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
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angavallen/

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!

Patsy Bell Hobson is a garden writer and a travel writer. For her, it's a great day when she can combine the two things she enjoys most: gardening and traveling. Visit her personal blogMy garden blog  at http://patsybell.blogspot.com/ and read her travel writings at http://www.examiner.com/x-1948-Ozarks-Travel-Examiner. 

French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) thrives in my garden. I don't know why. Several people have asked me for tarragon growing secrets. I don't have a clue. Seldom fed or watered, mulched, but not otherwise protected in the winter, tarragon likes to live in the sunny, well drained soil of the raised bed.

It is a perennial that I do not bring in for the winter. The tarragon plant, and the whole herb bed gets a healthy layer of shredded leaf mulch later in fall. That is the only protection I provide in my zone 6 garden. The herb plant, disappears in winter, goes dormant, and comes back stronger and bigger next spring.

I use tarragon in the kitchen mainly as a herb vinegar additive and in salad dressing. In the garden, it adds variety and has a strong anise (licorice) scent when touched.

Tarragon wine vinegar can be diluted with water if it is too strong.
Photo by Trey Capnerhurst

Tarragon has some antibacterial qualities. It may be one of the reasons why, in ancient times, it was recommended to treat mad dog and dragon bites. I, personally, have never had the occasion to need such medical care, and therefore cannot testify to its healing properties.

I mention tarragon this late in the gardening season because there are two fall-time ways I use French tarragon. 1. To make tarragon vinegar and 2. To make tarragon chicken. Make these recipes your own by tweaking them and trying different herb combinations.

Herb vinegar is only as good as the vinegar you select. If you are making a gourmet product, buy  the best quality vinegar you can afford. If the herb vinegar is mostly for decoration or display, use inexpensive white vinegar. It doesn’t take much tarragon—just a sprig or two to flavor a whole bottle of white wine vinegar.

Use a 5 or 6 inch sprig of tarragon in each bottle.
Photo by Jasmine & Roses

A mild garlic flavor is a great addition to tarragon vinegar. Poke a peeled clove of garlic onto a wooden skewer. Add the garlic skewer to the vinegar.  You may need to clip the skewer so the lid will fill on the jar or bottle of vinegar. Taste the vinegar after two weeks. If the flavor is strong enough, remove the tarragon and garlic. If not, let the herb vinegar continue to steep for another week. Strain using a paper coffee filter.

Now, isn’t removing that skewer a lot easier than fishing around for elusive garlic cloves at the bottom of the herb vinegar bottle?

Stuff a sprig of tarragon in the cavity of a Cornish game hen and cook it as you normally do. The rotisserie works well for this recipe. As the hen cooks, tarragon lightly permeates whole bird. Remove the herbs when the hen cools and freeze whole or cut in half. Next month, thaw the birds in the frig, then slowly warm in the oven.

End of season bloomer Mexican tarragon looks like dwarf single marigolds.
Photo by Valenaann

A little tarragon goes a long way. If in doubt, use less now—it's easier to add more tarragon later.

Michele Tune (a.k.a. Raw Juice Girl) is a freelance writer and blogger. She has lost over 100 pounds and found great healing from natural remedies, raw foods and juices. Read about her journey at www.healingwithjuices.com.

In response from Natural Alternatives: Dry Eye Syndrome Treatment. 

Dry, itching, throbbing, bloodshot eyes are no fun! And, if it’s your job to stare at a computer screen all day, every day, then your eyes are continuously being aggravated—that’s not healthy.

If you aren’t familiar with natural remedies, you may feel your only options for relief are over-the-counter, chemical-laden eye solutions. Sure, some of them may soothe your eye woes for a short time but how many of them are going to target the root cause and truly help you improve the health of your eyes?

If you’re experiencing these irritating eye problems, your eyes need to be lubricated and nurtured—you can do this with natural remedies, both from within and externally.

But first, what actually causes dry eyes to begin with? There are a variety of reasons eyes dry out.

Here are a few:

• Allergies
• Aging
• Menopause or other hormonal imbalances
• Staring at computer screens for too long

 
Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography/Courtesy Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/  

Treating Dry Eyes from Within

You may have one or more nutritional deficiencies. For ultimate eye health, you need to take in plenty of vitamins A, B, C, and E. Also be sure to eat foods rich in zinc and selenium (or take quality supplements). And as K.C. mentioned in her recent post on dry eye syndrome, Omegas are fabulous for eye health.

Raw fruits and vegetables are crucial for overall health—including our eyes. You can pack in a ton of extra veggies and fruits by drinking fresh juices and smoothies. For instance, toss a handful or two of baby spinach leaves into your banana (or other fruit) smoothie and the fruit’s sweetness actually dominates the flavor, so it’s a nice way to sneak in those greens you may not otherwise eat.

Some people have noticed improvements to their eye health and vision from juice fasting as well.

Natural Remedy Recipes (for External Use)

Although it’s important to fill our bodies with the proper nutrition that promotes strong, moist, healthy eyes from within, it’s also nice to have safe, go-to natural remedies that can relieve our aching eyes while we wait for the internal methods to kick in. Following are a couple of inexpensive, organic recipes—and they’re both so soothing!

Organic Chamomile Eye Wash

• 2 chamomile tea bags (or spoonful of dried chamomile flower)
• Warm water
• A cup or bowl
• Sieve (if you’re using loose-leaf herb)

1. Add chamomile bag or loose herb to a cup or bowl.

2. Pour warm water on top of it.

3. Let them steep for up to 15 minutes.

4. Remove the tea bags (or strain loose herb with sieve).

5. Find a relaxing position (lay down or lean back in a chair).

6. Close your eyes and cover each one with a tea bag.

7. Leave the tea bags on for up to 10 minutes.

Note: If you’re using loose-leaf chamomile herb, you can put the moistened mixture you’ve strained into cheesecloth (or an empty tea bag you can purchase online or at your health food store) and follow the same steps above.
You can also cup some of the chamomile tea into your hand (or draw it up into a dropper) and wash your eyes out with it. It’s warm, soothing, healing, and safe.

Cold Cucumber Compress

• 2 cold cucumber slices

1. Find a comfortable position.

2. Put a cold cucumber over (closed) eyes.

3. Leave them on for up to 10 minutes.

Tip: Slice an organic cucumber ahead of time and lay the slices flat (not touching) in small plastic bags or reusable containers and freeze. When you need a quick “cold cucumber compress,” you can just grab two slices from the freezer and let them thaw a little. After all, you want relief—not frozen eyeballs!
I have personally followed all of the tips mentioned here for the past several years. The result? I no longer have to wear eye glasses.

References:
Balch, Phyllis A., CNC, Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-to-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies, New York, NY: Penguin Putnam, Inc., 2002
Balch, Phyllis A., CNC, Prescription for Nutritional Healing (Third Edition), New York: Avery Publishing, 2000.
National Institute of Health Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Selenium 
National Institute of Health Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Zinc 

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.

This weekend my sister welcomed another grandchild to her family. It’s been a long time since I held my own newborn son in my arms, but as I looked at the pictures of the newest addition to our family online, I began to think…"Is there anything more precious than a newborn baby?" "Is there anything more confusing to new parents?"
This time of wonder and discovery is the perfect time for parents to unlock the benefits of aromatherapy and infant massage. By incorporating touch with botanicals, you increase the bond between parent and child while simultaneously creating a healthy, relaxing environment for bot.

Aromatherapy can be safe for infants and children as long as a few guidelines are observed: 

• Never apply oils full strength to the baby’s skin. Since babies have a smaller amount of resistive tissue, adult doses can be considered toxic. Be sure to dilute essential oils for babies and toddlers to ½ amount of the adult dose. This would be ¼ drop for every 3 drops in a standard blend. Since it is impossible to measure a ¼ of a drop, it is advisable to decrease the essential oil and increase the carrier oil or lotion. Remember, no where in aromatherapy is the ‘less is more’ approach more appropriate than here.

Safe essential oil choices for babies: lavender, chamomile and rose

Children are naturals with aromatherapy. The sweet and floral scents calm them almost instantaneously. Older children who no longer will tolerate a back rub from mom or dad will most assuredly indulge in a foot massage (especially after sports). All ages welcome the addition of essential oils in their bath tubs. Be sure to dilute these oils in an appropriate carrier oil according the recommendations below. Allow some flexibility to adjust the amounts if the child’s body size and weight is above or below average percentile for the child’s age. Your pediatrician can help you with this information.

Children: Factor age vs. body weight
5-8 years: 1/6th to 1/3rd the adult recommendation
8-12 years: 1/3th to ½ the adult recommendation
12-15 years: ½ to 2/3rd the adult recommendation

Safe essential oil choices for children: lavender, tea tree, German or Roman chamomile, tangerine, spearmint, rose, lemon, ravensara, eucalyptus and rosemary

• Avoid the following oils for use with all children unless instructed by a reliable text or a certified aromatherapist. All ‘spice oils’ such as clove, cinnamon, cassia, nutmeg, ginger and black pepper. Other oils which should not be used with children are pennyroyal, hyssops, rue and yarrow.

• Avoid citrus oils if your children are playing out of doors since they may increase photosensitivity.

• Use cold pressed, natural oils. Stay away from  petroleum-, chemical- or mineral-based oils (such as baby oil). These oils interfere with the solubility of vitamins and minerals within the essential oils. An easy rule for oils is if you can eat it, you can use it. (Olive oil and grapeseed are wonderful.)

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

As a licensed massage therapist and a certified infant massage instructor and practitioner, I recommend infant massage for building a bond with your baby. Infant massage is a path that will lead to a lifetime of good communication and closeness. Numerous studies show impressive benefits, such as significant neurological development and absorption of nutrients. Also, parents raise their confidence and sensitivity to meeting their babies’ needs, allowing them to respond appropriately to baby’s cues.  The special time spent together can help promote longer and deeper sleep patterns, help relieve colic or gas and helps babies and children develop a positive body image.  Your touch will help baby relax and release accumulated tension by decreasing the production of stress hormones.

How to give a rewarding infant massage (for you and baby):

• Make eye contact with baby. Watch baby’s expressions and note how your touch affects your child. Smile, sing and whisper to baby as you touch.

• Ask permission of your baby to touch each part. This simple act of respect also encourages verbalization and word associations for your baby and brings the art of a lifetime of communication into play.

• Use a gentle, but firm pressure when massaging. A confident touch is conveyed and baby’s sense of safety and love is reinforced.

Ready to begin?  Enjoy the following formulas for baby.

To promote sleep patterns in well babies:

• 1 ½ ounce grapeseed essential oil
• 1 drop lavender essential oil
• 1 drop German chamomile essential oil

1. Mix ingredients together.

2. Use mix during massage OR use 1 teaspoon in your baby’s bath at night time when you want your child to fall asleep faster.

To allieviate gas and upset tummies:

• 1 drop fennel essential oil
• 3 ounces grapeseed essential oil

1. Mix ingredients together.

2. Apply mix to abdomen only. Use plain grapeseed for the remainder of a full body massage.

To open nasal passages: 

Put a drop of eucalyptus oil on a night light or into a humidifier as baby sleeps. Never apply this oil directly to baby. An aromatic bath for baby can be made by substituting one drop eucalyptus or ravensara for the fennel in the above formula. Use 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the bath.  Hold baby securely when bathing with oils.

So if you are lucky enough to be welcoming  a new addition to your immediate or extended family, pass along this information.  Family bonds begin early and the skills and communications in those formative years can be key to a confident child.  Babies grow up too quickly, take the time now to be as present as possible.  Learn and grow with your baby – and may you be ‘forever young’.

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."

My Jewish friends have always found it odd that I'm such a fan of Yom Kippur. I like the idea of taking one day a year for thinking about your mistakes and making yourself a better person. When I was still teaching, I used the occasion to assign this essay thesis statement: If you could take back one thing you did as a child, what would it be? 

The stories were often painful to read. One story was written by an angry, adolescent young boy from the inner city. He wrote about the time he was 11 years old, hanging out with his pals in the garage, and playing with his father's guns. They were each taking turns handling the gun. When it was his turn, he accidently shot his friend, nearly killing him and taking out one of his friend’s eyes.

He never alluded to this tragedy before, masking the emotion he felt. The part that was so painful for him was that he'd never been given the canvas, the paper or the platform to express his feelings and tell his tale.

People are faced with great challenges, and somehow people have to deal with them daily. Reading these painful essays reminded me of how regenerative Mother Nature can be, and how lucky we are to have her abundance to help overcome tough situations.

Although it would trivialize my former student’s situation to imply that a few herbs could take away the pain of his life situation, I do believe that some of nature’s healing plants can help put our bodies and spirits at ease.

Here are some herbal remedies that have specific healing properties for dealing with overcoming sorrow, anger and depression.

There’s nothing like a sip of skullcap tea. Also try a medium green leaf tea, which helps relax nervous tension and is a favorite at the end of a trying day.

Verbena officinalis

Vervain (don't forget to add the honey to this one!) is more “full-bodied” and can help overcome a deeper depression. The secret is in the consistency; you can’t have a “one cup here and a one cup there" approach. Instead, use 2 to 3 cups daily for a couple of weeks, depending on how overwhelming the sorrow is and how many toxins one loads up with. Vervain also acts as a hepatic remedy and helps with inflammation of the gallbladder. In Chinese Medicine, anger is held in the gallbladder.

Next, I suggest picking up a paintbrush, grabbing a pen, or finding a guitar and discovering new ways to express your emotions and overcome terrible situations. Bodies and minds can mend; nature and art can lead the way.

It seems like every time I go to the grocery store, the small mound of tiny tangerine pumpkins exponentially grows into a tower like form, with a few casualties rolling into the parking lot! Ever since I was little, my mom would bring home a miniature pumpkin from the grocery store for me to decorate.

Although I’m not sure where the time went, Halloween is a few weeks away and my kitchen table already has a few pumpkins on it. In the past, I’ve painted and carved pumpkins. This year it is pumpkin candleholders.

Pumpkin Candleholders:

Tools:

• Permanent marker
• Craft knife
• Grapefruit knife
• Hot glue gun (optional)

Materials:

• 4 dinner candles (substitute tealight candles for a different look)
• 4 miniature pumpkins

Directions:

1. Place one of your candles on the center of the pumpkin and trace around the candle with the permanent market.

2. Using the craft knife, cut around the circle you just drew. You will want to cut about an inch to an inch and a half into the pumpkin if you are using dinner candles and about a half an inch for tealight candles.

3. Go around the cut out area with the grapefruit knife. This will extract the cut out section.

4.  If you are using dinner candles, it is recommended that you put a few drops of hot glue to ensure that the candle doesn’t come out of the pumpkin holder. If there are gaps between the pumpkin and the candle, place hot glue into the space.

Leave me a comment and let’s chat about your favorite pumpkin decorations.

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 common sunflower is an American native plant. The American Indian was the first to use the sunflower, but there is no written record. Sunflower achene’s (seeds) have been found at several archaeological sites in the United States and early explorers notebooks and journals have information about Indians gathering achene’s for food. At prehistoric sites in Arizona, several sunflower disks have been found, as well as designs of the flowers incorporated in their pottery.
 
After the discovery of America in 1492, the sunflower went to Europe, then onto Russia, and was then reintroduced into America from Russia. Practically all the flowers now cultivated in America were of Russian origin. The Russians are the greatest users of the plant.
 
Sunflowers are known scientifically by the genus name Helianthus from the Greek words helios, meaning “sun” and anthos meaning “flower.” There are around 60 different species, but in this article I am mainly discussing Helianthus annus L. The L. stands for Linnaeus, the great Swedish naturalist of the eighteenth century, who gave this plant and thousands of others their Latin names. This sunflower was the only one known to him and it only lived a single season, so the annuus is for annual.
 
This species of sunflower is extremely variable. There are branched forms with small flower heads, which are common in the wild. Unbranched forms with massive flower heads, which are cultivated for their oily seeds; and still others with red or double flowers which are grown for their ornamental value.

Photo by cobalt123/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/

Sunflowers are related to the daisies, asters, marigolds, dandelions and black-eyed susans, all of which are members of the Compositae family. The stem is thick, hairy and light green with leaves that are large, rough, toothed and heart-shaped with prominent veins. The flower has a ray of petals on the outer part of the sunflower head, and disk flowers in the center. The outer apparently to attract insects since they are sterile. Sunflowers grow from 3 to 15 feet high and the flower heads measure from 3 to 14 inches in diameter. The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas.
 
The first published record of the sunflower appeared in 1568 by the Belgian Rembert Dodoens, one of the famous herbalists of the era. It was not known to herbalists before the discovery of America (1492), which is evidence that the sunflower was of American origin.
 
The greatest medicinal use of the sunflower that has been used throughout the world is for pulmonary afflictions. It was the main medicinal use of many Indians. A decoction was made from the sunflower head, which the Dakota and Pawnee Indians would drink for respiratory ailments, like bronchitis, lung infections and pleurisy.

Sunflower oil is used in salad dressings, for cooking and in the manufacturing of margarine and shortening. It is used in industry for making paints and cosmetics. The roasted seeds make a coffee type drink. In countries where they grow sunflowers the seed cake that is left after the oil is extracted is given to livestock as food. In the Soviet Union the hulls are used for manufacturing ethyl alcohol, in lining for plywood and growing yeast. The dried stems have also been used for fuel. The stems contain phosphorous and potassium which can be composted and returned to soil as fertilizer.
 
The Chinese have used the fiber from stems for fabrics and paper. The pith (the interior of the stalk) is one of the lightest substances known and is used in scientific labs. The plant’s ability to absorb water from soil has been used to reclaim mushy land in the Netherlands.
 
The sunflower is a plant to be valued and appreciated for more than just food for birds or an ornamental fixture in a summer garden. Add a few sunflowers to the next garden you plant and they will put a smile on your face.                              

I’ll admit sometimes I can be over-dramatic when it comes to pain – drama runs in my family. But for the last couple of years I’ve suffered from regular lower-back spasms that can literally knock me off my feet. So yesterday I finally gave in to the sage advice of my family and friends who’ve witnessed my painful collapses and visited the chiropractor.

It’s been over 10 years since the last time I met with a chiropractor, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I was definitely surprised to see a familiar herbal supplement perched on my practitioner’s shelf of featured pain relief supplies – turmeric capsules. Under the bottle was a note suggesting that a daily dose (720 mg) of this turmeric supplement, instead of Ibuprofen, not only reduces painful inflammation but is also healthier for long term use than other pain relievers.

Photo by Carlos Lorenzo/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlos_lorenzo/

Considering how often I’ve popped Ibuprofen over the last couple years after long bouts of sitting at a desk or going for a jog, I was surprised that I hadn’t thought of the detrimental effects earlier.

I already use turmeric in most of my cooking, so instead of adding even more and turning everything I eat bright yellow, I’m going to give these supplements a try. For the sake of my future health, and to aid in the recovery of my abused neck and back from the chiropractic therapy, I’ll put the lid on ibuprofen and open up the turmeric. Oh, and I’ll also be using ice - lots and lots of ice.

Photo by foolsplay07/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrightguideminiatures/

Have you used turmeric supplements to relieve your pain? How did it work for you? Leave me a comment and let me know.

For more information about the health benefits of turmeric, check out these past articles from The Herb Companion.

• The Healing Plant by Nancy Allison
• Ancient, Pungent Turmeric by Cornelia Carlson, Ph.D.
• Smart Cooking with Turmeric by Cornelia Carlson, Ph.D.
• Ancient Herbs, Modern Uses by James A. Duke, Ph.D.
• Spotlight on Turmeric by Lynda McCullough