Calendula Redux

Remember Calendula, 2008 Herb of the Year? I’ve been having good luck with it, so I thought I’d point to some great products that include Calendula and revisit the properties of this great herb. Calendula has been used in homeopathy since the 1840s to promote wound healing for ulcers, burns, and lacerations. Calendula does not kill bacteria, but contains it so that the body is able to cure itself. Today, we also...

Where the Lilies Bloom

One of my favorite old movies is Where The Lilies Bloom. The plot goes like this: Three Appalachian children are left orphaned when their father dies. The children keep his death a secret so the family won’t be split up. They support themselves by wildcrafting. I doubt most of us live in an area as pristine as the children in the movie, so you may want to brush up on your wildcrafting strategies before you head out on...

Herbs and Natural Skin Care

Herbs are very important to natural skin care because they can be used in so many ways. Taken as supplements they are valuable for their nutritional content. Herbs can also be infused into cosmetics and natural skin care products such as facial masks, soaps, shampoos, and serums. Herbs can also be used in diffusers and inhaled. You’re only limited by your imagination in the ways you can incorporate herbs into your...

Virtues of Rosemary

I just don’t run my mouth about natural skin care on the blog. I do it at work too. I got into this conversation with a co-worker about herbs. I was lamenting the fact that I don’t have space for a proper garden. She said that Rosemary was about to take over her garden. So the next day, what do I find on my windshield but a sprig of Rosemary. You can’t really appreciate the pretty blue buds on it in this...

The Marigold Connection

Back in 2008, the competition was steep, but in the end one herb stood out. Calendula— commonly known as the marigold—was chosen as the International Herb Association’s herb of the year. Not a more deserving herb in my opinion. Calendula preparations have a long history of uses as anti-inflammatories and astringents. Calendula has been used in tinctures, ointments, and washes for centuries to heal bruises, burns,...

Herbs That Can Help With the Aging Process

Nobody likes the thought of aging and many people look for products that can help them slow down the aging process. If you are one of those people, have you ever thought about using herbs to assist with keeping you looking and feeling younger? There are some herbs that people use to assist with aging and many of them have been quite effective. Some herbs can assist with the digestive process by helping the body to digest well...