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 Here are some articles for your enjoyment:
Cathy Lauer, MS, LCSW is an Herbalist & Holistic Psychotherapist in Private Practice. She teaches traditional uses of herbs for health. Cathy can be reached at 201-690-9007 for private consultation or for public speaking. |
HERBAL WISDOM: Calming Herbs
by Cathy Lauer, MS LCSW Peter Rabbit drank Chamomile tea to calm down after a stressful day in Mr. McGregor’s garden. Did you know it might help you too? Herbs have a rich tradition of successful use to calm, relax, tone and feed the nervous system. There’s no time like the holidays to find out which ones can help you when you feel run-down, stressed-out, sleepless or worried! The first herbs I choose to help deal with stress are Oatstraw, (Avena sativa), and Stinging Nettles leaf, (Urtica dioica). Both provide abundant minerals and vitamins to build a strong nervous system, help the body adapt to stress, and support and strengthen the body overall. CLICK HERE for a complete discussion of these herbs from my last column plus a recipe for making herbal infusions. In addition to the above infusions, I have some other favorites for easing the mind. Lemon Balm, leaf, stem & flower (Melissa officinalis) - Lemon Balm is for joy! I find it harmonizing and gentle - especially in times of grief, sadness or whenever joy is absent. It is also anti-viral and considered anti-depressive and anti-hysteria. I use this as a tea, brewed to the ratio of 1 1/2 Tablespoon dried lemon balm leaves per pint of water, steeped for 15 minutes. Kid friendly! Lavender flowers (Lavandula officinalis) - Lavender is one of my all-time favorites for calming & relaxing. It is considered anti-depressive, anti-bacterial, anti-spasmodic, cools a fever and helps to induce sleep (that’s why we have lavender sleep pillows). I like lavender in a bath for washing away a stressful day and preparing for bed. In a 2 quart saucepan, I boil about 1 1/2 quarts of water. Turn off the heat. Add 3-4 tablespoons dried lavender flowers – a small handful. Put on the lid and let steep 30 minutes. Strain the herb out, then add the liquid to your bathwater and soak for at least 20 minutes to allow your skin to drink in the benefits. This is the way I prepared my daughters bathwater for the first year of her life, and still do when she asks “Mommy, please can I have an herb bath, please?” Skullcap leaf, stem & flower (Scutellaria officinales) - I like skullcap tincture as a sure way to bring on sleep in times of anxiety and overworked mind. You know – when the thoughts won’t stop running through your head? Used as a tincture, 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon at bedtime is a traditional quantity for a 150 pound adult. Oats (Avena sativa) - tincture of oat seed in milky stage. You’ve read what I think about oatstraw infusion. This is another part of the plant used in a tincture form, which means it has been steeped in alcohol to extract the medicinal properties of the plant. Tincture of milky oat seed is traditionally used to help the body adapt to stress, build a strong nervous system, and overcome feelings of depression. Traditional quantity is 1/2 – 1 tsp, 2-4 times a day for a 150 pound adult. A nice cup of herbal tea – and taking the time out to drink it – is another great way to step back from frazzled times. Some reliable choices are chamomile, linden flower, passion flower, catnip, oatstraw, lemon balm, or valerian. Proprietary blends abound and are readily available at grocery and natural food stores. I strongly urge you, in addition to some of the herbal ideas above, to take time to care for yourself during stressful times! Add in comforts such as rest, good food, conversation with supportive friends, exercise, or time alone. Also, look to make the holidays “do-able.” One thing I did this year was to re-schedule the sending of annual greeting cards. Last year I started but never finished my cards. ‘How easy it would be to send them during the relaxing heat of August,’ I thought, ‘when I am not so rushed.’ And that’s exactly what I did! I wrote a “2005 Non-Holiday Greeting” and mailed them out on Labor Day weekend! I was in a much calmer frame of mind to pull together the sentiments I wanted to send out to friends and family afar and it felt great! I also encourage you to know the difference between feeling down and feeling seriously depressed. If you are in doubt, run your feelings by an honest friend, therapist or trusted other. It is a strong move to get help when you feel helpless. Always check out any suicidal thoughts with a therapist. I wish for everyone a calm and do-able December, and raise my mug of herbal tea to wish you a very happy holiday season!
HERBAL WISDOM by
Cathy Lauer, MS, LCSW This article is the first in a series on herbal medicine for ourselves and our families. We live in a land full of nourishment, healing and abundance. It is the land around us, rich in herbs, available and free for the taking! No matter where you live – city, country, or in a highly landscaped suburb like me, the herbs peek through, waving their green arms for us to notice them and partake of their healing gifts. Herbs are plants identified as helpful to the body – either as food or medicine. Many that we consider weeds, such as the dandelion, were intentionally brought here by settlers who wanted to have their medicine on hand. Herbs have been used throughout time, before “alternatives” were even invented. Herbs are the medicine of the people. They have a rich history of home use, by women, to care effectively for their families. If you are looking for health care that is natural, whole, accessible, and which not only removes symptoms but actually heals - herbs are for you! In this series of articles I will lay a foundation and context for herb use and share some recipes that I use frequently. My goal is to help bring Mother Nature back into our homes and enable you to use herbs with confidence. You may be surprised how simple it is! Many people are curious about herbs for caring for their children, and rightly so. Herbs can be gentle, sure and speedy in resolving childhood illness. But before we get to remedies for illness, lets first go to recipes for health. My first recipe for health is a food-level nourishing drink called an herbal infusion. It’s basically a strong tea made from herbs which are vitamin and mineral rich and have a tradition of being safely consumed in large quantities. Infusions serve as a daily nutritional boost that can promote sustained energy, good nervous system function, healthy hormonal functioning, and overall health. Kids can drink infusions too. My 6 year old daughter drinks a 1/2 cup infusion in the morning. I feel good knowing she has a baseline of good nutrition in her, especially before school. For kids you may dilute infusions, add honey for taste, or brew them with a bit of dried mint for flavor. I have seen depression, infertility, virus, behavioral difficulties in children, insomnia and more clear up simply by drinking daily infusions. Don‘t expect herbs to take the place of basic needs such as sleep and good food, but consider them allies for health. My four favorite herbal infusions for overall good health are: Oatstraw (Avena sativa) Traditionally used as a nervous system tonic to help the body adapt to stress, lessen depression & build strength; Contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B complex. ( a great one to start with for kids due to its mild taste) Red Raspberry Leaf, (Rubus idaeus) Traditionally used to nourish a healthy uterus and ovaries, especially before, during, and after pregnancy and to build a rich milk supply in nursing women. Used in France as a prostate tonic. This grows wild near my New Jersey home and bears beautiful & delicious red berries in July. Stinging Nettle Leaf (Urtica dioica) Often referred to as “nettles,” this “herbalists favorite” nourishes the entire body with calcium, iron, potassium and much, much more. Nettles is traditionally used to help the body adapt to stress by nourishing & strengthening the adrenals, stabilize blood sugar, promote even energy levels, promote a healthy pregnancy, healthy baby, and abundant breast milk. Red Clover Blossom (Trifolium pratense) The purply/pink blossoms of this wayside plant are mineral and vitamin rich and have been traditionally used to increase fertility, to help normalize the thyroid function, moderate hot flashes and to help prevent strokes due to their blood thinning agents. Red Clover has a rich folk history as a remedy against cancer. Red Clover blossoms are high in iron, chromium and B vitamins. Caution: Not for use by those on coumarin or blood thinning drugs. Infusion Recipe Place
1 oz dried herb in a clean quart jar, such as a canning jar. I drink 2 -3 cups a day, more if I am under stress or sick. I usually rotate between several herbs, as opposed to drinking mega-amounts of one only – the body likes variety! “French Press” method - place dried herb in a French press coffee pot, brewing as above. When brewing time is complete, simply press down the plunger and pour. So easy! A word about safety: the above listed herbs are considered safe for adults, children, elderly, the sick and the well. Keep in mind that individuals may have a unique reaction to any substance (shrimp, strawberries, chocolate, peanuts…) and that does not invalidate it as a food for others nor remove it from the grocery store shelves! It is the same with herbs. If you feel you have an adverse reaction, stop drinking the infusion and drink plenty of water. Consult a health care provider with any symptoms of concern. Stay tuned for next time when we will explore herbs for building immunity and dealing with common winter complaints. Until then, enjoy your herbal infusions! For a reading list and links to sources for quality, organic herbs, go to CathyLauer.com. Cathy Lauer is a professional herbalist and licensed psychotherapist with a practice in New Jersey. Cathy teaches traditional uses of herbs as food and medicine, including a 13-month Herbal Apprenticeship which begins in October. Visit CathyLauer.com to learn more! This article is educational in nature and does not diagnose illness nor prescribe for illness. As always, health care choices are ultimately the responsible of each individual.
Want Your Kids To Eat Better? By Cathy Lauer, MS, LCSW I think Mother Bear had the right idea. In The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, Mother Bear gave the family a crash course in good eating by clearing out every bit of "junk food" and starting on a good eating plan when the family's eating habits got out of hand. As an Herbalist & Holistic Psychotherapist, I see many parents who want to provide sound nourishment for their family and want to know where to begin. I begin with the premise that most of us already know what healthy eating is. It's implementing that can be tricky! Whether the issue is too much junk food, picky eating, meal time bargaining, or just wanting to return sanity to your family's nutrition, the below short-term plan can help:
I feel very strongly about good food for kids. I also strongly support parents who are trying to make this happen and are braving the rocky path through today's grocery store, school cafeteria, advertising campaigns and ecological realities. Once good habits are established, you'll know you are providing your child with what they need to grow & thrive and hopefully, will experience less meal-time stress!
Medicinal Herbs in Your Garden! By Cathy Lauer, MS, LCSW Wondering how to start a medicinal herb garden? The Mint Family also known as laminacea is a wonderful place to start. They are recognizable, grow prolifically, smell good and are quite easy to obtain at most plant nurseries and some grocery stores! (Wise Women keep things simple!) Peppermint is a plant great for those who think they can’t grow anything. Peppermint’s roots are actually “runners”, and they do run like crazy all around. Is this a reason not to plant it? No, I think it is a reason to plant it and use it. Lots of it! Make sun tea from the fresh leaves, dry some leaves for tea during the winter, pick stalks when in flower for vases around the house. Peppermint may have been my first introduction to herbs. It was in a thick, pink medicine my mom used to give me when my tummy hurt – pepto bismol. Peppermint eases stomachache and indigestion. Doesn’t it make sense that it is available at restaurants to drink after a meal? Hot peppermint tea can help ward off a cold or flu. It induces sweating, is antibacterial and is invigorating. Try it as a substitute for morning coffee. Peppermint is kid-friendly: they can touch it, smell it, eat it. Rub a leaf between your fingers & thumb and then smell your hand – mmmhhmm! Rosemary is always welcome in my medicine garden. It grows as an annual in my area, which means it dies during the winter as it is too cold. You can dig it up and bring it inside or into a green house, or let go dormant in the basement (an art others tell me is easy, though I’ve not perfected it). Years ago, while walking the back streets of London, I came upon a potted plant, 5-7 feet tall, with an abundance of pink/lavender tiny blossoms. Though I knew rosemary well by this point, I had never seen her living in a climate that allowed her to achieve this stately grace! Magnificent! Maybe one of these days I’ll get a mentor on the wintering over business to see if I can get one to grow to that level. Lavender – so aromatic, so regal, so healing. Lavandula, the latin name for the lavender species, literally means to wash. And that is the effect of lavender on the body: both externally & internally. Externally, lavender is a wash for wounds. Similar to its sister Rosemary, Lavender is antiseptic & antibacterial. Did you know you can wash wounds and burns with a lavender tea? Externally it makes a nice bath for adults and kids alike. It is relaxing, promotes sleep, cools a fever, and is antibacterial and antiseptic in nature so will help the body deal with illness. It also has anti-depressive qualities and is just beautiful! Lavender is a lovely addition to any garden. It loves sun and a slightly sandy soil (can take from sandbox!). The mints have been garden friends to me for years, and I hope you will invite them to your place too!
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©2005
Cathy Lauer, MS, LCSW
210 Summit Avenue, Ste. A-9, Montvale, NJ 07645 Phone 800-723-1469 or 201-690-9007 Home | Psychotherapy | About Cathy | Suburban Herb | Apprenticeship Consultations | Fertile Ways | Dried Herbs | Articles | Reading List | Contact Cathy Updated
10/23/05 by Herbs
'n Honey
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Rosemary
in the garden – anyone ever have a headache? Memory loss, or fuzzy
brain, as one of my client’s calls it? Rosemary’s needles penetrate
through, clearing the mental blocks. Rosemary can stimulate memory
synapses into action, surprising you and those around you! Also,
she is sticky and clean. Rosemary is for Beauty. When I say beauty,
I mean healing. Juliette de Baracli Levy, a beloved herbalist, author,
noble woman and wild woman tells a convincing story of fresh rosemary
leaves used on a gangrenous leg wound. The leg was slated for removal,
and it was determined that if it was to be amputated, what could
it hurt to bandage some fresh rosemary on the horridly infected
wound. After a period of one week, you guessed it, the infection
cleared, the wound healed: the leg was saved. Nice eh? Do you want
that power growing in your garden? I do!