Your,Own,Herbal,Expert,your,fi health Be Your Own Herbal Expert - Pt 2

If the vagina is not offering the firm grip to your male partner, he expresses displeasure in lovemaking. You need to tighten the orifice and regain lost elasticity. You can make use of herbal remedies for loose vagina treatment naturally. H The technology behind listening devices has improved dramatically in recent years, giving new hope to those with impairment. While still far from a perfect replacement for the natural ability to hear, these devices give those with a disabili

In your first lesson, you learnedhow to "listen" to the messages of plant's tastes. And you discoveredthat using plants in water bases (teas, infusions, vinegars, soups) - and assimples - allows you to experiment with and explore herbal medicine safely.In this lesson, we will learn howto make effective water-based herbal remedies and talk more about usingsimples. Tea forYou?Teas are a favorite way to consumeherbs. Made by brewing a small amount of herbs (typically a teaspoonful to acup of water) for a short time (generally 1-2 minutes), teas are flavorful,colorful drinks. Herbs rich in coloring compounds -such as hibiscus, rose hips, calendula, and black tea - make enticing and tastyteas. They may also contain polyphenols, phytochemicals known to help preventcancer. Since coloring compounds and polyphenols are fairly stable, dried herbsare considered best for teas rich in these.Herbs rich in volatile oils - suchas ginger, chamomile, cinnamon, catnip, mint, lemon balm, lemon grass,lavender, bergamot, and fennel, anise, and cumin seeds - make lovely teas,which are effective in easing spasms, stimulating digestion, eliminating pain,and inducing sleep. Since much of the volatile oils are lost when herbs aredried, fresh herbs are considered best for teas rich in these, but dried herbscan be used with good results.I enjoy a cup of hot tea withhoney. But teas fail to deliver the mineral richness locked into many commonherbs. A cup of nettle tea, for instance, contains only 5-10 mg of calcium,while a cup of nettle infusion contains up to 500 mg of calcium. For optimumnutrition, I drink nourishing herbal infusions every day.Infusion for Me!An infusion is a large amount of herb brewed for a long time. Typically, oneounce by weight (about a cup by volume) of dried herb is placed in a quart jar,which is then filled to the top with boiling water, tightly lidded and allowedto steep for 4-10 hours. After straining, a cup or more is consumed, and theremainder chilled to slow spoilage. Drinking 2-4 cups a day is usual. Since theminerals and other phytochemicals in nourishing herbs are made more accessibleby drying, dried herbs are considered best for infusions. (See experiment 2.)I make my infusions at nightbefore I go to bed and they are ready in the morning. I put my herb in my jarand my water in the pot, and the pot on the fire, then brush my teeth (or sweepthe floor) until the kettle whistles. I pour the boiling water up to the rim ofthe jar, screw on a tight lid, turn off the stove and the light, and go to bed.In the morning, I strain the plant material out, squeezing it well, and drinkthe liquid. I prefer it iced, unless the morning is frosty. I drink the quartof infusion within 36 hours or until it spoils. Then I use it to water myhouseplants, or pour it over my hair after washing as a final rinse, which canbe left on.My favorite herbs for infusion arenettle, oatstraw, red clover, and comfrey leaf, but only one at a time. Thetannins in red clover and comfrey make me pucker my lips, so I add a littlemint, or bergamot, when I infuse them, just enough to flavor the brew slightly.A little salt in your infusion may make it taste better than honey will. Having trouble finding herbs inbulk at your local health food store? Try ordering online: Mountain Rose Herbs - http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/ Pacific Botanicals - http://www.pacificbotanicals.com/ Frontier Herbs - http://www.frontierherb.com/ Garden Medicinals - http://www.gardenmedicinals.com/  Simple MessagesWhen we use simples (one plant at a time), we allow ourselves an intimacy thatdeepens and strengthens our connections to plants and their green magic. Thereare lots of interesting plants, and lots of herbalists who maintain that herbalmedicine means formulae and combinations of herbs. But I consider herbs aslovers, preferring to have only one in bed with me at a time. When I use one plant at a time itis much easier for me to discern the effect of that plant. When I use one plantat a time and someone has a bad reaction to the remedy, it is obvious what thesource of the distress is, and usually easy to remedy. When I use one plant ata time, I make it easy for my body to communicate with me and tell me whatplants it needs for optimum health. I even go so far as to ally withone plant at a time, usually for at least a year. By narrowing my focus, Iactually find that I learn more.  Coming UpIn our next lesson we will learn more about the difference between nourishing,tonifying, stimulating/sedating, and potentially-poisonous plants; how toprepare them; and how to use them. In the following installments we willexplore the difference between fixing disease and promoting health, how toapply the three traditions of healing, and how to take charge of your ownhealth care with the six steps of healing. Experiment Number OneMake and drink a quart of nourishing herbal infusion made with stinging nettle,oatstraw, red clover, raspberry leaf, or comfrey leaf. If you wish, flavor itwith mint. On the same day, make a tea from the same herb, using dried herb.Compare and contrast the colors, flavors, and sensations. ExperimentNumber TwoMake an infusion of stinging nettle, oatstraw, red clover, raspberry leaf, orcomfrey leaf, using one ounce of dried herb as usual. At the same time, make aquart of "brew" using the same herb, but fresh, not dried. To make itfair, use 4 ounces of fresh herb. After one hour of steeping, look at bothjars, taste and compare/contrast. Repeat three more times at hourly intervals.Minerals are released slowly into water. They darken the color of the water andgive it a dense, rich taste. Oil-soluble vitamins float to the top and make athin glaze of swirls. ExperimentNumber ThreeBuy, or grow, a tasty, aromatic herb, like ginger, peppermint, or rosemary. Forthis experiment you will need one tablespoon of fresh herb, and one teaspoon ofthe same herb dried. Place the fresh herb in a cup or mug and the dried herb inanother. Fill both to the top with boiling water. After one minute, taste,smell, compare the teas. Wait another minute and compare again. Then wait fiveminutes and try each one again. ExperimentNumber Four Make a tea with aromatic seeds - anise, caraway, coriander, cumin, fennel, orfenugreek. Use a teaspoon of seeds in a cup of water. At the same time, brewsome using a tablespoon of seeds per cup. After a minute, taste, smell,contrast. Repeat in five minutes, then in thirty minutes, then after an hour,then after four hours. Teas and infusions of dried seeds are almost the same.Further Study1.      Drink 2-4 cups of nourishing herbal infusion for amonth and see if your health changes in any way. Best if you don't drink coffeeor tea during this month.2.       Choose a green ally to focus on this year.3.       Read Healing Power of Minerals by PaulBergner.4.       Read about stinging nettle and oatstraw in my book HealingWise.5.       Write out the botanical names of the herbs you usedin making your teas and your infusions. AdvancedWorkLearn more about essential oils in plants. Growseveral plants rich in essential oils. Learn more about tannins. Make an oakbark infusion.  If you want to be your own herbalexpert then you may want to start a correspondence course!  See www.susunweed.comfor information on courses available.Susun WeedPO Box 64Woodstock, NY 12498Fax:  1-845-246-8081