I have had several people ask me about Azure Standard lately so here I am, sharing one of my best kept secrets with you.
Before I get started, I must let you know that this post DOES contain affiliate links. If you follow the link , create an account and purchase from Azure Standard, I may be rewarded a small commission. It does not cost you anything extra. And if you do, thanks! You can read more about the affiliate disclosure here.
Why I Shop at Azure Standard
My purpose is cultivating life simple wholesome & favored. For me, that means fewer trips to the store, buying in bulk, cooking & baking from scratch, buying nutrient dense foods, whole foods and packaged foods with as few ingredients as much as possible. And if I can get organic, USA grown foods at an affordable price, that’s a big plus.
Buying from Azure Standard is checking off all those boxes. It has become a convenient way to fill my pantry with bulk items for short-term, long-term storage as well as month to month items. Buying in bulk and storing for the future is giving me food security, something I DID NOT have in March of 2020.
With over 12000 items, many of which are organic or made using wholesome ingredients, I am able to work toward my goal. Azures Standard’s Product Standards assures me that I am getting clean, nutrient dense, wholesome foods.
When I purchase from Azure, I am supporting a family and business that was founded on core principles and values that I align my myself with.
What is Azure Standard?
Azure Standard is a co-op food buying company, founded in 1987 by David Stelzer. He was looking for a way to bring healthier food options to his table after the soil on his 2000-acre wheat farm and cattle ranch became victim to the chemical storm caused by overuse of pesticides and herbicides. David and his family stopped the use of pesticides and herbicides to start organic gardening.
With perseverance and commitment, David worked hard to nurture the soil back to health and fertility. The land, in turn, provided nutrient dense foods that were nourishing and healing for his family. Soon, he shared from the abundance of his crops with his community. The community wanted more products, so David set out to find them. He searched to bring the people in his community high quality, natural products from other companies.
Today, the company supplies retailers, mom and pop shops, health food stores and families by shipping directly to their place of business, home or through a local drop. One of the missions of the company was to bring like-minded people together in community. The drops do just that.
Full-sized, refrigerated 18 wheelers make trips across the nation from rural Oregon and deliver food each month. If you choose, you can have your food items delivered to your door or you can join a local drop that is coordinated by a generous person willing to bring community together.
David’s organic farming has continued to grow through the years. The farm produces ancient grains, beans, fruit, fresh produce and seeds. They also process their crops, milling fresh flours for delicious bread making.
Not only is Azure Standard bringing thousands of high-quality products from great companies to our pantries and kitchens, but they are also supplying us with high quality, nutrient dense homegrown foods as well.
And did I mention it’s AFFORDABLE!
Azure standard offers items in bulk. The savings in buying in bulk are helpful when building up pantry provisions for food security.
How Does Azure Standard Operate?
Now that you know a little about this awesome company. let me tell you how easy it is to invest in simple, wholesome & favored food for you and your family.
There are two ways to shop with Azure standard. First is standard shipping. After becoming a member, free of course, you place your order and it’s shipped to your house with normal shipping charges. Standard shipping may be limited for your area.
Second. After becoming a member, you can join a local, or not so local, “drop.” A drop is a central location along a truck route. Each drop has a coordinator that oversees the drop to make sure all orders are fulfilled. Some locations have several drops close together, depending on the route. Other, more rural places may be limited to drop locations. I live in rural Alabama. I have three locations to choose from within a 60-mile radius. I drive an hour one way to meet up with a community of like-minded people to pick up my haul each month. It’s been great to meet new people, but one drawback may be the schedule. The drop off times are varied and may interfere with work schedules. Getting a friend or family member on board to share in picking up hauls can help with this.
Yes, each month. Azure orders are completed and shipped out once a month. This has been helpful for me in planning for monthly and short-term storage and budgeting.
Met a community of like-minded people at your drop.
OR you can choose to have your food delivered right to your door. (limited area)
Two Extra Reasons to Shop With Azure
Azure Cash
When you purchase products from Azure, you are rewarded with Azure credit. You can earn anywhere from 1%- 10% and more from the products you purchase, depending on the reward category your items are in. Your rewards can be used just like money on your order.
Azure Share
People have been talking about Azure Standard for more that 30 years. As a way to say “thank-you,” to their loyal customers for sharing the word, Azure Standard has an awesome reward program called Azure Share.
Azure Share is super easy, fun and rewarding. When you create an account with Azure, you automatically get our own “share” code and personalized link to share with your friends and family.
You will automatically get a $25. credit on your Azure account after they spend $100 with Azure.
You can refer as many people as you want and there is no limit to the credit you get!
They offer variations of the Azure Share Program for bloggers/affiliates and non-profit organizations.
Let’s Try it Out
Now that you are ready to try Azure Standard, AND you would like for Me to be rewarded for sharing Azure with you, click the link below to use my personalized invite code. My personalized invite code is KimHayes4
Stay tuned to see what I am buying each month and how I am creating my pantry simple, wholesome & favored here at Rose de Marie. You can sign up for my Newsletter, follow me on IG and Facebook. Look for the sign up form at the bottom of the page.
Do you already buy from Azure Standard? I would love for you to share what you buy.
Are you creating an awesome pantry? Please share what you are doing.
Hey there friends… It’s TRUE! Drinking herbal tea EVERY DAY cultivates a shift in wellness.
I know.
It sounds too good to be true that something as simple as a cup of herbal tea can cultivate a shift in wellness, but it’s true! Whether you are sipping on a cup of your favorite herbal tea for pleasure or for wellness support, shift happens.
Are you interested in hearing about the “shift” that can happen? Come on and sip for a while and see how drinking herbal tea every day can cultivate a shift in wellness.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the full
Do you have a favorite beverage you love to have every day?
I see people drinking a hot cup of coffee, cold soft drinks, nutrition drinks, or energy drinks every day. Not me, I sit and drink my old-fashioned traditional hydration drink. WATER.
Yep, plain old water. AND, I have to admit, it can be BORING. Sometimes I am just plain ole sick of it. I have tried lemon water… I get tired of that too. COFFEE? I am too sensitive to caffeine for a daily drink, (jacks up my adrenals) so that’s out. Although I DO like a cold brew coffee on ice. Cold coffee and frappuccinos are saved for special treats. But around here, things are changing! So what’s a girl to turn to? HERBAL TEA! My current herbal instructors, Katja and Ryn from the CommonWealth Center For Holistic Herbalism are firm believers that the best way to cultivate a shift in wellness is by drinking herbal tea EVERYDAY.
Since my water is so boring, I decided to make the switch to herbal tea.
Not only has it helped me in growing a relationship with the plants, it’s also creating a shift in my mindset and wellness. After drinking herbal tea for a few months, I have discovered that adding fresh ginger to my plain ole boring water adds zip and a zing while getting things moving. The tart taste of hibiscus always gets me up on my toes. Tulsi calms while energizing. The sweet taste of Chamomile is calming and relaxing after a long day. Rose, well, rose is like a hug in a mug.
I could go on and on and I intend to but that’s for another day and another post. 🙂 Infusing herbs into water not only adds a zip, zing, taste, or a hug in my mug but also adds amazing health and wellness benefits that can create the shift I mentioned earlier. So let’s discover!
Drinking Herbal Tea Every: Stop and Smell Your Roses
Do you remember the ole saying, “Take time to stop and smell the roses?”
According to The Free Dictionary,
Stop and smell the roses means taking time to enjoy the finer or more enjoyable aspects of life, especially when one has become overworked or overly stressed. -unknown
How would you define the “finer, more enjoyable” aspects of life? Some might consider a night out for a gourmet dinner with wine as a finer moment. Others might view it as a movie night or a vacation. For me, the more enjoyable aspects of life are my faith, relationships with friends and family, spending time in nature, and my health and wellness.
Do you take time to stop and smell your roses, whatever they may be?
Let’s face it, friends! We are busy people. Our days are long and our downtime is non-existent. We are tired, wired, overwhelmed, and exhausted more times than we wish. Sadly, our busy lives have caused a shift in our priorities, making it difficult to STOP and smell OUR roses. Our health and wellness have suffered because of this.
Drinking herbal tea can help us slow down and smell our roses.
And this my friend, will definitely create a shift in your wellness.
Drinking Herbal Tea Everyday: Pausing, Reflection, Gratitude, and Celebration
Friends, it’s okay to slow down. The greatest gift you can give yourself is the gift of time. Take time to pause, reflect, show gratitude, and celebrate. This alone can create a shift in your wellness. Taking the time to make herbal tea for yourself can help.
Making an herbal tea for pleasure in the morning, after dinner, or before bedtime is carving out little spaces of time that you can take ownership of. Using that time for prayer, meditation, bible study, journaling, and setting goals is a perfect way to reconnect, reset and align. This can cause a shift in our perspective, our mental, emotional and spiritual health as well as a shift in our overall wellness.
Drinking Herbal Tea Every Day Can Help In Reconnecting With Nature
It starts with the senses. To really unwind and go to that space that you have carved out for yourself, our senses must be invoked to take us there. Seeing, touching, and smelling the herbs is part of the process of wellness support. It’s kind of like that feeling you get when you walk into Starbucks and smell coffee brewing. or smelling fresh-baked pumpkin pie during the Thanksgiving holidays. The aromas can take you back to special times and feelings of safety and comfort. It’s the same with herbs.
We are closely connected to the plant kingdom and we NEED plants in our life every day. We have been gifted the supportive and healing powers of plants for both food and medicine since the beginning of time. Herbal tea can help to reestablish and/or strengthen that connection.
Drinking Herbal Tea Every Day for Wellness
Drinking Herbal Tea for Nutritive Support
We rely on food to provide nourishment to our bodies. Yet, many of the foods we turn to are over-processed and void of any energy and fewer nutrients. Companies are adding vitamins or minerals to them to make them healthier but are they? Nutritive herbs can help fill in the gaps by adding vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytochemicals your body needs to be at its best.
Drinking Herbal Tea for Support During Stressful Times
Our fearfully and wonderfully made body is designed to react to our environment for our own protection. However, getting stuck in the stress response can be damaging to our overall emotional, mental and physical health. Herbs can help break the cycle of fight or flight by helping us adapt to stress while improving energy levels. I don’t know about you but I am always looking for support in this area.
Frazzled at the end of the day? Herbs can offer support to the nervous system by offering up their calming and relaxing qualities. This can lead to improved sleep which can cause an improved shift in our mood and wellness.
Drinking Herbal Tea to Support Specific Body Systems and Imbalances
Herbal teas can also offer support for specific tissues, organs, and complete body systems. They can support the body during seasonal onsets such as allergy, cold, and flu. They can calm and soothe tummy troubles, dull aches and pains, as well as shift wellness towards balance when combined with other lifestyle changes. Herbal teas can be consumed to support and build our immune system, digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory and cardiovascular system as well as the reproductive system. They provide nourishment and support for our skin and connective tissue too! This is not the entire list, there is much more our herbal friends can do for us.
Drinking Herbal Tea: From Pleasure to Support
How can a cup of tea for pleasure differ from a cup of tea for support? In general, it’s the amount of plant matter and the steeping method/time used as well as the amount consumed.
Herbal teas that are consumed for pleasure or a simple beverage usually call for up to a tablespoon of plant matter per 8 ounces of water, depending on the herb, and are steeped for 3-10 minutes. Although this may seem like a “weaker” tea, it still offers up an abundance of support. (Remember, stopping to smell the roses, connecting with nature and pausing for reflection?) Herbal teas consumed for pleasure are generally safe in most cases but it is wise to consult with your healthcare provider before consuming herbs.
Herbal teas that are consumed for long-range wellness support usually call for the use of 1 ounce of dried herb per quart of water. Again, this depends on the specific herb being used. Some herbs require less. The general recommendation from most herbalists is to drink 3-4 cups of an herbal infusion over an extended period of time for best results.
Herbal teas consumed to support specific tissues, organs, systems or imbalances are going to require more plant matter and longer infusion times to allow for more plant constituents to be extracted. This tea may also be consumed over the course of the day rather than once a day. This will assure efficacy.
Before consuming long infusions to support or correct imbalances, it may be wise to consider working with a trained herbalist who can individualize your herbal formula just for you. Just like us, plants have energy. For herbs to be used successfully, its necessary to choose the right herb based on your body constitution, your tissue state and the imbalance being targeted. I will be sharing a whole lot more about this in future posts. 🙂
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Wrapping it Up
Let’s recap how drinking herbal tea can cultivate a shift in your wellness.
Drinking herbal tea everyday allows you to slow down and “smell your roses.”
Drinking herbal tea everyday gives you permission to pause, reflect, show gratitude and celebrate.
Drinking herbal tea everyday helps you reconnect with nature.
Drinking herbal tea everyday supports wellness.
Making and drinking herbal tea is a gift you can give yourself. It’s simple, economical, and effective. But the most empowering aspect is that YOU are taking one more step in owning and reclaiming your wellness. When you invest time in your wellness, the shift will happen.
Imagine taking back control of your health and wellness. Yes, you can do that, and drinking herbal tea can be one tool in your toolbox that offers empowerment and confidence to support your wellness. Join me and let’s make shift happen.
YOU can do this!
Do you drink herbal tea? Drop a comment below and tell me your favorite tea or tea blend.
Are you ready to make the shift? Mountain Rose Herbs has a variety of ready made tea blends as well as single herbs. Click the banner below and start your journey. (this is an affiliate link) 🙂
Medical Disclaimer
Although you can’t get more natural than drinking tea, even natural can come with a warning. So, you should always discuss drinking any herbal tea with your healthcare provider. Especially if are pregnant, are trying to get pregnant, breastfeeding, have known plant allergies, or on prescription medications.
AND…..
This article is for information only. It is not meant to take the place of medical care/advice. You can read more on the disclaimer page.
Statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to be taken as medical advice to diagnose, treat, cure, and/or prevent illness or disease.
RESOURCES and INSPIRATION
Groves, M. (2006). Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care. Storey Publishing
Hoffmann, D. (2003). The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
Swift & Midura. K.(2018). Herbal Medicine for Beginners. Lucia Publishing
If you know me, you know I am passionate about natural living and holistic wellness. I have been reading self-help and informational text my entire life. It started in my early 20’s with the First For Women Magazine. I developed a thirst for knowledge on the topics of holistic health and wellness, clean beauty, whole nutrition, and natural living. Since then, I have continued my education through many different types of media.
After reading multiple books and blog posts on these topics, I made the plunge and started formal learning. Growing in herbalism is truly a journey. You will NEVER know everything by simply reading a few blog posts, books, taking just one class, or completing a program. Growing in herbalism involves true immersion, getting to know the plants on a personal level, and understanding what gifts they have to offer.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I may be compensated at no expense to you. Please read the full affiliate disclosure here.
What is Herbalism?
Herbalism is of the heart and cultivated over a lifespan. It’s embracing the truth that we are one with the plants and the Earth. We have a symbiotic relationship with all living things, especially plants. Some of the same awesome properties that sustain our green world, also sustains us. For as God created the Heavens and Earth, He also created us, from the dust of Earth.
The Lord God formed the man of dust form the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
By believing in this truth, it only seems natural to embrace the wonderful home we call Earth and take up all the offerings He has provided for us. I have discovered some truly amazing constituents, properties, and actions that plants have and how they can support our fearfully and wonderfully made body in maintaining balance and wellness.
“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”
I will continue on this journey for all my my days to follow. For one who thirsts for knowledge never stops learning. There is still so much God has to offer and it excites me that God is rooted in my herbal journey.
The Gift of Knowledge- to Share With You
As an aspiring Christian herbalist focusing on holistic Health and Wellness, I am also being called to share my knowledge with you, your families and the community. God has gifted me with the ability to teach, lead guide and direct. I have embraced that gift for the last 33 years as a teacher in a the public school system. Now, I am extending that gift out to YOU and my community. This is something that I have been dreaming about for quite some time. I have plans to do just that!
This year, in 2021, I am welcoming you into my life, home and on my farmstead to share a cup of herbal tea, take you on plant walks, make herbal preparations and share amazing information about holistic health and wellness. Through this invitation, I hope to encourage you to life a simple, wholesome & favored lifestyle as God intended. 🙂
I am so excited to have you along with me on my journey!
Stay tuned for exciting things to come!!!!! <3
Are you interested in learning about holistic herbalism? Do you already use herbs in your daily life to support your wellness? If so, I would love to hear about it. Leave a comment below and let’s chat a bit.
Choosing my word of the year is more important to me this year than any other year. As I have aged, I have become a bit scattered. Can you relate? I realize that I have reached a time in my life where more direction and guidance is not only important but necessary. Choosing a word over a resolution will act as a guidepost leading, guiding, and directing me to fulfill my purpose while staying focused and grounded.
Why am I picking a word while most are making resolutions?
Resolutions have always failed me. Or maybe I failed. They were never based on reflection, goal setting, or with an end in mind. They usually were centered around “self,” at the present, without a goal or plan, and attempted at the WRONG time. Weight loss, better eating habits, more movement, and completing courses or projects were almost always the topic of my resolutions. I always failed at keeping any resolution that involved a commitment. WHY?
Wrong Season- Wrong Reason
Winter is not the season for change and is the worst time for establishing new habits. Winter is for reflection, goal setting, planning, and dreaming. Spring is a time for new growth and the cultivation of things to come. So, using this time to do some soul-searching will result in a more heartfelt goal. Choosing a word or words will serve as a guidepost to keep me on track.
You know, that wheel that keeps going around and around in a circle: IN MY MIND. That’s how my mind usually is. I have so many ideas floating in my mind. To say I get distracted is an understatement. My dad often tells me I wake up in a new world every day.
This isn’t a bad thing. I mean, I have some really great ideas. I have interests, hobbies, and a passion to live a simple, wholesome, and favored life while sharing with you!
Failure happens because I am not beginning with the end in mind. Reflecting back over the year will help me discover my WHY, help me set some SMART goals, and get to work.
THIS will give me focus and keep me grounded so I can stay true to myself and my purpose.
Reflections in a Year Past
As I look back on the past year, the main thing that comes to mind is that we survived the year of a pandemic.
COVID 19
It came with a vengeance. It took me by surprise and caught me completely off guard.
Wake Up Call- Why I Need a Word of the Year After COVID19
Where has the time gone? I have been so busy the past few years juggling being a wife, mom, and daughter to my aging parents, friend, and teacher. While I was busy running around being all things to all people, I was also getting older,less productive, and less resilient. I was also very much UNPREPARED!
Unprepared at Home
I was unprepared when our state and community went into lockdown. My freezer and pantry were empty. For the last six years, fast food was often our “staple.” Running to ballgames after work and getting home late left no time for meal planning much less cooking. I got in the habit of asking the family what they wanted for supper each day. Meals were often planned on the fly and ingredients were bought the day of. I am not usually stocked up on staples. If I am stocked up, it’s usually random things that can not even make a potluck much less a full well-rounded meal.
At the beginning of COVID-19, trips to the grocery store were only out of necessity and I truly didn’t know how to buy. Shelves were bare each week. Dried beans, flour, and toilet paper were sparse.
Being unprepared at home and feeling overwhelmed by the unknown surrounding our new “norm” added a whole new layer of stress. Fear-mongering and the feeling of helplessness surrounding friends and family who were sick or losing loved ones also added to the stress and overwhelm. Watching my dear mother undergo major surgery with risks for her age was definitely a stressful time. While I was running around being all things to all people, I was also becoming less resilient.
My Stressor Bucket Runneth Over
Like a house of cards in a gentle breeze, our health and wellness can also be shaken. Stress, fear, feelings of helplessness, and suppression of emotions can shake the foundation causing the stressor bucket to run over.
Stress, the silent killer, was the powerful entity that had taken up residence in my body. The sympathetic nervous system was at the helm of the ship and fight or flight mode was in full throttle. I had feelings of anxiousness, heart palpitations, rapid & irregular heart rhythm, and insomnia. I felt like I was being chased by a tiger. This was my new norm. THIS WAS NO PICNIC.
This was my wake-up call! I need to be more.
Standing on a Firm Foundation
Health and wellness may seem like they are stacked on a house of cards sometimes. One foundation that will remain strong and stable is our foundation in Christ. Through prayer and time spent with God, my house of cards(faith) shifted, and I was reminded of my firm foundation, regained my focus and re-grounded.
Last week, I was reminded through the words of a song, that God is for me. He will bless me and keep me. His face will shine upon me and be gracious to me. He will give me peace. His presence goes before me, behind me, and beside me. He is all around me and within me. His favor will be upon me. He will strengthen me and keep me……..
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
Choosing My Word of the Year: Going Forward
This year, I want to be more than busy.
I want to be:
more productive
better prepared
healthy and well
more resilient
a better steward
As I think about my word, I am going to ask myself a few questions. After reflection, I will come up with a word that will be my guidepost for the year.
Maybe it will be one word, two words, or a whole statement. It may be a word of the year, a word of the month, or a word of the day. It CAN change at any time to help me reach my goals and fulfill my purpose.
Questions to Ponder
What is my #1 priority?
How “well” am I, physically, emotionally, and spiritually?
Where do I see myself this time next year?
What are my gifts or talents?
How can use those gifts and talents to minister to others?
What am I passionate about?
What is something I would change about last year?
So, I have two months to do some reflection and soul-searching for a word, words, or phrases to help me prioritize 2021. I already have a couple of life-changing ideas to journal about. But that’s for another blog post. Until then…..
Do you have your word of the year yet? I would love to hear about it and why you chose that word. Drop me a note in the comments.
I have a soft spot for this popular and often misunderstood weedy plant and it hurts my heart to see it listed on the bags of herbicides as one of the targeted weeds for eradication. Today’s Spotlight on Herbs isPlantago ssp, known as plantain.
If you have ever taken a stroll through a park, national forest, or stepped right outside your door, you have seen this wild and weedy plant. It stands cheerfully, waving its modest little seed heads, beckoning you to come close and embrace its precious gift.
Plantain is one of the first wild and weedy plants I learned to identify and use as an herbalist. Because of its rich history and many medicinal uses, I have become very fond of it and look for it everywhere I go, especially if I am in the woods where there is a risk for bug bites, scratches, and scrapes. In a pinch, I can make a poultice to calm the meanest of honeybee stings here on the farmstead.
Plantain can be used to soothe a rash, calm a sunburn, and offer support for bee stings and insect bites. It soothes and supports mucus membranes of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tract as well. Come along on an adventure of embracing plantain and receiving its gifts of support.
What Is Plantain?
Plantain is a perennial weedy plant in the plantaginaceae family. There are more than 250 species of Plantago growing in all parts of the world that are said to be safe for external and internal use. The two most common species widely used in herbal remedies is Plantago major and Plantago lanceolate. This article will focus on these two species and will be referred to as plantain because they are broadly naturalized across North America.
GROWING HABITAT: wildly naturalized across the globe, grows in lawns, parks, forests, open meadows, along paths, in cracks of sidewalks, IN disturbed soil
DESCRIPTION
Plantago major, Broadleaf Plantain
Plantago major
Plantago major, broadleaf plantain, has broad leaves that are arranged in a rosette pattern. The leaves are ovate in shape and can be 4-10 inches in length. The leaves have 5-11 ribbed veins that run the length of the leaf. The flower stalks are as long as the leaves, growing upward with tiny, purplish-green flowers at the end. The seeds are sticky and considered hitchhikers, being easily scattered by people and animals.
Plantago lanceolata
Plantago lanceolata, Ribwort, has green, long slender leaves that are pointed on the end They are about an inch in width and can grow to be 10-12 inches long. The leaves have 3-5 ribbed veins that run the length of the leaf. From the center of the plant, 3-5 flower stalks reach upward, sometimes reaching 10-12 inches from the base.
At the tip, the seed head looks like a spike with tiny flower petals. Plantago lanceolata grows taller than Plantago major. Interestingly, plantain will flourish and thrive in grassy fields and meadows. However, when growing along roadways or paths, it is often smaller, shorter, and closer to the ground.
Plantain was well known to some of the greatest ancient Greek and Roman physicians. Dating back as early as 40 B.C-90 B.C. Pedanius Dioscorides, a doctor with the Roman Army, referenced the use of Plantain as being effective for soothing, cooling, and softening the skin. Alexander the Great used Plantain for headache relief in 356 B.C.-323 B.C. Plantain was listed as one of the nine sacred herbs by the Anglo Saxons from 450 A.D. to 1066 A.D. The Anglo Saxons used plantain to expelling internal parasites, support kidney disorders and relieve discomfort from hemorrhoids.
When early Christians would see plantain growing on well-traveled paths, they saw it as a symbol of Christ’s followers because it grows everywhere. The British Museum has a collection of 114 recipes handwritten by King Henry VIII (1491-1547). It is also mentioned in several plays written by William Shakespeare, including “Romeo and Juliet.” In 1652, Nicholas Culpeper listed plantain as a popular and familiar plant in Culpepper’s Herbal, one of the most popular herbals written in English.
This groweth so familiarly in meadows and fields, and by pathways, and is so well known that it needeth no description.
-Nicholas Culpeper
The German Commission E. has shown that plantain is effective for healing wounds, soothing inflammation in mucous membranes, and supporting skin conditions.
The Origin of Plantain
Plantain has grown for ages across Europe and Asia as a native plant offering food and medicine to many, especially travelers. Plantain was a treasured plant by the Early Settlers of America and was one of many plants that made the voyage to new lands.
Native Americans gave plantain the common name of English Man’s Foot or Whiteman’s Foot because it seemed to sprout and grow at the heals of the early settlers as they traveled across the new land, naturalizing and growing everywhere.
Wild-Crafting Plantain
Plantain has naturalized across North America, Austalia, Europe, and Northern and Central Asia. It can be found growing in yards, local parks, national forests, along the side of the road, and on trails and paths. It is a tenacious weedy plant that can grow in the cracks of sidewalks, hollow spots of trees, and any other place a little soil can accumulate. Plantago major prefers moist soil and partial shade. Plantago lanceolate grows in sunny dry soil. It will grow freely where the land has been trodded and self-seeds to spread throughout an area. Both species are easily started from seed when cultivated in a kitchen or herb garden.
Because plantain has naturalized and grows in abundance, it is easily wild-crafted. It is best to wild-craft from areas that are known to be free of pesticides, animal, and human foot traffic. Do not harvest along the sides of roads. When harvesting in fields, especially in shady areas, be on the lookout for poison oak and or ivy. The plants usually grow near each other.
Plantain is considered a nutritive plant, containing protein, starches, and vitamins. It is edible and harvested in early spring. Fresh tender leaves can be added to salads or lightly sauteed. Older leaves can also be eaten. However, they may be tough and stringy. The seeds are mucilaginous and high in fiber and can be eaten raw or cooked. Another species, Plantago psyllium, is used as a fiber supplement in the popular OTC preparation known as Metamucil. The seeds husks are used.
When using plantain for support during any healing time, the leaves should be harvested in the spring and early summer before the flowers are in full bloom. Although this is the ideal time, plantain can be harvested and used anytime when faced with nasty insect bites, spider bites, bee stings, snake bites, cuts, scrapes, burns, and other conditions the skin.
Uses of Plantain
Topical Uses
Plantain is commonly known to be supportive of the skin. Because the energetics of plantain is cooling, it is used when there is a hot condition/heat. Think, burns, cuts, rashes, insect bites and bee stings. These conditions present themselves with heat, redness, burning, itchiness, and inflammation. A fresh plantain poultice can be applied directly to the area for soothing support. One of the most popular ways to make a poultice when plantain is needed is to pop a few leaves in your mouth, chew them up to make a spit poultice and apply to the affected area. Next, take another leaf and use it as a band-aid, wrapping and/or covering the area. You will want to get the poultice on the area as soon as possible. The poultice can be changed every 20-30 minutes until there is relief. This is one reason why my eyes are always scoping out the landscape where ever I am. Having plantain in or near the apiary can be very beneficial!
Speaking of the apiary, plantain is also known to be drawing. It has the ability to pull bee stingers and splinters from the skin. A poultice can be mixed with a little clay and applied on the stinger or splinter. It can be left overnight. A plantain clay can also be made by making a strong infusion (tea) and mixing with clay such as bentonite, forming a thick paste. Apply the paste to the affected area two to three times a day. You could also use this to draw a pimple to a head or draw the poison out of an insect or spider bite.
For topical uses, plantain can be used as a spit poultice, salve, liniment, or infused oil.
Internal Uses
For internal uses, plantain has an affinity for the mucosal membranes of the respiratory and digestive systems as well as the urinary tract. Because plantain has both astringent and demulcent actions at the same time, it can be used to tonify as well as soothe, cool, soften, and moisten tissues. It offers soothing support for the respiratory systems when there is a dry hacking cough. Not only does it have the energetics to cool, but the moistening ability soothes a dry cough as well. Plantain can be used to support hot conditions of the digestive system such as leaky gut syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and acid reflux. Plantain can offer support to the liver and gallbladder as well as provide vitamins and minerals. Plantain is a soothing and moistening demulcent for the urinary tract when there is heat, inflammation, dryness, and bleeding.
For internal uses, plantain is best used as a long infusion otherwise known as a tea. One ounce (30 grams) of dried plant material can be steeped in a quart of water that has just been brought to a boil. Pour the water over the loose/dried herbs and let steep. A long infusion can steep for 4 to 8 hours. Long infusions will offer the nutritive benefits of this weedy plant as well as supporting the mucous membranes. Tinctures can also be used.
Cautions and Contraindications
Plantain is generally known to be a safe and effective plant to use although some have had allergic reactions to the seeds. (psyllium husks) which are from Plantago psyllium.
When using plantain for internal support, it is important to understand and stay within the lane of the energetic properties of the plant as well as the constitutional pattern of the person using it and it may be best to consult with your community herbalist for ongoing support. Conditions that call for the support of plantain internally may take weeks or months to respond. Reflection and reassessment with an herbalist can be helpful in reaching the expected results.
SUMMARY
As you can see, plantain is much more than the weedy plant that grows in the cracks of your sidewalk, along the edges of your garden or in the middle of the path to the barn. This hardy and weedy plant has so much support to offer for hot and dry conditions. It’s cooling and moistening energetics can be super supportive. It is cheerful on the hottest of days, waving and gracefully swaying in the breeze. It is easy to identify, can be found almost ANYWHERE and one of the safest weedy plants to use. It is loved by kids and adults alike. It s a perfect plant to have in your home apothecary.
SOURCES
www.botanical.com
www.herbrally.com
www.herbalremediesadvice.org
www.herbmentor.learningherbs.com
www.henriettes-herb.com
www.herbal-supplement-resource.com
www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
DISCLAIMER
This website is for educational purposes only. This includes any posts, videos, and/or newsletters. I strongly encourage you to become your own researcher before using herbs and/or essential oils for wellness. The information shared is collected through research to empower you and encourage you to learn through your own research. Information shared is not to be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your health care provider as needed. Statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to be taken as medical advice to diagnose, treat, cure and/or prevent illness or disease.
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