Sunday, May 22, 2011

Heal Thyself

BIG EXCITING UPDATE: The Dead End Herban Homestead Trailer has been moved to it's permanent location on the east side of the new house, out of view from anyone (which has, to this point been virtually EVERYONE) who would debate its right to occupy any location it has been on up until this point. This means that starting today jars will come out of boxes, preparations that have been brewing during the move, that have long since needed pressing, will be pressed - and the trailer will finally become a productive home and creative workspace for all of the preparations I have had filling my head for months upon months. Here is one project of personal priority that will commence immediately:


Working on my new asthma blends, a line I call

"Respirate"(res-PEE-rah-teh)"

Respirate Herbal Extract Blend:
Holy Basil
Ginger
Coltsfoot
Amla
Mullien
Neem Leaf* (Yerba Santa will be substituted for this in first batch due to unavailability)
Thyme


At least this is my first try at my respiratory blend, I want to keep it simple because I feel that when you add too many herbs to your blend, that you're not getting as much benefit from each individual herb per dosage as you could. Seven is the magic number in this case, and that's even on the higher end for my taste. It may go down to five by the time the concoction is complete and ready for use. Sometimes plants don't tell you whether they want to be used for something in particular until you get right down to it. I chose these based on research of course but also intuitively which lung aides stuck with me during the researching process.

Holy Basil or Tulsi is my big favorite currently (pictured above) - it's as if it was sculpted from the earth with me particularly in mind! It is both a nervous system adaptogen AND a respiratory tonic. Perfect for high strung little asthmatics like yours truly! Just smell the herb - dried or fresh - and you will see why such a love affair exists with this plant. It is infinitely uplifting, and who can remain so tightly wound in such a state of bliss? Also, since anxiety is a big factor and one cause of asthma, the combination of a nerve and a lung tonic in one is pretty ideal.

I am also brewing up a chest ease salve to relieve tightness and coughing with Nigella (Black Cumin seed) oil, beeswax, white onion, ginger root, and eucalyptus essential oil and a tea with chamomile, mullein, blue violet, hyssop, lavender, and lemon balm (intended to be taken with monarda honey)

Hopefully this will buy me some time in the mold capital of the world (or at least so it seems to my lungs right now), and help some others later on if I find them to be effective.