so, last week, i trued anise seed.  Pimpinella anisum. i tried and i tried and i tried.  literally.  i burned two batches of the seeds as i attempted to simmer them in a pot on the stove.  theere they were all black and toasty, with not a drop of water left in the saucepan.  luckily, somehow the pot came clean with some scrubbing or i would have been buying a new one for Rainbow.  so, then i just infused the seeds.  i put the seeds in a mason jar and poured boiling water over them and left them for about 30 minutes or more.  turned out the water i used was brown, i couldn’t see as i filled the teapot up, but when i got a glass of water and washed my hands…there it was, brown water.  so, i dumped that tea too.  who knows what was making the water brown that day.  i gave up for the day…no anise tea.

forward to thursday, the following day…and i did the anise seed infusion method again.  and it worked.  clean water, no burnt seeds.  the tea was very pleasant.  sweet and light.  nothing too intense to write about…i mean, not that everything has to be about intensity, but i guess somewhere inside i hope for something really good to write about after i drink the tea every week.  this was not the case with anise, but isn’t that something special too?  just sweet.  pleasant.  light.  and medicinally speaking anise is a digestive remedy.  it is aromatic and good for bloating and gas.

and now this week….artichoke.  Cynara scolymus.  another herb used for the digestive tract, in a way.  but through the liver…which can consequently affect the digestion.  the leaves are used medicinally, as opposed to the immature flower of the globe artichoke, which we are all familiar with as an edible vegetable.  Artichoke is hepatoprotective (protective of the liver), a choleretic and cholegogue (gets the liver to produce bile and gets it flowing)…all of these relate to its very, very bitter taste.   which i can attest to.  i made an infusion of about 2 Tablespoons of the dried herb with 16 oz. of boiling water.  i let it sit for about 20 minutes, strained and drank.  it was really bitter, which i do not mind at all.  but it also had this slight gaggy quality.  i drank it down though, and felt a gurgle in my tummy shortly thereafter.  probably due to the bile flow, which stimulates the rest of the G.I. tract to get going.  and that leads me to remember that it can be an appetite stimulant.

Artichoke leaf also is known for its hypolipidaemic activity.   in other words, it can inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis.  there have been studies and clinical trials done to support this finding.  a great starting place for source of these articles is www.pubmed.com which is the National Library for Medicine website for scholarly articles and reviews.

that’s all for this week.  and last week too!

see you next time.

xoxomelissa

I’ve sometimes asked bewildered customers, “Why do you want to take a vitamin supplement?” The answer usually translates as some feeling, either real or imagined, that the food they are eating is not supplying what they need. And given the way food is grown these days and the way people are forced to eat quickly and on the run, it may often times be true that they are lacking in necessary nutrients. For many Asian cultures, digestion and proper assimilation begins when you start to assemble the food you will eat for a meal — the colors, the smells, the little tastes of one ingredient or another. These days, most peoples’ meals are assembled for them and little time is given to the pleasure of eating. In my humble opinion, vitamins are best found in a balanced diet of mostly organic foods. But if your 50+ hour work week doesn’t offer you the pleasure of leisurely meals made from scratch and your income doesn’t allow for organic food, then some sort of daily vitamin is probably not a bad idea. I would first try a Food-Based vitamin. This means that the vitamins actually come from food rather than extracted in a lab from food or chemical sources. The body recognizes them as food and thereby assimilates them better. There isn’t the need to pack the vitamin with 5,000% of your daily needs of some vitamins, because more of the vitamin is available. There isn’t that “dark-yellow urine” syndrome from some of these “mega-vitamins” that give you way more than you can use in one day simply so that an ample amount gets absorbed.

We carry several different brands of whole food vitamins, including Megafood, New Chapter, Bio Life Naturals, and Rainbow Light Organics.

Angelica archangelica.  sweet name.

it is a warming bitter…something not easily found in plant medicine.  most bitters are cooling in nature…so if you are chilly person and have digestive issues, this could be a great herb to try.  it also can bring on menses, can be useful for anorexia as it stimulates digestion, is a diaphoretic (induces sweating/moves the excess heat out), and for some that feel herbs have more of a spiritual place in their lives, it can bring protection and angelic presence.

so, this morning, after i had my Rainbow Roast (i am again hooked on the stuff)…i also put on a pot with about a tablespoon or more of angelica root.  and i forgot about it.  when i remembered, the water was gone and the root was a little toasted.  but not burnt…so i figured it was meant to be, and i added more water and set it to a simmer.  20 minutes later i strained it and had a nice hot cup of tea.  i was so pleasantly surprised  by the angelica.  i smelled really good and tasted even better.  it tasted like a broth and i immediately thought it would be a great idea to add this to a bone soup recipe or just a stock for soups.

I drank the whole cup of tea within the half hour, enjoying each sip as much as the last.  no needing to gulp it down like last week.  but then a strange thing happened.  i started to feel uncomfortable.  more emotionally, or energetically, i guess you could say.  i felt i needed to ground myself because i felt too open, too light.  it is hard to explain.  but it reminded me of panic attacks i used to have in my early 20’s…like i was floating.  and back then, i used to think i was dying, because i assumed that being relaxed, open and floating upwards were feeling one would have if they were dying.  the post angelica experience wasn’t as traumatic as those attacks and i know better how to take care of myself now…so, i talked it out with a co-worker, i did some deep breathing and had some five flower flower essence. and i came down.  and it was good to remember what life was like then in my 20’s, to see how far i have come, to see also that i am still me in some quirky ways too.

so…maybe that isn’t the right herb for me, or maybe it is and in jsut need to temper it with other herbs, to balance its strong reaction i had.  see, i don’t think it was a bad thing, those feeling are good for me to process and go through…but maybe in a more gentle way.  or maybe before bed would be nice with some valerian and poppy and mugwort.

thanks for reading along…stop by next week and see what tea is next!

“New age” anything can in some cases look like so much on the surface and yet be substance-less at its core.  Xylitol is still in that gray area. Is it something more than just another processed sweetener?

It has been claimed that xylitol reduces the incidence of dental cavities by obstructing the growth of Streptococcus mutans bacteria, it may prevent ear infection, it may help your skin, it may be antifungal, as well as prebiotic (feeds beneficial flora).

It’s worth noting here that there’s nothing really “natural” about xylitol, except that it was originally derived from the fibrous parts of plants, such as corn and birch trees. While not yet found to be anywhere near as unhealthy as high fructose corn syrup, it is still a processed sugar, as all sugars with the desired sweetness people are searching for today are. Even maple syrup and honey require mild processing before being made available for purchase.

But Xylitol is HIGHLY processed, in some cases requiring the addition of dangerous  chemicals, which must then be removed before consumption is possible.

So, as with most new things on the market with huge potential for profits, the final word on xylitol is still out. Do your own research. Generally, the more unprocessed, the better for you.

ok…i did it.  i started at the top left hand side of the herb jars…and I’ll go through one by one.  so, it was alfalfa first.  Medicago sativa is the botanical name and it is from the pea family, or Fabaceae.  It is an herb often used for its nutritive qualities…containing constiuents such as vitamin K, minerals, coumarins, steroidal saponins, and chlorophyll.  It is especially helpful for people who are convalescing or have another reason to improve the body’s assimilation of nutrients.

the smell of the dried leaves in the jar was pleasant.  kind of like what i think a meadow would smell like, even though i haven’t stood in a meadow for years.  so, i was encouraged by this…and yet still apprehensive about the tea.  i placed a handful of the dried leaves in a mason jar and covered them with hot water. i ran to the bank and ate my lunch and so after twenty minutes of all that, i strained the plant material and was ready to drink.  it smelled like the water left over after steaming spinach.  my encouragement slipped away and i was really not looking forward to this.  but i am an herbalist, right?  just drink the damn tea already, i told myself.  so…i did.  and i didn’t like it.  i know, i wanted to like it.  i did.  by the end of my second cup…that admittedly, i gulped instead of leisurely sipped…i didn’t think it was quite as bad.  but then again, i was at the end of my experiment for the day.

until next week!

melissa

so, as luck would have it.  bad and good.  i forgot about drinking tea today!  oh no.  and i also accidentally drank something other than coffee or water this morning.  so mission accomplished and here i am offering my thoughts on the beverage i drank, which is herbal, by the way.

we have a product here, one of our tea blends…rainbow roast.  i actually may have mentioned it before, i really love it.  it is a blend of roasted chicory root and roasted dandelion root.  it comes in what looks like coffee grounds (can you tell i am a coffee drinker?)  and my favorite way to make it is to get a pot, put about 3 tbsp of the roast in it and maybe a couple cups of water.  i get it going to a boil, then bring it to a simmer and forget about it.  then about a half hour later, i think…wait a minute.  i want some of that roast.  so i head on back, strain myself a cup…add some cream and sweetener…and enjoy.  yum.

when it is simmering the smell is so deep and calming.  and with today’s weather in seattle, rainy and chilly…what could be better.  so…come on in and get some roast!  i think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  especially you coffee drinkers out there, like me.

peace…

melissa

hello out there!

here i am, your rainbow herbalist…asking for forgiveness in my lack of efforts in the tea drinking endeavor.  my light of excitement burned quickly and before i knew it, was out.  i do believe i mentioned my desire to find more love for herbal teas.  it’s not that i dislike them…cause then what kind of herbalist am i, anyway?  it’s  just that i don’t typically partake in them everyday…or every week, month, season.  i have other beverages to occupy my taste buds.  i drink for pleasure, i take tinctures and capsules for medicine.

my co-worker, megan, on the other hand…she loves herbal teas.  drinks them daily. mulitple times even.  so, she has offered her inspiration to this “new hope” for me to fall in love with tea.   and couple that with a new determination i have found within myself, through bikram yoga…i just think i can bring this tea thing on.

so…stay tuned.  starting next wednesday…my tea challenge begins.  what should the first new tea be?  shall i spin around in front of the jars and pick the one my finger stops at?  or would you like to suggest your favorite?  i’d love to hear from you!

til we meet again….

melissa

Recently my partner and I spent a year and a half traveling around the country.  Most of our time was spent exploring the farms, countryside, mountains, and woods of this amazing country.  We passed through many cities, but spent minimal time there, always looking for a quiet farm, a weathered beach, a shady forest.  Now as we return to an urban life for the time being, I am struck by the overwhelming differences between urban life and living in “nature”.   Specifically, I notice a physical change in my own body.

When we stand next to a river that flows across colored stones and marbled wood we can’t help but relax a bit and drink it in with all of our senses.  When we move through the cool green air of a forest breathing, we also breathe deep and full.   And when we stand on the edge of a rocky ledge and look out across a valley that is vast and beautiful, our hearts open and expand to take in all that we can.  We feel relaxed, enriched, open.

In the urban setting, there is a very different sort of physical interaction.  We are bombarded by sensory messages that are bright, hard, loud, sharp.  We frequently close off, shut down, disconnect with our physical selves in order to navigate through the neon, concrete, metal, and pollution.  It does not come naturally to our bodies and so defense mechanisms set in.  It is important to note that city life is not all bad, of course.  We come together for community, expression, stimulation, education… but this can be exhausting and stressful on our bodies and this trade off is important to be aware of.

There are a number of ways that we can combat the negative aspects of urban life.  I believe that one of the best is to get out of it for a while.  Give your body a break from filtering and buffering.  Breathe deep, relax, take part in system that was created neither by nor for humans.  Swim in a lake, nap in a meadow, climb a mountain, stroll through a forest.  And when you can’t do that, try these common remedies to make urban living more liveable:

Adaptogens and Adrenals:  These are what they sound like, herbs that address the function of  stress response and energy output, as well as the elements in the body that deal with adapting to stressful, difficult, and/or draining situations.  There are numerous herbs in this group, and your situation is unique so explore the different elements that each herb addresses and find what suits you and your needs.

B Vitamins, and Vitamin D:  There are a number of different B vitamins that address specific concerns and deficiencies, but maintaining levels of all B vitamins is generally useful for the health of the immune and nervous system which are both negatively affected by the impact of urban environments. Vitamin D is also important for the immune system and difficult to get in areas where sunlight is low (read: Seattle).  Both of these can be beneficial for mood balancing and easing depression which are common outcomes of responding to the urban onslaught.

Flower Essence:  When the impacts we deal with manifest through emotional channels, a more energy based approach can be helpful and effective.  Flower essence seeks to remind your body of qualities and emotions that are beneficial to its nature and to break free from unhealthy patterns and habits brought on by the defensive nature of urban living.

Relaxation:  As with all natural remedies, this is different for each person.  Find what helps you relax.  Take a bath with lavender bath salts, light some sweetgrass incense and meditate,  have some herbal tea and read a book, take special moments for yourself whenever you can.

I would say if there are just two things you do to begin the process to help minimize the harm caused by our urban settings it is this:  First, pay loving attention to your body!  This can be difficult when you are also trying to shut off in order to cope, but this is the start to living a healthy life.  Only you know what you need and how you respond, so give yourself the room to react and then respond accordingly.  Second, work in whatever way you can to improve our city in way that increases its beauty, its green spaces, its sustainability, and its consciousness so that eventually urban life can be a place that nurtures our bodies and spirits as much as the natural environment does.

Be Well Seattleites, its good to be home!

In the processing of vitamins and supplements, some companies use a substance called magnesium stearate both to lubricate machinery and also as a filler in tablets and capsules. Four months ago, several companies approached me claiming they had evidence that the ingestion of magnesium stearate is deleterious to one’s health and, for that reason, their stearate-free product was superior to those containing stearates. Last month, two larger, more established companies sent memos out stating that the claims against the use of magnesium stearate were false and they listed several anti-stearate studies they found to be both “irrelevant” and “misleading”.

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Here we have one of those issues, increasingly common in the supplement industry, where finding reliable information you know you can trust is a struggle. With so called “peer reviewed” studies I want to know where the funding comes from. If the study finds stearates to be “harmless” and it is funded primarily by companies who have a vested interest in continuing the use of stearates in their products, my “possible bogus study!!” flag pops up. I can’t spend the days and weeks that would be necessary to look over each of these studies to find out exactly how they were conducted and whether or not they were truthful in their approach. Believe it or not, even in the supplement industry, profits are the bottom line. I digress…

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Magnesium stearate, according to the Material Safety Data Sheet, is:

Hazardous in case of ingestion.
Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), or inhalation.

The dust could be combustible if exposed to flame.

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There are wild variations of opinion about mag stearate. Most of the articles claiming it’s “harmless” equate it with the substance stearic acid, which you find in cocoa and coconuts, as well as other foods, and is, in fact, something perhaps beneficial to our bodies. But not everyone agrees. And magnesium stearate is not stearic acid, nor is it magnesium. It is a combined form, and the safety of either one of its components does not assure its safety. Others site studies that indicate magnesium stearate will increase the risk of arteriosclerosis and block the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

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I can’t tell you to avoid magnesium stearate, because there really isn’t enough grounded information out there about it. I also can’t NOT tell you to avoid it, because it does seem that it most certainly is toxic at a certain level. What I can say is what I’ve always believed, that it’s best to get your vitamins from food. When that’s not possible, due to your lifestyle or the quality of the food available to you, the next best thing would be “whole food based”  vitamins (several lines of which we carry here at the store), with as few unnecessary additives as possible, which apparently would include magnesium stearate.

After months of planning we are improving the layout of the store and updating many things. We’ve created a new and much wider stairway to our library, recessed our probiotics and omega oils cooler, taken away some walls and are currently installing a new floor made from bamboo. Next up we will be switching our vitamins and bodycare departments to opposite sides of the store. Everything is on schedule (and thankfully within budget!) and we expect everything to be done by mid-March. If you haven’t already - please join our email list for announcements and special offers.