Healing Herbs

Yoga Mat Spray and a little info about Hydrosols

 in Biodiversity / Distillation / Healing Herbs / Markets / Wild Harvest by

June 9th at the Almonte Farmers market I will have a new hydrosol.  Yoga Mat Spray is a co-distillation of  wild harvested Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus )and our own organically grown Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus).    As with all my hydrosol blends there are no added anythings……no added essential oils,  alcohol,  or stabilizers.  True hydrosols are a unique product obtained through the steam distillation of various leaves, flowers, barks, needles and roots and naturally contain all the water-soluble constituents of the plants including 0.05 – 0.2 per litre of essential oils (see “Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy” by Suzanne Catty).  This makes them one of the safest forms of aromatherapy and herbal medicine.

This Yoga Mat Spray  combination is antiseptic, antifungal, and antimicrobial –  Spray on and let dry or spray on and wipe off.  Depending on your own particular mat’s specific cleaning and maintenance instructions you could even add one drop of plain organic dish soap to give a little bit of extra wash.

Of course you may have figured out that the Yoga Mat Spray can be used many places, on many surfaces, and for many other uses!!

Here you can see the cluster of White Pine that this batch of hydrosol came from

Eastern White Pine

Eastern White Pine growing near me.

Pine and Thyme co-distillation

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus )and Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus)

Arnica Montana

Arnica Montana just waiting to burst with the first rays of a full sunny day!

Tulsi / Holy Basil

Tulsi / Holy Basil or
Ocimum tenuiflorum (synonym Ocimum sanctum) These little babies will be for sale this weekend!

Almonte Farmers Market – June 9th

 in Aromatherapy / Biodiversity / Gardening / Healing Herbs / Markets by

We have been putting in this year’s crops and I feel good it is before June 1st.  This work for me is one step at a time with an occasional flurry rush of team work.  The result is abundance to share.  That’s how it seems to work anyway.

I’ll be back at the Almonte Market on Saturday July 9th and I plan to have  several new things to offer.  One is a yoga mat cleaner and the other is lots of Tulsi plants.  I’ll have instructions and growing tips.  In addition, I will have potted Peppermint, Skullcap, and a few Arnica if you want to try for your own sun infused oil!  As the season progresses I will begin distilling again and have new co-distillations for your pleasures, parched skin, and individual needs.  And as always I will provide the few high quality aromatherapy blends to touch your senses and enliven the awareness that these plants are much more than roots and greens.

I’m still getting to know my new environment and always have my eyes open for plants and animals.  Today I came across this beauty.

native yellow lady slipper

today’s gift
native yellow lady slipper

 

 

 

Here are a couple of the plants that will meet you at the market:

Arnica Montana

One or two Arnicas give enough beautiful fragrant yellow flowers to infuse 1/2 liter of oil. I’ll give you all the secrets.

Tulsi

This Tulsi seedling has been pinched back in order to help it to fill out at the bottom. This allows it to remain sturdy while producing abundantly.

Almonte Farmer’s Market and New Arnica Planting

 in Gardening / Healing Herbs / Markets by
I am very happy to be a part of this season’s Almonte Farmer’s Market!  I will be there every other Saturday with a few extra Saturdays fitted in  when needed.  Please note that you can pick up any online orders placed on the website at the market on any and every week.

I make my products to relieve pain, discomfort, and stress.  My primary goal is to spread happiness, peace, and joy, and support the health of people and the environment. Before the product comes the plants; it is the healing botanicals that are the key ingredients of all my preparations. So, first I have to grow, grow, grow!  As always, this is what keeps us busy during the Spring. Along with many other projects, this is one I started back in February indoors.

I have doubled the arnica patch with plants grown from my own seeds in order to meet the demand for my Arnica Oil.

Arnica Montana

Arnica Montana grown from my own seed.

Please learn more about our arnica plants and preparations here.

Using and Diffusing Essential Oils

 in Aromatherapy / Healing Herbs by

Essential oils are the most concentrated form of the plants we can get and are not meant to be used casually as is but blended with a carrier oil or diluted in diffusion.

The essential oils we use in aromatherapy are a result of various distillation and alchemical extraction methods. Some distillation methods are gentle and natural while others are harsh and solvent-based.  The handling of plant material during harvesting and storage, the concentration of the oils, and the extraction methods used have an important impact on the safety and potency of the oils. This is one of the reasons it is so important to learn as much as possible about the origin of the oils we use.  I don’t mean the brand either, I mean, where did that essential oil come from, how was it grown and how did it get into the bottle.  There are a number of companies that maintain close relationships with growers and distillers, and it is always preferable to source one’s aromatherapy products as close to the primary producers as possible.

Misuse of essential oils, causing injury to adults and children, is a growing problem.  It is due to their extreme concentration that I always blend essential oils in a carrier oil for application to the skin and allow for the benefit of multiple pathways into the body.  The carrier oil becomes the aromatic delivery system and in addition, high-quality carriers provide their own nourishment to the skin.

Do Not take essential oils internally unless under the supervision of a licensed experienced practitioner of this medical method.  This also applies to animals: never apply straight essential oils to animals, and be very very careful about diffusing essential oils around animals (especially cats)  as they do not have to ability to process constituents like phenols in their livers.  Lavender is an example and there are many others………Do Your Research!

Instead try drinking teas, infusions, or decoctions and also when possible try consuming the plant itself.  Eating a pinch or even a handful of oregano and thyme is far better than one drop of essential oil in your tummy (or all other organs it passes along the way), and your body will be able to tell you where your limit is and to process what you consume.

A great way to enjoy the benefits of essential oils is through mist diffusion. A cold mist diffuser uses water to disperse the essential oil out into the air with great effect, allowing the healing aroma to penetrate the environment and the oil’s properties to be enjoyed.  It is important to remember just how concentrated the oils are and to always use them cautiously and safely. Safety and caution need to be exercised, even with mist diffusion; for example, don’t steam your eyes!!!

Here is a link to one of the most comprehensive and well-explained articles on the benefits of diffusion, by David Crow, the founder of Floracopeia (my main source of essential oils):  http://www.floracopeia.com/education/community-immunity/

There are many other excellent resources, teachers, classes and scientific studies, available throughout the world on aromatherapy, clarifying these topics, and I encourage everyone to learn more about these important concepts.

If you are interested in purchasing essential oils for your diffuser from me then please contact me directly and I will custom blend for you or order some for you.

Thanks, Kelli