[Wildcrafter]

I was hoping to start a discussion about herbalism and health if anyone is interested. I am a practicing herbalist & wildcrafter trained and certified by Rosemary Gladstar, Roseanna Rich and, of course, Mother Nature!

Maybe we could start by talking about preparing for the season change and winter health. One thing I do in the fall is get my family on a fall tonic tea using root herbs like burdock, yellowdock and dandelion with some nettles, red clover and calendula.

I'd love to hear what other mamas are doing in preparation.

Thanks, Mary

 

[ComeOnLetsGo]

I'm so glad you're here! I use primarily herbal remedies for my family, and have for about 12 years now. I would love to know how you get your children to drink the tea you describe...I have a tonic tea like you described, and dh and I drink it but my kids simply refuse. It's funny, they are very accustomed to drinking liquid tinctures and herbal formulas by the spoonful (and some taste awful!) but the idea of sipping some tea just sends them running. In the past, I have purchased herbal tonics with many of the same ingredients and given that to the kids.

 

[Wildcrafter]

Hi there. I have been lucky enough to have a young one (16mo) who will take any chance he can to drink out of any cup and loves the tea, although I do water it down a bit. For your kids, have you ever tried putting a little ginger-wonder in their tea? It's a ginger-honey combo that your kids might like. I`

 

[Wildcrafter]

Hi there. I have been lucky enough to have a young one (16mo) who will take any chance he can to drink out of any cup and loves the tea, although I do water it down a bit. (this is the same kid who likes raw onions!)

For your kids, have you ever tried putting a little ginger-wonder in their tea? It's a ginger-honey combo that your kids might like. I buy in natural foods store. If they will take tinctures, they do get a better shot at all the good properties then in a tea, so maybe stick with that if all else fails. Or what about a straw? Gotta go, Mary

 

[Hera]

Hi there,

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm not a trained herbalist, but I have done a lot of study on my own, and a couple of my massage school teachers were also associated with the herb school in Boulder. I use herbal remedies first with my family as well, although it is hard to get dh to take anything tonically.

I've been ttc so I'm on a raspberry and red clover infusion. I also take vitex and motherwort tinctures, and made a syrup with dandi, burdock, yellow dock, ashwaganda, astragalus, licorice, and ginger. Whew.

I also made a syrup for dd, and I dose her when she starts to get sniffly or coughs a little. Elderberry, rose hips, elecampane, licorice, ginger, astragalus coltsfoot, echinacea purpurea and augustifolia, and elderflower. It was complicated because some things I cooked, and others were added at different times. Fun to make.

I am getting ready to move, and trying to make my herb garden happy for the winter and for the next people to live in this house. It is a rental, so I sure hope someone comes in who will take care of my babies.....I might just take that angelica plant with me.......

Rebecca

ps. I've been thinking about taking Rosemary Gladstar's correspondence course. Is that what you did? There is also a school for Scottish Herbalism here in Eugene that I've been curious about.

 

[Eggie]

Mary,
This is a great thread. I will like to follow it up. My dh is antiherbs and my dd is only 5 months old so I don't practice herbalism at all now, but definetly it's on my plans. I grew up on herbs and I even didn't take any antibiotics for anything (since I was 5 years old untill 5 years ago), not even against salmonella, because taking herbs did were best remedy.
One question, I remember my grandma used to give me a not very tasty artichoke tea first thing in the mornings when I was like 7 years old, I think, do you know what does this tea is good for

:

 

[Wildcrafter]

Hey, it's great to hear from everybody.

Hera, sounds like you have some great herbal recipes!!! I would love to hear more about making syrups for the little ones, I haven't done much of that. With all those wonderful womens' tonic herbs you are taking, one did pop out to me as one I might avoid during pregancy (is that what TTC meant?). Vitex is wonderful, but to the best of my knowledge is best at regulating hormones during pms, periods and menopause. I believe it regulates and lessens the body's production of estrogen, which normally increases during pregancy. Someone (midwife?) may have some more info on this?

I took R. Gladstar's course as taught by Roseanna Rich, another master herbalist and owner of Indian Meadow Herbals, during an 18 month class here in Maine. I can't say enough good things about it, I loved every moment. Rosemary's course books cover body systems (ie. immune, respiratory etc), men, women and children, wildcrafting, growing, making all types of herbal preparationgs and much more. I've heard positive things about the correspondence class as well. The Scottish Herbalism class sounded intriquing as well but I don't know much about that.

I will have to respond to Eggie later, Shane has enough of me at the computer!!!!

Mary

ps good luck with moving!

 

[guestmama9924]

Great thread! I did training with Susun Weed, a host of Florida naturalists and midwives and Mother herself too.

Our winters down here are very different from other areas since we stay warm and in shorts! Our primary culprit are the Snow birds that bring all their flus and germs to us.

We harvest our citrus right around now, and use that daily with food and drink. The citrus/fruits we have is super duper Vit C rich ( Key Limes, Callomondons, Mango, Cherries, Sea Grapes) and the leaves are used in local herbal lore as tea.

I love being able to use herbal health with my family, and even more so aim to use what is available and synergistic with our locale.

Happy Harvest!
Mirine

 

[Wildcrafter]

Mmm, mangos and limes are the best!!! You are lucky to have so many wonderful C-filled foods at your fingertips. Sorry you have to get so many bugs/colds through the snowbirds! You know they get sick when the return as well, the change of temp is just too much for most. Susun's book "The Childbearing Year" was my bible for a while. I love that she is so goddess earth orientated.

Hera, You are lucky as well for having been brought up with herbs. I'm sure your Grandma had many reasons for feeding you that funky tea!! I don't know much about artichokes but I did find an interesting write-up in one of my books, Mother Natures Herbal written by Judy Griffith:
I hope this isn't illegal to put this stuff on internet (?)

In a Chapter about Meditterranean Herbals a desription of artichokes goes as follows:

"A thistle that was eaten as a natural deodorant, "against the rank smell of armholes." The root was boyled and drunke" as a diuretic that cleaned out the kidneys and "sendeth forth plenty of stinking urine." The buds were steeped in wine and eaten to "stir up the lust of the body," possibly after the deodorant took effect."

In the same book under "Elixers of the Jaguar People" in South and Central America and Mexico, a tea was described as follows:

"For common liver complaints, bilious flatulemce and even jaundice, the leaves are cooked in water to cover for 15 minutes and the juice drunk."

Pretty funky indeed! My guess would be that your Grandma knew of the kidney and liver cleaning properties. What a great way to start the day! Although bad tasting!!

 

[Wildcrafter]

Sorry, Eggie, that reply about artichokes, etc was for you. Can you tell I have one eye on computer and one on my toddler?

That's too bad your dh isn't into herbs. Mine wasn't too much at first but saw how it helped me a few times. When Evening Primrose wiped out my pms symptoms he noticed a difference. A long time ago I made him a tonic tea just for him, labeled Mark's Tea and made it for him and he liked. Now he'll let me try anything on him! But it's hard when you don't have that support. Maybe if you concentrated on more food-like herbs that he is familiar with, like peppermint and cinnamon (a great men's herb) he might be interested, I don't know, just throwing that out there.