Morgan Botanicals

 

Morgan Botanicals is very excited to announce our new Herbal CSA Memberships!

Beginning this year we are offering the opportunity for local and not so local to be a part of our new monthly herbal medicines program. We have created an Herbal CSA Program (or rather CSH-Community Supported Herbalism) for those who would like to subscribe. It begins in June offering homegrown and wildharvested handmade herbals to each subscriber. Each month herbal offerings such as teas, tinctures, syrups, oils, salves, vinegars, jellies and other herbal products will be available.

Our herbal CSA will run for five months which will include June, July, August, September and October. The fee for the entire subscription (once a month pickup or delivery) is $260.00 (large) or $150.00 (small) payable at the time you subscribe. Members will be able to pick up their baskets the first Saturday of each month (delivery option is also available), or your box can be mailed out to you.

Morgan Botanicals Herbal CSA membership is a great way to build your own home supply of herbal medicines, learn more about how to use local and medicinal plants, and explore new ways of taking charge of your own health.

Purchasing a share also helps support the work we do: growing and processing the herbs into herbal medicines that nourish the body and enhance vitality as well as our training programs that teach children about foraging, plant identification, how to grow their own food and medicine garden, health and nutrition and the basics cooking and medicine making. If interested in our Junior Master Gardener classes please send inquiry to Jessica Morgan at herbalist@morganbotanicals.com and we will send you information on this program.

 

There are two separate Herbal CSA Monthly Basket Programs Available:

Large Monthly Basket Herbal CSA Program ~ $260.00

Season runs from June through October and includes five herbals plus an “extra”. Large is suitable for a family of 3-4, or to share among a group of friends.

 

Small Monthly Basket Herbal CSA Program ~ $150.00

Season runs from June through October and includes three herbals plus an “extra”. Small is suitable for an individual or a family just beginning to learn about herbs.

Monthly Baskets can be picked up at Morgan Botanicals on Designated Pick-Up Day or will be shipped (shipping cost is included for those purchasing online).

2012 Pick Up Dates (Saturdays from 3pm-5pm)
June 2nd
July 7th
August 4th

September 1st
October 6th

 

 

How it works….
Each month from June through October members receive a package of herbs prepared as tinctures, loose teas, salves, honeys, vinegars, syrups, etc, and information about how to use them. Once you are signed up, you will receive confirmation via email or phone. We will contact you again via email or phone one week before your share is ready to be picked up or is being shipped.

A typical Large monthly share will include the following:
1 - 2 oz single tea
1 - 2 oz tea blend
1 - 1 oz tincture
1 - 2 oz salve or herbal oil
1 - 1 oz bags of dried seasonal herbs

One additional “Extra” Item will be chosen by Morgan Botanicals and included in your monthly basket based on seasonal availability a may included:

Herb Infused Honey or Jams
Medicinal or Culinary Vinegar
Elixirs or Cough Syrup
Herbal Face Scrubs, Creams or Salts
Fresh or Dried Culinary Herbs & Blends
Smudge Sticks and/or incense
Lavender Dryer Bags/Soap Nuts
Culinary and/or Medicinal Herb Seeds

 

 

We enjoy knowing that members of our Herbal CSA are stocking fresh herbs and herbals into their cabinets, cupboards and pantries, and utilizing them to improve the health and well being of themselves and their families.

 

To sign up or for more information, please contact Jessica at herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

 

You can also find information on our website www.morganbotanicals.com under the dropdown menu "Herbal CSA". I will be accepting Memberships until May 20th so sign up now!

Click here to purchase a Large Herbal CSA

Click here to purchase a Small Herbal CSA

 

Thank you for your support, and Happy 2012!

Jessica Morgan

Morgan Botanicals

 

 

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, Herbalist

 

I'm thrilled to finally be adding some new herbals to the website that I spent all Spring, Summer and Fall growing, loving, tickling, singing too, harvesting and now are ready to be shared! 

 

Even though I had to leave behind my ever so loved food and medicine garden in California, I was able to harvest a little bit from almost everything before setting off on this new journey. And now, as I cozy up for the Winter I'm busy planning out my new garden space where there is sure to be an abundance of herbals in the years to come.

 

So here's a peek at some of the newly added herbal goodies below: garlic mullein flower oil, fire cider and a few new tinctures here on local harvest as well as my website.... natural medicines made with love from me and my gardens. ?

 

Garlic Mullein Flower Oil

Fire Cider Tonic

Artichoke Leaf Tincture

Black Walnut TIncture

Calendula Tincture

California Poppy Tincture 

Dandelion Tincture

Feverfew Tincture

Hops Tincture

Mullein Root Tincture

Nettles Tincture

 

 

 

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

 

Since antiquity, mankind has used the velvety mullein plant for many purposes. From Roman times, the stem- stripped of the leaves and flowers and dipped in tallow- was carried as a torch in religious processions. Why not make a giant torch eh? Well, they are smoky, stinky, and tend to drip hot flaming bits everywhere ...... Perfect for a cave? Maybe.

Mullein was known in Greek as Flego and Fluma, that is, "to set on fire." According to one writer, "it served as a wick to put into lamps to burn." The leaves were rolled and dried and used as wicks for oil lamps and candles, and made excellent tinder. John Parkinson, a seventeenth-century herbalist, "used the stalks dipped in suet whether to burn at funerals or otherwise, and so likewise the English name High Taper, used in the same manner as a taper or torch."

To me, mullein is an awkwardly beautiful, tall fuzzy plant with sweet smelling yellow flowers and typically blooms from March to November. The flowers are fragrant and taste sweet, and the leaves, even though a bit bitter, are still wonderfully useful. Apart from its medicinal use, I love mullein for its ornamental purpose in the garden; it attracts a wide variety of pollinators, including bees, flies, and butterflies. Mullein is widely available in the wild, and is easily identified by its spike of yellow flowers and huge, sometimes over a foot long, leaves. When you find them - the leaves, flowers, and roots of this plant are edible and easy to dry, and may be used to make your own herbal medicines.

Mullein has long been valued as a superior medicinal herb and the Greek physician-herbalist Dioscorides was one of the first to recommend its use in curing diseases of the lungs, and it remained thus employed for more than 1,800 years. The leaves, root, and the flowers are anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, nervine, and vulnerary. What an amazingly useful plant...right? Well, Mullein leaf is a good respiratory remedy and traditionally used as a tea for treating a wide range of chest complaint including cough. When combined with water, the fiber in mullein produces a slippery substance called mucilage, which coats and soothes the throat and intestines. It combines well with other expectorants such as coltsfoot and thyme. Mullein helps reduce inflammation while stimulating fluid production and thus facilitating expectoration. It is considered a specific in bronchitis where there is a hard cough with soreness. Its anti-inflammatory and demulcent properties indicate its use in inflammation of the trachea and associated conditions.

 

The dried leaves are sometimes smoked to relieve the irritation of the respiratory mucus membranes an will ease the hacking cough of consumption. In our own country, several native American tribes used Mullein to cure chest diseases. Since the plant was not native to America, this usage was probably received by them (no doubt along with the lung ailments it was said to cure) from the early settlers. The Navajos called Mullein "big tobacco." They mixed it with regular tobacco and smoked the combination to relieve coughing spasms. It was also believed that this remedy would cure simple mental diseases, the use of evil language, and the thinking of evil thoughts.

But for me....I like it in tea. I like to steep a couple teaspoons of dried mullein in a cup of hot water for an infusion to treat cough, congestion, or diarrhea. You can drink three cups of hot mullein tea a day until symptoms disappear, or store the tea in the refrigerator.

Please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

“A glass of absinthe is as poetical as anything in the world, what difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset.” - Oscar Wilde

I tend to have interest in anything historical and/or herb related and I'm a great fan of herbal liqures, wines, beers, sodas etc. I’ve made beer, I’ve made wine, I’m working on sodas and I’m intrigued by liquors. I’ll probably never make this but non-the-less very interested by the medicinal history. I’m also deeply intrigued by some of our most controversial and self-impoverished artists, writers, poets, musicians, free-thinkers, and the like and find it fascinating that this herbal drink was the "beaverage du jour" or drink of choice among these great thinkers in the mid to late 19th century. It inspired many and appeared in works by Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh, it was drank by the scandalous playwright Oscar Wilde, the eccentric Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the poets Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allen Poe, and the famous 20th century author Ernest Hemingway, just to mention a few....intriguing right? I’d say so.

In French, the word "absinthe" simply means "wormwood" and was considered a vivifying elixir long before it could be ordered in a cafe. When Madame de Coulanges, one of the leading ladies of the seventeenth-century French court, became ill, she was prescribed a preparation containing wormwood. When it calmed her stomach, she wrote to Madame de Sevigne, " My little absinthe is the remedy for all diseases."

But, well before all of that, Hippocrates was prescribing wormwood elixors for jaundice, rheumatism, anemia, and menstrual pains. Pythagoras recommended wormwood soaked in wine to aid labor in childbirth. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder called it apsinthium in the first century A.D. and noted that it was customary for the champion in chariot races to drink a cup of absinthe leaves soaked in wine to remind him that even glory has its bitter side. He also recommended it as an elixir of youth and as a cure for bad breath.

Over the centuries, however, wormwood elixors moved away from being just bitter medicine to quickly becaming a highly sought after social drink and a global phenomenon, to social poison. Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Switzerland, distilled the wormwood plant in alcohol with anise, hyssop, lemon balm, and other local herbs. By 1905, there were hundreds of distilleries in all corners of France producing absinthe, with over 40 distilleries operating across the Swiss border. It’s  progress from medicine to social poison started with the military. It is said that the demand for absinthe rose dramatically after the Algerian War when the soldiers were given rations of absinthe along with their drinking water as a bacterial deterrent. The soldiers, now hooked on absinthe, began drinking it in peace time France, thus starting the first surge in absinthe popularity, and the popularity of this herbal liqueur lasted just over 100 years before falling into prohibition and then being resurrected again. Now, wormwood, not only an ingredient in absinthe, but is also used for flavouring in some other spirits and wines, including bitters, spice meads, vermouth and pelinkovac. 

 

"Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks. Great success shooting the knife into the piano. The woodworms are so bad and eat hell out of all furniture that you can always claim the woodworms did it." ~Ernest Hemingway

For more history and information:

The Wormwood Society

A non-profit educational and consumer advocacy organization focused on providing current, historically and scientifically accurate information about absinthe, the most maligned and misunderstood drink in history. http://wormwoodsociety.org/

La Fee Verte

The largest absinthe site on the web, very active forum, detailed buyers guide and FAQ.


The Virtual Absinthe Museum

The history and lore of absinthe, virtual museum of absinthe art and antiques, comprehensive absinthe historical FAQ. THE reference site for absinthe research.

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

 The papaya has been regarded as one of the most valuable of tropical fruits and was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerian classic cultures, but is native to the tropics of the Americas. Christopher Columbus reportedly called Carica papaya "the fruit of the angels" because they are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients, minerals and fiber.

It is now known that the papaya fruit is an excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, C and E and also contains small amount of calcium, iron, riboflavin, thiamine and niacin as well as being rich in antioxidant nutrients, flavonoids and carotenes, plus it's low in calories and sodium.

But, beyond the fruit, did you know that the whole papaya plant is usable. Papaya can be used as a food, a cooking aid, and in medicine. The black seeds are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste and have been used as a substitute for black pepper, plus the roots are also used to make salt. In some parts of Asia, the young leaves of papaya are steamed and eaten like spinach and in some parts of the world, papaya leaves are made into tea as a preventative for malaria. The stem and bark are also used in rope production.

Papaya is mostly marketed in tablet form to remedy digestive problems and is cultivated for its milky juice or latex (obtained from the fruit), which is the source of the proteolytic enzyme papain., but papain is also applied topically (in countries where it grows) for the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns. Papain ointment is commonly made from fermented papaya flesh, and is applied as a gel-like paste.

Papaya leaf, latex, and fruit contain several digestive enzymes, which account for the herb's action as a digestive aid and its ability to tenderize, that is, predigest meat. The latex contains the most enzymes, followed by the leaves, and lastly the fruit, though the fruit still contains enough to aid digestion. The most important digestive enzyme in papaya is papain, similar to the human digestive enzyme pepsin, which helps break down proteins.  In fact, papain is sometime called vegetable pepsin.  The herb's other enzymes include one similar to human rennin, which breaks down milk proteins, and another similar topectase, which helps digest starches. 

The effectiveness of the papaya as a medicinal herb has been known since the 1750's but it wasn't until the 1870's that its source of enzymes were recognized. Papain is by far the most widely studied enzyme of the papaya and has been used for wounds in hospitals, clotting milk, for contraception and abortion and as treatment for all kinds of digestive problems.

"Women in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other countries have long used green papaya as a remedy for contraception and abortion. Enslaved women in the West Indies were noted for consuming papaya to prevent pregnancies and thus preventing their children from being born into slavery. Medical research in animals has confirmed the contraceptive and abortifacient capability of papaya, and also found that papaya seeds have contraceptive effects in adult male langur monkeys, and possibly in adult male humans, as well. Ripe papaya is not teratogenic and will not cause miscarriage in small amounts but the Phytochemicals in papaya may suppress the effects of progesterone."

In tropical folk medicine, the fresh latex is smeared on boils, warts and freckles and given as a vermifuge.  A root decoction is claimed to expel roundworms. The leaf also functions as a primitive soap substitute in laundering. Dried leaves have been smoked to relieve asthma or as a tobacco substitute. The sap is used topically to cure inflammation and itchy skin. It is used to clarify beer, also to treat wool and silk before dyeing, to de-hair hides before tanning, and it serves as an adjunct in rubber manufacturing. You can find it in toothpastes, cosmetics and detergents, as well as many pharmaceutical preparations to aid in digestion.

But, to support digestive health, eat up and drink up! ~Place a teaspoon or so of papaya leaf in cup of boiling water. Allow to steep 3-5 minutes. Strain, serve, and enjoy. Steep time and amount of tea used can be adjusted to suit your taste.

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

 

Milk thistle is one of my favorite plants, but then again I am drawn to any of the thistles.

Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the Asteraceae family. These prickles often occur all over the plant - on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These prickly spines protect the plant against herbivorous animals, discouraging them from feeding on the plant. 

The term thistle is sometimes taken to mean exactly those plants in the genus Cynareae, especially the genera Carduus, Cirsium and Onopordum.  However, plants outside this genus are sometimes called thistles too. Some in the family include burdock, artichoke, cardoon, and some not in the family but are included in the thistles are salt wort and tumbleweed.

But, why do I love milk thistle so? Well because it's amazing.

Did you know, around the 16th century milk thistle became quite popular and almost all parts of it were eaten. The roots can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted. The young shoots in spring can be cut down to the root and cooked. The spiny bracts on the flower head can be eaten like globe artichokes, and the stems can be soaked overnight to remove bitterness and then cooked up like asparagus. The leaves can be trimmed of prickles and make a good spinach substitute, and can also be added raw to salads.This is another one of those eat your weeds kinda plants! This plant has been grown both as an ornamental and a vegetable, and virtually all parts of the plant have been used as food with no reports of toxicity.

Milk thistle is native to the Mediterranean region, and is now found throughout the world. This stout thistle usually grows in dry, sunny areas. The spiny stems branch at the top, and reach a height of 4 to 10 feet. The leaves are wide, with white blotches or veins. Milk thistle gets its name from the milky white fluid that comes from the leaves when they are crushed. The flowers are red-purple. The small, hard-skinned fruit is brown, spotted, and shiny. Milk thistle spreads quickly (it is considered a weed in some parts of the world), and it matures quickly, in less than a year.

But one can't stop at just the edible plant, it's medicinal too! The seeds of the milk thistle have been used for over 2000 years to treat chronic liver disease and protect the liver against toxins. It has been used for all liver diseases, hepatitis, cancer, mushroom poisoning and liver detox. By far the most famous herb for liver health, milk thistle contains antioxidant flavonoids, which protect liver cells from damage by preventing toxin absorption and enhancing regeneration.

Here a link to Dr. Christopher's run down on milk thistle.

HISTORY OF MILK THISTLE: THE BENEFITS OF THE USE OF MILK THISTLE IN HERBAL PREPARATIONS

http://www.herballegacy.com/McCorrie_History.html 

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

The beet (Beta vulgaris);  is probably the best known and most popular beet. Most have seen or grown the basic red or purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet, but there are other varieties such as sugar beets, sea beets, and spinach beets. All are valuable.

Beet remains have been excavated in Egypt, and have a long history of cultivation stretching way back to the second millennium BC where they were domesticated somewhere along the Mediterranean. They later spread to Babylonia by the 8th century BC and as far east as China by 850 AD. Beets have been a stable food for thousands of years due to their many important minerals and micro-nutrients They are loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C as well as calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, sodium, and iron. The roots contain significant amounts of vitamin C, while the leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A, and are also high in folate, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber and antioxidants. Beets offer a wealth of carbohydrates and are one of the best energetic foods. They are among the sweetest of vegetables as well, containing more sugar even than carrots or sweet corn.

One of my favorite food uses of beets is to toss a chunk in the juicer with other fruits and greens.  It's not one of my favorite veggies but non-the-less I know it's a valuable one. During each of my four pregnancies, I made sure to juice a piece of beet and it's greens daily for the iron and folate. I also really like the puree mixed in ranch dressing over a giant crispy salad.

Beets have been utilized for their medicinal properties since ancient times.  The roots and leaves of the beet have been used in folk medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments, as they are considered beneficial to the blood (high in iron), heart, and digestive system. They have been regarded as a laxative; a cure for bad breath, coughs and headaches; and even as aphrodisiac. Recently beet root has been regarded as a cancer preventative and strengthener to the immune system, as well as a remedy for indigestion, acidity, gastritis and heartburn and is known to relieve other problems of food toxicity (improper diet and incomplete digestion), including skin problems, headaches and lethargy.

Medicinally, I recommend beet root both fresh and dried in powdered form to anyone including pregnant women and children for anemia, fatigue, those with high blood pressure, as a juice for fasting and detoxing, digestive aid, liver and kidney illnesses, cancer, and the skin and scalp.

Used externally, beetroot  is also considered a cleanser that removes accumulated toxins from the body through the skin and has been used in poultices to draw poisons. It is also said to be good for glandular swelling and sore throat.

Remember, beets have long been known for their amazing health benefits for almost every part of the body and you can grow them or you can buy them it doesn't matter.....just as long as you eat them!

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

The use of medicinal clay in folk medicine goes way back to prehistoric times and was first recorded in ancient Mesopotamia. The indigenous peoples around the world still use a wide variety of clays for medicinal purposes - primarily for external applications, such as the clay baths, but also internally. Clay is one of the most effective natural intestinal detoxifying agents available to us and has been used for hundreds of years by native tribes around the globe. Among the clays most commonly used for medicinal purposes are kaolin and the smectite clays such as bentonite, montmorillonite, and Fuller's earth.

The Native Americans called Bentonite "Ee-Wah-Kee," meaning  "The-Mud-That-Heals". The Amargosians (predecessors to the Aztecs ), the Aborigines, and natives of Mexico and South America all recognized the benefit of clays. They knew that the healing mud not only drew toxic material out of the body if taken internally, but also reduced pain and infection in open wounds on both humans and animals. Animals in the wild are drawn to clay deposits by instinct, most people have observed some animal licking rocks and clay as part of their everyday diet as well as rolling in it to get relief from injuries. 

The reason Bentonite clay is so effective is because it has a negative charge, and most toxins in our body have a positive charge. So this makes Bentonite clay so useful for absorbing toxins, impurities, heavy metals and other internal contaminants. Bentonite clay's structure assists it in attracting and soaking up poisons on its exterior wall and then slowly draws them into the interior center of the clay where it is held until passed through the body.  Bentonite is a swelling clay so when it is mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound. However, it is important to ingest clays with a soluble fiber such as Psyllium.

Clay provides an impressive assortment of minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, manganese, and silica as well as trace elements—those appearing in very tiny amounts. Without the basic minerals, life cannot exist; without the trace minerals, major deficiencies will develop. The lack of either will make it impossible for the body to maintain good health.

Knishinsky writes, from "The Clay Cure" that clay is part of his diet and he never skip a day without eating clay. He writes "When clay is consumed, its vital force is released into the physical body and mingles with the vital energy of the body, creating a stronger, more powerful energy in the host. The natural magnetic action transmits a remarkable power to the organism and helps to rebuild vital potential through the liberation of latent energy. When the immune system does not function at its best, the clay stimulates the body's inner resources to awaken the stagnant energy. It supplies the body with the available magnetism to run well. Clay is said to propel the immune system to find a new healthy balance and strengthens the body to a point of higher resistance."  

Because its naturally absorbent and extremely gentle on the system, clay can treat ailments affecting digestion, circulation, menstruation, and the liver, skin, and prostate. 

Pregnant women in many indigenous and traditional cultures very commonly consume clay, especially to reduce nausea. Since clays contain a very large amount of trace minerals of all sorts, this most likely contributes to the development of a healthy fetus. Scientific analyses of clays selected by pregnant women in Nigeria show that eating as little as 500 mg (about the equivalent of two Tylenol capsules) per day can satisfy nearly 80 percent of a pregnant woman's calcium needs.

 

Many types of skin infections have been healed by topical applications of medicinal clay as well. Bentonite is often used as a therapeutic face pack for the treatment of acne/oily skin. Clearasil, for example, uses Bentonite as an agent to absorb excess sebum, clearing pores.

But clay also remedies symptoms of arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, eczema, psoriasis, gum diseases, migraines, the list just goes on and on. Healing clay packs work energetically with the human system. By actually pulling contaminants through the skin and stimulates the immune system. An energy exchange that occurs in a strong clay action is so evident that it can be visually measured.  

In his article "True Carpal Tunnel Syndrome"  Paul Martin writes "Anything which will promote circulation, help to relieve inflammation, aid in removal of local toxins, and soothe irritated muscles and tendons will help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome." He recommends hydrated Bentonite clay wraps properly heated and applied completely around the wrists (about 1/2 inch thick), covered, and left on overnight have a tremendous impact upon Carpal Tunnel Syndrome usually within forty-eight hours. Some people have reported increased localized pain and stiffness after the first night's application. However, these same people then have reported a lessening of pain after 48 hours, and complete relief after 72 hours. 

How can clay possibly accomplish all of this? The answer is as simple as it is mysterious.

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

 

 

So what's with all these weird names with the suffix "wort" like St. John's Wort, Mugwort, Birthwort, Lungwort and so on? Well, "wort" derives from the Old English wyrt, which simply meant plant. The word was used in the names of herbs that had medicinal uses, the first part of the word denoting the complaint against which it was specially useful. But, by the middle of the 17th-century -wort faded from everyday use.

Just wanted to share an interesting fact today...Enjoy!

 

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

 

 

I am particularly lucky to have Horsetail growing in abundance in my area. It's rarely cultivated since it is difficult to eradicate once established, but if you plant it in buckets to prevent it from spreading, you can successfully grow a small crop. Horsetail certainly makes a stunning presence in any garden, and is a useful addition to say the least. If you want to grow your own Equisetum arvense, it is best propagated in fall by division of mature plants. Horsetail has been declared a noxious weed in some areas, but I am always excited to see it prospering in the wild. 

Horsetail, or Shavegrass as it is often called, is a primitive spore bearing, grass-like perennial with hollow stems that seem to be impregnated with silica.  Today's horsetail is a shiny grass growing 4-18 inches in height, but in prehistoric times it grew as big as trees. According to myth, if you find horsetail growing in a field, it means there is underground water or a spring below.

Because the stems contain such a large amount of silica, (which is used by the body in the production and repair of connective tissues and accelerates the healing of broken bones) it is a great choice for tissue repair. Other than a fantastic wound healer it is a valuable astringent, diuretic, styptic and tonic.

I find it interesting to know that Horsetail is not only a rich source of Silica and Calcuim, but also Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, C, E, Selenium, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron, Manganese, Sodium, Chlorine, Zinc, Cobalt, Gold, Silver, Platinum, Rhodium- Alkaloids (including Nicotine), Saponins, Tannins, Flavonoids, and Phytosterols. There's alot going on in this herb!

One of my favorite herbal tea blends that  provides minerals for strong bone growth for the entire body is simple and tasty. All of these herbs are nutritious and are a good sources of absorabable calcium, magnesium, iron, and other important trace minerals. I recommend two to three cups a day as a gentle bone-building tonic. You can find all of these loose leaf herbs in my Local Harvest Store.

2 parts oatstraw

2 part nettle

1 part horsetail

1 part red clover

1 part rosehips

1 part violet leaves

Horsetail is not only a great medicinal herb for tissue repair, but also nosebleeds, lung weakness, kidney health, eyelid swelling, bleeding gums and prostate and urinary tract health.

It's also a good tea for postmenopausal women to keep their hair, skin, and nails in fit shape as the Silica and Calcium strengthen brittle nails; give life to dull, dry hair, and restore skin tissue.

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

I love seeing little herb gardens of plantain growing in the cracks of people's driveways. These "weeds" are far too often plucked out (just like dandelions) but I have my hopes. Do you ever notice how Mother Nature plops down herbs in the most convenient spots. This mighty strong and stubborn herb isn't that tough by accident you know. Plantain, whether plucked, stomped, pulled or crushed, never seems to die; in fact, it's so resilient, it'll grow where nothing else will. To me- that's a trooper!

Plantain is defiantly one herb that I put at the top of my list as a great remedy for coughs, lung congestion, hoarseness and anything else where excessive mucus is a problem. This particular herb is a good substitute for slippery elm which is disappearing due to irresponsible wild crafting practices, commercial logging, and Dutch elm disease. You can make a simple tea or a syrup (I like to add fresh ginger to my plantain syrup as well) and use whenever a hacking cough starts. Buy fresh dried plantain here.

Plantago is also commonly used internally for diarrhea, cystitis, asthma, hay fever, hemorrhage, catarrh, and sinusitis. As well as externally for eye inflammations, shingles, and ulcers. I often use it to sooth the stings from nettles too.

As a wound healer, plantain is superior. In addition to coagulating blood, the tea or salve has been known to close up even the most stubborn sores. You can even wash skin eruptions and rashes in plain plantain tea as a natural aid. Fresh plantain has been shown to draw out insect poison before it can cause major discomfort.

If you lucky enough to find this "bothersome weed" in your yard (and I'm sure you might) you can also use the fresh leaves in salads; steam and eat the leaves like spinach - their really quite yummy. What ever you chose to do with your plantain, don't be surprised to know that it is one of the wisest weeds on the block! You can find plantain here in my Local Harvest Store

Please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

Follow me on Twitter - MorganBotanical 

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

Corn silk (Zea mays) is a great herbal remedy for acute inflammation and irritation of the genito-urinary system, such as cystitis, urethritis and prostatitis. It is especially useful in treating inflammation caused by bacterial infection and its volatile oils neutralize fungi and yeast. It is particularly useful for calming bladder irritation and infection in children. Because this herb is a soothing and relaxing diuretic, corn silk clears toxins, catarrh, deposits and irritants out of the kidneys and bladder, plus it has a gentle antiseptic and healing action. The tea is also believed to diminish prostate inflammation and the accompanying pain when urinating.

By reducing fluid retention in the body, corn silk may help reduce blood pressure, and by aiding elimination of toxins and wastes it may relieve gout and arthritis, as well as act as a gentle detoxifying remedy for the system. 

Corn silk makes a good remedy for frequency of urination and bed wetting due to irritation or weakness of the urinary system, and has been used for urinary stones and gravel. Since corn silk is used as a kidney remedy and in the regulation of fluids, the herb is helpful in treating water retention associated with edema.

Corn silk tea  can be made by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of dried corn silk. The mixture is covered and steeped for 10–15 minutes. The tea should be consumed three times daily.

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.