Bolster your body’s defenses with Jade Windscreen, a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula with astragalus to ward off spring’s Wind-based health woes. […]
Source: Support Spring Immunity with Traditional Chinese Medicine
Category: Food
Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | Wildcrafted Dandelion Tea & Cake Recipes
Learn how to forage for dandelion flowers and make them into a delicious dandelion maple syrup cake (and brew a healthful root decoction to match!). […]
Foodstyles | Peeps S’mores
If you love Peeps, and you love crème brulee, you are going to love these s’mores. The sugar on the outside of the Peep caramelizes into a gorgeous crust when put over the fire. It’s a good reason to stockpile Peeps for camping season!
All you need for this recipe are the usual ingredients – graham cracker, chocolate, marshmallow (in this case Cotton Candy flavored Peeps) and a fire!
Eat Well!
~Trish
La’au Lapa’au | Oregon Lavender Association April 2020 Newsletter
The Oregon Lavender Association
invites you to enjoy lavender
all year round!
Announcements and Events |
April 2020 We hope that this newsletter finds you well. Spring reminds us that even after the darkest winter, life is persistent and resilient, as are we. We hope that the ideas in here will offer a respite from the more stressful events in our lives and provide some ideas to keep you healthy and hopeful. Events: OLA Quarterly Members Meeting: Rescheduled to Saturday, May 16, 2020 (if appropriate) More details to come Essential Oil Showcase at the Willamette Valley Lavender Festival, July 11-12, 2020 in Newberg, Oregon Mark your calendars! All About Lavender and the Chehalem Cultural Center will host the 2020 Essential Oil Showcase focused on lavender in its many forms. The event provides recognition for small-scale essential oil distillers and growers of the lavender used in distillation and increases public awareness… |
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Foodstyles | Day 22 – Locking it Down with CPM
Happy April 75th! Or is it the 99th? How’s everyone doing? Holding it together? Having Zoom meetings while your dog barks at the mail carrier? My dog barks at the mail truck when it stops at every single house on our street. Every house. Every time. Six days a week.
I’ve never appreciated rotten deck boards before last week. It’s a gross wet rotten pain in the ass job, trying to remove 4-inch nails and stripped screws filled with paint. I was happy to leave the house and remove those boards last week. Now the residents of those buildings can walk their dogs over and over again (and they will) without falling through the decks. One day last week I almost hit 10,000 steps! But that work order is complete and we don’t need to talk about how many steps I’m clocking now.
Traffic was amazing. What would normally have…
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Health and Diet | The Moment for Food Sovereignty is Now
From panic planting to cooperative gardens, farmers focused on equity and food justice know that ‘if you can feed yourself, you can free yourself.’ […]
La’au Lapa’au | Raspberry Leaf Tea Health Benefits and Side Effects
Raspberry Leaf Tea is widely known for its health benefits especially to pregnant women, however, let’s also be cautious with its side effects. […]
Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | Natural Remedies for Anxiety: 8 Tips to Find Relief
The funny thing about anxiety is that it can come even when you are generally happy. Anxiety symptoms often show up like pressure in your chest, shallow breathing, a racing heart rate, or scattered thoughts. No matter the cause or how it makes you feel, time-tested tools and techniques can restore your inner sense of calm.
What Home Remedies Work for Anxiety?
While it might motivate you to get things done, most people do not want to feel anxious and stressed. It can take a toll on your health, and anxiety comes with higher levels of cortisol — the stress hormone.
Many natural solutions are practical and easy to fit into your life. We’ve gathered the most helpful ways to deal with the anxiety that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.
Eat Healthily
The food you eat has a tremendous impact on how you feel mentally and physically. When you…
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Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | Benefits of the Agaricus blazei Murrill Mushroom
Agaricus blazei Murrill is an edible Brazilian mushroom with low-calorie content and high nutrient density. The mushroom, which originates in a small Brazilian village called Piedade, contains minerals, fibers, vitamins, and amino acids.
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Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | How Vitamin C Boosts the Immune System
When you feel the sniffles coming on, what’s your go-to remedy? Do you reach for a refreshing glass of orange juice? Do you listen to your grandma’s advice to eat lots of vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies to help you feel better?
As it turns out, the age-old wisdom to load up on this potent vitamin to get and stay healthy is more than an old wives’ tale. Vitamin C is a proven antioxidant that has many essential functions in the body, including supporting the immune system. But how does vitamin C boost your immune system to keep you healthy? Read on to find out more about what vitamin C can do to help you feel your best.
What Is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C — also known as ascorbic acid — is a water-soluble nutrient that is best known for its powerful antioxidant properties. Antioxidants support the immune system by protecting cells…
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Day 18 – Locking it Down with CPM
Yes, yes. Definitely the 97th of March. Only 198 days in April, followed by at least 3 weeks of May. Then we should be caught up with the new shelter in place order for much of the San Francisco Bay area – until May 3.
Why do they send this stuff out in the middle of the weekday? Can’t they catch us on a Friday at 7 after a nice cocktail or two?
Wanna give a shout out to my Soap Sista, Sabrina, for the Dove soap hook-up. She saw my cry for help on the blog and sent some on over. I reciprocated with her favorite kind of enchiladas. We’ve all got to take care of each other. From a safe distance.
I’ve been lucky enough to go to work this week! It’s quite essential to replace rotten deck boards, so when people go walk their dogs for…
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Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | Self Heal Serum – LearningHerbs
Self-Heal, Heal All
You’d think a plant with a name as auspicious as this one would be dramatic and imposing. Instead, it camouflages itself on your lawn. But it has been used internally and externally since at least the 2nd century in both China and Europe. Its botanical name, Prunella, derives from the German word Brunella, which comes from dying Braune, meaning quinsy {a throat abscess}, for which it was commonly used in the Middle Ages.
Description:
Self-heal is a creeping perennial that volunteers in moist places like woods, pastures, sub-alpine meadows, and, of course, lawns. It sends up a flexible, branching, the flowering stalk that can reach 1 foot tall, with soft oval or lance-shaped leaves and beautiful pink to blue-violet flowers on spikes.
True to its name, this herb traditionally “heals all,” from simple eyestrain to whole-body inflammation.
Preparation and Dosage:
Self-heal is used as a tea, in…
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Day 15 – Locking it Down with CPM
Did you know if you’re always home doing laundry, you only need to own 3-4 outfits? Pajamas, whatever.
Home-school fifth grade is coming along, and school will remain closed until May 1. The school so far has only provided a math and reading packet, which we will complete in no time. I’ve also added spelling (apparently, they don’t have spelling in fifth grade anymore), states and capitals, social studies and geography. Spelling words are easy – I just pick the words she spells wrong and bam – spelling words.
I told my daughter that if she passed her spelling test, I would make pizza. While I detest leftover night, I do love leftovers on pizza night!
My hands have been washed so many times that they feel like beef jerky. And not even the good stuff. I’m talking the 25¢ beef jerky in a community container at every quick…
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Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | Benefits of Laurel Essential Oil
Laurel Leaf essential oil has a fresh, spicy scent that opens your lungs and your mind.
It’s invigorating and inspiring.
Laurel has a host of therapeutic properties. I like to remember that it’s associated with achievement and victory. So it’s a great helper when it comes to clearing away anything that stands between you and your best—that’s why it’s good for healing so many issues! (That’s how I like to think of it, anyway!)
Stay focused and clear with Laurel.
I especially love using Laurel for decongestion and mental focus. It is the perfect companion when you have a cold or allergies but still have to go to work.
Use 5 drops of this stock blend in your diffuser.
Ingredients:
- 10 drops Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
- 10 drops Rosemary ct. camphor (Rosmarinus officinalis ct. camphor)
- 20 drops White Spruce (Picea glauca)
- 10 drops Distilled Lime…
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Gardening | How To Grow Asparagus: Plant It Once & Harvest For Decades
Growing asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) requires patience but boy, is the payoff worth it. Although it takes up to three years to really get going, this perennial plant will produce a bountiful harvest year after year for up to 30 years.
Source: How To Grow Asparagus: Plant It Once & Harvest For Decades
Foodstyles | Dandelion Recipes
Fermented dandelion stems certainly are not among the more common dandelion recipes. However, fermentation is a way to preserve vegetables while increasing the nutrients in your food. Also, dandelion is a nutritious and delicious wild food.
Day 13 – Locking it Down with CPM
As much as we would like to keep this as a daily blog, we’ve found that we really only have every other day worth of material. Because lockdown is boring. Every other day is a bit of a stretch at this point, but we will keep at it. Welcome to day 13!
We’d like to give a shoutout to everyone on the front lines. Clerks, cashiers and everyone at the grocery stores! Truckers, delivery drivers; restaurant, fast food and gas station workers! Nurses, doctors and everyone at the hospitals! Garbage collectors, water, sewer, power and internet workers! Thanks for keeping us running! We appreciate you!
A relative of ours works for an Amazon contractor. She has worked every single day. We have family who work in IT. They also work every single day. And into the night, and back up at 5 am. What does CPM do in end times?…
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Foodstyles | Banana Streusel Muffins
Don’t throw out those sad bananas – make muffins. This is the muffin version of Shirley’s Banana Bread.
For the batter:
1 ¾ cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter or shortening
2/3 cup sugar
¾ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1-1 ¼ cups banana (around 1-1 ½ bananas)
For the streusel:
¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter and salt until light and fluffy. Incorporate eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. Mix in banana, zest and vanilla until mixture is smooth.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Add one third of the flour and mix, then add half the milk. Repeat, and finish with remaining…
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Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | What Are The Health Benefits of Clary Sage Oil?
Many parts of the clary sage plant can be used, including the leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. In alternative health practices, clary sage essential oil is used in aromatherapy.
In this article, we take a look at the uses and suggested health benefits of clary sage oil. We will also look at whether there is any scientific evidence to back these claims up. We also examine how the oil is used, and what side effects could occur.
Uses for clary sage oil
Clary sage oil may have properties such as antidepressant effects, improved digestion, and stress relief.
Aromatherapists and related alternative health practitioners often use clary sage as an essential oil in their treatments, and supporters believe it has many health…
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Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | Beyond Candy Canes: 21 Uses for Peppermint Oil
If you have had the fortune to smell the aroma of peppermint after it has been distilled fresh from the farm, or I should say after the distillation process which takes quite a bit of time. The surrounding area just permeates peppermint for weeks, and the aroma is nothing like the aroma that comes from the essential oil bottles you buy from manufacturers. Trust me, the aroma is quite unique and very strong.
Soothing, cool, and refreshing, peppermint oil smells great and offers many health benefits. Peppermint can ease congestion, support oral health, repel pests, soothe headaches, and even relieve stress. Peppermint oil is a must in your essential oil collection — especially if you like to create chemical-free, do-it-yourself home and healthcare products.
Found in candy canes and peppermint candies at Christmas, or year-round in chewing gum, toothpaste, and soap, its culinary uses are well-known. But, don’t overlook the power of…
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Benefits and Use of Peppermint Oil
The next few posts will be about an herb we grow commercially on our farm in Oregon. I can not bestow enough accolades for the use of peppermint whether it be the plant or the essential oil. We have grown peppermint for over 30 years on 2400 acres, grown commercially and shipped worldwide, it has to be one of the most commonly used oils in the world, but few really know the virtues of peppermint.
I and my daughter are constantly creating uses for this oil, from salves {we created a muscle salve for Hubbie after his farming accident when a water line {wheel} came down on top of him and crushed his spine. If it had not been for our German Shepherd Mountain my husband’s injuries would have been far more severe than what had initially occurred. He would have been stuck in a foot and half of the…
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Lāʻau Lāpaʻau | Peppermint Oil: Four Surprising Utilities
Far, far more than these four, the utilities are endless.
For several centuries, the oil obtained from the peppermint plant has been a vital element of several medications and there are sufficient reasons for this too. Peppermint oil is not only intense but also highly aromatic. In addition to being an established analgesic, carminative, and expectorant, peppermint oil possesses strong anti-inflammatory properties and, it is widely used to treat gastrointestinal (GI) problems like indigestion as well as stomach spasms. However, this oil is used in mild doses for these purposes. There is evidence indicating that peppermint oil can also be used for treating irritable bowel syndrome {IBS}.
Generally, peppermint oil has been extensively used in the form of internal medication. However, it also offers a number of cosmetic benefits; for instance, it is especially effective in augmenting the health of our mouth, skin, hair, and nails.
Mouth care
Peppermint oil possesses…
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Foodstyles | Strawberry Lemon Shortcake Poke Cake and the Supermarket Ponzi Scheme
When life hand you lemons you make lemon curd. With that lemon curd you make this cake!
I call this the supermarket ponzi scheme because every once in a while a recipe book will call to you at the check stand. Like this one – The Poke Cake Cookbook. Seems innocent, right?
$40s in boxed ingredients later and suddenly the kitchen looks like we’re prepping for end times with cake mixes, pudding and Jell-O. Actually, I think the Author, Jamie Sherman, may just own a ton of stock in Jell-O. She’s a crazy mad poke cake GENIUS. Once you start baking these delicious cakes, you can’t stop. Here is one of the favorites so far.
Strawberry Lemon Shortcake Poke Cake
1 lb, fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (reserving a few for garnish)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 box yellow cake
1 3 oz package strawberry Jell-O…
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Day 9 – Locking it Down with CPM
Do you know people who are sick? We do. An older family friend is ill. A relative in their 20’s. Neither of them knows what kind of illness they have. They just know to self-isolate and “come back in two weeks if you have the same symptoms”.
Are you following instructions, or being a Coviditot?
Covidiot: A person who ignores the warnings regarding public health or safety. Or, a person who hoards goods, denying them from neighbors. (Thanks for this gem, Urban Dictionary)
We’d like to implore everyone to do the right thing. If you’re not an essential worker or going out for essential needs… stay home. Stop hoarding. Order take out. Please encourage others to do the same. The longer we refuse to follow instructions, the longer we do this for. The longer we’re out of masks for nurses. The longer the kids are out of school.
Don’t have…
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La’au Lapa’au | Sweet Basil Essential Oil
Basil Essential Oil is derived from the leaves of the Ocimum basilicum botanical, better known as the Basil herb. This plant receives its name from the Latin word basilius as well as the Greek word basilikón phutón, which means “royal plant,” hence Basil is also known as the Queen of Herbs or l’herbe royale, meaning “royal herb” in French. It may also be referred to as Saint Joseph’s Wort, Great Basil, European Basil, French Basil, Common Basil, or Sweet Basil.
Several religions and spiritual beliefs practice rituals that emphasize the significance of the use of Basil. In Judaism, traditional stories advocate the use of Basil for increased strength during times of fasting. In various Orthodox churches, Basil is often used to either sprinkle or prepare holy water. As well, pots of the herb are often positioned below church altars to pay reverence to the belief that it was…
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La’au Lapa’au | Bergamot Orange – March Herb of the Month
What do Earl Gray tea, the confection Turkish Delight, the liqueur Bergamia, eau de cologne, and some air fresheners have in common? The answer is: the essential oil from the bergamot orange, Citrus ×bergamia, The Herb Society of America’s Herb of the Month for March. […]
Health | Benefits of Chaga Mushrooms
The Chaga Mushroom is used to make a healing tea and has be used to cure everything from cancer to hypertension; boosting the immune system, raising your bodies ph levels and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system promoting our own bodies ability to heal itself. Chaga is the most powerful antioxidant on Earth making it a very powerful detox flushing toxins, radiation, heavy metals and other free radicals out of your body. […]
Foodstyles | Homemade Amish Sweet Bread Recipe with Step by Step Instructions
Homemade Amish Sweet Bread Recipe with Step by Step Instructions Have you ever wanted to make your own bread but you’ve felt intimidated by the yeast process? I have. I have conquered that fear and […]
Source: Homemade Amish Sweet Bread Recipe with Step by Step Instructions
Foodstyles | Gramma Rita’s Secret Naughty Pancakes
My daughter loves spending time with Gramma every summer and loves Gramma’s pancakes. It’s not really a secret but they are kinda naughty! They don’t even really need syrup!
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup pancake mix of the “just add water” variety
2/3 cup white cake mix
1 1/2 cups water
Mix, and prepare pancakes according to pancake mix directions.
Enjoy!
~Amelia
Current Events | Day 7 – Locking it Down with CPM
Day 7 – Locking it Down with CPM
Hello from California! We are officially closed! Also, I officially teach 5th grade now. That’s been an interesting adjustment. Fifth grade math is where math started to fall apart for me! It’s those fractions. My husband thinks it’s endlessly entertaining that I work in food and construction, but I don’t know fractions. Yesterday we walked the dog and stretched for PE. Chalk in the driveway for art.
I’d like to take a moment today to talk about toilet paper. I don’t know about you, but I sure have been conscious of how much I’m using. I don’t know if I’ll run out or be able to get more. I know I have paper towels and here’s what you need to know about paper towels, and more:
Only flush toilet paper and poopie.
DO NOT FLUSH PAPER TOWELS
DO NOT FLUSH NAPKINS
DO…
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Foodstyles | Beyond Tea: Aromatic Herbal Infusions for Health and Immunity | New York Institute of Aromatic Studies
Let’s get right to it. We know we need to stay hydrated and incorporate botanicals (aka “herbs”) into our lives, especially when feeling depleted, sick, overwhelmed (and so much more….). Go over and say hello to your tea kettle: it’s all about drinking botanical infusions.
I often like to pretend I’m fancy and use the word “tisane” when talking about “herbal tea.” Fancy or not, herbal tea = herbal infusion = tisane. Regardless of what you call it, this is about putting herbs in water, applying gentle heat and then enjoying the benefits of this simple but effective way to work with plants.
Stay Hydrated
Every morning when you wake up, have a glass of water to bathe your tissues. Doesn’t that sound FABULOUS? So…decadent! Not so. It is VITAL. Drinking water “…stimulates elimination and acts like an internal shower waking up the body and preparing it for activity” (Catty…
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La’au Lapa’au | Essential Oil Spotlight: Clove Oil
Clove oil uses are incredibly impressive, ranging from improving blood circulation and reducing inflammation to helping acne and boosting gum health. One of the best-known clove oil uses is to reduce the pain associated with dental problems. Even mainstream toothpaste makers agree that clove oil reduces the pain and swelling that comes with a toothache.
In addition to being a proven anti-inflammatory and pain reducer, one of the common clove oil uses is as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial to keep countless diseases at bay, which is why it can be such a wise choice for boosting your immune system as well as a powerful addition to homemade cleaning products.
Plant Origin of Clove Oil
Indigenous to Indonesia and Madagascar, clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) can be found in nature as the unopened pink flower buds of the tropical evergreen tree. Picked by hand in late summer and again in winter, the buds…
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Foodstyles | Biscuits
Get out your rolling pin, circle cutter and stand mixer! It’s time to make some incredibly delicious biscuits!
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
12 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
1 cup whole milk
1 beaten egg
Preheat oven to 350.
Add all dry ingredients to a mixer and mix. Add butter and mix until you can’t see any butter chunks.
Add milk and mix only until the ingredients come together. Do not overmix.
Sprinkle flour on a rolling surface. Roll out dough to desired thickness (usually about 3/4 inch, but you can go thinner).
Cut with a 3-inch circle cutter (you could cut them into squares if you don’t have a circle cutter).
Place biscuits on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Brush tops with beaten egg.
Bake for 18-25 minutes, depending on thickness, until…
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Day 6 – Locking it Down with CPM
Here’s something fun to pass the time when you’re sheltering in place along with 8 other Bay Area Counties! I had some cuties that were on their way out. Instead of tossing them, I hand juiced them. Then put the juice into the freezer for another day.
Raise your hands if you’re sick of hearing coronavirus!! I prefer COVID 19. Sounds like we’re going on a spy mission, instead of staying home and cleaning the floor again. We played monopoly yesterday. Monopoly. No one ever wants to play Monopoly because it takes forever. Guess what?! I got time to play Monopoly.
Tide Pods Fresh Scent– A review: Who uses this crap? I just want my clothes to smell clean… not like the air freshener aisle. Also, thanks to dumb teenagers who ate Tide Pods, you may need an engineering degree to open the container (dumb teenagers: they do…
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Healing | Herbal Oxymel Recipes & Benefits
What are oxymels? Learn about the health benefits of this ancient herbal elixir of vinegar and honey, and get easy recipes for making them at home!
Source: Herbal Oxymel Recipes & Benefits
Hālau 'Aha Hui Lānākila 