Busy Spring Day

Such a busy day. I'm making a bunch of stuff for the bathroom and burning up as we are trying to only use the air conditioning in the hottest part of the day and simply leave the windows open and fans on during the morning and afternoon. To refresh I've been drinking an infusion from one of the herbs in the garden!

Spearmint!

This stuff grows rampant in my husband's grandmother's garden and is trying to take over the space where her ferns are at. Normally she just has my hubs or his step-dad mow it down (they come in smelling like grass and mint and it smells great but they're not big fans of it) OR I come down and pick a ton of it and whatever I don't drink in the next day or so I can dehydrate it for later. This tea (below) was so refreshing! Just what I needed after being so hot today. My fingers smelled like mint for hours after I got done picking too, which was an added bonus ^_^

For the bathroom I've been making my witch hazel and tea tree oil combo that I use on everything from piercings to acne to bug bites. I love it and it makes a great toner as well when its diluted with fresh water or hydrosol. I've also been making my shampoo...I actually made enough for me and my darling friend Fen and a sampler for my friend Alysheba. Fun stuff!

Super Simple Shampoo

I just want everyone to know how easy it is to make your own shampoo.
Sick and tired of conventional shampoos that are filled with petroleum based fragrance and sodium laurel sulfate that strips my hair, I decided to make my own.

What you will need:
1 16 ox bottle (trya dn old shampoo bottle)
16 oz of castille soap
16 oz of hot water
1-2 tea bags of favorite smelling tea
1 mug and a funnel or small-ish glass pitcher with a spout

Split the castille soap between the original bottle and the empty bottle (this means 8 oz in each bottle for you math whizs out there).
Steep tea bag(s) in hot water in the mug or pitcher for at least 20 minutes covered.
Take out the bag(s) and pour the tea over the castille soap...
Guess what! Thats It!
Easy right?

I used unscented castille soap. Warning, check the bottle because castille soap comes in a variety of scents like tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint and rose. If you like these scents, go for it.
I used Celestial Seasonings' Tension Tamer tea and a few drops each fennel and tea tree essential oils. This made an herbaceous smelling shampoo I am excited to use!

Cost?
I already have th tea and the essential oils so I'm not sure really how to factor those into the mix.
Castille soap from the local co-op was $7.48 after tax. So, really, for organic hand-made shampoo, this was super cheap, costing about the same as 2 bottles of the chemical-laden, cheap stuff from the grocery.

Monthly Herbal: Tea Tree Oil Uses

My Tea tree Face Wash:
In a spray bottle I mix equal parts water and rubbing alcohol (wich hazel can be used too).
To this I add 8-10 drops pharmaceutical grade tea tree oil.
To use, I shake the bottle then spray a bit on a dry cloth.
I rub the cloth on my face in circular motion to exfoiate the skin.
The wash reduces and prevents acne as well as refreshes me after a day out, at work, or simply when waking up in the morning.

Room Cleanser
I've also read that a mix of Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oil mixed in an oil burner can rid a home of mold.
Mix a few drops of each Eucalyptus and Tea Tree (use pharmaceutical or aromatherapy grade, as always) in the bowl of an oil diffuser.
Add enough water to fill the bowl almost to the top then, light a tea-light candle beneath the bowl.
Place the diffuser in any room with mold.
These oils can also be diffused in a room where someone is sick or to cleans the air in a new house or a room that has been uninhabited for some time.


Essential Energy has a few oil mixes that include Tea Tree oil.

Rejuvenating Blend: boosting the immune system as well as bringing clarity to the mind, this blend is great for an instant pick-me-up or long-term rejuvenation.
2 drops each eucalyptus, tea tree and geranium with 1 drop sage oil in a carrier of primrose oil or grape seed oil for massage or bath.

Traveler's Best Friend Blend: every traveler knows the perils of traveling without a fully equipped medicine kit. This blend is the perfect companion for adventurers, a trusty cure-all for those icky things you pick up on the road towards nirvana.
2 drops each lavender and tea tree with 1 drop each peppermint and basil in a carrier of grape seed or wheatgerm oil for baths.
(Use tea tree as a general topical antiseptic)

Monthly Herbal: Tea Tree

I am soooo sorry I haven't posted the much awaited August Monthly Herbal! My life is sooo hectic right now, I even forgot my friend's b-day (Sorry Edward!) with the mess of wedding planning and prep, moving stress, visiting the parentals, so on and so forth.
Anyways...

Tea Tree is this month's featured herb! For those of you who don't remember, I did a poll 2 months ago on last months herb and Tea Tree and Dandelion tied! So, making an executive decision, I made Dandelion July's Herb and, to keep the peace, Tea Tree this month's herb.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

I wanted to get a few things across before going in depth on the benefits of Tea Tree. First, Tea Tree is NOT Tea (Camellia sinensis), like the type that we drink.
Tea Tree is commonly used as an oil (I've never seen it in any other form myself).
An anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-septic, tea tree oil was found in the 1920's to be a better medicine than most available.

The Melaleuca alternifolia plant is a small tree native to Australia. Commercial plantations were founded in the 1970s.

The oil comes from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia.
Perfume note: Middle
Aroma is strong and medicinal

Tea tree oil is one of the most potent oils for treating bacteria, viruses, and fungal infections. It permeates and kills invading organisms in the body while stimulating the system.

Tea tree oil addresses:
abscesses, acne, athlete's foot, cold sores, insect bites, woulds, infections, asthma, dermatitis, bronchitis, congestion, colds, coughs, fevers, flus, sinusitis, whooping cough, thrush, vaginitis, cystitis, lethargy, debility, vulnerability, and shallow breathing.

Safety Information
According to the American Cancer Society: "Tea tree oil is toxic when swallowed. It has been reported to cause drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, coma, unsteadiness, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset, blood cell abnormalities, and severe rashes. It should be kept away from pets and children."
The oil can cause skin irritation in high doses, so it is best to do  skin patch test before adding the oil to soaps, baths, oils, or washes. 

My Weekend

So, I had a busy weekend full of errands, shopping and cleaning. In all of this doing, I was able to do a few new, healthy things I thought I would share with you all.
First, I made my first batch of guacamole ever and its yummy!
Why guacamole? Why, Avocados of course!
Avocados are packed with nutrients including fiber, potassium, B-vitamins, and folic acid. They are also nutrient boosters, meaning they enable the body to absord fat-soluable nutrients like alpha and beta-carotene. Avocados even aid in cardiovascular disease by helping those on a healthy heart diet reach their quota of fruits as well as being a source of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
The best part is they are tasty either with organic tortilla chips, on tacos or even sandwhiches.
My guacamole recipe was super simple:
1 avocado (peeled, pitted and mashed)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (lime juice can be substituted)
Mix together and store in a sealed container or use.

If you will remember a former post where I mentioned that removing plastic bottles from your life is a good way to rid yourself of toxins, let me rephrase that.
Removing plastic bottles from your life is a good way to remove toxins IF those bottles are not Bisphenol A (BPA) free. BPA is a compound used to make plastics. Health concerns include dangers to fetuses, infants and children (according to the FDA). BPA may even cause breast cancer as well as problems with the thyroid and reproductive organs. So BPA is bad to say the least.
Now, not all plastics contain BPA! My fiance and I bought re-useable plastic water bottles from the supermarket yesterday that are labeled BPA-free. They were also made locally at the chemical company, interestingly enough.
If plastic still has you worred, there are many stainless steel and aluminum bottles available through companies like Gaiam.

Lastly, I made soap!
I've had a glycerin soap making kit for over a year, tucked away in my craft supplies. Finally, I took it out and decided to do something with it.
I made 4 soaps, one green cucumber melon for my fiance, a green and pink rose soap for his mom, a pink rose soap for me, and a green tea tree oil soap to wash my face with.
Rose oil is soothing, especially for women. It can be used to ease skin irritations and is said to even sooth PMS and other menstrual issues.
Tea Tree oil aids in releaving skin problems, including acne, and aids wounds.
Word of warning, don't over-use the essential oils (the whole area still smells like rose oil).
The whole mess was really easy, except for extracting a round soap from the mold. I definately plan on making more soaps in the future. Its cheaper than buying soap and you can decide on the scents and colors.

How to Find Good Essential Oils

I have been asked by several people where and how to find good essential oils.
Now, I am no oil expert. I do not claim to be. I am simply a student of herbalism and aromatherapy. What I know about essential oils is self taught through experience and books.
That being said, here is what I learned:

First, oils are expensive because they are expensive to make. It takes pounds and pounds of plant material to make one little bottle of oil. If an oil is cheap, I would question why because it might be cut with other materials.

Ways to know if an oil is pure:

Know the scientific name.
Make sure that the oil you are looking at is the actual essential oil needed. Sometimes, there will be two oils of the same name but different scientific name and different properties. Take Lavender for example. There are many different types of Lavender but only Lavendula augustifolia is considered True Lavender and is the best to use in aromatherapy. However, Lavendula inermis, a type of lavender known for its long lasting flowers and coloring, are used to make a cheaper version of lavender oil.

Make sure you are buying Essential Oil:
Oils are a big business as Better Homes and Gardens and similair magazines show celebrity secrets of how they keep their homes smelling lovely. You can find oils to scent yourself and your home everywhere from Walmart ot Pier1 (they aren't just found at head shops anymore).
This does lead to a small problem in that many people buy fragrance oils thinking they are obtaining essential oil and visa versa.
Read the Labels!
Another few words to look for on the labels is therapeutic or pharmaceutical grade. If the bottle does not have these words, do not use them for aromatherapy.

How to test oils:
you can test essential oils by putting a drop on a piece of white paper and let dry. If there is a residue then the oil has been cut or polished with other material.

I am also frequently asked where to buy oils.
This is a tricky question as there is no one place I can point out and say They have the best of all of them! I haven't tried ever oil seller and cannot pretend to know.
However, here is what I do:
I buy local so I can ask the vendor about their oils and get a specific amount of what I want. Recently, I bought 1.5 drams of Rose oil from Dillys in Elizabethton, TN. I wanted the smallest bottle they had and without the roller ball they have for the oils used on skin. The proprietor was happy to oblige and even gave me a discount.
I also have a little secret for buying Tea Tree oil and have decided to disclose it to the public:
Walmart has pharmaceutical grade Tea Tree Oil 2 fl. 0z for just $8!!!! Its excellent and I've used it on wounds, bites, and a face wash thet cuts through fast food grease!

My best advice is look around you, READ, research, and test. Don't stress over it too much of course, especially if you are only using the oil to scent your home.
Go for what you like best, what feels right for you. Don't worry about what a book or ad says is hte best oil out there.

Household Cleaning

When I sat for a lecture on Curing Dis-Ease by Gisella Hoffman earlier this year, one of the points that she offered (there were so many including a scolding for all of us using aspartame and high fructose corn syrup) was an anecdote about a patient of hers suffering with cancer.
One of the things Hoffman told this client to do is rid her house of chemical cleaners. She told us all that we coudl easily clean our homes with lemon juice, baking soda and white vinegar rather than these chemical cleaners that not only kill pets and cause serious illness for children but can cause all kinds of problems for the cleaning home owners.

Herb Companion offers a variety of cleaning recipes to use in the home combining things like tea tree and lavender oil, lemons, and herbs.
Make Your Own Natural Cleaners is a must read for home owners/cleaners not wanting those horrible toxins.