Fantastic Fall: Coping with Dryness

 

Good Morning!

Fantastic Fall: Coping with Dryness

Dryness is a common problem in Autumn. Dryness can manifest as constipation, dry throat, dry skin, dry eyes, dry brittle hair, thirst, and lack of sweat. Most people do not drink enough fluids regularly, let alone in the Autumn. Spicy food can cause or worsen dryness. Be careful not to get stuck in the vicious cycle of craving the same food that makes your symptoms worse!

Below are some of the most popular and common herbal remedies for aliments of the lungs:

Coltsfoot Root, (Tussilago farfara) The mucilaginous property of the root makes it useful with lung problems, coughs, and intestinal upset. Coltsfoot is available in tincture, syrup, capsules and tea. The active ingredients are extracted from the dried leaves, root and flowers.

Ginkgo Biloba (Ginkgo Biloba) has been a staple with practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to treat asthma, allergies, and coughs. Studies have shown that ginkgo can inhibit allergic response and scientists have isolated an active ingredient in ginkgo that has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Horehound, (Marrubium vulgare) can be considered whenever heavy, dry, mucus must be discharged from lungs and respiratory passages. Horehound is the botanical herb of choice due to its long history as a safe, reliable, and effective herbal cough remedy.

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) contains elements helpful for the adrenals and glands, inducing the adrenal cortex to produce more cortisone and aldosterone. It is thought to exhibit a mucosal protectant effect by beneficially interfering with gastric prostanoid synthesis and increasing both mucous production and regional blood flow. Very helpful in treating flu, colds, and lung congestion. It is also found in popular cough remedies. Due to the adverse reaction of licorice, many studies have been performed using the deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) extract, which is free of glycyrrhizin and has had no significant reported adverse effects.

Lobelia, (Lobelia inflata) is used smoking cessation and to treat asthma and depression. The piperidine alkaloids (lobeline) are believed to be responsible for the mechanism of action. In vitro studies show that lobeline crosses the blood-brain barrier and has similar activity to nicotine, and stimulates the release of dopamine and norepinephrine. At low doses, lobelia has stimulant effects. There are several contraindications with this herb. Lobelia is known to cross into breast milk and should not be consumed by pregnant or nursing mothers. Adverse reactions included nausea, vomiting, sweating, cough, dizziness, bradycardia, hypertension, seizures, respiratory stimulation (low doses) or depression (high doses). Toxicity includes sinus arrhythmia, bundle branch block, diaphoresis, cardiovascular collapse, seizures, coma. Herb-Drug Interactions include nicotine. Lobelia may have additive effects when combined with nicotine-containing products, resulting in toxicity.

Mullein, (Verbascum thapsus)is an antispasmodic, which is rich in mucilage, a substance that soothes the throat. It is a good expectorant and, in the process of clearing out congestion. It also soothes irritation in the throat and bronchial passages. As an antispasmodic, mullein can relieve stomach cramps and help control diarrhea. Mullein is an age old remedy, which is specific for bronchitis with hard cough and soreness. It is also a herb for cold and congestion. The leaves and flowers are used to reduce mucous and stimulate coughing up of phlegm.

Nettle (Urtica dioica)had been known to reduce allergic reactions. Rich in iron, potassium and silicon, nettles combined with comfrey, mullein, or horehound can be used for asthma. 

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The Psychological Aspects of Cedarwood Essential Oil

 

Good Morning!

The Psychological Aspects of Cedarwood Essential Oil

I have always found the psychological aspects of herbs and oils fascinating and Cedarwood is no exception. Cedar wood (Cedrus) or cedar, is a genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae.

Fully grown, cedar is a large coniferous evergreen tree. Prized by the Egyptians, The Celts and Native Americans, Cedarwood has a long history as an incense and perfume. The wood was burned by the Greeks and Romans to fragrant the air.

This steam distilled oil comes from the bark, and has a woody, balsamic scent with rich dry overtones. It has been used for stress reduction, anxiety and tension. Strengthening and comforting. When diffused into the air, this strengthening oil has a soothing quality that calms nervous tension and anxiety. It also helps alleviate upper respiratory and sinus problems.

Its fragrant base note blends well with bergamot, clary sage, eucalyptus, frankincense, ginger, juniper berry, lavender, neroli, palmarosa, patchouli, rose, rosemary and ylang ylang.  It's warm, sweet camphor- like note has a deep woody undertone. It is said that it becomes richer and softer as it evaporates.

Found in France, at the end of the 19th century, The Coligny-Calendar is a compilation of pre-Christian Celtic systems of timekeeping, including the Gaulish Coligny calendar, used by Celtic countries to define the beginning and length of the day, the week, the month, the seasons, quarter days, and festivals. On the calendar is a series of lines of glyphs, called Oghams.  The Ogham (commonly pronounced Oh-m) is an early Medieval alphabet used primarily to transcribe the early and late period, Irish language The glyphs are the only written form left by the Druids. The Ogham is sometimes called the Celtic Tree Alphabet, based on ancient medieval Br­atharogam tradition ascribing names of trees to the individual letters. Although, Cedarwood was not part of the first 13 trees, it was transcribed from later findings. These findings are the basis of Author, Robert Graves, who made reference to these trees in his book "The White Goddess" regarding the trees and their personas.

The Celts actually gave Cedar a persona and emotion, representing confidence. It is considered a rare beauty. Based on Celtic studies of the Ogham Tree Calendar, Robert Graves theorized that if the Oghams were associated with 13 sacred trees and that they followed the 13 moons of the calendar year then each moon, he thought, there must be an association with the tree of that month. Trees physically unite the heavens with the Earth, and this is probably why the Celts used so many of the trees' properties, like the bark, in herbal remedies and referred to others born during the days of the Cedar Tree (Aug 14 to Aug 23) as Cedar persons.

The "Cedar person"  is known to like luxury, the tenants of good health, is not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, is self-confident, determined, impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, has a healthy dose of optimism, is waiting for the one true love, and able to make quick decisions.

The Native Americans worshipped this tree of knowledge and used it for grounding and worship. Cedar knows how to adapt in nature, which gave the tree great reverence for American Indians. The Cherokee tribe would look upon the Cedar as their ancestor. It is traditionally believed that the wood of the cedar tree holds powerful protective spirits from the Cherokee's past. Ceremonial drums would be made from cedarwood. It is a common practice to carry a small piece of cedarwood in your medicine bag worn around the neck. It is also placed above the entrances to the home in order to protect against evil spirits. By rubbing the bark or breaking some of the bows in your hand, you release the essential oils. You would then rub your hands together, cup them over your nose and mouth and breathe naturally for several minutes. This is a remedy for stress relief, soothing tension and to help with loneliness. You can also massage into the feet. This emotional "heart tonic" could be applied over the heart center.

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Human warmth vs robots

 

Thought you might enjoy this.

DO ROBOTS HAVE COLD FINGERS? 

Every time I watch this old video it makes me laugh, it's fun to see Mom again. It's almost like being there with her. She lives in Sanfrancorp and I live in Portlandcorp with my husband, Orson —the severe travel restrictions mean we rarely get to see each other anymore. I haven't seen her for two years.
My mom used to be a journalist and she wanted to record one of the last physical exams she was given by a real person. You know, before the CARE Units took over. That was twenty years ago.
Talk about the dark ages. It's hard to even imagine all the microbes everyone carried around and passed back and forth—shaking hands, hugging, and all that stuff.
Oh! All those germs crawling all over you.
Of course, we're civilized now. We know better than to touch each other unless we absolutely must. I don't even like to mess around with Orson much anymore. Those decontam showers are no fun.
Strange how I always feel compelled to pull Mom's video out the day before my Well Exam. Mainly, it's reassuring to see how medicine has advanced and how we take better care of ourselves today.
I look at the video again and there's Mom being brought into a cubicle by someone wearing purple pajamas—they're pretty funny looking. Speaking of funny, the woman has a big, smile on her face. I think she's bored because that grin never changes—it looks pasted on her face. I'll bet what she really wants to do is roll her eyes. I mean, she doesn't, but I do when she asks my mother a bunch of stupid questions that any decent robot would already have the answers to. Before the woman leaves the room in her colorful getup, she squeezes my mother's arm and there's something in her expression that always makes me … I don't know … it makes me feel strange.
Mom has a real sense of humor and when the woman turns away, she sticks her tongue out at the camera she's placed on a table across the room.
It's nothing like that today. I don't need anyone to bring me into a sterilizing cubicle. Shoot, I can read the signs, can't I?
I stare at Mom undressing and watch her put on some kind of paper gown. Back then you could cut down trees, use them for any silly thing. That was before the already depleted rainforests started suddenly dying off. Mom wrote a lot of stories about it then, but now she works for Newscorp which runs all the information feeds globally, and my mother is a blogger for State of the Art.com, a subsidiary. She doesn't seem as happy as she used to be when I was a little girl and she was chasing after live news.
"You do what you gotta do," she always says.
Each time she says that, I think she's going to cry, instead she always bursts out into a hearty laugh. I really miss my Mom, even though she's old-fashioned and makes fun of a lot of the things we do or don't do today.
It's late so I close everything up, take the first of my bedtime pre-exam pills, crawl under the covers, and look over at Orson who's already asleep in his bed.
I think of my last robot exam and try to remember all the details. For some reason, whenever the exam is finished, my memory of it fades. My friends say the same thing. They don't remember much either.
It makes me uneasy.
I hope nothing is wrong with me. Some people seem to disappear after they've had their exam. Where do they go? Do they change jobs or what? There are rumors …
A sudden jolt of fear runs down my spine, but it's gone before I can really think about it anymore.
I try to relax. I remember the CARE Unit door enclosing me into a dark, small examination chamber.
It seems surreal standing there with only blue, purple, and green indicators blinking and a disembodied voice hanging in the air:
"Please remove all your clothes and place the second and third fingers within the outlines of the DNA sensor on the panel in front of you."
Colored lights blink faster. That's when I get really sleepy.
"Thank you. Now place your fourth finger on the adjoining indent."
It stings as a drop of blood is extracted from my fingertip.
"Please remove your hand."
Don't really remember much more. Just flashes of pictures in my head that could be real or not real.
I do remember a faint aroma of disinfectant surrounding me as the floor begins a slow rotation. Cold tentacles slide across my skin and wrap, enter, and touch every part of my body. They pinch, then squeeze and relax, squeeze and relax. Almost in the blink of an eye the chamber lights comes on.
"You may dress. We are pleased to inform you there is nothing wrong requiring treatment. Thank you for visiting CARE Unit Number Three today. Rx is deferred."
Is that what it really said? I can't remember.
As I drift into sleep I think about the woman with the purple pajamas in the examination room with Mom.
Her eyes were soft.