Featuring: Holy Sponge!

This blog post was written by Caitlin, our Assistant Body Care Lead and an intrepid product tester! Read below to learn more about Holy Sponge! and what a Menstruation Activist is. 

I remember the first time I tried using a tampon - it was terrifying. I felt like I was taking a foreign object and entering a foreign place. Over a short period of time (no pun intended), I got used to using tampons, and they easily found a way into my monthly routine. To me, there was nothing friendly about a tampon, and pads just simply were not appealing. Now that I have grown well into my womanhood and learned to love my body and my monthly cycle, I have also learned to love the power of choice as a female consumer! Enter: the Holy Sponge!

The Holy Sponge! was created by Janeen Singer, a self-proclaimed menstrual activist who wanted to provide women with safe, earth-friendly alternatives to toxic, commercial menstrual products. Although a sponge may seem intimidating at first, you might find yourself surprised by the soft, silky body of the sponge. Before inserting, the sponge should be run under warm water to soften making for easier and more gentle insertion than a dry, cotton tampon.

The Holy Sponge lasts for 3-6 cycles and is fully compostable - making this both a great economic and eco-conscious consumer option. For someone who doesn’t even like to carry a wallet, nevermind a purse, the Holy Sponge is a true savior! No purses, bags, or backpacks required to accompany you on your next trip to the bathroom making the sponge an extremely discreet way to experience your monthly cycle.

Janeen and her team have put great care and energy into creating Moon Ritual Kits which come with a set of 2 professionally and sustainably harvested sponges, an easy-to-read illustrated guide for care and use, a small vial of organic tea tree oil for disinfecting, responsibly harvested dried herbs for a bath or cleansing ritual, and a cotton carrying bag. The Holy Sponge team is also quite accommodating and will gladly disinfect your sponges with peroxide instead of tea tree oil if you happen to have an allergy, sensitivity, or preference.

If you are interested in trying the sponge, you will be investing in an educational exploration of your body. I am now even more amazed at what my body is capable of and how easy the sponge is to use - once it’s in, you can hardly tell it’s there!

You can learn more about Janeen and the Holy Sponge at http://www.holysponge.net/

Mugwort: A Wild Beauty in Urban Places

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

When I first moved to Boston a decade ago I felt like a country girl in the big city. I’d traveled and lived in several places before, but had never before set down roots in an urban environment. I was used to living amongst trees and woods, and wide-open spaces. Although I loved my new city home, I greatly missed natural open spaces, and forests, and wild places.

So I found consolation in a different sort of wildness: in untamed, weedy plants that sprout up in the neglected areas of town. Of all of these – the dandelions, chickweeds, shepherd’s purses and burdocks that I came to know and love – mugwort was the one to capture me the most.

When I first made acquaintances with this lovely creature I knew nothing of the plant, not even its name. I just loved the beautiful shape, tall stature, silvery leaves, and gracefulness as I observed mugwort swaying in the wind, or in the passing rumble of a train.

I used to walk one particular route to work that always led me past a population of mugwort. It was an unpleasant and ugly stretch to walk through, full of trash and city grime, but the mugwort always provided a glimpse of beauty and grace with its silvery green glow. It felt like the mugwort was welcoming me to my new city, and whispered to me an important reminder: that I could find beauty wherever I looked for it.

Upon delving deeper into my work with the herbs I discovered many things about mugwort that enamored me with the plant even more. I found out that it is a plant of ancient use and was known as the Mater Herbarum  — the mother of all herbs. Mugwort was held sacred by various cultures and thought to be the oldest of plants. In particular it was believed to be a plant that offered protection to humans. It was once common to hang a sprig of mugwort over the doorway — or to burn it as an incense — to keep illness and evil spirits away from the home.

Its botanical name Artemisia refers to the goddess Artemis, hinting at its divine origins. Named after the lunar goddess of childbearing and the wilderness, mugwort is steeped in much folklore about its healing virtues. It has traditionally held a powerful affiliation with the moon and was considered to be a prime herb for women. Artemisia vulgaris has been used to soothe the pain of childbirth as well as monthly menstrual cramping. It may also help to regulate the menstrual cycle to a normal, cyclical rhythm. Herbalist Matthew Wood says that mugwort will restore the injured female nature.

Mugwort’s actions on the body are warming and slightly stimulating. As such it helps to increase circulation throughout the body and to remove stagnant blood (hence its use for the menstrual cycle). In Traditional Chinese medicine a related Artemisia species is made into moxa for use over stiff joints and cold, stagnant areas of the body.

As for its stimulating properties, mugwort is well known for its ability to impart vivid dreams and to promote creative meditation. Many people will find that simply drinking a cup of mugwort tea before bed will have a marked effect on their dreams. Because of this property, however, avoid mugwort when you are trying to get a deep and restorative night’s sleep!

I love what one of my favorite herbal writers, Judith Berger, has to say about this special plant. She says that regular use of mugwort “strengthens our ability to absorb intuitive information as we preserve an aspect of sharpness in our interaction with the complex, topside world.” In other words, mugwort helps us to enhance our intuition in order to better navigate daily reality.

Mugwort can be found growing in disturbed areas and along roadsides wherever humans reside. If you are harvesting the plant for internal use be sure to avoid collecting near traffic-laden roads, or in areas where the soil may be contaminated. Clip the tall stalks so that you are harvesting the upper third of the plant. The best time to collect mugwort is right before its very tiny flower buds open. Hang a bundle of the stalks upside down to dry.

HOW TO USE MUGWORT:

➤ Use 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of dried herb per mug of hot water; let steep at least 10 minutes. Drink before bedtime to increase dreams.
➤   Infuse into vinegar to extract its rich mineral content (mugwort is high in calcium and magnesium)
➤   Infuse into oil to use for topical applications as a warming, stimulating remedy, for cold joints or for menstrual cramping

Caution: As a uterine stimulant and emmenogogue, mugwort should not be used during pregnancy.

MUGWORT DREAM TEA

Here’s a lovely tea that I like to make after dinner to help wind down before bed-time, and to ease me into the dream world:

1 part linden
1 part lemon balm
½ part oat tops
¼ part mugwort
small pinch of lavender

Let steep for at least 15 minutes. Sip mindfully and breathe in the vapor of the tea, and see if you don’t have a very deep night’s sleep, with dreams that you remember the next day…
 
Steph Zabel, MSc, is an herbalist and educator who helps urban dwellers connect with the plant world. She teaches herbal classes, is available for individual wellness consultations, and is also the founder of HERBSTALK, Boston’s community herbal conference (taking place on June 4 & 5!).  Learn more about her work at: www.flowerfolkherbs.com and www.herbstalk.org.

Resources:

Herbal Rituals by Judith Berger
The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants by Matthew Wood
http://www.bloodandspicebush.com/blog/mugwort-the-cingulum-sancti-johannis
https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mugwor61.html
http://www.eattheweeds.com/mugwort/
http://www.herbalpedia.com/Mugwort.pdf

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This blog post — Chickweed: Stellaria media — is for general health information only. This blog post is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Users of this Web site should not rely on information provided on this Web site for their own health problems. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.

 

 

 
 

Chickweed: Stellaria media

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

You probably already know this if you have attended one of my herbal classes, but I love weeds! Yes, I have a great fondness for the plants that everyone tries to get rid of and “keep under control” especially the tenacious ones that keep on growing where nothing else could…. the crack of a sidewalk, compacted and poor soil, the top of a bridge, along railroad tracks, etc.

I love weeds because they are spunky and resourceful, and in some cases they are beneficial to the local ecosystem. These plants will hold down eroding soil, remove heavy metals, and/or provide greater soil fertility and organic matter.  They grow in niches where more delicate plants cannot.

Additionally, many of these so-called weeds make for good foods and remedies for humans. So, before you decide to remove a weedy creature from your garden or lawn, please consider all of the above qualities and appreciate the vitality that is found in wild plants!

Now, onto Chickweed, one of our delightfully weedy plants that can be seen around town.

First and foremost, chickweed is an abundant wild edible. It makes for a refreshing salad green and is a traditional spring tonic. It is very nutritious, being high in chlorophyll, vitamins A & C, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Chickweed is a wonderful herb to help support the liver and the whole lymphatic system. Traditionally it is used to remove metabolic wastes and excess fats from the body.

If you make a tea of chickweed you might notice an interesting property that it has: when you pour hot water over the dried leaves you’ll see a foamy substance that rises to the top. This is because chickweed contains saponins, which are soap-like substances that increase the permeability of cells. This quality helps our human bodies to absorb more nutrients while also helping us to break down waste products, including excess mucous, toxins and fat cells. This makes it a perfect spring herb to turn to when our bodies need to wake up — and lighten up — after a long winter.

On the herbal spectrum of actions chickweed is considered to be a cooling and demulcent herb. It is soothing and moisturizing for the body’s tissues, both internally and externally. Chickweed can be used for any sort of hot, inflammatory condition such as colitis, sore throat, itchy or inflamed skin, or even stings, burns and sunburn. I think it is especially wonderful for irritated and red eyes. A simple poultice of fresh chickweed placed over the eyes will bring cooling relief.

Now in early spring is the time to scope out wild chickweed; before too long it will start to fade in the hot summer sun. Watch out for its dainty white, star-shaped flowers, and brilliant green leaves.  It may be an over-looked plant but once you learn how to identify chickweed you will be surprised to see it growing abundantly, spreading like tiny stars across the city.

HOW TO USE CHICKWEED:

• It is best to use chickweed when it is fresh — the young, spring-gathered plant can be eaten raw in salads, or made into an herbal pesto.
• If it is not possible to get your hands on fresh chickweed, an infusion of the dried leaf can be made with 1 Tblsp. of the herb per 1 cup of water. Let this brew steep for 4 to 8 hours in order to extract the most minerals out of it.
• If purchasing a tincture of chickweed, make sure it was made with the fresh plant, rather than the dried herb.

Steph Zabel, MSc, is an herbalist and educator who helps urban dwellers connect with the plant world.  She teaches herbal classes, is available for individual wellness consultations, and is also the founder of HERBSTALK, Boston’s community herbal conference.  Learn more about her work at: www.flowerfolkherbs.com and www.herbstalk.org.

References:

http://annemcintyre.com/stellaria-media-•-chickweed/ 
https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/chickw60.html
http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/May08/healingwise.htm
http://www.thepracticalherbalist.com/holistic-medicine-library/chickweed-skin-rejuvenator/

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This blog post — Chickweed: Stellaria media — is for general health information only. This blog post is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Users of this Web site should not rely on information provided on this Web site for their own health problems. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.

Partners in Wellness: Vitality Works

You've probably seen our Cambridge Naturals Brand herbal tinctures around the store - we carry a wide selection of affordable, high quality single herb and herbal blend CN tinctures, as well as some dried herb capsules and over 30 essential oils, to meet our customers' growing need and passion for herbal remedies. These herbal tinctures are manufactured for us for us by Vitality Works in Alberquerque, New Mexico, led by founder and award winning herbalist Mitch Coven.  For over three decades, Vitality Works has striven to provide leading edge medicinal supplements of the highest quality, purity and potency. They offer an unmatched expertise in direct sourcing of botanicals, and their meticulous attention to detail and consistency of the manufacturing process has given them an impeccable reputation for quality. We are proud to work with Vitality Works on our Cambridge Naturals Brand herbal products! Below is our interview with Craig from VW:

Tell me a little bit about Vitality Works. Where are you located and who are you owned by? What makes your products unique in this ever-expanding industry?

Vitality Works is located in Albuquerque, NM where it was founded 34 years ago by Mitch Coven as a complimentary health clinic.  One of the factors that make our products unique is that the entire operation is overseen by Mitch, a Medical and Clinical Herbalist and lecturer. Formulas that were developed and successful in the clinic are the foundation of our line. Mitch’s depth of herbal knowledge assures that everything from the procurement of the herbs worldwide, processing into products, quality and regulatory compliance is carefully managed so that every bottle leaving the facility is consistently of the highest quality to maximize results. Mitch’s leadership is supported by an exceptional group of employees, who share his dedication.

How do you source the raw materials that go into your products?

Our herbs are sourced from all over the world.  We buy certified organic and ethically wild harvested botanicals direct from growers and harvesters as a priority. We buy fresh, recently harvested botanicals that are 100% tested for potency, strength, identity and purity. We pretest lots of herbs to insure they meet our specifications, which go beyond FDA requirements. We have relationships to our growers that go back decades. 

What type of certifications do your products have? Why are these certifications important?

The Vitality Works facility has a number of certifications, all of which are reflections of the quality control that is in place.  It is important to have 3rd party certification to validate that the manufacturer is really making safe product, are following regulations, meet quality standards and that meet the claims on a label. Our facility is FDA-registered; NSF GMP certified, KOF-K Certified Kosher and Certified Organic for some products.  Our products are GMO Freee and Gluten Free as well but are not certified. Mitch is also a member of the American Herbal Products Association (APHA) and the American Botanical Council (ABC). 

Does Vitality Works have any transparency initiatives in place and if so what are those? What does Vitality Works do to maintain sourcing and manufacturing transparency? 

Our facility is open to inspection and we hide nothing. We are audited or inspected on average 40 times per year by a third  party. If someone needs to know where our raw materials come from, such as country of origin, we tell them. We are proud of what we offer.

Partners in Wellness: Interview with Cristina Ciccone from Gaia

Gaia Herbs is one of our top herbal supplements suppliers - and we've worked with them for decades. They manufacture high quality liquid tinctures and liquid phytocaps as well as dried herb extract capsules. Much of the raw material comes from their amazingly gorgeous organic farm in Brevard, NC - as well as organic farms in Italy and Costa Rica. Their "Meet Your Herbs" platform puts transparency right at your finger tips - just use the QR code on the bottle to discover exactly where and how the extracted herbs in your bottle were grown and processed.

Cristina Ciccone, our Gaia representative, is one of our favorite reps to work with! She is incredibly dedicated to her work and a self proclaimed "herbal nerd" - we've come to her with many complex questions about herbal medicine over the years and she always responds with a thoughtful, detailed answer. In honor of Partners in Wellness week, we've asked Cristina to answer a few questions about her work with Gaia:

What do you love about working for Gaia?

As an Herbalist, I love working for a company that specializes in just that, herbs. Rather than attempting to produce products in every category like multi-vitamins, fish oils, probiotics etc., I think it’s important to have a company that specializes in a particular category and that does it exceeding well. Herbs vary so much in their chemistry and quality batch to batch, so it’s important to understand all the nuances to make really effective herbal medicine. Gaia is uncompromising in its integrity and manages to find the perfect balance of cutting edge science as well as honoring traditional wisdom and plant intelligence. I think it’s so easy for herbal companies to be pulled too far in one direction. Some herbal companies treat their herbal products like pharmaceuticals in isolating and spiking single plant compounds.  This type of herbal product is entirely “missing the point.” Gaia honors whole plant medicine by concentrating, never adulterating or isolating. I believe this makes for the most effective herbal medicine. Gaia is a company I truly believe in and feel honored to work for.

What's the best part of your job as an educator and company representative?

Gaia has a full traceability platform called Meet Your Herbs. This is an industry first, and it allows consumers to trace every raw material to where it was grown, how it was grown and all of the testing done on that particular batch of plant material. Showing people that they have the ability to trace a raw material from seed to shelf helps to really bring their medicine to life and helps them to feel confident that it’s a pure and efficacious product. One of my favorite things to do in store aisles is to pull a product off the shelf, plug the lot number into our Meet Your Herbs app and show a staff member or a customer where that batch of herb was grown and all the testing and quality control that took place before that product even reached the shelf. It feels like I’m performing a magic trick. 

I also love the opportunity to educate about individual herbs and formulas. It is one of the best parts of my job with Gaia. It’s another way for people to 'meet their herbs'. The herbal category can feel pretty intimidating, confusing and even esoteric. Education helps to demystify herbal medicine, clear up confusion, and make people feel more comfortable in knowing when to use/recommend which plant or formula.  It can feel entirely overwhelming when you find multiple different choices in the immune health section, stress section, etc.  All herbs have their own specialties and individual properties. Education helps people come to see these patterns and understand an herb’s “personality.” With this knowledge it becomes easier to recommend/choose which product is right for which particular situation and which particular person. When I conduct these trainings, I almost feel like I’m introducing two people at a dinner party!

What do you think is enticing more people to start using herbs?

There is a dynamic interplay that takes place between our bodies and plant medicine. We have co-evolved with these plants as long as modern humans have walked this earth. I believe there is an understanding and an awakening that takes place in our bodies when we consume plant medicine. Herbal medicine is literally built into our DNA. Our bodies do not understand isolated synthetic compounds, such as is found in pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals have been used  for little more than a hundred years. This is the blink of an eye for human existence and humans beings have no evolutionary frame of reference for this type of medicine and how it operates. I believe this is why we see so many side effects from pharmaceuticals because rather than the dynamic and elegant interplay we see with people and plant, Pharmaceuticals force a process in our bodies. I think many people are longing for the opportunity to re-connect with their medicine and food as well. I think part of our modern “social sickness” is a feeling of disconnect.  I think it is a profound thing to feel connected with your medicine and for people to reclaim their power by actively engaging in their own healing process. Of course the lack of side effects, less expensive cost and ability to help prevent disease, also makes herbal medicine more and more appealing.

What's your favorite (or one of your favorite) Gaia products that you use every day?

Adrenal Health! I always feel corny saying it, but this product literally changed my life. It was the first Gaia product I had ever tried and made me a believer.  This product is formulated for stress management, but rather than just temporarily masking the symptom of stress, it literally changes your body’s perception of stress through its regulation of stress hormones.  It also has the beneficial “side effects” of increasing my energy levels and enhancing my mood memory. 

Partners in Wellness: Reliance Vitamins

For our Partners In Wellness Week we are going to be publishing some short interviews and vendor profiles to give more insight into our vendors - because it’s not just what we carry that’s important to us, it’s who we carry as well.  For a list of vendor demos this week, visit our calendar. We use three top manufacturers for our Cambridge Naturals brand supplements: Reliance, Vitality Works, and Vitamer Labs.  All three offer the highest quality sourcing and manufacturing and each one offers something unique for us and our customers.  The first in our series of profiles is Reliance, written by Zach, our supplements manager.

Established in 1978, Reliance is a privately owned dietary supplements manufacturer making some of the highest quality products we carry. You'll recognize the green ginkgo Cambridge Naturals brand label in our store - many of these supplements are made for us by Reliance. What makes them high quality?  For starters, Reliance is NSF Certified for Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) and is NSF Certified for Sport, meaning that their facilities, processes, etc. have been independently certified to follow the highest standards.  On top of that their NSF dual-certifications, Reliance is Certified for CGMPs by the Natural Products Association (NPA), the leading industry body for natural products of all sorts.

These certifications aren’t just for show and they definitely aren’t given to just any company.  To get these certifications, companies must go through a rigorous, in-depth evaluation which includes evaluations of ingredient sourcing, product testing (both during manufacturing and of finished products), and even record keeping.  The fact that Reliance has these certifications means that their products always contain what’s on the label and never contain any unlabeled adulterants. 

While we definitely choose our companies based on the quality products they can offer us and our customers, we also take into account what each company offers its stakeholders beyond a physical product. Reliance is a partner of Vitamin Angels, an organization that “provides life saving vitamins to mothers and children under five at risk of malnutrition, reducing preventable illness, blindness, and death and creating a healthier world.”  Vitamin Angels is active in over 50 countries worldwide and reaches over 48 million children and mothers with their efforts.

We are proud to work with Reliance to make our private label products, and believe they offer some of the highest quality supplements out there. Ask us about our Cambridge Naturals brand and we're happy to show you some of our favorite items!

(For an added bonus, check out this video from Dr. Brent Bauer, MD, the director of the Mayo Clinic Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program on ‘How To Choose The Right Supplements’ where he calls out the NSF CGMP certification as one of the essential certifications to look for in dietary supplements and dispels some of the myths about dietary supplement regulation.)

Passionflower: Passiflora incarnata

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

There may not be an herb as striking and gorgeous as passionflower. Its circular, whirling, complex blossom is breathtaking. And although it seems to be an exotic species that comes from a far off place, it is a plant that is native to the southeastern part of our country.

Growing up in South Carolina I have vivid memories of passionflower vines from my childhood. My grandparents grew them outside of their home, and we also found them growing wild along the edges of the streets where we walked. My cousins and I would stop and exclaim if we found a passionflower in bloom. It always seemed like a little piece of magic that we stumbled upon at those times — something intensely beautiful and mysterious that stood out like a spark in the landscape.

Going back south for visits I frequently spy tangly nests of passionflower vines growing in ditches along the roadside. Sometimes they find something else to climb upon; other times they spread out in unruly waves along the ground.

Vining plants are unique in their growing habits, unlike trees and shrubs and flowers that are naturally upright and keep to themselves. Instead, vines are climbers and creepers, stretching out their tendrils and elongated stems in order to seek another form to cling to. Such is the case with passionflower, which has delicate, tightly-wound, grasping tendrils. When given a trellis or other support to grow upon its vining beauty is most fully expressed.

The lovely, complex flower structure of Passiflora make it a sought-after ornamental plant. (See the growing details below if you wish to try your hand at cultivating it.) Its fruit is edible and is sometimes referred to as “maypop” because of the popping sound it makes when pressed. If you open up a ripe fruit you will discover an edible inner flesh that is juicy and sour, and filled with dark seeds.

Passionflower has a long history of traditional use. It is perhaps most well known for its calming influence on the nervous system. Herbalists use the plant for anxiety, tension and nervousness. It is a wonderful remedy for people who get over-stimulated and are tightly wound. (I like to think of its tightly coiled tendrils as a metaphor of this feeling.) How it works its calming magic is not exactly known, but it is believed to increase levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain which creates a relaxing feeling in humans.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The upper parts of passionflower — the leaves, stems and flowers — are also a common remedy for insomnia and sleep issues, acting as a mild sedative. Many herbalists like to recommend it for people who cannot let go of their endless thoughts at night, preventing them from getting sound sleep. Passionflower helps the body and mind to wind down a notch, letting go of nervous energy in order to more fully relax. Likewise, because of its calming and anti-spasmodic properties it is often used for tension and pain. It can be particularly useful for menstrual cramping and PMS crankiness. (Again, think of a grasping tendril relaxing its coil just a bit.)

On a personal note, much of my experience of passionflower comes from being around the living plant. Many years ago I worked in a greenhouse that was full of hundreds of different species of plants from all over the world. I remember one particular week when I was feeling stressed and restless because I was wanting to do and be more than what I was currently doing and being! I felt drawn to the potted passionflower vine that we had growing in the greenhouse.  At the time I did not know of its herbal uses but I felt compelled to be near its beauty — perhaps because I was reminded of my childhood experiences with the plant — and I even spent some time drawing it. I discovered that to me this beautiful creature represents a balance between seeking/longing/reaching (represented by its outstretched, grasping vines) and exquisite poise and grace (represented by its otherworldly flowers). For me, simply being around the passionflower and spending quiet, still moments with it helped to calm my own longing, anxiety and restlessness, making me feel more at ease with the present moment.

HOW TO USE PASSIONFLOWER:

The aerial parts of Passiflora incarnata are used — leaves, stems and flowers  — which can then be made into tea or tincture.

Use 1 - 2 teaspoons of the dried leaf in 8 oz hot water for tea; steep for 10 minutes. Passionflower blends well with other relaxing herbs such as lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, skullcap and California poppy.

The tea is not palatable to every tongue, so the tincture is also a good option, especially for sleep issues. When using the tincture start with 1/2 of a dropper-full 30 minutes before bed and increase the dosage from there if needed.

Cautions:  Avoid passionflower in combination with other pharmaceutical sedatives, and do not use if pregnant. Also avoid this herb with low blood pressure. As with all herbs, please remember that every body is unique, and we all respond differently.

HOW TO GROW PASSIONFLOWER:

My friend Jenny Hauf, herb grower extraordinaire and owner of Muddy River Herbals was kind enough to write up some growing instructions for those of us who’d like to grow Passionflower this summer:

This sun-loving semi-succulent vine prefers relatively dry soils and can grow up to eight feet tall, so be sure to provide it with a trellis. While Passiflora incarnata is the hardiest of the passionflowers, New England specimens benefit greatly from a protected space. South-facing walls and stone fences provide ideal habitat, as they trap and conserve heat and create a microclimate warmer than the surrounding area.  Passionflower should be heavily mulched to insulate the roots from our often harsh winters. It will struggle and be at risk of winterkill if planted in heavy clay soil, frost pockets, or exposed areas of the garden.

To grow from seed, soak in warm water for two to seven days, scarify by nicking with a knife, and keep in a warm, well-lit place until seeds germinate. (An especially sunny window by a radiator works nicely.) Sow at least double what you hope to plant in your garden, as the seeds have a low rate of viability. It's a finicky germinator, taking between a few weeks and a few months to sprout, so be patient. While passionflower isn’t the simplest of plants to grow, especially here in New England, if you have the right space and enough love to give it you will be rewarded with its powerful, storied, and mesmerizing medicine. 

By the way, Jenny’s medicinal herb CSA will start delivering fresh herbs this summer at Cambridge Naturals! This is a wonderful way to get your hands on some lovingly-grown and potent local herbs. More details can be found on her website:  http://www.muddyriverherbals.com/csa/

Steph Zabel is an herbalist and educator based in Somerville, MA who helps urban dwellers connect with the plant world.  She teaches herbal classes, is available for individual wellness consultations, and is also the founder of HERBSTALK, Boston’s community herbal conference.

Learn more about her work at: www.flowerfolkherbs.com and www.herbstalk.org.

References:
http://chestnutherbs.com/passionflower-ecology-cultivation-botany-and-medicinal-and-edible-uses/
https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/passionflower
The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants by Matthew Wood

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This blog post — Passionflower: Passiflora incarnata — is for general health information only. This blog post is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Users of this Web site should not rely on information provided on this Web site for their own health problems. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.

Not Just Skin Deep: Interview with True Moringa's Emily Cunningham & Kwami Williams

We first saw Moringa Connect at Natural Products Expo East, a little over a year and a half ago. Co-Founder Emily Cunningham enticed us over to talk with her beautifully packaged, golden moringa oil, and we were hooked by the efficacy of the product and the story behind the brand. We're relaunching our Not Just Skin Deep blog series with an interview with Emily.

Tell us a bit about how you got started! What were you doing before you founded MoringaConnect?

My co-founder Kwami and I were both undergraduates and met through MIT's D-Lab program, working with small farmers in rural Ghana on a host of affordable technologies. While we were there, we were struck by the enormous potential we saw. As it turns out, there are over 1.5 billion acres of uncultivated land in Africa and 120 million small farmers living on that land earning less than $2/day. Meanwhile, the tools they needed to transform their lives were growing in their own backyards. 

It was the farmers we met in rural Ghana who first introduced us to the moringa tree. We worked alongside them to develop technologies to extract the antioxidant rich oil from the moringa seeds and supply chains to connect them to conscious consumers worldwide. 

Prior to our love affair with moringa, I had studied development economics and bounced around a number of different sub-fields of development work (including a brief stint as a rickshaw builder), and Kwami had his sights set on being an aerospace engineer (and even worked for NASA!).     

Photo credit: Agritools

Why moringa? What's so special about the moringa leaf and oil?

Moringa is known locally as the "miracle tree" because there really isn't much it can't do. Moringa leaves have more vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more protein than eggs, and more iron than spinach per serving. Moringa oil is being called "argan on steroids" for its anti-aging, moisturizing, and skin-soothing abilities. It's extremely versatile and makes a wonderful facial oil (replacement for a daily moisturizer or night cream), conditioning hair treatment, or body oil. Even the waste product from oil processing (pressmeal) can be used as a natural fertilizer, protein-rich animal feed, or flocculant to purify water. 

The tree itself flourishes in arid climates, requiring little water, and producing seeds in eight months and leaves in two months! It can be intercropped within existing crops to help those crops grow better, and replenishes the soil with essential nutrients. So for farmers, it's a no-risk, high reward source of food security and income all rolled into one. 

How do you process the oil? Who is making your product and how are they compensated?

What makes us special is that we manage the entire supply chain. We work with over 1,600 small farming families throughout Ghana, providing the inputs and financing they need (like seeds, organic fertilizer, and plowing services) to kickstart their moringa farms and the training they need to grow product up to the high standards of the global market. We then buy the seeds from them at a fair price, and ship them to our processing facility (that we designed and built from scratch and tailored specifically to moringa processing) where they are cold-pressed into our True Moringa oil. This ensures that we're able to produce both the highest quality oil and have the most social and environmental impact. To date, we've planted over 250,000 moringa trees. 

What other exciting projects is the company working on?

We launched our Minga Foods brand in Ghana to make nutrition easy on the go. Our first product is an infuser pouch filled with moringa powder to add into smoothies, soups, or stir-fry for an extra boost of nutrition. Word on the street is it may be coming to the US soon! 

We're also launching the largest moringa farm in Africa - our nucleus farm - this spring. It will be steady source of organic seeds and leaves, a demonstration site for the latest permaculture and agricultural methods as well as a testing ground for off-grid processing technologies. We're excited to provide income and food security to hundreds of new farmers and ramp up production to meet growing demand!  

What products are in your beauty bag?

I use True Moringa Unscented Body Oil for literally everything - it's my go-to facial cleanser, moisturizer and hair conditioner while traveling. For those of you afraid to put oil on your face or in your hair - I've been there! Every skeptic I've met who has given moringa oil a try as a replacement for their facial soap or moisturizer hasn't turned back. 

For body soap and lotion, I turn to Alaffia (they're doing amazing things with rural communities right next door in Togo) or Dr. Bronners (amazing supply chains around the world and a to-die-for peppermint aroma). For more than just the basics, I love Josh Rosebrook, Ilia, and One Love Organics.

Where do you see the company heading in 5 years? 10 years? What's your vision for the future?

Moringa oil is going to be the next "big" beauty oil - akin to coconut, jojoba, or argan. We're looking forward to replicating our high impact model and processing technologies in partnership with smallholder farmer organizations around the world to ensure that those at the bottom of the supply chain are treated fairly. 

We're really excited about Minga Foods too - we believe that true development will happen when products are not only grown and processed in Africa, but also packaged, branded, and sold in Africa - to Africans. We're looking forward to creating a line of healthy snack foods powered by moringa, utilizing all of the wonderful natural resources already grown in Ghana and the surrounding countries, but often exported to the Western world (think pineapple, mango, cashew, cocoa, honey). Over the next few years, we hope to see Minga become a pan-African brand and ultimately a global brand.

THYME: Thymus vulgaris Lamiaceae

By Steph Zabel
Herbalist, Ethnobotanist and Educator

Pungent, aromatic thyme is one of those plants that we all know — and have eaten in one dish or another — but tend to forget about when it comes to herbal uses. It is similar in some regards to sage in that it is an important culinary herb, used for centuries by the home cook. However, there is much more to thyme than meets the eye…

This spritely little plant originated in the Mediterranean and is one of the oldest herbs with documented use. Due to its preservative and antiseptic properties the Egyptians used it for embalming their dead. Greek soldiers bathed in thyme before war to inspire courage.  Amongst the Romans it was exchanged as a sign of respect, and burned as an incense to purify sacred spaces. As a powerful natural antiseptic it has been used throughout history to sterilize wounds, preserve meat, and keep away pests and rodents.

And of course we know thyme as an herb of cooking. What would the famous Herbes de Provence be without it? Thyme is a wonderful addition to meat and heavier dishes; it helps support the digestion of rich and fatty foods. I like to add lots of thyme to my chicken broth, which I simmer for hours and hours in the winter months. (see recipe below)

Much of the power of thyme lies in its essential oil content. This oil is detected when you crush the fresh or dried leaves between your fingers, which release a pungent aroma. The oil, called thymol, is responsible for much of the plant’s action on the human body; it possesses very strong antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. In this regard thyme is useful for getting rid of pests, parasites and pathogens that effect our health. It can kill fungus, mold, yeast, viruses and bacteria. It is especially good for helping to clear infections in the digestive tract and throughout the respiratory system. It is a wonderful herb to turn to when you are coming down with the first signs of a cold. Thyme will enhance immune function and help you to overcome an infection more quickly. I love thyme for coughs, sore throat, and clearing up congestion. To get the benefits, you can drink it as a tea or you can do an old-fashioned steam.

Beyond its lovely healing virtues, thyme also has much folklore that surrounds it. In particular, it was believed to be a plant that fairies like to reside in. (I have to admit, if I were a fairy, I would most certainly like to live in a house made of thyme…and wear clothes made with dainty thyme flowers.) Not only was thyme believed to attract fairies, it also was thought to help you see them as well. I recently came across a recipe from the 1600s that involved making an oil infused with thyme and a few other plants. This oil was to be steeped in the sun for three days, after which it would “enable one to see the fairies.” So, you know what I will be making this summer…

If fairies don’t interest you, perhaps bees do? Thyme is beloved by our buzzing friends, so plant lots of thyme wherever you have room. It is a very easy plant to grow and does just fine in a small container if you don’t have a garden. Mine thrives quite happily in a small window box. Just give it plenty of full sun and it will delight you with its uplifting scent and charming flowers all summer long.

HOW TO USE THYME:

To make thyme tea: add 1/2 teaspoon of dried leaves per 1 cup of water; let steep 5 to 10 minutes and add honey if desired.

Infuse fresh thyme leaves into raw honey and eat by the spoonful, or stir into tea.

For colds and upper respiratory congestion use an old fashioned steam: add a small handful of dried thyme leaves to a big pot of water and bring it to a boil. Then turn off the heat, place a towel over the head to catch the steam, and lean over and breathe in the herbal vapors for as long as you can.

Please do not use the essential oil of thyme internally – it is highly concentrated and very powerful. And for external use, all essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil such as olive oil.

RECIPE: Chicken Broth with Thyme and Black Pepper

In your largest cooking pot combine the following:

The bones, skins and leftover of one whole roasted chicken
1 - 2 chopped onions
2 chopped carrots
2 sticks chopped celery
a small bunch of fresh parsley
a handful of calendula flowers*
1 tablespoon black peppercorn, crushed*
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves*
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (to draw out the minerals from the chicken bones)*

*You can find these ingredients at Cambridge Naturals

Cover everything completely with water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that arises. Lower to a rolling simmer, partially cover and let cook for at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours. Add more water as needed.Strain out all the ingredients and store the broth you will use within the week in a glass storage container. Freeze the rest.

Steph Zabel is an herbalist and educator based in Somerville, MA who helps urban dwellers connect with the plant world.  She teaches herbal classes, is available for individual wellness consultations, and is also the founder of HERBSTALK, Boston’s community herbal conference.  Learn more about her work at: www.flowerfolkherbs.com and www.herbstalk.org.

References:

https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/thygar16.html
http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue80/article3352.html?ts=1455131460&signature=b2e3e53a5f262eea4d6dbf7b03a422db
http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/a-brief-history-of-thyme
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymol

Alternative Valentines - Love is Expansive

Love is not just about sappy romance and pink hearts. Whether you're in a relationship or not, Valentine's Day can be an excellent opportunity to show your deep appreciation, gratitude and love for those special people in your life - friends, family, and little ones. As the saying goes... love is all around us...

For the Chocolate Lover:

Theo Organic Lemon Milk Chocolate Bar Brighten someone's day with this lemon wonder! At first you're like, “milk and lemons? I don’t know about that”, and then you try it and you are like, “YES, this is amazing!”

Rescue Chocolate Wild at Heart Box These delicious vegan heart shaped truffles are filled with a raspberry ganache and are oh so cute. Rescue Chocolate donates almost all of their profits to various animal rescue causes, this particular box supports safe homes and sanctuaries for wild animals once held in captivity with poor living conditions. Win win!

For the Coffee Enthusiast:

Hand Thrown Pour-overs These beautifully crafted porcelain pour-overs are made by Boston based artist, Gustavo Barceloni. They are functional works of art that will make a delicious cup of coffee!

Tandem Coffee Roasters, Time & Temperature  this bright and fruity light roast from Portland ME based Tandem makes a delicious cup of joe! Use it for pour-over or espresso - both are sure to satisfy the coffee snob you know and love.

For your Best Fuzzy Friend:

West Paw Designs, Big Sky Mouse  These little cat toys are filled with USDA Certified Organic catnip and are made with leftover materials from West Paw’s Pet Beds. A Soft faux fur mouse with a little jingle bell and fresh catnip will make a kitty's day!

Chloe’s Sustainable Dog Treats  These little star shaped protein treats are made with natural, wholesome and minimal ingredients. Using Cricket flour as the main protein source along with garbanzo flour will satisfy your pup! They come in a variety of flavors, we are featuring peanut butter banana

For the Child at Heart:

Wild Woolies  The most adorable little finger puppets around! Wild Woolies are fair trade and handmade from sustainable materials by artists from all over the world.  The production of these items helps support communities of artisans across the globe by providing fair living wages, safe working conditions and economic stability

For Guys and Gals:

Little Seed Barn Herbal Lip Salve in Geranium Rose  Beautifully packaged in sliding tins, these herbal infused lip salves smell amazing and can be used anywhere on the body for dry skin! Little Seed operates completely off of solar power, is dedicated to reducing waste, uses only natural ingredients and have a lot of adorable (and very well cared for) goats that help make goat soaps. You can read about each goat’s story on their website.

Juniper Ridge Smudge Sticks (3 pk)  Show your love with the gift of smudge! Clear any stuffy, dry winter air at home with the beautiful scents of dried sage, cedar and mugwort.

Ursa Major Willoughby Cologne  14 pure essential oils are blended into this cologne to create a woodsy and upliftying scent, for boys and gals! Bonus - 1% of the profits of this product are donated to the Vermont Land Trust to help keep its  rivers, streams and lakes clean!

For the ‘Rents:

Gaia Turmeric Supreme Heart Health  Give the gift of health with this Gaia supplement! Turmeric is carefully formulated with herbs that help support the heart and cardiovascular systems and a healthy inflammatory response. Take care of your heart! Also, hearts and Valentine’s.

Bee Natural Botanical Honey Pots  These gorgeous, delicate beeswax vessels are the perfect gift to show mom your love! They are decorated with dried flower petals and glow like magic when you place a lit tealight inside.