Homemade Apothecary: Black Walnut Hull

When building you homemade apothecary, you look for things that have a multitude of uses and can be gathered or sourced locally, if possible. Living in Missouri, we have access to a giant heap of natural, wild medicinals and one of my favorites is Black Walnuts.

Let's be honest, the best part of having a endless supply of black walnuts is the ability to eat until your heart is content. But, if you were to dig a little deeper, you'd find that they are an amazing medicinal as well.

When harvesting black walnuts you want to look for mature fruit that has fallen to the ground. While you can use the bark, leaves and the fruit (the hull and the seed/meet, for now I'm just going to focus on the use of the hull. (We'll leave the leaves and bark for another rainy day.)

While traditionally used to treat internal parasites, the benefits of the hull do not just stop there. High in Omega-3 fatty acids, tannins and iodine, this little (yet sometimes pesky) plant has natural antibacterial, astringent, laxative and emetic properties that make it wonderful for treating several ailments.

Black Walnut can help manage/treat:

• Eczema & Psoriasis
• Acne
• Canker Sores
• Poor Digestion and Diarrhea
• Worms, Parasites and Ring Worm
• Yeast and Fungal Infections
• Warts (it is said to be a traditional remedy- apply the hull directly 3x daily for as long as needed)
• Possibly reverse the effects of radiation (source)

There are several ways to take black walnut hull, but no matter the form, you shouldn't take it internally for longer than six weeks at a time. Black walnut hull is high in tannins, and if taken for too long can cause issues for your kidneys. It is not considered safe for use during pregnancy and should be heavily considered before use while breastfeeding. It has been shown to decrease milk supply.

Black walnut hull can be dried into a powder, put into pill form, made into a tincture or for skin ailments, used in a compress or directly on the skin from the hull. Pick up some black walnuts and whip up a batch of all forms or purchase from your favorite source.

And for further reading, stop by and check out these pages:
(The links might be hard to see, I'm working to fix this problem.)
The Herbal Resource
Global Healing Center 
Vitamin E-Store 
Livestrong 


**These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or disease. What I share is what I use personally for my own family, and I greatly encourage you to research and talk over these items with your preferred choice of a health care provider (I recommend Naturopaths and Chiropractors.)**

Grandmother Moon and You

)O(

Have you heard the story of Grandmother Moon? How her sister, Grandmother Ocean, offered to cleanse the excessive energy we take in through out the month and in doing so, Grandmother Moon brings her sister's waters to use once a month. (If not, you can read the story here.)

The moon controls the flow of the tides and electromagnetic fields. We hold inside our wombs, in our souls a small replica of her power. From our journey through the maiden to the mother to the wise old crone, or the process of releasing an egg to provide a fertile place where the seed of life can continue to grow, the power of the moon is inside of us. A woman on her menses used to be referred to being "on her moon" and was revered as sacred and honored by everyone in her tribe or community. 

We need to remember the times when being on "on the moon" meant we were more like the moon. She is our life cycle and our life source. She is like a young fair maiden at the beginning of her cycle. Growing with experience and gaining confidence until she shines at her fullest. Full like a mother pregnant with her own maiden, an embodiment of the fullest part of our cycles, when we can carry the life force in us at the highest. She shimmers like the old crone with her sage wisdom at the end of her cycle, preparing to pass her secret on to the next maiden before her light releases into the next plane. 

We have long forgotten the power that the moon lends us. Instead we rush her, push her and ignore her natural call. Like a great mother keeping watch over us as we sleep, we've given our trust to her, but no longer in return to we acknowledge her strength and wisdom in our hearts, souls and wombs. She is not only a reminder of being watched, she is a reminder of how our cycle should be. Empty, yearning for fulfillment, plump with expectancy and then passing every so beautiful with a rush of glory.  

This forgetfulness has come at a risk. We no longer know how to handle the energy lent to use during our moon period. The consequences of this are great. We suffer from mood disorders, PMS, PMDD, lack of energy extreme bleeding and cramps. We do not use her light and a beacon to remember our cycles. We are not in sync as women anymore. (And I'd wager this has A LOT to do with the "mommy wars".) We have been deprogrammed to know the strength in our menses and programmed to think of them as an inconvenience.

But the beauty is we can regain this. We can tune back into Grandmother Moon. We can meditate, sit in the moonlight and removed stress and toxins from our diet to get us back to Mother Earth and Grandmother Moon. The most beneficial and productive way to get our cycles back on, well, cycle is to enjoy our menses. Rest, meditate, avoid things that pull your energy, feed yourself quality food during your menses and honor the inner goddess in you. Yoga is great during your menses because it forces you to focus and breathe while allowing tension to be released.

So the next time you're tempted to moan about your menses to your fellow sage sister, take a moment, breathe and enjoy a cup of tea (I recommend some Red Raspberry Leaf Tea for it's amazing properties.) and share with you sage sister the beauty of the power you hold inside your womb. 

Namaste

(To join a group of women who are dedicated to tracking their cycles and taking charge of their fertility and harnessing the moon, please look up "Moon Daughters" on Facebook.)

Is Master Tonic For You!?!

This past week I have been doing a lot of late fall/winter preparations. Putting up some of the last ends of the harvest, making laundry soap to last until spring and even delving into making kombucha at home. (Have you ever priced that stuff?!? It's outrageous.) 

Here in the upper Ozarka winters can be harsh. They can literally throw you into the 1900s with no electricity, water or internet. So the preparations have to start early, because without running water or heat, there can be many opportunities for  catching some nasty bug. 

Perhaps the biggest preparation I have started was my Master Tonic. While this is mainly for myself to use as a preventative to not catch anything (never know when a mama is going to go into labor) that might come floating around. 

So what is Master Tonic?

Master Tonic is a potent blend of food ingredients that are known to hold anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties. Very similar to the concoction of herbs used by thieves during the Black Plague to prevent people who came in contact from catching it. 

What is in Master Tonic?

The blend can vary a lot depending in the region and the creator of your blend. Personally, I like to use all fresh ingredients either grown in my garden or wild crafted to get the most benefits out if them. Dry herbs can be used for just the plain herb version, but you will sacrifice some of the potency of your tonic. 

The list of herbs used in Master Tonic is considerably shorter and uses more common kitchen ingredients than Thieves   Vinegar, they can be used interchangeably with some discretion. **You would want to exercise caution in using anything on your skin or internally that could cause a reaction.**

Herbs/Ingredients Traditionally Used:

White Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar

Red Wine Vinegar

Wormwood

Meadowsweet 

Wild Marjoram 

Sage

Cloves 

Campanula Root

Angelic

Rosemary

Horehound

Camphor

Lavender

Rue

Thyme

Mint

Garlic

Ginger

Onion

Horseradish

Hot Peppers (cayenne, Thai, jalapeño, etc.)

**Please research any ingredient before you use. Some are not intended for use in people with health condition, pregnant or nursing moms or with certain medications. Consults a physician or pharmacist with any questions. 

So do I still have you interested? Want to make your own version of Master Tonic? I'll provide two versions that I use. I like to start them on a New Moon and finish them up on the Full Moon. Make sure to shake vigorously atleast once a day. 

Standard Master Tonic

Garlic

Onion

Ginger 

Horseradish

Cayenne Peppers -Seeds and Gills incld. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Use equal parts of food ingredients. 

Grate or chop all ingredients into small pieces. Put in glass jar to about 3/4 full. Cover with ACV and put a lid on and let sit for 15 days. 

CVM's Ultra Potent Master Tonic

Cayenne Peppers

Ginger

Sage 

Mullein
Garlic
Onion 
Clove

Apple Cider Vinegar

Equal parts on all ingredients except the ACV. 

Chop or grate ingredients. But all ingredients into a glass jar to about 3/4 full, cover with apple cider vinegar and put a lid on it. Let sit for 15 days. 

To Finish

Strain "pulp" in a cheese cloth over a bowl and squeeze pulp to remove extra liquid. (Wearing gloves is smart!! This is super strong.) Put your liquid in a jar with a lid and store in a cool dark place. Out pulp in another jar and save for salads and such. It is still very potent and adds zing to meals. 

To Use

Take 1 ounce and swish it around your mouth for 30 seconds and then swallow. Use 2x-3x daily as a preventative during cold an flu season. 

You can also put it on your hands to help prevent contracting any bugs when interacting with people. 

Master Tonic is a great preventative that packs a potent kick in upping your immune system and fighting bugs while still supports your overall health. So, is Master Tonic for you? 

Send in your pictures of your completed tonic to share!! I'd love to hear how yours turns out! 

(sources)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Thieves_Vinegar

http://heal-thyself.ning.com/m/blogpost?id=2814160%3ABlogPost%3A10555

The New Norman Rockwell

There is this idea out there that moms (and especially WAHM/SAHM) moms are supposed to be perfect. We're supposed to have our shit together and dinner ready when our husband/boyfriend/wife/etc walks into our house. Society tells us that all we do is sit merrily in our rears eating Pinterest inspired meals while our children happily play together in the corner- oh wait, they're playing on iPads and cell phones these days.  A modern day Norman Rockwell. 

And while soda shops and homemade apple pie are all peachy kin and shit, we've created a monster. We've set our future generations up on the front line of the mother of all wars. To fight the battles  of living their lives with their families without Facebook induced judgement and unwarranted DFS calls. 

I want to say we fueled this war on moms. This saga of never ending guilt and shame by putting other mothers down. We've all done it. We've all made the snide comment about how Mary parents or how Jan and her clan always look perfect so she must be up to something. We relish in the reality TV version of other women's lives, not realizing our actions and reactions are what is fueling this war on moms. 

We've become so desensitized to cruelty and judgement. It's a part of our everyday life. We are teaching it earlier and earlier in our children's lives by just our normal actions. We are literally teaching our children the battle strategies to continue an industry created war on parenting, especially mothering. 

All of a sudden, ever little parenting move you make is judged. Gauged even. We are defined by a series of government and society approved ideas and standards that really do not fit most of us. Yet we don't change them. We work to change ourselves into something we do not even recognize. 

Again, we fuel the war. 

We refuse to be unique (who wants to be labeled something far worse for walking to your own drum) and conform. Even when we are walking our own path, we receive even more criticism. We are in a giant catch-22 of craptastic values, morals and ideas spoon fed to us by the international giant of society. 

Breaking free is hard, but doable. You might get yelled at, name called or unfriended on your social media site of choice. But breaking free is the best thing for your sanity, your children and future parents out there. 

And in the meantime, let whatever flag you relate to, fly!!

Friday Prep Day

So I don't know about you, but one of our family's biggest goals is to not rely on the major corporations or government to meet any of our needs. We desire to build close ties to small producers in our community (we have a very large local Amish community) and solely support those who truly stand up for American. 

Since my family is still in the semi-early stages of making our giant transition to not being dependent on anyone, I thought maybe you might want to join in. 

So. 

Each Friday I am going to share my "Friday Prep Day Tip" of the week and how I am putting it into action for the week, month and long term. 

I encourage you to actively participate in the conversation and each week, I'll feature my 3 favorite tips and who sent them at the top of the post. 

I look forward to learning, growing and prepping with you. 

So for this week, 

What is your favorite Heirloom seed company? 

Another Monster Giveaway

It's happening again! A ginormous giveaway with some amazing companies! You know you want to enter!! 

This fabulous prize is valued at $500+

• Yummi Pouch - Little Munchkin Set with Yummi Pouch Brights. ($29 value)
• Gibout Toys - 4 pack of blocks ($119.96 value)
• New Jammies - 3 pairs of New Jammies ($105 value)
• Milkin' Cookies - 2 week supply of Milkin' Cookies ($21.99 value)
• Wristy Buddy - Teething wristband ($14.95 value)
• Ah Goo Baby - ARK changing pad ($49.95 value)
• Bumkins - Dr. Suess Gift Basket
• KinderStuff - Organic t-shirt ($32 value)
• Poopsies - Dakota style Poopsies 3-6mo ($35 value)
• Wishy Life Buddies - An Easter Tradition Book + Buddy ($30 value) 
  
• Buttons Diapers - 3 cloth diaper covers and 6 daytime inserts ($54 value)

So what are you waiting for? Enter now before time runs out!! And make sure to show some love on all the pages involved and companies sponsoring!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YzkyMTI0MjdiOWY0NzFmZjQ2ZTc2NDU5MmUxYjFmOjEy/

Wordless Wednesday