Randy Buresh (Registered Nurse and Herbalist), is the co-owner and founder of Oregon’s Wild Harvest. Oregon’s Wild Harvest grows, harvests and produces their own medicinal herbal products, many of which use the herbs grown on their certified Biodynamic® and Organic farm in Sandy, Oregon. www.oregonswildharvest.com

If you’ve ever woken up at three in the morning, unable to get back to sleep, or laid awake at night, well after midnight, waiting for Mr. Sandman to arrive in the first place, you are all too familiar with the frustrating, and often debilitating, aspects of an increasingly common condition: insomnia. Insomnia affects about 15 to 20 percent of the population at any one time. The causes are many, and range from temporary stress and anxiety to ongoing chronic problems, or a bad mattress or uncomfortable bedroom.

Insomnia can manifest itself in three ways: difficulty falling asleep, inability to stay asleep, and waking too early.

Chamomile is a traditional herb used to treat insomnia.
Photo by Randy Buresh

Herbal remedies are ideal for many, because few of them interfere with medications. The following supplements have been known to assist in relaxation and the ability to sleep soundly. They should be taken about 45 minutes before bedtime:  

Valerian: Valerian is used as an effective and gentle sleep aid for the relief of occasional sleeplessness. Take 900 mg of the dried herb prior to bedtime. Start with a low dosage and build up over a couple of weeks.

Chamomile: Chamomile has traditionally been used in herbal medicine as a calmative and/or sleep aid. Take two teaspoons of the dried herb in tea, one to three times daily. Take the herbs together for an increased effect of relaxation. 

Skullcap: Skullcap is a traditional nervine, or an herb that has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system. Skullcap is also a complementary herb that works very well with other herbs.  Take 1200 mg 45 minutes before bedtime.

Ashwagandha : Ashwagandha is a traditional Ayurvedic (Indian) herb used for calming the mind and promoting regular sleep patterns. Take 1200 mg daily before bedtime. Take with milk for improved absorption.

A lack of nutrients can sometimes cause insomnia. Nutrients often needed are calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6 and vitamin B1 (niacin).

Calcium: Take 500 mg with food before going to bed.

Magnesium: Take 250 mg with food before going to bed. Take the calcium and magnesium together; they are sometimes sold as a single supplement.

Vitamins B6 and B1: Take 50 mg B6 and 500 mg niacin taken together before going to bed.

Photo by Randy Buresh

What Else Can You Do?

• Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time, regardless of the day of the week or whether you've slept.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.

• Have a leisurely bath with several drops of lavender oil before going to bed. (Check out this recipe for a Relaxing Lavender Bath.)

• Put a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow. (Make Jim Long's sleep pillow.)

• Have a bedtime drink of hot milk and honey.

• Do not take commercial sleeping remedies at the same time as herbal remedies.

• Exercise regularly—try forty minutes walking four times a week.

Insomnia can be a temporary but troubling problem; but remember that it can also be a symptom of a medical condition requiring treatment. If insomnia persists for more than a few weeks, be sure to consult your health care provider.

With the help of valerian, chamomile, ashwagandha or skullcap and a relaxing bedtime ritual, sleep should come more easily. When it does, a rested, replenished, restored sense of being can return. Sweet dreams.

*Statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not intended to treat or diagnose any disease or health condition. It is also recommended that patients check with their doctors before taking herbs, to ensure that there are no contraindications with prescription medications.

Dawn is the owner of Seattle Hill Soap Company and formulates natural and safe soaps and skin care items that are enhanced by herbs, botanicals, or clays. You can find Seattle Hill Soap Company at www.seattlehillsoaps.com.

I was recently asked if I stocked turmeric soap. Occasionally I use turmeric powder in my soaps for a swirl of umber color, but I was surprised that someone was actually looking for a soap that was loaded with the stuff. Upon further research, I happily discovered a new herbal soap that touts fascinating benefits.

Photo by Dawn Robnett

Turmeric is high in antioxidants that slow down cell damage and is traditionally used in India as an antiseptic. It’s widely used as a skin exfoliant and it’s said to improve your skin's complexion, texture and health. In many Asian countries, it is used by women for skin care, particularly to discourage facial and body hair. It is also used to help with inflammatory skin conditions, such as acne, dry skin, psoriasis and eczema. What a powerful little spice!

A couple notes of caution when using turmeric: Avoid turmeric use during pregnancy; if using turmeric powder in soaps, be warned that it will stain fabrics when used in liberal amounts. 

Even More Turmeric

+ Cooking with Turmeric

+ Recipe: Turmeric Yogurt Soup 

+ Make a Total Beauty Treatment with Turmeric

+ Make a Turmeric Facial Mask 

+ The Health Benefits of Turmeric 

+ Ancient Turmeric, Modern Uses 

Think twice about pairing herbs with heart medications. A study from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology says that there are about 30 herbal supplements you should avoid if you take blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin.

You can check out the full list of problematic herbs at www.health.com. The list includes herbal favorites, such as garlic, green tea and hawthorn. The study says that when these herbal supplements are taken with blood-thinning medication, it can be hazardous to your health. So let’s break down the more well-known herbs to see what causes the problem.

Garlic is commonly used to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood pressure, and is sometimes used as a blood thinner. But according to the study, the risk of bleeding increases when garlic is mixed with warfarin. This is because the anti-clotting agents prevent wounds from closing.

Watch out for the garlic when on heart medication. You shouldn't mix the two.
Photo by CarbonNYC/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/

Green tea’s antioxidants and vitamins help people lose weight, fight cancer, maintain healthy cholesterol levels and increase their alertness. But, when taken with blood-thinners, the results are not so great. The Health article says that green tea contains vitamin K, which can possibly counteract the effect of warfarin.

Hawthorn is a well known heart-helper; it's because of its heart healing properties that it can cause problems with blood-thinning medication. When hawthorn strengthens heart contractions, it can interact and cause problems with people on heart-failure medications.

Hawthorn is good for the heart, as long as you aren't taking a heart medication.
Photo by Durlston Country Park/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/durlston/2806678150/

Remember that these herbs are usually OK to use sparingly in foods. Dr. Gina Mohammed, a contributing author to The Herb Companion, cautions how one may react to this study. "The criticisms of herb and drug combinations tend to refer to herbal extracts and supplements, rather than to the ordinary culinary use of the fresh or dried herb," Mohammed says. "In small culinary amounts, there may not ... be a problem with most herbs. However, eaten in considerable quantities, or used in concentrated form, or in very susceptible individuals, they may be problematic. Some herbs might be advised against, in any amount, for individuals undergoing certain types of procedures or treatments, or subject to certain health conditions, so it's always best to get professional advice in such cases."

If you’re on any type of heart medication, you should definitely talk with a doctor and take some time out of your busy day to carefully go through the full list of herb supplements to watch out for while on heart medication. Even if you aren’t on heart medications, it’s still good to understand what you are eating and how it affects your heart.

Erin is the Communications Manager at Mountain Rose Herbs and an apprenticing herbalist at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies, where she botanizes and wildcrafts medicinal plants in the magnificent Oregon Cascades. www.mountainroseherbs.com

The art of healing our bodies with herbs is a new fascination in my life. Growing up in the hot and sticky urban jungles of Florida, my childhood was more southern sweet tea than wholesome nettle infusion. I spent countless summer days exploring twisted oak forests and gathering ferns for my hair, but I never sipped sweet chamomile to fall asleep at night or took echinacea to keep a cold at bay. Other than smearing gooey aloe tentacles on sunburns, using plants for medicine was merely magic and fairytale.

Top: My childhood backyard in Tampa, Florida; Bottom: My mom's aloe, happy in the sun.
Photos by Erin McIntosh

The call to herbalism came for me several years ago, although I didn’t know it at the time. During college, I grew passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle and adopted an organic whole foods diet. The neighborhood teahouse, which served amazing vegetarian goodies and exotic teas from around the world, was my home away from home. Sipping floral oolong, sweet powdered matcha, and delicate silver needle tea became an important and much beloved morning ritual for me. Watching slender tea leaves unfurl gracefully in the rising sun’s reflection, as they released an enchanting perfume, was both grounding and stimulating. My body and mind felt nourished with every cup of amber goodness I poured. Drinking tea each day provided peaceful sanctuary.

When I journeyed west to Oregon in 2008, I brought along only the necessities: a box of vegetarian cookbooks, my favorite collection of Camellia sinensis, and a deeply treasured cast iron tea set from my folks. I celebrated the night I arrived in Eugene with a pot of Darjeeling. It felt powerful and momentous. Instantly, I became enraptured by the city, vibrant with plant people and herbalists, beautiful gardens and wildflowers abloom, and a community uniquely steeped in natural healing traditions. Wherever I wondered throughout town, I became consumed with inspiration and curiosity.

A cup of Darjeeling nestled in lush Oregon moss.
Photo by Erin McIntosh

My good fortune soon led to a job at Mountain Rose Herbs, where suddenly I had access to a bounty of organic herbs, medicinal tea blends, essential oils, and exceptionally knowledgeable friends. One particularly difficult day, a co-worker offered a bottle of skullcap tincture to me. I snickered at its funny name, but scrunched my face and swallowed down the strong tasting green liquid. Immediately, I felt tension leave my body and my mind became calm. I went outside and watched the white clouds stretch and dissolve into blue sky. The plant’s gentle calming effect was truly miraculous. As I sat in the moist grass, I realized that I was being offered an incredible opportunity to expand my knowledge of health and healing.

The following year, I decided to get serious about studying herbs and started a two-year apprenticeship program with the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. Each week, Howie and Steven lead students into the old growth forests, mountain meadows, lava flows and rushing river banks of the Cascades. We learned how to locate, identify, and collect native plants using stringent wildharvesting protocols to ensure the health of the diverse ecosystems we visit. We then made medicine together in the forest with the herbs we’d picked that day. Whether washing aromatic roots in an icy stream, examining plumose pappus, or nibbling on wild huckleberries, I have been blessed to create intimate relationships with the plants we studied and to learn about their extraordinary healing powers from such skilled teachers.

The Columbines School of Botanical Studies Field Apprenticeship 2009 harvest.   
By Erin McIntosh 

Exploring the rich flora of this dramatic landscape has been almost dreamlike, quite challenging, and tremendously rewarding. Dedicating time to reconnect with wild places and prepare medicine for ourselves, our friends, and our families is a truly empowering endeavor with infinite value for the planet and for our spirits.

Randy Buresh (Registered Nurse and Herbalist), is the co-owner and founder of Oregon’s Wild Harvest. Oregon’s Wild Harvest grows, harvests and produces their own medicinal herbal products, many of which use the herbs grown on their certified Biodynamic® and Organic farm in Sandy, Oregon. www.oregonswildharvest.com

If there is a word that describes the average person in today’s busy, multi-tasking world, that word would be “stressed.”  It is nearly impossible to live without stress.  Stress comes to us in many ways, not only on an emotional level, but on a physical level, through our environment and exposure to pathological invasions, pollutants, and germs. 

While it’s probably impossible to avoid all the forms of stress responsible for our physiological responses, it’s quite possible to support the body’s biological reaction to stress. In addition to getting adequate sleep and exercise, and maintaining a healthy diet, all of which go a long way to reducing the impact of stress, there are herbs which can help. Yes, thankfully, there are ways to reduce the impact stress has on our bodies that do not involve alcohol, cigarettes or other common methods of dealing with stress:

• Skullcap is well known among the Cherokee and other Native American tribes as a strong medicinal herb. It is used to support healthy sleep patterns and feelings of well-being, and to reduce anxious feelings.

Native Americans used sullcap for mental health support.
Photo by Randy Buresh

• Kava is an herb that has been widely used for hundreds of years by native South Pacific Islanders. People who use kava on a semi-regular basis (2 to 3 times per week) report feeling a nearly immediate feeling of relaxation, without feeling drugged. Muscle tension melts away, and a state of peacefulness and contentment takes its place. Kava has been known to produce a feeling of mild euphoria in some people, and a more sociable disposition in others. Mental alertness is usually not affected by kava consumption, except when taken in high doses. However, drowsiness will often occur a few hours after kava is in the system, so it is best to take it in the evening a few hours before bedtime.

• St. John’s wort has been used for centuries to support mental health, in addition to other reasons. Today, St. John’s wort is generally used to support healthy sleep patterns, feelings of well-being and to reduce anxious feelings. Preliminary studies suggest that St. John’s wort might work by preventing nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing the chemical messenger serotonin. An analysis of the results of 37 clinical trials concluded that St. John’s wort is effective as a remedy to support mood.

St. John's Wort helps support mental health and reduces anxiety.
Photo by Randy Buresh

• Valerian has long been used to support healthy sleep patterns, general sense of well-being and to reduce anxious feelings. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is funding a study to examine the effects of valerian on sleep in healthy, older adults.

With a little herbal assistance, modified diet and adequate exercise, herbs can help provide mental support in times of stress. Herbal supplements such as skullcap, St. John’s wort, valerian, and kava work with your body in many different ways for a calmer, happier you. 

*Statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not intended to treat or diagnose any disease or health condition. It is also recommended that patients check with their doctors before taking herbs, to ensure that there are no contraindications with prescription medications.

Erin is the Communications Manager at Mountain Rose Herbs and an apprenticing herbalist at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies, where she botanizes and wildcrafts medicinal plants in the magnificent Oregon Cascades. www.mountainroseherbs.com 

I shared the long Memorial Day weekend with friends on 40 acres of Ponderosa Pine and White Oak forest near the Klickitat River. This was my first trip to the rugged Washington wilderness and I found its rocky hills and thick woods crawling with lizards and rattlesnakes and scorpions breathtaking!

It was sunny spring perfection, so we hiked deer trails for hours exploring wild plants like Lomatiums, tasty Alliums, and ripening blackcap raspberries.  A fresh spring trickled from the rocks and we collected cold mountain water to make wild rose tea in the mornings.

Klickitat, Washington.

During one afternoon expedition, we came across a wet patch abloom with yellow arnica flowers. Anyone who has spent time in arnica habitats will know the strong affinity this plant has for mosquitoes. Thousands and thousands of buzzing, blood-sucking mosquitoes! As we gathered to admire the heart-shaped leaves of the Arnica cordifolia, a hungry swarm clouded around us. Thankfully, I was prepared with a strong homemade insect repellent that kept them at a comfortable distance. Thinking ahead, I’d also made an astringent spray and poultice powder to apply to pesky bites, hiking scratches, and campfire burns.

Back at camp, a band of excited children wrapped white sage and cinnamon sticks in newspaper to make fragrant and effective fire starters. They marched triumphantly around the blaze, tooting their horsetail whistles as the herby campfire smoke proved inhospitable to the buggy invaders.

Herbal fire starters are fragrant and effective.  

Anytime I leave for a camping trip, I bring some staple extracts along. This collection usually includes a few of my favorite go-to herbs like skullcap and valerian to help relax my muscles and lull me to restful sleep, Oregon grape root as an anti-bacterial and digestive aide, a good astringent like red root bark (Ceanothus velutinus), and yerba santa to help dry up sneezy, watery allergy symptoms.

Being equipped with my trusty bag of herbal formulas makes handling the unforeseen much easier, and my forest experience that much more delightful.   

My trusty collection of formulas.

Bug-Away Spray 

I’ve read that catnip essential oil can be as effective as DEET, but it can also be expensive. So, I made a tincture of fresh catnip leaf from the garden in pure grain alcohol, which drew out the volatile oils in just a week and produced a lovely emerald extract.

• 4 ounces fresh catnip tincture (95 percent alcohol)
• 4 ounces witch hazel extract
• 80 drops organic citronella essential oil
• 80 drops organic eucalyptus essential oil
• 40 drops organic lavender essential oil
• 20 drops organic rosemary essential oil
• 10 drops organic lemongrass essential oil
• 10 drops organic lemon essential oil

1. Mix all ingredients in an 8 oz spray bottle and shake well before using.

2. Re-apply as often as needed.

Herbal Astringent Spray

This spray is ideal for itchy bug bites, removing sticky pitch from fingers, minor burns, cuts, scrapes, and a myriad of other irritating situations. I used my own tinctures of wild-harvested herbs that are anti-microbial and astringent, but similar herbs that you prefer can be used.

• 2 ounces witch hazel extract
• 1/2 ounces red root bark tincture
• 1/2 ounces Oregon grape root tincture (organically grown goldenseal tincture can be used)
• 1/2 ounces Pipsissewa tincture
• 1/2 ounces Uva-Ursi tincture

1. Mix all ingredients in a 4 oz spray bottle and shake before using.

2. Re-apply as often as needed.

Happy camping!  

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."

Now that it's spring, it’s time for me to do an internal spring cleansing. Our bodies respond to the rhythm of the seasons—the waking up of our metabolism is naturally accelerating so that we can grab our spears and hunt buffalo or collect our baskets and gather roots, leaves, twigs, bark, seeds and berries. My favorite springtime tonic is an herb I fell in love with as a child: sassafras. 

Dr. James Duke tells us that sassafras (Sassafras albidum), which was the original herb in root beer, was regarded as a "blood-purifying, all-purpose tonic for whatever ails you...The pleasing tea made it a favored tea on both sides of the Atlantic.” My 1861 US Dispensatory (Materia Medica) notes that the bark of the sassafras root is a stimulant, flavors other teas, renders other teas “more cordial to the stomach,” and has been particularly recommended for "complaints of the rheumatism and cutaneous eruptions.”

Richly colored sassafras leaves make a delicious tea.
Photo by Martin LaBar/Courtesy of Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinlabar/

In the pharmaceutical industry’s never-ending quest to discredit the indigenous plants with which humankind has co-evolved over the last one million years, they’ve gone after safrole, one of the hundreds of compounds found in this complex plant, linking exaggerated quantities of a single extract with carcinogenic results. The Journal of the American Herbalists Guild pointed out in Volume 9, Number 1, “These studies were in vitro studies that only used safrole in the testing and did not compare to the effects of whole plant extracts. It should also be noted that water infusions of sassafras, which would have significantly less volatile oil content, have been used on a daily basis by various populations in the Appalachian Mountains with no epidemiological increases noted in liver cancers or hepatic toxicity concerns.” So when great-great grandma made her sassafras tea, or great-great grandpa took her to the drug store for a root-beer float, she felt really good afterwards.

I think I’ll go make some tea right now.