Take Out the Sting of Allergies with Nettles

Stinging nettle grows wild in Ohio as a perennial about 2- 5 feet tall. It has lance-shaped leaves and green flowers with yellow stamens. The leaves and stems have fine hairs on them that deliver an irritating and lasting sting. So, wear protective gloves, long sleeves and pants if you are harvesting them for yourself. Interestingly enough, the juice of the nettle plant is the antidote for the sting. You can also use yellow dock, which probably grows nearby, to soothe the sting.

Nettles have many health benefits, beginning with being highly nutritious. They are excellent added into soups, an omelet, or even your spaghetti sauce. Nettles add mineral content without changing the flavor of your food, but they should not be eaten raw. Nettle leaves are high in calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins D & K. Nettles are helpful in building the immune system, strengthening the body, and giving you more energy. Nettle is frequently recommended in pregnancy: to enrich the blood, to aid the kidneys, ease leg cramps, prevent hemorrhage after birth, reduce hemorrhoids, and increase breast milk. Nettle root is effective in restoring thinning hair; improving skin and scalp health.

Nettle is well-known to support respiratory health and nasal congestion. With anti-inflammatory properties, many people rely on nettles to give them allergy relief. They are best taken daily, just one or two capsules a day, for about a month before the allergy season begins. To help alleviate spring and fall pollen allergies, continue with nettles daily, and watch your symptoms slowly disappear. Stinging nettle increases the production of T cells, immune cells that act as a control mechanism on other immune cells that cause allergic reactions. Some people they notice that in subsequent years, they have less allergy problems, because the respiratory system begins functioning correctly.

A combination of nettle leaf tea and nettle seed tincture taken daily is often recommended by herbalists to improve kidney function. Nettle has a strong astringent action and is high in vitamin K, both which help to stop bleeding. Because of its anti-inflammatory action it is helpful for arthritis pain. Nettle root is often used in combination with Saw Palmetto for a swollen prostate gland and to help reduce nightly trips to the bathroom. Nettle seed has been traditionally used to strengthen kidneys, adrenals, and the thyroid.

Nettle is a diuretic and will remove potassium from the body, so if taken regularly, you should eat foods high in potassium or supplement it. Caution should be taken with combining nettles with prescription medications used for diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, or sedatives.

What is Metabolic Health?

What is Metabolic Health?

We hear this term a lot, “but what does it MEAN?” I asked myself. So, I did what we all do these days, I asked “google”. This is what came up on my phone.

“Metabolic health is the body’s ability to efficiently break down, convert, and use food for energy without medication, supporting stable blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. It is measured by five key biomarkers: waist circumference, fasting glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure, with optimal levels preventing chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.”

• Waist circumference – 40 inches for men and 35 for women

• Fasting blood glucose – sugar levels below 100

A1c blood sugar average over 3 months- normal 5.7%, prediabetes 5.7 – 6.4%

• Blood pressure – optimal levels below 120/80

• Triglycerides – a type of fat in the blood, below 150

• HDL (good) cholesterol – above 40 in men and 50 in women

These are the numbers your doctor is looking for in a “healthy person”.  Many of the common drugs prescribed today and aimed at changing these numbers. One problem with this approach is that it many times it doesn’t take into account age, lifestyle, or other physical problems. What is normal anyways? Who says what is healthy? Insurance companies or your doctor? Prescribing drugs, which DO have side effects, should take into account more than just a number. However, beyond the number, we do want to address these common health issues. Can we do this naturally? You bet! There is so much you can do at home to improve your metabolic health – without drugs.

Let’s break it down…

The first thing addressed in the metabolic health definition is the “body’s ability to efficiently break down, convert, and use food for energy”. FOOD – that is the place to start. Improving our diet is a first step in improving all of the measurements in the above list. I am always amazed at the number of diabetics who come into the store and don’t know what a carbohydrate is. I have been told, “I don’t eat sugar.” Only to then hear them list all the carbs in their diet, that are actually sugar. Do you know which fats are good fats, and which to avoid? Education is important. Learn what you should be eating. Believe me, it isn’t the standard American diet! We need to change our diet, if we want the numbers to change.

The first supplement that comes to mind for support is digestive enzymes. If the problem is that you aren’t breaking down food properly, then maybe it is time for a little help. Raw food, such as an apple, has all the enzymes in it necessary for digestion (or to break it down). The problem is that we cook and process our food to death! There are no enzymes left. This puts a heavy load on the pancreas to create enzymes to break down the food we eat. If the pancreas is overloaded making enzymes, it might not be able to keep up with making insulin. You can see how these metabolic problems influence each other. Herbs that support the pancreas include: nopal, goldenseal or berberine, and cinnamon. To support digestion and give the pancreas a rest, take digestive enzymes before each meal.

The liver is also connected to this process, deciding when to store fat, and when to use it for energy. If the liver is overloaded with toxic environmental chemicals or preservatives, additives, fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides; how is it supposed to function properly in the making and use of triglycerides or cholesterol? Also, back to diet, the widespread use of high fructose corn syrup in everything has contributed to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. 1/3 of the adults in the US have a fatty liver, not to mention it is becoming prevalent in children. The most well-known herb for the liver is milk thistle. There is a lot of scientific evidence that the silymarin in milk thistle may protect the liver from chemical toxins and support the healing of liver disease. Another important antioxidant for the liver is grapeseed extract.

The problem with blood pressure and cholesterol is not really in the numbers, although that is how they measure it. The problem really lies in the health of the arteries. Are they clogged up with junk? Cholesterol and plaque form on artery walls with the purpose of patching weak spots.  Are your arteries clear, flexible, strong, and healthy? Again, diet has a lot to do with this. Supplements to support healthy arteries include vitamins A, D, & K; and nattokinase, which is an enzyme contained in fermented soybean cheese, a Japanese food called natto. Nattokinase has an impressive track record for its ability to improve blood flow by breaking down a blood-clotting protein called fibrin. Clean out the arteries so that blood may flow freely and keep them strong and flexible, requiring less “patching” with cholesterol.

You can naturally support metabolic health. Allopathic medicine focuses on blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers. From a natural point of view this includes paying special attention to:

• Diet – eat REAL food: quality protein, good fats, complex carbs, minimal processed foods

• Digestion – how well is food broken down and used by the body, digestive enzymes

• Pancreas – addressing blood sugar and insulin resistance, nopal, berberine, cinnamon

• Liver – detoxification and protection, milk thistle, grapeseed extract

• Arteries – diet, vitamins A, D, & K and nattokinase

Don’t ignore your body’s signals – support your metabolic health today! If you want to learn more about how your body works, join us for our herbalist classes or make an appointment for a Wellness Plan. I am here to assist you. Health, One Choice at a Time!

Healing Hearts With Roses

Healing Hearts with Roses

Rose is well-known for its love connection. As an herb, it is soothing and therapeutic to the body, mind, and spirit. As medicine, the rose you want to use is not the typical florist’s flower, but it is the wild rose, or as a cultivated variety: the rugosa rose. Some of its medicinal properties are anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, antidepressant, and as a tonic for the heart and circulatory system.

Rose petals are mildly antiseptic, so are a wonderful addition to salves made for healing rashes or wounded skin. A good example of the tradition of “like treats like”, the wild or rugosa rose is extremely thorny, and yet it is soothing for wounds. Its anti-inflammatory quality makes it wonderful for soothing a sore throat. It is cooling and will help to bring down a fever. I love to use rose water as a spritz to cool a hot flash. It is anti-spasmodic, so useful for menstrual or intestinal cramps. The petals are a nervine, calming to the nervous system, easing tension and pain. As a uterine tonic, rose petals assist with infections, bleeding, or cysts. Because of its hormonal action, avoid taking rose petals internally while pregnant.

Rose hips are the fruit of the rose. Best known as an excellent source of vitamin C. They are very nutritive, also containing the vitamins A, B3, D, and E. Rose hips are a strong antioxidant, offering protection from free radicals. They are high in iron, offering support during the menstrual cycle. Rose hips are also a source of collagen; and as an anti-inflammatory they are helpful for the joints. One of my favorite ways to use rose hips is as a syrup: take a spoonful, use it in tea, or even on pancakes! Delicious.

Rose Hip Syrup

In the autumn, gather fresh rose hips, remove the blossom end and stems. Wash well. Chop the rose hips, place into a cooking pot, and cover with water to an inch over the rose hips. Bring to a boil; simmer gently for 15 minutes. Strain thru cloth or use a French press. Discard pulp. Place 2 cups juice and 1 cup honey into a sauce pan. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, allowing it to thicken. Enjoy. Store in refrigerator and use within a month, may be frozen or canned.

Rose flower essence is made by placing fresh rose petals in a bowl of water and steeping them in the sun. The water becomes infused with the essence or vibration of the flower. The water is then used internally to stimulate our own healing response. Rose flower essence helps to open the heart to love again. When you feel lonely, it may foster a feeling of community and belonging. It helps caregivers to find the grace to have patience, compassion, and understanding. Rose flower essence may also help you to find this compassion for yourself, letting go of judgements and finding the strength to move on.

Rose essential oil is known as the oil of Divine Love. It can help you feel secure, whole, restored, accepted, valued, loved, and that you belong. Rose has the highest vibration of any essential oil and 1 drop can influence the vibrations of 30 people in a room. Low vibrations influence emotional/mental health and immunity to disease. Raising your vibration is key to happiness, creativity, health and wellness. Rose oil can help you to move Qi or energy, away from that “stuck” feeling, to feeling vibrant and whole again. Rose oil increases self-confidence and self-acceptance. It reduces tension, stress, and even the environmental stress we are all exposed to every day. Rose oil brings healing to the skin, tissue damage, scars, wrinkles, even sunburn. It is hormone balancing: helpful for cramps, menstrual support, ovulation, fertility, libido, and childbirth. Rose oil is my go-to oil for grief, letting go, and moving on. Expensive, it takes 30 roses to make 1 drop of essential oil, but it is worth the investment!

Letting-go Blend

In a roller bottle place 4 drops Frankincense oil, 2 drops Myrrh oil, 2 drops Rose oil, 1 drop Helichrysum oil, and1 drop Chamomile oil. Fill the rest of the bottle with coconut oil. Roll on heart, wrists, neck, bottoms of feet, at least twice a day or any time negative feelings overwhelm you. Use the affirmation, “I am moving forward with happiness”. This blend is useful for letting go of people, situations, heart break, or grief.

Sweet Dreams Spray

In a spray bottle place 3 drops Lavender oil, 2 drops Chamomile oil,

2 drops Rose oil, and 1 drop of Orange essential oil. Fill the bottle with water. Spray onto pillow at night. This blend helps to calm nerves and quiet a hyperactive mind so that you can rest.

Rose quartz is the crystal of love, kindness, and forgiveness. The soft pink stone comforts and heals any wounds the heart has suffered, and is ideal for anyone who has loved and lost. Its cell regenerating energy penetrates the inner chambers of the Heart Chakra where emotional experiences are recorded and stored. Rose quartz helps us to move forward from grief and heartache, welcoming new relationships with true understanding. Rose quartz is a common crystal, found in the United States, Brazil, and India. It is easily cleansed with warm, soapy water. To nurture yourself with rose quartz, wear a pendant close to the heart.

Healing Grief Heart Syrup

Soak overnight in 1 quart water:

½ cup Hawthorn Berries ¼ cup Rose Hips

Add:

¼ cup Rose petals ¼ cup Hibiscus flowers

1 Cinnamon stick 1 Tbs fresh grated Ginger

Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add water as needed. Strain.

Add 1 cup sugar for each cup of liquid. Heat to dissolve sugar and simmer, uncovered, to reduce to syrup consistency. Add ¼ cup brandy as a preservative, if desired. Shelf life is 1 month.

Take 1-3 Tbs daily, as needed. May be added to water, to make tea. Or to sparkling water to make and enjoyable specialty drink

Detox Maintenance

Many of you are currently worried about the toxic state of our environment. Chemicals are everywhere, and they end up stored in our body tissues. They are even passed down to our children before they are born. As a culture, we know that we must begin to clean up our food, drugs, personal care products, and environment if we are going to live healthy lives.

Reminder: It is time for your regular detox maintenance.

Think of it as if you were doing the oil change on your car. This is maintenance that we can’t afford to ignore in our toxic world. I recommend starting with a bowel and liver cleanse. Next target parasites – we worm our animals, why don’t we take care of ourselves? We have cleanses available, which accomplish all three of those together. I do this once or twice a year, just to keep the body functioning well.

Are you afraid of cleansing? You have heard horror stories about parasites or crazy symptoms. These crazy stories are just that – crazy stories! They are the RARE instances of detox. Most of the time the only symptoms you would notice is a headache, a few more trips to the bathroom, or maybe a rash. You should be cautious about cleansing if you are very sick. If you are worried about this and have questions, please stop in and talk to me. We have very gentle cleanses to help get you started.

After some basic cleansing of bowel and liver, you might want to target some specifics, like heavy metals, spike proteins, or microplastics. I have brought in professional quality cleanse formulas for each of these areas. Let’s discuss some of these options:

Heavy Metal Detox helps to reduce the adverse effects of heavy metals, as well as aid in their elimination from the body, Contamination of the air, soil, water, and food supply has resulted in 1 out of 4 Americans suffering from some degree of heavy metal poisoning. The heavy metals most frequently encountered are aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel. Symptoms of heavy metal toxicity include fatigue, immune dysfunction, behavior and mood disturbances, musculoskeletal complaints, gastrointestinal and neurological problems, anemia, high blood pressure, kidney and liver dysfunction, and endocrine disorders. Heavy Metal Detox contains: Vitamin B6, cilantro, sodium alginate (brown seaweed), apple pectin, N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), Magnesium, l-Methionine, Kelp, and Alpha lipoic acid.

Biofilm Detox contains proteolytic enzymes to break down proteins and reduce inflammation. Serrapeptase helps dissolve hard particles made of protein that cause unwanted side effects. These might be stored in scar tissue, blood clots, and cysts. Researchers believe this is achieved by immune system regulating levels of lymphocytes at the site of inflammation. Biofilm detox also contains herbs to support the immune system in ridding the body of the biofilm viruses may leave behind.

MP Pro Microplastics Defense contains polyphenols, antioxidants, and probiotics which act to protect against cellular and DNA damage caused by microplastics. It also supports the removal of senescent – damaged or older – cells formed in the body. Microplastics or are being implicated in neurological degeneration, premature aging, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

How many of the daily symptoms we experience are caused by the toxins in our environment? It is hard to say, but given the toxic world we live in, maybe a lot. We need to take care of the maintenance on our vehicle…our body. Make taking care of yourself a priority today!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

5 Reasons to Work with a Natural Health Professional

5 Reasons to Work with a Natural Health Professional

• Are you feeling overwhelmed by the number of herbal remedies and supplements available and unsure which ones are best suited for your needs? Working with a professional can help you narrow down options with customized wellness plans tailored to your unique health concerns.

• Are you dealing with chronic health issues that haven’t responded well to conventional medicine? A natural professional can help you explore safe, gentle options to promote wellness, focusing at a foundational level and going to the cause of the problem.

• Are you concerned about herbal safety, potential side effects, and finding quality supplements that you can trust? Working with a professional herbalist can ensure you get the best quality herbs from reputable sources. They understand your questions and can answer them.

• Do you have a cabinet full of unused supplements you bought on a whim and haven’t used? Working with a professional will save you money, because you will buy only what you need. A wellness plan will give you direction and purpose in your natural supplementation.

• Are you desiring personal guidance and recommendations tailored to your unique health concerns? I would love to work with you! As a Traditional Naturopath, Master Herbalist, and Certified Natural Health Professional, I can assist you with personalized recommendations. A wellness plan will give you direction and confidence to improve your health and reach your goals. Make an appointment today.

Basics For Vitality

Basics for Vitality

Are you tired? Looking for a little more stamina, spark, and spunk? What would it take for you to be your best vivacious self? I find many times with my clients that they just need to go back to the BASICS.

• Multivitamin – a quality multivitamin is the base of any supplement program. Many people think this is a waste of money or something they don’t really need and can easily skip. Nope, I really want to challenge that idea. Let’s just think a minute…how many vegetables did you eat yesterday? Hmm… 5+? How many meals of junk food/sugar last week? Too many? Very few of us actually eat a good diet. Ok, so YOU do eat well…YAY. But how much nutrition is in those vegetables? Tests have shown that our foods today just don’t contain the same vitamins/minerals in them as they had in the 1950’s. Plus they do contain pesticides, herbicides – think roundup – plastics and GMO’s. I honestly think it is extremely difficult today to get all the nutrition you need just from your food. So rethink your multivitamin and make sure it is a GOOD QUALITY one, they are not all created equal. Cheap is cheap.

• Minerals – it is nice to have minerals included in your multivitamin, but most times it won’t be all that you need. Minerals are the “spark” of life, they can put the pep in your step. If I am feeling run down, I go for a liquid ionic mineral supplement that can be quickly absorbed. It will feel like the light bulb is turned on in my head, instant clear thinking and energy. Another thing to consider about minerals, especially calcium, is that rocks may not be the best source. Think about it…would you take a rock, a piece of coral, or an oyster shell and eat it? Nope, and just because you powder it up and put it into a capsule, does not mean your body can use it. Plant based minerals are best! One more thought, if you are premenopausal or menopausal you should know that there is a 5 year window at that time in your life, that you can lose the most bone mass. If you only take plant based calcium two times in your life, let it be when you are pregnant and when you are nearing menopause – take care of your bones!

• Enzymes – break down the food you eat so it can be better absorbed by the body. Many people have acid reflux, bloating, an upset stomach, constipation, and food allergies. Gut problems are prevalent in our processed food culture. Yet, how many of us take an enzyme with each meal? This could change your life! Enzymes occur naturally in all raw foods. The problem is that we cook everything! Which kills all the enzymes. With a lack of enzymes, your body has to work extra hard to break down the food you eat. This causes a strain on the pancreas…think diabetes. If your food is not sufficiently broken down as it reaches the intestines, those larger particles can get pushed through the gut causing an allergic reaction in the body…think leaky gut. Simply taking an enzyme with each meal can prevent disease and remove uncomfortable symptoms. Enzymes should be a basic supplement for many of us in today’s processed food culture.

• Essential Fatty Acids – are necessary for rebuilding and producing new cells. This fat is considered essential, because it must come from the diet, your body cannot make it. In our “low fat” culture, we have cut out most fats from our diet, thinking that is healthy. New research, shows that we need these good fats. So, rethink having good fats: olive oil, coconut oil, fish oil, avocado oil, avocadoes, nuts and even butter. EFA’s aid the function of the brain and nerves, helping with learning ability and the recalling of information. EFA’s improve skin and hair, and help decrease inflammation…think arthritis. They reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels, improve artery integrity and reduce risk of blood clots. Add good fats into your diet and work to remove the bad fats; which come in the form of hydrogenated oils, margarine, corn, canola, safflower sesame, sunflower, walnut…found in all refined processed foods!

Do you want to improve your health and vitality? Taking good quality basic supplements makes a difference! If you need help to know which supplements would be best for you, call us for a wellness plan. We are here to assist you!

Lisa Purdy ND, MH, CNHP

Healthy Life Solutions LLC

740.689.1111