Fennel Everyone?

Fennel contains antioxidants like kaempferol and quercetin which remove harmful free radicals from the body offering protection from cancers, infection and degenerative neurological diseases. A rich source of insoluble fiber which absorbs water through the digestive track to bulks the stool easing constipation. Also binds cholesterol bile salts and decreases their absorption in the colon. This lowers ones overall Ldl cholesterol levels as well as protects the colon from cancer. The variety of volatile essential oils in Fennel not only make it a powerful antioxidant but also a digestive, carminative and anti flatulent. Fennel seeds are store houses for important minerals such as copper, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, magnesium and zinc as well as vitamins A, E, C and B complexes.

Traditionally fennel has been used as a remedy for flatulence, indigestion, great milk production, as a tea for colic in babies, as an oil to relieve cough, bronchitis and joint pain. Fennell has also been used in the treatment of anemia, heart disease, cancer, blood pressure, increasing neural activity, bacterial diarrhea, improve immune function, regulates hormonal function, macular degeneration.

Champs Breakfast

Champs breakfast. Potatoes, red onion, mini bell peppers, lacinato kale, sautéed in red pepper sesame oil, topped with avocado, oregano olive oil, hemp seeds and herbal sea salt. #ital #organicfood #vegan #chef #growyourown

Fall Harvest

Found this cuties on the red Russian kale. Be careful some caterpillars sting! Ouch! herbal Limiment followed up with healing Skin Salve did the trick!

Herbaceutikals Now in Shop

Hey folks stop by Beacon Natural Market and shop #herbaceutikals They are a one stop Health shop with everything you need for home and kitchen. 348 Main Street Beacon NY

Warming Tea Blend

 

 

Spicy Kukicha tea to start the dAy. #ginger #anise #licorice #cinnamon #plantbased #medicinal
Kukicha, also known as twig tea or 3 year tea, is aged after harvest and roasted. #Kukicha #tea is also known as three years tea because the stems and branches that are used to do it have been in the tea plant for at least three years, so they have lost virtually all of the caffeine (only kukicha tea is between 0.5 and 1% caffeine) but, however, have absorbed all the minerals and vitamins around them.
Twig tea has more than twice the vitamin C of oranges and very high in calcium.

Kukicha is also high in: • Iron
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Fluoride
• B vitamins
• Vitamin A
• Theanine
• Catechins
• Flavonoids
• Amino acids

It is a really alkalizing drink, Neutralizing the acidity and tannins kukicha contributes to proper digestion of grains and vegetables, enhancing its benefits and vitamins.
It has a high calcium content: a cup of tea contains up to 13 times more calcium than a glass of milk

Living with Herbs

So the first edition of the Herbaceutikals handbook is out and available for purchase online at www.herbaceutikals.com This edition is designed for one interested in incorporating herbs and food as medicine into their everyday life. Inside you will find all the favorite everyday recipes to treat colds, fevers, cuts, burns etc as well as instructions on making your own tinctures, infusions and household cleaner! The second part of the book is a guide on different herbs and plants. The third section is a glossary of terminology used in identifying the medicinal quality of a herb. This is a great gift for an aspiring herbalist, new parent, or anyone seeking to live a healthier lifestyle. The book comes as a free gift with purchases over $25!
Enjoy!

Sample entry:

Onion Cough Syrup

Onions are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant. They contain quercitin a potent antioxidant in treating cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and allergies. Also high in sulfur they stimulate amino acids in the brain and nervous system while detoxing the body of heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead. We use them in this cough remedy because they inhibit the compounds that cause bronchial muscles to spasm, thus suppressing a cough.

You will also need some excellent honey for this recipe; organic and raw and local is best!

Cut onion in half lengthwise then slice, creating half moons.
Place in sauce pan and cover with honey, just enough.
Cook on lowest flame until soft and infused this should be under 30 minutes.
Pour and scrape all the goodness into a glass mason jar and store in the fridge.

Take a teaspoon at a time when needed.
Should store for a few weeks.
The onions are fun to eat out the jar or used in cooking or garnishing.

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea

Some background on this Cold and Flu fighting remedy:

Ginger stimulates the immune system and digestive health. it is an expectorant, diaphoretic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and stimulates  circulation; thus warming us up. Try to use fresh ginger that looks healthy and is firm. Ginger tea is soothing for car sickness, menstrual cramping, upset stomach, nausea; as a pain reliever for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and externally as a wash for burns. Historically is has been used in cooking with meats as it is also antimicrobial.

Lemons are high in Vitamin C and bioflavonoids which stimulate and support proper immune function as well as vitamin and mineral absorption. These antibacterial powerhouses have been used to destroy many bacterial diseases such as malaria, cholera, diphtheria and others. Even though they taste acidic they alkalize the body; balancing pH. Warm lemon juice in the morning stimulates the liver into desolving toxins and increases peristalsis of the bowels.

Raw Honey is antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti fungal which is why it boosts our immune system function and is great for soothing and healing the throat. Unlike regular sugar, honey keeps blood sugar levels more constant due to it’s balance of glucose and fructose. Buckwheat honey is the best to use as a cough suppressant even for younger children.

More articles like this in our Living with Herbs book...coming soon

Mastering Parenting

If your living the clean green lifestyle and have kids then ice pops are your greatest tool and an exciting treat/eward for your little one. In our house it all started with teething and a wise woman (aka grandma) told me, just make ice pops. They are intriguing for a young child, provide a little liquid and save money. I started out by making some chamomile tea, sweetened with honey and charged with some powdered vitamin c. As she outgrew teething and the summers would roll around and I would worry about staying hydrated as we spend summers outside all day long in the sun; I reinvented this old trick. Smoothie Pops. I always make smoothies for myself. I make them a bit thick loaded with flax and hemp seeds and oats and such, which Lhailah will only drink so much of. So after we all enjoy our cool fruity, or veggie beverage I add some extra coconut milk to thin it out a bit, and a banana to sweeten it up. Blend it and and pour the pops. These are my kids sweetest treat right next to ripe fruit. On days when she needs extra fluids I'll promise her an ice pop After a tall glass of water. Or when sick with a fever these are perfect. I have even made a strong herbal tea for cold and fever, blend it with powdered vitamin c and banana. Freeze. And let her eat as many as she likes when sick. It keeps the body cool, hydrated and getting valuable nutrients that would otherwise be difficult for a stubborn preschooler to get just though tea. 
Today I made myself a #carrotjuice with #flax, #ginger, #hempseeds, #cinnamon, water, #rawhoney. Then added frozen pineapple, banana and peaches to what was left to make smoothie pops.
Drink Up!

Wild Grapes

Went to forage for #sumac and came up a heavy grape harvest! Mastering my domain one day at a time. 
Wild grapes are the original grape and contain seeds which are the most nutritious part. Don't bother buying grape seed extract, just eat grape seeds. Like extra virgin olive oil, the antioxidants in grapes lower cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, strengthen blood vessels; are anti cancer, antinflammatory and are low glycemic. 
Red clovers are mild in flavor, found about everywhere and are the perfect wild food balance to the intensity of these juicey grapes. They contain many valuable nutrients such as calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C.  Traditionally they are known to be antispasmodic, alterative, antitumor and expectorant. Their anti tumor effects are seen when blended with burdock root. At home we have always used red clover in herbal infusions in cold and flu remedies and especially if a wet cough is present; but these little flowers are gaining popularity in treating menopausal symptoms as well.
These are perfect in fruit or vegetable salads, either way, if you see something, pick something ;)

Sumacade

We're here enjoying the end of season sumacade and just thinking how awesome it is that this plant grows wild in great abundance. They are antifungal, antimicrobial and antioxidant. They have a long world history as medicine and spice. This is the same stuff you buy at specialty grocers labeled as sumac spice. Through the summer months the tree bears a pretty fruit just waiting to be picked. You want to look out for these red cone shaped fruit that grow on Staghorn Sumac, they are not poisonous at all. There are a few varieties throughout the world but in short you want the red ones only. They are best picked when ripe, you'll know it because they will be a rich red around august. To make this refreshing beverage, put 2-3 cones into a quart mason jar
fill with cold water
cap it tight
shake it up
i like to make this infusion in the day time and set my jar in the sunlight.
in about an hour, strain it out
add a little honey
enjoy!