Detoxifying Foot Pads Experiment

Hi there, so I was surfing Pinterest lately and I came across a recipe for how to make detoxifying foot pads at home. I'm sure at least once you saw the commercials advertising the mass-produces versions. So for the sake of curiosity I decided to test is out, so today I made the liquid you use. The instructions call for 1 onion and "some" garlic boiled together in water for 10 minutes but I didn't have any fresh so I used dried, chopped onion and garlic powder... (Based on the "aroma" this stuff is going to be effective!) So I strained it and put it in a jar for tonight. I am planning on testing if these work by applying some of the liquid to a napkin at about the same time I apply the dampened band-aids (BIG ONES) to my feet to see if the liquid oxidises or there is a chemical interaction that causes the bandages to turn dark brown. If the napkin is white tomorrow and the band-aid isn't, I'll create and post a recipe card for you. 

It's been a while...

Hi there its me, Herbal Em. I knows its been a while but a lot had been going on. But now I’m back and things are more exciting than ever. The No Nonsense Herbalism website has been redone so that it will load better on slow internet connections and has a buss load of new content. There is a new forum, an amazon store, an herb shop and new content is still coming out every day. And the best part is that aside from the stores, my articles and videos are free to view without any payment. After all, herbalism is the province of humanity, not just the people who pay for it. So now I am going to break down exactly what has been going on lately.

The New Website:
I know I have a long history of redoing the site every few months but I've just kept trying to make it as efficient and content-rich as possible, but I finally got it. The resource library is growing and as of now there is new content to be enjoyed. I added a page with all my favorite books and my opinions of them, although I will be reviewing new herbs books as time goes on. I am also going to make my herbal videos more accessible on the site and add more videos period.

The Store:
Considering No Nonsense Herbalism is a herbal resource and that all the article content is free I thought it might be convenient for you if I offered some specially selected items for you to buy if you wanted. The amazon store is full of everything I could think of as far as what you could need for herbal medicine making (except herbs which I will get to later). Books, tools, field study gear, herb themed games, EVERYTHING! And just so you know I spent close to a week personally reviewing each and every item on the amazon store for you. And on the off chance you should find something not to your liking, amazon is well known for a generally reasonable return policy.

The Herb Shop:
Now, what would a herbal resource store would be complete without an herb shop? I am currently in the process of adding EVERY, SINGLE, HERB that I can find for you on my website. Which brings me to why you should purchase this stuff through my website.

I am able to offer these wares to you because I am an affiliate of these businesses which allows me to sell their items to you. And you get the items you like from the places you like to get them. There is no difference on your end, but in exchange I get a small commission from them. So by buying items you already get through my website you can help support No Nonsense Herbalism. To buy things through my website simply go to the “Store” page and click on the store you would like to shop and with amazon there is basically a mini amazon.com page with the items I reviewed and the herb shop contains a growing list of the herbs in alphabetical order, so from there click on the herb your interested in and you will be directed to the herb’s page on Mountain Rose Herb’s Website and if you would rather shop on the main Mountain Rose Herbs website there will be a banner at the top which will take you to the main site instead of a specific herb’s page.

The NNH Forums:
Considering herbal medicine is such a complex subject I thought a forum would be a good thing to have for the good of everyone. We can all ask and answer questions and learn together.

Themed NNH Items:
I will soon be adding a section for NNH themed items such as coffee mugs, calendars, posters, t-shirts and other such things (and they will feature mostly herbs not only logos) so you can show your passion for herbal medicine and nature. I am looking forward to this one myself!

Also as I get everything back up and running you will notice a few tweaks in places like the blog sidebar. No major changes I think, I just thought I would give you a heads up.

Links to all the pages/websites I mentioned will be placed below. I hope you enjoy everything that's coming to No Nonsense Herbalism. Happy Herbing Everybody!

NoNonsenseHerbalism.com

The No Nonsense Herbalism Store

The NNH Forums (you will have to create an account)

(All trademarks, names, and logos are the property of their respective owners, Amazon.com nor Mountain rose herbs are owned by No Nonsense Herbalism.)

A new plant study, concerning Catnip...

I finally got around to putting together a new plant study for everyone this one is about Catnip. I think you'll like it. Enjoy!

Introduction to the Basics of Herbalism

Hello, today considering this is my first post on this blog I thought I would explain the more basic ideas and concepts of herbalism.

The Connections Between Man and Earth

Herbalism it a way of connecting with nature in a way that was long ago forgotten. The connection between earth and man is inherent in the human nature. When we were created, all the plants and herbs we needed to live long and healthy lives were also brought into existence. And as the centuries passed, man forgot the ways that caused them to thrive and over time, we began to think of them as “obsolete” or “old-fashioned” and as we did, our health as a people began to fail as well. In many ways modern medicine, though extremely useful in emergencies, is beginning to reach it’s limits. So we need to begin to re-learn ways to heal with plants and herbs so that one day, we might regain the health and vigor that is slowly slipping from us.

Approaches to Herbalism

Herbal medicine has many approaches, some more spiritual or scientific than others. But all have one thing in common, all systems of herbal medicine are designed to help, heal, and reinforce the human body and its health. But it is not only beneficial to humans. Animals can also benefit from herbal medicine, but that’s another post. :) I look at herbs from a more scientific stand point, this assures me that herbs are used on a basis of “this herbs treats that symptom because of its constituents”. Although some go by a system of energetics which is more of “this herbs treats that symptom because this energy balances that one…” But as I said earlier, a scientific approach has served me well.

The Basics of Herbal Medicine Making

Making herbal medicine is an easy thing to do, though not to be taken lightly. It is a wonderful way to keep you, and your friends and family healthy and happy for years to come. So here are some basic tips to note. They’ll make your herbal adventures much easier, less confusing, and much safer.

1. Know your plants! Having a basic, but through knowledge of your herbs and their properties. As well as being able to recognize the leafs, scents, and flowers. Is essential to making herbal preparations.
2. Be Organized! Always label your jars and bottles with the date, herb, and what the herbs is infusing in (oil, vodka, vinegar, etc.) And DON’T FORGET! Mystery remedies are NOT a good thing.
3. Know the dosage! Knowing how much remedy to administer or apply will keep you from accidentally poisoning or sickening your friends or neighbors.
4. Don’t Freak Out! I am sure that some of the previous tips sounded a bit… intimidating. But if you’ve done your homework you will be fine. When you look at it, herbal medicine is no more dangerous then modern medicine, and you aren’t scared of that. So take a deep breath. And if your not sure, read it again.

Herbalism is about making life as healthy and natural as possible. And going back to nature is good, and right in every way you can. So I hope you enjoyed my first post and I hope to hear from you. Sincerely, Herbal Em

Basic Tools Used in Herbal Medicine.

One of the most important things to an herbalist would be their tool set. Now most people think that you need a truck load of expensive and unusual tools to practice herbal medicine. When in fact, it is quite the contrary. An herbalist’s tools are basic and easy, and often cheap. But in the interest of curiosity I though I would jot down some main and possibly obvious staple tools an herbalist would use.

1. Spoons! An herbalist almost always requires one or often more than one spoon. Metal ones, wooden ones, big ones, small ones, weird ones. Spoons are an absolute MUST for any herbalist of any level. I find it fun to drop buy a thrift store or goodwill store and rummage through their stock of used/vintage silver-ware.                                                                                                                                        
2. Bowls. Yeah, this is an obvious one. Having a good variety of bowels from glass to metal to plastic, and also a variety of sizes will help to ensure that you have the perfect one for any preparation or concoction you might be mixing.                                                                                                          
3. Jars & Bottles. These are among the most important tools for herbalism, for any herbal preparation, what ever type it may be, must be contained in some sort of vessel. Tinted ones are “optimum” but ANY seal-able and washable jar or bottle with a lid, is great for creating and storing all of your mixtures.                                                                                                                                            
4. Strainers. Also known to many as Sivs these handy devices allow us to remove plant matter from teas, tinctures, acetums, infusions and countless other herbal preparations. It is essential to remove plant matter from some types of herbal concoctions to maintain self-life, and for others it is slightly less important to remove the spent plant materials.                                                                                      
5. Cheese Cloth and other Fabrics. This is one area that is a bit versatile in my opinion. For decanting (decanting means to remove plant matter and large sediment from the preparation.) tinctures, and other infused preparations, cheese cloth is a wonderful and vital tool. But if you don’t have any, you don’t have to worry. Any piece of clean fabric will do pretty nicely. Although it is advisable to use either cotton or linen.                                                                                                                             
6. Shipping Labels, Oh my! Though not imperative in themselves, labeling your herbal concoctions is an absolute, positive, in-refutable MUST! Although paper and tape will replace them quite nicely, they are nice to have. But as I have said before DON’T FORGET TO LABEL YOUR HERBAL PREPARATIONS!                                                                                                                                
7. Pots and Pans Pots, Pans, of various shapes, sizes, colors, and materials are a very important addition to an herbalist’s kitchen or apothecary. Being able to heat various substances is essential. And some preparations require different types or materials.
8. Knives. Knives are extremely useful in any herbalists tool-set. And sharp ones to! Some herbs and roots can be woody, stubborn, and hard. Such as dried Echinacea purpurea roots. They are hard enough to WRECK A BLENDER! That’s hard! So a sharp heavy-duty chefs knife and/or clever is a GOOD thing to have. As well as a good assortment of pairing knives, small knives, big knives, etc. A good knife sharpener and honing steal are also good things to have handy.

There are also a few “luxury tools” you might think about buying if you get the chance but that are by no means mandatory.

                                                                                                                              

1. A Mortar & Pestle. These things are great! Although the same effect can be achieves by a blender I suppose. But there is something so much more fulfilling about using a mortar and pestle. There are MANY different types of mortars & pestles. Some are more versatile then others but there is one general purpose type I adore, its a 2 cup Tai granite one. I have one and although in medieval times it would’ve qualified as a cannon ball as far as weight is concerned, it performs beautifully. One I would NOT recommend is marble. I also have one of those and lets just say 2 days of grinding to produce 1 ounce of ground herbs is a bit of a low yield for me. Prices for these vary with the type, brand, company, etc. But they are handy none-the-less. But what ever you choose they don’t have to be expensive. (I thought for the sake of convenience I would include a link to my favorite one from amazon.com…. it was a Christmas gift. Click Here.)                                                                            
2. Water Kettle. Water kettles are wonderful and handy for making teas and infusions as well as other things. But I think that Kim Sue B. from Country Vintage Home could say this better then I. The Wonderful Water Kettle, By Kim Sue B.

There as many more tools to go over but these are the basics. As you can see the tools used for herbal medicine can be as simple or as complex as you like. And also as interesting. As I said, if you would like to try and find some interesting and surprisingly useful tools for your own herbal apothecary or kitchen, try thrift stores. There is almost always something interesting in the kitchen-ware sections and also keep your eyes open for tools at regular stores and super-markets. You never know what you might find.

I hope you enjoyed my look at tools used in herbalism, I’m glad you came and thanks for reading. Sincerely Herbal Em.