It’s inevitable. As hard as I try to stay away, cold season always find me.  My natural disinfectant spray and diy hand sanitizer definitely help, but it’s impossible to avoid germs 100 percent. Bacteria are everywhere,  but when our immune defenses are down, cold and flu can strike. Homemade jello with immune boosting herbs is a tasty way to fight off unwanted invaders.

Kid Friendly Homemade Jello

I vividly remember the disgusting taste of artificially flavored cherry syrup as a kid. Once I started coughing, sniffling, and my tonsils swelled up I knew the dreaded syrupy liquid was coming.

Not all herbal remedies taste great, so it can be hard to get little ones to take them. However, I’ve found this herbal gelatin is an easy, painless way to get more herbs into my kids (and husband). It’s tangy and fruity thanks to the lemon and vitamin C rich herbs.

“Honey honey how you thrill me”

Raw honey adds a little sweetness and ups the immune boosting factor. Unlike processed sugar, raw honey benefits the body and has antibacterial and antiviral properties. A 2011 article, Honey and Microbial Infections, reported this:

“When ingested, honey also promotes healing and shows antibacterial action by decreasing prostaglandin levels, elevating nitric oxide levels, and exerting prebiotic effects. These factors play a major role in controlling inflammation and promoting microbial control and healing processes.” – source

Immune Boosting Echinacea

Echinacea is known for it’s immune boosting properties and for good reason. This little powerhouse is anti-microbial and anti-viral. It also stimulates the immune system and strengthens the body by enhancing the physiology Echinacea is most effective though when it’s taken at the first sign of a cold or sickness, or right after you know you’ve been exposed to something.

A 2011 report in Pharmaceuticals found echinacea worked against all of the tested viruses, including flu viruses resistant to the drug Tamiflu. Echinacea also helps fight lymphatic congestion, modulates the immune system, calms inflammation, fights bacteria, viruses and fungi. It enhances the immune system to help and stimulates white blood cells that help the body destroy harmful cells and pathogens.

Echinacea herb can have a slightly bitter taste to it, so I like to pair it with other, more pleasant tasting herbs, especially for kids.

Vitamin C Packed Herbs

Rose hips have a fruity, sour taste and are packed with immune boosting nutrition. They’re one of the highest herbal sources of vitamin C too. As a water based vitamin, our bodies don’t store vitamin C, so this is one we need to consume daily. Rose hips help soothe irritated tissue and are full of inflammation reducing antioxidants.

Hibiscus flowers, however, have to be one of my favorite tasting herbs. It’s fruity tasting like rose hips and can help calm spasms. “15 to 30% plant acids, including citric, malic, and tartaric acids.” It’s also high in antioxidants.  I’ve also added a splash of lemon juice to this recipe for even more vitamin C content. Raw honey balances out the sour qualities of the other herbs and also helps mask the Echinacea taste.

Nettle

Yes, the same poky plant that leaves stingers in your skin. Nettle is packed with nutrients, like iron, calcium, beta carotene, and lutein. When it’s dried and steeped in tea there aren’t any stingers and you’re left with a potent nutritive herb. It has a bit of a fresh, grassy taste, but in this recipe, all you taste are the tangy herbs and sweet honey.

Can you make Jello from scratch?

I used to think the only way to enjoy jello was by opening up a little box and dumping out the bright powder. Those days are over. Yes, you can make jello from scratch, and no, it’s not complicated. It took a little research and experimenting but I figured out how to get the firm jello consistency I want. Some people make a softer version of jello that’s eaten with a spoon, but I’m firmly on team jello jigglers. Jello squares are also more fun for kids and easy for little hands to grab a hold of.

Immune Boosting Homemade Jello

This fruity, tangy homemade jello recipe is a great way to bolster the immune system. 

Sources:

• Fritchey, P. (2004). Practical herbalism: Ordinary plants with extraordinary powers. Warsaw, IN: Whitman Publications.
• Horne, S. (2007). The ABC Herbal: A simplified guide to natural health care for children (3rd ed.). Winona Lake, IN: Wendell Whitman.
• Mountain Rose Herbs: Hibiscus Flowers. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2015, from https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/hibiscus-flowers/profile
• Pedersen, M. (1998). Nutritional herbology: A reference guide to herbs (Rev. and expanded ed.). Warsaw, IN: Wendell W. Whitman.
• Shaw, G., Barthel, L., Ross., M., Wang, B., & Barr, K. (2017). Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 105(1):136-143. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.138594.
• Hudson, J., & Vimalanathan, S. (2011). Echinacea—A Source of Potent Antivirals for Respiratory Virus Infections. Pharmaceuticals, 4(7), 1019–1031. doi:10.3390/ph4071019

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The art of massage has many health benefits. Add some essential oils, and you’ve got a winning combo with this edible massage oil. This sensual blend will help soothe achy muscles, relieve stress, improve mood and help you connect with your partner.

Edible massage oil for better health

Most of us will readily admit that massage just plain feels good. Massage has been shown to have a whole host of benefits though. Here are just a few of the things a good massage can do (source).

• Reduce cortisol, a stress hormone that can also cause that unsightly belly bulge.
• increases serotonin and dopamine, our feel good chemicals that help to boost mood.
• Positively affects delta brain waves that promote relaxation and sleep.
• Increases white blood cell count to boost immunity (immunological and psychological benefits of aromatherapy massage
• Increases alertness and mental accuracy.
• Decreases pain and anxious feelings.

This study in particular found that participants who inhaled essential oils, or had them applied topically while a massage was done saw significantly better results than those not using essential oils. When you’re using aphrodisiac essential oils to massage your partner, you’re getting all of the benefits above, setting a romantic mood, and establishing a deeper connection with your loved one.

Aphrodisiac essential oils

These essential oils have aphrodisiac properties. I’ve organized them by scent family so you can choose which ones best appeal to you. If you or your partner hate a certain scent, even though its technically an aphrodisiac, neither of you are going to have a pleasant time with it. Personally I don’t like ylang ylang, unless its heavily diluted and mixed in a blend, and my husband can’t stand ginger.

Hot essential oils and skin irritation

Certain essential oils, especially the ones that are considered “hot” oils, like cinnamon, black pepper and ginger should be used sparingly. I’ve included the maximum dilution ratios of each essential oil for all of the edible massage oil recipes. All of the essential oils are used at a dilution that’s considered perfectly safe for skincare. And please, even though these are skin safe, make sure you still avoid particular sensitive areas, if you know what I mean. Burning, irritation and rashes in your nether regions are not fun!

Be sure to test your chosen blend for any skin sensitivities before applying it to large portions of the body. Apply a small amount to the inside of your arm and leave it for about 10 minutes, monitoring for any irritation or redness. All of these blends are using each oil at a dilution considered safe for adults, however personal reactions can still occur if you happen to be sensitive to an oil.

Citrus oils and phototoxicity

You’ll also notice certain phototoxic essential oils listed below, namely bergamot, lime and lemon. I wouldn’t slather this on and go sunbathe, but I’ve used these citrus oils at a percentage that makes phototoxicity not a concern here.  See this article for all the details on phototoxic essential oil safety.

The perfect carrier oil for edible massage oil

I typically use coconut oil for massage, since it doesn’t immediately sink into the skin. Lighter oils, like grapeseed and rosehip seed oil absorb quickly into the skin, making it harder to use them for massage without constantly dumping more on. Sweet almond oil has a soft, sweet scent too it with a medium absorption rate, so it’s also nice for an edible massage oil. If you use unrefined coconut oil, it’s solid at room temperature, so you’ll need to store the blend in a jar.

Seductive spice edible massage oil recipe

• ½ cup sweet almond oil
• 10 drops Cinnamon leaf essential oil (not bark!) .5%
• 15 drops orange essential oil 5%
• 5 drops cardamom essential oil

Drip the essential oils into a 4 oz bottle, then fill the rest of the way with sweet almond oil.

Tropical island edible massage oil recipe with coconut oil

• 20 drops ginger essential oil 5%
• 20 drops lime essential oil .7%
• ½ cup unrefined coconut oil 

In a small bowl combine the essential oils and coconut oil. Stir well with a spoon or rubber spatula, then store in an airtight 4 oz glass jar.

Sensual floral edible massage oil recipe

• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 20 drops lemon essential oil 2%
• 2 drops ylang ylang essential oil .8%
• ½ cup sweet almond oil

Drip the essential oils into a 4 oz bottle, then fill the rest of the way with sweet almond oil.

What are your favorite essential oil scents? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to share this post!

The post Edible massage oil recipe with aphrodisiac essential oils appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

I’ve been able to avoid getting sick most of the time by taking extra care of myself at the very first sign of sickness. I like to load up on some elderberry syrup, herbal tea, and this cold busting chicken soup. It’s an amped up version of the chicken noodle classic, so that you get even more health benefits.

Taking care of yourself

I can always tell when I’m about to get sick because I get that tired, run down feeling. If I ignore it, then I know in a few days I’m going to feel extra crappy. Preventative measures, like eating healthy, and taking care of yourself to relieve stress is important, but sometimes life gets in the way of those things. It never fails; I get busy, the stress builds, I indulge in sugar to keep me going and then bam…I’m sicker than a dog.

Sometimes life throws you a curveball, and as much as you want to, you just don’t have time to take care of yourself like you should. The great thing about this chicken soup, is that not only will it help you be healthier, but it also gets dinner on the table. You can double the recipe if you’d like and freeze the extra for some other time. I like to make enough for several meals, especially since it takes me several days of targeted care to really get over a cold or flu.

Antibacterial ingredients

Onions and garlic both have potent antibacterial properties to help kick your cold to the curb. I’ll often eat a slice of raw garlic in some raw honey every few hours when I’m sick, and it usually takes care of it completely. This study showed that onion was effective at killing multiple strains of bacteria.  Garlic is even better, as it can take care of not just bacteria, but viruses and fungus as well. You really want fresh garlic though, as the active ingredient is no longer viable an hour after smashing the garlic clove.

Oregano is also a powerful antibacterial herb, so I like putting some in this chicken soup. I’ve used thyme because its great for soothing coughs, and helping the body to expel excess mucus from the lungs and throat. If you can find fresh herbs that’s best, but dried will absolutely work, and is what I use in winter anyway.

Mineral rich sea salt

Every soup known to man has salt, so why am I mentioning it here? Sea salt is full of trace minerals that our bodies need for optimal health. I like using light grey celtic sea salt, but Himalayan or Redmond’s real salt are also great choices. Just don’t use the cheap, bleached iodized “sea salt” at your local big box grocery store. That stuff is glorified table salt and just as toxic (source).

Boost circulation for faster healing

I normally use ground black pepper when cooking, but this soup uses cayenne pepper. Cayenne gives it a little kick, but it also increases circulation to speed healing in the body. Cayenne also helps to break up and move congestion from the body, which is great for stuffy noses. It has antibacterial properties, boosts the lymphatic system and aids digestion and detox (source).

Apple cider vinegar is another key player in this recipe. It may sound strange to include vinegar in your soup, but the acidity really helps round out the flavor and makes it taste amazing! I learned this from Sarah Britton’s cookbook, Back to Your Roots, which just happens to be my all time favorite recipe book. Apple cider vinegar doesn’t just make the soup taste better though, it helps the body detox, aids digestion and so many other things to help you get better faster.

No chicken in chicken broth?

I was a little surprised when I read the back of the box on my organic chicken broth and realized that it was just organic chicken “flavors.” Umm, what happened to the chicken? Making your own broth is super easy.

I make it with kitchen scraps for a broth that costs nothing, but tastes fabulous and is full of vitamins and minerals. I cook a whole chicken, then take the meat off for meals, like this chicken soup recipe and make broth with the bones. You can get my recipe for concentrated chicken broth cubes here. I just recently got this instant pot, so I’m looking forward to making my broth in there next time, since it’s so much faster than my crockpot!

What do you eat during a cold or flu to feel better? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to share this post with a friend!

The post Cold busting chicken soup to get you better fast appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

It seems like everyone is jumping on the natural bandwagon lately and makeup is no exception.
How can you cut past the hype though and find products that are truly natural and non-toxic? How do you know if your so called natural makeup is actually toxic?

My History with Makeup

In high school I had fun shopping the makeup aisle, trying different lip gloss colors and using heavy concealer for those teenage blemishes. My biggest concern with buying makeup was if I should get the volumizing or lengthening mascara. I never thought twice about the ingredients label, in fact, I don’t think I ever once looked at the ingredients.

In college I started wearing makeup less often to cut down on the toxins going into my body. I still held onto that jar of heavy foundation though for the occasional pimple. The past few years I’ve ditched conventional makeup altogether. Yes, even that last jar of foundation finally made its way to the trashcan last month.

How Natural Makeup Brands Stack Up

If you’re like me and trying to go the natural route when it comes to makeup, you may be surprised to see then that some of the “natural” options really aren’t so natural. Some of them have some truly nasty ingredients. Below I’ve delved into the ingredients of some popular natural brands to see how they stack up.

Tarte

This brand is sold at retailers like Sephora and boasts ingredients like chamomile, ginseng and green tea. However, there are some unsavory ingredients mixed in with the natural ones, making this brand not my top choice. Some of their products are fairly clean, even though they still contain heavy metals from certain minerals, while others are loaded with synthetic and toxic ingredients.

Amazonian clay BB illuminating moisturizer

• Retinyl Palmitate -Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity
• Oxybenzone– Enhanced skin absorption, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Persistence and bioaccumulation
• Octinoxate– Enhanced skin absorption, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Persistence and bioaccumulation
• Phenoxyethanol– Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards, Use restrictions

Vitamin infused lip gloss

• Fragrance– (which can be a chemical cocktail of anything) Ecotoxicology, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Miscellaneous, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive
• Retinyl acetate – Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Heavy metals like tin and aluminum
• Artificial colors made with aluminum

EWG report , EWG report

Bare Minerals

This brand is heavily marketed on tv and in stores as being natural, but it has some ingredients I’d prefer to stay away from.

• Retinyl palmitate – Biochemical or cellular level changes, cancer
• Eugenol – Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Benzyl benzoate – Ecotoxicology, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Occupational hazards, Use restrictions
• Artificial colors – cancer, organ system toxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation
• Aluminum powder – neurotoxin, Enhanced skin absorption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive),

EWG report, EWG report

Cowgirl Dirt

This brand was recently bought out and loyal customers are upset with some of the changes. More natural ingredients have supposedly been replaced by questionable ones.

• Retinyl palmitate – Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Octinoxate – Enhanced skin absorption, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Persistence and bioaccumulation
• Polysorbate-60 – Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Phenoxyethanol -Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards, Use restrictions
• Ethanol – Enhanced skin absorption, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
• Sodium laureth sulfate – Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1,4-DIOXANE, ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1,4-DIOXANE), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Diazolidinyl Urea – formaldehyde releaser that can cause cancer

EWG report , EWG report

Aveda

This brand used to be like the slick gunslinger in a western. You didn’t know what side they’re really on until you see what they’re made of. The brand has since made their ingredients available on their website, but I can’t say I’m too impressed.  There are some great natural plant extracts and oils, but plenty of toxic or unknown ingredients.

• Fragrance – (which can be a chemical cocktail of anything) Ecotoxicology, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Miscellaneous, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive

• PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAISOSTEARATE – That’s quite a mouthful. This ingredient doesn’t have any data behind it so we don’t have any idea if it’s safe. It could be a safe synthetic chemical concoction… or not.

• Methylisothiazolinone – Ecotoxicology, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Neurotoxicity, Use restrictions
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone –  Cancer, Ecotoxicology, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Use restrictions
• Artificial colors – Red 6, Yellow 6, Blue 1, etc. etc. There’s very limited safety data and scientists don’t have enough info to say if it doesn’t cause cancer or other health effects.

EWG report (source) (source)

Younique

Like the others this brand features some nourishing natural ingredients mixed in with some toxic ones. Here I’ve highlighted the Beach Front Bronzer and a mascara. Some of their products are pretty clean, but you have to be careful what you get and really analyze each product’s ingredients.

• Octinoxate– Enhanced skin absorption, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Persistence and bioaccumulation
• Corn starch – probably gmo and contaminated with toxic pesticides
• Talc – has been linked to cancer and the focus of many lawsuits right now
• Phenoxyethanol – Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards, Use restrictions
• Vinyl dimethicone – “Flexible silicon polymers consisting of dimethicone copolymers that are linked together.” (source) It’s been deemed safe by EWG, but still not something I’d love to have on my face.- See more at:
• Phenoxyethanol – Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards, Use restrictions

Physician’s formula

• Aluminum powder – heavy metals like aluminum have been linked to neurotoxicity and diseases like Alzheimers. (source, source)
• Retinyl acetate – Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Fragrance – A chemical cocktail of practically anything, typically neurotoxic
• Boric acid – Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Endocrine disruption, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Quaternium 15 (formaldehyde releaser) – Cancer, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Contamination concerns, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Use restrictions
• Parabens – Biochemical or cellular level changes, Data gaps, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Use restrictions

EWG report

Bite Beauty

• Hydrogenated vegetable oil – highly processed and closer to plastic than oil (source)
• Hydrogenated castor oil – ditto to above
• Polypropanediol dimer dilinoleate – a synthetic chemical derived from gmo corn and soy products. Likely contaminated with round up and other chemicals sprayed on the corn and soy. (source) (source)

The bottom line with natural makeup

There are a lot of cosmetic ingredients that just don’t have enough (or any) safety data on them. Until I can know for sure that a synthetic chemical is safe, it’s staying off my face. Just because a brand pledges to stay away from a list of potential toxins, doesn’t mean they aren’t using other ones. On the other hand, some ingredients, like alpha tocopherol, may sound scary, but it’s really just vitamin E.

Best practice is to always read the back of the label and research the safety of the ingredients.

Truly healthy makeup

I like to be an informed consumer, but I also don’t like having to decipher and analyze every single ingredient label from the brand I’m using. To save myself time and to ensure I’m doing what’s best for my skin and my health, I like using clean makeup without all the nasties. I don’t want to end up with Alzheimer’s or cancer just from using some foundation powder!

Here you can find a collection of completely safe and non-toxic makeup recipes if you’re the diy type. If you don’t want to spend the time or don’t have the ingredients you need on hand, then there are other, healthy options you can buy. In fact, the makeup I’ve created for my body care shop, This & That Herbal is plant based, non-toxic and free of heavy metals. Unlike the other brands that advertise herbs and oils, I don’t include all the nasty stuff along with them.

You can read more about the plant based foundation powder here.

Read more about my plant based blush here. (this can also be used as eyeshadow!)

Were you surprised at the ingredients in your natural makeup? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Is Your Natural Makeup Actually Toxic? appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

Something I look forward to the most every July is sumac season. These brightly colored, tart berries not only make a delicious lemonade, but they’re also loaded with vitamin C. So brew a batch and sip away!

Isn’t it poisonous?!

You may have only ever heard the word sumac in conjunction with the phrase “poison sumac,” but this is grossly misleading. Poison sumac has off white berries and can only be found in very wet, marshy areas, so it takes some trying just to even find it. Staghorn and other varieties have red berries and aren’t at all poisonous.

How to harvest sumac

Even if you’re not a pro at identifying wild plants, it’s super easy to tell the two apart. I’ve never actually seen poison sumac myself, even though I’ve seen hundreds of staghorn sumac trees. Just look for the distinct red berries from June to August. You’ll want to harvest them before the rain, as this will wash off the flavor.

There are many different varieties of edible sumac. You can see some of the most common ones and how to identify them here. In my area of the Midwest, the staghorn sumac is what’s available, while in the south, shining sumac is more common.

Health benefits of Sumac

So now that we’ve clarified it’s definitely not going to kill you and how to find it, let’s talk about what makes it so good for you. If you get the juice from the berries on your fingers, you’ll notice a distinct sour taste, which is because of the malic acid on the berries. This acid is tangy, but it’s also great at boosting the immune system.

Sumac is high in antioxidants that help fight inflammation in the body and disease causing free radicals. All parts of the plant can be used medicinally. The bark and leaves are both astringent due to the amount of tannins, while the berries are high in Vitamin C. It was used by the Native Americans as a gargle for sore throats, other natural remedies, and as a tea.

“It was also used medicinally by North American native people in the treatment of bacterial diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, dysentery, and gangrene.” (source)

Confession time

I can attest to the fact that sumac really does work well as an immune booster and cold fighter. When I was working as a nanny full time, I felt a cold coming on, but didn’t have any of my usual remedies with me that day. I walked across the street and gathered some sumac to make lemonade. After 3 quarts of the stuff, I felt fantastic, and that cold never did rear it’s ugly head!

How to make sumac lemonade

There are a few different ways to make sumac lemonade, but this method is my favorite. You don’t want to use water that is too hot for this, or it will release the tannins, making your lemonade bitter.

1. Start with clean sumac berries. You can remove them from the stems, or just use the whole head. I don’t bother removing the berries to save on time. You’ll want to use about 5 medium sumac clusters for every ½ gallon of water.
2. Heat your water just until it’s warm, then remove from the heat and add in the sumac clusters. Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to smash them apart in the water. Cover with a lid and let it steep for 15 minutes or so.
3. Strain the berries from the water. I like to use a large colander, and then a smaller sieve to get out the smallest pieces.
4. Sweeten to taste with raw honey, maple syrup or stevia and serve cold.

How to preserve sumac for later (3 ways)

Since the berries are only available for a short time, you’ll want to preserve a few for a refreshing winter lemonade.

1.You can hang the sumac clusters upside down by their stems in a cool dark place for a few weeks until completely dry. Be sure to store these in an airtight container away from moisture and heat.

2. You can also remove the berries from the cluster, and spread them out on a tray to dry in a dehydrator.

3. Another method that makes for faster sumac lemonade, is to freeze some concentrated sumac lemonade into ice cube trays. Then store the ice cubes in a freezer safe bag in your freezer. Drop a few into a glass of warm water, and voila, sumac lemonade.

Resources:

• More than just native lemonade
• Native plants to know
• The health benefits of sumac spice

Have you ever enjoyed sumac before, or would you like to try it? Tell us about it in the comments below!

The post Sumac lemonade and why it’s so good for you appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

There are a lot of essential oil myths floating around out there. I covered quite a few of them in this post here, like if it’s really so scary to ingest oils, or if you can use them safely on little ones. Something I’ve learned more about recently though is what phototoxic essential oils REALLY are and how to safely use them.

I thought I had it figured out. Citrus essential oils were phototoxic, meaning that when they were applied to the skin they could cause skin to be much more likely to burn in the sun. But.. I had it all wrong.

Are Citrus Essential Oils Phototoxic?

Yes and no. Certain essential oils do cause the skin to be more prone to burning and many of them are citrus oils. However, not all citrus essential oils are phototoxic. Here’s a list of phototoxic essential oils according to Robert Tisserand and the International Fragrance Association, or IFRA.

Phototoxic essential oils

• Bitter orange peel, cold pressed
• Fig leaf absolute
• Bergamot oil, cold pressed
• Lime oil, cold pressed
• Lemon oil, cold pressed
• Grapefruit oil, cold pressed
• Cumin oil
• Rue oil
• Angelica root oil

Update: There’s controversy over grapefruit being on this list, as professionals in the essential oil field have said that an analysis of the chemical breakdown of the oil and the existing literature show no concerns of phototoxicity. Being a citrus oil however, it tends to just get lumped in with the avoid list. This info comes from a personal conversation with Jessie Hawkins PhD of the Franklin Institute.

Citrus oils that are NOT phototoxic

• Lime oil, steam distilled
• Lemon oil, steam distilled
• Mandarin, cold pressed
• Tangerine, cold pressed
• Sweet or wild orange (citrus sinensis), cold pressed

 Phototoxic Essential Oil Safety for Skin

Based off of my readings from different aromatherapy blogs, I was well aware of the fact that phototoxic essential oils just shouldn’t be used on the skin. Or if you did use them, to make sure you didn’t expose skin to the sun for at least 12 hours, or up to 3 days. That’s not exactly true though.

Wash off products

If you’re including the phototoxic essential oil in a wash off product, then the same rules don’t apply. Since the essential oil won’t be sitting on the skin, there is no concern for phototoxicity. So you can wash your face with a lemon oil laced scrub and go out for a day at the beach with no ill effects.

Anything that’s meant to be washed off of the skin, such as soap, shampoo, face wash and body scrubs can safely use phototoxic essential oils. Each oil however has a maximum percentage that can be used in products before you’re risking skin irritation and sensitization. These guidelines of course are referring to skincare only and don’t apply to essential oils used in higher concentrations for medical purposes.

Leave on products

Some bodycare products that use essential oils are meant to be left on the skin, such as lotion, body butter, body spray and lip balm. Since the oils are going to be sitting on the top layer of the skin somewhat, you do have to exercise more caution here.

Most people believe that phototoxic essential oils can’t be used on the skin at all under any circumstance, but there are actually safe usage limits for leave on products. These guidelines don’t include essential oils used on the lip area. Since the lips are more delicate, the use of essential oils on them is more restricted.  In general, essential oils make up about 2% of skincare products. They’re very concentrated substances, so you don’t need much.

Below are the maximum percentages of certain phototoxic oils that can be used on the skin, and roughly how many drops that would be per ounce of carrier oil or other material. The IFRA guidelines differ a little from what Tisserand recommends in his book Essential Oil Safety. Tisserand seems to be a little more conservative with phototoxic essential oil usage.

Using phototoxic essential oils in leave on products (lotion, body butter, body spray)

Lemon, cold pressed – 2% or about 12 drops per ounce of carrier
Lime, cold pressed – .7% or about 4 drops per ounce of carrier
Bergamot, cold pressed – .4% or about 2 drops per ounce of carrier
Grapefruit, cold pressed – 4% or about 24 drops per ounce of carrier
Bitter orange, cold pressed – 1.25% or about 7 drops per ounce of carrier

Using phototoxic essential oils in wash off products (soap, face wash, body wash)

Lemon, cold pressed – 5% or about 30 drops per ounce of carrier
Lime, cold pressed – 25% or about 150 drops per ounce of carrier
Bergamot, cold pressed – 5% or about 30 drops per ounce of carrier
Grapefruit, cold pressed – 5% or about 30 drops per ounce of carrier
Bitter orange, cold pressed – Listed as no restriction for wash off product. I can’t locate a maximum usage limit for bitter orange, although I’m assuming an undiluted oil could be irritating to skin. Based off of other usage guidelines, I personally wouldn’t use more than 5% in a wash off product, or about 30 drops per carrier.

Resources:

• IFRA phototoxicity standards
• Wholesale Supplies Plus
• Aroma Web

The post The Truth about Phototoxic Essential Oil Safety appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

I’m a huge fan of almond milk, but I’m beginning to fall in love with my coconut milk too. After we saw the horribly bad stewardship of the almond groves in California, my husband decided he didn’t want to support the almond industry any more. We switched to a different alternative milk at the store, but surprise!.. it had some almond in it. Go figure.

I’ve been using canned coconut milk and it’s so super creamy. One of my favorite ways to use it is in some homemade ice cream. Creamy chocolate ice cream with a drizzle of naturally sweetened caramel sauce is absolutely divine. I had bought some bpa free canned coconut milk in bulk here, but I knew there had to be an even cheaper, yet still healthy/easy option.

At my local grocery store there is no shortage of alternative milk options, but unfortunately most of them have less than ideal ingredients. Gut irritants like carrageenan and other thickeners and stabilizers aren’t welcome in my house. I’ve found a brand of boxed coconut milk without those things, but for just 1 quart it costs the same as a half gallon of the carrageenan filled stuff.

I’ve discovered how to make coconut milk though, and it really couldn’t be any easier! You can jazz it up with a little vanilla and maple syrup, but it tastes just fine plain too. The cream from mine separated to the top, so you’ll want to make sure you shake well before using.

One of my favorite ways to use coconut cream though is for whipped cream. It’s vegan, paleo and even AIP approved. Use it for a topping, or add some honey and cocoa powder for a healthy whipped frosting. This recipe will give you some yummy coconut milk, but you can use the leftover coconut pulp as well to make your own coconut flour.

Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut – get it here
• 4 cups filtered water
• 2 tsps. maple syrup
• 1.5 tsps. vanilla extract (optional) – get it here
• Nut milk bag – get it here
• Blender – the one I use

2. Strain the coconut pulp through a nut milk bag, gently squeezing to get the “milk” out.

3. Set the pulp aside and add the maple syrup and vanilla to the coconut milk if using.
4. Store your milk in the fridge for 3-4 days.

The post How to Make Coconut Milk the Easy Way appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

(Part 2) – Want to be able to afford healthy food, but feel like it’s not in your budget. And tired of hearing to just skip the latte, when you can’t afford the $5 latte anyways?

In case you missed the first part of this series, I’ve given some of my best tips for how I (and you) can save some serious dough when it comes to buying healthy food. Read part 1 here.

Here are some other ways to save money while buying organic and natural foods!

Have a Cow

 
    If you have the freezer space (which is a worthwhile investment), this is a good way to stock up on meat. Buying a half or even a whole cow will really reduce the cost per pound. You can also split the investment with another family (or two or three) if you don’t want that much meat.
 

Don’t buy Cultured and Fermented Products

 
    Milk kefir and kombucha are a tasty way to majorly up your probiotic intake. But buying the individual bottles at the store will cost you about $3 per bottle. For a modest family of four drinking one each for just five days a week will cost around $60!

   You can purchase starter cultures from Cultures for Health or see if someone on a natural health Facebook board would be willing to share with you. I’ve gotten kefir grains and kombucha scobies for just the cost of shipping before from fermenting and culturing groups on Facebook.

   Yogurt is another really simple one to make. A few containers of plain, organic yogurt at the store is an expensive weekly investment. I just buy one container every few weeks and use 1/4 cup at a time to make a weekly quart of yogurt. Find some instructions for how to make it in your crockpot here.
 

Selectively Buy Organic Produce

    Switching over from conventional to purely organic produce can cost you twice as much. Every year the Environmental Working Group updates the “dirty dozen” list. This list discloses which items have the most pesticides used on them and are better to buy organic.

    By only buying organic if it’s listed on the dirty list saves quite a bit. Apples are #1 on the list for pesticide contamination so we always buy those organic, but mushrooms are all the way at #36, so we just buy those conventional.

 

Find a Discount Grocery Store

    These are harder to come by in certain areas, but if you have a good one in your area it’s worth it’s weight in gold! Discount grocery stores will receive dented or slightly damaged but still perfectly useable pantry items from local stores.

    They also carry items that have recently expired or just didn’t sell well at another store. I’ve bought Annie’s mac and cheese for 25 cents a box, canned goods for 30 cents each and gourmet vanilla extract for 90% off!

Spoiled Food!?

   And before you dismiss the idea of buying “expired” items, manufacturers themselves say these dates indicate maximum freshness, not that the product has gone bad.

“The “sell by” date is the last day the item is at its highest level of quality, but it will still be edible for some time after.”

“This (best buy date) refers strictly to quality, not safety. This date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.”

    Artisan cheeses at the store will sometimes even have a note on them indicating that the item will taste BETTER a week or so after the “sell by” date.
 
    I was able to have a conversation with a former manager at Thomas brand English muffins and he had some eye opening facts to disclose about the food industry. One was that manufacturers will put a 1 year expiration date on a canned good even though it will actually last for several years. This saves them money by ensuring they don’t have to pull 3x as much of their stock off the shelves in the event of a recall. The dates given are just an example, but the point remains the same.
  
     This being said I NEVER buy expired grain items, like cornmeal and flour. These are already prone to going rancid shortly after they’re ground.

Just use your own judgment and common sense.

Price Match

    This is a great way to buy natural foods, not necessarily organic, but it’s still well worth mentioning. Stores like Aldi’s and Trader Joe’s have very reasonable prices, but if you don’t have any in your area, you can still reap some of the benefits.

   Aldi’s runs a weekly online ad that includes steeply discounted produce, like avocadoes for 25 cents or melons for $1. Our closest Aldi is half an hour away so I’ll just bring the printed ad into Walmart, select the same produce from there and show the cashier the ad for a price match. I’ve bought bags of produce this way for just a few dollars.

So what would a day’s worth of meals look like using some of these tips?

Breakfast– Homemade yogurt and fruit (raw milk $1 a quart, 25 cents for 1/4 cup of yogurt starter), 2 cups of fruit bought in bulk from the farmer’s market (about $1.25 per pound). Total = $2.50 for four, or 63 cents a serving.

Lunch– Salad with homegrown lettuce and herbs. (practically free) Chicken and veggie soup.Veggies bought from Aldi or price matched. Leftovers from a whole chicken and  homemade stock from the bones. At $7 a chicken, 1/3 of the chicken would be $2.30. A few carrots and potatoes for $1. Total = $3.30 for four, or .83 cents a serving.

Supper– Chili with beans, an onion, homemade chicken stock and grassfed ground beef bought in bulk (about $2.50 for one half of a pound). Total = $4.50 for four, or $1.12 a serving.

If you stayed within this general price range for meals by following the frugal tips, you could easily spend less than $20 per person on food a week!

How do you save money on your grocery bill?

Shared at: Waste Not Want Not

The post The BEST Guide to Affording Organic Part 2 appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

Handmade paper– we’ve all admired it, thought how pretty it was and thought “I could probably do that.” Thinking and doing are two different things though. Making your own handmade paper puts you into one of those DIY Superwoman categories, doesn’t it? I’m here to tell you, we can all be DIY Superwomen.

This project takes some time, but it really is easy peasy. When you’re done the results are gorgeous and you’ll get the response “You made THAT?!” from everyone you show it to and you too can live the illusion of being a DIY Superwoman (it’s a pretty terrific feeling!).

This DIY is great for the environment, which is always a plus in my book. Sort through your office and filing cabinets, gather all of your outdated, confidential, top secret bills and documents, sift through campaign brochures, pull junk mail out of the recycling, and get ready  for this fabulous handmade paper project. (Just don’t use your electric bills and credit card statement. I know we’d all like to get rid of them, but this project is not the solution).

It’s also a great craft to do with the kids. I remember doing it at a friend’s house and dipping the screen frames into a kiddie pool full of paper slush. Talk about messy fun, so gather the whole family around and have a DIY handmade paper party!

There are several ways to do this to really customize the look you want. You can add flowers and leaves to give it an even more natural look. Cutout pieces of your handmade paper for the perfect accent to your yearly Christmas card, or as a place card at the table this Thanksgiving.

Read more at Scratch Mommy

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Anyone on the paleo diet knows it can be hard to give up some of your favorite typical American foods. Like cheese and bread. My husband and I just started the autoimmune paleo diet, which is even more strict. It also eliminates nightshades and all nuts and seeds. This makes finding a bread replacement even harder!

I’m Sick and Tired

Why bother with such a strict diet when I’d love to stuff my face with chocolate cake? I have hypothyroid, adrenal fatigue and a leaky gut. My husband has genetic psoriasis. I’m tired of sleeping 13 hours a day and never feeling like I have any energy. I’m tired of the brain fog, the bloating and the stomach pains even after giving up gluten. My husband is tired of the constant acne, dandruff and insomnia.

The solution? We’re trying to heal our guts and allergies with an autoimmune diet. And even though it is really strict, with a little bit of creativity there are some really delicious food options out there!

Why Autoimmune Paleo?

Sarah Ballantyne is the scientific brains behind this diet and she wrote the AIP “bible” explaining the whys behind why this diet works to help the gut and immune system heal. You can find her book here. There’s also a cookbook that goes along with that book available here.

Mickey Trescott is another fabulous person who has contributed to AIP cooking and you can find her AIP cookbook here. This comes with meal plans, simple lists of the allowed and not allowed foods, shopper’s guide and tips for batch cooking. I’m falling in love with batch cooking lately, because as much as I love cooking, I’d like to not live my whole life in the kitchen.

One of my favorite recipe resources right now is the website “He Won’t Know It’s Paleo.” She has some phenomenal, AIP desserts. And when you can’t use flour, sugar eggs or butter, that’s quite an accomplishment!

Cheesy Love

This recipe was inspired by above mentioned site’s queso sauce. I think we have used this sauce for everything under the sun these past 2 weeks. It really is soo smooth, creamy and cheesy! It’s great on hamburgers or sweet potato fries and tastes really good on some bacon and potatoes or broccoli. Oh my goodness I’m drooling right now.

I digress.

As great as this sauce is it can help make taco night a reality again. Sometimes I feel like on the Paleo and especially the AIP diet all I can eat is meat and veggies, so this recipe helps widen the field a bit. Even if you aren’t on an autoimmune diet, this recipe is worth making!

AIP Tostadas with Cheese

• cheese sauce (I doubled the nutritional yeast)
• 2 c riced cauliflower
• 1 lb beef
• Flatbread (I used this recipe)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp lard or coconut oil
• avocado slices
• roughly chopped lettuce
• chopped chives or onions

Please ignore my messy counter, but here’s a tip for making the “tostada” part. The dough is hard to work with so I sandwiched it between two layers of parchment paper and rolled it out this way. Be careful you don’t roll it too thin though or you’ll have lots tears.

Directions:

1. Place the beef and salt in a skillet and begin to brown. When it’s almost done, add the riced cauliflower. Cook just until cauliflower is tender, not mushy. Add water as needed to avoid burning and stir occasionally.
2. While the beef is cooking, saute the garlic and onions in the lard or oil. Set aside.
3. Place a piece of flatbread on a plate. Sprinkle on some beef mixture, onions, lettuce and avocado. Cover with some cheese sauce. Repeat this 1-2 times, ending with the flatbread on top.
4. Cover with more cheese sauce and garnish with chives.

Note I use a large amount of beef and rice mixture in this so there would be ample leftovers. Make it once, enjoy it twice! This would make a great stir fry the next day with some veggies.

How to Make Riced Cauliflower

Ricing cauliflower can be quite a process! You could grate it manually and hope you have some skin left on your knuckles when you’re done. Or you could attempt it in the food processor and get large pieces mixed in with mushy bits.

This video below though shows the easiest way I’ve seen to do it. Within a few minutes you have perfectly riced cauliflower, without bloody knuckles.

The post Cheesy Beef Tostados- AIP (Plus the EASIEST Way to Rice Cauliflower) appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.