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!