Roses are red and very good for YOU!

Roses are red and good for YOU! Not only known for their beautiful bloom and deliciously sweet smell roses, in the form of hydrosol (pure rose water) and essential oils have many known health benefits. Used in gentle and small amounts rose oils and waters are known for: Calming, mood boosting, Anti-depressant, anti-stress, anti-anger, calming of breathing issues like asthma, aphrodisiac, Helps calm and alleviate headaches, mood swings and emotional troubles. It also has anti-viral and anti-bacterial components that help heal and protect your skin and body. Remember too strong of any scent and oil will have the opposite desired effects, so less is more when dealing with natural oils.


ALSO, This is a nice article on the benefits of rose oil and rose water (hydrosol). http://www.rosemagazine.com/pages/therapeutic.asp

Shea Butter, the healing nut

Shea Butter : extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. It is wonderful for so many beauty products. Unrefined, organic is best to preserve it's natural properties. It absorbs into the skin fast, has some sunblock abilities, but also help with dry, inflamed, itchy and cracked skin. Also Shea Butter is a wonderful hair dressing and moisturizing treatment to help with dry scalp, split ends, frizziness and overall stressed hair.

This is the African Shea Tree. The nuts of this tree are harvested to make Shea Butter. It is a renewable and green product through and through. No chemicals are used in the process either.

The Shea Butter I use is unprocessed, raw, organic and a fair trade sustainable product.

Hydrosols, the 411:

A Hydrosol or Floral Water is essentially the by-product of steam distillation of plant materials like flower or leaves in the creation of Essential Oils. A Hydrosol is the left-over water from that process. It is steam distilled water that is infused with microscopic particles of the essential oil is in suspension throughout the water giving it a light and bright scent of the Essential Oil that was produced. Although it is considered a by-product of sorts, Hydrosols are no less important in both beauty and aromatherapy applications. Some individuals (like myself) produce their own hydrosols with the essential oils that are collected as an added bonus. Hydrosols are anti-inflammatory as well as gently antiseptic and anti-bacterial, they freshen and tone the skin naturally, help calm acne prone skin while adding a gentle and natural scent. Also used within light perfumes or room sprays, like our spa mist, they add a light natural scent, with gentle anti-bacterial benefits.


I create my own Hydrosols, as well as infused waters and oils. All are natural and organic, most from the plants I grow in my own garden! (I do not use artificial fertilizers or pesticides)
*Amanda*

Chamomile, more than just a tea

Chamomile is well known for it's use as a relaxing, sleep friendly tea. It relaxes and soothes the body and has anti-inflammatory properties internally. 
It also rivals Lavender for it's soothing and relaxing aromatherapy traits and is great externally as well. It helps soothe the nerves, helps calm inflamed and irritated skin including psoriasis, eczema and acne. Used in cool and warm compresses, soaks in baths, infused oil for skin care products, essential oil for skin care and aromatherapy. It can help heal and cool a sun burn or overworked bodies, it can calm and heal rashes, hives and skin ailments or just be a wonderful relaxing ingredient. 


Chamomile is not just a great tea for a restless night, but is a valuable ingredient for daily skin care.

Lavender, so much more than just another pretty flower

Lavender has been used for centuries to treat and prevent a myriad of health issues. Known for it's beautiful purple color and fragrant blossoms, lavender is packed full of helpful and healthful properties.

Scientifically known as Lavandula angustifolia, Lavender is part of a family of plants that also includes mint, originating in France, England, Tasmania and Yugoslavia. It has long been used for Insomnia, digestive problems, Anxiety and restlessness. As recent as WW1 Lavender was used to disinfect wounds because of it's high disinfecting and antiseptic properties. Even hospitals have used it to sterilize equipment in years past.

Today, lavender is most commonly used for anxiety, depression, mental exhaustion, insomnia, scrapes and wounds, digestive problems, headaches, skin problems and women's health problems. Lavender can also be used to treat exhaustion, heat exposure, fevers, aches and pains, over-exertion, jet lag, rashes, sprains, sunburn, sunstroke, bruises and burns. Lastly lavender is used as a disinfectant, insect repellent, antiseptic, natural antibiotic, sedative, detoxification.

Pure lavender essential oil is a powerful form and should be used sparingly, diluted in a carrier oil and then used for massage, warm baths or compresses. Even when used topically (on the skin) it should be diluted so as not to cause irritation. For wounds, skin inflammation, skin abrasions or other issues, massaging a small amount of the oil into the areas can disinfect and help heal. Massaging the oil into your temples can aid in stress, depression, insomnia and headaches.

Tinctures of lavender can be taken internally for digestive issues. Mixed with distilled water the essential oil can be used as a light room, bedding or clothing spray. Lastly, the dried or fresh flowers can be used in sachets or displayed for their healing, calming and refreshing smell.

Not just another pretty face.

Sea salt, what is it good for....

Many know that sea salt is a great salt to use for cooking and seasoning. Some individuals can taste the difference between common table salt and sea salt, this may be due to the different mineral content. Sea salt can be found in chunk, rock, coarse and even fine varieties. There are trace amounts of iodine occurring within natural sea salt, but not comparable to iodized table salt.

Sea salt has commonly been created by evaporation of seawater, this can be done on a protected coast line, man made shallow lagoons, shallow lake beds or salt marshes. Different seas, locations, collection techniques and production processes can all create differing colors and slightly different flavors of the end product. For example, The Koreans produce one variety called Bamboo Salt. Created by packing bamboo segments with sea salt and packing the ends with mud, then roasting.. the salt absorbs minerals from the mud as well as nutrients from the bamboo.

BUT why is it used topically? For the same reason swimming in the sea can relax us, cleanse away stress, improve our skin. The water from our seas and oceans is know for its purification. Sea salt scrubs and soaks can help detoxify the skin, help to reduce fluid retention and also has antiseptic properties. Using sea salt as a scrub helps in circulation and exfoliation as well. By adding all natural essential oils into sea salt scrubs and soaks you get the added benefits of those individual herbs and botanicals as well.

So what is it good for?? Absolutely everything!

Raw honey, the nitty gritty.

(Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional, nor claim to have any training in the healing arts. Honey is not safe for infants in any form and some individuals can have allergic reactions to consuming honey or applying it topically.)

Let us begin by stating the fact that most commercially available, store purchased honey that is free flowing crystal clear amber is not the best for you. Many of the mass produced honeys in supermarkets and box stores are overly filtered, pasteurized and enhanced for shelf life, look and flavor. Through the filtering and pasteurization process however most of the healing and healthful benefits are then extinguished. Such a shame, thousands of bees working hard for that jar of pure miracle health food, to have it all cooked, filtered and washed away. Sometimes nature gets it right the very first time.

Raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized, un-enhanced, local honey is by far the healthiest and offer the most value per jar than any cute honey bear sitting at the local grocery world store. This type of honey is left in it's purest most natural state. No, it is not always perfectly clear, yes you may see some "things" suspended and also YES it does get crystallized faster, but none of that is bad, nor a sign of contamination. Those "things" suspended is everything that is good for you, is where the healing is found. There is pollen, honey comb fragments, bee fragments and sometimes organic plant matter, but no worries, the inert antibacterial/antibiotic properties of honey corrects that. 

The bees collect the nectar (and also pick up the pollen etc) form the local plants that cause the majority of our seasonal allergies. By consuming this type of honey, we are boosting our immune system by introducing the very things that are causing the adverse reactions. Not unlike an immunization introduces into the body the very thing it protects against. By consuming 2 tbsp of local raw honey daily several weeks prior to allergy season, you can actual prevent most symptoms and quite possibly go through allergy season symptom free.

Honey can be used internally as well as externally, it is truly a wonder-food... a powerhouse of healing and restoration on many fronts.

Topically it can be used in the following ways:

Sunburns, burns, abrasions, ulcers, infections, fungal infections, acne, cysts, rash, chafing

Used since 50 A.D. it is one of the oldest known wound dressings

It is also mentioned in the Bible, Koran and Torah.

To use honey as a wound dressing: Apply like any wound, burn or topical ointment, loosely cover with bandage or bandaid. Change as needed.

Internally it can be ingested to help the following:

Improve, ease and combat seasonal allergies and allergies to plants, flowers, mold, fungus.

Ease stomach aches/nausea and discomfort, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, colds, flu, sore throat, throat infections, sinus infections.

UTI and bladder infections and irritation, yeast and other reproductive infections.

Lowers cholesterol and normalizes blood pressure, increase energy, over-all health improvement.

Honey can be added to all foods, drinks and recipes as a sweetener and healthy alternative to white sugar.

For a general health spread:

2 tbs honey, enough ground cinnamon mixed in to make a paste. 

Spread this on bread, biscuits, toast or fresh fruit. 

Healthy Start Breakfast:

1 Medium banana sliced, 2 cups of cubed seasonal fresh fruit

(Our house fave is mixed berries or pineapple, peaches, cantaloupe and grapes)

1 serving of your Favorite plain or vanilla yogurt, organic or Greek is recommended.

Health spread from above

Mix all ingredients well, top with granola or toasted steel-cut oatmeal for added crunch.

Health Tonic Toddy:

1 tea bag of quality herbal or organic tea of your choice. 

(choose one that offers the health properties you need) I highly reccomend: http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/

2 thin slices of ginger

ground cinnamon

1 tbsp (or more) of raw honey

Boil 1 1/2 cups of water with ginger slices and cinnamon added, lower to low simmer adding water as needed for 20 minutes, remove from heat, add tea bag and steep for 15 minutes. 

Add generous amount of honey and enjoy.

(You can toddy this up by adding a splash of bourbon, brandy or whiskey for added kick)

When illness or seasonal allergies threaten:

Take one tbsp twice a day, more if illness is in the home or place of employment.

Add to any hot caffeine free tea before bed each night.

Where to buy raw, unfiltered local honey:

Check local health food stores, local plant nurseries, holistic healers

Go online to http://www.localharvest.org/organic-honey.jsp

or simply search the web under the search terms "local raw honey" and your city, county or state.

We do hope that this post has opened your eyes to the world of local raw honey.

Our family has been consuming and using local raw honey for over 10 years now and now no longer need OTC allergy or cold medications and have only minimal seasonal allergy symptoms when spring starts early. I personally have also lowered both my cholesterol and blood pressure with the help of local raw honey and cinnamon along with a non-processed food diet.