Weeds & Seeds Swap

(Update 9/3/08 - I received my bird feeder from birdfeeder.com today, it’s a “hopper” type feeder, a lot like the one I used before the feeder you see in my video, but the quality is much better! I especially like the fact that it has a tray to catch the seeds that would fall on the ground, and it has a WIRE hanger as opposed to the cloth one my previous feeder had.)

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This is actually my first attempt at putting together a little video, what fun I had learning how to do this, it took time, and some of my pictures are just a little blurry, but I’m learning! You’ll see our Ruby Throated Hummingbird, a little Goldfinch (a rare treat here), of course sparrows, we have no shortage of them, and finally, a very rare treat, a Rose Breasted Grosbeak that spent a few days coming to the bird feeders during the Spring migration.

I’ve learned a new BIG word, that I may be an Ornithologist of sorts? Actually, Ornithology is a branch of zoology that involves the study of birds, a little more scientific than I am, I just love watching them and feeding them all year round.

I am in need of a new feeder, I miss the one I used to have that had metal posts for the birds to stand on. As of today, there are only 3 of the plastic posts left on the feeder you see pictured in the video, the squirrels have chewed off the rest. I also miss having a tray attached to the feeder to catch the seeds that fall, so that I have a nice collection of birds sitting around the tray eating, instead of out of site on the ground below, so I’m going to look right now for a feeder at birdfeeders.com.

These are the beautiful, pink flowers of the Tabebuia heptaphylla tree, also known as ipe roxo, taheebo, lapacho, ipes and trumpet brush, no doubt due to the trumpet shape of the lovely flower.

The medicinal properties of the herb..actually a South American tree..are found in the bark. As a “folk remedy”, it has been used for years for boils, colitis, diarrhea, dysentery, fever, wounds, cancer, ulcers and the list does do on. But is there any scientific basis for these claims?

The Science Behind the Herb:

I will share with you what studies have shown, for the sake of time, I have withheld references, but have them at my fingertips if you’d like to contact me by email or through posting a comment.

Analysis of the bark shows that it contains volatile oils, resins, anthraquinones and naphthoquinones. The most significant property is a naphthoquinone derivative known as lapachol. In 1968 lapachol was shown to have activity against the Walker 256 carsinosarcoma.

Other studies found that it also acted against other cancers, including Yoshida sarcoma and Murphy-Sturm lymphosarcoma. Effective levels given to humans lead to the discontinuance of human trials as side effects included moderate to severe nausea, vomiting, anemia and the tendency to bleed.

Being related to vitamin K, it can thin the blood. However, the head of the study claims that political and economic pressure lead to the discontinuance of studies more than side affects. Later studies in the 1970’s showed evidence that lapachol was active against lymphocytic leukemia.

My personal interest in the herb is more related to it’s antimicrobial activity, not taking it in the amounts needed for conditions like cancer. Some of the organisms shown to be affected by this activity include candida, staphylococcus, trichophyton, malaria, tuberculosis and dysentery. Lapochol and xyloidine, other actives from the pau d’arco, have shown significant anti-fungal activity. Studies have continued, and more positive findings have surely come in since the documentation I have been using for this post.

This is one of the very first herbs I started to use when I first discovered the health benefits of herbs. Here are some sources for this herb:

Pau d’arco Capsules
Pau d’arco Extract
Taheebo (pau d’arco) Tea

There was ground hog that used to make it’s way from our neighbor’s yard, across the front of our house up close enough to the house to set our dog barking, up our steps and on his way to whatever garden may be in his or her path.

Actually, the ground hogs are quite cute, and their babies which have been born in the wood pile next door are adorable, but they have been very destructive to our neighbors garden, and I’ve seen signs of them nibbling on our plants as well.

Our neighbors have been using one of the Havahart animal traps to carry the critters off into less populated areas, so we haven’t seen them as much lately, which is good for both the animals and our gardens. We are animal lovers and don’t like to see any of the cute critters come to harm, so are delighted with these traps. In fact, they have used the same trap to catch cats that don’t have homes that are spending their time at the base of my bird feeder hoping to catch a little dinner.  Whatever the critter, I’m sure you can find a trap that will catch them without doing harm.

We are up to “Paw Paw” in our list of herbs, and I had already posted an article to my Happy Nutritionist’s Nuggets blog about this herb, so thought I’d share that article with you…Paw Paw is a tree, and the actives are extracted from the twigs:

About 11 years ago, a little after Mother’s Day I was just leaving a retreat for women, and received a call that my Mom had been rushed to the hospital in pain. Her blood work was terrible, liver swollen, lungs holding fluid, and more, and to make a long story short, within 24 hours she was diagnosed with acute leukemia. For weeks she was in the hospital, and for some time after received treatment for this cancer, but the ending of our story is a happy one. She went into a complete remission, and is still with us today, thanks to good care from her doctors, and answers to many prayers.

I am sure that there is not a single person reading this that has not in some way been touched by cancer, if not personally, than by knowing someone with this disease.

I do not have any quick or magic cures to offer you, but I do have something to tell you about that has been helpful. First, know that I am not a doctor, and that I focus on things from the perspective of nutrition. I also believe God answers the prayers of those who put their faith and trust in the One true God, our creator, who knows more about our bodies than we ever could.

Among the many plants that God has given us that benefit our health, He has provided a wonderful plant called Paw Paw. Paw paw contains properties that deprive cancer cells of the energy they need to grow and reproduce, and unlike chemotherapy, it does this without harming healthy cells. This is not just another “magic bullet”, it is something that has been studied for many years.

Paw paw contains compounds called “annonaceous acetogenins” that, in layman’s terms, “convince” cells to self-destruct. When you use Paw paw, it has to be used correctly, there are herbs and supplements you should avoid while using it, and if you are already in treatment, that has to be taken into consideration. I do have a lot more information, including more scientific explanations, about this wonderful herb that I can send to you by email…the information is in pdf format, opened by Adobe which most computers have. Please click here to email me and I will be glad to send you this information.

The Paw-Paw product I suggest is Paw Paw Cell Regulator and can be found popular Parasite Cleansing Program.  Please contact me for a fact sheet on these items at nutritionist[at]happynutritionist.com.

It’s hard to believe that the season for gardening here in the northeast is close to ending, we are already experiencing cooler nights, and with the comfortable weather, finding more energy to work on our home improvement projects.

I remember when we moved into our little home almost 25 years ago (not the one pictured, by the way), all that mattered to me at the time was how beautiful it was outside. I wanted something simple in a natural setting. Of course I’ve learned that while our natural setting is beautiful, it isn’t the only thing that is important, so is the appearance of the home, especially as circumstances of life may lead to a move in the next few years.

When I look at my home with a critical eye, I see a lot that needs doing, and browse the web to get ideas. One site that I was introduced to had an excellent selection of exterior shutters which will really dress up any window, and the selection available is extensive. There are shutters made of natural, premium quality wood, others that are vinyl or composite material. It is simple to order online, my favorite way to shop for almost anything, and you receive the hardware and all you need with your shipment. There are so many styles to chose from, the picture represents just a few, I encourage you to take a look at larsonshutter.com for yourself.

Enjoy the season!

Many of you have probably seen a variety of Psyllium in your lawn or garden, and pulled it as a weed. The variety pictured is Plantago Psyllium. This is an herbal remedy that I, and others have used to add fiber to the diet, and for colon cleansing. The seeds and husks are ground to a powder and are sold in capsules or bulk form.

This is what medicinal herbalists call a “mucilaginous” herb. That means that when water is added, the powder absorbs the water and swells, and becomes slippery or “slimy” to the touch, though not unpleasant. It is this property that makes it beneficial to those who take it for intestinal health.

The perennial weed grows low to the ground and produces small white flowers. Each seed from the plant is enclosed in a husk. Some of the varieties of Plantago used are Plantago indica, Plantago ovata, and Plantago psyllium. The plants are native to the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Western Africa.

Chinese medical literature from 220 BC mentions the use of psyllium for medicinal purposes.

Science Behind the Herb:

Many OTC products contain psyllium because of the ability of the herb to increase in volume in liquid, increase the volume of fiber in the colon, and thereby increase the peristalsis of the colon (the muscle activity of the colon that causes it to eliminate waste - many have sluggish colons and need this additional help). Studies show it decreases the incidence of colo-rectal cancer, which is true of any high fiber diet, and has the ability to lower cholesterol levels.

Contraindications:

If you are allergic to psyllium dust, you should avoid this herb. If you have strictures in the colon, you will want to avoid this herb in order to avoid blockage. Since it has strong absorbent properties, it may be better to take separately from vitamin supplements, or medications, as it will absorb the needed properties and they will pass through the colon unused. If you have IBS, it may be best to use psyllium that does not contain the husks, or slippery elm as an alternative.

Here are a few sources of Psyllium:

Bowel Detox
Dieter’s Cleanse
Fat Grabbers
LOCLO
Psyllium Seeds
Taio He Cleanse

Thanks for reading, and have a happy day!

My sister is an artist, and pottery is her favorite way to express herself. She has done some beautiful work that decorates her gardens as well as my mother’s garden. I will have to share her pictures sometime. In conversations about pottery, I have learned that “throwing a pot” doesn’t mean tossing a pot across the room when it doesn’t come out perfectly - LOL - but the term used for making a pot on a potters wheel. She tells of the importance of centering on the potter’s wheel. If you are doing a pot, or vase or other similar item, the clay must be dead center on the wheel in order for your finished product to be perfect. I am not sure whether she uses a centering device, but can see that such a tool would be very helpful. AMACO/Brent is a company that provides devices like this, along with a number of other new products for the potter’s wheel. So if you make your own ceramic pottery, whether for the garden, or other uses, this may be something that will interest you. I’m going to share the site with my sister.