Super Body Care

What girl doesn't love to try new body care products?  Well this one does and I was delighted to try some great products from Super Body Care recently.  Much of my like or dislike of products happens in the first few minutes of initially seeing or smelling a product and the first smell of this product is heavenly.  Think Rosemary, Tea Tree Oil, Lavender and Peppermint - Yum!


Super Body Care's Founder, Cheri Huberling is very committed to making products that "help, and do not harm."  Her products therefore do not contain any petroleum products or mineral oils; they are anti-anti-bacterial; and they never contain sulfates or parabens. 


I had the pleasure of trying a few of their products:

• The Shower Gel is a wonderful cleanser with peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, and lavender oils.  It's ingredients are all bio-degradeable. 
• The Body Lotion is made with hydrating organic herb infusions of peppermint, rosemary, tea tree and lavendar.  It actually tingles when it hits your skin.  I loved it!
• The Soap Bar with Loofah Bits - what a great idea!  This bar of soap actually has bits of loofah added to really clean and exfoliate skin.  Plus it has peppermint which is so invigorating!
• The Walnut Scrub was wonderful.  Tiny particles of ground up walnut are mixed into the shower gel to help clean and exfoliate your skin.  It smells great with all of the essential oils mixed in.  I especially loved this product. 

Super Body Care also has other great products including lip balm, cleansing body wipes (safe for the face), body spray, and deoderizers.  You can purchase these products on their website http://www.superbodycare.com/ or search for a local retailer although it looks like they are mostly located in California. 


Karla


(If you would like to have your product reviewed here on Living A Whole Life please feel free to send us an email and detailed information about your product.)

Nourishing Herbal Infusions - Part Three of Three

Three Part Series on Nourishing Infusions

PART THREE - More Details on Nettles - Sources, the Variety of Actions of Nettles

Now we know how to make a Nourishing Herbal Infusion and we’ve learned how to expand it to customize it somewhat to our constitution (there are endless varieties in this... just the basic of basics so far).

To start out on a more doable level (if it is winter and you can’t harvest nettles in the wild or if you are sick, overdone and just need an easy start) - you can buy dried herbs and make your nourishing infusion from that and then build up to locally harvesting and drying your herbs by yourself (and some of the herbs you want in your infusion may not be local or in season).  You can buy dried herbs from your local food co-op or health food store.  You can also mail order herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs.  Supporting local whenever you can is awesome - try and find a local herbalist and buy from them and ask them to help you learn to make your own medicine - so much fun!!!

Notes: Stinging Nettles is a perennial that grows June - September in the Eastern/Central United States.  Nettles likes moist soils.

Just to give you a flavor of the power and versatility of Nettles --- here are the traditional uses of Nettles (from the Peterson’s Field Guide): “blood purifier, blood builder, diuretic, astringent; for anemia, gout, glandular diseases, rheumatism, poor circulation, enlarged spleen, mucous discharges of lungs, internal bleeding, diarrhea, dysentery” (p. 239).  Add I have to add: helpful for seasonal allergies!

From Matthew Wood’s “The Earthwise Herbal” about Nettles (p. 496-497): “Urtica is native to the Old World, but widely naturalized throughout the world.  It has native cousins in the woods of North America.  Nettle grows around septic systems, outhouses, and manure piles, demonstrating its utility in dealing with protein waste products.  It is one of the plants highest in protein and helps all protein pathways in the body -- digestion, immune response, liver metabolism, skin reactions, and kidney elimination.  It contains chlorophyll, indoles (including histamine and serotonin), acetylcholine, flavonoids, vitamins (including C), proteins, and dietary fiber.”

References & Resources: 

Beautiful Improvement with my allergies after taking nettles!!!

jim mcdonald - Herbal Intensive

Matthew Wood - “The Earthwise Herbal, A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants”

Isla Burgess - “Weeds Heal, A Working Herbal”

Kiva Rose - class correspondence

John Gallagher - herbmentor.com and learningherbs.com

Peterson Field Guide: Medicinal Plants & Herbs by Steven Foster & James A.  Duke

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart

Nourishing Herbal Infusions - Part Two of Three

Three Part Series on Nourishing Herbal Infusions

PART TWO - Other Herbs Useful to put in Nourishing Herbal Infusions

OK, now that we know how to make a simple Nourishing Herbal Infusion with one herb, let’s take it to the next step.  It is actually ideal to get to know one herb at a time and study the plant, harvest it, draw it, look at it, read about it, consume it over a period of time before you put it into blends.  Then you get to know its action in your body and then you are ready to add it to combination blends.  You can get to know its taste, smell, action in your body (read “Weeds Heal, A Working Herbal” by Isla Burgess for more).

Nourishing infusions can be tweaked for many different constitutions (hot/cold, dry/damp, tense/lax) - occasionally Nettles doesn’t suit someone so either for that reason or just for variety here are some other options great as the base of a nourishing herbal infusion blend:

Violet odorata

~ Violet Leaf (Viola odorata) - try this especially if you have a dry constitution - Violet is a more muscilagenous plant than nettles (also easy to wildcraft)

~ Oatstraw (Avena sativia) - wonderful addition to a blend - great for stress and nerves (which of us can’t use that!!!)

~ Raspberry Leaves (Rubus idaeus) - another excellent daily nourishing infusion (and not just for pregnant and nursing moms - good for men and women of all ages).                                                  

           These are also found easily and are very plentiful in my region.

Here’s my favorite blend at present (I tweak it regularly based on my needs/ailments - but Nettles and Oatstraw is often the foundation for me).  I have also sent this blend to friends and family going through an especially stressful time (a child with cancer, a traumatic move or heartache) --- this is a very nourishing blend that will help support your body during a crisis.  But feed your body this great nourishment in the calm times as well!

~ Nettles

~ Oatstraw

~ Rosehips (great vitamin C)

~ Hawthorne Berries (great for your heart - emotional and physical)

~ Rose Petals (great for your heart - emotional and physical)

~ Burdock Root (great for skin ailments like eczema and just overall really nourishing)

Also consider adding some mint, lemon balm, orange peel, honey, or hibiscus if you want to make it more tasty and palatable.

References & Resources: 

Beautiful Improvement with my allergies after taking nettles!!!

jim mcdonald - Herbal Intensive

Matthew Wood - “The Earthwise Herbal, A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants”

Isla Burgess - “Weeds Heal, A Working Herbal”

Kiva Rose - class correspondence

John Gallagher - herbmentor.com and learningherbs.com

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart

Rosellica: Natural Support for Hypertension

Janzee Incorporated contacted me recently to review a dietary supplement they have formulated called Rosellica.  This supplement contains Hibiscus sabdariffa an herb that has shown amazing blood pressure lowering properties for those suffering from mild to moderate hypertension.  A Tufts University study in 2008 showed that people who consume Hibiscus sabdariffa tea daily saw a blood pressure reduction of up to 13.2 percent.  Another study found that the effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa were statistically similar to a common anti-hypertensive medication only without other side effects.  Awesome!

Hypertension isn't something I personally struggle with, so I have not personally tried the product but I always like to pass on a natural alternative to try when dealing with various health issues.  I know that many who do struggle with hypertension lament the side effects of the blood pressure medication more than the high blood pressure.  This may be a wonderful alternative.  Obviously this should be done under the care of your physician. 

Hibiscus - so pretty!

Rosellica is in capsule form and also contains other active ingredients including cranberry powder, elderberry powder, orange juice, and olive leaf powder.  That sounds yummy!


Janzee is an interesting company born 10 years ago out of the founder Michael Ruehle's need to help a mother who had suffered a serious stroke.  It speaks volumes to me personally when the founder of a company is motivated by helping someone near and dear to their own heart and to the quality of their products. 


You can purchase a 30 day supply of Rosellica for $29.95 by going to http://www.rosellica.com/.  They also conveniently sell on Amazon!


Karla


(If you have a great natural product and would like to see it reviewed here on Living A Whole Life please feel free to email us at this link!)

Back to Living A Whole Life...

It's been way to long...I know.  I had my third child almost 2 years ago.  I always planned to someday get back to blogging when time freed up a bit, but wow 2 years have flown by (and for all you other moms...time has not freed up)!  :)  Somehow - without my help, this blog has continued to grow and double in size.   Add to that a lot of recent requests to review some fun, new products (it's like Christmas for me when they show up on my porch) and it looks like I'm back!  

Rosellica

I've kept busy on my own these last two years.  Of course 3 kids would be my biggest project,

but I've continued working part-time in a busy neo-natal intensive care.  I've continued my study of naturopathy with the focus in herbs, homeopathy, nutrition aromatherapy, and yoga.  

Moroccan Method

In the last few months, I've had the blessing of purchasing and Avatar EAV and training to do BioEnergetic Assessments or Electrodermal Screening.  I'm very excited about this as it combines so many aspects of naturopathy that I love!  (Here is a link for those not familiar with this technology...http://www.natural-cancer-cures.com/electro-acupuncture.html).  I can do this remotely too if anyone is interested...hint/wink!

Wayfare Foods

I've brought along another friend in Tina Stone. (You saw her first post here). Tina is a talented (can I say Very Talented) herbalist. She grows/wild-harvests many herbs; creates her own tinctures; and makes just about all of her own household products. I know her posts will have tons of useful information and please feel free to send her your questions!

Super Body Care

Anyway, thanks so much for continueing to read and support our blog...as a treat, stay tuned for some great product reviews and our favorite...GIVEAWAYS!!  I'm not going to tell you
what is coming up...(but check out the pictures on this post for hints!!)

Healing Essence

Nourishing Herbal Infusions - Three Part Series

Three Part Series on Nourishing Herbal Infusions

PART ONE of THREE - How to Make a Basic Nourishing Herbal Infusion

by Tina Stone, Aspiring Herbalist

Whitmore Lake, MI

Nourishing Herbal Infusions (ie a strong tea used as a “drinkable vitamin”)

                                   Stinging Nettles, Urtica dioica

Free, highest quality nourishment (vitamins, minerals, plant constituents) - readily available for you - maybe even in your backyard!

Here’s a wonderful, affordable way to get your daily vitamins - inexpensively and just by venturing out your back door or not too far away...

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) makes a lovely tea - and it’s vitamin and mineral composition is off the charts - it surpasses spinach and many other vegetables in its nutrient content.  This is the essence of local food - wildcraft it in your own backyard or nearby in a wild area that is not sprayed or polluted.

Some campers feel like Stinging Nettles is a nuisance because the minute hairs inject irritants when touched.  To deactivate the sting just dry the herb or cook it into a tea (you can actually make lasagna with it too and other such preparations - just like how you would use spinach).  Fold the nettle leaf into itself and crush it to deactivate the sting.  Harvest it with gloves on.  It is most tender to eat in early spring and then also easiest to harvest.

Nourishing Herbal Infusions are easy to make - that’s just a fancy name for a strong, long-steeped tea.  Here’s how to make your own nourishing infusion:

~ a quart mason jar & lid (or a teapot, or a saucepan with a lid)

~ one ounce of herb (dried or fresh) - [with dried usually this fills about 1/3 of the mason jar with nettles]

~ one quart of boiling water [adding a knife to the jar before you pour the boiling water in can help your jar to not break or crack]

~ steep your infusion (covered) for 20 minutes minimum on your kitchen counter - you may steep for 4-8 hours (overnight) to fully extract all the nutrients

~ This infusion will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. It will keep out on the counter for several hours... herbs are very amazing that way since so many of them have lots of natural anti-microbial and anti-bacterial actions built in.  Sip your strong tea throughout the day for nourishment. 

It is an excellent daily ritual to make your nourishing infusion each morning and then drink it later in the afternoon - or the night before and then drink it the following morning.

This is a strong tasting brew - mostly tasting pretty “green”.  You can add other herbs to tweak the flavor and medicinal action.

Supplements can be helpful - kind of like a natural temporary “prescription”, but for ongoing health what better way to nourish yourself than to connect with nature, harvest for yourself and your family, drink your vitamins from wild plants.  It is affordable, sustainable and no pill or supplement can compare with the freshness and bio-availability.

Midwives of old used to go to a home to care for a patient and bring almost nothing with them in their medicine bag.  They would assess their patient and gather what was needed in the yard of the person they were visiting!  If we can wake up to what is right around us... oh the riches!!!

Take a nature hike, explore and find a stand of stinging nettles (hint: it grows well near horse pastures/fencing), make your own “drinkable vitamins” and observe for yourself how your health is affected.  Know for sure what a plant is before you harvest it and consume it - bring a good field guide or a more experienced herbal enthusiast with you on your hike.  Stinging nettles is a perennial so once you find a stand of it you can go back and find it each year - just be sure to harvest ethically (just take what you will use and wisely pick leaves so it can grow back each year and the plants can stay healthy).  Finding the plant with the sting will be confirming that you have found what you were looking for!

For myself drinking a nourishing infusion with nettles in it has been a wonderful improvement on overall well-being and really lowered my seasonal allergy flare-ups.

References and Resources: 

Jim mcdonald - Herbal Intensive

Matthew Wood - “The Earthwise Herbal, A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal          Plants”

Isla Burgess - “Weeds Heal, A Working Herbal”

Kiva Rose - class correspondence

John Gallagher - herbmentor.com and learningherbs.com

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart

Secret to Silky Smooth Hair

I have been growing my hair out for the past year and thought I would pass along a quick tip for shiny, smooth hair.

It's simple...just fill a small spray bottle with olive oil from your kitchen, then before you plan on showering, lightly spray your hair, comb through, let it sit for about 5 minutes. I usually twist my hair up into a clip. Then wash/condition as you normally would. It only takes an extra 5 minutes and you will notice a difference right away!

I recommend this treatment once a week.