I learned something that I didn’t know before…or it had been lost somewhere in the storehouse of herbal knowledge I’ve acquired, and that is that Juniper Berries, though available as a single herb, are best used in an herbal combination.
It’s the little berries from the juniper plant that you see pictured that are used. The bush is an evergreen that grows in various places throughout the northern hemisphere…somewhere I have a picture Paul took of me with a Juniper Berry bush either in Maine or Colorado, I’ll have to find it to share with your.
The botanical name for the plant is Juniperus communnis. You’ll find this herb in combinations for the digestive and the urinary system. I use an herbal combination called JP-X, a combination formulated by the late and great herbalist, Dr. Christopher. As with many herbs, it is the oil in the juniper berry that contains the actives that have been attributed with benefiting kidney health, prostate health, and blood purification. It also is said to be antiseptic to the gastrointestinal system. The German Commission E recommended the herb for the treatment of indigestion.
If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!
Need references for any of these claims? Please email me and ask!
This is a picture of my beautiful daughter and her dear husband on their wedding day. I can’t imagine that in this blog about gardening and related things, I haven’t mentioned my daughter’s garden wedding. She was married and exchanged wedding rings with her honey at the NJ Botanical Gardens, it was a picture perfect day, thank goodness, and a magnificent setting. Don’t they look young? They were, this was 4, going on 5 years ago.
My husband and I were with them when they chose the place for their reception, and I was with my daughter when she chose her dress, but I didn’t have much to do with the purchase of the wedding rings, that is something that they did themselves. I am actually surprised that I can’t recall what kind of rings they chose, whether my son-in-law chose from beautiful black tungsten rings like the ones that I have been looking at, wow, they are so masculine! Since he is into all those guy things like cars, sports, fishing, etc., I can picture him with one of the beauties pictured at the site I was introduced to today. The titanium bracelets look pretty, too. When I buy rings, it’s hard to figure out what size to get…presently my engagement and wedding rings are “permanent attachments” to my hand because I have never taken them off, and have put on a few lbs., so I’d need to measure my finger if I were to buy a new ring. I noticed that at the site I have linked to in this post, they will send you a sizing set right away to help you figure out your size. Great idea!
If you’re planning your wedding now, may I wish you the very best! It’s hard to think about garden weddings today, as it’s about 30 degrees and I’m stoking our wood stove on a regular basis, but the seasons change quickly, and I always have to remind myself that not everyone lives in a climate with regular season changes.
Kava kava goes by the botanical name, Piper methysticum, is a member of the pepper family. It grows in the South Pacific, from Hawaii to the New Guinea.
The parts used medicinally are the roots and rhizome.
James Cook first described the plant in an account of his voyage in the South Seas in 1768. Polynesian Natives consume kava steeped in milk or water, it is used by them in religious rights, as they believe it relaxes the body and mind, eases pain, and aids in a restful sleep. It has been credited with helping many things, including inflammations of the uterus, headaches, colds, rheumatism, VD, and is used as a sedative, aphrodisiac, anesthetic and more. Now lets see what Science has to say.
Scientific Information:
The flavanoids, ketones, amino acids and lactones are the actives in this herb, the lactones. A comprehensive study of kava lactone was conducted at Frieburg University Institute of Pharmacology in Germany during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Over the years they discovered that kava lactones operate by many nontraditional mechanisms. Most sedative drugs, like Valium and other benzodiazepines work by binding GABA (gamma-aminochemical acid) receptors in the brain. This leads to neurochemical changes that promote sedation. Kava lactones modify receptor domains rather than binding to receptors. They may promote sleep by changing the way the limbic system (the main seat of emotion) modulates emotional processes.
Interested in knowing about how it works on pain?
Kava doesn’t work like morphine, aspirin, ibuprofen or other pharmaceuticals, it does not lose it’s effectiveness over time. The lactones we mentioned in part 1 work with other compounds of found in the rhizome to produce a great pharmacological activity. Studies find that kava lactones are absorbed more rapidly when given orally as an extract. Scientist have found that kava acts as a sedative, analgesic, anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant on laboratory animals. (Remember, you can contact me for references to these studies by email, too much to type on this blog, ask for specific study you are interested in and I’ll provide the reference.)
Another double-blind study with over eighty patients, some on placebo, and some on kavin, some on a compound from Kava, and the rest on a drug like Valium called oxazepan found that kavin and oxazepan both calmed anxiety…the advantage of the kavin being that it is has no complications, which oxazepan is both addictive and has side affects. Kava does not act as a depressant, either.
If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!
Cautionary Note: Kava kava should not be used by pregnant of lactating women. It should not be taken in conjunction with alcohol or used when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery.
“Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink”, says the familiar line from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, reminding us that you can be surrounded by water, in this case sea water, as far as the eye can see, yet drinking it has the potential of being harmful.
It goes without saying that water is necessary for life. As gardeners tending our gardens, we know that. As people caring for our bodies, we should also remember this. A large part of what makes up our body is fluid, we need water to keep our body functioning, renewing and cleansing itself…pure water.
Many are concerned about the pollutants in the water supply…my husband and I can relate to this. Our water comes from our own well, and with new homes being built, changes in the water table, new wells being drilled, and even sometimes the affect of days and days of heavy rain, we can’t be 100% sure that our water is completely pure all of the time. For this reason we use Water Filters to purify our drinking water, the type we use is a reverse osmosis, or RO unit. Everpure Water Filters is a good source for many types of water filters and water filtration systems for the home, in fact, I didn’t realize there were so many ways to filter water, and so many applications.
Another thing about water that has been in the news is the possibility of contamination from the plastic bottles that are commonly used when you purchase bottled water. You don’t know how long the water has been in these bottles, taste can be affected, and toxins can leach from the plastics into the water. Food grade bottles, like Klean Kateen Water Bottles are an example of a good alternative.
Even though you must make an initial investment to purchase a system, in the long run, you will be saving, no more shopping for bottled water, and your body will thank you.
We where in Maine in November of 2007 when this picture was taken. It was a mild fall, and a very late one, if you remember. We spent some time in the tide pools during low tide looking for sea creatures, and there is no shortage of kelp!
We spent the night in Kittery, Maine, and then headed out taking the Route 1 coastal route, absolutely beautiful spots to stop along the way, and then inland a bit to 95 to make quicker time, then spent a night in Bangor, and finally headed to our favorite location to spend some time, Bar Harbor and the Acadia National Park. We had vacationed here many times in Black Woods Campground with our children, it was nice to see the old spots again and remember.
Once again, the garden isn’t the only place where green things are growing.
Kelp grows in both the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and other oceans throughout the world. It is a fast-growing plant, and the leaves have little air pockets or blisters in them that cause them to float to the top of the water.
Orientals have used Kelp for centuries to treat the genito-urinary tract. They have also used it to soften hardened masses such as cysts and tumors.
Kelp is a source of Iodine, when is helpful in treating Goiter and some causes of obesity. Historical uses include treating constipation, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, indigestion, ulcers, colitis, gallstones and reproductive problems in both males and females.
What Science Has to Say:
One of Kelp’s main components is algin, a gelatinous fiber whose product include sodium alginate and alginic acid. Algin absorbs most nutrients and toxins from the digestive tract. This results in less blood and tissue absorption of toxins and a lowered caloric intake. Because of this, algin is able to help treat obesity, atherosclerosis, and is a blood purifier. I have a lot more I could write on Sodium Alginate,and if you’d like more info, ask, and I’ll post more in a comment. But know this, Sodium Alginate greatly reduces absorption of environmental pollutants and heavy metals…such pollutants contribute to diseases like leukemia, bone cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, anemia, and decreased production of blood cells.
I don’t want to lose you, there’s a lot more to share on Kelp, so I’ll add more in a later post.
Added 12/30/08 - I forgot to add the following on Kelp:
More Scientific information:
Iodine is another important constituent of Kelp. It is well known for its effects on the endocrine system. It stimulates the production of several iodine-containing hormones. Disturbed function of the endocrine glands is believed to be major underlying cause of atherosclerosis and subsequent heart disease.
Iodine is an important nutrient for the thyroid gland, which produces a hormone called thyroxin, which may be involved in the regulation of blood cholesterol levels. Metabolism is increased aiding in weight loss.
An industrial innovation for improving lipid metabolism has recently (actually some years ago now) been developed which prevents hyperlipemia and treats diabetes. The way it works is that kelp is fed to chickens which biologically incorporate its iodine in their eggs. The eggs are then a dietary source for diabetics and people with hyperlipemia. (of course this Nutritionist is wondering why the diabetics don’t just take kelp :-).
The thyroid has several other functions, and the thyroid is benefited by iodine which is found in kelp. Let me know if you’d like me to scan and email in pdf format more information, with the bibliography for the information provided in these posts. If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!
This is a picture of my beautiful daughter and her dear husband on their wedding day. I can’t imagine that in this blog about gardening and related things, I haven’t mentioned my daughter’s garden wedding. She was married and exchanged 
We where in Maine in November of 2007 when this picture was taken. It was a mild fall, and a very late one, if you remember. We spent some time in the tide pools during low tide looking for sea creatures, and there is no shortage of kelp!
