OK, THIS IS THE LOST BLOG I WROTE A WHILE BACK AND THOUGHT I DELETED.  EVEN THOUGH I JUST POSTED A BLOG ON ALLERGIES, REWROTE AS I "LOST" THIS ONE, I AM POSTING THIS BECAUSE IT HAS A GREAT RECIPE FROM ROSEMARY GLADSTAR!

Help, I'm allergic to my favorite time of year....

I love fall- it is so beautiful, and cool enough to come out of hiding from the blazing Texas heat.  Ahhh, and those years we are blessed with the Fall rains- the earth just comes alive.

That is the case here on the farm this Fall.  I can not believe the change in the land.  The packed clay back and side yard is green again. It looks like a second Spring- the wild onion and garlic are sticking their head up from the ground.  Actually, I have to go have a second look but from here that's my ID.  I just saw one of our wild flowers coming up from the ground just like it was Spring. 

Our geese and ducks are more active, the chickens are laying and the dogs are down right feisty!  Mike feels more like working on our outside projects and my mind starts turning to drying and tincturing plants!

BUT, there is one big fly in the ointment, as my Granny would say.  ALLERGIES! 

I'm walking around with a paper towel to my dripping nose (forget facial tissue, way to wimpy), my eyes are watering and I start sneezing when I step outside.  If I ignore those warning signs, I get the itchies.  You know- the eyes, the throat, the nose...itch, itch, itch!  OK, I'm not sick - although people frequently present to my clinic thinking they have a cold or a sinus infection or the flu or SOMETHING!  They look at me like I've lost my mind when I suggest they are having allergies, or upper airway irritation to pollens.  The oldsters had it right- my Granny was sick with "hay fever" or "cedar fever."  The term "fever" in those words suggest just how bad one can feel with allergies.

As an aside, have you noticed how heavy the cedar are with pollen- this should be a perfectly miserable year for cedar fever.  Cedar pollen, by the way is the leading allergen in our area.

Miserable- that is a perfect word.  Just plain miserable.  That's how those allergies make me feel.  MISERABLE!!!

So what to do? 

The most important this is to have a strong foundation- you will hear me talk about that concept a lot on this blog.  I am not real fond of the approach I call - "what herb can I take instead of this medicine."  Maybe I should call that approach herbacology- like pharmacology.  Instead, I believe we must build a good foundation of health- and herbs can be used to do that.  They can also help us when we have problems that need a little more help.  I am even willing to admit that there are times we just needs some help NOW!  Then we can work on the building blocks so the problem doesn't continue to overwhelm.

Treatments for problems related to allergies actually should begin with cleansing, toning and strengthening the liver and kidneys.  I also believe that the digestive system should be efficient and we should have healthy mucus membranes to really help us avoid allergic reactions.  In fact, many herbalist and healers believe that hay fever (allergies) are an indication of a breakdown in any or all of these four systems of the body.

The best time to begin a full treatment program is not now that we have the miseries.  A program of 3-4 months toning and strengthening the body is ideal.  I don't know about you but this always catches me by surprise- every October.  I don't think about it until I am in the midst of the misery.

I am going to talk more about things we can do to tone and strengthen our body systems, but, I need help right now.

Here are some ideas I have tried or am intending to try ASAP-

Hydrotherapy- Rosemary Gladstar recommends taking hot/cold showers daily, alternating between the hot and the cold water several times until both feel comfortable.  She states this is a simple way to build general constitution and improve the circulation.  I also think it is a good idea because it helps rid us of the pollens that cause the problem and that we might have brought in from the outdoors.  Especially in our hair- which can then be deposited on our pillows.  This creates a major pollen field!  I do not have access to a shower and I am sure not going to wash all this hair daily but I do take a damp washcloth and run it several times over my hair.

Rosemary Gladstar also recommends Vit A 25,000 units daily, preferably emulsified, bee pollen and local unpasteurized honey.

I have been trying some ideas, with differing results.  I am stimulating my immune system with Echinacea tincture and garlic.  I take a nettle and quercetin combination, which is very helpful when I take it prior to the allergy season (I ran out and forgot to get more until I was miserable!).  Another good helper is Xlear nasal spray.  There are a number of homeopathic remedies to look at and try- be sure that you read which allergies are helped by the homeopathic you need so you get the right one.

I am trying one more remedy provided by a friend- tincture of osha root, licorice and clove in Captain Morgan.  WhoooHooo, it will take your breath away!!!  I am going to put a little local honey with it lol

As a part of this blog I plan to give you a recipe with each blog entry that you can make at home.  I want you to learn that herbalism is accessible to everyone!  This is a tonic from Rosemary Gladstar for allergies (and other respiratory problems).

Ginger Garlic Tonic Syrup

Use fresh ginger root and fresh whole cloves of garlic.  Juice in a good juicer, not a blender (sorry about this, I prefer not to have to have special equipment but this is a great recipe).  Juice  enough to have 1-2 cups of juice of each.  Place the juice in a sauce pan and add enough honey to thicken it a bit and sweeten it (generally 1/4 cup of honey per cup of juice).  Warm enough to mix thoroughly.  DO NOT over heat.  Remove from the heat and add a pinch of cayenne.  The flavor should be hot, sweet, spicy and pungent all at the same time.  Pour into a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and wrap securely in a blanket.  Cover with a burlap sack or old rags.  Find a special spot in the garden or outside to dig and a hole and bury your syrup.  I know this sounds strange but Rosemary Gladstar is the grandmother of Western herbalism and I trust her- beside, she states she have tried it without burying it and it was not as good.

For chronic problems is 1 tsp three times daily.  For acute situations, take smaller doses as often as needed; for example, 1/4 tsp every hour.

Warning- it's stinky!

So, from the farm....good luck and good medicine making.

PS Post your allergy remedies so we can all try them!   

Today's topic- Allergies, hay fever, cedar fever.  Whatever you want to call that dreaded case of the miseries that attack many of us this time of year.
Sneezing? Nose running? Eyes itching? Nose itching? Throat itching? No energy? Sleepy?
That's it- just plain miserable but no fever and no signs of infection (and the color of your snot does not indicate infection, btw).



I'm going to try to share some ideas for dealing with this problem today.  Let's be clear first, I am talking about the environmental allergies those of us in Texas are dealing with in the fall- that would be pollens.  Two of the biggest offenders are ragweed and cedar.  The cedar trees will pollinate from October to December and is one of the leading causes of allergy in this part of the state.  I am not addressing food allergies or skin allergies, even though some of the basics here will apply to those problems.

First, and you are going to get really sick of hearing this from me, your overall health is the most important part of dealing with any problem- including allergies!  A strong immune system is really important.  If the immune system is working well, it can take care of the allergens through the mucus membranes (for example).  The sinuses do their job and send the allergens down the throat and to the digestive systems which neutralizes and destroys them. 

Also the adrenals, the liver and kidneys are especially important in allergy issues.  Adrenal fatigue is the plague of modern society and I am going to address that soon! 

Also stress can cause suppression of the immune system which may lead to the allergic response.  I am not necessarily talking about emotional stress, which can contribute, but also to the onslaught of toxins so prevalent in our environment today.  Allergies seem to be on the rise with our industrialized world.  Chemicals, pollutants, food additives, herbicides, pesticides, synthetic drugs, over use of antibiotics and processed foods all contribute- in my opinion. 

OK, I'm done with the lecture and on to some things you can try!

First, let's get back to the immune system.  Garlic is great!  You can take supplements but, really, food should be your medicine (humm where have I heard that).  Cook with lots of garlic-it's delicious.  (But, I will confess that I also take a supplement this time of year- not all year around, but in the fall and winter.)  Also onions and peppers, like cayenne, are also good immune boosting foods. Don't forget the great immune tonic effect of the mushrooms.
And, isn't this just the season for great soups and stews with lots of onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms and all things great?

I'm sure you are all familiar with Echinacea.  An excellent immune system stimulant!  I really prefer to take herbs as food or teas, but this is one that I take as a tincture.  One dropper full in some warm water, and do add it to water.  I usually take my tinctures straight but, believe me you will regret taking this one straight!  A good Echinacea will make your mouth tingle!  Echincea should not be taken all of the time.  It is not an immune tonic but an immune stimulant.  So only take it when you are fighting off a cold or allergies or some other illness.  If you take it all winter, do take a vacation for a week or so every few weeks.  There are better choices for keeping your immune system strong for the long haul- tonics and adaptogens are better for this.  But, do add it to your allergy fighting tools- and NO, it will not give you allergies.

One last word on Echinacea, please order from a reputable company that is using organic cultivated herb.  NOT wildcrafted!  This plant is on our endangered species list and needs to be protected from over harvesting in the wild. 

So, in addition to my Garlic and Echinacea, I will be taking Vit C and B complex.  I get this in a product called Emergen-C.  I keep that on hand and will take on or two packets a day mixed in water.  It is tasty and great for the immune system.

While we are talking specific products, I also suggest Xlear nasal spray.  It is very helpful in preventing allergies, as well as colds and flu, via the mucus membranes of the nose.  This product has very little promotion in the US but is as been used very much in Europe for this purpose.  It can be used as often as you like without concern about "rebound effect" common with the OTC nose sprays.

Probiotics are also an important tool in assuring a strong immune system.  I recently read that 80% of our immune function occurs in the gut.  Due to the prevalence of food allergies and issue of "leaky gut syndrome" we really need to pay some attention to our gut.  Probiotics are very helpful in this way.  I prefer the refrigerated ones but you don't have to buy the most expensive brand on the market!  Beware: Big Pharma has now jumped on the band wagon with this product.  I wouldn't buy a probiotic from one of those companies, that is just my personal preference.  I prefer small companies with good quality control practices in place.

Now, for something a little more specific to the issue of allergies- the wonderful nettle.  A nice little weed, it is so helpful for allergy miseries!  If you are lucky enough to have some growing near you, and you know how to harvest them, add them to your soup or stew!  They sting if you don't harvest with care, but they do not sting when cooked or dried.  I don't have a local weed patch (well, at least not a nettle patch) so I order dried from a good company- preferably, organic cultivated or wildcrafted (a weed, not even near in danger, gotta love those weeds).  I might add some dried nettle to my food in the form of sprinkles or just a handful in soup- but, honestly more often I tincture and take the tincture every couple of hours when things are bad or three times a day otherwise.  I also take a capsule (really my last choice of ways to take herbs) of nettle and quercetin twice a day.

Let's talk about bee pollen and honey.  Local, of course.  First, bee pollen: you are going to get another dose of my personal opinion here, but it is my blog.  Bee pollen is what bees eat.  They travel miles and miles to collect a little pollen on their legs and fly back to the hive with this precious food.  To collect the pollen traps are set up that they fly through, grabbing off the pollen- and sometimes their little legs or wings.  I really don't like to use pollen for this reason.  Would I, yes maybe....for some really vital use.  I just haven't found anything that important yet.

But, local honey is a very good remedy for allergies.  It is not that effective once you are in the midst of the misery.  Honey, local is imperative, is very useful if taken daily.  Like a tsp in your coffee or smoothy every day really helps keep the allergies away.

Licorice is also a good allergy specific herb, although it has all sorts of other uses!  It has a action similar to corticosteroids, many of us have lined up for that shot of steroids when desperate for some relief!  It is available as a tea, tincture or powdered root.  Tinctures are strong medicine and I reserve them for times when strong medicine is needed- when I have allergies I think I need STRONG medicine.  So, I will take the tincture three times a day (a teaspoon).

I want to mention one more "cure" my daughter-in-law told me about a couple of days ago.  I have been having good results with apple cider vinegar.  According to her, the dose is 4 tablespoons a day.  Now we all know that apple cider vinegar is great for lots of thing, so why not allergies.  I suggest raw unfiltered with the mother- and Braggs is still the best, as far as I'm concerned.

Finally, let me mention, all of these principles apply to children.  Paying attention to immune boosting foods will help them in so many ways.  Also avoiding toxins- little peoples are so much more vulnerable to things like herbicides and pesticides.  Eating organic as much as you can afford is important- look up the list of the worse offenders and just buy organic from that list if the grocery budget is tight, and whose isn't?  The herbs mentioned above can be used with children, the dosage just has to be adjusted.  And, finally, please, please, please....turn off the TV.  Get them outside to play- yes, it is cold and their noses will run just get some Puffs Plus or Boogies (my grandsons' favorite because it is grape scented).  Strong, healthy, slender, happy children are our future.  Another day I will discuss the frightening crisis of obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension and diabetes I see every day among children in the clinics of our health care system!

My grandsons are an example of healthy, happy boys who eat well, stay active and avoid TV.  They are raised on a diet of meat, fruits and vegetables.  Supplemented with probiotics, treated with herbal remedies and entertained with creative minds and imagination!  Surrounded by lots of love, raised by a village.  How great is that?

A cuppa nettles tea to your good health!

Join me Sunday in person at the Natural Healing Center to discuss staying healthy during the cold and flu season!  Naturally, of course!

Finally...finally...finally.  I am embarking on a path I've wanted to take for years.  I was encouraged a month or so ago when my son offered to rent me space in his beautiful new downtown office.  A perfect place; large office, beautiful view of downtown and access to a kitchen for brewing.  I have to thank him for planting his seed- he has always been my biggest inspiration and greatest source of encouragement.

However, his mother-in-law encouraged me to speak with Cindi Love, owner of the Natural Food Center and Natural Healing Center.  "The location would be perfect," she said.  And she was right. 
I spoke with Cindi and she had space available....so, here is sit in a tiny office, in the back of the building.  But, the location is perfect!

So, here I go down this exciting path!

One of the things I want to do with the time I have in my new office, waiting for clients, is to reactivate my blog.  So, I am using my existing blog, DancingWithHerbs.  I don't know know if this is where I will stay but ..... for now, this is where you will find me!

I want to share some exciting news that has the herbal world buzzing this morning!  Every site and every newletter I read is posting the news today - ROSEMARY GLADSTAR IS STARTING  VIDEO CLASSES.

Why is this so exciting?  A couple of reasons.  First, Rosemary Gladstar is undoubtly the grandmother of western herbalism.  You won't meet many, if any, American herbalists that are not familiar with this beloved herbalist and teacher.  She has dedicated her life to spreading herbalism and protecting the plants we love.  And to quote Kiva Rose, "her work helps make it possible for each of us to study, practice, attend conferences, and otherwise celebrate the plants as individuals and as a community."

The second reason, I was listening to a podcast on HerbMentor Radio the other day and I was so sad to hear Rosemary say she was going to cut back on teaching and traveling.  She said she wanted to step out of the inner circle and back off a little.  When John Gallagher was interviewing her he hinted that maybe she has other projects on the burner.  He knew what he was talking about because he has taken on the project of recording Rosemary's teachings in a video format.  This is the first time she has done this and the first time she has invited us into her home at Sage Mountain in Vermont for classes!

You can find Rosemary on www.RosemarysRemedies.com.  In her first class she will be sharing one of the very first herbal remedies she ever learned to make- it's a cough syrup that you can make in a few minutes,, using only two ingredients you already have in your kitchen.  Easy peasy!

This is the message I want to spread- for most day to day acute problems (like coughs and cold and the kid's boo-boos) YOU can take care of yourself and your family!  You really have the knowledge, and you can learn what you don't know.  And there are lots of resources for good information!

A good example of where to go for information is www.LearningHerbs.com.  John Gallagher does a wonderful job of presenting information in multiple ways- written, podcasts and video.  That site is free but if you want to dig in a little more he has another resource www.HerbMentor.com which is just $35 a year.

My new office in the Natural Healing Center at 2528 South 7th has a great area for teaching.  In fact, I will be offering my first class at this space on Saturday, October 27 at 3 pm.  Since it's "that time of the year," I'm going to give you a few hints on staying healthy through cold and flu season and a few recipes for those times when those hints don't work.  We'll have a little fun with the essential oils also!

So, come join me.....and stay tuned for more hints and information at this blog site!