Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) in Winter

So of course it happened. I booked some time away from work and I got sick. It started as a hoarseness in my chest and progressed to laryngitis like symptoms (I lost my voice for a couple of days) and ended with my sinuses all plugged up. The worst part was (and this keeps changing in my mind) the tiredness. Although it was hard to sleep, I somehow still managed 15 hours a day at least. That was over a week ago and I am still pooped. I would wake up late, see only 3-4 hours of light, and it would get dark again.

I didn't take any drug store drugs or antibiotics. From the beginning I focussed on herbs, hydrotherapy and essential oils. It still took time for it to move through my system, but I think I am better off afterwards not having filled my body with any drug store drugs. I covered my chest and upper back with a peppermint gel I made, did hot steams with eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils diluted in apple cider vinegar, took hot essential oil baths, drank mullein and sage tea, ate lots of soup, and took an immune herbal tincture daily (I really loved taking a tincture that had cayenne and organically grown goldenseal (don't get wildcrafted goldenseal, it's in danger in the wild), I would pour hot water over the tincture and it felt so good in my throat and in my chest).

Also, I had some mental problems during my sickness. My mind kept wandering and I felt down. Looking back over the past week I feel like I shed a lot, and cocooned myself in a chrysalis. Right now I feel like I am emerging, as one friend put it, coming back from the dead. And strangely much in my life has shifted. I realized that the symptom of losing my voice was a very clear sign telling me that somehow I have lost my way a bit in life. Somehow I have lost a say on where I am in life, and the forces of existence are controlling me, instead of me shaping my own destiny, having a say in what is going on. And I saw how much of my lack of say is rooted in past experiences and fears.

I am glad I got sick on my vacation. It gave me a chance to actually slow down, stay in one place, get grounded in my new home. Gain insight. The next time you are ill, take a look inside. What are your symptoms attempting to communicate?

The Holly and Ivy

When this time of year comes round, I usually go through a period of being overwhelmed by all the holiday (Hollyday:) parties, shopping for Christmas gifts, trying to make plans for the holidays that fit everyone's schedule and more. At the same time, I *LOVE* the evergreen boughs, the holly with it's red berries in my backyard, the two beautiful rosemary bushes that seem to be flourishing in my kitchen, and all the beautiful Solstice celebrations. It has taken me a few years to learn how to juggle everything, this year has been a bit too much, but also balanced out by the slow ways in my life.

My question for you this year is: Do you really need to eat all those cookies and all that candy? Do you really need to go to all those parties? Do you really need to drink so much alcohol? What are your excesses? Pulling back into yourself even a little can have marvelous benefits this time of year and help balance out the seasonal insanity. The longest night of the year invites not only celebrations of light and rebirth but also a time to be more introspective, to practice your slower and more yin yoga, to drink herbal teas and get a little bit more sleep. It is time for reflection and has the potential of being one of the most peaceful times of the year.

During the winter, I love root teas. Right now my favourite is burdock. Simmer 3 tsps. in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes and sip throughout the day. Burdock has so many healing qualities. I have also been drinking Ojibwa tea, which is more commonly known as Essiac. Burdock is one the the four herbs in this tea. Floressence is based on the traditional Ojibwa tea but has been formulated with 8 herbs, it is widely available and a great daily detoxification tea.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Magnesium

two things that have helped me a lot. the first is apple cider vinegar, raw, with mother, available at most health food stores ~ a few weeks ago i started drinking the vinegar in a glass of water with a bit of honey three times a day (warm or cool water works); i also started bathing in the vinegar (you can add some lavender essential oil to the vinegar before adding it to the bath to improve the vinegary scent); the reason, you ask?

my main complaint was being overly acidic, which produces a variety of symptoms. within a week, my body was back in balance. i first heard of apple cider vinegar as a cure years ago from reading the book Folk Medicine by Dr. Jarvis, here is an article about his life. he also recommends adding lots of seaweed (saying that many of the minerals from our fields have run off into the ocean) to the diet, the apple cider vinegar correcting the ph balance of the body and the seaweed adding essential minerals: he likens the human body to soil, and writes that just like soil needs to have an ideal ph balance and nutrients in order to be healthy, so does our body, you can read more about ACV here.

the other thing i wanted to mention is magnesium, i have recently started supplementing with magnesium citrate to help with my leg cramps at night. the first night after starting my leg cramps were about 80% better! magnesium is excellent for cramping and spasming muscles. i tried both a generic magnesium citrate and also a powder called Calm that you can mix into a drink. be careful, magnesium acts like a laxative if you take too much. start with less and see how your body reacts. epsom salts are magnesium, that is why epsom salt baths are recommended after working out or strenuous activity.