated it into my mornings yet. What I do in the mornings varies yet it contains some meditation, exercise, journaling, and reading. Sundays are favorites with nowhere to be and able to sit on the porch or favorite chair with tea and cats for a relaxing start to the week.

Learn to allow space

Once in the habit of being on the go, it can be hard to slow down. There is the feeling that something has been forgotten. I have been working on saying no and taking the time to decide what works best personally and professionally. I find more peace when my schedule is a bit open.

Do something every day that lights up your soul

Creativity lights me up. I have been making a conscious effort to do something creative daily. For me this includes a variety of things- creating new teas, new recipes, drawing, crafting, sculpting, or just surrounding myself with the creativity of others. Find the things that light you up and make it a priority to spend some time every day experiencing that.

Herb Spotlight: Lavender

Lavender is one of those herbs that people love or hate (similar to cilantro in reaction) and we are so glad that many of our customers love our Lavender Mint Dream tisane. We have found that in the right ratio, lavender goes well in teas, cookies, baths, and more. We use Lavendula angustifolia flowers in our recipes.

Lavender is a bushy, branching shrub about 3 feet in height. It is native to the Mediterranean area but naturalized to other areas. We have success growing it in our Southwestern PA garden and within a short drive from Pittsburgh is a beautiful lavender farm. Give growing it a try if you do not already have it in your garden. The flowers are small lavender purple whorls of 6-10 flowers at the end of 6-8 inch long stalks.(1) They flower at the end of June and beginning of July. (2) Leaves are silvery grey lanceolate, smooth edged and somewhat hairy. (1) The narrow opposite leaves are fuzzy grey when young but turn green as they mature. (3) The mature stems become dense and woody.

The draw for using Lavender is its sedative and relaxing effects. (1) The herb is considered tonifying for your nervous system (4) and also has antidepressant effects. (5) Many people use lavender for headaches (1) and stress headaches (6), mild anxiety, insomnia and other sleep problems, minor digestive problems (7), fatigue, and mild depression (8) among other uses.

Using Lavender essential oils added to your bath or inhaled as they evaporate is a very popular way to use lavender as linalool can help increase your pain threshold (8) and the essential oils irritate the olfactory nerves to stimulate the diencephalon region of your brain. (3) This area of the brain relays sensory information and connects to your nervous and endocrine systems to help manage emotions. (9)

As with many herbs, there are some situations to use caution with lavender or to avoid use. Lavender is considered a uterine stimulant and it is advised to avoid high doses when pregnant. (4) It is recommended that those with gallstones or obstructions of biliary tract avoid lavender. Also, use with caution or avoid if already taking sleeping pills. (8) Also be aware that using lavender while breastfeeding may pass through the milk and may provide carminative effect on the baby. (5)

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(1) Kowalchik, Claire & Hylton, William H.  Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs.  Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania. 1987. P. 350-353

(2) Culpeper, Nicholas. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal. Wordsworth Reference. 2007. P.159

(3) Weiss, Rudolf Fritz, M.D. Weiss’s Herbal Medicine Classic Edition. Thieme. 1985. P.302

(4) Ody, Penelope. The Complete Medicinal Herbal. DK Publishing, Inc. 1993. P.73

(5) Mills, Simon & Bone, Kerry. The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety.  Elsevier Inc. 2005. P. 493-494

(6) Hoffman, David. An Elder’s Herbal. Healing Arts Press. 1993. P.232

(7) Meletis, Chris D., N.D. Complete Guide to Safe Herbs. DK Publishing, Inc. 2002. P.40

(8) Balch, Phyllis A. (2012) Prescription for Herbal Healing, 2nd Edition. Avery. p. 93-94

(9) http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/p/diencephalon.htm