“The American Diet is killing us!” Brenda J. Sullivan – Google images creative commons license (click here to view picture)
Join me and my co-host Theresa Velendzas, Health Coach and owner of Altraform as I review the book by Dr. Jason Fung, The Complete Guide to Fasting, Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting.
What herbs does Dr. Fung list in his book? We review them, and in addition, I recommend a list of herbs he didn't mention that can lower insulin and some of the ways you can take them. This show was recorded live on Clubhouse and YouTube.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this show is for informational, reference, and educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a substitute for a diagnosis and/or treatment. All health-related questions should be directed to your healthcare provider.
Dr. Fung's Two Compartment Model explained in his video lecture series – Graphic by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Dr. Fung's Fasting Model explained in his video lecture series – graphic by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Herbs That Keep Insulin Low
When fasting, many of these herbs can be used as a tea or herbal infusion (a single herb infused for 24 hours before drinking.) or incorporated into your meal.
Rose
Peppermint
Dead Nettle
Dandelion Root (also lowers blood sugar)
Rosehips (also lowers blood sugar)
Burdock Root (also lowers blood sugar)
Lemon Balm
Hibiscus
Green Tea
Cinnamon
Garlic (added to food)
Oats – (Steel-cut or grouts – not instant or quick-cooking oats)
Bitter Melon (also lowers blood sugar)
Black Tea
Oolong Tea
Artichokes (vegetable and leaves can be used as a tea or infusion)
Turmeric
Gentian
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother) – 1 – 2 tablespoons diluted in 8 – 12 ounces of water before meals or at bedtime)
Videos I Recommend Watching
Dr. Jason Fung: Different Ways to Fast for Weight Loss
There are many different ways to fast. Classic intermittent fasting only allows water. But, for weight loss, there are many different variations of fasting that produce great results. Dr. Jason Fung discusses 8 different ways that you can change up your fasting routine for weight loss.
Dr. Jason Fung’s 6 Part Lecture Series On Obesity – (2013 Lecture Series)
The Obesity Code Lecture (Why do we get Fat?) Part 1
Unlocking the code of why obesity became such a massive epidemic since the 1970s. A scientific exploration with a surprising conclusion of how obesity developed. Practical tips on weight management and good health. Why calorie counting fails for many people. For more see
Hormones in Weight Loss (The Obesity Code Lecture part 2)
Insulin and cortisol are key hormones in weight loss. Our body gains or loses fat based on the hormonal instructions we give it. When insulin is high, we store fat. We discuss why the Atkins diet lost popularity for a time and why it rebounded in new forms. The role of the stress hormone cortisol in weight loss.
Reversing Insulin Resistance (The Obesity Code Lecture part 3)
Exploring the role of insulin resistance and diet. How hormonal obesity theory explains the epidemiology of obesity.
Fructose and Fasting (The Obesity Code Lecture 4)
Why fructose and sugar intake plays such a major role in weight gain and diabetes. Intermittent fasting is a great method of reversing insulin resistance and losing weight.
Diet and Disease (The Obesity Code Lecture part 5)
Exploring the link between diet and disease. How are diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and cancer linked to our diet? Understanding this association leads to fascinating new treatment possibilities.
Reviews primitive cultures who were healthy until westernized with highly refined foods. These cultures ate high fat and carbohydrate diets and had the lowest insulin numbers and were healthy with little disease.
Is eating saturated fat bad for us? Does eating fat cause obesity? Heart disease? Stroke? How did we become so fat phobic? Are vegetable oils healthy? A critical look at the wealth of scientific data suggests that eating fat (total) and saturated fat might actually protect us from disease.
US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health: Vinegar Consumption Increases Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake by the Forearm Muscle in Humans with Type 2 Diabetes https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4438142/
PubMed.gov: Vinegar supplementation lowers glucose and insulin responses and increases satiety after a bread meal in healthy subjects https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16015276/
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How-To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
google images creative commons – we need clean air
Today's show is about herbs for healthier lungs. If you live in an area that has poor air quality then you'll want to listen and find out how to protect your lungs.
Google Images, creative common – Hartford, CT – worst air quality in the northeastGoogle Images, creative commons – the US isn't the only country with poor air quality. It's a global problem!Google Images, creative commons – Smoke from wildfires out west are causing serious health issues.
Relief On Bad Air Quality Days
Use a good air purifier for the home that uses a type of filter called HEPA (high-efficiency particle air). These filters trap harmful particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, smoke, and other pollutants floating in the air.
2. Decrease Inflammation – many people that suffer from chronic lung issues may have food allergies or food sensitivities and may not be unaware. The two most common at the top of the list are gluten/wheat and dairy.
Eliminate these foods as much as possible and eat a whole food-rich diet. As we say, eat the rainbow of vegetables, dark leafy greens, berries, wild foods, herbs, spices.
3. Vitamin D decreases inflammation and improves the immune system. Ask your doctor to do a blood test to measure how much Vitamin D is in your body. Women tend to get deficient as we age.
4. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil also decrease inflammation and helps the body repair itself.
5. Medicinal Mushrooms – Reishi, cordyceps, and Chaga have properties that help rebuild and repair damaged lung tissue.
According to Maria Noel Groves, author of Body Into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care (2016, pg. 133).
“All of our medicinal mushrooms have immune-supportive benefits, but reishi and cordyceps strengthen respiratory function and structure. When used regularly, they make you less susceptible to repeat infections like bronchitis and pneumonia, boost oxygen utilization, decrease fatigue, improve red blood cells, and modulate the immune response.
Chaga also seems to aid respiratory health. Some relief may be noted within a few days, but the effects build over a few weeks or months. They are generally safe to take.”
Aromatic Herbs help fight infection and have some antimicrobial effects, enhancing the body's immune response. Aromatics also open the lungs, relieve spasms.
Aromatic herbs are best taken as a warm tea, tincture, food (soup), or infused in honey (for example, fermented garlic and honey) or steam inhalation.
Herbs perfect as a tea or fermented in honey (garlic)
Thyme (steam inhalation)
Pine needles (tea/steam inhalation)
Balsam needles (tea/steam inhalation)
Oregano (tea / steam inhalation / food)
Bee balm (tea)
Hyssop (tea)
Raw garlic – (fermented in honey (for six weeks)/food)
Neti Pot – Irrigating your nasal using a neti pot for sinus relief is recommended.
Understand the difference between an herb that is an Expectorant and a Demulcent. Because depending on your symptoms, you may not need an expectorant but a demulcent or a combination of both.
What specific herbs are best for lung and respiratory support?
Peppermint: Herbs high in aromatic essential oils can help decrease inflammation and open bronchial, which increased lung capacity. Peppermint can also reduce muscle pain and spasms and aids in digestion. Note: if you suffer from reflux or GERD, do not drink peppermint in high doses.
Chamomile: This is an herb that is perfect for children who have sensitivity to smoke from brush fires. It can be made strong, and it also a calming herb. If steeped for a long time, there is a slightly bitter taste perfect for better digestion.
Chamomile tea can be used as an eyewash for raw irritates eyes. Make a cup of tea and allow it to cool. Take the teabag out of your cup and gently place it over your eyes and squeeze a small amount of tea out.
Turmeric is known to be an antioxidant and has compounds that reduce inflammation. This herb can be taken as a tea, tincture, or in dried form and high doses. Turmeric is also known to reduce heart disease and increase brain function.
Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) herbalists use licorice root because of their demulcent properties.
It protects the mucous membranes from excessive particle pollution. Small amounts of licorice root should be added to tea recipes and should be drunk for no more than 10 – 14 days is recommended.
Note: This herb can increase blood pressure, low potassium levels, weakness, paralysis, irregular heart rhythms, and heart attack. People who eat a lot of salt or have heart disease, kidney disease, or high blood pressure are more sensitive to licorice. They can have these problems after eating smaller amounts of licorice.
Marshmallow Root is another wonderful demulcent. It helps to protect those with sensitive mucous membranes. Its also cooling and soothes the entire system, specifically constipation associated with stress.
Lavender is an herb that helps reduce anxiety and stress. Lavender tea should be made strong; the aroma will help relax and aid in breathing capacity.
Echinacea is known for stimulating the immune system, which also reduces inflammation in the body by decreasing the chances of getting sick while under stress. It can be taken as tea, tincture, or capsules.
Reishi Mushroom – this herb is a Super Hero Herb! It's one of the most studied herbs around. It has a long list of healing properties to list here. For our purposes, it boosts the immune system and aids in lung conditions, including asthma and bronchitis. It is an adaptogenic herb and helps reduce the heightened stress response in the body.
Reishi can also be taken long-term in either tincture or capsule form.
Mullein is another herbalist's go-to for lung issues. Mullen is best known for being uses as a lung tonic for either a wet or dry cough. It can be taken as tea, tincture, or capsules.
Lobelia is a bronchial dilator and antispasmodic, which helps with bronchitis, pneumonia, or a general cough. Lobelia can become toxic in the body and cause serious side effects. This herb should not be taken in large doses or for long periods of time. This herb should be taken in small doses in tincture form or tea.
Tulsi or Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum spp.) Another favorite of mine. Holy Basil is an adaptogen that helps reduce the feeling of overwhelm and general stress. This herb can be taken daily as a tea or capsule.
Ashwagandha is another herb I take daily to help with the feeling of overwhelming. This herb is an adaptogen. It comes in a powder and can be sprinkled in drinks such as coffee, milk (e.g., Golden Milk). This herb can also be taken in tincture form or capsules.
Garlic herbal actions are antimicrobial, diaphoretic, hypocholesterolemic, cholagogue, hypotensive, antispasmodic.
If used daily, garlic helps to support the body in various ways that no other herb can match. It has been effective in antimicrobial, acting on bacteria, viruses, and parasites of the alimentary tract. The volatile oils are excreted via the lungs, making garlic helpful in controlling a respiratory infection, such as chronic bronchitis, respiratory catarrh, recurrent colds, and influenza. (Hoffmann 2003)
Garlic can be used as preventive medicine against most infectious conditions, digestive and respiratory systems. In the digestive tract, garlic is thought to support natural bacterial flora development while killing pathogenic organisms. (Hoffmann 2003)
Garlic also has a wide range of effects on cardiovascular health. It can reduce serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels while raising levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL). It can act as an effective inhibitor of platelet-activating factor (PAF). (Hoffmann 2003)
I ferment a half jar of finely chopped garlic in local honey for six weeks. If I feel a little stuffy or have a raw sore throat, I'll take a tablespoon of fermented garlic and honey 3 x day or until the symptoms go away.
Raw Honey has been used as a folk remedy for centuries, and research has shown it has many health benefits and medicinal uses. In some hospitals, they use honey to treat burns and wounds.
For sore throats and stuffy noses, honey in a cup of hot water with lemon and ginger can go a long way in relieving those symptoms. Many herbalists (me including) reach for our jar of fermented garlic and honey on the first hint of a sore throat; however, don't give children under one because honey can carry botulism.
Corn Silk (Zea mays) stamen has been used for many centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Native American Medicine.
Corn silk is taken for depression, inflammation of the prostate, inflammation of the unitary system, kidney stones, congestive heart failure, diabetes, fatigue, heart disease, high cholesterol, jaundice, liver health, obesity, to name a few conditions.
Most herbalists add corn silk to their cold and flu remedies for calming inflammation and fatigue when sick. Corn silk can be taken as a tea, capsules, and tincture.
Plantain (Plantago spp.) seed husk is known as an unwanted weed in manicured lawns in my area; plantain has several health benefits such as reducing inflammation and blocks microbial growth in wounds and the body. Many herbalists add plantain to their teas as a supporting herb to their herbal remedies. We can use plantain as a tea, capsule, or tincture.
Irish Moss / Sea Moss (Chondrus crispus) This herb has been around for centuries and is known in Ireland, Scotland, England, and Caribbean Islands such as Jamaica. The algae has been used in skincare products to making paper, curing leather, and cheese.
However, herbalists also use sea moss in their apothecaries for centuries to heal burns, boost the immune system and probiotics, to name a few benefits.
According to WebMD, researchers have been doing studies on whether sea moss can slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's Disease in order adults with some promising results. Other studies have suggested that sea moss can boost the immune system and protect the body from contracting salmonella.
For our purposes for treating the lungs and respiratory system, I would consider this herb a supporting herb in any remedy. It's important to note that a little goes a long way. Sea moss can be taken in capsules, or taking the dried moss rehydrating it in water, and either making it into a gel or in whole to a smoothie, soup, or stew. A small amount can go a long way.
Mallow is a demulcent, and its secondary action is an expectorant which makes it the perfect primary herb in any herbal remedy. Its primary use is for irritated throat, dry cough, and bronchitis. We can use this herb as a green in cooking, tea, tincture.
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Living and Lovin Herbs Website: https://livingandlovinherbs.com/ Instagram: @livingandlovinherbspodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingandlovinherbspodcast/?modal=admin_todo_tour Twitter: @Livingandlovin6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuuHD-5N2tPYDbWwI4wzIJA Thompson Street Farm LLC: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ Brenda J. Sullivan Books: https://brendajsullivanbooks.com/
We recorded this show live on Clubhouse and Facebook with my Co-host Theresa Valendzas from Altraform Every Sunday at 10 AM EST we've been hosting a show called Herb Talk. Please come us!
We talk about the ethics of foraging, books I recommend to help identify plants and easy plants to identify if you're a beginner.
Legal Disclaimer
The information presented is for informational, reference, and educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a substitute for a diagnosis and/or treatment. All health-related questions should be directed to your healthcare provider.
Dead Nettle Close up – It's a wonderful medicinal Plant! Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to View Picture)
Medicinal Uses
Dead Nettle has flavonoids, polyphenols compounds, and antioxidant properties, including quercetin which offers a broad range of health benefits, such as boosting the immune system, improving the cardiovascular system and gut microbiome.
This species also has anti-inflammatory properties, relieves pain helps prevent secondary sinus infections in the upper and lower respiratory tract caused by allergies.
Safety
Moderation is key, overuse of this plant can cause diarrhea.
Dosage
Nutritive Infusion:
A general rule for measuring out dried herbs:
1 oz per quart
2 oz per 1/2 gallon
Place the dried herb in a glass jar (be careful not to use a cold jar. It will break), pour just off the boil hot water over the herb and stir well and cover for 24 hours.
Strain the plant matter and put it in the compost. Drink all day long or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Tea
One heaping teaspoon of dried herb in one cup off the boil water. Let steep 10 minutes. Strain and drink as often desired.
Tincture
1-2 ml 3x/day (1:5 in 40%)
Food
Smoothies, salads, stir frys, casseroles
Dead Nettle grows in many parts of the world. Check out my Youtube Video – Click Here to View Video
Violets (Viola Tricolor aka Jonny-Jump-Up)- Flowers and leaves are edible even if the plant is past the flowering stage. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to View Picture)
The leaves are used in folk medicine for fevers; it's a mild laxative, gargle for sore throats, considered a diuretic, expectorant, mild sedative, blood purifier. Its also been used for asthma, heart palpitations, skin eruptions such as eczema.
According to the Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (pg 234), studies on rats have confirmed violets have antioxidants, anthocyanins which helped control skin issues.
Violets make a beautiful addition to any dessert or salad, even if you're not looking for a medicinal benefit.
Feverfew – Tanacetum parthenium – another wonderful wild medicinal plant. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to View Picture)
This plant is original to the Balkan Peninsula and escaped cultivation and is now wild in North and South America and most of Europe. Feverfew has an active constituent parthenolide which is a compound used to help control migraines. However, there are other remedies this plant is good for other than preventing migraines. It known to help with arthritis, colds, fevers, cramps, worms, regulates menses.
According to the Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (pg 122), studies have proven effective if 1 – 4 leaves are chewed per day, preventing the number and duration of migraine attacks. British studies suggest that Feverfew can prevent 70% of migraines.
Book Recommendations
(Affiliate Links)
Peterson has many different field guides for North America.
Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America, Third Edition (Peterson Field Guides) Paperback – Illustrated, April 8, 2014
Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine Paperback – Illustrated, April 7, 2020, Rosalee De LA Foret and Emily Han
The New Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America: A Field Guide to Edible (and Poisonous) Flowering Plants, Ferns, Mushrooms and Lichens Paperback – October 24, 2019, Merritt Fernald, Alfred Kinsely and Steve Chadde
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
This journal keeps track of basic information every gardener needs to know to improve their gardening skills. Plant location, if started from seed versus purchased and from what source. Fertilizing and watering details and if you like the result etc.
There is also a space for a picture or drawing of your plant. The journal pages are a two-page spread for easy note-taking and review. Also included is a resource list of companies that Thompson Street Farm uses in their micro-green operation and nonprofits that offer programs and education on gardening sustainably. Journaling offers an easy way to become a more efficient and more successful gardener!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links:
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today I’m interviewing Vera Duhart – she talks about her family’s Gullah Ancestry and the traditional African American herbalism called Hoodoo.
Vera's Family is from the Sea Islands, USA – Picture Google Images Creative Commons Wikipedia
This interview is really a conversation between two friends and you’re listening in. It's another great interview and I learned so much. I was asked a question, what is herbalism? The listener knew about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) but didn't know much more than that.
I explained herbalism is a general term and can be a part of folk, traditional and ancestral medicine using plant and naturally grown ingredients such as roots, bark, mushrooms, leaves, flowers, etc., for general health or treating illness. It's also been referred to as folk medicine, a system of knowledge, beliefs, and religious practices related to a particular culture or group.
Think of herbalism as a general term similar to the word medicine. We know there are specialties—orthopedics, neurology, GI, gynecology, etc.
Herbalism is similar – there is Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM – originating in, yes, China. There is Ayurveda which originated in India. There is Native American etc.
Some traditions, such as western herbalism, are now a blend of many ancient traditions here in the United States. Native American, Shaker, Appalachia, with some old-world European influences.
Because of the intense European colonization, the indigenous people and their tradition(s) either have become extinct or what's left wasn't well documented, and researchers have spent decades filling in the gaps for the rituals and recipes.
When slaves were brought to the US their beliefs and healing practices came with them. there were no doctors on the islands and the slaves had to heal themselves. This is how Hoodoo Medicine became part of the Gullah culture. Picture Google Images Creative Commons Wikipedia
Hoodoo Herbalism is one of those traditions that is slowly being lost. Thankfully there are some researchers who have done some research on Hoodoo and other slave medicine traditions.
Vera enlightens us on her Mother's traditions – she also blows my mind with an old recipe that has an ingredient that one would assume was for the spiritual part the healing ritual – but instead actually has healing properties.
Book by Faith Mitchell – picture by Brenda J. Sullivan
Bottle Tree – Its thought it originated in the Congo. Slaves created bottle trees – mostly using blue bottles to trap the spirits inside the bottle at night. When the sun came up the spirits couldn't find their way out and would be burned by the sun. Picture Google Images Creative Commons
Vera shares her memory of her Mother and Grandmother adding spider webs to a cold and flu drink to help reduce a fever. Picture Canva
Have you ever heard of using cobwebs in your herbal preparation? Well, as you hear neither did I. According to Vera, this was a common ingredient in her Mother and Grandmother's herbal tool kit.
Wanting to learn more, I did some research on this unusual ingredient. I first asked my fellow herbal colleagues at the Herbal Academy. This is an international group, and there are thousands of us attending classes. Using cobwebs for stomach wounds but using it for fevers, the answer was no.
Then I received a message from a woman on the other side of the world who gave me a link to a website mentioning a document from a doctor in 1860. This led me to the original publication called the Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science. A European doctor, by the name of Robert Jackson, wrote about his research on reducing fevers in British Soldiers in the West Indies. One of his experiments was using cobwebs for the purpose to reduce fevers.
Section N – Cob-Web of A Sketch of The History And Cure of Febrile Diseases citing Dr. Jacksons research using cob-webs to reduce fevers.
On page 259 section N Cob-webs in the section, Dr. Jackson writes that he met the late Dr. Gillespie of Edinburgh who mentioned the use of cobwebs for treating fevers in 1801 with some success. So he decided to do some research to prove Dr. Gillespie's claims.
During this time period, the British were at their height of the slave trade, and The West Indies, especially Barbados had the largest slave harbor in the islands. One can assume, these doctors learned about the benefits of using cobwebs to reduce fevers from the indigenous people on the islands.
Historically we know it was a common practice for researchers to claim credit for other people's work/ideas especially if they are people of color. This appears to be no different.
Life Histories of Edisto Island, South Carolina: Interviews from the files of Federal Writers' Project 1936 to 1940 by Chalmers S. Murray and Margaret Wilkinson – https://amzn.to/3swq07Q
Working The Roots: Over 400 Years of Traditional African-American Healing by Michele E. Lee – https://amzn.to/3sy1SSb
Cleansing Rites of Curanderismo: Limpias Espirituales of Ancient Mesoamerican Shamans by Erika Buenaflor, MA.,JD https://amzn.to/2Oa23Eh
Healing with Herbs and Rituals A Mexican Tradition by Eliseo “Cheo” Torres https://amzn.to/3q2ongD
Show Sponsor
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
https://www.farmtobath.com/
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Theresa Velendzas – Owner of Altraform LLC – picture used with permission
What is self-care? How as women do we care for ourselves in a healthy way? Have we been fed a lot of baloney about what the perfect life is supposed to look like? Has the media taught us we're not perfect unless we're available 24 hours 7 days a week? Meeting everyone's needs while looking fantastic, great personality, and making piles of money!
These are questions Theresa and I explore during our discussion. I share a lot about my life. What I thought I was supposed to think and do as a young 20-year-old trying to figure things out 3000 miles away from my family. And now, as I edge closer to the big six-O, have I really evolved over the decades? What do I think about life, family, and career now? Do I think we can still have it all? Have I forgotten about caring for myself? What would I tell my 20-year-old self today?
Theresa shares strategies about how we can begin to care for ourselves. She recommends we start small. She demonstrates how I can calm myself periodically throughout the day to re-focus and give myself a mental break. It's a great technique and I've started to do this when I get overwhelmed in the day.
The show is 2 hrs and 20 minutes long. The first part of the show is my update, and it's a long one. I struggled to get this show done. It seemed I had a lot of roadblocks these past 3 1/2 weeks. As I say in the intro – a lot of weird shit happened in my household. But I'm happy to say, we're all ok and I powered through and ta-da! I've finished the show!
If you want to skip all my drama, the interview starts at 31:20 minutes, and I've added our 5-minute meditation to the end of the podcast. That starts at 2:13:35 minutes or click on the bar below and listen to the meditation here on the website.
5- Minute Mediation
5 Minute Meditation led by Theresa Velendzas
Theresa and Brenda during the interview (Click Here to view picture)
Theresa talks about her being “skinny fat” and explains what that is. These are her before, after pictures. (Click Here to view picture) pictures used with permission.
This is the beach in Greece, Theresa's grandmother would come and swim several times a week. picture used with permission. (Click Here to view picture)
Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers. Just ask them to order
Despite all the craziness this past month, I was still able to publish 4 books in our counting books. Paul came up with the name Kids Count Series. I just love everything about that name.
I'm waiting for the fourth book Counting Reindeer to be approved by the distributor. It's taking a few days longer than expected. It should be released by December 14th or 15th.
Click Here to check book out – Amazon affiliate link
Click Here to check book out. Amazon affiliate link
Click Here to check book out. Amazon affiliate link
This book will be released the week of December 14th. Check Amazon Kids Count Series for all our books
Kidde Nighthawk Plug-In AC/DC Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector with Digital Display KN-COPP-3 Click Here Amazon affiliate link
Things have finally calmed down for us. Although, I'm still smelling that distinct smell of exhaust. I've had the mechanic come out for a third time checking our boiler system. I'm told everything is fine.
We tried to figure out where the smell is coming from and so far we can't find the source. There is no other machinery down there other than a treadmill – which gets unplugged so we're scratching our heads on this one.
Paul installed the new carbon monoxide and smoke detectors throughout the house. I purchased the fourth detector mainly for peace of mind. This one has a carbon monoxide reading. I thought it would be good to have so I could check if there was ANY toxic gas in the basement.
Paul and I were impressed with the voice activation units telling us what kind of emergency we were having. Carbon monoxide vs. fire – that was very helpful in our course of action. Although when I saw the black smoke coming from our chimney, I honestly thought we had a fire.
Thankfully our town's volunteer fire department was awesome and quickly confirmed there was no fire. Thank you Glastonbury Fire and paramedic unit for all your help!
The fire captain explained that once these detectors are activated, their battery life may be “spent” and will not activate if we have another emergency. In addition, there is no way to check the remaining battery life. He recommended we replace all the units just to be safe.
We agreed. A small price to pay to save our lives and have peace of mind. Each detector is $46.52 on Amazon. If you buy more than one, you can interconnect them together.
If one goes off, they all go off. Our electrician had installed the original detectors at the critical spots in our house. One at the foot of the stairs in the basement. One at the foot of the stairs on the main floor and one at the top of the stairs on the second floor. It was simple to just swap out the old detectors for the new ones.
As promised, I'm posting links to the type of detectors we have in our home. The battery life is ten years, easy to install, and no expense to have them hardwired.
Kidde P4010DCSCO-W Wire-Free Interconnect Combination CO 10-Year Sealed-in Lithium Battery Smoke Alarm Click Here Amazon affiliate Link
Show Sponsor
Please consider sponsoring this show. Due to COVID, I have not been able to sell as many products to support the administrative costs of the show. Any amount will be appreciated. Click Here
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links:
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today, I'm interviewing a friend of mine, George Duhart. George is a retired law enforcement officer and turned his passion for cooking into a business by launching George Gee's BBQ Sauce.
I first met George and his family many years ago when he was a vendor and board member at the farmers market I was managing. I've never met anyone as passionate about food as George. We've had some incredible conversations over the years, and this one is no different.
In the interview, George talks about his journey to becoming vegan and how he uses herbs and other vegetables in his Thanksgiving holiday dishes.
He even surprises me by using an herb in ways I would have never thought. I just love his creativity. We also talk about our families and what Thanksgiving means to us, especially during this pandemic. It's a great conversation.
These are affiliate links to Amazon. If you decide to buy any of these products, I will earn a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful! https://www.farmtobath.com/
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
“Laws pertaining to witchcraft came out of the Bible…Do not allow a sorceress to live. Then it was later changed to “Do not allow a witch to live”. And that’s where the Connecticut law for witches came from” Tony Griego
Tony Griego, Beth Caruso and Brenda Sullivan taping our interview. Picture Paul F. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
This is a different kind of show; it's about getting justice for a group of people who were murdered 300 years ago.
It is surprising to learn that even today, many people don't know about a horrific period when Connecticut was a fledgling colony and innocent people, mostly women who were accused of being a witch.
Witchcraft isn't what you think of it today. It wasn't a religion or belief. The definition of a witch in colonial New England was open-ended. It could be a person targeted by any of her neighbors for any reason or no reason or none for that matter. There was a lot of corruption by church and state, extortion, jealously, assaults, and murders.
The pilgrims who traveled to the new colonies were Puritan Christians. These people agreed to live under a rigorous religious government that didn't allow for a lot of forgiveness. If someone was perceived to violate church law, the punishment was swift and harsh—death, often the penalty. There was no place to escape other than the wilderness or to the colony of Rhode Island.
So how did all this start? It all began in the 1400s Medieval Europe when 2 Catholic priests wrote a treatise called the Malleus Maleficarum. The purpose of the document was to control the masses who the priests felt to have deviant behavior against the church and its authority. They concluded the people must be bewitched!
It became a how-to manual giving the church and courts the legal authority to investigate, prosecute, and execute anyone of witchcraft and the book was widely distributed.
Sadly, millions of women, men, and children over the centuries were executed. According to one historical reference, 85% who were viciously tortured and executed were women.
This manual was in use for over 500 years, and the Catholic church finally discontinued using it in 1939 and during its publication, it had 16 revisions, most during the 1500 and 1600s.
Even though the church discontinued its use, the damage was done. As you'll hear in the interview, many protestant ministers made similar versions to suit their own needs.
I want to share an excerpt that I found by Fia Forsström, a Swedish author who posted a comment on Facebook about the witch trials in Europe and beyond.
I thought it sums up the injustice, pain, and suffering that the church and state inflicted on its citizens.
It was not witches who burned. It was women. Women who were seen as; Too beautiful, Too outspoken, Had too much water in the well (yes, seriously), Who had a birthmark, Women who were too skilled with herbal medicine, Too loud, Too quiet, Too much red in their hair, Women who had a strong nature connection, Women who danced, Women who sang, or anything else, really.
Any woman was at risk of burning in the 1600s.
Sisters testified and turned on each other when their babies were held under ice.
Children were tortured to confess their experiences with “witches” by being fake executed in ovens.
Women were held underwater, and if they could float, they were guilty and executed. If they sank and drowned, they were innocent.
Women were thrown off cliffs.
Women were put in deep holes in the ground.
Why do I write this?
Because knowing our history is important when we are building a new world.
When we are doing the healing work of our lineages and as women.
To give the women who were slaughtered a voice, to give them redress and a chance of peace.
It was not witches who burned.
It was women.
XXX
This is Connecticut's story – it's a 30-year reign of terror, pain, and suffering, and injustice.
During those 30 years, 11 people were falsely accused of the crime of witchcraft and executed. In some cases, the reason for how the court came to its conclusion is crazy, and it boggles the mind.
One can only conclude the accusers, the church, and the court was corrupt. It was nothing more than men dressed in clergy cloaks and robes acting as an organized crime syndicate.
Approximately 35 more victims – that we know of – were accused of witchcraft. In one case, a woman was accused several times.
In that day and age, this was a serious business. Any accusation destroyed a person's life and family. Many were forced to flee into the wilderness, often leaving children behind to deal with the fallout.
And for what? Someone owning a prime piece of land? An outspoken spouse? A farmer's crop grew better than his neighbors? A woman had freckles or a mole on her body or, sadly, had a child with a disability – therefore, she must be a witch?
Tony Griego and Beth Caruso, founders of the Connecticut Witch Memorial, present a compelling argument as to why they believe acknowledgment from the State of Connecticut and an official memorial is long overdue. These victims and their descendants deserve to be recognized. They deserve peace, justice, and an official place to mourn their ancestors.
Connecticut Colonial Lawmaking witchcraft a crime, punishable by death. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Hartford Courant December 3, 1904, Annie Eliot Trumbull receives the personal diary of Matthew Grant of Windsor CT from 1635 – 1681. She discovers the name Alice Young and the date she was hanged and realizes this is the unnamed woman referred to at “One Blank of Windsor.” (click here to view picture)
Delayed Justice: Windsor Atones for its Witch Trial History – July 6, 2017 Windsor Town Council, Windsor, Connecticut (click here to view video)
Congregational Church where Alice Young was a member and was accused of witchcraft in 1647. (Website) Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
The field in Windsor, Connecticut Alice would have walked through to get the boat to be taken to Hartford for her trial and execution. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Beth Caruso on Windsor Town Green in front of the statue of General John Mason who is responsible for starting the witch trials and the extermination of the Pequot Indians. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Congregational Church, Hartford Connecticut. This is where Beth and Tony are hoping to place the Connecticut Witch Memorial pending state and city approval since they own the land around the church. Picture Wikipedia (Website) (click here to view picture)
Back of the Congregational Church, Hartford Connecticut. Ancient burial grounds. This is the place they would like to place the witch memorial since all the clergy members who executed the 11 people are buried. Picture Wikipedia (click here to view picture)
Entrance gates to the ancient burial grounds in Hartford. All 11 victims memorial bricks lay at the feet of the statute of Reverend Stone who presided over the witch trials. Picture Wikipedia (click here to view picture)
Connecticut Old State House – This is where the witch trials took place and the second possible site for the CT Witch Memorial. Website Picture Wikipedia (click here to view picture)
Brick next to the flagpole honoring Alice Young. Not pictured is Lydia Gilbert brick. Windsor, Connecticut. Picture used with permission. (click here to view picture)
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify.
Bettylou Sandy – Bettylou's Gardening – Picture used with permission
Bettylou Sandy from Bettylou's Garden is back with us to talk about fall cleanup and putting our gardens and winter gardening. We covered a lot of information so I've divided the interview into two parts. This is Part 2 fall cleanup, starting a winter garden, growing food indoors, lawn care, shrubs, tree care how to start a community garden.
Bettylou is a treasure trove of information – so make sure you grab a notebook and take notes, or better yet – hop over to our website and download her handouts and follow along.
At the end of the interview, I’ll also have the list of her upcoming videos she is scheduled to do on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook Page.
She also answered the question about fertilizing your plants during the winter. What do you think she said?
Make sure you check out the show notes and download her documents. Also, go over to all her Facebook links and say hello to her! Send her some Love!
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes.
Personal Update
Katie's paintings for Counting Autumn Leaves picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Katie and I have been busy painting pictures for our next activity book Counting Fall Leaves. We have 3 other books completed and are being reviewed by our Editor. They should be available by the end of the month or early November.
Counting Starfish 2nd Edition will be available in early November in all stores and libraries in paperback and digital formats. Please just ask them to order it. (click here to view picture)
Counting Snowflakes will be available in all stores in early November and libraries in paperback and digital formats. Please just ask them to order it. (click here to view picture)
Blue Vervain is an herb in the Nervine family. I made a tincture which is perfect for muscle pain, tightness, or moodiness. picture canva and Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
The Interview
Bettylou Sandy at Spruce Street Community Garden, Manchester Connecticut – Picture used with permission (click here to view picture)
Brenda Sullivan and Bettylou Sandy at Thompson Street Farm patio sitting around a wood stove doing our interview (click here to view picture) picture Paul F. Sullivan
Garlic chives growing around the garden fence picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)Our garden after a hot dry growing season. The yellow and orange flowers are Calendula which is dried and used in my bath and body products sold at Farm to Bath picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Raised bed mulched with leaves. It's now ready for its long winter rest. picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
The portable wood stove we sat around during the interview. This stove model is no longer available on Amazon however, there is another model that is similar. (click here) affiliate link
Book recommendation by Betthylou – this book is about growing food in the US by Americans from all over the world. (Click here to view book) Affiliate link
Bettylou recommends using a bamboo rake to rake leaves. These kinds of rakes don't rip up the lawn (click here) to view details about rack) affiliate link
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes. Please follow her on all the social media platforms and send her some love by saying hello to her!
Garden Themes
November: Putting Your Garden To Bed For the Winter
December: Stocking Up For The Winter: Everything you need to know so you will be sustainable for a year or two.
January: Growing Food Indoors
February: Starting Plants From Seed
Don’t forget to sign up for my 5 Herb Friday newsletter – its the best way to stay in touch with me and participate on my journey through the world of herbs!
Also, if you are enjoying these podcasts – please give a thumbs up on whatever service you are hearing this show on.
Have a great week and thanks for listening! See you next time!
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Bettylou Sandy – Bettylou's Gardening – Picture used with permission
Bettylou Sandy from Bettylou's Garden is back with us to talk about fall cleanup and putting our gardens and winter gardening. We covered a lot of information so I've divided the interview into two parts. Part 1 we cover vegetable gardening and what to do to prep our gardens for winter.
Bettylou is a treasure trove of information – so make sure you grab a notebook and take notes, or better yet – hop over to our website and download her handouts and follow along.
In addition, Bettylou has graciously given you her notes from her gardening classes and they’ll be available for free download in the LLH show-notes. Links to the website will be in the show notes.
At the end of the interview, I’ll also have the list of her upcoming videos she is scheduled to do on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook Page.
I’ll post the second half of the show next week. We cover indoor gardening, winter gardening, prepping your lawn, shrubs, trees, including conifers and perennials.
We touch on community gardens, tools and she recommends a book about community gardening for those interested in starting one.
She also answered the question about fertilizing your plants during the winter. What do you think she said?
Make sure you check out the show notes and download her documents. Also go over to all her facebook links and say hello to her!
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes.
Personal Update
Healthwise we are healthy. We continue to be semi quarantined. If we go out we wear our masks and practice social distancing.
Katie Sullivan – Katie is excited to starting painting trees for her next activity book “Counting Trees” – Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Fall is my favorite time of year. I do more hiking in the fall because the weather is perfect and its beautiful outside. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
That's me with my BCS Harvester Rototiller breaking ground for the lavender. Best machine for women who have large gardens or small farms. It's easy to start and operate. No vibration that makes your hands and arms numb. I'm sorry we had to let it go…Picture by Paul F. Sullivan (click here to view picture)Thompson Street Farm Garden – Garlic chives around the perimeter of the fence to discourage critters from cutting through or digging under the fence. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)Our garden here at Thompson Street Farm – due to the extreme drought conditions we are conserving water so our well doesn't run dry. We are no longer watering the garden. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)New e-book on its way. It's being formatted – almost ready! (click here to view picture)
The Interview
Bettylou Sandy at Spruce Street Community Garden, Manchester Connecticut – Picture used with permission (click here to view picture)Brenda Sullivan and Bettylou Sandy at Thompson Street Farm patio sitting around a wood stove doing our interview (click here to view picture)A raised bed at Thompson Street Farm mulched with 2 feet of leaves. The plants growing in the bed are now protected from freezing temperatures. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
I’ll post the second half of the show next week. We cover indoor gardening, winter gardening, prepping your lawn, shrubs, trees, including conifers and perennials.
We touch on community gardens, tools and she recommends a book about community gardening for those interested in starting one.
She also answered the question about fertilizing your plants during the winter. What do you think she said?
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes.
Her themes will be:
November: Putting Your Garden To Bed For the Winter
December: Stocking Up For The Winter: Everything you need to know so you will be sustainable for a year or two.
January: Growing Food Indoors
February: Starting Plants From Seed
Don’t forget to sign up for my 5 Herb Friday newsletter – its the best way to stay in touch with me and participate on my journey through the world of herbs!
Also, if you are enjoying these podcasts – please give a thumbs up on whatever service you are hearing this show on.
Have a great week and thanks for listening! See you next time!
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today's show is all about Lavender; this is a plant I know reasonably well because we grow a lot of it, and I wanted to share with you just how incredible this plant is.
I'll share its history, the difference among the species, growing tips if you're interested in growing a plant or two.
Its exceptional medicinal properties and at the end of this posting, I'll give you some simple recipes to get you started.
Lavender is one of the most versatile plants I’ve ever come across. How many plants do you know of that can do all this?
Culinary – cooking, baking to beverages
Crafting
Medicinal and aromatherapy properties
Bath and Body products
Pet care products
Landscaping because its drought tolerant
Pest control – Which originally how lavender got so popular.
Lavender was used in a variety of ways during the Middle Ages – picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
In the Middle Ages, lavender was used for its insecticidal properties. They would scatter it on the flowers of castles and sickrooms as a disinfectant and deodorize.
In China, it was used as a cure-all using a medicinal oil called “White Flower Oil.”
In wartime, lavender was used as an ingredient in smelling salts and disinfect wounds.
Lavender has a wide range of medicinal uses – Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
Other Historical Uses Include
It was thought to have aphrodisiac properties and surprise! It's still on the aphrodisiac list today! It's true. I've heard several women whisper how they feel after using my lavender products. ❤️ 🌹
It was used to embalm corpses
Cure animals of lice
Tamed Lyons and tigers
Repelled mosquitoes (and it still does!)
An ingredient for snuff
Flavoring for vinegars, jellies and salads
Medicinally, lavender was used to treat headaches, hysteria, nervous palpations, hoarseness, palsy, toothaches, sore joints, apoplexy, colic, coughs, and rumbling digestive systems.
Lavender Monograph – Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
Member Of The Mint Family
Lavender is a member of the Mint Family or – Labiatae – a family of flowering plants that are frequently aromatic. The word lavender comes from the Latin verb, lavare, which means “to wash” or “to bathe.”
Large commercial lavender operations are native to the mountainous regions of countries bordering the western half of the Mediterranean region and Europe. But, good news for us, lavender is now grown in all parts of the world.
There are approximately 45 species of lavender with hundreds of various genotypes or what I call cultivators, which now makes it possible to grow this beautiful plant in just about every climate. For simplicity, I'm only going to mention four of the most popular varieties.
Which Lavender I Right For You?
Which Lavender is right for you? That depends on the climate you live in and the soil. Also, depending on where you live in the world, the lavender descriptions change.
So I don’t confuse you, I’m using US descriptions for lavender – if you live across the pond from us here in the US or Australia, you’re lavenders descriptions will differ slightly – know, we’re all talking about the same plants.
So, what’s the difference between English, French, and Spanish lavender?
English Lavender Lavendula Angustifolia Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
English Lavender
English (or Lavendula Angustifolia) is the most widely cultivated of the lavenders. Its also called “true lavender”. It has many cultivators that have various colors – white, pink, to dark purples and blues.
This variety can be started from seed, while for others, it's better to use cuttings and root them as starter plants.
English Lavender can be grown in colder climates and containers.
English – lavenders are mostly grown for their medicinal and culinary properties.
French Lavender L. Dentata Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
French Lavender
French Lavender or L. Dentata is also known as “toothed lavender.” It's not as hardy as English – Lavender Angustifolia – it cant tolerate colder climates, unlike other lavender varieties. French does well up to zone 8.
French Lavender has the same flower structure as the English, but it has a longer stems. English tends to be smaller compact plants, and the French can grow 3 feet wide and tall.
The French lavender has the most extended blooming times than the other lavenders and is primarily grown in Spain and warmer regions of the world.
For scent – French – L. Dentata varieties don't compare to the English – Lavender Angustifolia species if you want to grow lavender for the scent stick with the English types.
Spanish Lavender L. Stoechas Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
Spanish Lavender
The next lavender species is Spanish Lavender or L. Stoechas. Things get confusing, depending on where you live. Stoechas is a French Lavender and referred to as such in some parts of the world. But here in the US, we call it Spanish Lavender. Depending on where you live, this lavender may be referred to as L. Stoechas or French Lavender.
Spanish lavender flowers are a little different looking than the English and French. It has lance-shaped leaves at the top of the bud. Think of it as having little bunny ears. They come in different colors, and some have beautiful dark purple flowers that are stunning in one's garden.
Their scent is not as strong as the Lavender Angustifolia or English lavenders. These lavenders are cultivated for their beautiful flowers.
Spanish lavenders grow well in acid soils in hot, dry climates, for example, the Mediterranean. Here in the Northeast, we consider Spanish lavenders as annuals, unlike English and some French cousins, which are grown as perennials.
If you live in the United States Southwest, Spanish Lavender may be the perfect lavender for you.
Lavandin – Grosso variety Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
Lavandin
The fouth lavender species I'll discuss is a hybrid, lavandin. Also known as Lavendula. x-intermedia . This plant is a cross between Lavender Angustifolia (an English Lavender) and lavender Latifolia (a Portuguese Lavender). These plants generally have a longer stem and bloom later than the Angustifolia's or English lavenders.
It's important to note that Lavendula. x-intermedia are sterile plants. Meaning they don't produce seeds for reproduction. So if you want to grow lavender from seed, English, French, and Spanish (with a few exceptions of other species not discussed today) are your only options.
To reproduce Lavendins Lavendula. x-intermedia, they must be propagated. Meaning, growers take small cuttings from a mother plant and root them in some growing medium.
Note on starting plants from seed: Be aware there is a low germination rate for starting English and French lavenders from seed. I recommend you buy starter plants and propagate cuttings.
Hundreds Of Cultivators
There are hundreds of different cultivators in this group that are popular in commercial nursery production. Lavendula. x-intermedia varieties are a favorite commercial plant for essential oil production.
I mostly grow English and Lavendula. x. intermedia because they do well in my area. I have some plants that are over 20 years old. But they are woody and miss shaped from years of heavy snowpacks.
Shopping For Lavender
If you're shopping for lavender plants, it's essential to know the type of plants your local nursery sells.
I’ve found some plant sellers are not as informed with lavender as they should be. Last year a customer came to me at the farmers market with a lovely lavender plant in hand. The vendor told her the plant was an annual, which surprised me. It didn’t look like a French or Spanish Lavender. A quick search of the name of the cultivator on my smartphone told me it was English. It was a Lavender Angustifolia and indeed would do very well in our area.
So when shopping for lavenders, if the plant doesn’t give the Latin species name, google the cultivator’s name on the plant identification tag. You should be able to find out what species a cultivator comes from pretty quickly.
Examples On How To Identify Lavender
When shopping look at the plant tag. If the tag says Lavender ….
Lavender – Grosso – its a Hybrid, Lavandula. x-intermedia. It does well in diverse climates, including colder and wetter zones.
Lavender – Munstead is a Lavandula angustifolia (or English LavenderLavender). It should do well in colder and wetter climates.
Lavender – Madrid Blue is Lavandula Stoechas (or Spanish Lavender). It only does well in hot, dry climates. If you live in a colder wetter climate, stick it in a pot and grow it annually.
Lavender – Linda Ligon is a Lavendula dentate (or French Lavender). It does well in hot, dry climates but can tolerate up to zone 8.
Just remember – there are other lavender species out there. I’m only mentioning the four most common plants in this podcast. See the resource list below for recommended books on Lavender.
Lavender Plugs – First season. Paul in the pouring rain making sure the plugs are doing ok. picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
Growing Lavender
For this section, I’m talking mostly of Lavender Angustifolia (English lavender) and Lavendula. x-intermedia’s (lavandin hybrids.) These lavenders are the most commonly sold and grown commercially globally, with some exceptions, of course. The Spanish Lavender or Stoechas I would plant and care the same way as the English or hybrid plants.
Preparing the ground – Lavender loves dry sandy soil – Picture by Paul F. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
First year lavender plugs. It's the cheapest way to get lavender plants. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
Planting culinary lavender – Provence. We mulch around our plants. It helps with the ph. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)Lavender plug just planted. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here t0 view picture)
Tip 1: Lavender must have full sun – that’s ten or more hours of daylight.
Tip 2: Lavender is a drought-tolerant plant and can thrive in areas where other plants cant. It prefers dry sandy, well-drained soil.
It cannot survive in moist, rich organic soil.
The ground needs to be well aerated.
It does not like to have “wet feet” and are lavenders are susceptible to root rot and other fungal diseases.
Some growers prefer to grow in rocky soil.
Tip 3: It prefers a ph of 6.5 – 7. If your ph is low, add dolomite lime and a little organic compost to level Ithe ph out.
Tip 4: Spacing – How close together should you plant your lavender. If you’re using it as a garden accent, determine which lavender species you are growing. Lavender Angustafolia’s (i.e., English) need about 30 inches of room. These plants tend to be low growing but spread wide.
Lavandins or Lavendula. x-intermedia (the hybrids) grow high and wide. Give them 36 inches between each plant.
Tip 5: To mulch or not to mulch – that is the question? Lavender does not like to be crowded by weeds, or in hotter drier climates watering a will be needed. It will be a personal decision and dependent on your environment and how much upkeep you want to do.
Fresh cut Hidcote Lavender – Thompson Street Farm, South Glastonbury CT. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
We grow some munstead (an English variety) in landscape rock, and they do well—the rest of the munstead's and grosso's we mulched. We have very dry sandy, rocky soil to begin with, so the mulching helps with keeping moisture around the plant when we go weeks without rain.
Lavenders are drought-resistant plants, so we're lucky it rains enough in the northeast; we don't have to worry about irrigation during the year's driest parts.
If you live in a hotter drier climate, putting in irrigation and mulching would probably be a good idea. But for those mid to northern states, where everything is flowering and green, I wouldn't put in irrigation but mulch instead in sandy, rocky soil. The other benefit of mulch is that it helps keep the ph down.
There are other ways to maintain your lavender to keep them high and dry other than mulching.
Raised mounds – and plant on top of the mound. It is done in wetter climates.
Row Plastic – Put down row plastic, then poke a hole in the plastic and plant your lavender. Then grow grass in between the rows and mow when it gets high.
Plant in landscape rock Weed barrier over dirt, then mulch or use landscape rock
Tip 6: Lavenders can be tight woody shrubs and need to be pruned to keep their shape and encourage growth.
Year 1 of planting: remove new flowers and give your plant a good haircut, using good pruning shears. I use a small handheld battery-powered sheers. A link to Amazon will be below in the resource section.
Cutting promotes growth and helps keep the plant the shape you want or need. By year two, your lavender will have doubled in size.
Tip 7: Year 3 and beyond, your lavender will continue to add new growth after pruning – but prune wisely!
Pruning too severely will kill your plant. Never prune old wood unless its dead
Don't prune in cold temperatures – wait until ground temps are above 50 degrees.
Tip 8: Understand the type of lavender you are growing and its size and uses.
English lavenders are smaller growing and from small mounds. They are perfect for edging along walkways.
Tall-growing lavenders such as Lavindins make excellent hedges, and when their flowers reach their tallest, they sway in the wind, similar to tall grasses.
Congratulations! It's your 2nd year, and your lavenders haven't died! Its time to harvest your stems, and you ask yourself NOW WHAT?
Well, that depends on the type of lavender you planted. Hopefully, you did your homework, and you know the kind of plants you have, and it will be easy. Here is a list of lavenders that are perfect for what use.
English Lavenders or Lavendula Augustifolia are generally preferred for culinary purposes because these varieties have a sweeter taste and little camphor flavor. Some lavenders are lighter and sweeter than others, so experiment and grow various them versus just 1 type.
Our large copper still. Today were making hydrosol for Farm to Bath Face Mist. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)Grosso Lavender Hydrosol and Essential Oil floating on top after the first distillation. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
Medicinal Lavender
French Lavenders or Lavendula dentate – are best for making bath and body products, hydrosols, essential oils, sachets, and floral arrangements. These lavenders have high camphor content and are better for their medicinal properties, such as aromatherapy.
Spanish Lavenders or Stoechas – are best for landscaping. They are too bitter for culinary uses and don’t have a strong enough scent for medicinal or for crafts. However, they make any garden or landscape stunning!
And finally…
Lavendula x-intermedia – Grosso. Fresh cut ready to be hung to dry. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
Lavendula x-intermedia – the hybrid. Not recommended for culinary uses as it has the highest camphor content of all the lavenders. It is too bitter to use.
However, it’s perfect for cosmetics, perfumes, hydrosols, essential oils, and some floral arrangements. I grow this variety for its high essential oil content and ease of drying and de-budding for my bath and body products.
Recap
– We know lavender has been around for hundreds of years.
– We have an idea of where and what types of plants to grow.
– We have an idea of what to do with your lavender after you harvest it.
But the big question that I get the most of why does it make me feel so calm?
I’m glad you asked! Lavender has excellent medicinal properties. So before I get into this information, I need to be clear –
I am not a doctor, The information I’m presenting here is for, and educational purposes only, and in no way am I diagnosing and or treating anything. If you have questions about your health, please see a licensed medical professional in your area.
Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
For those who want to do a deep dive on herbs, the reference manual I’m using is David Hoffmann’s book, Medicinal Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine.
Lavender’s herbal actions are carminative, antispasmodic, relaxing nervine, antidepressant, rubefacient, emmenagogue, and hypotensive. And, if you don’t know what I mean by “herbal actions” download the document above.
Lavender has been known to relieve headaches related to stress. It may also be useful in clearing depression if used in conjunction with other remedies and promote natural sleep.
Its properties are also known as a gentle nervous system tonic, which may treat states of nervous weakness and exhaustion.
Safety issues: No side effects or drug interactions have been reported when used correctly. But – remember, overuse of anything can have a negative side effect.
For example, water has no side effects, but if you overdrink more than what your body can handle, it will have dire consequences. It’s the same with anything – too much of a good thing can have adverse effects.
In the herbal preparations section, Hoffman states that drinking lavender tea three times a day is beneficial.
However, he discourages anyone from taking lavender essential oil internally. So only use fresh or dried culinary lavender to make your tea. Don’t add any essential oils.
Lavender essential oil should never be ingested or directly used on the skin. It can be added to baths or added to a carrier oil and then rubbed on the skin, but ingested or directly snorted in the nose.
Now that we understand the different ways you can use lavender –
5 drips of lemon essential oil or 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
1. Mix the white vinegar and the borax together in a 16 oz bottle.
Fill the bottle three quarters full of hot distilled water.
Shake well until borax is dissolved.
2. Add the liquid castile soap and the essential oils to the solution and shake well. Use as you would any other all-purpose cleaner.
Reference and Books Section
Please note that many of these links are affiliate links and we earn a small commission if these links are used. There is no extra cost to you. The money earned will help support the administrative and web hosting fees charged to keep this podcast on the internet. We thank you for any support you can offer.
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links:
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
