Plant Based Hair Color

I have been getting my hair colored for a few years now but decided to quit about 6 months ago because I just couldn't stand the pain that went along with getting it done anymore.  I have horrible psoriasis on my scalp that caused my scalp to burn when I would get my hair colored. 

When telling a friend about what I go through when getting this done she said I just had to try the place that uses plant based products to color your hair.  The company is called Aveda.  She went on to tell me that they have a school close to my home where you can get your hair colored for $37! 

I tried it out a week ago and it was one of the best experiences ever.  Not only do they treat you like a queen!  They have wonderful products, although they are expensive.  When you go there the first time and buy product they give you 100% of that back for future services. 

While my hair was processing, the girl gave me a hand and arm massage.  They brought me coffee, tea, water, magazines.....anything I wanted they were there to make me happy.....and this was just their school!  Imagine what their salons are like.  If you want the great price of $37 you have to go to the school.

If you are interested in looking into this visit www.aveda.com.

I do know of an even cheaper plant based hair treatment for you do-it-yourselfers out there.  To find that go to the Bulk Herb Store and search for hair treatment.  You will then pick from a list for your color.  This is sold for a very reasonable price.  I have not tried this yet but will be trying it when summer rolls around and the sun starts fading my hair.  (If anyone here decides to give it a try, please email me and let me know how it works for you and I will do a post about it.)

Essential Oils....that won't break the bank!

Last weekend I visited the Whole Foods Market for the first time!  I loved the store....there was so many natural and organic products.  If you have one near you it is worth checking out.  

While there I discovered that they sell Essential Oils for a very reasonable price.  I was so shocked by great deal that I couldn't believe that they were 100% pure and of good quality.  I purchased two of the oils, Peppermint and Lavender, those are the two that I use most often.  When I got home and tried the lavender I found it to be of great quality!  The bottles are 2 oz. so they last a lot longer than the 0.5 oz bottles I usually purchase.....and for half the price.

To see if there is a Whole Foods close to you go to www.wholefoodsmarket.com and enter your zip code.  The store I visited was 1 and 1/2 hours from my home but well worth the drive!  I also discovered two other places while there that I will update on later.

Herbs for the Kidneys

I received this information in an email from someone who keeps up with this blog.  In the information that they had found online was a list of herbs that will help to cleanse the kidneys.  I, having kidney stones, will be trying some of these but thought I would pass it along to anyone else who might be interested.

Herbs for Kidney Cleansing

Uva Ursi (Bearberry)

When taken orally, Uva Ursi transforms in the stomach into a compound with antimicrobial and disinfectant properties. It then passes down through the urinary system and so can also aid with urinary infections.

Parsley

Parsley detoxifies the kidney by flushing toxins out, and is beneficial in the treatment and prevention of kidney stones. Parsley contains a compound named Apoil, which has now been isolated and used in medication to treat kidney ailments and kidney stones.

To make a Parsley tea, place 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley into a pot with the lid on. Heat the water to almost boiling, then turn off the heat. Let it sit for fifteen minutes, then strain the parsley out and enjoy the tea.

Nettles

Nettles are effective diuretics and anti-bacterials that can help to treat and prevent kidney stones. They are available as a tea or in capsules.

Disclaimer

I am not a licensed medical practitioner and cannot give out medical advice.  Just like you wouldn't take a medication your doctor gave you without reading up on it and it's side effects; I do not take or give my children an herb or essential oil without researching it first.  Not being a doctor I cannot diagnose or dispense advice; only my opinion.

If you know of an old wives tale or something that has worked for you in dealing with kidney stones please post below in the comments section.

Chamomile

I love Chamomile tea.  I like the taste and I love the smell.  I have read many things about Chamomile being a nervine herb for kids and that it can help to settle the stomach and relieve gas.  Last week my four month was fussy; it was obvious he had a stomach ache.  I couldn't tell if it was gas or if he was constipated.  So, I made a weak Chamomile tea infusion.  I put it in a baby bottle and let him drink a little.  He did not turn it away, so I let him drink as much as he wanted (it was less than an ounce.)  An hour later he had a bowel movement.  After that he was back to his happy self!  Because I breastfeed, I could have drank it and then when he nursed he would have gotten some but I wanted it to start working a little quicker and that is why I gave it to him straight. 

Chamomile can calm the nerves of children and adults.  If you feel restless when it is time for bed, drink a cup of Chamomile tea to help settle you down.  After making the weak infusion for my baby, I had some leftover so I poured it into a glass and told my other little ones they could drink it if the wanted. 

As with anything else, I would never give herbs to anyone without first doing my research.  If you have any questions or comments please place them below and I will answer them as soon as I get a chance.

Cleansing

In my research lately I have been hearing a lot about cleansing.  I was very interested in hearing more about this and how it works.  I know it helps to rid your body of toxins and I know that you lose weight in the process.  But I wanted to know more.  Is it safe?  What are the side effects?  So I spoke with someone who has been doing an annual cleanse for years, Christy Ingram.  She has tried a lot of different kinds of cleanses and she has found one that works great.  So all of the following information is credited to her or the papers she gave me, I am just getting the information to you. 

Cleansing can eliminate waste and impurities, nourish your body, help you lose weight and inches and feed your body nutrients.  It is important to choose the right product because certain ingredients can work together to detoxify your body and to improve your health.  Cleansing can support the body's natural systems to help improve metabolism.  Theses systems include the liver, colon, kidney, lymphatic and adrenal systems.  It also burns fat efficiently and help you lose unwanted fat in a safe and natural way.

The following is what she said on her blog about the cleanse she and her husband due annually:

"Billy and I try to stay healthy (even though we love to eat).  So, yearly we do a 9 day cleanse (Health and Wellness System).  It cleanses everything…blood, lymph, colon, liver, etc.  But mostly it makes us feel so much better.  We’ve tried other ‘cleanses’ before but nothing does the job like this.  More importantly, we’ve kept off the weight we’ve lost on this because it cleans at a deeper cellular level."

Her final results were 7 lbs and 12 inches lost!  She says that she feels so much better after cleansing; that she can think more clearly. 

If you are interested in finding out more information about cleansing or the particular product they use you can email Christy Ingram directly at cleansechristy@yahoo.com

Resources: Health Journal Volume 9/Number 1 and of course Christy Ingram

A Friends Questions Answered

I had a friend email me other day asking me some questions about herbs and essential oils.  I asked her if I could share her questions and my answers here so that we can all learn something from them. 

Her first questions was, "Are there any herbs or essential oils that I can use to help my baby that is constipated?"  She went on to say that her baby only poops every two weeks and she is breastfed.  My Answer: As for using oils...with her age I would only use them externally.  Rosemary is a good one but it is an emmenagogue which means it can bring on the menstrual flow so it should never be used if you are pregnant.  Since it makes me nervous I just steer clear of it.  I would try (if you like it) drinking a few cups of Chamomile Tea everyday since you are nursing she will get the effects of that too and it is supposed to be good for overall digestion.  It is perfectly safe for babies and mama's.  In fact it is so safe that you could make it and give her a few drops of it with a dropper if you wanted.  Remember Peter Rabbit's mama?  She gave him Chamomile tea.

Her second question was, "Have you heard of any herbal remedies that help with the pain & swelling of teething?"  My Answer:

Gum-Omile oil is helpful for teething.  One word of caution: just because this 'blend' had certain essential oils in them does not mean they are safe to give a baby alone.  When blended they are done so in a laboratory where they make sure that the formula is safe.  You can find the oil at http://www.herbsforkids.com/product.asp?productid=363  Here you are buying directly from the company. 

You drinking the Chamomile Tea can help with the teething too! :)  The Omile in Gum-Omile comes from the fact that it has Chamomile in it.

Disclaimer

I am not a licensed medical practitioner and cannot give out medical advice.  Just like you wouldn't take a medication your doctor gave you without reading up on it and it's side effects; I do not take or give my children an herb or essential oil without researching it first.  Not being a doctor I cannot diagnose or dispense advice; only my opinion.

Please continue to send you questions or comments.  I might add your question to a future post but don't worry....you will remain anonymous.

Stay tuned....I have a very interesting topic I am researching and I think you will find it as interesting as I do.  Save my blog into your favorites and check it a few times a week to see if I have updated it.

A Bloody Mouth...No Problem At This House

You hear 'boys will be boys' but you don't know what that means until you have four of them.  The other day my next to youngest who is 3 years old was outside playing catch with his older brothers when the baseball bounced off the sidewalk and hit him in the mouth busting his mouth open.  He came toward the house crying with a pool of blood in his hand.  I put a wet paper towel on it but the bleeding wouldn't stop.  That's when I remembered that I had read that plantain herb can stop bleeding.  I ran to the deep freeze (that is where I keep my herbs to keep them fresher longer) and put some between two paper towels and ran hot water on them until the paper towel started to turn colors (then I knew the medicinal properties were being released)  I put it on his mouth and he immediately stopped crying and most importantly the bleeding stopped too.  He held it on there for about 5 minutes and when I tried to take it off he said it hurt when I removed it.  Not wanting him leaving the house with a paper towel stuffed with "green stuff" I had another thought.  My Green Salve has plantain and comfrey, both good for cuts, so I grabbed that and put some on his lip like I was putting on chap stick and he was fine.  He said it stopped hurting and he went back outside to play.  A friend arrived at our house 15 minutes later to go somewhere with us and when I said I was running late because my little on had busted his lip open she said she would have never known if I wouldn't have told her because the swelling and the cut had already started healing.  When my husband arrived home from work that afternoon the cut was all but healed you could not tell at all that just 3 hours earlier he had been bleeding from the mouth!  It just goes to show yet again, the power of herbs.