HERBAL REMEDIES

Relax your way into spring’s renewal

by Brooke Wagenheim

Even though we're in Minnesota and it seems the winter's bite will not cease, spring is indeed just around the bend. This is an ideal time for relaxation, as we all know that spring cleaning will literally take a lot out of us. Looking out the window at the sun peeking through a bitter cold day isn't giving us the sunlight we need to thrive. The rich, heavy “comfort foods” are not as energizing as a cold green salad, or a shot of grass. As beneficial as raw foods are, people are simply more drawn to cooked food in the winter months, especially in such a climate as Minnesota. Certain hot foods are instinctively more desirable to warm the body, as it works harder in winter, burning the fuel we feed it, digesting it, in order to keep warm. Cold foods are shocking to the system in winter, and they hinder the functioning of the body's organs. There are many ways to see yourself through a long cold winter. Preventing illness is a matter of acknowledging the body's suseptability to sickness and creatively taking measures in which to boost the immune system, sustain good health and serenely coexist in a freezing environment. It is the little things you do for yourself that mean the most.

Grow Sprouts
Sprouting your own seeds is a great way to get the enzymes you need for vitality. Sprouts are great on soups, casseroles, rice, veggies, sandwiches, anything. Living foods are important to integrate into the diet all year round, although more refreshing in the warm months. Seeds are the foundation of the living foods concept. They are filled with nutrients needed for the growing plant. All the energy and life of a plant goestowards making seeds. Each seed holds vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates in reserve, awaiting the suitable environment to begin growing. When air, water, and a suitable temperature are provided, a miracle begins. An incredible amount of energy is released when a seed begins to sprout. Natural chemical changes occur. Enzymes are produced to convert the concentrated nutrients into those needed by the growing plant. Chlorophyll is one of the most important nutrient compounds in sprouts. It is a protein compound found in green plants, including sprouts with green leaves (such as alfalfa, cabbage, clover, sunflower and radish), and is created in the plant as a result of conversion of the sun's energy, making it like a living battery. It is also remarkably similar to hemoglobin, a vital component of human blood. Circulating in the bloodstream, hemoglobin molecules carry oxygen to the cells throughout the body. The main difference between hemoglobin and chlorophyll is that chlorophyll has a magnesium ion as a nucleus and hemoglobin is structured around iron. You will need a glass jar, cheesecloth, rubberband, sprouts and clean water. Measure the appropriate amount of seed into the jar - for instance, smaller seeds should just barely cover the bottom of the jar, whereas larger seeds can go up to a quarter of the jar's capacity. Cover the jar with the cheesecloth, cinch the rubberband around the cloth, and fill the jar halfway with water. Allow the seeds to soak for the required amount of time(approximately 4-6 hours for smaller seeds and 12 hours for larger seeds and beans). After that, allow the jar to drain completely by tilting it to a 45 degree angle, mouth down, with free drainage. The holes in the
cheesecloth allow for drainage and air circulation. Rinse the sprouts with fresh water twice a day, resuming the tilted face down position of the constanly draining jar. Hulling the sprouts after they are finished is as easy as filling the sink a bit with clean water, putting the sprouts in the water and agitating them a bit; as the hull is loosened from the sprout it will float to the top where it can be gathered and discarded, or sink to the bottom where it will stay as long as it isn't disturbed. Sprouts taste better without the hulls. Any unused sprouts can be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Sprouts that are hulled, drained well and stored in glass will keep 7-10 days, growing slowly, until they are used.

Take a bath
Not many things take precedence over a hot bath in the wintertime, for relaxation and pleasure. Winter causes depressing moods, melancholy, anxiety and even anger. A lavender bath is a favorite for soothing relief and comfort. Other choices may include chamomile, rose and neroli.
The addition of oils in the bath can be effective in the treatment of dry or chapped skin. There are two kinds of bath oils, ones that float and ones that disperse in water. The floating oil acts as an emollient to the skin and leaves a pleasant fragrance in the bath, on the body and in the bathroom. Natural cold-pressed vegetable oils such as olive, peanut, safflower, wheat germ, sesame, sunflower, avacado, soy, almond, fruit kernal oils, (apricot andpeach) and some animal oils that have a particular affinity to the human skin such as mink and lanolin, are generally used. (Attention vegetarians: lanolin is not the fat from a killed sheep, it is the fat from the wool taken when the sheep is sheared).
Most commercial bath oils contain mineral oil, and this petroleum product is often sold as "baby oil." In fact it should not be used on baby skin or adult skin, as it is absorbed throught the skin taking the fat soluable vitamins A, D, E and K with it. And these vitamins are then excreted through the body. They also readily dissolve in the mineral oil as it passes through the skin and into thebloodstream, thus possibly producing vitamin deficiencies. Indeed, because the body is robbed of these vitamins, mineral oil or any product in which it appears should never be used under any circumstances, though any of the above mentioned vegetable oils may be used freely to protect the skin. To be perfectly fair, however, let me mention the one positive fact about mineral oil; it seems to penetrate the skin faster than lanolin or vegetable oil and therefore the skin is said to lose less moisture with it than with lanolin. At the same time, mineral oil seems to adhere the skin better than vegetable oils. But if you use a mixture of vegetable oils and lanolin, the advantages of retaining your vitamins far outweigh the slight advantage of the better penetration that the mineral oil might offer.

Candle Therapy and Meditation
From ancient times to the present, Candles have lit our way through every transition. From celebrations and ceremonies to proclamations and processions, the candle's flame has always been a metaphor for the soul! It possesses a tranquil and almost hypnotic atmosphere to those who allow its power to take them to a very special place.
There are many ways to utilize the power of Candle Therapy. Complementary systems of color therapy, aromatherapy, music and sound therapy can and do overlap within the healing process to create a positive and powerful approach to finding the balanced system.
These complementary systems with Candle Therapy are each configured and intertwined within the practice of it's theory and application. Meditation can be enhanced with candles. By lighting a candle that is infused with color, botanicals or essential oil, these fundamental energies are released into the atmosphere and are absorbed by the individual within the area of the candle. The auric field absorbs this energy and is taken into the body. The word "aura" is but another name for "forcefield" or "radiation." Every substance in the universe has a radiation or aura -- and the auras of minerals, plants and animals as well as human beings have special characteristics. Meditation can rejuvenate the auric field.

Prevent Earaches with Herbs
The Eustachian tube allows excess secretion to drain away from the ear. If this tube is not draining properly secretion builds in the middle ear, pressure builds, and pain may occur. Certain infections, allergies and respiratory infections are all causes of earaches. You should see a doctor immediately, for these can be signs of chronic infection, severe allergies or a weakened immune system.
Other things cause earaches, too. Infections, such as swimmer's ear, can trigger pain. Atmospheric pressure from airplane travel living at high altitudes can also cause ears to ache. Odd things, like tiny clippings from a haircut, can fall into the ear canal and irritate your ears. Children get middle ear infections for several reasons. Their eustachian tubes, the canals that lead from the back of the throat to the middle ear, are wider and shorter than those in adults. The nerves to the area may not be fully mature yet, which can also affect the eustachian tubes. Also, children in day care centers may be more exposed to colds, which can lead to ear infections.
The usual symptoms of a middle ear infection are pain and hearing loss, but adults and children can get ear infections without pain.
Once infection occurs, the best thing to cure it is antibiotics, although some clear up on their own. Echinacea and Garlic are both wonderful because of their anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory porperties. Also,garlic oil and mullein oil work wonderfully when placed directly in the ear. Warm either of these oils slightly, then use a dropper to put a few drops in the infected ear. Plug it loosely with cotton. To make a garlic treatment, crush a few cloves into some olive oil and let it sit for a few days, then strain it. Some people put a tiny, minced piece of peeled raw garlic directly into the ear; it eventually dissolves.
As the winter simultaneously dwindles and lags, it is important to take care of yourself and protect from cabin fever, flu, colds, ear infections, depression and anxiety. Every daily instance can be supplemented with mindfulness and wellness. Spring will be here soon enough. Make time for yourself, live simply, use and educate yourself about herbs. Don't beat yourself up over your addictions, relax and spend time with yourself. Nothing should take precedence over physical, mental and spiritual health. Self-examination is imperative to natural living.