Heirloom Squash

I hope you all are enjoying fall as much as we are.  Fall is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love all the fall foods that come with that chill in the air.

Now that my son is old enough to start understanding about cooking, nutrition, whole foods, and herbs, I am having so much fun teaching and showing him just how fun whole foods can be.

One of our local grocery stores had a bunch of organic heirloom squashes, so I let my son pick out a few and here he is showing off one of his favorites, and one of our new favorites to eat; the red kuri.

Making whole foods fun for kids is a great way to encourage them to eat healthy starting at a very young age.  What ways do you make eating whole foods fun for your kids?

 

Herbal Support for the Gassy Infant

Having a gassy infant is a quite common; I'm dealing with this issue with my little one.  Thankfully, there are a number of herbs that mommy can take that can pass to the infant via breast milk.  Not every baby is the same, so a little experimentation may be needed to help relieve the gas.

While I will not be going into details in this post, there are a few other non-herbal interventions that may help.  These would be clock-wise gentle tummy massage using a few drops of olive or castor oil, taking your infant to a chiropractor for adjustments, diet changes for mommy, and homeopathic remedies.

Some herbs to consider trying would be dill seed, fennel seed, anise seed (NOT star anise), caraway seed, catnip, and chamomile.  I recommend crushing the seeds as this will allow for better release of their nutrients.  These herbs are digestive aides and can help relieve gas.  These can all be taken in tea form and drunk throughout the day and even when you wake up to feed your little one at night.  I often make my daily dose and sip through the day, into the night.

My beloved mortar and pestle for crushing seeds

Like I mentioned, it make take some experimenting to find the right herb or combination for your baby.  Keep in mind, though, that some babies just need more time to grow and mature and eventually will grow out of the gassy stage.  Hang in there, mamas!

Fennel and anise seeds waiting to be crushed.

Postpartum Stress and Sleep Support

Having a new little one is no easy thing!  While it's a precious time, it is an exhausting time.  The needs of an infant sometimes seem limitless and add to that the interrupted nights sleep, leaves a mommy needing some good herbal support.

Nervines, herbs that support the nervous system,  gentle sedatives, and tonic herbs are often needed.  Some of my favorite herbs that fall in these categories and are often used postpartum are lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, oat straw (which was discussed in my previous post, as this is also an excellent nutrient herb), motherwort, and ashwagandha.  Thankfully, many of these calming soothing effects will pass to your infant via your breast milk.  As with all herbs, be sure to check with your practitioner/physician before taking them.

Lemon Balm - Truly one of my favorite herbs!  I love it's light lemony taste.  Not only is this herb a gentle tonic for the nervous system, it is also very uplifting to the mood and emotions.  It's calming effects will also pass to your infant.  This herb also helps with anxiety and is an anti-viral to boot!  With it's bright lemony taste, this is a perfect herb to take in tea form.

Lavender - Lavender can be added to tea, but my favorite form of use is the essential oil.  Lavender is very soothing and relaxing to the nervous system and a great sleep aide.  There are very few essential oils that I use around an infant, as there are very few studies showing safety, but lavender is one that is commonly used.  One very easy way to use the oil is to place a drop or two on a cotton ball and place that on your nightstand, next to your bed.  The soothing oil will help promote a restful night of sleep.

Chamomile - This lovely herb will help to combat anxiety and will help to encourage a restful night of sleep.  It also is a digestive aide and will help with gassiness in an infant.  Chamomile calms nerves and will help relieve stress.  It has so many other benefits, including being an immune booster - it's just a wonderful herb!  It's bright apple-like scent is best enjoyed in a tea.

Motherwort - This herb is a perfect go to to help ease nervous tension, anxiety, and irritability.  It is a bitter herb, so taking it in tincture form would be more pleasant that tea.  This is a perfect herb to have on hand, especially right after giving birth, as it is also a uterine tonic and will help with the after-birth cramping and assists the uterus in returning to it's pre-pregnancy size.

Ashwagandha - An herb that helps the body adapt to stress, ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogenic herb.  It is a gentle tonic that helps to support the adrenal system as well as the immune system.  It also has a mild sedative effect on the nervous system and helps to combat anxiety and insomnia.  Ashwagandha has a strong taste, so taking it in tincture form would be more palatable than in a tea.

I buy most of my herbs in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs (link listed on the right side of my blog).

(This is an affiliate post.  This in no way affects your costs and using my link is a way to say thank you and help support this blog.)

Herbs for Postpartum Milk Support

There are so many wonderful herbs that can be taken for increased milk supply.  These herbs, along with a healthy organic whole foods diet, should be able to keep up an ample milk supply.  Speaking with a lactation consultant is also a great idea if your milk supply is struggling.

I mentioned in a previous post some nutritive herbs.  Two of these, nettle and alfalfa are also great herbs to help promote your milk supply.  Full of vitamins and minerals, these are great to take regularly.

One herb that is commonly used for milk supply is fenugreek.  I personally do not recommend this herb, as it can alter blood sugar levels, lowering them, and should not be taken by those who have diabetes.  It has also been known to occasionally cause gas in babies (and who wants that, right??).  I know that many herbalist recommend this herb, but since there are so many other herbs that can help with supply, I recommend trying those first.

Two other herbs that can be used are anise seed (NOT star anise) and fennel seed.  These are also good herbs to try is your baby is gassy.  They can be taken in tea form (I recommend crushing them first) and add a lovely taste to your herbal teas.

My anise and fennel seeds waiting to be crushed for tea!

Other herbs that can be used are blessed thistle, milk thistle seed (recommend this one in tincture form), and red raspberry leaf.

A few non-herbal things that can help maintain milk supply would be getting enough rest, lowering stress, staying well hydrated, and frequent feedings (around every 2-3 hours).

Herbs can be purchased at Mountain Rose Herbs (link on the right side of my blog).  I buy most of my herbs in bulk from MRH and it is a cost effective way to purchase whatever herbs you want to try.

(This post contains affiliate references.  This in no way affects your price.  By clicking on my link, you are simply saying "thank you" and helping to sustain this blog.)

Postpartum Nutrient Herbs

I'm enjoying my little new one so much!  She is a sweet, precious little girl, and sure keeps her mama busy!  I am also enjoying all the herbal teas I made while I was still pregnant to have for postpartum recovery time.  I simply made huge jars of the dried blends, where I can easily measure out the day's dose and don't have to go through the trouble of making a daily blend.

I made a number of different blends and have been using a variety of herbs, but the nutrient herbs are some of my favorites.  They may not taste the best (blending with a little bit of mint can help the taste factor), but I know that they are providing extra vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are critical for postpartum recovery and breast milk production.

I have been taking my nutrient herbs in tea form, making an infusion (you can read about making infusion in my post HERE.)  This is a quick and easy way to enjoy these herbs.  I typically make the days dose in the morning and sip on it all day long.  I drink my herbal teas unsweetened, but I know others who enjoy their teas with a little raw honey.

Oat Straw:
     This is one of my favorite nutrient herbs because not only does it contain minerals like calcium and magnesium, it is a nervine, which means it is a tonic for the nervous system.  Great for the stresses of caring for a new little one.  It is also high in vitamin A, silicon, and chromium.  It is nourishing to the hair and helps to promote restful sleep.  It also nourished the endocrine and circulatory systems, and has many other benefits.

Nettle:
      This amazing herb has a huge variety of health promoting components.  It is very rich in many vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, vitamin C, B vitamins and vitamin K.  Nettles are also a good source of amino acids and carotenoids.  It can help with anemia and boost breast milk production.  Among it's many other health benefits, it is also a cleansing herb and helps to get rid of metabolic wastes.

Alfalfa:
     Alfalfa is another great source for vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, some trace elements, and vitamins A, E, and K.  It can help to flush out toxins and get rid of water retention.  It has many more benefits, but those are a few of my favorites.

Buying these herbs in bulk is a cost effective way of obtaining these herbs.  One of my favorite sources is Mountain Rose Herbs, where I buy most of my herbs.  I have a link listed on the right side of my blog if you want to take a peek.

As with all herbs, be sure to consult with your medical practitioner before adding them to your diet.


(This is an affiliate post.  Using my link will not change your price, but will give me a small commission and is a way to help support this blog.  Thank you!).   

Kombucha - Second Ferments

We are enjoying our Kombucha so much, thanks to Kombucha Kamp!  I love it right out of the tap; it's refreshing and fizzy, but another way we enjoy it is doing second ferments.  These are so easy to do and the fun part is being creative with what you add.  I love doing second ferments for flavor and increased fizz.

Pictured on this post this orange hibiscus.  Second ferments are typically done with fruits and herbs.  So far I have enjoyed using different fruits that are coming through my local co-op.  Some blends I have tried so far have been watermelon mint, nectarine, vanilla plum, and even cucumber mint.  I'm having a lot of fun coming up with different flavors.

Second ferments are quite easy to do and you can read more about them HERE. 

To Induce Labor or Not...

This is such a wonderful article by my instructor, Aviva Romm, at Herbal Medicine for Women.  I just had to do a quick post and give the link to her article.  If you are expecting or know someone expecting, or if you are planning on being a parent, this is a great read.

Recently, there was an article that discussed the possible link between inducing labor and autism.  Aviva addresses this, and I'm glad she did, as this is another possible cause of autism.

I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did!

And, just a side note, I am LOVING her school!!  Enrollment reopens in September.  I cannot say enough good things about this course.  It's perfect for any woman, whether you just want to learn more about controlling your own health or if you hope to open your own herbal practice one day.  Aviva is an amazing instructor and you will walk away so much richer from taking this course.

Kombucha's Brewin'!!

Well, the big day finally came!!  My beautiful Kombucha crock arrived along with my supply kit (I ordered one of the continuous brew packages from Kombucha Kamp, which included everything that I needed to get started).  I decided to do what is called a continuous brew method rather than a batch method since I want Kombucha on tap all the time.  For those of you who are new to Kombucha, feel free to read all about it at the Kombucha Kamp website.  Kombucha is a wonderful way to get probiotics into your family in a healthy, yummy drink!

Some of the products included in my package

My excited helper

I took some time to review the videos that came with the package and read over all the instructions so that I was completely prepared - a must for this post-partum brain!

I am so glad that I ordered the package with my Kombucha crock, because it made everything very quick and easy.  I highly recommend going this route, especially for beginners.  Hannah, at Kombucha Kamp, packed everything up beautifully, along with an extra set of instructions (the package comes with a year access to her videos and a very detailed ebook full of helpful information).  I loved having that extra set of paper instructions, but I loved even more being able to watch the videos.  These made me feel much more comfortable with the process.  They are short, quick, and easy to watch and understand. 

Here is my beautiful crock!  I bought the green one, but as you can see, it has a beautiful blending of greens, blues, and browns.  I know the photos are a bit over exposed, but I wanted to give you readers an idea of the colors in this crock.

So, next step...wait 7-10 days and give it the first taste test.  I can't wait!   Then a post on second ferments and how to flavor your Kombucha!


This post has affiliate links.  By clicking on my links, you are helping to support this blog and is a way to say thank you for the information provided.  Your price remains the same wether you use my links or not.

Do You Belong to a CSA?

I love our CSA!  I'm fortunate that here in SoCal, we can have a produce CSA year round.  Not only do I get our weekly delivery, but I also love to buy things in bulk at discounted prices.  I will often do this with strawberries and freeze them, as well as tomatoes, for making dehydrated tomatoes to enjoy in the winter on all kinds of things or for making pestos.  Just look at all the lovely things we got this week!  Yum!

So, why join an organic CSA?

1) I love being able to support local farmers!

2) Organic farmers treat the land and produce kindly, no use of pesticides!

3) The items in my CSA are fresh!!  They last for a long time in the fridge.

4) Organic produce is higher in vitamins and other nutrients than conventional produce.  Because it is fresh, that will just add to the nutritional value, which will start to decline once the produce is picked, so the sooner you can eat your produce, the better.

5) Your food will not be irradiated.

Do you belong to a CSA?  I would love to hear why you love your CSA and what kinds of yummy things you are enjoying this summer!

And, coming up this weekend will be a post on my new continuous brew Kombucha maker.  I can't wait to share all about it!  If you want to read up on Kombucha in the meantime, check out Kombucha Kamp!

This post contains affiliate links.  Buying from my links is just a way to say thank you for the upkeep of this blog.  Your price remains the same whether you use my link or not.  Thank you!

My Kombucha Journey

I'm finally taking the plunge and will be starting to brew my own kombucha.  This is something that I have been wanting to do for a few years, and I am so excited to finally give it a try.

I will be sharing my journey with you and ordered my continuous brewing system yesterday.  I am SO excited about my beautiful brewer and look forward to receiving it in a few weeks.

There are two methods of brewing kombucha; continuous brew and batch brew.  Being a busy mom and in two schools, I needed the easiest, least work involved method, which is why I chose continuous brewing.

I'm thrilled to have found Kombucha Kamp, where I bought my system.  I bought THIS complete package, so that I will have everything I need to start brewing.  This also includes an ebook and two series of videos.  I have looked through all of these and it has made the process of brewing much less scary to me.  I highly recommend either getting the complete package or purchasing the videos and book if you are new to brewing.  It has been very helpful to start reading and watching the process so I will be prepared when my system arrives.

If you are new to Kombucha, you can read more about the benefits HERE.  Kombucha is full of probiotics, which are key to gut health.  Brewing your own is a cost effective way to provide your family with an excellent source of probiotics.  This is a great time to learn about Kombucha and how to make it so you can have a source of probiotics to give to your family before cold and flu season hits.

I look forward to sharing more and showing off my new crock when it arrives!

(This post does contain affiliate links.  Clicking on my link is a way to say "thank you" and helps to support this blog.)

Time to Start Preparing for the Winter Illnesses

It's a hot, lovely summer, here in SoCal; hard to even think about winter time right now.  But, this is a good time to start to think and plan ahead for what remedies you would like to have on hand to be prepared for the winter colds and flu bugs.

Herbs are such gentle healers and are easy to prepare and use.  Our bodies are complex and have many needs, and this is often met by the complexity of herbs.  There is a time and place for antibiotics, but did you know that in most clinical outpatient settings, antibiotics are rarely needed?  I am concerned by the trend I have seen when I was a practicing nurse and what I observe in the general public now, of taking an antibiotic almost anytime a cold or flu comes around. 

While popping a pill may seem like the quick and easy method of dealing with an illness, more and more evidence is showing the damaging effects of antibiotics, especially on gut health.  This is critical information, as our gut holds 80% of our immune system.  Diseases like Crohn's and irritable bowel, often stemming from gut damage, are on the rise and antibiotic resistant bugs are multiplying.  

If we are not careful about working to decrease the use of antibiotics, we will soon have no antibiotics left to use.  I have personally witnessed antibiotic resistance bacteria as a nurse, and it is scary.  I find it very sad, that our continued over use of antibiotics could leave our children the heritage of no antibiotics.  

All that being said, what are some things that can be used to help fight off colds and flu bugs?

1)  I love to have elderberry syrup on hand.  I give it to our family the day before, day of, and day after we are in public places during the winter season.  For an active cold and flu, this can be taken a few times a day.  Mountain Rose Herbs, (where I buy most of my herbal supplies),  has a lovely syrup recipe you can find HERE.  Be sure to buy your berries now or within a month or two, as these are becoming more and more popular and will be difficult to come by in the winter time.  If you are using raw honey, do not give to children under 2.

2) Fermented Cod Liver Oil is another stand by in our home.  We take less during the spring and summer months, but in the fall and winter, this is a daily must have.  You can find this product at Green Pastures.  This is a superior form of cod liver oil and we notice a difference when we consistently take this product.  

3) Two herbs I always have on hand that are helpful for fever support are yarrow and elder flowers.  For very young children, starting at the age of one, Herbs for Kids, as has a great remedy called Temp Assure that can be found HERE, that contains these herbs and is a good support to take when a child is feverish.  Though this is a topic that could be a post in and of itself, low grade fevers should not be lowered, but rather give herbs to support the body during this process, as it is the body's way of killing off bacteria and viruses.  It is high grade fevers that will need to be lowered to protect the body. 

4) Raw honey and cinnamon are a great combination that has been known to help get rid of a cold if taken at the first sign of symptoms.  If you are using this for children, be sure to use "sweet" cinnamon also know as true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum).  Most cinnamon found in stores is cassia cinnamon and not tolerated well by children.  You can find true cinnamon, HERE, and a recipe HERE.  Do not give raw honey to children under the age of two.

5) Reduce your sugar intake, as sugar kills the immune system.

6) Get some good probiotics, either buying them, or making your own.  You can try your hand at water kefir or kombucha for some yummy probiotic drinks.  If you are buying, I recommend Udo's, especially for children.  Summer is a great time to learn how to make either one of these drinks.  I will be purchasing a continuous brew kombucha system this month, and am excited to add this probiotic rich drink to our regular diet.
Making fermented vegetables is another way to get probiotics and build the immune system.  Here are two recipes to get you started:  Spiced Cultured Carrots and Sauerkraut.

7)  Dried sage tea is another fabulous remedy for those nasty colds.  Stir in a spoonful of raw honey for a delicious treat.  (Breastfeeding moms should not use this, though, as sage can dry up milk supply).  

8) Eucalyptus essential oil is a great oil to have on hand for inhalation and can be inhaled out of the bottle, placed on a cotton ball, or in a carrier oil.  Eucalyptus globulus is the most common one sold, but it is best not to use this one on children, rather, use Eucalyptus radiata.  HERE is a recipe for a sinus rub that I make up for cold and flu season.

9) A fun drink you can give your kids is Garlic Lemonade or "Citrus-Aide".  Here is the recipe. 

These are just a few simple ideas to help you as you prepare for cold and flu season.  Spread the word that there are alternatives to antibiotics and beautiful, gentle ways to heal your body naturally.

(This post has some affiliate links.  Using them is a way to say thank you and support this blog.)

Herbal Medicine For Women...

I'm a little crazy sometimes!

But, when I found out about this amazing opportunity to study with Aviva Romm (one my favorite herbalist/MD's) a few weeks back, I just could not turn it down.  I was able to sign up with a substantial discount and despite having a new little one and busy 3 year old, I just had to sign up with Aviva.

So, my study journey continues.  I am still enrolled in The East West School of Herbal and Aromatic Studies to be a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist, and now with Aviva's school, I will enjoy a specialized herbal degree in Herbal Medicine for Women.  I have also recently graduated from Vintage Remedies with a Master Herbalist Degree.  (Can you tell that I LOVE to learn!).  And, once I graduate from Aviva's School, I will be signing up with Michael Tierra to finish up my herbal degrees and obtain a much desired apprenticeship.

I am so excited about the quality of education through Aviva's School and would encourage my female readers to take a look!  This program is for everyone, from women who just want to learn more about taking care of their bodies, to the professional herbalist, midwife, doctor, etc.

Life is VERY full and busy right now but I do hope still be able to post once or twice a week.  If you find things, once again, a bit quiet, please know that I am either taking care of my little ones or busy studying!

And, by the way, I strained my herbal honeys today and they are amazing!!!  I think the applemint and lavender are my favorites.