Healing Wise

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Nutrition.htm

October 29, 2011 in Breast Health, Nourishing Herbal Infusions, Nourishing Traditions, Nutrition, Wise Woman Q&A | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 27, 2011

Creating Better Health the Wise Woman Way

Dear Wise Woman,

I have finaly reached the point in my life where I am realizing I am not immortal. I am in my mid thirties and want to start repairing and preparing my body for years to come. I was a typical wild girl in my hay day. Probably drank too much and smoked way to many cigarettes. I now want to cleanse and repair all the tissues and cells I damaged in my careless youth.

My very amazing soul sister friend has been following your advice and I have been very curious myself of all the knowledge you have. I guess my question is with infusions. Can you mix the dried herbs together in one quart jar? Do you have to separate them? Or is it best to infuse one herb at a time (oat
straw, nettle,and comfrey )then rotate each herbal infusion? Also, I live in south east MN and our growing season is over, can you recommend a business that mail me bulk herbs?

Thank you and can't wait to hear from you.

Hello,

Do not worry - our bodies are amazingly resilient and designed to in such a way that they work to repair themselves. Most tissues and cells from your youth have long been regenerated.

"Nourish the new cells, optimally, says the Wise Woman tradition, and the old cells and other waste will be cleared away easily. The liver is replaced, every cell of it, in six weeks. Nourish each new liver cell optimally, and the liver will clean the blood. The kidneys are replaced, every cell, in a month. Nourish each new cell optimally, let the kidneys clean the blood. The blood volume itself is replaced, every cell, in three weeks. What cleaner blood than new and optimally nourished cells?" Complete article here...

So, now you just need to nourish and support your body. The infusions are the first step and they are easy and inexpensive as well. Susun recommends using one herb at a time, rotating them from day to day... Read about the infusions at our website here: http://nourishingherbalinfusions.com/

You can usually find the dried herbs in the bulk section of your local health/herb store or online at sources such as Mountain Rose Herbs and Red Moon Herbs. Even better, when they are in season, harvest your own and dry for future use.

Eat whole grains, organic full-fat yogurt, raw milk, wild foods such as dandelion greens, nettles, chickweed, lamb's quarters, add seaweed to your diet... Here is more on how the Wise Woman Tradition approaches nutrition:

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Wild_Food1.htm

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Wild_Food2.htm

You may also wish to check out our forum at www.healingwiseforum.com

blessings,

Kim

Wise Woman Team

October 27, 2011 in Nourishing Herbal Infusions, Nourishing Traditions, Wise Woman Q&A | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 23, 2011

Nutrition the Wise Woman Way

Hi,

I'm curious about Susun's perspective of the blood type diet. It is confusing because I'm a B blood type and the guide says that they don't generally benefit from herbal teas, with a few exceptions. As "unbeneficial" they list Red Clover and of course they leave out so many available herbs. What do you think about the testing of the blood type in general and the beneficial nutirition of herbal infusions?

I'm so tired of being confused and I have a fairly narrow field of resources I select from ...

Hello,

No doubt it is confusing trying to navigate all the different approaches to health and diet - blood type diet, low-carb, macrobiotic, raw food, juicing, fasting.... and on and on. These types of specialized diets have been around through the ages. I can tell you that Susun follows The Nourishing Traditions diet put forth by Weston A. Price. The emphasis is on whole unprocessed foods, full-fat dairy, fermented foods, whole grains with vegetables and some meat. This diet along with daily use of herbal infusions is the foundation for her approach to health and diet. This is a simple way of eating as close to the source as you can without following complicated lists of do's and don't's. I can't say that I am familiar with all the guidelines put forth by the blood type diet, but one that is telling you to avoid most healing herbs is not in line with the Wise Woman Tradition.

Susun is a firm believer in the nutritional value of herbal infusions as a way to maintain health and help supply your body with all of the needed vitamins and minerals. And you need to understand that when it comes to using herbs in this manner - as a powerful supplier of these minerals and vitamins, you do need to do infusions. Teas won't be beneficial as you are talking about a very small amount of herb that is usually steeped for 10 minutes. Here is a further breakdown of what you will find in these infusions:

http://medherb.com/Materia_Medica/The_Mineral_Content_of_Herbal_Decoctions_.htm

Certainly, we are not a one size fits all and there are times when people do need more specialized diets. You have to decide what works for you. That is also part of the Wise Woman Tradition - listening to your body's intuition. If you are following this diet, how do you feel? How were you eating before? Any diet that has caused you to cut out processed foods, white flour, white sugar, etc. will most likely be beneficial to you, but I certainly wouldn't agree with avoiding herbs. Herbs has been something that humans have used since the dawn of time for health and healing; in fact, that was all we had for ages as our medicine - so I certainly do believe that they are beneficial, no matter your blood type.

blessings,

Kim

Wise Woman Team

http://www.susunweed.com/How_to_make_Infusions.htm

You can get your health questions answered by Susun on blogtalkradio, Tuesday nights 7:30-9:30 pm EST. Call in with your questions 1-646-929-2463. Visit the link for more info: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/susunweed. You can also join the free women's health forum where hundreds of wise woman can help you. Sign up for the free herbal healing ezine, filled with wise woman wit and wisdom. Visit the Wise Woman Bookshop for online university, gift shop, bookshop, digital downloads, and more. Go to www.susunweed.com for a complete list of offerings including radio show and free videos.

March 23, 2011 in Food and Drink, Nourishing Herbal Infusions, Nourishing Traditions, Weblogs, Wise Woman Q&A, Wise Woman Wisdom | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 01, 2011

Nourishing vs. Cleansing

Susun,

I've been interested in doing a cleanse by Dr. Clarke (parasite cleanse) with Black Walnut Hull, Wormwood and clove. According to Dr. Clark, you can give this remedy to a child at six months. But, online there are repeted warnings about using these herbs while breast feeding.

My Naturpathic doctor said that doing a cleanse would release lots of toxins in the body that may go to the blooodstream and then to the baby. But, my midwife says that this cleanse is safe and even good to do while nursing.

What are your thoughts?

Hello,

We strongly advocate against cleansing, at any time, and especially when pregnant, nursing, or when ill. Cleansing is extremely hard on the body, especially on the organs that naturally keep your body healthy and clean, such as your liver and kidneys.

Instead, we advocate for nourishing your body, so the body can do its work in a supporting environment. Our bodies are not places of filth, they are naturally clean, and the body is naturally designed to keep itself in optimal health, if supported with nourishment and love.

The best and easiest way to nourish your body is to eat a whole foods diet, exercise a different way each day, get plenty of rest, clean water for bathing and drinking, avoiding toxins (such as essential oils in body products, toxic home “cleaning” products, fabric softeners, and highly processed foods). The most nourishing herbs we can use to support our body is in the form of nourishing herbal infusions, safe enough to be considered food, and to be taken daily, at least two cups per day and even up to eight cups per day.

Personally, I have been drinking upwards of six cups of nourishing infusion for decades, through pregnancy and lactation, and my daughter started drinking infusions at four months as soon as she showed interest in mealtime at the table. Now, two and a half, she is a strong advocate for infusions like her mother and grandmother.

Learn more about nourishing herbal infusions at these links below:

to properly benefit from infusions, buy your herb in bulk, at local store or online.

Sending you love and blessings,

Justine

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/44092.php

Justine,

Thank you for your quick response. I thought that I had included a second question in my email, but after reviewing, I noticed that it was left out.

Red Clover seems to be a very amazing herb, but repeatably online I find sites that say not to use it while nursing. There was even a study done on dairy cows concluding that red clover reduced milk production (of course that was their main meal). Do you feel that this is a safe herb to make infusions out of and drink while nursing?

I like your view on cleansing, but I question further ... if those three herbs (wormwood, black walnut, clove) are used to help the body rid itself of parasites, wouldn't it be good to use them to do just that, even if it was in an herbal infusion form? I like your idea of not doing a hard cleansing with enemas and detox methods, but how do you feel about using these herbs for ridding parasites?

Hi,

What parasites do you feel you have specifically? What are your symptoms?

There are certainly harmful parasites that can rob us of our health, but it is important to understand that most people, nearly everyone, has some form of parasites, and that ridding the body of parasites can actually be counter to health. Here is an article that supports this concept:

"It's possible that the human immune system developed in a way that is dependent on parasitic worms to regulate immune responses." Some researchers argue that improved hygiene throughout the developed world may be responsible for inflammatory bowel disease, as well as a whole range of autoimmune disorders. According to this "hygiene hypothesis," immune systems require exposure to infections of all sorts early in life in order to develop sufficiently.

This article is quite interesting

The Nature of Bacterial Host-Parasite Relationships in Humans http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/NHPR.html

And another article shedding light on the topic of parasites

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/13179/1/Human-Parasites--Symbiotic-and-Parasitic-Relationships.html

Red clover is an excellent infusion to promote fertility and for cancer prevention and for reversing insitu cancer. It is not an infusion to be used daily, as it can thin the blood, and not to be used at all with blood thinning drugs.

The infusions I like to use daily are oatstraw, nettles leaf, comfrey leaf.

Then a few times a week, I will alternate the mainstays with another infusion, such as red clover or linden or red raspberry leaf..

For example, I might consume the following in a given week:

1 quart of red clover infusion

1 quart of linden infusion

2 quarts of red raspberry infusion

4 quarts of nettles leaf infusion

4 quarts of oatstraw infusion

4 quarts of comfrey leaf infusion

This amounts to about two quarts of infusion per day (8 cups), I rarely drink anything other than infusion, with water being the exception…and the rare glass of milk, or juice, or alcoholic beverage.

If I were trying to conceive, or was concerned about cancer, I might then focus more on red clover, still not drinking more than say two or three cups per day, and not more than five days per week.

Sending love,

Justine

January 01, 2011 in Food and Drink, Health Concerns, Herbal Allies, Nourishing Herbal Infusions, Nourishing Traditions, Weblogs, Wise Woman Q&A | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 17, 2010

Herbal Allies for Hair Loss

I trust your site... and need help please

I am 58 ( almost ) and my once thick, weed of crazy hair appears to be getting thinner and thinner.

Once, people would actually walk up to me and tug at my hair, thinking it was a wig … please advise as to what I can do, take, drink … I am heartsunk that my beautiful attribute appears to be dying …

Nourishing herbal infusions of nettles leaf are excellent for hair, skin, and nails.

Also, massage rosemary oil directly on the scalp.

What is your diet and life like? Stress can have a negative effect on hair growth. Oatstraw infusion can counter stress.

Blessings,
Wise Woman Team
www.wisewomanweb.com

Can I use nettle tea bags as I have no time to infuse etc … and can I drink this on a continuous basis –

What vitamins and minerals are in stinging nettle?

Thank you for your expertise and patience

Be blessed

Hello,

You can use nettle tea bags but they will not give you any medicinal benefits, besides the benefit of consuming hot water. Making nourishing herbal infusions takes no more than ten minutes per night, much less time that a visit to the doctor. Make an investment of ten minutes per night to regain your health and vitality and your hair will grow back strong and healthy. Yes, you can drink nourishing herbal infusions on a continuous basis. Stinging nettle, if used as a full strength nourishing herbal infusion contains many minerals very important to your health and wellbeing.

In this article, http://www.susunweed.com/How_to_make_Infusions.htm you will find it takes Susun less than five minutes to make an infusion…simply pour the herb in the jar and fill with boiling water, let sit four hours, strain, and drink to your health.

Find detailed info on nutrients in nourishing herbal infusions:

http://www.menopause-metamorphosis.com/An_Article-healthy.htm

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) builds energy, strengthens the adrenals, and is said to restore youthful flexibility to blood vessels. A cup of nettle infusion contains 500 milligrams of calcium plus generous amounts of bone-building magnesium, potassium, silicon, boron, and zinc. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, D, E, and K. For flexible bones, a healthy heart, thick hair, beautiful skin, and lots of energy, make friends with sister stinging nettle. It may make you feel so good you'll jump up and exercise.

Oatstraw (Avena sativa) reduces high cholesterol, increases libido, and strengthens the nerves. A cup of oatstraw infusion contains more than 300 milligrams of calcium plus generous amounts of many other minerals. Its steroidal saponins nourish the pancreas and liver, improving digestion and stabilizing moods. Oatstraw is best known however for its ability to enhance libido and mellow the mood. Do be careful whom you share it with, or you may find yourself sowing some wild oats. In Auryuvedic medicine, oatstraw is considered the finest of all longevity tonics.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is better in every way than its cousin soy. It contains four phytoestrogens; soy has only one (isoflavone). Red clover infusion has ten times more phytoestrogens than soy "milk," fewer calories, more calcium, and no added sugars. Red clover is the world's leading anti-cancer herb; soy isoflavone encourages the growth of breast cancer cells in the lab. Red clover improves the memory; Japanese men who ate tofu twice a week doubled their risk of Alzheimer's disease. Soy beverage can contain up to 1000 times more aluminum than milk, according to Sally Fallon, lipid researcher and fat specialist. She believes that "the highly processed soy foods of today are perpetuating . . . nutrient deficiencies. . . ."

Comfrey (Symphytum) leaf is free of the compounds (PAs) found in the root that can damage the liver. I have used comfrey leaf infusion regularly for decades with no liver problems, ditto for the group of people at the Henry Doubleday Research Foundation who have eaten cooked comfrey leaves as a vegetable for four generations. Comfrey is also known as "knitbone," and no better ally for the woman with thin bones can be found. And, don't forget, comfrey contains special proteins used in the formation of short-term memory cells. Its soothing mucilage adds flexibility to joints, eyes, vagina, and lungs.

Sending love,

Justine

Thank you soo very much for your kind advice that will lead me back to “me” in good health and passion for life

Much love and blessings to you, Justine

You can get your health questions answered by Susun in one of two ways. Join the health hotline teleseminar on Monday and Thursday evenings 8pm EST, through the winter months. Or you may register for a private telephone consultation. You can also join the free women's health forum where hundreds of wise woman can help you. Sign up for the free herbal healing ezine, filled with wise woman wit and wisdom. Visit the Wise Woman Bookshop for online university, gift shop, bookshop, digital downloads, and more. Go to www.susunweed.com for a complete list of offerings including radio show and free videos.

December 17, 2010 in Food and Drink, Health Concerns, Herbal Allies, Nourishing Herbal Infusions, Nourishing Traditions, Weblogs, Wise Woman Q&A | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 27, 2010

Making Herbal Tinctures

Hello,
Is it possible to make a tincture of ordinary tea bags which contains 100% pure herbs?
regards,

Hello,

To make a tincture one needs fresh plant matter or dried root (eg. Ginseng or Echinacea) or berries (eg. Hawthorne or Vitex), even better if you can get fresh roots or berries.

As a rule when making alcohol based tincture use fresh plant matter, when making a water based infusion use dried plant matter.

Learn more here:

How to make herbal tinctures: www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/May04/healingwise.htm

How to make herbal honeys: www.ashtreepublishing.com/bookshop/articles/herbal-expert-part8.php

How to make herbal oils: www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/February05/healingwise.htm

How to make herbal vinegars: www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/August04/healingwise.htm

How to make herbal infusions: www.susunweed.com/An_Article_Weed_Self-help2.htm

Sending love,

Justine

November 27, 2010 in Herbal Allies, Nourishing Traditions, Tinctures, Weblogs, Wise Woman Q&A, Wise Woman Wisdom | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 25, 2010

Using Herbs Simply and Safely

Hello Susun Weed,

I first discovered your work looking for a way to prepare nettle and
have been reading your ezine for a many months now.

I have a question to which I cannot find an answer. Maybe you can
help: Can I mix nettle and hawthorn and drink about one litre a day
on a regular basis, like I do with straight nettle?

Many thanks for your response,

Hello,

Yes, we think of simples as one herb prepared on its own. If you feel there
could be concern with adverse reaction, you might start with one herb and
use that for one week, once you feel its working with you rather than
against you, then you can try another for one week, etc...when you then
know each herb you plan to work with, the use of them can be interchanged.
For instance, I may take a dropperful of hawthorne berry tincture each
morning, and I drink nourishing herbal infusion of nettles with breakfast,
and then some oatstraw infusion in the afternoon. If I am sick or feel the
need, I may add to that dosages of Echinacea or yarrow or whatever I feel
will be helpful, depending on the condition.

Here is an excellent article by Susun Weed on using herbs simply and safely
http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Simple_Safe_Herbal_Medicine.htm

Sending love,

justine

November 25, 2010 in Health Concerns, Herbal Allies, Nourishing Herbal Infusions, Nourishing Traditions, Weblogs, Wise Woman Q&A, Wise Woman Wisdom | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 24, 2010

Herbal Infusions and Calcium

Dear Susun,

I am reading your book, The New Menopausal Years, which I am finding very helpful! My question has to do with chard. On page 29 "chard (silver beet)" is listed as a calcium antagonist. Are there other types of chard that are not calcium antagonists? I see on page 32 kale and collards are good synergistic foods to utilize calcium. We grow mostly chard in our garden, so I am interested in knowing if some chard is good for calcium utilization?

Thank you,

Hello,

All chard and spinach have this problem as they contain a lot of oxalic acid, a substance that interferes with calcium absorption. You may want to next year add other dark greens to your plot. In the meantime, you could start drinking nourishing herbal infusions of Nettles and Oatstraw, both of which provide significant amounts of available calcium. A cup of nettle infusion contains 500 milligrams of calcium.

Here is a helpful article, http://www.menopause-metamorphosis.com/An_Article-healthy.htm

And a link to a youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pKpe_YGUUw&) on how to make nourishing herbal infusions. To your health!

Love,

Justine

November 24, 2010 in Food and Drink, Herbal Allies, Nourishing Herbal Infusions, Nourishing Traditions, Weblogs, Wise Woman Q&A, Wise Woman Wisdom | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 23, 2010

Herbal Allies for Autoimmune Disorder

Greetings Susun!

Reaching out for healing help and support.

I suffered a right brain hemorrhage April 28th and never lost consciousness. I was in intensive care for 7 days at the Hospital. After performing an angiogram it was discovered I had a rare disease of the brain called moyamoya.

When I returned for 4 week follow up visit, I was shown on the screen the vessels that had grown outside the brain to compensate for the normal vessels that were blocked presenting an oxygen and blood starved brain. Moyamoya vessels are tiny intertwined like a spider web but so small blood forces its way through.
Ok I'm then given an appointment to return for a 5 hour brain surgery on July 2nd after being a healthy woman all my life now 60 years old. I'm feeling much better because I resumed my herbal regime and started taking a natural blood thinner called Nattokinase oppose to take 325mg of bayer aspirin and eat no carbs that thickens my blood.
Because when I do my chest, back of neck, head and legs feel heavy. I actually feel myself walk with the heaviness in my legs. So you see I'm still trying to locate the blockage. And discovered the surgery didn't correct the blockage though it is to prevent another hemorrhage or brain stroke which is moyamoya condition/syndrome.

Well my new primary doctor order blood work and xrays for osteoarthritis. The results were mild degenerative art in knees and hips. Blood was positive for ANA (autoimmume).

Could you please recommend what I could take for ANA?
And any knowledge you can share about this blockage at the base of the brain.

Greetings,

Thank you for taking time to write us. From my understanding ANA is a test for various auto-immune disorders. Have you been diagnosed with one in particular? If so, you can let us know specifics to help guide you in the right direction. Certainly with the complexity of your situation, it would be best to have a phone consultation with Susun, as she is unable to answer emails.

You can speak with Susun during her Free hotline on blogtalkradio, Tuesday nights 7:30-9:30 pm EST. Call in with your questions 1-646-929-2463. Visit the link for more info: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/susunweed

In general, Susun feels starting off with nourishing herbal infusions are always a good way to help our bodies begin to balance themselves. If you are not taking them or are unfamiliar with them, here is a link explaining more:

http://www.susunweed.com/How_to_make_Infusions.htm

A few general things that studies have been showing to help with auto-immune disorders would be Vitamin D. If you can, get out in the sun for 15 minutes without sunblock each day - some other sources would be cod-liver oil, egg yolks and fatty fish such as salmon, herrings and sardines. Energy exercises such as tai chi, chi gong and yoga would be a good practice to start.

Anti-inflammatory measures such as drinking linden infusions and cooking with tumeric could be done on a regular basis. Again, you can call Susun for a consultation or feel free to send more inforamtion to our email [email protected]

You might also go to the Wise Woman Forum to ask your question in case a member can offer you help: www.susunweed.com/wisewomanforum.htm.

Blessings,

Kim

Wise Woman Team