Welcome to It's My Nature's online email newsletter. Our goal
is to provide you with interesting, useful information about herbs
and aromatherapy. We will share ways to relieve the stress of
daily life and bring a little natural comfort into your life and
the lives of those you love.
The Spring Equinox is just around the corner. Now is the time to celebrate the reawakening of Mother Earth. With the balance of day and night at equal lengths, our lives unfold with the promise of new beginnings. During this season of awakening, incorporate positive thoughts and actions into your life. Begin new projects, start a garden or simply spend time outdoors delighting in the blossoms of Spring. Enjoy!
Our website is continually being updated so please remember
to BOOKMARK it and visit often. http://itsmynature.net
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Monthly Tip:
Herbs work slowly, with the body and its own natural defenses.
Dosages need to be carefully controlled, as with any medicine.
You wouldn't swallow a whole bottle of antibiotics at one time
to kill a bacterial infection. Apply the same caution to herbal
medicines. It is possible to overdose!
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Herb & Essential Oil of the Month - Hops
Humulus lupulus
Hops is a perennial climbing vine that is a member of the cannabis family. The green flowers or cones as they are often called, can reach heights of 40 feet. Hops plants are either male or female. The cones of the female plant are picked in early autumn and dried. Hops will grow in most any climate as long as there is enough water and sunlight.
Hops have been around for centuries. Steeped in folklore and tradition, they have been used as an appetite stimulant and a cure for worms in children. A hop poultice was thought to ease the pain of sciatica (a painful condition in the major nerve of the hip and thigh region). Sleeping with a pillow stuffed with hops was used as a remedy for insomnia.
Hops has been widely use in the beer industry since at least the 11th century. The bitter taste that provides the flavoring for the beer, gives Hops the ability to strengthen and stimulate the digestive tract. It is soothing to the stomach and stimulates appetite.
The sedative properties of Hops make it great for moodiness, restlessness, anxiety and irritability. It is often used for insomnia and to relieve symptoms of menopause, irritable bowel syndrome and nervous stomach aches.
Medicinal Properties include antispasmodic, sedative and aromatic bitters.
Hops antispasmodic action is useful for certain types of menstrual cramps and pain. Studies have shown it also has an estrogenic effect. Can be useful during menopause.
The Asparagin in Hops has a diuretic effect that helps with water retention and excess uric acid.
Aromatherapy uses include Sleep Pillows and tea. Sleep Pillows are small sachets stuffed with Hops then tucked inside a pillow case to calm and aid in sleep. A tea made of Hops after dinner aides digestion, nervousness and calms the mind. Hops in any bath blend makes a great calming bath for night time.
Hops makes a great addition with other sleep aids and calming
herbs like Chamomile, Valerian, Passionflower or Skullcap.
Aromatherapy & Home Use for Dried Hops
Tea - 1-2 teaspoons of dried Hops. Steep 10 minutes. Great
after dinner drink to simulate digestion. Blends well with other
calming herbal teas.
Bath - Place 1/4 cup dried Hops in a small muslin bag or
large tea ball. Steep while you bathe. Great addition to any calming
bath blend.
Sachets - A sachet filled with Hops can be tucked under
a pillow to aide in sleeping disorders.
Cautions: Hops is not recommended when suffering from depression.
Hops essential oil is mildly toxic and must be used sparingly.
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Recipes
Dream Quest Herbal Bath
Mix equal parts Hops, Chamomile, Lavender and Mugwort. Make an
infusion by steeping 1/4 cup of blend in 1 quart of boiled water.
Let steep 20 mintues to several days.
Insomnia Sache
Fill a 4x6 muslin bag with Lavender and Hops. Tuck inside your
pillow case at night.
Sleep Time Tea
Combine 1/2 tea. Chamomile flowers with 1/2 teaspoon Hops. Steep
5 minutes. Drink after dinner and before bed. This tea is also
great for digestion.
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Ease The Stress
How well are you sleeping? Sleep is one of the most important
elements of our general health and well being. Getting enough
sleep is just as important as food, water and air are to our bodies,
yet we cheat ourselves of sleep more often than any other bodily
need. Depriving yourself of sleep can cause you many problems
including lowering your body's immune system which makes you more
susceptible to illness. Sleep-loss or a night of restless sleep
affects the way a person reacts to situations. It may make you
irritable and unable to perform your normal work activities. You
will definitely handle the stress of your day to day activities
a lot better if you had a good night's sleep the night before.
Researchers have done many studies about how much sleep we need and their results showed that there is not a set amount of sleep needed per person, but rather, each individual is different. So they have realized that on average, most people do well sleeping seven to eight hours at a time. How do you get a good night's sleep every night? Here are some ideas that can help:
Set a regular bedtime and wake up time and stick to it. Try not to go to bed after your designated time and try to wake every morning at the preset time. This will keep you on a schedule and can help you sleep better.
Make sure your mattress is right for your body. If you are not sure about what kind of a mattress suits you, you might try one that is adjustable like an air or water mattress, one that can be made firmer or softer.
It's best not to eat or drink a lot before going to bed. Experts advise us to have a light meal at least two hours before going to bed.
Avoid coffee and tea in the evening unless they are caffeine free. Both are stimulants and can interfere with falling asleep and prevent deep sleep.
Create a comfortable environment to sleep in. Be sure the temperature is not too hot or too cold, and that it is not noisy or too light. All these things can affect the quality of your sleep. Taking a hot shower or bath before bedtime can do wonders to help you sleep.
Exercising regularly is good too. But note that vigorous exercise too close to bedtime can hinder rather than help sleep. Try some nice relaxing yoga.
Lavender essential oil is excellent for sleep problems. Try putting a drop on a tissue and sticking it under your pillow. Or spraying your sheets and pillow cases with a light mist of lavender.
Chamomile sedates the nervous system. Drinking Chamomile Tea before bed can calm the body and the mind making sleep easier to come by.
If you can't sleep, despite your best efforts, don't just lie
there fretting about it. Get up and do something that you find
relaxing - reading, watching TV or whatever - until you feel sleepy
again, then go back to bed and try again.
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Tea of the Month - Hops Herbal Tea
This herbal tea is great for the digestive system and for
sleeping at night.
Blends well with other calming teas like Chamomile and Mugwort.
Our 12 oz. glass jar of Hop Herbal Tea is $6.50. Makes 50-60 cups.
Save $1.00 by ordering in a ziplock bag.
http://itsmynature.net/html/TeaCorner.html
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Ordering Information
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& UPS Ground.
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Copyright 2002, It's My Nature
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