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I have been at a loss these last few weeks – a loss of what to share with you all. Not just on the blog but often in person as well. I feel like all the little munchkin workers running the factory inside my brain have all caught a cold; Everything is a little slower. Harry called in sick and Margaret is complaining about her migraine. Come on, Brain People, get to work!

I have tried a few times to bring you a new and interesting post, and each time I managed to get my wheels turnin’, my brain just said, “fart.” I’m not even kidding. I wish I were. I even think what came out had a bit of foul odor.

Is it motherhood? The constant lack of quality sleep? The ferocious amount of mental energy it takes to keep all the balls spinning on each and every finger of my hands (and the one I balance on my head too!)?

It’s not that I haven’t had anything on my mind, though. Just the opposite. SO.MUCH. Where to begin? How to carefully divulge — with what amount of vulnerability am I willing to risk?

On one hand, I could start and end with the daily hum drum of my life: What I did this week, how yoga is going, how my diet is going, how my marriage is going, how the kids are doing, how homeschooling is going, how work is going.

To all those questions, I would describe things as “just fine!” Nothing newsworthy, which is often a good thing. The week has been fairly balanced, I am still loving yoga even though I wanted to cry when my body would not do an inversion in dolphin position this week (don’t you love how yoga brings out those emotions, showing us how hard we can be on ourselves?!) I’m eating well enough. My marriage is having a good week, we’ve talked a lot and bla bla bla. The kids are good, though Ethan still drives me absolutely bonkers. (The phase he is in is the “DEMANDING” phase. Holy cow. Talk about stressful.) As you could see from my last post, Verity is doing great, already crawling and getting into every little thing. Homeschooling is a lot more like “unschooling” these days since I have been working quite a bit. Last week we went with the homeschool group to the Sauvie Island pumpkin patch and today was the Halloween Party (Chris, Misty and I went as Bollywood stars, Ethan was an alien — thanks to the crazy mother who stayed up all night knitting him a green hat to make into an alien costume…). Work is work. Between 3 clients and another 3 folks I “barter” my services for, things are busy, busy, busy. I’d say the category of “work related” stuff I do each week is teetering on over-time (i.e. 40+ hours/wk), simultaneous with my work as a mom/wife (160 hours/wk). I just keep telling myself that one day, rest will come. One day, the kids will be a little older. One day, Chris will bring in more income. One day. And I don’t say that in a woah-is-me voice, either. I truly am hopeful for that one day. If my dad harped on anything, it was the phrase, “This too shall pass.” Sweet Jesus, how true.

Then there’s all of those thoughts and questions which my mind just turns and turns and turns, until everything inside it is sweet n’ creamy butta, baby. Short and long term financial goals, mine and Chris’ strengths and weaknesses, personal triumphs and failures, which learned roles I take on that I really don’t have to, why I so easily slip into survival mode, why I can’t let go, where we’ll all be in 5 years, will Ethan and I ever be close again, will I ever be able to homeschool the way I want to, why I feel the need to not just deliver but IMPRESS, why I’m all of a sudden disgruntled with our choice to be carless, why we are always broke within a week of a paycheck,… all of these and so, so much more.

More things like new herbs I’ve learned about, new projects I’m knitting, how our new homegroup is growing, if and how I fit into the body of Evergreen Community, my frustration at the sewing machine for wrecking up the pillow covers I’m sewing –

WILL IT JUST SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT I’VE GOT A LOT OF POTS ON THE STOVE?!

Yep. That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.

This has become a novel, hasn’t it? One big brain fart of a novel. And I didn’t even tell you the details of what I got out of the Betrayed, Redeemed Conference last weekend or anything else of significance in my life lately. I guess I’ll just save that all for a rainy day.

K, I just looked outside so I’ll rephrase that: save that all for a DIFFERENT rainy day.

Cheers, and happy almost- all saints day (stole that off of 30 Rock last night. That and “Good God, your breath! When did you have time to eat a diaper that you found on the beach!” …Ha! Cracks me up…)

Last week I shared some tips on how to get the sleep and rest you need to fend off unwanted flu season bugs. This week, I’ll go through a few more herbs for immune system support and make my way to the herbs for when it’s too late and you are ALREADY sick. These herbs don’t just mask your symptoms, they help you help yourself by stimulated the various systems of your body that are functioning sub par. By supporting your body, you strengthen your natural defenses, get over the cold sooner, and bonus – are less likely to catch something next time!

Herbs have been in use as medicine for centuries and in many ways have served as the foundation for modern medicine. Here at the house we use herbs as teas, tinctures, and essential oils. (For what its worth, our health is also aided by the use of probiotics in the form of homemade kombucha and kefir, as well as unrefined coconut oil and high quality cod liver oil on a daily basis.) In the last month, several guests have come and gone through our home only to find out later that they were just getting sick at the time they visited. In our church alone, it seems everyone is ill, one person even has a terrible case of swine flu. Yet the 8 of us have so far remained unscathed by the viruses and bacterias that have made their way around us. (Lacey is constantly reminding us to take an essential oil called “Thieves”, a blend that has been shown to kill airborne viruses and bacterias when diffused.) Is this really just a coincidence? Of course not.

So this particular post takes a look at herbs in the form of essential oils that can be used for colds/flus/infections. My roomate is the essential oil guru, but the more I hear testimonials and read the studies, the more convinced I am of how powerful these oils can be as medicine. As one article put it:

The household, medicinal, and prescriptive uses of essential oils are described in some of the most ancient records known. The history of herbal science, as reconstructed from a huge body of public and private records, chronicles man’s development and application of the arts of medicine, healing, disease prevention, and pest management. … essential oils continue to be used, today, in each of these arts, and for a myriad of diverse applications. In light of all this, it seems paradoxical that herbal science is not championed–or even respected–everywhere, or by everyone. Unenlightened “experts” often equate the use of essential oils to quackery, old wives tales, and the brews of witches. In fact, some of our most authoritative professional associations, particularly in the fields of medicine and pest management, have lent support to that equation despite a mountain of easily verified facts that tells quite another story. In medicine alone, over 25 percent of today’s most valuable prescription and over-the-counter drugs contain, as key ingredients, herbal extracts.

This article explains:

A study (J Infect Dis, Dec 1990; 162(6):1277-82) showed that people who take aspirin and Tylenol (acetaminophen) suppress their body’s ability to produce antibodies that destroy the cold virus. This actually causes the body to take longer to fight the cold and it accounts for any secondary infections and post-nasal drip. …

Colds can be contracted as the result of contact with more than 200 different viruses. However, among all of the cold viruses, the rhinovirus and the coronavirus cause the majority of colds. Each time you have a cold, it is caused by a distinct virus – e.g. adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, and coronavirus. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria. They are tiny clusters of genetic material surrounded by a protein ‘wrapper’. Medical science currently does not have any drugs that can kill these viruses. Antibiotics, including penicillin, do not have any effect on viruses. They are only used to treat secondary bacterial infections that can further complicate the effects of a cold. While orthodox medicine does not have the answer for colds and ‘flu’, nature does – it comes in the form of pure organic unadulterated Therapeutic Essential Oils. Why? Because they are made up of very high frequency molecules (ranging from 52MHz to 320MHz) and contain nature’s wisdom and power to raise the body’s frequency and to assist our immune system in fighting viral invasions.

For greater clarity, organic Therapeutic Essential Oils are not the same as everyday aromatherapy oils, which are produced for fragrance and other purposes.

We now know that, in order to prevent colds, we need our immune system to be working in top gear and our overall body frequency to be in its optimal range. Our optimal range of body frequency can be lowered by negative thoughts/emotions, stress, blood chemistry imbalance, and ingested chemicals, which allow us to contract colds and viruses in the first place. Research has found that the high frequency of essential oils creates an environment where bacteria, fungi and viruses cannot survive. Essential oils provide a high frequency environment for the body.

Researchers have found that some essential oils – oregano, thyme and rosewood oils, in particular – create an autolytic (destruction of cells and tissues by enzymes produced by the cells, themselves) reaction in organisms, including streptococcus pneumonia. Dr. Diane Horne of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, told the 98th general assembly of the American Society of Microbiology about the serendipitous discovery of the impact of essential oils on cells such as streptococcus pneumonia (bacteria that causes a very serious type of pneumonia in children with sickle cell disease).

When Dr. Horne’s co-researcher was spraying aromatic oils in the laboratory, Dr. Horne looked at the streptococcus pneumonia bacteria that she was preparing for another experiment and noticed that its cells were literally falling apart. Dr. Horne and co-worker Sue Chao, of the Young Living Essential Oils Company of Payton, Utah, tested the autolyzing properties of 74 essential oils and discovered that the best results occurred with oregano, thyme and rosewood and that intermediate inhibition of the pathogens was achieved with cinnamon oil and clove oil. Dr. Horne pointed out that the oils also proved to be a powerful remedy against E. coli (a bacterium and virus in one) and several species of fungi.

What these tests revealed is that essential oils, such as oregano, clove, cinnamon, rosewood and rosemary, are so powerful that viruses and bacteria cannot survive in their presence. That is, the viruses and bacteria are destroyed when they come into contact with these therapeutic essential oils.

Therapeutic grade oils like those by Young Living, (which I and my roomate happen to distribute for your money saving convenience ). One thing on my next order is a new daily use kit that is formulated with oils to support the immune system, including thieves, here. Another major oil for viruses is Oregano. Yup, this isn’t just a nice tasting dry herb for your Italian dish, folks. Same thing with clove (which is in Thieves, so there ya go.)

In 1996, YM. Siddiqui and colleagues examined the antiviral actions of oregano and clove oils against RNA and DNA viruses. The antiviral powers of oregano oil were made clear. A look through the microscope showed that the viruses’ outer protective membrane “disintegrated” after exposure to the oregano oil.

In another 1996 paper, which appeared in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, researchers tested extracts from oregano oil against eight strains of bacteria, such as: Escherichia coli (otherwise affectionately known as E. coli, and sometimes found in poorly packaged juice products and elsewhere), Salmonella, staph, Bacillus and other nasties. The findings? The essential oil of oregano was “extremely bactericidal” (antibacterial), even at very dilute concentrations. Even watered down preparations caused “considerable decrease in bacterial growth rates.”

Toward the end of 1998, Dutch researchers looked at the effectiveness of one of oregano’s most potent compounds, carvacrol (mentioned earlier), against the food-borne baddy, Bacillus cereus. The results showed that the compound was effective against this bug in a dose-dependent manner – from total block on growth (for the top concentration) to reducing spread of the Bacillus bacteria (for the lowest).

Also in 1998, another group of researchers published their results in the Journal of Essential Oil Research in which they examined the anti germ powers of five aromatic Sicilian plants: laurel, sage, rosemary, oregano and coriander. While all of the plant extracts showed impressive germ killing (antimicrobial) effects, the “highest and broadest activity was shown by the oil of oregano.”

Stay tuned for Part 2, Section 2: Herbals for Colds and Flus: decoctions, teas, tinctures…

Further, if you are interested in ordering some essential oils yourself, feel free to order through Lacey’s distributor line to get deep discounts.

I can feel the Winter season slowly creeping up in the background of this beautiful Fall. In about a month, this crispy colorful leaves will be dry and cracklin’, the wind will whip through the bare branches, the jack o lantern will be dilapidated. Okay, okay, am I giving you early onset seasonal depression?

And with that seasonal depression might come some life stress, and the next thing you know you’ve binged on sugar, fallen asleep, and WHAM! You’re up with a full blown sinus cold (or worse!)

Either you’ve been there, you ARE there, or you WILL be there.

So here we go, a little mama herbal wisdom:

Prevention is the best medicine. Balance, balance, balance. But sometimes, despite you’re best efforts, you get kinda “high”. You’re in the zone, fillin’ up that calendar, working hard and before you know it, you see all those red flags going up. For me it’s a chatterbox brain (and mouth), a listlessness and off kilter energy. I wake up with a little sore throat, I yawn all day, I feel my exhaustion catching up with me and the only thing that sounds good is SLEEP.

Sleep is SO important. The body does most of its cellular rebuilding during sleep, while dreams blow off mental steam and unresolved tensions of the day. I find it SO hard to get to bed at a decent hour. The wee hours of the morning are when my brain is most productive for work, yet I don’t have the luxury of sleeping all day because, alas, I have 2 young kids! If you are like me, your sleep “issues” vary; maybe sometimes its GETTING to sleep, maybe its STAYING asleep, maybe its the QUALITY and DEPTH of your sleep (like nursing all night?!)

Herbs can play a significant role in supporting the body’s need for sleep. The “sleep aid” herbs work gently, not like a tranquilizer, and have been used since FOREVER. They don’t have side effects, are not addictive, and work differently for different people. It’s important to really look at your symptoms and pick the right herb to support your needs. And let’s not forget- fresher is ALWAYS better. Fresh, organically grown whole herbs (leaves, flowers, roots — as opposed to capsules) are powerful when used as either nourishment or medicine. All of the herbs in my list below can be found at Mountain Rose Herbs where you can purchase the fresh, organic herbs in bulk (4 oz, 8oz, even 1 lb). Second to growing/harvesting them yourself, you will benefit much more from theirs than stagnant bagged teas or conventionally grown herbs from many grocers (a little pesticide spray with your chamomile tea before bed? Mmmm….) (You can read more about their guiding principles here.)

That said, here is a quick overview of some herbs for sleep (and/or stress!):

SKULLCAP: Skullcap really became my best friend at the end of my pregnancy. Sleep was hard to come by, and with the heart burn and discomfort I had I really needed something to KNOCK me out. Skullcap is said to be the closest thing to a mild sedative. It doesn’t work that way for everyone, but its definitely worth a try. (Bonus: It is also anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic.) Take as a tincture or even a medicinal tea (15 minutes steep) 30 minutes before you plan to go to bed. Awake from a deep sleep refreshed, not groggy.

CHAMOMILE: Another popular sleepy time tea, and often used for children to promote a calm, restful spirit. Either drink as a beverage tea (3-5 minutes steep time) or add to a warm bath! (Be careful if you have a yellow flower pollen allergy – chamomile tea could make you irritated if you do, the opposite of restful! If you have an allergy to ragweed, chamomile may even cause an anaphylactic shock.)

LAVENDER: I ADORE lavender as a relaxing herb. I have had great success using lavendar as an essential oil from Young Living, (it is useful for many things, relaxation is only one of them!) A drop under my pillow and rubbed into the soles of my feet before bed helps signal my body to relax and often helps me attain a deeper sleep than usual. BUT- it can sometimes be more of a stimulate for some people, so the important thing to remember here is that lavender works to support and strengthen the nervous system, so it could work differently for you depending on your body’s needs. It works for me because the nervous system strengthening helps alleviate any worry or depression I have when going to bed. Once that is liften, sleep is easier to come by, and keep.

Here are some perhaps lesser known herbs that could be your ticket to better sleep:

LEMON BALM: Like lavender, lemon balm strengthens nervous system to help nerves relax. Another thing lemon balm is GREAT for is a decongestant, not only for the body but for the mind as well. Lemon balm grows like weeds around here, so if you find this herb useful you should plant some in the corner of your yard and harvest yourself!

VALERIAN ROOT: Valerian root can really help relieve anxiety. If also repopulates easily, so buying one plant and harvesting yourself is a good idea. Note: it is not the most tasty herb as a tincture or tea, but one tip I learned in my herbs class is to make Mead with it (honey wine). I am very excited to give this a try in the coming months, (I think I’ll start by making a kombucha with it, however).

PASSIONVINE (flower): Useful for mental stimulation and nervous energy, use as tea or tincture.

CALIFORNIA POPPY: Useful and SAFE FOR CHILDREN TOO, a relaxant and pain reliever. It can also be found wild in Oregon. If you find some, you can make tea from the flowers, or use the whole plant in your tincture form.

HOPS: Many folks claim that fresh hops can help them with sleep problems. It is often used in sleep pillows (and it’s easy to make these yourself!). Another tip from herb class: hops can have opposite effect on those who are clinically depressed, so if that is you, hops might not be your friend.

CATNIP: I love catnip, it’s one of my favorite herbs. I tried it for the first time to break fever, and within minutes I was deeply asleep. When I awoke, I looked up more info about it and found out some great stuff: Catnip is wonderful for hyper kids and colic babies, AND it’s an anti-spasmadic (which helps my IBS problems). I drink before bed to pass through breastmilk for Verity to sleep well. Another thing to note is that catnip herb can be great for really bad, spasmodic coughs, but we’ll get more into that in Part 2, when we talk about what to do once you ARE sick. (Tincture fresh leaves).

OATSTRAW: This nerve strengthening herb is a great all over tonic (and its known as an aphrodisiac too! (there certainly are LOTS of nerves, ya know, DOWN THERE )

St. JOHNS WORT: Anti-depressant, moves things through the liver quickly (so does not work in conjuction with prescription drugs) and treats sore overworked muscles.

LINDEN FLOWERS: Relaxant and headache reliever.

Lastly, there are many herbs in their therapeutic grade essential oil form that can aid in your sleep, balance, and prevention of winter time (or any time!) blues and colds. For one, a blend called RutaVaLa includes: Ruta graveolens (rue), lavender, and valerian essential oils.

Coming up next… Herbs for Rest and Inner Defense – Part 2. I’ll tell you about what to do when it’s seems too late. Your are or are getting sick and you need SUPPORT, asap. Before you head out for over the counter medicine or antibiotics that will only mask your symptoms and leave your body weak and more vulnerable to the next attack, remember that nature has supplied us with some amazing herbs to aid your body’s immune (and other) systems to fight off the bad germs itself – leaving you healthy and resilient instead! So stay tuned…