I am often asked what are the most useful plants to have to hand growing around you for home remedies for kids. Chickweed or Stellaria media is one such plant.
If you have a polytunnel you may already see Chickweed up this time of year.
In Ayurveda this time of year is a Kapha aggravating time. This means that the heavy dampness of winter can affect our upper respiratory tract leaving us phlegmatic and slowing down our digestion. This is especially true for those of us that are predominantly Kapha by nature or that commonly find this dosha out of balance.
Just had to post about this wee beauty of a plant. This is the Chinese herb Codonopsis pilosula (Dang Shen in China) used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is one of the many Chinese and Asian plants we grow to process into medicine for use in clinic. We use the root of this plant which is harvested after 3-4 years growth..
My neighbour dropped in some Juniper berries he collected down by the river. What a wonderful gift and perfect timing too for making a warming cold and flu drink as the days get colder. Traditionally used as a diuretic and carminative, it is the volatile oils that act on the system.
Panic attacks are more common than you think! They can be brought on by psychological stress, general anxiety, adrenal hyperfunction, thyroid abnormalities and as a side effect of some medications. The severity of attacks and symptoms vary from person to person.
