For the Love of Our Landscapes
Manicured Gardens and Lawns
For so long, most western societies have valued groomed lawns and manicured gardens; those considered beautiful for their lack of weeds, crisp edges and often symmetrical landscaping. Having lived in urban areas most of my life, it wasn’t until moving to the Bruce Peninsula that I felt a sense of belonging, being surrounded by many other wild and weedy places. However, as our climate continues to change, more and more people are in search of ways to change course from the predicted direction we are headed for.
Depending on where you live, some of these impacts may be more noticeable, and in other places, less so. However, on a global scale, many parts of the world are experiencing the effects of rising sea levels, extreme temperatures and warming oceans. Our climate here in Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Biodiversity and habitat loss may also be observed, as the conditions of our own health continue to change, while the landscapes around us do too.
Though there are many clever and remarkable ways conservationists are trying to slow the pace of climate change (including the implementation of nature-based solutions and other effective area-based conservation measures), recognizing that many individuals and organizations are implementing strategies to reduce waste and emissions, I would argue that now is time for a change of narrative and for redefining the admirable qualities of the lands that surround us. Whether it be our backyards, community gardens or city parks, these are all opportunities to work together in support of a regenerative way forward, paying respect to every element of life that can help us fight climate change.
Of course, allowing for a wilder landscape is only one of the many actions we can take, it is one that has a cascade of positive outcomes. By creating these naturalized spaces, more land is being added to wildlife corridors (which can exist in different scales and ways), where all forms of life — mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles — can migrate, feed and drink, and we are connecting more habitats for them to move through as they continue through their different stages of life. Corridors may not have to be continuous, large or perfect to still help.
A part of my lawn where only a walking path is mowed and other tall grasses, asters, black-eyed Susans, and more are allowed to flourish
The Impact on Our Own Land
Living in a household surrounded by a naturalized lawn on the Bruce Peninsula of southwestern Ontario, I’ve witnessed these words that I share come to life. Since mowing only enough space for walking paths, planting a vegetable garden and a firepit, my family and I have been able to give back just under half a hectare of land to nature in hopes of creating a small, but thriving, ecosystem. The birdsong, combining melodies of meadowlarks, buntings, blue and blackbirds, sparrows and robins, cheers us along, as we continue to tend to the abundance of new-to-us species — black-eyed Susan, common yarrow, gray goldenrod, and a colourful variety of asters (to name but a few). Though this requires some work, these efforts promote a yard that is, in many ways, self-sufficient.
Another approach to consider is creating a food forest, or planting a diverse array of edible species, in an attempt to mimic the ecosystems and patterns found in nature. This will typically include canopy layers of fruit and nut trees, berry bushes and shrubs, herbaceous plants valuable for food and medicine, ground covers, and, at the root layer, fungi and harvestable root vegetables (this is also a great opportunity to learn what’s native to your area, and to incorporate habitat for species at risk). This concept considers the many necessary layers for maintaining symbiotic relationships, from the tallest tree to the ground below while also creating food for those doing the planting and the species passing through.
In some cases, municipalities have bylaws about what you can do with your outside areas, ensuring you meet a standard or level of care throughout your subdivision or community. Finding out what policies exist can be a great way to spark change.
Other Ways to Contribute
All this said, more and more people today are taking up residence in urban areas, including suburban neighbourhoods with little to no backyard, condos and apartments, group and community housing. This doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference, though! Along with starting conversations and sparking change, community gardens are another great addition to wildlife corridors, and they usually start thanks to the efforts of one or few people. This can be a great way to build community in an effort toward a viable and more biodiverse future, which will further awareness of the importance of maintaining our greenspaces.
Change doesn’t happen overnight. I encourage you to take a look around you. See the landscapes, both large and small, as opportunities to create food, habitats and pathways for those we share our world with, and remember that we are only as resilient as our ecosystems.
Photos Provided by Chelsea Vieira
A Herbal Apprentice's Journey with Dayna & Alexander: Travel Nutrition and First Aid Tips
“Life is filled with so many peculiar little moments and those peculiar little moments are filled with so much life!”
For those of you who are reading this. I suppose a brief introduction of myself would be appropriate. My name is Alexander Jones and I am an herbal apprentice with Penelope Beaudrow. I grew up in the state of Texas but have been living the better half of the last three years in Canada. I am looking forward to blogging and sharing some thoughts with you all over this platform!
I have just arrived in Texas after a long month of traveling. I am sure many can relate to that sense of displacement and confusion that occurs after a laborious journey. The lovely moment of stillness settles into your being, but with it comes an exhausted restlessness that is difficult to ease. All the while you ask yourself, ‘where have I been?’ And ‘ Where am I now?’ ‘Have I been traveling for a month or an eternity?’
Fortunately, during these moments of post travel anxiety I am comforted in ways I never thought I could be. I sit with my dear friend Isabella on the front stoop of my fathers house and close my eyes. The spring air blows through the trees and calms my frazzled nerves. I throw the ball for my dog and talk with my father about his plants. I try my best to move slowly through the day. I have no place to go today and it is time for recuperation and there is no need to rush. I play some fiddle in the sun and then take a nap. Then, when I wake up feeling soft and light I call my partner Dayna and we catch up about our lives for a little while. I am appreciative of all of these little things in life that make me feel good. I am feeling grateful and in a lovely state of peace when I look up and realize I need to get ready for my gig! Then I remember that I haven’t eaten anything all day and I am feeling quite hungry all of a sudden. I ask myself… ‘What have I been eating recently?’
Food on The Road…
My diet has been fairly inconsistent while I have been on the road. I try my best to stay healthy but it is hard when you are moving everyday. One morning you skip breakfast and the next you find yourself eating bad Mexican food at a truck stop. You get a nice salad that night but then the next day all you eat is granola. That is until your gig in Philadelphia and you are so hungry you buy a massive cheesesteak hoagie and devour it on the street. You enjoy every bite of it but then afterward your stomach is crying ‘ what are you doing to me!?’ So the next day you buy an avocado, a loaf of rye, a cucumber and some greens. That should keep me feeling good right?
Nevertheless, at 2:00 in the morning you stop to get gas in rural Tennessee. You see two corn dogs sitting on the warmer and plunge into a deep state of self loathing. You eat the corn dogs and enjoy every moment, but your stomach is so utterly terrified of what you are doing that it nearly regurgitates everything you just put in it.
You sit in the silence of the car and curse the fast food industry. These thoughts start to trigger some other questions in your mind. There are people in our country who eat this kind of food every day of their lives. You don’t get the nourishment you need from this kind of ‘food’. The next time you travel through the highways of America think a bit about the cycle of our globalized economy and how what a lot of people consider ‘food’ is not much more than heart disease wrapped in a to-go bag. The industries of production that rule our corporate plutocracy will happily feed the people ‘foods’ of such vile a nature that our body doesn’t even know how to digest it properly. It is yet another systemic atrocity fueled by the fire of capitalism. Nevertheless, I will tarry on this point no longer. This paradigm of our modern industrialized food network can lead to many avenues of discussion and debate. However, no matter the viewpoints of any individual, the question I would like to propose concerning this topic is paramount for the health and longevity of human beings. The overarching question is;
‘How does one stay healthy in such an unhealthy world?’
This question is so multifaceted and can be interpreted and answered in such a rich variety of ways that I would like to be a little more specific with my address. More acutely;
‘How does one stay healthy while traveling?’
We decided to include some of our favourite ways to help care for our bodies while travelling…
Nutrition Essentials for Being on The Road
Hi! I’m Dayna. I’m popping in on the latter half of this blog post to share my tried-and-true herbal first aid and nutrition essentials for being on the road. Both Alexander and I have had many episodes of planes, trains and automobiles in our lives. Since I began learning about herbs, I’ve always had some herbal support for on the road.
Lets talk about herbal essentials for keeping our bodies just feeling well during travel. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some of my travel essentials for keeping my body “regular” in an irregular environment:
- Trace mineral drops – Bottled water, tap water from all over… We don’t know what we are getting while out on the road and trace mineral drops are your friend!
- A bag of dried prunes – An age old method for an extremely common problem we all experience while traveling! A few prunes a day will keep your bowel movements regular! Stock up at the bulk store and keep them around 🙂
- Mineral food powder – Some kind of blend of powdered seaweed, nutritive herbs like nettles and raspberry leaves, nutritional yeast and good quality salt. This can be incorporated by sprinkling it on just about any food you’re eating, takeout or otherwise.
- Digestif tincture – Eating at hours outside of your routine, unfamiliar meals, the list goes on! A good digestive tincture will come in handy. Taking those bitters before meals is going to do a lot for us.
- Oatmeal – This seems a bit silly to put in here, but I couldn’t begin to count the amount of times that I’ve made oatmeal in a mason jar using hot water from a gas station. Personally, having a bag of oats at hand helps me have access to fiber and gives me a sense of control over my food intake. We’ve all been subject to having a sad handful of nuts and a chocolate bar from the gas station and calling it “breakfast”.
- Optional tea blends – Depending on the type of trip you’re going on and what kind of space you have, if you’re able to, bring some of your favourite teas. They simply bring a sense of comfort and familiarity. You may reach for that bedtime blend, or that bloat-reducing blend more than you think!
If you have the space, try to bring something that just helps you feel comfortable. Something that carries a sense of home. Often-times for me, it is a perfume roller. Just some familiar scents! Compact and simple, and very effective for when I need it to ground myself.
Travel First Aid kit
There is definitely a difference between a first aid kit for home and a first aid kit for travel. At home, with the luxury of space, one’s apothecary would be equipped for most anything. However, I do spend a lot of time on the road and I really love to travel light. Like, really really light. Having a compact first aid kit of multi-purpose items is key.
In my years of travel, my first aid kit has changed, expanded and contracted. It still is changing to this day based on which herbs and remedies work best for me at any given time, which season we are in, and so on.
That being said, Here is my Travel First Aid kit – all of which fits into a small makeup bag!
Firstly, I don’t carry medicinal teas for “treating”. They are subject to losing potency, getting wet and perishing and most of all, they are bulky. If I wished to treat anything fully, rather than just having one cup, I wouldn’t have the space to carry the amount of tea required. For this reason, I stick to tinctures for emergency situations.
- Propolis tincture – For a variety of ailments, specifically treatment of upper respiratory infection, immune function, and to use topically to prevent the infection of and to mend wounds. Propolis is a great “all in one” sort of tincture to have!
- Some sort of Sleep Tincture blend – For both restless nights and moments of anxiety. It surprises me how often I use this, and how often others need it, too. It’s very useful. I find myself offering this tincture to friends often, and it helps. When we are traveling, we are sleeping somewhere new every night, and having some herbal support can be effective to get our bodies to actually rest even though we are in a new and changing environment.
- Throat spray of Sage, Marshmallow, Echinacea and Propolis tinctures, with honey in a spray bottle – Extremely useful active responders to upper respiratory infections and symptoms of hayfever, etc. If traveling in dry climates, this is great to keep on your bedside to hydrate your throat in the night when those dry coughs are keeping you up.
- Pain management Tincture of Willow Bark or California Poppy Tincture -Though, the latter has come in handy for both pain and anxiety and I find myself using it more often. Willow Bark I find more effective during a headache, and if I had the choice I would bring both.
- Kloss’ Liniment – A plethora of topical uses. A little goes a long way. I’ve used this for an endless amount of situations and now that I have, I wouldn’t be without it. For travel, I keep a 2 ounce bottle of liniment with a dropper top for easy use.
- An all purpose salve – For dry skin, mending wounds, lip balm, stings, etc. The blend of salve that I travel with changes depending on what I have available. A home-made blend of something like Calendula, Comfrey, Arnica, Plantain, Chaparral, and St. John’s wort would be ideal. However, If I don’t have access to making such things, and there isn’t anything like it made by a local herbalist, I find myself reaching for the “Super Salve” original salve with the green label. It’s a great blend and I can usually find it at any health food store.
- Sore muscle/bruising salve – I think it best to have a separate salve for this, if I have the space to carry it. A potent Arnica/Comfrey/St John’s Wort blend is great. In a pinch, Super Salve makes a good Arnica muscle balm that is also at most health food stores. It’s good to find brands that work for you that you can rely on when you don’t have your homemade medicines with you!
- French Green Clay – I’ve used this for relieving pressure headaches, and as a drawing poultice. It does wonders for relieving discomfort from bug bites/stings. Lots to be said about its digestive support in an emergency of the stomach. Sometimes it just makes a nice rejuvenating face mask for tired skin. It travels well and I find myself reaching for it more often than I think I will.
- Yarrow Powder – for stopping bleeding. I’ve used this in-action before and it worked extremely well. I always keep it on me. Cayenne does the same thing, and is also a helpful ally during a bout of the flu or a cold, among its stimulating effects. Perhaps I could keep some of that around, too.
- Gauze or Cheesecloth – for making poultices, dressing wounds, creating an emergency sling, for making bandages.
- A needle and thread – Wishing that I wouldn’t have to give myself or someone else stitches, and that a hospital would be near in such a situation. But in the case that one would not be close, it would be best to have a needle and thread rather than not. And in any case, I’ve always got endless clothes to mend and buttons to replace either way.
If I have ample space, I’ll also bring..
- A hot water bottle – I often use it for menstrual cramps, but it has come in handy for many other situations in which sustained heat is needed.
- Emergen-C powder – A real game changer in moments of dehydration, and during the winter months.
- Thieves Essential Oil Blend – I don’t use essential oils often, but I do find this blend very helpful. It comes in handy for a lot of things, specifically disinfecting. I love to add a few drops to a bowl of soapy water when I am cleaning surfaces/floors. I cured myself of a bad sinus infection with a few drops of thieves oil in face steams once when it was the only thing I had with me.
Photos provided by Serena Mor
Preparing our Hives for the Colder Days Ahead
Welcome to Our Winter Beehive
Now that snow covers the ground where we live, I know that even though I can’t see them, the honeybees are still working hard within the hive’s four walls. Up until now, on any day warm enough to do so, they continued to collect and store food for the winter, and utilized propolis to fill in any cracks or openings to minimize the potential for drafts and cold air getting in. During this time, the colonies also downsize, determining who stays and who goes, reining in their numbers for the colder days ahead.
Foresight, I think, is something the honeybees know all about, thinking always and planning for the future.
In efforts to try and help keep our honeybees alive, after two consecutive years of losing them to the Varroa mite, we are hopeful going into this winter. The Varroa mite, which hadn’t been introduced to North America until the 1980s, has been an ongoing problem for most beekeepers in our area. This parasitic mite feeds on the honeybee, attaching itself to the honeybee like a tick, until it overcomes them.
Varroa Mites
Most beekeepers use thymol-based products, which are said to help keep them at bay. However, our first year of beekeeping we thought this seemed unnecessary, giving notion to the idea that they have long since survived without the use of our man-made chemicals. We discovered the following Spring the little red spots, which at closer look, we knew to have been the mite we had not done anything to prevent. That being said, still being new to beekeeping, we looked at this unfortunate circumstance as a learning opportunity, a way we could look into the hive more closely than we could have, had they survived. The second year, we used the recommended strips, but again the Varroa mites got the best of them.
This year, we thought we ought to do something different. In the process of trying to learn as much as we can, we came across the works of Michael Bush and Leo Sharashkin. In addition to speaking to local beekeepers and a good friend, Bella Donna, after some time and a little leg work, we built a second hive.
“…each little thing you can do makes a difference”
Our second hive works horizontally, as opposed to the traditional Langstroth hive, which stands tall, vertically stacking boxes, the type of hive you will most often see, driving by farms and down country roads. In contrast, this new hive we built in the spring sits honeycomb filled frames side by side, in a long row. With two-inch thick walls, as opposed to the 3/4“ walls, we hope to better insulate the hive without having to add any exterior casing. Some other modifications we made were creating only one entrance, hence reducing the potential for invaders and allowing the bees to more easily guard the opening. Our hive sits roughly two and a half feet off the ground, helping to prevent small mammals from sneaking their way in and stops us from needing an entrance reducer – a piece of wood which you’d typically insert into the opening of a traditional hive that spans the width of the box. Our frames, where the bees build and fill honeycomb, also have had their plastic backings removed, as it was suggested to us that the size of these molded plastic pieces is the ideal size for Varroa to lay their eggs in. It has been said that each little thing you can do makes a difference, if only increasing their odds by a percent at a time.
So in preparation for winter this year, we prepared our old hive the way we always have, reducing the size of the entrance, again preventing invaders and decreasing drafts, insulating the top of the hive with wool and surrounding the hive with its reflective winter casing. As for our new horizontal hive, all of the preparations were done in the process of its build. Making these changes we hope will not only will prevent the mites, but keep the honeybees warm enough all winter long, In both hives, we decided to use Thymol, one of the major constituents of essential oils of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L., Lamiaceae), hoping to keep the mites at a distance with its strong aromatics.
In hopes of giving them a better start going into winter, we also give them the opportunity to collect what remains off the frames we’ve extracted honey from. By the end of Fall, when the weather’s still warm enough for them to fly, there isn’t a whole lot for them to forage from, so giving them back these trays allows them to collect whatever they can to use again. This is also the case for trays where the honey has crystallized and can no longer be extracted. This year we had been so busy, we didn’t get around to our honey harvest until late October, and unfortunately by then a large amount of our honey had already turned. Typically, this would be a great opportunity to keep the comb intact, storing the honeycomb as is, in jars. However, since we removed the backings from all our frames, we want to keep the newly constructed honeycomb intact to strengthen for next year’s use. As we’ve been told, the honeycomb hardens over time, and through the seasons.
“As we learn, we hope to always do right by the bees”
All this to say, we certainly aren’t experts in the matter of beekeeping. But as we learn, we hope to always do right by the bees, doing the best we can to give them the best chance to survive the days to come. We are hoping that by the time Spring rolls around again, we are gifted with the hum of our honeybees, a sound we always look forward to hearing as the ground turns from white to green.
Blog photos provided by Chelsea!
Lady Slipper: A Gathering of Women and Plants
A Magical August Weekend…
So often we think of plant medicine as medicine for fixing and working on ourselves! But at Lady Slipper, the plants offered the medicine of connection, acceptance and appreciation.
It was a beautiful weekend. The days were warm and sunny with a caressing breeze. The nights were bathed in the light of the waxing moon. The women came together to sing, laugh, share wisdom their bodies, plants and their hearts carry. The plants rejoiced in being seen and honoured. The food was delicious and nourishing. It was a beautiful weekend.
A gathering of women is a special time. It is a time to become more than a mother, wife, daughter, sister. It is a time to walk with the unique beauty each woman brings to the world. It is a time to swear like women swear, weep like women weep and talk like women talk. There was lots of talking and listening.
I remember walking by a picnic table where a group of women sat and overheard Laura Gilmore, a woman comfortable in the wilderness of the forest, explain how wolves move through the wilderness and porcupines perch in trees with their back to the world. The women at the table listened intently absorbing the knowledge of wild things.
Then there was Christine Denis’ erotic monograph of the Lady Slipper. With the lights twinkling behind her, Christine reclaimed dirty words used to describe female genitalia. In reclaiming these words, Christine banished the shame each women has been made to feel and returned the power and beauty of the female anatomy.
Penny Beaudrow in the meantime, created a safe place for women to connect with the earth. Laying on the ground, each women opened her heart to abundance of life with all its gifts and trials.
Lauri Hoeg offered each women an opportunity to name the medicine they are gifted. She showed them how to make a small pouch to help them remember the medicine they carry.
Mama, unfortunately I was not able to sit with her during her sharing. But, all weekend long we felt Mama’s joy and support. The open acceptance and interest in others was a palpable experience throughout the weekend.
Dayna carried us through the weekend with her beautiful music, and in the background our volunteers, Evelyn, Chelsea, Candice, Charlee, Serena, Red, Debbie and the talented hair braider Rachel, tended to all that needed to be done. Without their efforts, Lady Slipper would not have seemed so easeful and carefree.
Penny and I want to thank all the women who came and helped make Lady Slipper the beautiful weekend it was. Your smiles, laughter, interest in plants and kind words, brought the true medicine to the gathering. Again, thank you.
Yours, Abrah
Photos by Serena Mor
The Hum of the Honeybee
Welcoming Spring
With Spring just around the corner, I can hardly wait to hear the songs of birds and the hum of the bees, both distant memories, yet sweet melodies to my ears. Living in Southern Ontario, even with the Spring Equinox only a couple of weeks away, it’s hard to imagine the sight of green, replacing the three feet of snow that still surrounds us. However, it’s during these colder months that I sit back and reflect on the early days of Spring where I can watch the world awaken yet again.
I often consider myself grateful to be a beekeeper, getting the chance to bear witness to the intimate life of a honeybee and a hive so full of life. That is, of course, only if we’re lucky enough to have them survive the winter. It is not uncommon for me to lose time in front of our hive, and I often think being around them on a busy midsummer’s day takes the busyness out of my mind.
If you sit with them long enough, they can become your teachers, as they have been for me. They have taught me how interconnected everything is, how far hard work can take you, and that a helping hand can go a longer way than the eye can see. One could argue they are selfless creatures, always putting the welfare of others before that of their own.
Becoming a Beekeeper
It happened by chance, as my partner and I inherited our colony with our first home. Though unplanned, this opportunity took me down a path of understanding on a deeper level where our food comes from, and how much different our world would look without our honeybees. They are a vital part of every ecosystem, among the many other invaluable pollinators that often go unnoticed.
It is said that one third of the food we know wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for our honeybees. Though it’s hard to miss something before it’s gone, I urge you to imagine a life without the delicious crunch of an almond, or the sweet pop of a fresh blueberry on a hot summer day – two of the many foods that surely we’d miss long after they’re gone.
Paying it Forward
With that, I encourage you to pay it forward, as the bees so humbly do for us, working hard all season long to bring us so many of the foods we love, medicine that we rely on, and a habitable and colourful landscape to live in.
In the end, supporting the livelihood of our bees supports that of our own, and there are so many ways to make a difference. Here are a number of ways that you can give back to the bees, keeping in mind that small actions have big impacts – just as the bees teach us:
1. Let your lawn go.
I always like to start by suggesting this one, as it requires no work but goes a long way. Letting any amount of land return to the wild encourages biodiversity and increases the likelihood of wildflowers to blow in and bloom, thus giving your bees more food for their post-hibernation hungry bellies. Trust me, the bees will thank you (and in my opinion, it’s far more beautiful).
2. Plant native wildflowers.
It’s hard to argue the beauty of a meadow abundant with blooming wildflowers, so find out which are local to you, and spread those seeds! This can also be a great opportunity to plant endangered natives species and support those at risk.
3. Avoid spraying.
Keeping things pesticide-free is a great way to avoid harmful chemicals, like glyphosate which wreaks havoc on the bees. Instead opt for more organic and natural solutions!
4. Support your local beekeepers.
Smaller scale beekeepers often have less demands to meet, thus more room to prioritize the health of their honeybees. This is a great way to support your local food systems and can go a long way for those suffering from seasonal allergies.
5. Giving bees trees.
Trees often get overlooked when we think about providing for the bees, but they’re a great source of nectar and provide them habitats, especially in the midst of continuous deforestation and development. Some trees, like Willows and Maples, make up some of the first food sources for them in the early days of Spring.
6. Choose wisely.
I like to say, if it comes in a squeeze bottle, it’s not the honey you want. This kind of honey is often pasteurized (a sterilization process that heats up the honey, thereby losing medicinal value) and contains fillers like corn syrup. Instead you can look for raw, unpasteurized honey – which is both better for you, and the environment.
Photos provided by Serena Mor
Pat’s Top Ten Super Foods & Herbs
What is a Super Food?
I’m sure we’d all like to think of a ‘magic bullet’ that could take care of all our health issues, which is why the title of this article is appealing: eat these foods or herbs and you will be well.
The fact is, all whole, organic, unprocessed foods are super foods. If we eat a variety of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables along with whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, coldwater fish and herbs and give chemicals and processed or fast foods a wide berth, we will feel better, have more energy and will maintain a healthy body weight.
Still, it is handy to have a short list of must-have foods and herbs that we know we can turn to for essential nutrients and maximum health benefits. My list boasts foods that have been proven to offer vital phytonutrients for helping to ease the following health benefits:
- Lower or help regulate blood sugar levels
- Help regulate metabolism and burn body fat
- Help protect the heart
- Help prevent cancer
- Detoxify vital organs
- Lower blood pressure
- Prevent or reduce inflammation
- Aid digestion
Pat’s Top Ten
It is known that the everyday choices we make have long-term effects on our health, and in order to begin to see the benefits listed above, you will need to include the following foods in your daily eating pattern. It’s time to ‘spring clean’ your diet by eliminating harmful high fat, low nutrient foods and replacing them with super foods everyday:
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Dark-skinned berries
- Alliums
- Herbs and spices
- Fatty fish
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Dark chocolate
- Seaweed
- Seeds
Super Food Breakdown and Recipes
Cruciferous Vegetables
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli rabe – contain a powerful range of disease fighters. Their Endoles and sulforaphane may increase enzymes that lower the incidence of colon and lung cancers.
My Advice: eat these foods raw and at least three times per week, everyday is ideal.
Asparagus and Cauliflower Salad Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Herb Seasoning Paste or Spring Pesto (recipes below)
- 2 cups fresh asparagus pieces
- 1 cup thinly sliced cauliflower
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup raisins or chopped dates
- 1 tablespoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup, lightly packed baby spinach, lightly steamed
Method:
1. In a wok or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until soft and lightly colored. Add garlic and paste and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add asparagus and cauliflower and mix well to coat with onions and spices. Cook, stirring constantly for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
2. Remove from heat and stir in carrots and dates. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm over spinach.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Dark Skinned Berries
Blueberries, blackberries, acai berries – their high concentrations of anthocyanins and phenolic pigments (which make them dark blue, red or purple in colour) give them exceptional antioxidant, anti-diabetic and heart protective properties.
My Advice: include raw (fresh or frozen) dark-skinned berries at least once daily in meals.
Black Berry Smoothie Recipe:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup fresh or frozen blackberries
- ¼ cup frozen acai berries or raspberries
- 4 beet top leaves or spinach
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Method:
1. In a blender, combine juice, oil, blueberries, blackberries, acai berries, green leaves and chia seeds. Blend on high until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and garnish each with cinnamon.
Makes 2 servings
Alliums
Leeks, garlic, onions, shallots. With garlic the hero of the bunch, alliums help to protect against prostate, stomach and colon cancer; lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels; and are antibacterial along with other benefits.
My Advice: eat raw garlic once a day and include one other allium in a daily meal.
Leek, Garlic and Onion Tart Recipe:
Ingredients:
10-inch (3 L) spring form pan or round tart pan, lightly oiled
Potato Base:
- 3 cups thinly sliced, potatoes
- 1 cup thinly sliced, peeled sweet potato
- 3 tablespoons honey mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Topping:
- 1/4 cup sliced leek, white and tender green parts
- 4 cloves garlic, slivered
- 3 cups thinly sliced onions (about 3 onions)
- 3 tablespoons Herb Seasoning Paste or Spring Pesto (recipes below)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
1. Potato Base: In a large bowl, toss potatoes with mustard and oil. Spread in bottom of prepared pan. Press potatoes with the back of a spoon to compress. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top.
2. Topping: In the bowl used for the potatoes, toss leek, garlic, and onions with Herb Paste. Spread evenly over potato base. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and onions are golden. Sprinkle Parmesan over top and bake for another 3 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Transfer to a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Herbs and Spices
Thyme, rosemary, turmeric, ginger, cayenne, cinnamon – most fresh green herbs contain antioxidant properties along with other healing benefits specific to the herb; dandelion and burdock leaves are cleansing; spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg contain powerful phytonutrients that regulate and affect body functions.
My Advice: eat fresh green herbs with 2 meals each day and cook with fresh ground spices (season dishes with 1 tablespoon Spring Pesto, below) every day.
Herb Seasoning Paste Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cinnamon stick (2-inches), crushed
- 1 tablespoon whole yellow or brown mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 2 dried cayenne peppers, cut into pieces
- ¼ cup chopped fresh green herbs (thyme, oregano, dandelion, parsley or burdock leaves)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 piece (1-inch) fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
Method:
1. In a spice grinder or mortar (using pestle) chop or pound cinnamon, mustard, coriander and peppers until consistently ground (fine or coarse as desired). Add garlic and ginger and blend or pound to a thick paste. Add nutmeg, oil and rice syrup and mix until well blended and smooth. Transfer to a small jar. Label and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 1/2 cup
Fatty Fishes
Wild salmon and sardines are one of the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Avoid farmed fish because wild-caught fish eat krill and other wild foods that contribute to the quality of their flesh; they are lower in mercury and high in vitamin D and have not been fed grain and antibiotics.
My Advice: eat fatty fish twice a week.
Braised Salmon and Kale with Red Lentils Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Herb Seasoning Paste (recipe above) or Spring Pesto (recipe below)
- 2 cups chopped kale (still wet from washing)
- 4 wild salmon fillets (4 oz/125 g each), skin on one side
- 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) red lentils rinsed and drained
Method:
1. In a skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and seasoning paste and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until onions are soft and lightly coloured. Add kale and toss to coat with onions. Place salmon over top, skin side up. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Remove skin from salmon and remove fillets to a platter. Toss lentils with kale mixture and heat through.
Makes 4 servings
Nuts
All nuts, especially walnuts and almonds are great sources of antioxidants, vitamin E, selenium and magnesium, and of all nuts, walnuts are highest in alpha-linolenic omega-3 fatty acids, which lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
My Advice: eat a handful of nuts every day to help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Spring Pesto Recipe:
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup walnuts or almonds
- 2 tablespoons sesame or flax seeds
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup chopped fresh dandelion leaves
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or thyme
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup olive oil
- sea salt
Method:
1. In a blender or food processor, chop walnuts, flax seeds and garlic. Add dandelion, parsley and rosemary and start motor. Add olive oil slowly through opening in feed tube and process until pesto is desired consistency. Season to taste.
Makes 2 cups
Legumes
Dried peas, beans, lentils – a good plant protein; high in fiber, associated with lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
My Advice: eat legumes three times per week, more often if you are vegetarian/vegan.
Ancho Chocolate and Sweet Potato Stew Recipe:
Ingredients:
Chile Seasoning:
- 3 dried ancho chiles (or 1 teaspoon chili powder)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
Stew:
- ½ head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 sweet potato, trimmed and cut into large dice
- ½ rutabaga, trimmed and cut into small dice
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 1 can (28 oz /796 mL) diced tomatoes and juice
- 1 stick (2-inch) cinnamon
- 2 cups vegan stock or water
- 1 oz (30 g) unsweetened dark chocolate, grated
- 1 can (14 oz/398 mL) pinto beans, drained
- 2 cups coarsely chopped kale, spinach or Swiss chard
Method:
1. Make Chile Seasoning: slice chilies in half lengthwise and remove stems and seeds. Toast chilies: heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add chilies, pressing down with tongs for 1 minute, turning over and toasting for 30 seconds on other side. Let cool and slice into 4 pieces. Pulse in a spice grinder until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oregano, cumin, cinnamon and salt.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange cauliflower in a single layer on the sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp-tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add garlic and Chile Seasoning and cook, stirring frequently for a minute or two.
4. Stir in sweet potato, rutabaga, carrots, tomatoes and their juice, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally for about 6 minutes or until the mixture is thickened slightly.
5. Add stock, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
6. Add chocolate and stir until it is melted into the mixture. Stir in cauliflower, beans and kale and simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes.
Ladle into 6 serving bowls.
Dark Chocolate
70% cocoa or higher – high in antioxidants for anti-aging; flavonoids that prevent clogged arteries and lower blood pressure; and magnesium.
My Advice: indulge in one small square (1/2 oz/15 g) of the best quality dark chocolate (as high in cocoa as you can comfortably enjoy) every day.
Ancho Chocolate Chile (see recipe, above)
Seaweed
Arame, hijiki, kelp, kombu, nori, wakame – detoxify the body and help prevent assimilation of heavy metals; may have anticancer effects; individual seaweed varieties have varying levels of calcium, iodine, potassium and iron.
My Advice: eat seaweed once or twice per week and eat kombu or dulse raw (crushed and sprinkled over breakfast cereals, salads and main course dishes) every day.
Shiitake Mushroom Nori Rolls Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil, divided
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini, peeled and diced
- ½ cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
- ¼ cup chopped almonds
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Spring Seasoning Paste (recipe above)
- 1 cup cooked Japanese sticky rice
- 2 sheets dried nori
Method:
1. In a skillet or wok, heat 2 tbsp of the oil over high heat. Swirl to coat the base and sides. Add onions, zucchini and mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly for 4 minutes. Stir in almonds, sesame seeds, brown rice syrup, tamari and seasoning paste. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Toss rice with mushroom mixture.
2. Lay one sheet of nori out on a sushi mat or clean tea towel. Spoon rice mixture along the long side of the sheet and roll up. Moisten the long end to close the roll. Set aside and fill and roll the remaining nori sheet.
Makes 2 rolls, about 12 slices
Seeds
Flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds – sesame seeds enhance absorption of vitamin E and help lower cholesterol; pumpkin seeds contain beta-sitosterol that offers some benefit for prostate hyperplasia (BPH); sunflower seeds help lower cholesterol and may lower the risk of heart disease.
My Advice: eat 2 to 3 tablespoons of seeds (whole sesame seeds if you can find them; pumpkin if you are male) every day.
Power Oat Bars Recipe:
Ingredients:
11-by 7-inch (2L) baking pan
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- ½ cup sesame seeds
- 2 cups granola cereal
- 1 cup large flake rolled oats
- 1 cup dried cherries or cranberries
- ¼ cup whole flaxseeds
- 2 tablespoons whole chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground sea salt
- ½ cup brown rice syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Method:
1. In a large bowl, combine walnuts, sesame seeds, granola, oats, cherries, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and sea salt.
3. In a saucepan, heat brown rice syrup over medium-high heat until lightly simmering. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut oil and vanilla. Stir until the coconut oil is dissolved. Pour over grain mixture. Press into the prepared baking pan and set aside for 15 minutes. Cut the mixture into 2 x 2-inch squares. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Enjoy!
Have fun trying new recipes and incorporating more super foods into your every-day life!
Recipe photos provided by Pat Crocker
Header photo provided by Serena Mor
Friend, Foe, or Phlox
Three years ago, a common wildflower almost killed me. Three years ago, the same common wildflower saved my life.
Today on my run I felt the telltale signs: vertigo, nausea, hives creeping up my arms and legs, a burning sensation in my throat. I wasn’t surprised when I rounded a cliff and saw her sticking her straight stalk and vibrant blooms up through the sedge and clover. Wild phlox. P. paniculate, one of the 65 members of the Polemoniaceae family. If you gave a kid a box of paints and asked them to decorate the forest, what you would get is phlox: huge neon splashes of purple, pink, pearly white, and red stochastically sprawled across the landscape. They are bright as phosphines burned into your retina after staring at the sun. And their perfume is sweet, powdery, bordering on synthetic. It reminds me of the floral perfumes young girls would wear in high school, to mask the animal funk of their pheromones.
I’ve always been allergic to Phlox. It runs in the family. My dad’s eyes water and he starts to sneeze the day they bloom. And like clockwork, I’m usually right beside him, wheezing and steering clear of the beautiful wildflowers that others pick to accentuate their foraged bouquets. However, three years ago my allergic immune disorder had been especially inflamed. Courses in antihistamines, steroids, and experimental drugs treatments had all proved completely ineffective. And I’d recently moved into a two-hundred-year-old farm house deep in the mountains, unknowingly in the middle of a huge patch of phlox.
I was very busy so I didn’t pay attention to when it first began. I’d been ghost writing a young adult chapter book a month for the last seven months while researching and finishing my own novel. I’d been juggling cascading health issues, travel, and an unhealthy relationship. So, when I first sneezed, I didn’t think much of it. I walked past a magenta bundle of phlox on my walk home from my favorite coffee shop. “Hello, you beautiful little demons.” I thought almost affectionately. But the truth was, even though I’d always been deeply tied to plants and local ecology, the fast-paced emotionally draining nature of my life had given me vegetal myopia. I was always having animal encounters, but my plant encounters had blurred and begun to fade into the background.
Two days into phlox season something was different. This was not my typical reaction. I was wheezing, but the reaction was deeper than normal asthma. I felt like I was at altitude, a serious runner who suddenly could hardly scale a flight of stairs. I turned beet red from head to foot and started to pee blood. I couldn’t swallow and my kidneys ached. People with long-term health issues will understand the term treatment fatigue. I’d been in the hospital so many times, and been subjected to so many failed treatments, that a stubborn part of me kicked in hard. I would not go to the hospital unless I absolutely had to. Phlox season would pass. I would get through it. Drink tons of water. Shut the open windows. Focus on work. Hide the seriousness of this episode from friends and family. But three days in I entered another realm entirely. I couldn’t move or breathe. I developed a fever, something that can happen when your immune system is thoroughly freaked out. My eyes swelled shut. I started to hammer Benadryl, hoping it would at least blunt the worst of the symptoms.
I started to live in my huge living room, once an old bar in the carriage inn turned house, crawling around my stacks of books blindly, unable to write or read or even sit still. I’m not sure how it happened, but I found myself listening to hundreds of hours of herbal podcasts, lore about local plants and cures, and interviews with ethnobotanists. Unable to sustain reading, I blinked blearily through my collection of wildflower and local plant identification books, tracing the illustrations of phlox with a hive-covered finger. “What am I supposed to be doing?” The Phlox had forced me to sit still enough to realize that I had to change my life. Strangely, I’d strayed off the “path”, by staying too firmly on the path. As a child I ate dirt, kept notebooks full of drawings of my favorite plants and mushrooms, and bushwacked through the forest. But driven by financial need and a narrative I didn’t own, I’d been moving at a pace not suited to the plants and not suited to my own body.
In other cultures, still more attuned to the wisdom of plants, it is common to do plant meditations or work by ingesting a small amount and asking questions. Vegetelistas in South America will ask for plant dreams. But in our fast-paced culture, we don’t often go to plants and ask for medicine. Sometimes the message has to get loud. Phlox realized I was never going to show up on my own. So, she decided to come to meet me. And dream through me. Finally, on day six, ready to admit myself to the hospital, I dragged myself outside, wearing a kerchief around my face and drapes of clothing to protect my skin from the wafting pollen. I hobbled down the road to where she was blooming in a technicolor patch. “What do I need to do? What do I need to do next?”
The answer came immediately. And it came in a tumble of technicolored voices. It’s time to move at the speed of plants. It’s time to study us. To devote yourself to us. I dragged myself back inside and signed up for every local class on herbalism and plant identification walk. I gathered all my books on ecology, plants, herbalism, and trees, and ordered more. Much to my partner at the time’s consternation, I turned my living room into a compost heap of books and pressed flowers and notebooks spread across the floor like fallen leaves. Within a month I was doing an apprenticeship with a famous herbalist (an experience that was controversial and wild and perhaps someday deserves its own essay). And within a month I was healing my own health issues with tinctures and teas I had made myself. Deathly allergic to most antibiotics, I suddenly had another method of treating small infections. A year later, diagnosed with acute kidney failure, I tapped into the plants before beginning a medical intervention. What do I need to do next? I asked, this time more confidently. And they helped me, showing me what to eat and brew and do. When I managed to correct my kidney numbers in the course of the week my doctors were stunned.
When I look back on my life, I can finally see that the phlox saved me. They brought me back into an intimate collaborative relationship with plants. They reintroduced me to a speed of life, rooted and seasonal, that was much better suited to my own tricky body. They were bright and showy and insistent enough that they caught my attention. My deep, undivided somatic attention. And eventually they guided me to the tools to deal with their own wily medicine: strong nettle infusions during allergy season. They were an initiation, squeezing me until I burst open, flower-like, into an expanded vegetal awareness. I’ll never forget day seven of phlox season when I found that I could breathe again. I walked out my front door to see that my new peony bush had recently produced a salmon-pink bloom. And below her crown-vetch was creating little purple fairy crowns. Cleavers bordered the walkway down to the road. Poison ivy embraced the old oak. Mushrooms bubbled up from below the porch. All that year I’d felt alone, trapped inside a draining relationship, living far away from towns and friends, working so hard I didn’t have much time to relax. But suddenly the plants arrived en masse.
“We’ve always been here. And we always want to help.” The phlox twinkled across the road, her color already fading, making way for the orange of day lily season. “Remember to remember us. To greet us. That is the medicine”, she said. “You must know that you are never alone.”
Note: The photos featured in this blog are of plants from the family “Brassicaceae” and not “Polemoniaceae” which is true Phlox. While both are very similar, true Phlox has five petals and five stamens and plants from the Brassicaceae family (Dame’s Rocket) have four petals, and 6 stamens.
First Photo provided by Sophie Strand
Final Photo provided by Serena mor
Learning Herbal Medicine: Wild Bergamot
Already longing for some summer-time herbs? Please enjoy this guest blog by Taylor Eveson discussing some of the medicinal uses and properties of Wild Bergamot!
Wild Bergamot
Scent: Aromatic and Pungent
Botanical name: Monarda fistulosa
Common names: Wild Bergamot, Sweet Leaf, Indian Perfume, Horsemint.
Identification
Wild bergamot is a perennial herb from the mint family. Like many other mints it has a square stem and opposite leaves. The leaves (5-8cm) are lanceolate with toothed margins and the bracts (the leaves just underneath the flowers) can be coloured with red or purple. Many stalks can sprout from the same root (known as a rhizome), so it is common to find several plants clustered together. It can grow to a height of almost a meter. From June to September it sprouts 20-50 flowers from the receptacle at the terminal end of the stalk. The tubular, irregular flowers can be varying shades of purple, lilac, pink or rarely white. The fruit is a nutlet, tightly clustered with many other nutlets. When the fruits ripen, they change colour from green to brown or black.
Habitat
It grows in rich, limey soils in dry fields, thickets and clearings. It prefers open fields and meadows that have not been cultivated for some time. It is distributed from Quebec to the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, and as far South as Georgia, Texas, Idaho and Northeast Washington. Some varieties are geographically widespread, but others are quite restricted to their range. Personally, I have been able to grow more than one variety of wild bergamot in a garden bed on a roof in Toronto; it did quite well as long as I watered it regularly.
Traditional Uses
Wild bergamot has many uses in traditional Native American culture. Due to its widespread distribution, many tribes utilized this plant including the Blackfoot, Cherokee, Chippewa, Cree, Iroquois, Ojibwa and Sioux nations. A Cherokee native, Tis Mal Crow, describes it as the medicine that draws out the fire, being particularly suited for burns and heat from fevers or infection. The Blackfoot applied a poultice of the flowers to burns or a burst boil, and after the wound was healed. Chippewa natives applied a poultice of crushed leaves to the head for headaches, and other tribes stuffed crushed leaves into the nostrils for the same purpose. Cherokee natives inhaled the steam from a hot infusion and also drank the tea for ‘sweating off’ flus and fevers.
In native American culture the concept of animal medicine archetypes is an interesting area of study. The indigenous people studied animals to learn about themselves and the medicines in their area. There were qualities about certain plants that merited an association to a particular animal; whether it was a favourite food of a particular animal, or some part of the plant bore physical resemblance to that animal, they recognized that the way animals related to plants contributed to why the animal was the way it was. So if they desired to attain to the nature of the bear or the deer, they would use the foods or medicines associated with that animal to achieve this end.
Wild bergamot is described as having a deer medicine animal signature. American herbalist Matthew Wood describes the plant as having long, slender stalks like a deer’s legs, supporting flowering heads that resemble a head with horns, or a rack of antlers. You can find the plant growing where deer like to graze near the edge of a forest, where they can quickly find cover if they sense danger. Male elks will roll in a patch of bergamot to attract a mate. The name “Indian Perfume” comes from its pleasant fragrance and its use as an aphrodisiac or in love potions. The deer archetype is associated with virility, love, passion and ‘the hunt’. The indigenous peoples believe the same vital energy is involved in hunting for a mate, or for prey; deer medicines fortify the body’s ability to perform in this regard. These medicines have a particular affinity for supporting the kidneys and the nervous system, both of which are intimately connected to the acuity of the sensory perceptions and are involved in the ‘fight or flight’ adrenal response to external stress.
Uses and Application
During a viral infection, the body initiates a variety of immune responses. Most notably, the core temperature is increased to a point that is uninhabitable for the virus. An individual will have the urge to curl up in bed to build their temperature. This internal increase in temperature is followed by a release of the heat through the exterior of the body by conductive heat transfer and sweating. The process of relaxation of the periphery of the body and attendant sweating is called diaphoresis. Warming, aromatic medicinal herbs like wild bergamot are known as diaphoretics. They stimulate the increase of the core temperature and allow blood vessels and surrounding tissues to relax so that the heat and the byproducts of cellular breakdown produced in the fight against the infection can be eliminated more easily through the skin and the digestive and urinary tracts.
The oil produced by wild bergamot is high in a volatile oil called thymol. Thymol is a powerful antiseptic for both internal and external use. It is also employed as a deodorant and local anesthetic. It is extensively used to medicate gauze and wool for surgical dressings. It is also utilized for commercial mouthwash production. Many different activities of thymol such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and especially antibacterial and anti-fungal properties have been shown.
Indications: Fevers, headaches, lack of perspiration, respiratory infections, coughs, sore throat, colds and flus, cool and damp skin with internal heat, skin rashes, dermatitis, bug bites and stings, burns, depression, anxiety, insomnia, nervous hyperactivity, colic, flatulence, indigestion, poor appetite, diarrhea, constipation, menstrual cramps, candidiasis, urinary tract infections.
Herbal Actions: aromatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, antibacterial, anti-fungal, expectorant, carminative, nervous system restorative.
Energetics: Pungent, warming, aromatic, salty, savoury, draws out heat.
Dosage Examples
Infusion: 1 gram of dried herb per 5mL of water; 3-4 cups of tea a day or as a gargle, wash or steam inhalation.
Tincture: Fresh 1:2, dried 1:5; 5 mL or one teaspoon, 3-5 times daily.
Topical: Chewed or crushed leaves (from flowering plant) should not be left on the affected area for more than 5 minutes; its effect can become too hot and irritating. Steep a large handful into boiling water for 30-35 minutes and add infusion to bath water for sore muscles and nervous system conditions.
Photo provided by Serena Mor
A Herbal Apprentice's Journey: Season's Turn
December, 2021.
“Look at this one.” My mother says to me, extending her arms toward me to display her treasure. A bouquet of gemstones, iridescent and gleaming even in the scant light of the overcast day.
“Look at THIS one!” I respond, placing another treasure into her bouquet.
“Wow.”
We stood under the layers of clouds, rotating fresh corn in our hands and marveled at each new pattern and colour. One by one, revealing a story beneath the husks. I wasn’t certain of the kind of corn we had planted. It was an unmarked seed package that bestowed upon us what seemed like a million colours. A million gemstones. Rich in the palette of autumn.
We sunk digging forks into the soil in search of our next treasure; potatoes. This summer was my first time growing them. The relationship I gained while doing so was surprising. Witnessing their blooming was utterly charming. Witnessing their decay was similar. Trusting that they would continue to grow under their little mounds, out of sight.
We ate lots of early potatoes as the summer waned. I watched my partner one morning from the window as he stepped out to the garden in the fragile light. Barefoot and squatting in the greenery, choosing one plant that may be willing to offer our breakfast. Clearing away a little mulch and soil to retrieve just enough for our meal. Stopping for a moment of thanks before bringing them in to clean in the sink.
Now I stood in an empty garden bed, a bucket of potatoes unearthed. Autumn feels like that to me; an abundance and an emptiness. A direct example of reciprocity. An opportunity to recognize how we collaborate with the earth in such a clear and tangible way. Where once there was soil, now has returned to soil, and, miraculously, I carry this bucket of potatoes.
It was spring when I began my apprenticeship work with Penelope. While we spent time in the sanctuary, our conversations would whirl with personal anecdotes and philosophy. For some time, death was our muse. For days, nearly everything we did seemed to shine with the beauty of death and, in effect, start a passionate conversation. How death is a portal, a ceremony, an honour. If we can imagine that Winter may represent death, Autumn would be our chariot to take us there. There’s something mournful about the slowness of the Autumn months.
Come Winter, a season of inward incubation. Maybe a return to the womb, to emerge in spring reincarnated. That’s how I like to see winter, though it may be daunting. I always know that after months of a dark, deep freeze, I begin to daydream longingly of touching plants, swimming in water, feeling the sun. And yet I trust, as I trusted the potatoes to grow out of sight, that come spring the world would transform into lushness again. Truly a miracle, for the earth itself to be resurrected.
Socrates said “death itself may be the greatest of all human blessings”. While his friends wept for him in his dying he asked them to not cry, for he was at last meeting the greatest mystery of all.
What mystery are you meeting this winter?
I read a wonderful passage written by Italo Calvino in his book The Complete Cosmicomics. I’d like to leave you with it and hope that you may savour it. I do think that winter is our time of implosion.
“To explode or to implode -- said Qfwfq -- that is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to expand one's energies in space without restraint, or to crush them into a dense inner concentration and, by ingesting, cherish them. To steal away, to vanish; no more; to hold within oneself every gleam, every ray, deny oneself every vent, suffocating in the depths of the soul the conflicts that so idly trouble it, give them their quietus; to hide oneself, to obliterate oneself: perchance to reawaken elsewhere, changed.
Changed... In what way changed? And the question, to explode or to implode: would one have to face it again? Absorbed by the vortex of this galaxy, does one pop up again in other times and other firmaments? Here sink away in cold silence, there express oneself in fiery shrieks of another tongue? Here soak up good and evil like a sponge in the shadow, there gush forth like a dazzling jet, to spray and spend and lose oneself. To what end then would the cycle repeat itself? I really don't know, I don't want to know, I don't want to think about it: here, now, my choice is made: I shall implode, as if this centripetal plunge might forever save me from doubt and error, from the time of ephemeral change, from the slippery descent of before and after, bring me to a time of stability, still and smooth, enable me to achieve the one condition that is homogeneous and compact and definitive. You explode, if that's more to your taste, shoot yourselves all around in endless darts, be prodigal, spendthrift, reckless: I shall implode, collapse inside the abyss of myself, towards my buried centre, infinitely. “
Photos provided by Serena Mor
Hot Chiles Bite Winter Back
Chile Pepper Medicine Turns Up the Heat
While on the quest for the shortest route to the East, Spanish navigators discovered the hot and fiery chile pepper. Abundant and adored by Caribbean natives, the conquistadors called it pimiento, the Spanish word for pepper.
Capsaicinoids are the naturally occurring compounds that give chile peppers pungency and heat. Every type of pepper has a unique taste – from slightly floral, fruity, sweet, and spicy to pungent – and each type has a heat rating that is based on the kind and intensity of the capsaicin it contains. For example, peppers that contain only nordihydrocapsaicin (NDHC) will present a mellow, warming effect that recedes quickly and lingers briefly at the front of the mouth. In contrast, the explosive heat and pungency of pomodihydrocapsaicin (HDHC) produces a strong numbing, burning sensation in the throat and back of the tongue that is more intense and lasts longer.
Chile heads (lovers of hot peppers) have long known that the hotter the chile pepper (and the more capsaicin it contains), the greater will be the endorphin rush they experience. Endorphins are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus – when released they cause a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. By triggering endorphins, capsaicins work as natural painkillers along with boosting memory function.
How to Gauge the Heat
Want to eat more chiles but are afraid of their blazing bite? I have two tips for helping you enjoy the incredible benefits of chiles.
First, get familiar with the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) system of measuring the heat in chile peppers. The Scoville Scale is a standard measurement of the concentration of capsaicin (the constituent that causes the skin and mouth to tingle or burn) in every type of pepper and assigns it a number from 0 to 5 million.
Secondly, start cooking with peppers that are low on the Scoville scale and begin to work your way towards a higher rated pepper. Sweet bell pepper types rate 0 to 1000 Scoville Units, which means that they are delicious (red bell peppers are sweeter than green), with no discernable burning, but are not high in capsaicin. Hungarian paprika is only slightly hotter, with 1,500 units, but it imparts an apple note that is perfect for stew and goulash dishes, or in vegetable stir-fries. Poblano chiles and New Mexican types move up the scale to 7,000 SHU and are roasted or stuffed and baked for a mildly hot experience that dissipates quickly.
My goal, when I began to grow, buy, and cook with chile peppers was to become comfortable eating cayenne peppers, which flare from 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. This is a reasonable goal because we enjoy significant health benefits from adding one fresh (or dried) cayenne pepper to smoothies, soups, stews, stir-fries, or other dishes at least three times per week.
I’m happy to say that it didn’t take long before I was sizzling my way up to Habanero type peppers, which register between 80,000 and 150,000 SHU. Then my friends at Shady Acres Herb farm in Minnesota sent me some Bhut Joloka (aka Ghost) chiles that they had grown. Although Carolina Reaper chiles register higher in SHU (1,600,000 to 2,200,000 SHU), Ghost chiles are still considered to be incendiary, combusting at 855,000 to 2,199,999 SHU. I dried my cache of Ghost red hots and sometimes, when I am feeling adventurous, I slip on a pair of disposable gloves, snip off a quarter-inch piece of that phantom pepper and dice it into teeny granules which then get added to a chowder or curry dish. It never fails to deliver the famous chile-rush.
Health Benefits of Cayenne
Being exceptionally high in vitamin A, which acts as an antioxidant to help fight aging and cell damage, cayenne peppers, and all others above or below them on the Scoville Heat scale, deliver an incredible array of healing gifts. Buy or grow them and use fresh, or dry and crumble them into all kinds of dishes.
Here is what you can ignite once you begin to enjoy the cayenne conflagration:
- Anti-inflammatory action – reduces the pain and swelling of arthritis. Cayenne cream or salve is applied topically to treat arthritis and muscle pain
- Lowers cholesterol – and triglyceride levels for heart health
- Fights bacteria and viruses – with its high vitamin C content
- Increases circulation – by improving blood flow and stimulating sweating (an important process of detoxification). A tea made of warm water, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper is an excellent morning beverage for total body health
- Anti-fungal properties – soak feet in warm water with one tablespoon powdered cayenne pepper to help alleviate athlete’s foot
- Aids digestion – capsaicin stimulates the digestive tract and may give relief to people suffering from peptic ulcers by stimulating blood flow that nourishes the gastric mucosal membrane
- Helps relieve allergies – and acts as a decongestant by stimulating the release of mucus from respiratory passages
- Reduces blood clots – and can be used as a first response for wounds to stop bleeding
How about you? What varieties are you eating or using to make medicine?
Watch for my next post, Cooking with Cayenne. Meantime, here are some recipes that will warm and soothe:
Harissa
A key flavouring and condiment in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine, Harissa is never far from a Moroccan, Libyan, Algerian, Turkish, or Tunisian table. In fact, it is the go-to seasoning for many cooks in the region. Often it is added to soup, stew and curry dishes or tagines, used with meatballs, or rubbed into kebabs and other meats before grilling. The main ingredient is cayenne (or other hot chile peppers) and while it is easy to make from fresh or dried hot chiles, it is also widely available in cans or tubes, or freshly prepared in tubs in Middle Eastern or North African markets.
Dairy products (in particular yogurt), and the starch in pastas and couscous, help to dial the heat down and so they are often paired with harissa and other hot chile dishes.
(Makes 1/2 cup)
Ingredients:
- 12 cayenne, serano, or jalapeno chile peppers, fresh or dried
- 3/4 cup boiled water
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 piece (2-inch) cinnamon, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, optional
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
Discard stems and seeds from the chiles. Using kitchen scissors, cut chiles crosswise into thin strips, letting them fall into a bowl. Pour water over top and soak for 30 minutes or until softened.
Meanwhile, in a small, heavy pan or spice wok, over medium heat, dry-fry cumin, coriander, fennel, cinnamon, and fenugreek seeds (optional) for three minutes, or until fragrant and light brown. Set aside to cool.
Using a small food processor or blender, chop the garlic with the salt. Drain chiles, discarding the soaking water (or reserving it for another use later). Add chiles to garlic and process until smooth. Add toasted spices and process to incorporate them into the mixture.
With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the oil through the opening in the lid, processing the mixture until the sauce is well blended to a consistency of mayonnaise.
Pat’s Cayenne Fire Cider
The name sounds daring, and the brew is ablaze with the energy of healing ingredients. This natural sinus, cold and ‘flu folk remedy has been home-brewed for eons by herbalists, naturalists, and anyone who has learned of its efficacy. Grated horseradish root, garlic, onion, ginger, and hot peppers are the main ingredients that are steeped in organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, but you can develop your own amounts and combinations. Before my horseradish plant grew large enough for me to actually dig the roots, I developed the following simple and very potent blend. Now I add the horseradish, but you can omit it if you can’t find fresh root.
See the Resources section for a link to herbalist Rosemary Gladstar’s Fire Cider method [2] and visit the Mountain Rose Blog [3] to read about this well-known herb supplier’s Fire Cider.
(Makes about 4 cups)
Ingredients:
- 25 whole fresh cayenne peppers
- 1 head garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup fresh ginger, grated
- 3 – 4 cups raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- Optional Ingredients
- 2 cups grated fresh horseradish
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, horehound, thyme, sage, parsley
- 2 onions, chopped
Method:
Clean and slit or halve the peppers. Loosely pack them into a one quart mason-style jar. Add garlic slices and ginger. Add horseradish and other optional ingredients, if using.
Fill the jar, covering the ingredients with vinegar, leaving a half-inch space.
Make sure the peppers are below the vinegar, and cap the jar with the 2-piece lid. Set aside in a cool, dark cupboard for a month or longer.
After steeping the ingredients, you can refrigerate the jar (although it isn’t required). If you don’t strain the vinegar, you can fish out, drain and use the chiles, garlic slices, and ginger in recipes until they are finished. Alternately, you can strain the vinegar and make syrup as follows.
To make a cough syrup: Strain the steeped vinegar into a 6-cup measuring cup, pressing on the solids to extract as much vinegar as possible. Discard the solids.
For every cup of strained vinegar, add 1/4 – 1/2 cup (to taste) liquid honey. Stir well or heat over low setting in a saucepan to melt and combine the honey. Pour into 1-cup jars, cap, label, and store in a cool, dark cupboard.
Serving suggestions for unsweetened steeped vinegar:
- Take one tablespoon of vinegar in a glass of warm water with one to two teaspoons of honey every morning for its tonic benefits.
- Substituting steeped vinegar in recipes that call for regular vinegar (salad dressing, dips, spreads, sauces, and other condiments) will infuse them with the healing benefits of Fire Cider.
- Cough Syrup: Take one tablespoon at the first sign of a cold and repeat every two to three hours until symptoms subside.
Resources
[1] Tucker, Art and Thomas De Baggio, The Encyclopedia of Herbs. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2009
[2] Rosemary Gladstar, video of her Fire Cider method
Pat Crocker cultivates cayenne and turns up the heat in recipes. Her newest book, The Herbalist’s Kitchen is available on her website and at all major bookstores. Photographer, lecturer, and author of several award-winning books, including Coconut 24/7, Preserving, The Vegan Cook’s Bible, The Vegetarian Cook’s Bible, The Healing Herbs Cookbook, The Juicing Bible, and The Smoothies Bible, Pat would love to hear from you about your personal adventures with herbs. www.patcrocker.com
Blog photos provided by Pat Crocker
Header photo provided by Serena Mor