Passiflora Holistic Health/Dr Karen Tyson

Building a Fall/Winter Medicine Chest

+2020 more items in Building a Fall/Winter Medicine Chest

A Fall Winter Medicine Chest for you and your family The power of a simple cup of tea: The process of preparing a cup of tea enables you to slow down for a moment. When you are not stressed out and “running from the tiger” your body has a better chance of being well. So many simple herbs have scientific support for healing your body. These are my key “go-to’s” to have in your home medicine chest to gently heal your body and restore balance. Where do I get the good stuff: Right here at Fullscript, where you have access to thousands of curated doctor grade supplements. In relation to teas: My preference is to use organic loose-leaf teas and herbs which are more flavorful and have the potential to provide more of the important medicinal compounds. We carry organic bulk herbs in our practice to create custom tea blends for our patients, but these can easily be a part of your home. For bulk herbs, Mountain Rose Herbals is a reliable resource but be sure to check out your local herbalists and growers, and plan to start your own medicinal herb garden, even one herb at a time with such “simples” as lemon balm or peppermint. www.mountainroseherbs.com And don’t forget the important role that your spice cabinet can play in a pinch! For brewing teas with ease, a French press is easy to use with minimal clean up and allows you to get a bigger dose per cup then tea balls. You can also buy “make your own tea bags” that can be put into your compost after use. You can use high quality tea bags as well for ease. I always steep with 2 tea bags to get more of those medicinal effects. My favorite brands include Gaia Herbs, Traditional Medicinals, Rishi tea, Numi, Pukka, Harney and Sons teas, just to name a few. This is my list of favorites for every home to on board as simple medicine to heal during the winter (and year-round) Chamomile My go-to for calming the body, digestive support, and sleep. The beautiful aromatic bitter can be used for children from 1 year up as a simple with a bit of local honey and kids love it at bedtime. But so do adults! Start the evening with a warm epsom salt bath and a cup of chamomile tea and a good book! And you will start to feel better no matter what is going on. Chamomile is my first answer for every kind of imbalance in kids and digestive/stress related imbalances in adults. The tea bags can be cooled and applied to the eyes for dry eyes or nonbacterial inflammation. A great resource on some of these simple herbs is the writings of Rosalee LaFolet, Rosemary Gladstar or Kat Maier. Peppermint Lowers fevers; soothes the tummy; for headaches – soak a wet washcloth put into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes; apply to back of neck while your feet are soaking in hot water for 15 minutes. Instant headache relief. Ginger : Soothes digestive upset; warms the body in the case of colds; combine with lemon and honey. Lemon Balm : cooling; in the mint family; Soothes irritability in fever, particularly in children. New research has pointed to its role as a brain tonic. Echinacea/Elderberries Echinacea alone or with Elderberries. Or add a local elderberry syrup to your echinacea tea. This is a powerful anti-viral compound. Elderberry prevents the attachment of viruses to the cell. Echinacea is so safe it can be used in pregnancy, breastfeeding and with children starting at 6 months old in a tea or glycerite tincture format. Throat Coat Tea tea bags by Traditional Medicinals - Obtain the original with Slippery Elm. Soothes a sore throat and prevents gastric reflex symptoms when taken before the meal. Some of our favorite proprietary blends that we prepare in our practice. Favorite children blend for illness: - Favorite blend to calm and relax: lemon balm, chamomile, and catnip - Favorite blend to reduce fever: peppermint, yarrow, elderflower o Remember, fever is important and kills pathogens; its our bodies natural way of healing. Let the fever go to 102 degrees before you reduce it. - Or check out our bulk herb apothecary; and let us recommend the teas for your family wellness this winter. Let us venture to the spice cabinet: - Rosemary, Thyme- great for herbal steams for colds. Put one teaspoon of each herb into a pot of cold water. Let it slowly simmer on the stove. Once it has reached to a rolling boil, remove it from the stove and, safely, create a “tent” with your head over the pot with a towel. Steam your nasal passages and face for 5 minutes off and on. When you are sick, enjoy the relief of this soothing treatment twice a day. - Fennel, Cumin and Coriander- to reduce digestive upset; particular gas and bloating; put ½ tsp of each into a French press; add 8 ounces of water; steep 10 minutes; add local honey and enjoy - Thyme, Sage- great tea or gargle for sore throats You do have time to cut an infection off at the pass/water: Gargle with warm salt water Steam as per above Hot/cold foot soak: Water-plays a powerful role in our wellness in the use of hot and cold water: o To increase heat shock protein and cut any viral illness in its tracks – alternate 20 minutes at 101 degrees F and 30 seconds in an ice bath. o Wet sock treatment- Ask us about the why’s and how’s. Nutritive Fluids- veggie/miso broths; bone broths Essential Oils are powerful allies against microbes: o Lavender is a powerhouse: anti-microbial, relaxing and can be applied to cuts and scrapes. This is an essential oil that is always safe to apply topically. o Eucalyptus o Rosemary o Pine, Spruce o Cleansing of the air: White sage, Palo Santo o Uplifting: Grapefruit, Lime, Lemon, Mandarin Orange o Most essential oil companies make a version of the anti-microbial 4 thieves blend that supports anti-microbial compounds in the air. o Invest in a good diffuser that will hold up over years and is easy to clean. Healthful anti-inflammatory foods are our first line of defense o Fire Cider – see one recipe below or purchase our latest batch o Ginger o Garlic (can chop and let sit in the air for 15 minutes; combine with honey or applesauce at the first sign of illness) o Elderberry syrup- make your own or purchase wonderful brands such as Gaia from our apothecary. o Broths: Chicken, Bone broth, Miso, Veggie (or create your own immune broth containing dried mushrooms and herbs, such as astragalus o Avoid sweets . Eat less than normal and drink more fluids and avoid alcohol which depletes B vitamins, magnesium. Digestive aids o Peppermint, Fennel, Ginger as described above. o Activated charcoal or carob powder (if you have a diarrheal imbalance) o o High quality electrolytes; such as coconut water; Nuun or Ultima tablets or Products by Designs for Health to prevent dehydration o Homemade Applesauce made with the skin on; broths with organic quinoa and rice; bananas; gluten free toast (modified “BRAT” diet) to calm down diarrhea o Goldenseal tincture – call us; we also have it in the glycerite form for kids Supplement/Nutrient prevention For all supplements below, check out the link to our apothecary • Vit D3 – 5000 IUs daily in the winter for most people living in the Northern upper half of the United States 1000 Ius for most children 5 to 12 years old. • Liposomal Vitamin C - 1000 mg, one time a day to prevent: three times a day when sick. • Zinc rich foods (such as pumpkin seeds) and Zinc at a maintenance dose of 30 mg for most adults; and 10-15 mg for most children 5 to 12 years old. • N-acetyl cysteine -NAC (a mucolytic (breaks up mucus) and potent antioxidant)- 1000 mg, one time a day to prevent; two times a day when sick. • Quercetin Phtyosome (anti-inflammatory/anti-allergic)- • Cough tincture - We design for each patient from a fully stocked and curated tincture apothecary; Such as Gaia Herbs Bronchial Wellness or Designs for Health Ginger Tussin. • Viracon by Vital Nutr ients Or Orthommune by Orthomolicular (3 – 2 times a day when sick). Broad spectrum supplements to fight viruses • Astragalus or Jade Windscreen - to recover after having been sick • A high-quality probiotic such as those by Klaire, Udos or Megafood We are here to answer your questions with our apothecary of bulk herbs, teas, tinctures, topicals and supplements. Remember Food is the first medicine! Other immune boosting gems Humidify your indoor air , especially at night. Moisture in the nasal passages adds a protective barrier so invading pathogens cannot take hold, and our homes get very dry in the winter. The simplest way to do this is to turn off the heat briefly and open your bedroom window at night. (Don’t let your pipes freeze, of course!) Soups, stews, and a steamy shower are additional methods that help. Get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep boosts your immune response, the first line of defense against infection. Recipes: Immune Boosting Elder Fire cider Ingredients 1 medium organic onion, chopped 10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped 2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon 1/2 cup fresh grated organic ginger root ½ cup fresh organic turmeric root 1/2 cup fresh grated organic horseradish 1/8 tsp organic cayenne powder Zest of one orange and one lemon Organic apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup of raw, local honey, or to taste For additional immune boosting Dr. Karen’s Immune boost: 3 slices astragalus root, 2 tablespoons elderberries, 2 tablespoons of rosehips, 2 tablespoons dried reishi mushrooms. We have these mixes in our herbal apothecary. Directions Prepare your roots, fruits, and herbs and place them in a quart-sized glass jar. If you've never grated fresh horseradish, be prepared for a powerful sinus-opening experience! Pour the apple cider vinegar in the jar until all of the ingredients are covered and the vinegar reaches the jar's top. Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well. Store in a dark, cool place for a month and remember to shake daily. After one month, use cheesecloth to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the pulp while straining. Next comes the honey. Add and stir until incorporated. Taste your cider and add more honey until you reach the desired sweetness. As a daily food-medicine, take 1 tsp daily in warm water before your meal. Utilize this fire cider to make vinegrettes for your salads. Classic Elderberry Syrup Recipe Makes about 3 cups of syrup without alcohol Ingredients 2 cups dried organic elderberries 4 cups cold water 2 tsp. organic dried ginger root 1 organic cinnamon stick 1 cup raw, local honey (or organic maple syrup) Directions Combine berries and herbs with cold water in pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow herbs to simmer 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 1 hour. Strain berries and herbs using a funnel overlaid with double cheesecloth and squeeze out liquid. Discard used herbs in compost. Once liquid has cooled to just above room temperature, add honey and stir to incorporate. Bottle in sterilized glass and store in the refrigerator for up to one month Tips: Be sure to add honey in a ratio that is at least half of the total volume of liquid after it has simmered. This amount can change slightly and you want to make sure you have enough preservative (honey) so that your syrup won't spoil. This recipe is easy to multiply if you’d like to make a big batch to store or give as gifts ine n