TMWellness4Life

Spring is here which is a great time to forage plants such as the dandelion in botany it is classified as Taraxacum officinale. Taraxacum is a large genus of asteraceae, Officinale, the species name, is a Latin term that is attached to those herbs that contain long-accepted medicinal properties. Asteraceae were first described in 1740. interestingly, according to "The Century Dictionary" around 900 A.D. the Persians called the herb tarashquq then 100 years later, called it Taraxcum.  The most commonly known in this family are the Dandelion, though daisy, aster and sunflower are also in this family.  Dandelions are good for your lawn. Their wide-spreading roots  are known for loosening hard-packed soil, reduce erosion. The deep taproot pulls nutrients such as calcium from deep in the soil, make them available to other plants and fertilize the grass.  The dandelion root is best harvested from late fall to early spring as this is the time of dormancy and has stored up energy. T

Today I am making what I refer to as modified collagen pectin bites made from Knox gelatin   and apples. They make a great snack though they are not truly collagen hydrolysate. They still offer many health benefits, dependent on what you are making can benefit your body and brain needs as well as make a healthy alternative for snacking. other sources of unflavored gelatin which are non-gmo, grass fed can be found on line and in many health food stores.  Apple pectin is a soluble fiber derived from apples. Pectin is a type of fiber that is found in all plant cell walls and tissue. Apple pectin is available in the skin and pulp of fresh apples.  Apple pectin has many health benefits including assistance with leaky gut, there are over 20 papers on pubmed that correlate apple pectin and gut health. The apple pectin provides food for colonic bacteria that converts it into beneficial short chain fatty acids. These acids maintain the health of beneficial gut bugs and the cells lining the co

When I first started investigating how to make my own personal hygiene products I noticed most every site showed how to blend store bought products together to create what they labeled as “home made”  This was not what I had in mind as it was still relying on chemicals blends I was looking to eliminate from my families life. I began looking for videos posts which were based on creating African Black Soap on various sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitch. This proved to be most resourceful and with that my journey began.   I learned the processes of drying and creating the natural ash lye from plantain peels, cocoa pods, palm fronds, potato skins and other potassium rich plants. I bought distilled water as it contains no metals, chemicals micro-organisms, or other contaminants which cause complications and undesired reactions. I first tried purchasing ingredients to make floral water with the distilled water, while this is still a method of incorporating botanicals in my produc

Canning Jars  As a naturalist it is important to store plants and matter sourced from nature and suppliers that provide adequate ingredients in which can readily be incorporate into every-day life. Canning jars provide one of the best methods of storage with nominal adverse effects. The most economical and easiest to source are the typical Ball Jars (16oz) and Anchor Hocking jars (1 pint)   These  can be found in most local grocery stores, home goods stores as well as on-line.  I prefer swing top style Wide Mouth Mason Jars, OAMCEG 34oz as they provide a nice air-lock that does not require a heat process that can be harmful to my plant matter. These jars do come with draw backs as they are difficult to handle and clean.  I reflected on my mom and grandmother’s various jars and began to search out Weck (.6 liter slightly more than 16 oz) canning jars , which have turned out to be very practical as well as providing a nice seal without the need of heat process.  While I use flip top be

Potassium Broth Benefits   Today I made a fresh batch of potassium broth as a family member has been unable to hold food down due to an infected tooth.   I first learned of potassium broth as a little girl as my brother suffered from Brights’s Disease.When nothing seemed to work for him his pediatrician suggested my mom simmer potatoes, carrots, celery for 2 hours then add the tops of the carrots along with a handful of parsley. My brother was the first person in the AJMA who had gone into remission. He is 63 years old and has had few health issues non which posed as much a threat as during his most formative years. Later when studying for my certification in Naturopathy and Functional Health and Wellness I took a course on Dr Bernard Jensen’s book “The Chemistry of Man ”   Do not let it’s price nor reviews discourage you from purchasing it as it is easily misconstrued as well intricate. Potassium Broth might be one of the easiest and palatable by todays standards this book has to off