The Blessed Thistle: Blossom, Bone, Root & Stone

[tap tap] Is This Thing Still On?

2009-07-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hello out there! I am still around, even though our little shoppe is closed down. I was prepping some herbs today -- tomorrow I've a date with friends to show how to make a tincture -- and of course, reminded of how much I love working with herbs.

I wanted to remind people that my herbal tea blends, the Goddess Teas, are still available in bulk ONLY, at Humboldt Herbals. Give them a call. They did not have my teas online lat I checked but are happy to sell and ship over the phone.

And look for some upcoming posts in regard to herbs -- maybe a picture post on how to make a tincture?

Best,
Mrs. Thistle

All Good Things Come To An End - we are closing down

2008-12-09T10:23:00.001-08:00

I've been putting this off for a few days, but it can't wait any longer.

I am sad to share with you all that The Blessed Thistle will be closing, after the first of the year. I don't think this will surprise people given the economy, of course. That is one important and unavoidable reason - but there are other, more personal ones as well. Suffice to say that the time is now, and so with a heavy heart, but also one with great clarity, we are closing our (virtual) doors.

I don't believe in saying never, so there is the possibility that you will see us again. I have a lot of faith in the value of these teas - both medicinally and energetically - so if somehow it all comes together in the coming years, I may launch a better and new version of this ol' herbal shoppe.

This blog may or may not continue, I'm not sure yet. I like being able to post about information, both inspirational and provocative, so ...we'll see. Check back and we will have updates about what is going on, most likely after the holidays.

The upside is that this means all teas and balm are on SALE! So jump over to our website and take advantage of your favorite blends, gift bags and tea strainers now available at WHOLESALE cost or even BELOW wholesale! Teas will last for well over a year in cool, dark and dry storage, so stock up! We have limited stock available, no rain checks - when it's gone, it's gone! You will note we have raised our shipping by up to $1.50 in some instances, and this is due to the rise in cost from the USPS to us.

Much love and blessings and
gratitude to all who have supported us over the years,
Be Well and Honey in the Heart,

Kimberely Arana
proprietress

What's Goin' On: OUTRAGEOUS - Updated

2008-11-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

UPDATE:
Well, seems I can put my fist down. (Thanks Amy, from the HP List).

Quoted from the article above:
And Peter Shankman, a public relations all-star who knows everything and then some about new media, was giving the manufacturers some advice:

I’m not siding with Motrin. They messed up, granted. I’m ok with that. Companies mess up all the time. They fix the problem, and it usually doesn’t make the radar screen. The problem is, Motrin happened to mess up at the expense, and in the face of, one of the most vocal, quickest-to-blog, “strongest-to-band-together-and-form-one-opinion-like-the-Borg” collectives out there - The Mommy-Blogging community.

Now I am NOT slagging on Mommy-Bloggers. Not in the slightest. Nor, am I saying they’re over-reacting to the commercial, which, by rights, was stupid and patronizing. What I AM saying though, is that Motrin will pay a MUCH bigger price, as opposed to if they’d messed up in front of say, “Construction-Worker-Bloggers.” Mommy-Bloggers are not a voice to be messed with, probably because they’re one of the most clearly identifiable voices on the web. You have a kid? You blog about said kid? You’re a Mommy-blogger. You don’t need an advanced degree in particle physics to see what these bloggers have in common.

Or, as one Tweet put it:

note to self … never piss off moms … especially twitter moms … they can be a nasty bunch ;)

Yay! The power of Networking Mama's. Jump to the article, and see Motrin's letter of apology.

_______________________________________________________

This was shared with me this morning, and outrageous commercial from Motrin (thanks, Dominique!):

I almost hate to show it here, I'm so furious. But I want you to see it, and to know the levels of coercion that some companies are willing to go to, in order to get you to use their product. Some companies will demean you, condescend to you... all the while trying to make it seem like they are the ones who really, truly get it.

Hey, Motrin? You don't get it.

I know from personal experience, that using the right sling means no back pain, no headache. My first baby, I carried her in a sling that didn't work for me. And yes, I had back pain. It was awful. I didn't hold her as much, and many times she needed me to. My second, I found another sling that worked wonderfully, and all was good. VERY good (It's the Ergo, people! At least for me. What worked for you?). And yes, it does mean a happier and calmer baby. If the sling didn't work, why has it been used since, I don't know, the beginning of time? This is a no-brainer.

But apparently if you use a sling, you will need Motrin. Underlying that however, is the sense that you shouldn't use a sling anyway. Unless you want to be 'official' (WTF?) or 'fashionable'. This, my sisters, boils down to this equation:
using a sling = being SHALLOW, being a sheep. Get it? They are using our mothering instincts as ammunition against us, packaging it as a mere commodity to whine about.

If a mother chooses not to use a sling, please may it be because she truly doesn't need it, not because she has been influenced by some ridiculous ad cooked up by a pharmie company that attempts to present it's snarky attitude as the better, more hip choice. Pop culture, sadly, does influence people. Motrin should be ashamed. They could have done an ad that didn't play into the "hipster" mentality: they could have done an ad that calmly suggested if a mother was having a hard time, she might use Motrin (well, of course you all know I would say to try maybe some arnica oil first on those hurting shoulders, some oatstraw, motherwort and skullcap tincture to soothe the nerves... ). Instead they market the sling as only being used because it is FASHIONABLE. They suggest that a mother is tired and in pain from using a sling, and from (gasp) having to carry her child. As if we care for our children only out of shallow duty, dictated by Instyle magazine. Disgusting.

Why does it seem that the more we struggle to sift through the pyre of crap the modern MTV age panders to us, and nurture our selves and our children back to a place that is fulfilling and simply feels good and right, the more subliminal and insidious do these ads get?

There is a nasty trend in these ads, like the HFCS one (don't get me started!), that is bigger than just a wee ad about aspirin.

Its this creepy ME ME ME state of mind, which serves the most primitive aspects of our Egos, that sends a direct hit to our selfish desires, serving to push aside what we may feel and know is best for our children, our families. It's what is feeding the consumer culture, and we are all crashing in debt because of it: don't worry about anyone else, even your kids, just worry about YOU, and what YOU want. It's the new heroin for the masses.

And Motrin is offering you stock in some of that.

I smell a Boycott being baked...

[shakes fist in the air]
edited because I can; and one more time at 11:32 AM because I'm more awake now. I swear, I won't edit this again!!

What's Goin' On: The Disappearing Male

2008-11-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

There's a documentary coming out in Canada [waves], The Disappearing Male, that highlights a growing and scary trend: growing rates of infertility and birth defects, as well as health problems, with males.

I'll give you one guess what some suggest it is linked to.

Yup. Seems the issues run higher in 'industrialized' nations, and for instance in "Chemical Alley," a place in Canada right next to a petrochemicals plant. Go figure.

They have been studying the decline in the birth of male children in the Aamjiwnaang First Nation community located next to the infamous Chemical Valley, Canada's largest concentration of petrochemical plants, near Sarnia.
A paper co-authored by Keith and published three years ago in the U.S. journal Environmental Health Perspectives suggests that exposure to various chemicals produced by industrial plants surrounding the Aamjiwnaang reserve land may be skewing the community's sex ratio.

Read all about it here. This gave me serious pause this morning.

Kindling For the Fire: A Prayer For You

2008-10-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

From Dead Can Dance: Noble Prayer. (Thanks to SandraEgidio)

Thoughts that this kindled for me:
There is a lot of craziness out there today. It is so easy to forget what is important, to neglect the precious moments with those we love, to walk past the bounty and gifts that nature offers up everyday, there for the taking. No matter what race, creed, class or beliefs - we each are here for a reason. We are here to learn and evolve from each other, with each other. No one is truly ever alone, and in this truth we can pray for a better world for us all.

Life is a field of unlimited creation that we choose to manifest. We can choose to have compassion, to embrace an open mind and give room for the dynamic ways of being that this world offers us. Compassion is an action, it grows and flourishes the more that we practice it. Compassion is like honey; a gift from the heart of hard work and effort, unhurried and dense with sweetness when we savor it. It lingers in the heart once tasted.

The ways that we are connected, I firmly believe, are far more important and worthy of my intention (attention! ;>) than the ways that we are different. This is my prayer for you - for those of you struggling on your way, for those of you who feel left out in the cold, for those of us who may feel overwhelmed, misunderstood. For anyone out there that desperately needs a kind word, a sweet smile. Or simply a lucky break.

Breathe. Smile (even if it hurts.) Wake up at sunrise and whisper "Thank You."

May all beings find their honey... may we all find our feet on a path towards our personal best, towards being cherished.

"Walk in beauty, run in freedom."
- Cora Anderson

Daily Dose: Mellow Me Tincture

2008-10-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

I've meant to post this one for awhile: I had a friend who dropped by to help me with computer issues I had, and he was an absolute bundle of stress. His shoulders were almost visibly bunched up around his neck, he was talking rather fast (for him) and kept mentioning the work overload he had. His tension was palpable.

I grabbed the main tinctures that I had available to suit his needs - Motherwort, Oatstraw (avena sativa), and Pedicularis (p. densiflora). We've talked about Motherwort, and I will need to add to the Materia Medica about the other two, Oatstraw and Pedicularis (pictured at left).

For now, since the Daily Dose is meant to give you easy ways to use herbs daily, know that these herbs are each nervines, with different attributes about them. Oatstraw is a wonderful and gentle nervine, and will help to calm the stomach as well, bieng a gentle antispasmodic. Pedicularis is a great muscle relaxant and a strong sedative, so when you combine these both with the power of Motherwort, you get one mellowed out person.

I took about two full tincture droppers full of the Motherwort and Oatstraw, and then one of Pedicularis, squirted it into a clean fresh tincture bottle and shook it up. Then I gave him one full dropperful as one dose. I was ready to give him more, he was that tense - but he swears he felt it immediately 'melt' through his body (yeah, it can work that fast). I had wished at the time I had Skullcap instead of the Oatstraw (more potent in it's effects, I've found). But given the results, I'm glad that since I did not have it handy, I got creative and came up with what I share with you here.

He was visibly more calm, and a smile blossomed on his face.

Warnings: nothing too serious for these herbs, I would not use this blend in high doses or when about to drive a or operate machinery, as it could be highly sedative in large amounts. Pregnant women should look for something else to calm them, such as Lemon Balm blended with Oats and Chamomile (or just straight Chamomile, as long as you aren't allergic to Ragweed family).

Shoppe News: We have a new batch!

2008-09-26T21:32:00.001-07:00

We are happy to share that we have a new batch of Breast Balm curing, and all seems good to go. We need to update our website that the large size is now available again. Yay!

Thanks for your patience, and as always - your support and positivity!

I Spy: Yeah Yeah!

2008-09-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

I’m somewhat of Quote Connoisseur, a Mistress of Pithy Passages (or not-so pithy). So I love stumbling upon a good quote. I get a rush from it. Truly. I do.

A few years back, while wandering around the annual North Coast County Fair, there was a cool booth with awesome handmade, block print t-shirts and clothes. It was the shirts that drew me in first: funky blockprint images of a colorful Buddha, or a forlorn dog waiting at the door, a dancing hula hoop girl or a funky guitar I’d love to play. While I was enjoying all the creations of the artist, Jodi Mullen, there it was. Casually on display in her booth was a quote that has stuck with me, the chord hit so hard:

Life does not accommodate you. It shatters you. It is meant to, and it couldn't do it better. Every seed destroys it's container, or else there would be no fruition. - Florida Scott Maxwell

I didn’t have a chance to write it down at the time, and I've spent some time trying to recreate it in my head. This year I was able to make it to the fair again, so I thought I’d ask the artist, Jodi, about the quote.

She remembered it well, and we shared some words about our mutual love for quotes while she very kindly wrote it down for me. Thanks, Jodi! One of these days I hope to own a small gallery of her awesome creations – for now, you can check out her contribution to the beautification of the world here, at Yeah Yeah Designs.

Jodi’s shirts and clothes have a very wearable, funky vibe that you could dress up or down and wear almost anywhere. Check it out! And tell her we sent you!

What's Goin' On: BPA has it comin' (see end of rant for some info on where to get BPA free items)

2008-09-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

"This is a human study that really calls into question FDA's assertion that BPA is safe," said Dr. Anila Jacob of the activist Environmental Working Group.

New information from studies reveal that not only do those poor rats in laboratories have horrible side-effects from exposure to BPA, but - get ready, here it comes: Surprise! - so do human beings. In an excerpt from the article, they note that the FDA was reliant on studies that pointed towards 'no serious adverse side effects' in rats.

Note the use of the terminology, because the FDA is famous for their parsing of words (how do I know? I watched my mother go through a Class-Action lawsuit against Dow over breast implants in the 80's.). It begs the need to request some kind of reference book we can refer to that makes clear what exactly they mean when they say "serious" and "adverse" in the same sentence. Like, say, um, cancer-causing?, or just systemic inflammation? (I'm hoping that some will note here that there is rising belief that inflammation can be cancer-causing.)

Even more disconcerting, note at the end of this quote that they have not done studies on humans because it was deemed inappropriate. Are you kidding me?! So we don't directly test a chemical out on those who will actually be using them, and therefore the most exposed. Especially our newborns, who have bodies that are still developing in crucial ways. I'm over the soft-handed approach towards not testing chemicals on our own kind - yes, I understand that this is an ethically challenged position to take. But what this really means is that WE TEST THEM OUT ON OUR CHILDREN. That is so much more ethically sound, yes? The logic of my own species leaves me in awe:

"BPA was first synthesized in 1891 and came into wide use in the 1940s and 1950s because of the durability and light weight of polycarbonates.

Some BPA remains intact in the plastic and leaches out over time, particularly when it comes in contact with hot liquids or acidic foods.

The chemical industry and the FDA have long relied on two large animal studies showing that high concentrations of the chemical fed to rodents produced no serious adverse effects.

There had been no previous large studies of the chemical in humans because researchers considered such testing inappropriate."

Read the full article and watch the video: Here

Looking for BPA free items?

Even better - don't use plastic at all! This is my choice for bottles: glass. I have found them at Target as well. So far I've only found Evenflo with glass.

And for stainless steel sippy cups, all the rage: Klean Kanteen uses Avent sippy tops.

Or you find that you need plastic (say, you've got a Slugger in your house who likes to chuck things against the wall? I do), here you can get BPA free baby bottles: Born Free

We used these for roadtrips, though I still prefer the stainless steel. I've found that the nipples don't last as long, and their sippies tend to leak - but, yes, I still feel it's worth it. I also see on their website that they have all kinds of new products out, so now there's no excuse. They also have glass bottles.

And here, Avent has now offering BPA free as well (they have some great sippy cups):
Avent

Press on!

Kindling For The Fire: Rising Appalachia

2008-09-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to get to this for such a while now... sometimes you hear a chord struck, or a voice released and you can't go back.

Back to thoughts that have no meaning, no purpose. Back to anger and frustration. Back to small and little thoughts that cause hurt and division to grow and fester. Back to the ping-ping of cheap music called Pop in today's shallow struggle.

Rising Appalachia creates the kind of music that makes my heart sing - makes me want to open and expand. Makes me want to throw all the mundane tasks of the day aside, get up off my seat and dance a jig. I hear the fiddle of my ancestors, the hum of my heritage in their efforts. And damn, I am thankful!

I was turned on to these two at Plant Journeys blog (the lovely Ananda), so drop on by there and give her a holler' of thanks. In the meantime, if you like good ol' fashioned harmonies and a vibe that embraces today while it glories in the times of old, check out these two sistahs at their myspace page.

Go, now!
Rise up and dance!

Shoppe News: Breast Balm Batch Gone Awry

2008-09-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

I'm frustrated and sad to say that I am currently putting the production of Breast Balm on hold.

Our most recent batch did not cure well, even though we followed our rather precise recipe. As anyone who makes natural products such as salves and balms or lotions knows, sometimes you simply cannot entirely control the outcome. While the ingredients are all the same and from excellent sources or harvests, the consistency is not the usual; and therefore we do not feel this batch represents our usual high-quality product. We want you, our vendors and customers, to have only our best. So until we decide how to proceed, we are setting aside production of the balm.

We'll keep you posted as to when it may - if at all - return. Thanks for your support and encouragement, always good medicine!

Shoppe News: Seasonal Teas, wherefore art thou?

2008-08-22T15:11:00.001-07:00

Someone out there, we are sure, is wondering what happened to the Seasonal tea line. We hope in the coming year to pick this up again, but for now that line of teas will be put on hold.

With rising gas prices quickly causing a rise in cost to produce, as well as a lag in sales everywhere, we found that it was difficult to be introducing limited run tea blends. We are a small, 'mom and pop' type business, which basically means we are not able to absorb costs for such a crazy market right now.

The upside of this is that Lilith's Spring Equinox Passion Tea was a huge hit! We've decided that Passion needs to stick around for awhile, so this tea has been moved into a regular blend. That means you can get your delicious Passion Tea even now, as we watch the summertime wane into Autumn. Drink deep and enjoy!

Shoppe News: Breast Balm

2008-08-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Excuses, excuses... we have many. But let's just move on to the important stuff, shall we?

We've been having a lot of hiccups with the production of Breast Balm recently, as some of our customers know. (Apparently, we've also been having a lot of hiccups with blog updates, obviously!)

I'm pretty picky about the ingredients that I use for all our items. And this season I ran into delay after delay trying to get a hold of some good, fresh Dandelion Blossom oil. I prefer to make my oils myself, which means that you need to seek out the flowers at the right time, harvest and process them. For various reasons (you can take your pick - teething baby who decided not to sleep for a month, or not being able to find true Dandelion blossoms in a good, healthy environment far enough off any road areas, or needing to travel to visit ill family during a bumper crop of blossoms, I could go on...), I missed the window a bit ago, so I was sent searching for a good source of fresh oil. When I did think I had found some, it was not very good quality. More delays.

I now believe that I have found it! And so I am hoping to have a fresh new batch out for the pleasure of all this coming week. So, if you have been patiently waiting for your back-ordered Breast Balm (say that five times fast), then you are about to be rewarded! And as always, we thank you for your patronage and your support while we have worked through this.

Be Well - and Spread the Love!

What's Goin' On: Screwy, indeed...

2008-07-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

This was shared on the HP* list. Very interesting:

Here

*worth checking out! Go here to Lauren's blog, info, and yahoo list

Unbelievable... oh, wait...if you are a parent, you need to know this

2008-07-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well, getting right to it (more on where I have been later) an amazing, incredulous agenda floated out there the other day that all parents should be warned about. Drugs that are peddled to adults are just as dandy for children! Here

There are a lot of things wrong with this. The first thing being that often the issues at hand that they claim these drugs (oh, and lowfat milk) could address can in most cases be handled with diet and exercise (or would that just be, I don't know, too easy?). We are indeed in a crazy world when we consistently look to drugs for the cures of things we create due to our own personal negligence. And before people start to claim that all the onslaught of obesity in this country is due to genes (yes, it is, sometimes), please take the time to read about the information that has been building explaining why the lowfat craze, even the trusty 'food guide pyramid' has been so bad for us. That, and the fashionable habit nowadays of sitting around in front of our computers all the time.

Luckily, some medical professionals are willing to talk some sense about it.
Read about here

The anecdote? Get outside. Run, walk, breath deep and maybe play hopscotch. Laugh until your sides bust as you ride with your kids down the slide. Eat in moderation, and consider that maybe you don't need the super-sizes, or the Red Bulls, or even (gasp!) grain. Educate yourself about the history of diet -- what our ancestors ate, what we are designed to eat, and why. And the revolution of agriculture, the industrial era, and how these things have effected our diets, our way of life. Seems like a lot, I know. There are a lot of books out there if you are curious. I'll make a list of some that are worth reading.

More info/comments to come...

What's Goin' On: Science finds a link between Mercury and Autism

2008-04-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

This debate has been raging for awhile now -- some of you won't be surprised at all by this 'discovery'. I sure wasn't. Moms have been saying this for years.

Read about the landmark information here.

My concern with Mercury and Autism isn't cut and dry in terms of whether Mercury is the causative factor -- obviously there are some children that get vaccines, for instance, and are just fine. But as with many health issues in modern life (and by that I mean since the industrial era), some of us are more sensitive and some of us aren't. Some of us will smoke and never get cancer, some will. Some will eat wheat and feel ill, many won't. Some of us will get vaccines, and react to either the mercury, the high levels of additives, or just the overwhelm to our immune systems. And some won't.

The issue at hand, in my mind, is more so one of EDUCATION and AWARENESS. This means honest dealings from our corporations and government who make or support the use of the products and vaccines, food and what-not that we all consume. So that we know and decide for ourselves what is best for our family, for one another. As always, the bottom line?

Trust your instincts, mama's!

What's Goin' On: Canada, you rock!

2008-04-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is old news by now, as it has been plastered all over the news, worldwide, since this morning:

Canada bans the use of Bisephenol A

The quote by Health Minister, Tony Clement, says it all: "We've concluded it's better to be safe than sorry," said Clement.

Wow. How I wish, how I hope that Americans will take these words to heart. Our health, our children and one another would be much healthier if we took this approach.

Carry on!
Ms Thistle

Shoppe News

2008-04-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we are feeling rather embarrassed. We have been seriously slacking off lately.

But let me rephrase this, and hopefully shed some light on the reasons why: I use the term 'we' all the time because in reality, often my dh helps me pull off deliveries (even if it is only by watching our two beautiful daughters), and because without his support I could not make this business happen at all.

But in terms of the day to day grind of getting things done with The Thistle, it comes down to one person -- me. And as much as I love (!) creating the tea blends and designing the labels and creating the verbiage for the labels and keeping inventory and ordering more and more herbs to make the blends with and roasting the vanilla bean and shredding and grinding the roots and folding the boxes and bagging every single bag and printing the labels and applying the labels and dusting the shelves (nod to Rose! lol) and delivering the teas and debating about what to keep, what to phase out (be still my heart! I love all my teas) and don't even get me started on making the Balm! That's a whole other looooong process in itself -- all of this takes time. And time, people, is a precious thing in my world.

Now, I'm not complaining -- I'm whining. I'm kvetching. Because while I'm doing all of this, I'm also raising my two daughters. Let's just say they are a handful! I'm overwhelmed, I admit it. I used to be the Queen of Organization, the Duchess of Get R Done, the Priestess of Right On Time Perfection.

As any mother out there reading this knows, the quickest way to learn what your weak spots are, or how much you need to let go of deeply-inbred Type-A control issues, is to have a child. For me, my Achille's Heel is sleeping. I need a lot, and small children and sleeping well or regular simply do not go together in one sentence. So I have become a rather drawn out experiment in sleep-deprivation and let me tell you, it works! You can watch a person completely unravel if you simply interrupt their sleep on a regular basis (don't try this at home, folks!). This means that it takes me twice as long to accomplish the most mundane tasks. So that's my excuse for slacking.

Before you doze off -- what I'm getting at here is that if it seems that my replies aren't quite fast enough in their turn around, if it seems like my website needs updating, if I'm simply not posting enough on my blog (well, you wouldn't know but my commitment is to post 2x a week, so I'm way behind), it's because I am swimming in tasks to get done on a daily basis. I'm having a hard time getting my dishes done, let alone dispensing the delicious teas & important pithy herbal and uplifting info that we all know and love.

And, tomorrow is my 40th birthday -- I'm thinking that maybe I have finally earned a break.

Drink deep, get out there and love your life!

What's Goin' On: the heart of consumerism?

2008-04-09T07:20:00.001-07:00

At first blush this article may seem like another reason to get happy.

But I'm not one who buys into (pardon the pun) the idea that we should all 'get happy.' I think the current obsession with constantly being joyful is misguided and irresponsible, in fact. We are not designed that way, nothing in nature is. Emotions ebb and flow just like the tides, and we grow our character and value our joys from the learning how to ride the opposite (Goethe said something similar, this is not a new idea: “Only by joy and sorrow does a person know anything about themselves and their destiny. They learn what to do and what to avoid.”). Taking a pill to mask emotions doesn't deal with them, it merely masks them. They stick around, lingering like unwanted guests at a party. So you never fully really do experience joy or happiness anyway. That doesn't seem fair, does it? Or right. We need to address our emotions, to answer when something brings sadness to our door. Once the emotion is satiated, it will get up and leave. The party can continue.

That's all a philosophical discussion in itself, but what I'm wandering towards here is a vicious cycle that we may be caught in. A web of our own making:

here

This article suggests that we are more susceptible to over-purchasing when we are depressed. No surprise, but very telling. I don't know about you, but I don't recall there ever being a time like there is now: we consume ourselves to death every day, our children are now obsessed with status symbols and 'stuff', and there is talk that we are the more depressed than ever. (A great book argues that we are overwhelmed by choice and lack of hope: (link soon). So if this depression feeds the consumerism that feeds the depression -- how do we get off the rollercoaster?

Great discussion, worth having.

Shoppe News: New Seasonal Blend Goddess Tea!

2008-04-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Our latest seasonal blend has arrived ~ Lilith's Spring Equinox Passion Tea.

A delicious blend with hibiscus, vanilla bean, malva flowers and more. You can read all about it and place your order here. Enjoy it while you can, because this will only be available until the Summer Solstice!

Sometimes people ask me how I create the teas we have, and I have to say they really are inspired. The Goddess' are my muse, and I let them lead the way:

Usually, I start with a sense of the kind of tea I want to create. For instance, a tea that reflects what seems to be the theme for not only Spring in general, but what I hear people expressing in their day to day lives as well right now:

words like "Growth", "Metamorphosis", "Challenges" and simply "A lot goin' on!" This is no surprise given that it is Spring, and we all feel that cabin-fever tension to get out and spread our wings. But I also have a tendency to look beneath the costume of words, to unbutton the cloak and see what's hiding there.

Underneath the theme in those words, the common thread would be possibilities. And one cannot support what's possible without hope. The final knot tying it all together? Passion. The flower that breaks free from its shell does so, because it has an inherent passion to bloom. Change is not a question, but an inevitability. It does not consider the why's and the how to's, it simply turns towards what supports its passion, and unfolds. That is magic, people!

With this magic in hand, I set out to look into which herbs support this kind of transformation in life. Various flowers and roots, leaves and lichen came into play. From there, I begin to consider where there is a theme medicinally ~ the practical side to magic. Slowly, the true nature of the blend is coming together.

Finally, I begin to make small cups of variations on the blend, to see which flavors best enhance one another. Sometime I already know how some will marry. But this time, for instance, I had never worked with hibiscus so I wasn't certain. I had to play with how much to add, how much to remove, back and forth.

Then suddenly, you take a sip and something sings! I know it is complete.

The next stage ~ although sometimes this comes first ~ is to see which Goddess has an affinity for this blend's properties. Sometimes it has to do with the practical side (as with Skatha) and sometimes it has more to do with the magical (as with Lilith/Lamia). With our Passion Tea, I was really struggling with everything for the tea label (from the name to the copy), and the Goddess I had attempted to choose wasn't complying. Her attributes where correct for the season, but She wasn't fired up about it. I was talking with a friend at Humboldt Herbals, being my animated self about how passionate and wonderful this new blend was. I literally get tingles when I drink it ~ so delicious! It is truly sensual and stimulating. I realized suddenly that I needed to step outside the box, as they say. To stop trying to make a puzzle fit, and let the pieces come together.

Although I realize that many would not associate Lilith, an ancient and somewhat dark Goddess image with the light-heartedness of Spring ~ it was She who landed on my shoulder from that moment on. She refused to budge, and whispered sweetness in my ear about the current season. I'm not one to ignore a Goddess when She lands, and Lilith's Spring Equinox Passion Tea was born.

Our Goddess Teas are a reverent offering, a mirthful dance with Mother Nature and gratitude for the gifts She shares. We hope you enjoy them ~ drink deep, get out and bloom!

Kindling for the fire: Healing the Wild Within, and Without

2008-03-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

Myth and storytelling, like ritual, have been with us since our first breath. Through our telling of tales, we connect and reconnect with one another and with our surrounding nature. Throughout the ages, as we connect the delicate strands of individual life together into common tales, we are reminded of how precious life is, how precious we are to one another. The journey is not so lonely. The burden not so great -- when it is shared. Each healing a tiny star, joining the one with many to illuminate the night for the next fellow traveler.

This is a lovely re-telling of the fairy tale The Girl With Silver Hands, wherein the author takes a look at her own journey through illness. She reconnects this to our refecltion of dis-ease in the wild, and our mutual need to heal. A star to add to our night sky, lighting the way: here

(Image is by Sulamith Wulfing)

Rite of the Moment: Ostara

2008-03-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hail spring! It is the equinox -- a time of balance, renewal, growth. The green good things are bursting out of their tight coats all across the fields, blossoms and beauty are everywhere we look. This is a wonderful time to stand in your center, to acknowledge the depths of wintertime's reflection before turning your face towards the illumination of spring.

Ritual has been around since our beginning -- it does not matter what your religion may be, or the path you consider to be on. We all have the ancestral history of ritual and its power pulsing through our collective bones. It was used and it still works, because ritual enables us to step outside our mundane every day lives and acknowledge what is unique, amazing or valuable to us. What do you consider a miracle in your life? And in your own way, how do you wish to acknowledge it and gives thanks for it? Ritual is the perfect vehicle for doing this.

We thought we would offer up a simple and easy ritual to symbolize the changing season within that is reflected in nature. And if you feel that ritual makes you uncomfortable, then we invite you to simply take a moment and breath deeply, and offer a prayer of thanks for the blessings in your life. Then state clearly, out loud, what you will tend to in the coming season, what you will nurture and take care of. It can be as simple as "I will drink more water," to "I will not yell at my child all the time."
Just make it something that really would make a difference in your life, no matter how small. The idea here is that we are going to take care of something, and help it to blossom in our lives in the coming days.

For those ready for the rite, here we go. You will need:

1 egg
a plant, or a packet of seeds and somewhere to share them
water

Sit wherever you can, and take a moment to close your eyes and just become aware of your breathing. See if you can slow it down, just a bit. Good. Now see if you can deepen each breath, just a little bit more.

Place the egg cupped in your hands. Think for a moment about what you have lived through during the winter that is now passing. Maybe it was a great season for you, no drama or illness --give thanks in your thoughts for these blessings. Or maybe it was a really trying time -- a family member passed, you made it through a tough battle with cancer, or maybe a child was just having a rough school year.

And here you are. You are breathing, you are alive--you made it through. Can you see the teachings within the strife? Take a moment and see if you can, no matter how small. Give thanks for the lessons that difficult times can present, and gratitude that you have made it to today.

With your last thought of thanks, breath in deeply and exhale slowly and with emphasis all over your egg. You can really go with this -- blow hard, moan and groan if you need to! Sing and holler if you want. You are charging this little egg with all that you just recalled.

Ideally, if you can -- go to the nearest body of running water and turn your back so that you are facing against the flow. Toss the egg over your shoulder and walk away. Don't look back; let the water carry away what is done. Let go, and move on. If you can't go to the river, or a stream, or even the ocean -- then you can still find a ready and willing flow from your sink down the kitchen drain. Ritual can be practical, too!

Now, go over and pick up that plant, or that pack of seeds, and once again sit for a moment and breath. Think about something, anything, that is your heart's desire. Something that you want to nurture and foster in you, that you want to see blossom. Maybe you want to learn how to play guitar, or maybe you wish you could be more calm with your child on a daily basis. You know you have this in you, you just need to put your focus and attention towards this something to nudge it along.

Pick up the plant, or the seeds, and again take a deep breath and then exhale, focusing on this promise to yourself. Let it out good and strong -- make this count! This is for you, and in turn for those you love. Then go and toss those seeds where they will grow, or place that plant somewhere that you can give it attention. End this by carefully watering your charge, and giving thanks for yet another season you have passed through.

As the days grow in light, take the time -- it doesn't take long -- to water those seeds, or that plant. Let them be a symbol of what you cherish in yourself, what you choose to let blossom. As you water the new growth, take a moment to again breath deep, and focus on your intention.

The time is now! Get out there and bloom!

Note: We feel the need to point out that this is truly more like a working, or a very shortened version of ritual. Ritual usually has elements in it that take a bit more time and focus, however we wanted to offer up something that was very engaging and yet wouldn't be too much to pull off for all you busy people out there.

(Tomorrow, we will have more about the shoppe and latest info, but for today we wanted to only give gratitude, and stir up some growth. )

Kindling for the fire: Anima Center

2008-03-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful place I have read about; and I have hopes of someday going there on retreat -- the Anima Center.

They have lots of events, workshops, etc coming up, you can check it out

here

One of the partners that sustains herself on the land, and assists in nurturing Anima, is Kiva Rose. You can find her blog down to the right under our "Health and Healing" blogroll, and in articles that she writes for SageWoman magazine. I find her to be wise, inspiring, inquisitive and kind...and surefooted, as she walks the land and learns from the green growing things. This woman lives off the land, and stokes the fires for living a life of passion and grace. She has a way of making you feel as if you sit right beside her, sipping a cup of delicious tea as she shares with you her understanding of herbs, her respect for the land she walks.

Blessings, Kiva Rose, thank you for sharing!

Kindling for the fire: Randy Pausch's last lecture

2008-03-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

This was shared with me by a mother from my weekly playgroup (thanks, Elizabeth!). I had caught wind of this awhile ago, and had never made the time to sit down and look for it, play it, watch it- take it in.

I invite you to do so now.

With great anticipation...

2008-03-01T15:59:00.001-08:00

Spring is almost here-- can you feel it? Go out for a walk and bear witness to all the sweet budding of life everywhere! The earth is waking up, Mother Nature is opening Her arms wide in adoration of Her Sun.

This is a great time for taking herbs to cleanse our systems, to wake up and shake off that winter coat that carried you through.

Here's a simple recipe to help stimulate your liver and get things moving:

2 cloves garlic
1 oz organic olive oil
1 oz fresh squeezed, organic lemon juice

Blend this together and drink at once (use a blender or mini-food processor; if you don't have one, then you will need to very finely grate the garlic, or even press it first). I have seen different recommendations for this, but personally I do this one time every morning for 7 days. This helps to quickly move things through the liver, some may strongly feel this and some may not. I have found I get an intense burst of energy and alertness within minutes of drinking this.

It is helpful to follow this with a supportive tea infusion that you drink throughout the day, such as equal parts Dandelion Root, Burdock, Oatstraw and Nettles. Hmmmm...lovely!

If you would like to try an infusion like I mention above, it would be best to decoct the roots, or create a cold infusion. Here's how:

Decoction -- take equal parts of the Dandelion Root and Burdock, mix together and measure out a heaping 1 tbs for a quart of water. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes in a covered pot. Remove from heat, and add 1 heaping tbs of the remaining blend (equal parts Oatstraw, Nettles -- you can even add some Red Clover, yummy!). Cover again and let cool. Strain and enjoy.

Cold Infusion -- Equal parts of all herbs, measure out 2 tbs and place in tea strainer in your favorite quart jar (mason jars, wide mouthed, are perfect for this). Cover the herbs and let this sit in a cool dry area overnight. In the morning, remove your tea strained and enjoy throughout the day.

*edit to add information about decoction and infusions

Herbal Materia Medica Terms

2008-02-19T10:14:00.001-08:00

This list is in progress, it is by no means complete or comprehensive yet.

Adaptogens -- helps the body respond to stress, to adapt
Antispasmodic -- lowers muscle spasms, ie relieves cramping of muscles
Anti-rheumatic --
Astringent -- tones tissue internally and topically via restriction, can assist overall good health of tissues ( ie capillaries, organs)
Carminitive -- soothes gas and bloating; raises peristalsis action; warming
Diaphoretic -- can aide in the reduction of fevers; facilitates sweating and therefore release of
waste, toxins
Diuretic -- raises urine production, which helps to release waste
Emmenagogue -- assists in the regulations of menses
Nervine -- calms the nervous system via either stimulation or sedation
Tonic -- good for consistent use, tones and promotes overall good health

Materia Medica: Motherwort

2008-02-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

Latin name/family: Leonurus cardiaca, Labiatae mint family
Habitat & Appearance: moist, disturbed areas; often will volunteer in gardens and take over; hardy plant -- pink to white flowers above leaf nodes, leaves opposite w/ pointed lobes; resembles mugwort
Parts used: flowers, leaves and stems
Energetics: bitter, cold
Properties: carminitive, heart (cardiac) tonic, diuretic, antispasmodic, anti rheumatic, emmenagogue, astringent, diaphoretic, tonic, nervine
Folklore & Magical History: Not a lot, references to a plant of Venus, suggestive a use in the affairs of the heart, love; due to it's uses, I can imagine it being wonderful to use in workings for mothers or children, as a plant of protection and for uplifting the heart

I love this plant. I wrote about this much earlier in brief, and thought it was appropriate to be the first herb that we took an expanded look at.

Many mothers commonly use this plant -- also known as "Mother's Little Helper"-- to take them down a notch when things are stressful. It is highly effective for this use, however there is much more it is known for. How else could it win such a regal and powerful name, which translates into Lion Hearted?

So let's get to it. Starting at the core of what I call the "Sensitive Body" (as opposed to the physical one, this aspect of our body houses our intuitive nature and such), our heart, this herb works wonders on our 'mindsight' -- the mind/heart connection -- by virtue of it's ability to calm down one's thoughts, and thereby emotions, via the channels of the heart. Contrary to what you may think, our thoughts create our emotions, not the other way around. For those of use struggling with an overactive mind and emotional constitution, this herb is a powerful ally.

But before I start sounding too airy-fairy for y'all, it does this in part because this lovely herb contains alkaloids and compounds that have proven in lab studies to have heart-regulating effects, while also being sedative and hypotensive. So Motherwort comes with the data to backup her claims. This means that as it literally helps to calm the physical response to stress in the heart and nervous system, it then in turn helps to lower one's emotional response and effects as well.

When we are caught in a biofeedback of negativity, we no longer see where the tension begins -- in the mind with my thoughts? With my emotions, such as when I feel anger, frustration? Or in my body, when my pulse races and my heart feels as if its contracting with tension? -- and therefore how to best assist healing. By calming the heart and nervous system, this herb steps into the negative biofeedback cycle -- as the body calms down, the mind can choose to follow.

I say choose because I have found that in order to get maximum use of this herb's gifts, when possible I take advantage of that calming state and explore the negative thoughts that are contributing to my stressed out body. I consciously choose to ignore the negative thoughts in my mind, and replace them with very positive, supportive ones. Instead of "I can't handle this" I literally tell that thought to "STOP!" and in turn say to myself "I can handle this, and I will." By combining the action of calming the physical reaction in the body while also calming the agitated state of the mind, I have thwarted the negative feedback system's power over me.

Indirectly this plant assists blood pressure, again due to its talents with the heart. It helps to allow the let-down of milk in nursing women, I suggest once again, due to its ability to calm and center a possibly tense body (any mother knows that breastfeeding is a learned art!). This herb is fantastic to use for those with anger, depression or grief issues. I have found in various books many references to all kinds of maladies that it helps: stomach aches, headaches, convulsions, etc etc. When you consider that so many of these issues can stem from tension and stress, again it is no surprise the efficacy of this herb for such issues. Meanwhile, it also is effective in the treatment of rheumatic issues; as well as edema of the heart.

Moving down in the body, we come to the uterus: because of Motherwort's talents with heart and tension, it is no surprise that it works wonders for PMS and particularly for menstrual cramping and slow-starting menses in women. This is because this plant is an emmenagogue and assists bleeding, as well as being antispasmodic to smooth muscles. Rosemary Gladstar notes in her book, Herbal Healing For Women: "concentrations of leonurine and stachydrine, chemical constituents that promote uterine contractions have been found in motherwort..." (p.248) This is also why it is not recommended during pregnancy by many herbalists, for obvious reasons; however, it has been used traditionally by midwives at the last stages of pregnancy to assist birth.

Wrap -up: Due to it's nervine and sedative properties, this herb can best assist heart-centered issues such as stress, depression, grief, anger, insomnia, indigestion, headaches, cramping, muscle spasms... to name only a few. Great for PMS, menstrual cramping and slow-to-start menses; can assist slow labor and raise uterine contractions; can help to lower blood pressure; may be used to lower hyperthyroid conditions.

Use and dosage: One dropperful of tincture, up to 4x a day

Contraindications: Not for those who have heavy bleeding during menstrual cycles; not recommended during pregnancy; caution for those with hypothyroid; have seen references not for use with endometriosis, fibroids.

Disclaimer: Herbs are not FDA approved, nor or we implying that anything here should or can replace the recommendation of your health practitioner. You are reading this on the internet--educate yourself, never assume, and check with your health practitioner before using herbs.

References:
Herbal Healing for Women, R. Gladstar
Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, S. Foster and C. Hobbs
Private notes from Northwest School of Botanical Studies
Plantetary Herbology, M. Tierra
A Modern Herbal, Grieve, M.

(I will be editing this to create links for book ref's, as well as a link to a list of descriptions for terms, and a formal disclaimer because we live in a highly litigious society, etc)

Shoppe News: We are up and running!

2008-01-25T14:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our local computer dude, Dimitri, for getting us back on track!

Our Lady is back and right as rain so far . Orders are no longer being delayed. Thanks to everyone for your patience while we muddled through this. As D said, it is "never a convenient time."

This did highlight for us a few things that have been on the burner for awhile that we hope to address in the coming year: we need a new website, totally updated. We're going to be slowly working towards this in the coming months. There's a learning curve to wrangle with in the new program, but we love a challenge.

And we need to transfer all our labels from our limited graphics program to a better one (I've wanted to do this for years; but it takes time, which I don't have much of!), and also -- my secret dream! -- get them mass produced. Right now, I do everything myself. If I had multiple labels already printed, it would streamline production so much. This sounds like a small thing, however every little item I can streamline means that I have more time to dedicate towards the aspects of the company that I don't want to have to skimp on -- the mindful creation of the tea blends themselves, the personalized effort we put into the packaging, to name only a few.

I would also like to have more and more info here on this blog -- I'd love to see this become a place people share and converse about herbal health, WAHM's, children's herbal health, recipes, small business support for women...what would you like to share? If you are checking in , please feel free to leave comments now and again. We'd love to hear from you!

Hard drives and files, OH MY!

2008-01-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

Well, it happened. Our beloved link to the outer world from our nest here in the Redwoods of rural California has been severed: our hard drive crashed this week. At least it is only temporary. At least we have backed up pretty much everything.

But this means that we are currently in a holding pattern while our Lady of the Perpetual Internet is fixed. So if you place an order, please know that we will fulfill it ASAP, however it may be delayed depending on what you order. Currently, we cannot access labels for our teas, so in particular we are limited in teas right now.

This issue is being addressed as we speak, and hope to be up and running at the top of the week, at the end of the week at the latest. We will be checking our emails as much as we can, but it will be intermittent.

Thank you for any good vibes of Happy Computerness you can send!

Press on!
MsThistle

Shoppe News

2008-01-03T13:27:00.001-08:00

Whew. Well, the holidays are over. It was a hard season this year, but I made it through. Next year, I am clear that I absolutely must have some elves to help. I can't do this alone anymore. We aren't a big operation, but we are big enough that doing it myself has become a challenge.

Some updates, and a shout out to patrons who have been trying to reach us by phone:

~ From now on I will be posting News here at the blog,
instead of at the website with its own page.

~ Recently, I've had a hard time retrieving and hearing messages from our phone. For instance, I received a text message almost a month after the send date. Not sure why this has happened; I only know that this has resulted in a lot of very delayed brochures being sent out, for which I apologize. We couldn't be here without you, our customers -- but sometimes there are glitches in the program, so to say. My messages the last week have been coming in what seems to be a timely fashion, so hopefully this won't be a problem in the future.

If you are someone who has left a message and not received a brochure yet, please do call
again. Remember to speak slowly and clearly so that I can be sure your address, or call back
number is correct. And as always, thank you for your support!

More later-- press on!
Ms Thistle

What's Goin' On: naughty, naughty pharmies

2007-12-28T11:28:00.001-08:00

This isn't surprising to me, but outrageous nonetheless. If you don't find this outrageous-- then, as the saying goes, you aren't paying attention: click here

It is amazing to me the amount of shady 'behind the curtains' dealings that continue to go on in the healthcare industry(not to mention food and psychology as well). Dealings that lead to gross misrepresentations and misconceptions about what is healthy or not, and what is necessary or not. And it is disconcerting to me the number of people who simply don't know.

Before I start to sound like I'm lecturing, I want to make clear that I was one of these people. I grew up in a very typical suburban, middle class 80's household. I feasted on McDonald's, Snickers, and Stouffer's frozen macaroni and cheese; I soaked my skin in paraben-laced body care and am still surrounded by plastic as far as the eye can see; I dutifully took all the countless antibiotics that Dr's gave me since I was little; and heaven knows what other ills I exposed myself to in the Generation of Excess (too many to list here, for certain-- I smoked for much of my childhood and adult life as well. I've been smoke free now for 5 years now, thank you!). But enough about my colorful background...

This has become one of my pet peeves as of late, the issue around diet and heart disease, cholesterol, etc. The reasons are twofold: I myself have been borderline anemic, and hypoglycemic much of my life, and my husband has a history of heart disease and diabetes in his family. So I have been educating myself more and more around these issues, not only to serve us as we age gracefully (of course!) but to begin preventative health care for my children. Prevention and knowledge are, in my humble opinion, some of the best medicine.

There is a lot of information coming out in the past year especially that highlight all the lies we have been fed about what is best for us. Most of the time, these 'rules' for health are merely hypothesis (to repeat on a previous post), theories, ideas and experiments. We, and our children, are the guinea pigs.

Outrageous.

Daily Dose: motherwort

2007-12-26T15:40:00.000-08:00

Ah, Motherwort (also known more formally as Leonurus cardiaca). Her latin name invokes images of the calmly regal -- and protective -- lioness, she with a strong and capable heart. Motherwort helps us with these qualities, being a potent nervine that will take you down a good notch or two when you are feeling jittery, anguished and rattled. (Like when you are getting caught up in the craziness of the holiday season, maybe?) I have benefited from it greatly when I was bordering on a stress attack, or was depressed and hot-tempered as we Aries can sometimes be. A full dropperful (or two, I admit it!) and almost instantly I felt a soothing calm flow through my body.

This herb carries a lot of heart energy for me and for others, as it so efficiently calms the heart and the nerves overall. It is the perfect herb for the holidays, and if I wasn't crazy busy I would have shared this with you sooner (er, sorry). I trust the holidays were wonderful even if you didn't have this trusty herb by your side. But once you know of it, you will be sure to carry it close next Christmas. Or for any other time you need to center and calm yourself, for that matter.

Motherwort is a diaphoretic, emmenagogue, has nervine and tonic properties and is antispasmodic. It is wonderful for those with PMS, menstural cramps and such. IT is great for a good many other things, but I'll save all that for the detailed post on it.

It has a very potent, pungent and bitter taste-- certainly not a flavor one associates with tea. My preference is to take it in tincture form; mind, this does not make it more palpable, just sends it down the throat a bit faster. And of course the medicine takes effect rapidly as well, being absorbed readily through the tissues of the mouth.

Wrap-up: if you are full of tension, anguish, feeling close to a panic attack, can't focus from the stress of it all, Motherwort is for you. She will rapidly bring you to your center, and soothe the beast within. There are cautions from some old time herbalists that it can be psychologically addicting (see Susun Weed), however I have not seen this so far. One dropperful, up to 4x a day is recommended as needed.
Contra-indications: not to be used while pregnant (save for under the care of an experienced herbalist at the final stages of pregnancy), as it can promote bleeding; do not use if you have regular spotting or heavy bleeding monthly. If you have hyperthyroid, consider using a different herb.

What's Goin' on: sad and silly

2007-12-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

Being that I am a WAHM, I hope the non-parents who may come here don't mind that I will be posting often about noteworthy/provocative, etc items for parents.

This is a blog on parenting I came across, the first post I read speaks volumes about the state of birthing in America today. My experience was so far from this, and I feel lucky. Many families, sadly, are not. Can you imagine birthing here? Read on: Sweet Juniper

And now, to lighten the mood.You need not be a parent to enjoy this:
The.funniest.thing.ever!

Carry on!
MsThistle

Daily Dose: usnea

2007-12-05T09:15:00.001-08:00

This is the time of year for calling on a dear herbal ally "Old Man's Beard," or Usnea (usnea wirthii, u.californica).

It's the time of year when we keep cozy inside: a lack of fresh air when we shut tight our windows and turn on the heaters, and keeping kids inside to play in such environments only helps viruses to prosper in abundance.

When I was pregnant, I found all too often there were so many wonderful herbs that help colds and flus, but are not recommended while pregnant or nursing. I started using Usnea--safe for short term use while pregnant-- and now use it regularly. More even than Echinacea. Don't let the idea of being gentle enough for mama's fool you -- Old Man's Beard packs a punch! It has even been shown to fight gram-positive bacteria's, it is so potent. It is also called one of "nature's antibiotics" (see Buhner, 1999, _Herbal Antibiotics_ for a great reference). It is wonderful internally or topically as well for staph infections (I must note here, that one should never mess around with staph infections these days, they can advance to serious systemic proportions quickly. Please make sure you are being careful to have such an infection monitored by a health practitioner or your choice).

Some of this magical herb's qualities include assisting the fight against internal candida issues (because of its anti-fungal properties) -- I've even used this on my babies when they came down with a yeasty-diaper rash (after sweating off the alcohol, to be sure! It will irritate their skin otherwise. I'll post that recipe in the next post). I have also paired this with a tea blend to fight off tenacious UTI's with great success.

Wrap-up: Usnea is a powerful white blood cell stimulant (which in turn helps the body to attack viruses) and antimicrobial: anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. So it really covers your bases. If you are going to be in an environment that exposes you to illnesses, or feel like you are catching something, you can take 3-4 dropperfuls a day of this tincture and within days you will be feeling on top of it. Sometimes I even blend 50/50 tincture of Echinacea and Usnea, if I am feeling rundown already and want to stimulate my immune while fighting the nasties.

Contra-indications: none known, don't overdue while pregnant

Be well,
MsThistle

What's Goin' On: lies we've been fed about food; Part One of a smallish rant

2007-11-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

Check it out -- a user-friendly blurb about the latest buzz in regard to food. Or rather, what we eat and why it's bad for you. I haven't followed the food pyramid guidelines for a few years now, and this helps to explain some of the reasons why:

here

Human nature is such that we easily start to believe-- trust, even-- something that we have been told again and again, whether it is true or not. Familiarity breeds comfort. Even when there is mounting evidence for years that something ain't right, we trust what we have grown comfortable with. One of these things is that grains are necessary and good (great!) for us, another is that saturated fat is bad (awful!) for us. Remember before you scoff at this-- we also were told for generations that hydrogenated oils were fine (great!) for us. If you've been keeping up on the latest news in food lately, we now know that this is absolutely not true. Whole foods are best, chemical or processed foods are bad (BAD!).

(Case in point: Have you ever thought about why there is the phenomenal rise in auto-immune disorders? Heart disease? Autism? For brevity I'm slopping these all together, but my point is that we are indeed what we eat. And most of us grew up on processed, chemical based food. Which our bodies treat as foreign and therefore have to try and fight to get rid of it, since it is not designed to process it... and this, coupled with all the environmental toxins we are also exposed to but the body cannot process leads to inflammatory issues and various diseases such as those I just listed... whew...taking a breath, here...but I digress...)

It gets really scary, though, when we assume "experts" are telling us the truth: often, they are either offering their agenda as truth, or they are merely presenting a hypothesis that we want to be truth. In the first case shame on them-- in the second case, shame on us (well, in both cases, really - -buyer beware and all). The food pyramid has been touted for decades as the Golder Rule, although with new information they recently "updated" it. This is because They understand more now than They did before. Be clear here: our science is only as good as the questions we are capable of asking. And if we aren't even bothering to ask more questions, how can we know that our original question was sufficient? In the case of food, more and more people for instance are coming up with Celiac disease. More and more people are having issues with wheat. So now, we are asking more questions. We are finding that maybe grains aren't the next best thing as ...er, sliced bread. Maybe we are wrong about the Greatness of Grains, eh? And maybe it is worth considering that we are wrong about saturated fats as well.

Can you tell I'm a bit of a rebel? Or maybe I'm smart -- you decide, research all of this for yourself, don't take my word for it.This is the so-called Age of Information, but is it the Age of Knowledge? Can it be? I believe so. More than ever, it is essential that we educate ourselves in order to have the knowledge to make the best choices for ourselves, for our families. With the onslaught of cloning animals on the horizon and on your dinner menu-- and GMO's already found at your local market-- we need to wake up and pay more attention. And it's not about more regulation to protect us from ourselves (which is insulting at best) it's about simply not buying into it. Literally.

I didn't mean for this to sound like a rant, but there you go. I'm feeling a bit saucy today!

What do you think?

Eat well,
MsThistle

Daily Dose: spilanthes

2007-11-22T17:39:00.001-08:00

One of the reasons for this blog endeavor is that I wanted to show how easy it is to use herbs in your daily life. Whenever I meet people who are not familiar with herbal benefits I find they tend to shy away from using them at all, thinking it's just too "difficult," or "confusing."

In truth, it can be if you are dealing with a more complex situation or specific pharmaceuticals, for instance. But it certainly doesn't have to be. In the posts titled "Daily Dose" I'll be offering up examples of how I use herbs in day to day life. I won't get much into the details about an herb (although I will include any specific contra-indications, or warnings), but I will try and come back and do so in a later post that will focus on that specific herb's qualities. Daily Dose is meant to be a quick reference, an herbal inspiration for the herbally impaired.

Today, it's Spilanthes (acmella oleracea).

My tooth has been hurting for a few days now, and it occurred to me that I may have a cavity. Since I can't get to a dentist right away, I pulled down my tincture of Spilanthes and placed a teaspoon in a shot glass with a bit of warm water. I swished this around my mouth for a good 30 seconds or more (just like when you use mouthwash), and then spit it out. (Yes, you could swallow it if you like; t has other benefits as well, I'll get to that in another post). My mouth quickly had that trademark tingly sensation that Spilanthes gives, like hundreds of miniature little firecrackers exploding in there. Then a gentle, soothing light numbness.

Within about 5 minutes, my tooth no longer hurt. Now I can get back to fixing Thanksgiving dinner. Sure, I will need to go to a dentist next week --if I have a cavity there's no way around needing a filling-- but until then, I will gargle probably about three times a day using the same method.

If the pain gets really bad, I will also put a little drop of clove essential oil in my palm, add 5 drops of olive oil, and then take a cotton swab and put that right on the gum (no open wound of any kind, please! clove oil is a potent irritant) above the hurting tooth. This works fantastic (!) for pain, and the relief is immediate.

The Wrap Up: Spilanthes, the "toothache plant" is a potent anti-bacterial and immune stimulant (known to even fight E. coli and staph). This plant is specific for issues of the gums and helps to numb them when you gargle with it, while offering relief for inflammation and infection of the gum tissues. It raises blood flow in the tissues, thereby helping to carry away the waste created by infection/inflammation -- all around, it's helping to keep any nasties I might have going on in my mouth at bay until I can get it taken care of. And that's just some of what this plant brings to the table. Good stuff!
Contraindications: none I've come across, however I've heard it can with high or regular use stimulate auto-immune issues (because it stimulates the immune system), so use with discernment if that's you.

Be Well,
MsThistle

What's Goin on: Vaccines

2007-11-21T07:02:00.000-08:00

Wow. This is fascinating. I'm wondering if this will hit the media, and if this is a well-done study. The numbers are startling, however I'm not surprised. I am wondering if the areas that the surveys were done in were chosen to best reflect one another (meaning, to keep the results from being skewed due to environment, etc. If you survey children on say toxic levels in the city compared to in the country, I'd expect different responses).

http://www.generationrescue.org/survey.html

Blessings,
MsThistle
(thanks, Janine, for sharing this!)

What's Goin' On: exposure to environmental toxins lately?

2007-11-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

My friend Lauren has a great site, blog and yahoo list -- healthyparenting.com that I love (!). This blog entry of hers has a link to check your 'body burden' in terms of what you are being exposed to. Fascinating and educational. Worth checking out:

http://healthyparenting.net/blog/2007/11/10/whats-your-body-burden/

Why does it matter to know, you may ask? For one thing, we are being exposed to far more chemicals and overall environmental toxins than any previous generation. Let me say that again, it bears repeating: we are being exposed to far more chemicals and overall environmental toxins than any previous generation. Many believe this may be a link to the rise in breast cancer over the years, for one thing. To our children reaching puberty at earlier and earlier ages. And my own pet theory: the unbelievable rise in allergies and asthma in both adults and children (how? Because in a nutshell this exposure creates waste in our bodies that cannot be processed and therefore causes a rise in inflammatory response, which in turn equals auto-immune issues, allergies, etc). I know that this kind of information is scary at best, and therefore easy to ignore. But if we don't educate ourselves-- if we don't know-- we can't change it.

Are you worth it? Is your child worth it? Is your world worth it?

Blessings,
MsThistle
(who is now thinking about how I can actually be more active in what I want to do about what I know. Y'know, walk the talk and all...I'd love ideas...)

I Spy: kindling for the fire

2007-11-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

Greetings,

There are vital experiences in any person's life-- events, music, relationships, memories, etc-- that provide what I call kindling for the fire. These moments warm your heart, inspire you to persevere, or simply make you smile. This is the stuff of life that makes it worth living, makes the world magical and enchanting.

I find things to 'light my fire' everywhere, especially in quotes or poetry. This is a poem by Antonio Machado that hits me in my gut every time I read it; my bones tingle with awareness and the beating of my heart vibrates through my being like a clear bell. The part in particular that has greatly inspired me in difficult times I highlighted. I'm a perfectionist, a real Type A driven kind of woman -- and I am very hard on myself when I have not achieved what I thought I should. The imagery of delicate bees creating honey from my efforts that failed speaks to the power of surrendering to metamorphoses in my life.

What does it make you feel? What does it invoke for you? I would love to know.

Last Night As I Lay Sleeping

Last night as I was sleeping I dreamt a marvelous illusion
that there was a spring breaking out in my heart.
I said, "Along what secret aqueduct are you coming to me
Oh water, water of a new life that I have never drunk."

Last night as I was sleeping I dreamt a marvelous illusion
that there was a beehive here in my heart.
And the golden bees were making white combs
and sweet honey from my old failures.

Last night as I was sleeping I dreamt a marvelous illusion
that there was a fiery sun here in my heart.
It was fiery because it gave warmth as if from a hearth
And it was sun because it gave light and brought tears to my eyes.

Last night as I was sleeping I dreamt a marvelous illusion
that there was God here in my heart.

God, is my soul asleep?
Have those beehives who labor by night stopped, and
the water wheel of thought, is it dry?
The cup's empty, wheeling out carrying only shadows?
No! My soul is not asleep! My soul is not asleep!
It neither sleeps nor dreams, but watches, its clear eyes open,
far off things, and listens, and listens
at the shores of the great silence.
It listens at the shores of the great silence.

~ Antonio Machado ~

translations by Robert Bly)

Blessings,
MsThistle

What's Goin' On?: picky picky

2007-11-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

Good Morning,

I want this blog to be a place that offers all kinds of information pertaining to the holistic health and well being of you. Keeping that goal in mind, here are some tidbits I came across worth checking out, from inspiring to educational:

Some educational information:
Scroll down to read about Drugs ads on TV; fascinating but not surprising who is in who's back pocket (say that five times fast!):
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/

This is scary, for those of you who question vaccinating your children. I'm constantly amazed at how ignorant and presumptuous society can be about vaccines:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111301408.html

Some lovely herbal inspiration/education:
A wonderful blog about mugwort, also known as dreamwort.
http://plantjourneys.blogspot.com/2007/10/dreamwort.html

More later!
Green Blessings,
MsThistle

The Dreaded M -- Mastitis and ways to naturally treat it

2007-11-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

I promised to talk about herbal remedies for mastitis—The Dreaded M – so here we go:

Mastitis-- caused by either a form of Staphylococcus infection or even a Candida infection-- can come out of nowhere, usually accompanied by flu-like symptoms (achy, head-throbbing, bone tired, fever, etc. I have heard some mother’s even speak of vomiting).

Its partner in crime is the plugged duct. A plugged duct usually has symptoms of a red and (very) sore area on the breast, often it feels as if someone has punched you very hard in chest. If you explore the area (you should, and will have to if you are going to get rid of it), you may feel a hard little ball that is tender to the touch. Usually, if you have progressed to mastitis it began with a plugged duct that is now infected. You need to address any of these symptoms straight away, as mastitis can progress rapidly.

When I first had it, my fever climbed to 104 in a matter of hours. I had ignored the soreness in my breast assuming it was merely my breasts acclimating to nursing. But that kind of soreness is more akin to a tingling sensation running down through the breast, usually when your milk comes in, sometimes described as little crystals flowing down. A plugged duct is stationary, often hard and noticeably sore to the touch.

There are various natural treatments, and I’m hoping some of our lovely readers will offer suggestions of what they have done as well, but until then I’ll fill you in on what I have personally found to be tried and true.

Here is a list of approaches:

The Ginger Compress
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is warming and stimulating; one of nature's premier anti-inflammatory herbs, the heated ginger infusion will help to open up the duct as well as get things moving and releasing down and through the duct. The skin on our breasts is very delicate and will rapidly absorb the healing benefits of Ginger’s properties.

- fresh ginger root
- a pot filled with at least a quart of water, set to a low simmer with a cover
- a grater for the ginger, or at least a good knife
- a cloth (flannel or even t-shirt material works great)

Grate up the fresh ginger until you have a good 4 tb, add this to your water starting to simmer. Cover this and keep an eye on it, you don’t want it to boil (I sometimes leave the cover slightly askew so as to let only a little steam escape). Let this simmer for maybe 10 minutes, then turn it off and let it sit for a bit. You will want this to cool enough only so that it is bearable to apply to your breast. It needs to be hot, but let’s not burn the boobies, please. Whole other issue!

Strain the ginger bits out, although I have been known to not even bother (why? Because it was simply too much effort while feeling sick and trying to tend to the baby and house, the phone ringing, and oh, yeah-- the dog needs to be fed as well!, etc).

When ready, dip your cloth and saturate well with the ginger infusion. Apply this to the sore area on your breast, and leave there until it cools. You can also place the compress under your bra, so that you can still chase around the wee one while tending to the bigger issue. This needs to be done on a fairly regular basis, at the very least a few times a day. This works best if accompanied with other approaches as follows:

Breast Massage
In between compresses, which I would do off and on throughout the day whenever possible, is breast massage. This hurts if you are doing it right. You need to get in there and find the lump causing your soreness, and really press good and hard to try and release it (my first bout with mastitis, my CNM actually pushed and popped my plugged duct with a distinct sensation as it released), massaging the area and then squeezing down, pushing all the way down and out the nipple... Imagine a cross between pumping breast milk manually and squeezing toothpaste down and out the tube (yeah; great visual, no? Motherhood ain't pretty, folks!). You want to make sure that you see milk coming out as you do this. You are literally helping to clear the duct, as it were. This is much easier to pull off in a hot shower, by the way.

It helps for some women, especially well-endowed ones, to massage the breast while their child is nursing, even when you are not addressing this acute issue. For a month after my mastitis, I would take my breast in a vice-like grip (again with the wonderful visual!) and squeeze as I massaged my "hand vice" down the breast in rhythm as my babe fed. This helps to stimulate the process of milk releasing readily from the ducts and moving down and through efficiently. When I had my second babe recently, I started out the first month doing the same so as to er, prime the pump.

Rest
Now the hard part: You need to rest, mama. The one thing They are clear on is that mastitis is usually a symptom of exhaustion. (Who are They, anyway? I don’t know either, but They seem to know everything about us. Some They’s I trust, some I don’t. And it’s in direct proportion to what I already know, thank you). This is a situation that calls for you to put your feet up and at the very least sit around. Let the children crawl all over you, let the dishes pile up in the sink, forget the dog hair dust bunnies floating in every corner. REST. When people squawk at you for their needs, tell them Ms. Thistle said so.

The main cause of mastitis and plugged ducts is an over-worked body. Any new mama knows that this simply comes with the territory, and you have my greatest sympathy. But if you are not well, you cannot mother well. You know how after birth you are told by your practitioner that if you continue bleeding it is a sign you need to rest? Same with mastitis or plugged ducts. Our bodies are already being very taxed dealing with a newborn. Sleep is one of the most simple and proficient forms of healing in the body. If you are not getting enough sleep at night, see if there is family or your husband who can relieve you for a few hours – even one hour a day! – so that you can lay down. If you can’t sleep, at the very least laying down will help to calm the body. There are herbs as well to assist you in being calm, listed next:

Herbs

Tincture of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) in glycerite. You may use an alcohol tincture, but since you are breastfeeding you really need to sweat off the alcohol first (to do this, you place a dropperful in a shot glass and add steaming hot water. Let this sit until cooled. The alcohol will evaporate, leaving the medicinal benefits intact. Drink deep. You can add this to juice if you find the taste unsavory). While you are resting, take a big dropperful of Lemon Balm. Lemon Balm is a wonderful nervine, so not only will it assist in calming down your Central Nervous System; it also helps to keep fevers down while being anti-bacterial. When I first had The Dreaded M, I went straight from a sore red spot to a high fever that kept climbing by the hour, pushin 104E. Knowing its wonderful affinity for lowering fever, I started to take one dropperful of Lemon Balm every 20-30 minutes, and within 1-2 hours my fever was in check. Not gone, but manageable. The fever is a sign that your body is working to fight infection – it’s a good sign, but a concern when your temp begins to rise rapidly. The anti-bacterial benefits also help to fight off the infection that is trying to take root in that duct. Lemon Balm has other benefits, soon I will put up more info on its properties and give a link.

Tincture of Echinacea (E. purpurea, preferably in this case or E. angustifolia) or Usnea (U. wirthii, U.californica, etc). It is worth it to also take doses of Echinacea tincture, to help support the immune system in fighting any infection in your duct. I have had great success as well with Usnea (a personal favorite that grows in abundance where I live), a powerful anti-bacterial herb (that is also anti-fungal/viral, by the by) and considered to be “nature’s antibiotic.” In fact, I use these two herbs in combination so often while nursing that I make a tincture of 50-50% with them. They marry well, and are safe while nursing and pregnant. The one caveat would be that a person with auto-immune disorders in general will not benefit from Echinacea, and may even feel worse with its use. If this is you, you can use the Usnea alone and/or the Mushroom complex. A dropperful, 4x a day during the acute phase of your ailment should do the trick.

Mushroom complex blend. I have used one made by Pure, although I believe that Eclectic also carries a line. You are looking for a mix of Reishi (ganoderma lucidum), Shiitake (lentinus edodes) and Maitake (grifola frondosa) . This blend is fantastic, hands-down. I loves me some Echinacea, but I have to say that this complex has kicked a cold or infection out of my body in record time. I cannot believe how efficient it is. Theses adaptogenic mushrooms have potent immune stimulating properties: Reishi for instance has potent anti-inflammatory properties and has been known to aide in supporting the liver, fighting cancer and creating luminous skin, to name only a few (another herb that I will post about with links to more info in the future). This mushroom complex stimulates macrophages, which in turn eat up the infecting-causing bacteria. For this, taking 4 caps in the AM and PM should work.

Additional Methods & Info

Nursing positions: Another thing that helps is to position the baby’s mouth so that the chin is aligned with the plugged duct. The suction, from what I’m told at Le Leche League, is strongest at the chin, and therefore best helps to draw out milk through the troubled duct. This meant for me, since my plugged duct was up high on the top of by breast (lucky girl!), I was straddling my sweet wee one as she lay on the floor essentially upside down in position to me, dangling my sore boob over her face on my hands and knees whilst she fed. It was the only way to have her chin facing my plugged duct, you see? This is why women seem to not usually get a plugged duct on the underside or bottom of their breast, because the babe’s chin is usually thereabouts. Now do you see better? During all of this, it is vital that you keep nursing. It is important to keep milk flowing and moving through the ducts, and there is no harm for the child. It can be rare that you are recommended not to nurse, and this is when it has advanced to serious stages of infection (at this point, you have hopefully gone to your practitioner, as the infection and pain would be great, more below).

Lecithin supplements: I have not tried this myself, but have been told by a Le Leche volunteer that for women who seem to have chronic bouts with mastitis or plugged ducts, taking lecithin (available in both soy and egg derivatives) on a regular basis helps to keep the issue at bay. This makes sense to me, since Lecithin helps to bind fats (such as cholesterol) to water in the body, more readily assisting their travel and exit out of the body. Breast milk is heavy in fat, and actually starts out in something similar to powder form in our bodies that synergizes into breast milk and flows through the duct. Lecithin helps to ‘grease’ the ducts, as it were. The more I read about Lecithin, the more I think it is worthwhile to take regularly. It also aides memory, which countless new mama’s can attest to suddenly losing: “Mommy Brain” is frustrating and common.

Candida? It is worth considering, if you believe this to be a yeast-based infection (usually a burning sensation down and through the nipple with extreme pain and cracking on the nipple while nursing; possibly you already are aware that you are prone to yeast infections such as vaginal?) it is worth looking into your diet further, as well as keeping away from any unnecessary sugar.

Antibiotics Sometimes these conditions will advance to the point of an abscess forming with pus in the breast. If you have any of the symptoms I’ve listed, and you do not see a quick response from the methods listed here, get thyself to a doctor, as my herbal teacher liked to say. While I am in no way an advocate of the use of antibiotics, sometimes they will become necessary. If you do elect to use them, make sure to take a good and potent probiotic 2-3 hours after each dose of the antibiotic, as this helps to re-establish good bacteria that is killed off in the intestines by the medicine.

Water -- drink large amounts (the average recommended amount is 64 oz per day). You should be doing this anyway, but it bears mentioning just in case.

Finally, WARNING: With the recent surge of staph infections and resistance, we must be very careful how we address staph. I have seen it beat with these natural methods but sometimes the use of antibiotics becomes necessary; only you can decide how you want to treat your maladies so please EDUCATE YOURSELF as you attempt to treat yourself, never assume. If the situation continues to advance, please seek the advice of your health practitioner. Any of the information I supply here is never meant to replace the advice of your health practitioner, nor am I a Doctor. All FDA disclaimers in regard to alternative medicines apply. I will soon be listing many wonderful books, links and references to help you in your education.

Whew! That’s all for now. Since this blog is all new, I will be adding info as we go. I plan on also having a Materia Medica on our website (www.theblessedthistle.com), where I will go into more of the diverse healing properties of specific herbs, including all of those listed here. Please feel free to comment with suggestions/ideas/questions, or email any suggestions or questions directly as well: orders@theblessedthistle.com

Green Blessings of breast health!

Maiden voyage...

2007-11-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Thistle's blog ~ I've been hoping to get this up and running for many months now. Why so long, you ask? I'm a SAHM with two wee ones running around, and that math equals crazy days and sleepless nights! I am going to commit to posting here two times a week, and am crossing my fingers I'll be able to do that. I'm planning (ohhhh, I use that word with great caution!) on Tuesday and Thursdays as my update days...we'll see.

But let's get to the point and why you are probably here: I've wanted a place for a long time where I could share wellness and healing information, how-to's on herb use, spiritual paths, ritual and it's importance in healing --as well as chronicle the journey of running a small, woman-run business, to name only a few of topics you may find here.

Right now, I am in the throes of prepping for the holiday season. I'm trying to be more organized about it this year for once (although, in my defense I was known for being the Queen of Organization in various jobs many years back now, refer back to the two wee ones aforementioned, lol!), which means that I am bagging hundreds of samples of the tea blends to put into many, many boxes of the Sampler's Special (hope these links work, scroll up from Brigid's Flame to see the Sampler's Box... I'm new at blogging!). I love this box, and it is our best seller. But when I had my brilliant idea to create a sample box it didn't occur to me at the time all the labor that would go into it! We bag and label everything by hand, being a small business ~ which means when you pick up a bag of tea from one of our boxes, when you pull that mantra out and are (hopefully) inspired by it, when you drink deep of our delicious tea ~ myself or my volunteer created that entire package, from cutting the mantras out and folding them, to placing the label on each and every bag. I even run a burnisher over each and every label on the boxes to ensure they are on good! I want each and every box to be created, not merely made. And yes, I put just as much mindfulness into each and every single-dingle batch of tea that I make.

So I'm rambling a bit here, but the point is that I care very much about what we do, and have a great passion to try and create something for our customers - you!- that not only tastes good, and serves a health full purpose, but that hopefully evokes passion and joy for you when you partake of it. It is my attempt to 'pay forward' some passion for life and living. Why else are we here?

I've got to get back to it, but I wanted to mention that we have three new blends right now - Maeve' Favor, a delicious mint tea; Dark Mother's Winter Solstice Blessing Tea, which is rich and spicy and only available until Imbolc (Feb2 2008); and finally a pregnancy tonic, after much request: Mari's Mama Tonic. We are really excited about these new blends, and think you will be too. To make room for these, we are sad to say that it was time to discontinue some other blends. Etains' Aide, Grainne's Prize, and Mari's Cup will no longer be available, however I do have a bit of each left, so if you are dismayed then contact us and I can get some to you.

Next post, I'm going to talk about herbal treatments for mastitis, for all you mama's out there.
Green Blessings,
k