Weekly Wellness Letter

[suzanne sanders]

Catnip:  

Catnip has long been used medicinally as a tea, juice, tincture, infusion and poultice. Catnip tea is used for headaches, stomachaches, colic and sleeplessness in children. It has also been used to treat cancer, insanity, nervousness, nightmare, scurvy and tuberculosis, while a root extract served as a mild stimulant. Drinking two cups of catnip tea a day could significantly reduce the likelihood of developing cataracts. Catnip has been employed orally to treat colic, diarrhea, flatulence, hiccups, whooping cough, the common cold, measles and chicken pox (reduces the eruptions), asthma, yellow fever, scarlet fever, smallpox, jaundice and to induce parturition and encourage menstruation. Poultices were used for hives, sore breasts of nursing mothers and to reduce swelling. A poultice of catnip and other herbs was employed to treat aching teeth in the Ozark Mountains. A tincture makes a good friction rub for rheumatic and arthritic joints and, as an ointment, to treats hemorrhoids. Catnip was sometimes smoked to relieve respiratory ailments. The fresh leaves can also be chewed for headache and as a remedy for toothache. It is an old home remedy for colds, nervous tension, fevers and nightmare. It is diaphoretic and antispasmodic. Fresh catnip leaves are preferred for infusion or tincture. 
The Chinese consider it bitter, cold and spicy. They use it to harmonize the liver, nerves and lungs, and in the case of nervous tension due to too much emotional upheaval. For overexcited children, they recommend a mixture, in equal parts , of catnip, chamomile and lemon balm tea. 

How to make a tincture: http://mountainroseblog.com/guide-tinctures-extracts/

Mosquito Bug Spray:  Catnip 

http://www.freshpickedbeauty.com/2012/05/natural-mosquito-repellent...

Cat's Ear, also known as False Dandelion:  

How to make Cat's Ear Lemonade

4 cup mason jar

2 or 3 organic lemon wedges

1 organic orange wedge

Filtered or spring water

1 Tablespoon honey

Small bag of Mountain Mama Cat's Ear 

Fill jar with lemon wedges, orange wedge, honey and Cat's Ear.  Fill it up with water, seal and chill for about 4 hours.  Strain and enjoy 

If  you have Cat's Ear growing around you and would like to make a bigger batch, here is the recipe.  Remember, never pick from sprayed areas! 

Side Note:  My daughter Sophia said try adding pinch of cayenne and fresh grated ginger. 

http://www.learningherbs.com/dandelion_recipe.html

Pictured Cat's Ear: 

Cat's Ear Lemonade

Play Time Tea Time

Try making up your own tea recipe with the herbs you received:  1 cup fresh herb to 2 - 4 cups water

Example:  Nettle, St. Johns Wort, Mint and lemon balm

Sleepy Time Tea Bag: All Dried Herbs

Lemon Balm, hisbiscus flower, passion flower, st. johns wort, hops, valerian rt. lavender and damania

1 - 2 Tablespoons

 2 cups of  filtered or spring water. 

Bring water to boil, add herbs, steep 5 minutes

St. Johns Wort:  http://www.herbs-hands-healing.co.uk/singleherbs/stjohnswort.html

How To Make Herbal Infused Oil:  

http://whisperingearth.co.uk/2010/04/26/potions-group-making-herb-i...

 

Cabbage Lasagna

Made from cabbage, cream cheese and organic lasagna  rice pasta.  

9 x 13 Glass Pyrex pan

Oven:  350

3 cups onions diced fine

4 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp. caraway seeds

2 tsp dill weed ( more if using fresh dill)

1 tsp each sea salt and pepper

8 cups cabbage, shredded or sliced finely

1 cup organic cream cheese

1/2 cup organic swiss cheese, grated

1 cup raw cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup raw cheddar cheese grated (for the top of the lasagna)

2 organic eggs

1 pkg plus lasagna  organic rice pasta ( you could use regular organic wheat lasagna)

Saute the onion, garlic, caraway, dill, salt, pepper and cabbage in olive oil until soft. Remove from heat.  

In large bowl, mix cabbage saute cheeses and eggs. 

Assemble like you would  a regular lasagna.  

A layer of pasta, with a layer of mixed ingredients, repeat until at the top of the pan.    Top with some extra raw cheddar.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. 

Beet Greens Smoothie:

 http://whisperingearth.co.uk/2010/04/26/potions-group-making-herb-i...

Side Note:  If  you want to make the smoothie with the Papaya, then make sure it is absolutely organic.  A lot of papaya's are GMO.  Hawaii, was one of the the first places to grow GMO papayas.   Only eat organic papaya's! 

GMO Food is toxic and WILL give cancer.