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Physiology has me Dancing in a Field of Clover

So glad you asked!  Like I mentioned in my first Herb School Update, I’ve looked at several distance learning programs for herbalism.  The Southwest School of Botanical Medicine is almost entirely on DVD which appealed greatly to me.  I wanted the classroom experience, I wanted to have someone hold up herbs and say, “Here’s the taproot on this one.  And that’s what it looks like in full bloom.  This is how we process it.”  I also wanted something of a classroom experience, which I feel like I’m getting through the SWSBM courses.  

I’m taking both of the SWSBM courses simultaneously, the best way to approach this system. The courses are “Materia Medica” and “Herbal Therapeutics and Constitutional Evaluation“.  The first class installment came in a box that contains DVD’s for each course, a total of 12 DVD’s; a couple of booklets, and a CD containing massive amounts of research articles, charts, books etc. (kind of a bonus item if you will, and in my opinion quite valuable).  Each DVD lasts somewhere around 2 hours, and while it’s recommended that you try to finish one of these boxes a month, you can go at your own pace as needed.  I try to watch a DVD a day, alternating between the Materia Medica DVD’s and the Herbal Therapeutics ones.  

As with any new venture, it took me a little while to get my rhythm going.  My initial thought was since I would own the DVD’s forever, I could watch them whenever I wanted; hence note-taking seemed redundant. As more and more valuable information was discussed,  I quickly changed my tune and now I have a Word document open next to the DVD screen so I can type up anything I may want to brush up on later.  This is really helping get the massive doses of info to stick to my brain.  And massive doses they are!  So far I’ve been learning some basic physiology, chemistry, and of course herb identification and usage.  I’m even working my way through a Physiology Coloring Book.  (Laugh if you will, dear friends, but never in my life have I dealt with such complicated coloring!  Quite a challenge but I love it.)

Teaching the physiology and chemistry basics is the very energetic Howie Brounstein who makes you want to jump headfirst into the subjects.  (My three-year-old adores Howie and explained to a complete stranger yesterday how “Mommy watches a class and there’s a man with long hair and arms that do ‘this’ ” - picture gesticulating - “and has a long beard”.)  And of course nothing compares to learning from the master himself, Michael Moore, who peppered all his teachings with fascinating anecdotes, fast-paced jokes, and more herbal info than you can shake a rain stick at.

So far I’m working hard and having the time of my life doing it.  Even after a very long day of the usual work-at-home thing, the cooking, cleaning, mothering, and general chaos, I’ve still felt enthusiastic about popping in a DVD and learning something.  I’ve had some tiring, hectic days that still end in feeling a little more complete about my direction.  And if nothing else, I can sit down with my son, crack out the physiology coloring book, and show him what a phospholipid really looks like.

July 2nd, 2009 | Tags: Follow Me Through Herb School, Herbalism, michael moore, Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, SWSBM | Category: Follow Me Through Herb School | Comments (5)

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Vivesana Solar to Polar Baby - Natural Skin Protection that Works!

A good natural sunscreen is important for the youngest to the oldest member of your family.  But it’s hard to find healthy, chemical-free sunscreens that don’t turn your skin a freakish white tint, don’t smell funny, don’t act oily, and aren’t hard to apply.  Believe me, I’ve tried numerous brands and spent plenty of hard earned dough on tubes of natural sunscreen that I didn’t like.  Precious few do it for me, so I completely understand why so many people give up and reach for the unnatural sunscreens that eventually float on the lake and get in my hair like an oil slick.  So happy was I when, after trying Vivesana’s Solar to Polar Baby Sunscreen, I discovered it met all my really tough standards.  

Vivesana’s Solar to Polar comes in a 40 SPF and a higher 42 SPF, which is perfect for babies, and frankly for anyone who wants to keep their skin free of the harmful rays of the summer sun.  Their 42 SPF formula provides the highest non-synthetic protection available, and since there are no chemicals and it’s non-drying, Vivesana is a great choice for even baby’s sensitive skin.  And since it’s easy to apply and seems to go further on the skin than many sunscreens I’ve tried, you can get your kid protected with a lot less effort - which is very appreciated both on the part of this mom and her wiggly little 3-year-old who’d rather be making sandcastles than waiting to be slathered in sunscreen.

What I really love about Vivesana is their overall effort to be “green”.  They’ve made sure even the tube the suscreen comes in is eco-friendly.  In their words, the tube is “safe, sustainable, domestic and BPA-free.”  The sunscreen itself is 70% organic and contains no water which provides more effective skin protection.  While Vivesana is more expensive than the synthetic brands, the product goes further than most, is safer than most, and in my opinion, is worth the extra money.   

Want to win your own tube of Vivesana Solar to Polar Baby Organic Sunscreen? Vivesana would like to give one full sized tube to one of you!  (Retail $32).

Multiple Options for Multiple Entries:

1.) Just visit Vivisana and tell me something else you liked or learned ther.  (You may enter once a day.) Remember, leave an interesting comment. If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Blog about, Twitter, and/or Subscribe! Get an extra entry for each of these activities.  Just leave a separate comment for each, giving me a link to your blog post, your Twitter name, and/or a note saying you’re a subscriber.  SUBSCRIBE HERE!  

(Psst!  My Twitter name is dkMommy.)

Feel free to do all four to gather multiple entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, to enter.

July 1st, 2009 | Tags: giveaways, natural sunscreen, solar to polar baby, vivesana, vivesana solar to polar | Category: Contest, Product Review | Comments (77)

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St. John's Wort is Blooming! Don't You Feel Better Already?

Perhaps “journey” is an exaggeration for my little excursion.  Sunday afternoon my husband, son and I traveled a whopping two miles away so I could search for and harvest some St. John’s Wort blossoms from a nearby area.  About 5 years ago, a large amount of forest near our home was mowed down in anticipation for home developments etc.  Alas, the once heavily wooded acreage still sits undeveloped.  Where trees once stood are now acres of fields.  Fortunately much of the wooded area must remain as-is since there’s a lovely ravine running through, totally unsuited to the developers’ needs.  And fortunately, the once wooded land is now abundant with plants and wildlife.  St. John’s Wort happily prospers here!

St. John’s Wort gets its name from the fact that it starts blossoming around St. John’s Day, which is on or near June 24th.  I was happy to harvest on a cool dry June 28th.  As you can see by the above photo I took, the blossoms looked wonderful!  I was able to gather a large amount - the top 3 or 4 inches of blooming plant, which took a good hour and a half to pick through after returning home, a chore I thoroughly enjoyed!  I removed some interesting little bugs who were sent outdoors, and picked off dead leaves and blooms. Some of the flowering tops went into a clean dry glass jar and were covered with olive oil.  I’ll let those sit a few weeks, and I’ll be trying it out as a natural sunscreen.  (Not a 45 SPF, mind you, but I’m told it’s rather effective if used in the region it was gathered, so I’ll give it a go.)  The remainder of the herb is drying in a basket for later use in tea.  In a few more days I’ll go to another area, collect more flowering tops, and prepare a tincture.  

You can learn more about St. John’s Wort from my previous post “All About St. John’s Wort and its Uses“.

June 30th, 2009 | Tags: Herbalism, natural sunscreen, st. john's wort, wildcrafting herbs | Category: Herbalism, Remedies | Comments (2)

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Thou Mayest Have Tresses Like Unto Mine

So this is what happened:  We decided on a trip to the beach last week on a sweltering day.  Seems everyone else did too, because the beach was crowded and so was the water.  Imagine hundreds of people coated in non-biodegradable sunscreen filing in and out of the lake all day long. I didn’t notice it at first, but at the right angle you could see what looked like a mini Exxon Valdez oil spill floating on the surface of the water. I didn’t notice it until after I’d submerged my head in the goo.  When we realized we were all feeling a bit slippery for a dip in a freshwater lake, I knew my hair would need a serious scrubbing.  So when we got home I decided to try the baking soda scrub followed by a cider vinegar final rinse.

Oh my GOSH.

You know I don’t type in all caps, but…

OH MY GOSH!

Now I know what makes the whole “No ‘Poo” thing such a big deal.  What I assumed would turn my hair into a tangled dry mess, what I assumed would be an unpleasant gritty experience, actually turned out to be the best-kept natural beauty secret I’ve ever blabbed on the internet.  Yes, the baking soda scrub is gritty as all get out, and yes it feels a little weird initially, but it rinses out very well.  And if I just put the recommended tablespoon or two of cider vinegar in a mug of cold water, dump in on my head at the very end without rinsing it back out, I have the most amazing hair of my life.  No, I don’t smell like Thousand Island dressing, but the shine is about blinding.

I’ve been doing this treatment every day for about a week now and my hair improves by the day.  At first I lost some of the new curl I’d gained, but it has returned and in a much shinier version.  Still no tangles to contend with, no need for conditioners.  My hair has become softer with some natural highlights coming into play.  Cider vinegar does give you reddish highlights over the long term which actually works well for me, so I’m happy.  

I see now why some super models and famous hair stylists recommend no ‘poo.  I get it.  I really get it now.  I don’t know how the adjustment would have been if I’d started out with baking soda and vinegar rinses right from the start, but I have a feeling it would have made things a little easier.  People who have done this treatment much longer than I have say there’s still an adjustment period of one to three months, even longer sometimes.  But now I can say with confidence, and in all caps, IT’S WORTH IT!!!

Read all my articles on my No ‘Poo Personal Challenge here.

June 29th, 2009 | Tags: natural hair care, no poo challenge | Category: Mommy Care, Remedies | Comments (9)

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Maggie's Infant & Toddler Cotton Socks - Cool for Summer!

By now you realize I’m a big fan of Maggie’s Organics.  That’s because they’re not only organic and fair trade, they’re fair priced!  I’ve visited dozens, if not hundreds of organic clothing sites over the last few years, and I can’t say I’ve run across pricing like this.  I recently reviewed a Maggie’s Organics dress that sells for under $30.  And today I’ll be talking about their organic cotton socks for infants and toddlers, also a great deal at $5.95 for two pair (on sale from $7).  We have a couple of pairs of white athletic toddler socks from Maggie’s, and they’re wonderful.  In sizes from infant to toddler, these organic cotton socks are very cool and comfortable for summer.  

My son tends to overheat easily.  No matter the temperature the kid always has warm hands and feet.  In the summer months he only needs a few minutes outside to have red cheeks and “dewey” toes.  I try and keep him in sandals or barefoot when possible, but sometimes the situation calls for shoes and socks.  Since he’s been wearing the Maggie’s athletic toddler socks, I’ve noticed my son’s feet are much cooler and drier.  Happy toddler, happy mom!

Maggie’s Organics would like to give one dkMommy Spot reader a set of these great organic socks in either infant or toddler size (your choice).  

Win an extra pair!  How?  If the randomly selected winner happens to be following Maggie’s Organics through Twitter, Facebook, or email, they’ll win an extra pair of socks!  Just sign up for any of these on their home page.  

Multiple Options for Multiple Entries:

1.) Just visit Maggie’s Organics and tell me something else you liked or learned there or tell me where R.W. Knudsen can be purchased in your area.  (You may enter once a day.) Remember, leave an interesting comment. If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Blog about, Twitter, and/or Subscribe! Get an extra entry for each of these activities.  Just leave a separate comment for each, giving me a link to your blog post, your Twitter name, and/or a note saying you’re a subscriber.  SUBSCRIBE HERE!  

(Psst!  My Twitter name is dkMommy.)

Feel free to do all four to gather multiple entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Friday, July 3, 2009, to enter.

June 26th, 2009 | Tags: giveaways, maggie's organics, organic baby clothes, organic cotton socks | Category: Contest, Product Review | Comments (122)

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I guess I’m like most herb loving people throughout history - I’m self taught.  That’s because herbalism has never really been the sort of thing we could sign up for when enrolling in a University.  And in many ways I think that’s a good thing - because historically herbalism has been the “people’s medicine”.  Anyone is free to learn it from their elders, books, etc. and anyone is free to use their obtained knowledge by, say, growing chamomile in their garden, drying it, and making a tea to help with a myriad of physical issues.  The accessibility is one of the things I adore about herbalism.  But when you feel it’s right for you to dig in - I mean really dig in - and go more in-depth with your herb studies, where do you go?   Do you pack up the family and move into a cabin with an old mountain woman who raises goats and talks to herself?  The kids may enjoy the goats, but that’s not a practical solution.  Since herb schools are few and far between, many of them offer distance learning programs.  That was the decision I came to, so I’ve started studying with the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.  

I have been looking into herb schools by the dozens over the last several years, and quite honestly I found the search confusing.  What’s a reputable herb school, after all?  You can’t get a degree in herbalism since there are no government regulations (fine with me - I’ll tell you why some other day), and there are so many distance learning programs that I felt overwhelmed.  But one kept coming back to me again and again.  Perhaps that’s because over the years I got in the habit of finding lots of free information on herbs at SWSBM.  And the founder and master herbalist, Michael Moore, had begun to be one of my herb heroes.  (I mean, if there were herbalist bubble gum cards, people would be trading whole packs for a single Michael Moore card.) 

Unfortunately for the world of herbalists, Michael Moore passed on in February.  But thankfully his wife Donna keeps their distance learning program going.  What’s completely unique about this program is that Michael himself is still teaching the class.  That’s because both courses (Clinical and Constitutional Herbalism and Materia Medica) are all on DVD and were actually filmed a few years ago when the “brick and mortar” school was still open in Brisbane, Arizona.  So I feel privileged to be learning from Michael Moore even after his passing.

This is no measly endeavor and I’ll be taking both courses at the same time, so I figure that it will take me a good couple of years to complete.  I’m going to take you along with me since many of you have expressed to me your interest in learning herbalism more formally.  No, I won’t let you have my class notes.  But I will keep you posted on my progress and I’ll share my struggles and triumphs along the way.  There will be many of each, I am sure, since I’m a work-at-home mother who also blogs and spends much time tromping through field and forest in search of wild herbs.  I’ve barely begun, but this has already proven to be something worth the effort. Perhaps by hearing my experiences, you’ll be inspired to learn more about herbs too.  Or if you feel herb school might be the thing for you, perhaps you’ll be inspired to follow your dream.  Either way, I hope you’ll come with me on my new journey.

June 25th, 2009 | Tags: distance learning programs, herb schools, Michael Moore master herbalist, Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, SWSBM | Category: Follow Me Through Herb School, Herbalism | Comments (9)

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INGREDIENTS: JUICE FROM RIPE, WHOLE, BLACK CHERRIES.

If you read ingredient labels like I do, then you probably noticed that it’s hard - really hard - to find a juice that’s just juice.  Something that contains no preservatives, no added colors or flavors (”natural” or otherwise), no high fructose corn syrup, sweeteners…  you get the picture.  R.W. Knudsen asked me to try their line of juices called Pure Juice, and I was happy to find not an adverse ingredient in the list.  That’s because the only ingredients are just juice (and no blends) and sometimes juice concentrate with just enough filtered water to reconstitute.  The results are absolutely delicious!

One thing I always think of when I hear the name “R.W. Knudsen” is their cranberry juice.  Just Cranberry, part of the Pure Juice line, is the only cranberry juice that comes to my mind when someone asks me what to do for a bladder infection.  Any other I’ve come across has contained sugar and high fructose corn syrup - the last thing you want to drink when you’re fighting an infection!  And since I love cranberries, this is a favorite of mine.  My husband is crazy about the Just Black Cherry, which has an incredibly rich and wonderful flavor.  My son adores blueberries, so he enjoyed a large portion of that one!  And since none of the juices are watered down, you can enjoy them as they are.  Or add a little mineral water to make a very healthy alternative to sticky, artificial sodas.

R.W. Knudsen would like to give one of you the chance to try their line of Just Juice too!  One dkMommy Spot reader will win a case of 5 different 32-ounce bottles of juice (retail approx. $30).  Believe me, you won’t be disappointed!

Multiple Options for Multiple Entries:

1.) Just visit R.W. Knudsen and tell me something else you liked or learned there or tell me where R.W. Knudsen can be purchased in your area.  (You may enter once a day.) Remember, leave an interesting comment. If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Blog about, Twitter, and/or Subscribe! Get an extra entry for each of these activities.  Just leave a separate comment for each, giving me a link to your blog post, your Twitter name, and/or a note saying you’re a subscriber.  SUBSCRIBE HERE!  

(Psst!  My Twitter name is dkMommy.)

Feel free to do all four to gather multiple entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, to enter.

June 24th, 2009 | Tags: giveaways, natural juices, pure juice, r.w. knudsen | Category: Contest, Product Review | Comments (402)

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There’s nothing like adding something useful to your daily life that’s also a good green purchase.  Well, yes there is:  Adding something useful and green to your life that looks and feels darned good.  FELT Studio, founded by artist Kathryn Walter, features a line of amazing bags and home items that are made of natural felted wool.  Since sheep are pretty talented creatures, able to grow back all that wonderful wool after a good shearing, wool is sustainable.  It’s natural.  And it’s beautiful.

I’ve been carting around this wonderful FELT Pack, which is extremely well constructed.  The felt is thick and impossible to stop touching, and the design is not only functional but artistically pleasing as well.  The pack picture to the left (the one I’m using) is 11″ x 8″ x 8″ which is a great size for grabbing on the way out of the house if you need a few extras along, which mothers like me often do.  The handles can either be used as two straps, or pulled through one side and slung over the shoulder.  And the felt on the handles means it won’t be digging in if you have to carry it awhile.  Since the bag is so stylish and durable, you might consider taking this one to the mall when you do some shopping, hence cutting back on all those wasteful plastic bags.  Believe me, this one will go better with your outfit than that plastic bag doubling as a billboard anyway!

Take a peek at their FELT Hand Bags and FELT Nests as well.  

Want to learn more?  Here’s a fascinating video from FELT Studio that shows you how it’s done!

June 24th, 2009 | Tags: felt handbags, FELT Studio, sustainable fashion | Category: Product Review | Leave a comment

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She didn't use shampoo either...

It is week three, and I’m still going strong with my personal no ‘poo challenge. I’ve had a wonderful response from you all, through comments and email, encouraging me and telling me your no ‘poo stories.  It’s been a real eye opener finding out there are many of you who don’t ‘poo, and that you love it.  Some of you have been doing it for years!  But what am I thinking in week three?

I’d say if anything, I’m getting more enthusiastic.  My naturally curly hair (which in the past was more like intensely unruly waves) is actually more curly and easy to manage.  I certainly wouldn’t have imagined curlier hair to be more manageable!  But there you have it. I’ve even stopped blowdrying, so my overall “get ready” time is much, much shorter.  With thick hair, I’ve always spent way too much time blowdrying and styling. Speaking of styling, my hair doesn’t require conditioner, mousse, gel, or even hairspray.  I used to use mousse for special occasions to try and tame my hair, then I’d have to load up on hairspray so my hair didn’t move as freely as I wanted.  I love the freedom of not weighing down my hair with stuff, and the fact that even though it moves around and shifts as the day goes, it still looks good if I just scrunch my hair a little with damp hands.

I’m still tinkering with how I like to do things.  For instance, I use rosemary oil on my wet hair and rub it into my scalp after I’m done scrubbing with water.  And I’ve discovered cold water (at least at the end of the shower) really makes a difference in shine and seems to make my hair feel and look smoother too.  I’ll want to tell you more about the rosemary oil later because I’m discovering a lot of great benefits with that, so perhaps the next post I’ll fill you in on what I’m experiencing.  

Let me end with what is perhaps the coolest part of my no ‘poo testimony:  This weekend my husband kept looking at me and laughing.  ”What?” I asked, “Is my hair going bad finally?”  It was extra curly that day, and I’m still a little hair paranoid at times.  ”No,” he said, “I really like it.  It’s just that women pay really good money to walk out of a salon looking like that.”  Huh.  And I don’t even do my hair anymore.

Read all my articles on my No ‘Poo Personal Challenge here.

June 23rd, 2009 | Tags: natural hair care, no 'poo experiment | Category: Mommy Care, Money Saving Tips, Remedies | Comments (7)