Privet ( ligustrum lucidum)

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Privet • Tagged #yyjgardening, Aging, Backyard Medicine, Bladder Infections, Cancer, Diarrhea, Healing Gardens, Healing Lifestyles, Healing Plants, Menopause, Natural Medicine, Plant Medicinal's, Privet, Sore Throat, STD's, Therapeutic Plants, Throat Cancer, ulcers, Vaginal Irritation

by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP:

tea kettle Dye Mortar

2017-08-30 14.40.02

Also known as:

Uses: Medicinal Remedies, Dye, Tea

Parts Used: Berries, Flowers, Leaves, Bark

Preparation: Tea, Vinegar, Oil, Tincture, Infusion, Flower Essence

Symbolizes: Healing old wounds, letting go of blocks
Language of Flowers meaning: Mildness, Prohibitive
Associated with: Sacral Chakra
Element: Water
Governed by: Moon

Part of the olive family (Oleaceae)

I planted what I thought was a small shrub five years ago that was gifted to us. With no identifying information to go along with I was surprised after two years when it began stretching, spreading and growing taller. It is now 10 feet high and getting wider. According to different sources of information could grow from 15 to 30 feet high. The is the evergreen that many topiary cuttings are created with and it is popular for use in Bonsai. It flowered for the first time two years ago and this year there are many fruits developing as we enter into fall. The flowers are a nice fragrance to begin with but slowly they become less attractive over the days as the blooms diminish. This year this Privet is gifting us with an abundance of fruit that are forming from the spent flowers. When the fruits are ripe in the fall, these are the main part of this plant used in Traditional Chinese and Herbal Remedies. The leaves, flowers and bark can also used. You will find the dried berries ground up in many medicinal and beauty products!

Nutrients & Qualities:

Privet has applications as a diuretic, astringent, antiseptic, immuno-stimulant, anti-cholestrolemic and it has anti-cancer properties. It is known to invigorate the immune system.

Constituents:
- quercetin glycosides; flavonol glycosides, secoiridoids (oleuropein, ligustaloside A, ligustaloside B, and ligstroside)
- kaempferol glycosides
- polyphenols
- oleanolic
- palmitic
- linoleic
- ursolic acids
- mannitol
- glucose
- starch
- bitter resin
- bitter extractive
- albumen
- salts
- ligustrin

Therapeutic Uses:

Flowers:
- Headaches
- Vaginal Irritations
- Menstrual Problems

Leaves:
- Diarrhea
- Bladder disorders
- Stomach ulcers
- Indigestion
- Increase appetite
- Sore throat & eyes
- Ulcers
- Swellings
- Mumps
- Chapped lips
- Throat cancer
Leaves & bark:
- Headaches
- Tumours
- Bronchitis
- Coughs
- Light-headedness
- Chronic bowel problems
- Vaginal douche
- Mouthwash or gargle
- Wash for skin problems
Berries/Seeds:
- Liver & Kidney ailments
- Increase energy
- Menopause
- Insomnia
- Premature aging
- Grey hair
- Heart palpitations
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ear)
- Backache
- Eye issues including cataracts, glaucoma & cataract
- Contagious ailments: hepatitis B & sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Pneumocystis Carinii pneumonia (a fungal infection of the lungs)
- Respiratory problems

How to use Leaves & Bark:

Boil 1 tsp. leaves or bark in 1 cup water. Take 1 to 2 cups a day.

Recommended Reading:

Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra C.A., N.D., O.M.D., Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. WI 53181., Copyright 1988, published 1992
Book Review: Wonderful Book, everyone should have a copy
- By Amazon customer on June 24, 1997 – I have every single one of this authors books. The information in them is terrific, including this one. It covers the different types of herbal philosophies. Mainly the Chinese and Ayurvedic systems. He integrates them both with western herbs, and makes it work. I won’t say his book has everything and every herb but it has a lot, and some of the more unusual herbs you usually can’t find in the regular every day herb books. It’s wonderful, and worth every penny you pay for it

Traditional uses and properties of herbs are for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Any serious health concerns or if you are pregnant, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs.

Aging Neck

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Butterfly Pea, Uncategorized • Tagged Aging, anthocyanin, anti-depressant, antioxidant, anxiety, ayurvedic, bioflavinoid, Butterfly Pea, Clitoria Ternatea, enhancing memory, Face refreshner, facial mask, Flower Teas, Healthy Hair, Healthy Skin, increasing cognitive functions, mood enhancer, natural skin tightener, Natures teachings, neck skin tightner, quercetin, Rich Royal Blue Butterfly Pea, sedative, stress, younger looking neck

Renee Lindstrom, GCFP

Do you have a fascination with young people’s necks as yours ages? I do! It seems that I took mine for granted until it was lost!!!!! What I notice myself doing is observing peoples necks to help determine their age. One advantage of becoming familiar with my own, as it ages, is that it seems to give me more information to look for in what I am seeing in others. Life! I would rather have a smoother, tighter and less fleshy neck tissue over my voice box!

Blue Butterfly Flower & Agar Agar infusion

So when I noticed I had some Butterfly Pea and Agar Agar thickener left over from the mornings facial experiment I saved it for bedtime to apply to my neck. I remembered to apply it and this morning rinsed it off. I am so happy I did! The colour and texture of this part of my neck has changed. The excess flesh of weight loss hasn’t disappeared however it has tighten up somewhat.

Would I recommend this? Yes! Not only for increasing a healthy glow, but improving the pleasure and fun of finding ways to find the joy in oneself. With my kids aging out, and nature becoming a bigger focus of attention, one experience I am learning from nature is the joy in living life being me, exactly as I am! As the playful, adventurous qualities return, exploring nature is supporting deepened and intimate life changes! Appreciation for nature is deepening appreciation for self! Maybe I will stop covering up my neck!

Love your skin, apply living ingredients, If you can eat it or drink it, it’s healthy for your body!

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Instagram follower shares exciting anti-aging techniques using: Butterfly Pea

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Aging, Butterfly Pea • Tagged Aging, anthocyanin, anti-depressant, antioxidant, anxiety, ayurvedic, bioflavinoid, Butterfly Pea, Clitoria Ternatea, enhancing memory, Face refreshner, facial mask, Flower Teas, Healthy Hair, Healthy Skin, increasing cognitive functions, mood enhancer, natural skin tightener, quercetin, Rich Royal Blue Butterfly Pea, sedative, stress

Renee Lindstrom, GCFP – Living in Natures Love Lifestyles @insideawareness.com

This flower has anti-oxidants that are great for anti-aging. After posting a picture of Butterfly Tea yesterday, an instagram follower shared anti-aging mask ingredients. I couldn’t find a recipe so I have been experimenting this morning.

This is the one that has worked the best for me.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Agar Agar Powder (thickening agent)
1 to 2 tablespoon or tea bag of Dried or Fresh Butterfly Flowers
3/4 Cup Hot Water

As you can see in this picture I used my favorite tea cup from the Empress Hotel here in Victoria. It would hold 3/4 of a cup of water.

Agar Agar, Butterfly Pea Flowers

Butterfly Pea Flowers in Hot Water

I used hot water from tea kettle and infused whole dried butterfly flowers in a cup. After a number of minutes I strained and added Agar Agar powder slowly while stirring until the consistency felt right. It was heavier to stir with the spoon.

Too thin

Thicker

I found that the mixture needed to be cool enough to apply thickly to your face. If you apply it when it is too warm it isn’t thick enough to stick. Wait a number of minutes and then apply. Apply by letting it pour downwards from a brush or make up wedge over your face leaning over a sink. By letting it pour downwards you are getting a thicker mask and more coverage.

Leave on for 20 or more minutes. It cools into a gelatin and should peel off easily!

On my face I noticed a difference after 3 or 4 minutes. The first thing I felt was that my skin became incredibly alive with a cool and refreshing feeling. It was like my skin on my face was waking up! The second thing I noticed was a tightening! The third is my skin began to feel like it was radiating!

After taking off the mask I noticed my skin was a lighter colour. The age spot that is growing on my check that I have been experimenting with to either reduce it or diminish the colour was lighter. Two moles have become lighter. I wasn’t expecting this. I also had dark bags under my eyes due to a current Tumeric/Black Pepper detox I am currently undertaking and I believe the deep yellow colour was diminished. I added more mask under my eyes and on the age spot. Removing it a second time, the spot it lighter and the yellow is missing under my eyes! I am now experimenting with the age spots on my hands that have begun appearing! Will keep you updated.

I personally would repeat this and will explore a combination of plants to infuse with it. I so look forward to germinating the seeds I was gifted, growing and harvesting these amazing flower vines myself! This is a plant for my Medicine Garden!

Love your skin, apply living ingredients, If you can eat it or drink it, it’s healthy for your body!

Purchase dried flowers for tea

Read more:

Dandelion Facial Mask

Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement since 2000

Blue Butterfly Pea

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Butterfly Pea • Tagged Aging, anthocyanin, anti-depressant, antioxidant, anxiety, ayurvedic, bioflavinoid, Butterfly Pea, Clitoria Ternatea, enhancing memory, Flower Teas, Healthy Hair, Healthy Skin, increasing cognitive functions, mood enhancer, quercetin, Rich Royal Blue Butterfly Pea, sedative, stress

Renee Lindstrom, GCFP

Rich Royal Blue Butterfly Pea

Also known as: Asian Pigeon Wings, Blue Bell Vine, Blue Pea and Darwin pea

Clitoria Ternatea – Flowering Vine originally from Asia

For Xmas I was given this fabulous tea that included Blue/Indigo dried flowers shown in the above picture. I discovered my tea turned a royal blue until a drop of lemon was added. With lemon the tea turned a beautiful purple! What fun. Now I have been given a gift of seeds for this flower.

Medicinal Benefits

Researching this plant I have discovered it is a mood enhancer and in ayurvedic medicine it has been used for; enhancing memory, increasing cognitive functions, anti-depressant, anxiety, stress, and sedative. It is also an antioxidant. Active components are being researched for its antimicrobial and anticancer agents.

Eye Sight, Skin & Hair

When drinking infused tea or water from this flower one receives the benefits of anthocyanin which sharpens one’s eyesight and increases night vision. Quercetin is a Bioflavinoid that reduces free radicals and supports healthy skin and hair. It helps reduce the signs of aging by increasing the collagen and elasticity of ones skin cells!

When used as a shampoo it darkens hair!

Read more on the Butterfly Pea – Tissue Culture and Antimicrobial Activity of Clitoria ternatea L.: Callogenesis, Organogenesis and Total yield from Butterfly pea – By Syeda Qamar Nayab Batool

anthocyanin – a blue, violet, or red flavonoid pigment found in plants
antioxidant – occurs naturally in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, wine, and chocolate and they protect your cells from the effects of free radicals and can help reduce an overabundance of inflammation and neutralize free radicals, prevent cellular damage, support the liver and enhance immunity
ayurvedic – one of the world’s oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems developed more than 3,000 years ago
bioflavinoid – are super-antioxidants found in many natural foods
quercetin – antioxidant found in fruits, vegetables, tea, wine and supplements