I’m slowly trying to wean myself off of harmful, synthetic perfumes but the process has been a little bumpy. For instance last week, in need of a little Monday morning pickup, I decided to de-stress with lavender-chamomile essential oil lotion. I blended a spoonful into my arms and hands and headed out the door.

It was only as I boarded the bus to campus that I realized I may have overdone it. My attempt at aromatherapy didn’t soothe the passenger on my left; actually it seemed to revolt her. As she held her nose and gave me angry glares, I realized that lavender may not have the same soothing effect on others as it does on me. At that moment any earlier relaxation I felt evaporated just like the fumes of lavender radiating from my skin.

Photo by Jaako/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaako/ 

So what to do? If I had thought ahead or known earlier, I might have diluted my lotion with a carrier oil, like jojoba, applied some rubbing alcohol or packed unscented lotion to mitigate the essential oil’s heavy perfume. I also would have waited for the scent to sink in at least 10 minutes before leaving my house. As it was, I sat out the interminable bus ride, ran into the bathroom before class and ferociously scrubbed my forearms so that I wouldn’t have to worry about disturbing my classmates as well.

Photo by The Owlchemist/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helenaliu/ 

Shifting our communities to more sustainable, thoughtful living is all about experimentation. We’re trying to find out what works, what doesn’t work and what we can compromise on in order to ensure a healthy future. Until I can afford the pretty, light smelling crème perfumes and eau de colognes that are being created by natural perfumers and aromatherapists, I guess I’ll just have to rely on my own methods and hope that others will be more tolerant.

If you’re having troubles, like me, switching from eau de parfum to au natural, check out some of these resources. 

• Learn which 20 synthetic perfume ingredients to avoid.

• Find out how to use essential oils and how to make your own herbal fragrances: 
How to Create Floral Waters and Colognes by Janice Cox
Fragrances of Life by Theresa Loe
Herbal Body Fragrances by Theresa Loe
Restorative Perfume by Edwin T. Morris 

• Check out these natural, beauty brands. (A lot of companies offer trial sizes so you can test out a scent before investing your hard-earned money):
Aubrey Organics
Aveda
Ayala Moriel Parfums
CB I Hate Perfume
Rochelle Boleyn 

Have you had any embarrassing or disastrous moments in your transition to herbal living? Leave me a comment and share your story with others!

Brenda Stansfield is a licensed massage therapist, certified clincial aromatherapist and the creator of the Clear My Head product line, sold in spas nationally at www.clearmyhead.com. She belives aromatherapy should be simple and easy to incorporate into a hectic lifestyle.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It protects you from infection, excretes waste products and excess salt from your body, regulates your temperature, synthesizes vitamin D and provides the sense of touch. Products that come into contact with skin are easily absorbed into your blood stream. Something to be mindful of when choosing personal products. Read your ingredient labels. Many contain toxins or synthetic ingredients that may block the solubility of necessary nutrients or vitamins essential for good health and well being. A prime example of an oil which destroys fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K & F as it metabolizes is baby oil (mineral oil). Most of us are aware of the carcinogenic risks of parabens and are actively avoiding those ingredients. However, natural skin care is easy and affordable and quite effective with some tried and true aromatherapy blends.

Aromatherapy is based upon the absorption of essential oils through the skin. When choosing your carrier oils for use in aromatherapy care, it is important to choose plant based, cold pressed oils for this reason. These oils (grapeseed, jojoba, almond etc.) also have the natural antioxidant vitamin E which may help rejuvenate your skin . Incorporating essential oils and cold pressed carrier oils are effective and natural ways to heal common ailment and improve the general condition of your skin.

Photo by epicnom/Courtesy Flickr
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A Quick Tip Sheet For Three Common Ailments

1. Oil Blend For Shingles:

Excess oil, shingles, diaper rash and other conditions which cause redness and itching can often be alleviated with lavender and tea tree. Both will work well on bacterial, fungal, parasitic or viral systemic conditions. Although both lavender and tea tree are safe to use at full strength, it is recommended to dilute in oil, lotion or witch hazel for large areas of application. If in a day or two there isn't significant change and reduction of itching (especially indicated for shingles) add a few drops of frankincense to your blend.

• 1 ounce cold pressed carrier lotion or oil
• 4 drops lavender essential oil
• 2 drops tea tree essential oil
• 3 drops frankincense essential oil

1. Apply twice daily.

2. Cold Sore Remedy:

A common, but embarrassing, problem for many people is an eruption of a cold sore (Herpes Simplex Virus). These are easily controlled at the first sign of outbreak, usually a tingling sensation, with this formula:

• 8 drops tea tree essential oil
• 15 drops rose geranium essential oil
• 7 drops lavender essential oil
• 8 drops Roman OR German chamomile essential oil
• 6 drops melissa (lemon balm) essential oil

1. Apply at first sensation of outbreak at full strength or combine 4 drops blend in 1 teaspoon jojoba oils and apply directly to area. Keep moist with jojoba oil or a beeswax lip balm to avoid cracking.

3. Facial Toner For Acne Prone Skin:

Skin Care Basics: Many essential oils have the wonderful benefit of skin rejuvenating properties. Applying lavender to a wound not only disinfects the cut but also speeds the repair process of the epithelial tissue. Teens and adults who suffer from acne can help prevent breakouts with a simple solution of distilled water, witch hazel and essential oils of cedarwood, rosemary, lavender and German chamomile. Try the following treatment for a month and notice the difference it can make:

• 2 ounces witch hazel
• 1 ounce distilled water
• 6 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops lemon essential oil
• 2 drops German chamomile essential oil

1. Pour in a glass bottle, shake before each use.

2. Apply with cotton ball two to three times daily.

The main objective of any skin care routine is to stimulate and detoxify your pores. In order to maintain an appearance of youth and health, it is important to not only treat the surface area, but to penetrate the subcutaneous tissues - lucky for us, essential oils do that easily.

I prefer blending small quantities of skin care products as you need them. Once a blend is created, the process of deterioration can occur if stored incorrectly. Although it won't happen overnight, some carrier oils, such as grapeseed and sweet almond, have relatively short shelf lives (12 to 18 months). If you do decide to create blends in bulk, add 1/4 teaspoon benzoin oil to each cup of carrier oil, along with a teaspoon of vitamin E oil to help maintain it's freshness naturally.

Skin care doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Research your skin type and the essential oils best suited for you. Choose oils for your blends based upon your needs and your preferences. Experiment and have fun. Life is beautiful and so are you!

Desiree Bell is inspired by botanicals and natural materials. She is a vegetarian who has a certificate in herbal studies and a certificate from Australasian College of Health Sciences in Aromatherapy. When she isn't in her suburban garden, hiking or crafting, she is teaching pre-k with an emphasis on nature and gardening. For more ideas on Simple Living With Nature you can visit her blogs at www.beyondagarden.blogspot.com and www.kidsnaturespot.blogspot.com.

The ginger root (Zingiber officinale) is actually a rhizome. The word ginger is derived from the Sanskrit word for ginger, sringa-vera, meaning “antler shaped.” It has buds on the top of each of its stubby fingers and grows a mass of thin, tangled roots below. The roots are scraped off before the ginger arrives at the market.

Ginger is 80 percent water, 2.3 percent water, 1 percent fat, 2.5 percent fibrous material, 1.2 percent minerals, and vitamins of B and C. Medicinally, it is used for the circulatory and digestive systems, coughs, colds, aches and pains.

There are two groups of compounds in the rhizome. The essential oil is the liquid found in tiny vessels just under the corky skin, which is collected by distillation. The other compound is located in the cells dotted around the fleshy interior of the rhizome in between the starch cells. It is extracted with alcohol or a solvent.

Ginger does best in a hot, moist climate, with a little shade at noon and well-drained soil. It is grown as a crop in countries such as India, Australia, Jamaica, China and Nigeria. Many years ago I read in the book Herbal Treasures (Storey Publishing, LLC, 1990), by Phyllis Shaudys, how to grow a ginger root inside the house using a rhizome from the market.

Cut a piece of ginger root from the rhizome. Make sure the piece you cut to plant has at least one bud on it. Fill a clay pot with potting soil and bury the ginger root cut side down, bud up, 1 inch below the surface. Place in a sunny, warm window, water well, then keep moist. It takes about a month for the first sprout to appear.

To harvest, pull the plant from its pot 8 to 12 months after planting, cut off leaf stalks, and remove fibrous roots. Cut off as much ginger as you can use and replant the rest. Many winters I have grown a nice looking ginger plants. Try it!

Fresh ginger produces a warm, spicy and refreshing aroma. Its taste is pungent, aromatic, lemony, and slightly bitter. Dried ginger is less lemony and more warm, woody and pungent. Besides fresh and dried, it is used pickled, preserved and crystallized in cooking. Here is a tasty and healthy Indian Lemonade-Ginger Ale recipe I found in a vegetarian magazine many years ago.

Photo by sweetbeetandgreenbean/Courtesy Flickr
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Indian Lemonade-Ginger Ale
Makes 8 cups

• 8 cups sparkling water (club soda)
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ cups maple syrup
• ½ tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher or punch bowl.

2. Serve at room temperature or chilled.  

Thanksgiving will be here soon so I have included a recipe from the book, The Ginger Book (Avery, 1996), by Stephen Fulder, Ph.D., for Ginger Pumpkin Pie. This book was also used as a reference for some of this article.

Ginger Pumpkin Pie
Makes 16 servings

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ¾ ounce piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ½ cups pureed boiled pumpkin
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 7 tablespoons butter or vegetable shortening
• 3 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch diameter flan tins.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon , and cloves. Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, buttermilk and butter or shortening: beat briefly. Add the eggs and beat again.

3. Pour the batter into the flan tins and place the tins in the oven. Bake until the pies are firm, about 45 minutes. Let cool before serving.

If you bake this pie let me know how it turned out. I have not made it yet.

Happy Thanksgiving….

As I’m sitting at my desk right now, I’m in a lot of pain. My thighs, hamstrings, glutes and feet are in the glorious throes of post-workout agony. 

After a couple month-long hiatus from high-impact workouts, like laps on the track, my chiropractor gave me the all-clear to start running again. But she followed it up with a word of advice—drink cherry juice concentrate. 

Apparently, the micro-nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties in cherries can reduce muscle soreness as well as promote joint function. And because I know how hard it is to start running after a long break, especially thanks to aching muscles, I made sure to pick up Lakewood’s Pure Black Cherry juice on my way home.

www.lakewoodjuices.com

So now in addition to the turmeric supplement I take daily for my lower back issues, I also drink cherry juice before my workout and then add it to a fruit smoothie, or other fruit juice, afterward. The cherry juice is not made from concentrate and is made without any water, so I like to dilute it a little to make it last longer.  

With cherries, turmeric and lots of ice, my painful muscles recover a lot quicker and I’m slowly starting to enjoy running for the first time.

Photo by dklimke/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dklimke/ 

For more muscle recovery and pain relief tips check out these past articles:   

• Body Care for Active People by Laurel Vukovic
• The Best Herbs for Pain Relief by Gina Mohammed, Ph.D.

To learn more about cherries’ many wonders, check out: 

• Berries for Better Health by Kris Wetherbee
• Great Fresh Juice On the Go by Allison Martin
• Meet the Superfruits by Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa

What do you do to relieve post-workout pain? Have cherries helped you before? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Marguerite Dunne is a city girl and traveler. Visit her website at www.herbs-on-hudson.com or listen to her radio show, The Urban Herbalist, on www.wtbq.com. Marguerite was also the third place winner in The Herb Companion's essay contest, "Looking Forward to Herbs."

When the herb spirit is alive, roots mature, vines unfold and souls blossom, reaching out with a fragrance of subtle energy. The herb spirit increases with each herb gardening task: planting, tilling, pruning, gathering, infusing, decocting, tincturing, compounding, dyeing and the wistful sundown delight of simply watching the garden grow.

For a millennium, the herb spirit has grown as gatherers have bundled, blended and applied precious herbs. Father Time's laws have never ordered Mother Nature's gardens and so her gardens have continued to grow. Every herbalist carries this intense energy of the vine, which reaches and pushes upward. And when each garden wall is scaled, the vine simply develops, adjusts and flourishes.

Photo by angavallen/Courtesy Flickr
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How did our holistic health garden grow? Expo East, an extended vine of the herb spirit, is an annual event in Boston where health food companies can display their wares for the benefit of  storeowners  So in September, several hundred health food industry vendors carried their boxes and set up their displays. Meanwhile, curious independent store owners and chain-store buyers busily sampled new flavors, dabbed crèmes, collected cute samples and carried out stacks of scientific reports. The “old-timers” wanted to show off their newest merchandise while the “newcomers “ proceeded with caution, ever vigilant for the show’s discount specials. The “old, old-timers” mused pensively about the olden days (the late 1960s) when we still sold bunches of wild-crafted herbs from the backs of battered station wagons and traded addresses for where to get authentic brown rice and good local clover honey. I miss the days when our herb-talk was a secret code among friends, who took the time to put their hands in the dirt, do some digging and do some thinking too.

Lo and behold, I found some wonderful, recycled hippies who've kept the faith and turned our evergreen idealism into the kind of small town companies we admire.  Bob MacLeod and SteveByckiewicz  (“two vegetarians”) started Kiss My Face about 25 years ago. I like their products because they feel great and they don't leave any sticky residue from overly processed extracts. Their product line started with a big bar of olive oil soap, but many face moisturizers, shaving creams, shimmers and cosmetics later, they’ve got a charming website (www.kissmyface.com) and the goodwill of customers in 19 countries.

Photo by Timothy Valentine/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/el_ramon/

I chatted with their VP of kissing and telling, Lewis Goldstein, whose “business card” is a coconut-pineapple SPF 15 lip balm. Who says corporate can’t be fun? We wound our way around the conventional business max topics: the roller coaster economy, quick-fix supplements wrapped up in chocolate and educating the next generation. But what made me smile the most was Lewis describing his mother's experimentations with natural remedies.  Growing up, he knew that there were herbal health alternatives for conventional medical and cosmetic trades.  We reminisced about making soups and brewing teas.  We talked about teaching children the right food choices and the early encounters Lewis’s mother had when questioning doctors.  It’s nice to know that there are still good folks out there and that the herb spirit is very much alive.

Now it’s late fall and my herb drying rack is loaded with peppermint, lemon balm, oregano and catnip. I’ve already made my last batches of this healing salve with my freshly picked comfrey and calendula, maybe I’ll run some over to Bob, Steve and Lewis.

Photo by tristrambrelstaff/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristrambrelstaff/

Marguerite’s Comfrey Salve
Makes twenty, 1-ounce jars

This salve is great for cuts, scrapes, bruises and soothing irritated skin.

• 20 comfrey leaves
• 10 calendula flower heads
• 2 cups olive oil
• ½ cup grape seed oil
• 1 cup lanolin
• ¼ cup of beeswax
• Lavender oil

1. Slow-boil all ingredients in a crockpot for about 4 hours. Periodically, wipe the water off the lid.

2. Strain through cheesecloth into a spouted measuring cup and pour quickly into individual 1-ounce jars.

3. As soon as the liquid salve is poured, add 10 drops of the lavender oil to each jar. The lavender oil is added at the end so it won't evaporate if boiled.    

I’ve discovered my new favorite wedding favor (or any kind of party favor for that matter). It’s better than engraved photo frames, candles or bubbles; It’s thyme in a pot. I got it at the wedding reception I attended last weekend, which was very simple but elegantly decorated. Each table was adorned with centerpieces of fall foliage and colorful squash as well as evenly spaced plants in cute little pots. After I’d rushed to the buffet and had a chance to sit and look around, I realized that these weren’t just any plants – they were culinary herbs.

Photo by The Weddings Page/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theweddingspagemalaysia/ 

Because the herbs weren’t labeled, a focal point of the dinner conversation became enthusiastically tasting and guessing the herbs’ identity, and subsequently placing “dibs” on which herb you wanted to take home. Unfortunately, I guessed wrong quite a few times, (shows you what a good herbie I am) but I had so much fun playing that I didn’t mind.

Photo by JanetF/Courtesy Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetf/

Upon careful deliberation, I’ve discovered the true identity of my herb favor: French thyme (Thymus vulgaris). I’ve spent the past week thumbing through all the recipes with fresh thyme that I could find and experimenting with sprinkles of thyme in whatever I’m cooking each day. Here are a few of the favorite recipes I’ve found so far: 

• Thyme and Thyme Again Dressing: Serve this dressing over leafy greens or with chicken or turkey salads.
• Pasta with Asparagus and Herbs: Cook this pasta al dente with an assortment of asparagus, mushrooms, garlic and dill.
• Vegetable Soup with Turkey-Thyme Meatballs: Try this hearty soup, which is loaded with fresh vegetables and punctuated with thyme-studded turkey meatballs.
• Braised Winter Vegetables with Thyme Leaves: Brussel sprouts, carrots and potatoes. Oh my!

If you’re planning an herbie wedding, check out these great articles for more herbal ideas…

• Herb Love: A Wedding Tradition
• Unique Wedding Ideas Around The Clock 

Have you had any great ideas for herbal party favors or been to a party with herbal gifts or decor? Leave me a comment and let me know. 

You are never too old for pumpkin carving 

Witches on broomsticks and school spirited Jayhawks line my front porch as carved pumpkins. After hosting a fun evening of pumpkin carving for all my friends, I began to wonder why we even carve pumpkins for Halloween.

So I decided to do some research to better understand the origins of this Halloween tradition.

Photo by 416style/Courtesy of Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sookie/ 

The idea of the Jack O’Lantern and pumpkin carving is derived from Irish folklore. Despite the different variations, the basis of all the mythical stories center around an Irishman nicknamed Stingy Jack who played tricks on everyone, including the devil. Whether he was having a drink with the devil and not paying his fair share or he was tricking the devil into climbing up a tree where Jack had carved crosses, preventing the devilfrom climbing down, Stingy Jack ultimately made a compromise with the devil. In order for the devil to be freed from Stingy Jack's tricks, the Devil had to promise him that he would never take his soul.

As the story goes, Stingy Jack eventually died. Because of his sinful ways, he was not accepted into heaven. And, true to the devil’s promise, Stingy Jack was not allowed into hell either. He was left all alone in the dark with nowhere to go. The devil then gave him an ember with eternal flames from hell to walk with. He carved a turnip and placed the light inside of it to help him as he wandered through the darkness for eternity.

As the story continued to be told throughout history, people began carving scary faces and characters on different vegetables holding burning coals for protection against the dark spirits, just like Stingy Jack. After people started immigrating to America, pumpkins were discovered easier to carve and candles replaced coal. Still, the tradition of the Jack O’Lantern continued.

After you finish carving your pumpkin, save the seeds and bake them. Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, are an easy and tasty snack that is perfect for the fall. I remember my mom always had treats for us after carving, so I asked her how she makes them.

Pumpkin Seed Recipe 

• One pumpkin
• Bowl
• Water
• Cookie sheet
• Olive oil or butter
• Herbal seasonings, such as salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper

1. Rinse the pumpkin seeds and remove all the pulp. To help get the pulp off, put the seeds in bowl of water—most should come off that way.

2. Spread the seeds out on a cookie sheet and let dry. (The seeds taste best if you soak them in salted water the night before.)

3. Toss the seeds with olive oil, or butter, and sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, or any other herbs you think would taste best.

4. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, continually tossing the seeds.

5. Cook until golden brown.

You can find different recipes with a variety of herbs and spices for specific tastes. Play around in your kitchen and raid your spice rack to include your favorites. How do you roast pumpkin seeds? Drop us a comment and let us know!