Dry Skin

 Dry Skin

Jo Francks MH

As the seasons change and the temperatures drop it seems to take the moisture right out of the air and out of our skin. The skin is the largest eliminative channel of the body. Dr. Christopher called it an extra kidney and an extra set of lungs for breathing. The health of the skin can help determine the health of the rest of the body. Proper elimination, nutrition, hydration, and exercise play a significant role in the health of our skin.

It is also important to consider what you are putting on your skin. The use of inorganic, unnatural, and heavily perfumed products can clog the pores as well as be absorbed into the bloodstream. Synthetic, tight clothing prevents the skin from breathing and eliminating toxins which can cause a buildup of toxins in the blood. 

To help your skin be the best it can be consider doing some regular cleansing programs to detoxify the body from the inside. Wear natural fiber clothing such as cotton, silk, wool, or hemp. Do dry skin brushing. Eat a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and drink plenty of pure water.

 

I love making natural skincare products and recently made a nice skin cream that feels wonderful on the skin. The main ingredient is grapeseed oil. I chose this oil for its antiaging and moisturizing properties. If you’ve never made your own lotion, this is an easy recipe with few ingredients which are readily available. The grapeseed oil can be substituted for olive oil if desired. 

Recipe:

Dry Skin Cream

This recipe requires the use of a scale that measures in grams and a hand blender.

200 grams grapeseed oil

25 grams coconut oil

37 grams beeswax

222 grams distilled water

5 grams borax

7 grams vegetable glycerin

Melt the oils and beeswax to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine water, borax and glycerin and heat to 160 degrees.

Slowly pour the water mixture into the oil mixture. Use a hand blender while pouring to emulsify.

Let cool and keep coming back and blending to prevent it from separating. 

Store what you aren’t using in the fridge. There are no preservatives in this cream. It is nice on the skin. 

Note: grapeseed oil can be replaced with your choice of liquid oil such as olive, avocado, almond, etc. These can be herbal oils you have extracted to add healing qualities.   

Fennel

 Fennel

Jo Francks MH

This is probably my favorite time of year as an herbalist. There are so many herbs ready to harvest. One in particular I have been watching and tending all summer is fennel. I have enjoyed the fragrance of the fennel plant each time I enter the garden. I nibbled on the feathery leaves, and when the flower buds came out, they were a very tasty treat.

I especially like the ideas I get about what I can do with the plants when I can spend time with them. I took the flower buds of the fennel and made a tincture that I will be using as a flavoring and for medicinal purposes. Fennel has a flavor similar to licorice and anise. It has carminative and antispasmodic properties so it can help expel gas and ease cramping in the digestive tract.

Fennel is often used for colic in babies and is part of Dr. Christopher’s Catnip and Fennel tincture. Fennel is also good for the eyes. Once while watching my daughter’s soccer game she got scratched in the eye and the coach called out “Does anyone have some Visine?” I went to my car to get my herbal eyewash and eyecup but remembered I had given my eyewash formula away. I had some catnip and fennel tincture in my bag and decided to use it in the eyecup. The fennel helps with eye problems and the catnip is soothing. I put a few drops of the tincture in the eyecup with some water. When my daughter washed her eye with this it helped take the pain away and soothed the eye. She was grateful I had given my eyewash formula away with the cayenne in it and said she liked the catnip and fennel better. 

The bulb and stem of fennel are often sold as a vegetable and can be juiced and used for headaches. Fennel is easy to grow and there are many varieties. It’s such a great time of year to harvest so many plants and flowers. Don’t forget to save some of the seeds to plant next year.

Tomato Basil Flax Crackers

Tomato Basil Flax Crackers

1 cup golden flax seeds

½ cup raw sunflower seeds

¼ cup chia seeds

Soak in 4 cups water for 4 hours

1 large tomato

½ cup fresh basil

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

¼ cup fresh onion

1 garlic clove

Chunk up and process in a food processor until finely chopped

Drain excess water from the seeds through a mesh strainer. Combine seeds and processed ingredients. Add ½ to 1 tsp natural salt. Stir everything together.

Spread on dehydrator trays covered with parchment or solid sheets. Fills 3 or 4 trays. Dehydrate at 105 degrees F until top is solid. Flip and remove the solid sheets and finish drying. 

Recipe for Immunity

Recipe for Immunity

1 cup fresh echinacea root chopped (or ½ cup dried)

1 TBS dried elderberries

3 small sprigs fresh chocolate mint leaves (or any mint) chopped

2 small sprigs fresh thyme leaves chopped

¼ cup distilled water (approximately)

Vegetable glycerin

Dropper bottle

In a pint jar add all the herbs. Add water so it comes up about an inch. Add vegetable glycerin to fill the jar to the top so all herbs are covered. Secure the lid tightly. Shake daily for 2 weeks. 

Strain and save the liquid and compost the herbs. Fill a dropper bottle with the glycerite and use 1 or 2 droppers 3 times a day for the prevention of illness. If you have symptoms of an illness, take more often. 

Recipe by Jo Francks

Sustainable Harvesting

Sustainable Harvesting

Jo Francks MH

Summer is the time to grow and harvest herbs. It is also a time to wildcraft herbs. Going out and finding your own herbal medicine is exciting and enjoyable. There are many herbs that are very abundant but there are some not so abundant and it is good to know which ones should be harvested with caution.

Here are some guidelines to remember when harvesting plants in the wild. 

-Never take more than 10% and leave the rest. 

-Make sure you are harvesting plants that are not at-risk. 

-Go to places where you know others are not harvesting. 

-Be 100% positive that you have correctly identified the plant you are harvesting. 

-Take along an herbal identification book.

-If you dig a root, leave the seeds behind to make sure a new plant will grow in its place.

-The bark should not be taken from the main trunk of a tree. Find smaller branches to prune from the tree. 

-Find out if it is legal to take plants from that area.

-Obtain permission from the landowner if you are on private property.

-Avoid areas where plants can be contaminated or roadsides with heavy traffic.

Unfortunately, many of the medicinal plants growing in the wild are becoming endangered. As the popularity of using herbal medicine increases it puts stress on the availability of certain herbs. Many of the herbs we took for granted 15 or 20 years ago are now unavailable or are at-risk. This includes herbs like goldenseal and ginseng. These herbs are now being cultivated successfully and should be chosen over the wildcrafted options when purchasing.

Luckily there are groups of people watching out for the safety and sustainability of the plants. United Plant Savers is one of those groups and you can find a list of at-risk plants on their website https://unitedplantsavers.org/species-at-risk-list/

When you are able to get out and go on herb walks, it’s great to learn to identify the plants and get to know them. The more you learn about the plants and their medicinal qualities, the more you have a respect for them and an obligation to protect the medicinal herbs we have available to us. Take only pictures when you come across an at-risk plant.

Gut Health

Gut Health

Jo Francks MH

 

Leaky gut syndrome is a condition where the intestinal lining is damaged which allows toxins and partially digested proteins and fat to enter the bloodstream. This can cause inflammation and immune responses and allergic reactions. It leaves you with symptoms like gas, bloating, brain fog, fatigue, emotional disturbances, skin problems, joint pain, and the list could go on and on. I will try and help you understand what is happening and what can be done in a situation of leaky gut syndrome or intestinal permeability as it is also called.

 

The first thing to understand is that there is an imbalance of friendly flora or good bacteria compared to bad bacteria, which is toxic, in the intestines. How does that happen? Let’s see...it probably has something to do with antibiotics destroying all the good bacteria in the gut and leaving things wide open for other bacteria to take over. Or it could be from dietary issues. Sugar in abundance is a big contributor. This includes foods with added sweetener including sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar, etc. When a large part of the diet consists of this type of food it can cause an imbalance in the gut biome. The bad bacteria feed on this type of food and it grows out of control. This damages the mucosal lining in the gut where a lot of our immune cells reside. Toxins are another reason for an imbalance as well as various kinds of drugs and medication. When we add stress to the picture then symptoms will appear because of high levels of cortisol and other hormones entering the bloodstream.

 

There are a lot of contributing factors to this condition but luckily there is something that can be done to reverse the situation. Letting things go and not changing the situation can lead to things like autoimmune conditions, irritable bowel, Crohn’s disease, liver toxicity, etc. 

 

Let’s address the inflammation with herbs like slippery elm, marshmallow root, aloe vera gel, turmeric, or other demulcent herbs that help decrease inflammation. Licorice root helps by controlling the cortisol levels and soothing the digestive tract. Dr. Christopher’s soothing digestion is a great formula already put together to help with this. 

 

In case of infection, we want to use antibiotic herbs like garlic, echinacea, goldenseal, oregano, plantain, or calendula. Formulas to use are Super Garlic Immune or the X-INFX formula.

 

We also want to balance the bacteria in the gut with probiotics and fermented food. Digestive enzymes will help to fully break down the food so undigested particles aren’t leaking through the colon. Chew foods thoroughly to help utilize the enzymes in the saliva to begin the digestive process.

 

Foods to avoid are sugar, dairy, gluten, and soy. These are the most common foods causing allergies. Regular exercise will also help and make sure you are drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated. 

Have you ever wondered what prebiotics are? It is the fiber from fruits and vegetables. The fiber feeds the good bacteria in the gut creating a better environment for the bacteria to grow.

 

Dr. Christopher said that 90% of all disease begins in the colon. Science is proving that. If you are experiencing symptoms listed above or other symptoms that won’t go away consider following the guidelines that will help reverse leaky gut syndrome.

Dosages

Dosages

Jo Francks MH

When using herbal supplements for treating physical ailments, it is important to understand how to use the herbs, how much to take and how often. Most times taking one dose of any herb won’t do much, but taking it over time will effect a change in one’s health. 

            Acute ailments are illnesses that come on quickly with mild to severe symptoms and last a few days to a few weeks and can become chronic if not treated promptly and thoroughly. Symptoms of acute ailments often include a fever, cough, runny nose, diarrhea or vomiting. Examples of acute illnesses are colds, flu, UTIs, and the current COVID 19 virus. When treating an acute illness with herbs it is important to know the action of the herb used and whether it is wise to use it in frequent doses. Herbs that strengthen the immune system are often used in frequent doses for colds, flu and virus or bacterial infections. These could include echinacea, elderberries, garlic, goldenseal, astragalus, etc. They can be used as a tea, extract, capsules or powder. Taking the herbs in adequate doses every hour has proven to be effective in acute situations rather than only taking the herbs 2 or 3 times a day. When symptoms ease up a bit then the dosage can be adjusted accordingly. Acute ailments are aggressive and need to be treated just as aggressively with herbal protocols.

            Chronic conditions are treated differently because these are conditions that have been in the body awhile and it takes longer to move them out. These are usually associated with a toxic condition of the body that will take patience and perseverance to overcome.  It requires dietary changes and using herbs and other treatments for longer periods of time. The dosage for herbs used in chronic conditions is up to 3 times a day depending on the action of the herbs taken. For example, you wouldn’t want to use Dr. Christopher’s Lower Bowel formula every hour. That formula needs to be adjusted to individual needs and is recommended to be taken three times a day, over time, to eventually heal the bowels to help them work on their own. Examples of chronic conditions could include heart disease, constipation, asthma, skin disorders, diabetes, etc. Herb categories used in chronic conditions include nutritive herbs, adaptogens, tonic herbs, blood purifiers, herbal laxatives, etc. 

            The amount of herbs to take depends on the size and age of the individual. Adult dosages are for a person weighing 150 pounds give or take 20-30 pounds. Children 12 years and up are usually given an adult dose. This depends on their weight. Recommended dosages on purchased products are intended for adults and examples are 1 teaspoon loose herbal tea or one teabag per cup of water, 2 or 3 capsules, 15 to 30 drops of a tincture, or ½ to 1 teaspoon of an herbal syrup. Children ages 8 to 12 get half the dose. Ages 4 to 8 get 1/4 dose. Under 4 years of age get even smaller doses. Start with 1 drop of extract and go from there. 

            This newsletter is intended to help clarify how much and how often herbs are to be used in different situations. These recommendations may not fit every situation and adjustments need to be made according to each individual and each situation.