Agrimony

Agrimony, also known as church steeple, cockeburr, sticklewort and Philanthrops, has the latin name of Agrimonia eupatoria.  This plant is part of the rose family and can usually be found near hedgerows and fences in England

. It has yellow flowers with egg-shaped petals on spikes. The very pleasing aroma is similar to that of a apricot.

The plant is mainly unbranched and has many leaves which vary in size from three inches at the top of the plant to seven inches at the bottom. It is a deep green plant with soft hairs. Even when the flowers and stems are dried they still maintain the pleasing scent.

This plant has been used to help those with sore throat, plain, inflammation, indigestion, bladder infections, arthritis, rheumatism urinary incontinence, gallstones, food allergies, asthma, cough, wound healing, psoriasis, acne, eczema, hemorrhoids, eye irritation, colitis, liver and kidney disorders, pimples, and skin irritations. Whew!

Most commonly the plant would be dried and then mashed into a powder which can then be mixed into a slurry, a decoction, herbal tea, or essential oils.

Agrimony also makes a good dye. When the plant is harvested in September it gives a pale yellow color to wool. Otherwise, when harvested later, it yields a darker, richer yellow color.

For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. 
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-604-agrimony.aspx?activeingredientid=604&activeingredientname=agrimony

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/agrim015.html

https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/agrimony/profile

Acerola Berry

Eric Gaba – Wikimedia Commons user: Sting

The Acerola Berry, also known as Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry (Malpighia emarginata), is a member of the malphighiaceae Family.

This is considered a tropical shrub or small tree. After the plant is three years old it produces a bright red drupe, which grows in pairs or trios. Each individual berry has three triagular seeds. 

This berry is native to South America, south Mexico and Central America. The berry is very high in vitamin C and is also a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, Be, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids.

Sailors would often use this to prevent or treat scurvy. It has also had a history of preventing heart disease, hardening of the arteries, blood clots and cancer. It can also be used to treat a common cold, pressure sores, bleeding in the eye, tooth decay, gum infections, depression, hay fever and collagen disorders. 

Some of the side affects can include nausea, stomachcramps, sleepiness and insomnia and it can worsen gout. If taken in too large of doses, it can cause diarrhea and can increase the chances of getting kidney stones. 

The fruit can be eaten when ripe or can be made into jelly, jam or syrup if done soon after harvest. If allergic to latex, this berry should be avoided.

For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How to Make a Skin Brightening Vitamin C Mask

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 tsp of natural Vitamin C powder that  says L-asorbic acid Vitamin C (find it here)
• 1 tsp of fresh aloe gel or raw honey
• 1/8 tsp spring water— Optional (if the mask is too gritty, add more water a few drops at a time until smooth)
• 1-2 drops sandalwood, eucalyptus, frankincense, tea tree, geranium, or helichrysum essential oil (you can get great essential oils HERE)

Instructions–

• Mix ingredients with a small brush until smooth
• Apply with the brush in an even layer all over face, avoiding the eye area
• Leave on for up to 15 minutes
• Rinse with warm water or wipe away with a warm cloth (if you put it on really thick you can peel it off in pieces if you like)
• You may experience some redness for up to an hour afterwards but this is normal

Here is a smoothie recipe which includes this wonderful berry:

This recipe is adapted from a great book I’m reading called “The Hormone Diet” by Natasha Turner, Naturopathic Doctor. It is anti-aging, satisfying (keeps cravings away) and a delicious breakfast idea!

1 serving hemp protein powder (or brown rice protein powder)

1/2 cup raspberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup strawberries

1/4 cup blackberries

1 cup water

2 tsp flaxseed oil – for your Essential Fatty Acids

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Garnish with some mint and a berry on top! Make sure you use all organic ingredients because berries are highly sprayed with chemicals – pesticides and fertilizers. You will avoid genetic modification as well aka super-strawberries. See my post on genetic modification!

Nutrition Information:

Calories 340 | Carbs 30.4g | Protein 26.9g | Fat 11.87g | Fiber 9.3g

Thoughts for a Saturday

I was remembering a trip that my husband, daughter and I took a few summers ago. We went to Monticello and Williamsburg. While at one of these places, I forget which one, I had the honor of meeting a lady making a wonderful lotion called Calendula lotion.

She told us how she made it and let me sample some. She also told us how it has many healing properties, including to help scrapes, cuts and as an anti-inflammatory. As I have had arthritis in my fingers for a number of years, I was intrigued that I would be able to make something like this from my home. At this time I had not started trying to go natural.

This summer I decided to grow calendula in window boxes and in my flower garden. Well this has been the year of rain in our area, so the garden flowers have been struggling to survive. However, the ones in the window boxes have just begun to bloom. Yesterday, I went out and cut a few of the flower to begin the drying process. I will try to keep everyone in touch as I go through the process of making the lotion.



Now, I will try to keep you guys informed whenever I try something new or when I make a new discovery. Please post any questions you may have or you would like me to look into.

For today, I would like to let you know a little bit about some of the ways that a few plants can help you.

Acai

Acai, Euterpe Oleracea is a member of the Arecaceae family. It is commonly known as acai berry or cabbage palm.

Generally, the plant where the berries are harvested grow to about 25 meters high. The leaves are ribbon like and the berries hand from the branches in clusters. Each tree produces about 20 kg of fruit per year.

These berries are good to eat raw or juiced or frozen. However, they will spoil if they are not frozen or juiced within 24 hours of harvest. 

This fruit is high in antioxidants, in fact, they have more than cranberries, blueberries and strawberries. They also are high in anthocyanins, protein, fiber vitamin E and iron.