Cleavers (Galium aparine)

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged anti-aging, Barweed, Catchweed, Cleavers, Clivers, Coffee Substitute, detox, Dye, Goosegrass, Grip Grass, Love Potion, Medicinal, Pot Herb, Sticky-willy, tonic, Weight Control, Zhu Yang

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

Mortar Edible Dye tea kettle

Also Known as: Goosegrass, Barweed, Catchweed, Clivers, Goosegrass, Grip Grass, Sticky-willy, Zhu Yang

Uses: Culinary, Pot Herb, Medicinal, Dye, Detox, Coffee Substitute, Love Potion, Weight Control, Anti Aging, Tonic

Parts used: Seeds, Flowers, Leaves, Roots

Preparation: Fresh, Dried, Tincture, Tea, Flower Essences, Tea, Juicing, Poultice, Wash

Recipes

Symbolizes: Finding Love
Language of Flowers meaning: Tenacity, I am determined to win your love.
Associated with: Binding Love, Crown Chakra
Element: Water
Governed by: Saturn, Venus, Moon

Culinary

Cleavers are from the Rubiaceae family, the same family as coffee. The seeds can be dried ground into a coffee substitute. Cleavers are valued more as a medicinal than an edible tho’ young shoots can be eaten fresh and added to bulk up soups, eggs and stew type dishes. The best way to extract this plants nutrients and medicinal values is through cold infusion, making it great for juicing. However the pulp may need to be filtered out.

Health and Wellness

Cleavers are highly valued as a medicinal remedy and diuretic in Asia as an internal and external agent. Externally it is used as a poultice for inflammation and wound care, and a wash for calming for edema inflammation, treating rashes, boils and cysts. Infusing it as tea can brings down fevers, be calming for sleep and a powerful detox for the lymphatic system and liver. It has been used to reduce high blood pressure, weight loss and due to its astringent properties to tighten skin.

Dye Plant

The roots of the Cleaver plant is used to make red dye.

Buy Dried Canadian Cleaver Herb

Buy Canadian Cleaver Seeds

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.

Copyright 2014 – 2021 Living in Nature’s Love by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP,

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

Horsetail

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Horsetail, Uncategorized • Tagged anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, anti-wrinkle, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antioxidant, arthritis, athlete's foot, bed wetting, bladder problems, boils, brittle bone, broken bones, bronchitis, carbuncles, cardiovascular diseases, chilblains, coagulant, conjunctivitis, demulcent, Diabetes, diuretic, dyspepsia (impaired digestion), eyes, fever, fistulas, fractures, frostbite, gastrointestinal conditions, gingivitis, hair, hair loss skin acne anti-aging anti-wrinkle burns rashes teeth, hemorrhoids, herpes simplex, Horsetail, immune system, kidney stones, malaria, muscle cramps, nails, nose bleed, osteoarthritis, prostate problems, respiratory tract infections, rheumatic disorders, sprains, tonsillitis, tumors, ulcers, urinary tract infection, wounds

by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP This post may contain Affiliate Links, thank you in advance for your support! Renee

Mortar tea kettle Edible Dye

Horsetail

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

Horsetail is edible when it first emerges from the soil before leaves sprout on stalk. After the stalk darkens in colour and starts to have leaf shoots from the circular ribs it is no longer edible yet becomes medicinal!

As horsetail absorbs the minerals from the soil surrounding it you want to ensure that the water or soil it is growing in or near is organic and not polluted.

Nutrients & Qualities in Horsetail:

Horsetail has manganese, calcium, iron, flavonoids, caffeic acid esters, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, fatty acids, phytosterols, glycosides, phenolic acids, aconitic acid, *equisetic acid and silica.

*Equisetic acid which is a heart and nerve sedative. If taken in abnormally high doses can be poisonous.

Medicinal Qualities & Uses:

anti-aging,
anti-wrinkle,
anti-inflammatory,
antibacterial,
antimicrobial,
antioxidant,
coagulant,
demulcent,
diuretic,
astringent
anemia,
arthritis, brittle bone,
eyes,
- conjunctivitis,
hair,
- hair loss
skin
- acne
- anti-aging
- anti-wrinkle
- burns
- rashes
teeth,
nails,
gingivitis,
tonsillitis,
rheumatic disorders,
osteoarthritis,
diabetes,
wounds,
frostbite,
chilblains,
athlete’s foot,
boils,
carbuncles,
ulcers,
fistulas,
herpes simplex,
dyspepsia (impaired digestion),
gastrointestinal conditions,
cardiovascular diseases,
respiratory tract infections,
bronchitis,
fever,
malaria,
bladder problems,
urinary tract infection,
bed wetting,
kidney stones,
prostate problems,
hemorrhoids,
muscle cramps,
tumors,
broken bones,
fractures,
sprains,
nose bleed,
immune system

How to use:

The above ground parts of Horsetail are used and can be in dried or liquid form. It needs to be cooked, dried, boiled or infused. It cannot be eaten raw.

Dried Horsetail

Drying Horsetail for Tea/Water Infusions:

Horsetail stalk and leaves can be picked, rinsed and dried. When it dried it should remain green. Do not use if it turns brown.

Horsetail Tea – max. 3 cups per day

Add 1 – 2 Teaspoons of dried or fresh Horsetail to boiling water and steep for 7 to 10 minutes.

Sore Throats, Coughs, Colds and Lungs

Horsetail tea can be soothing to use as a gargle for sore throats and beneficial to clear airways when breathing in its steam while boiling this herb.

Poultice

Crush fresh Horsetail and soak in hot water for a few minutes or soak dried horsetail in hot water, drain and place in cheesecloth to apply to area. Leave for up to 15 minutes a few times a day.

Toner

Steep 1 teaspoon of Horsetail to 1 cup of boil water and steep for up to 10 minutes. When cool use cotton ball to dampen with tea solution and dab facial skin and neck to rinse in the morning and evening after removing makeup.

Hair Rinse or Bath Infusion

Use up to 10 teaspoons of fresh or dried horsetail to 4 cups of hot water and add to your bath or use to rinse your hair.

Oils, Creams & Salves

Fresh or dried Horsetail can be processed into oils and combined with other oils, plants and herbs to make salves and creams. Find recipes here

If you don’t have a source of Fresh Horsetail find dried on-line here.

Dandelion Natural Facial Mask!

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Dandelion • Tagged acne and blemishes, aging skin, anti-aging, Calcium, Dandelion, Dandelion Facial Mask, facial mask, Healthy Skin, Magnesium, Natural Facial Mask, natural skin tightener, Potassium

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

Ingredients for Facial Mask

Pick a few Dandelion Flowers and mix with a couple table spoons of yogurt and a teaspoon of honey. I use a wild-crafted infused honey and natural rested homemade yogurt. Mix in the blender. Once blended apply mixture to your face and neck, leave for 25 to 30 minutes and enjoy experiencing some wonderful sensations. It begins with a cool and refreshing sensation and becomes a tightening agent.

Dandelion, Yogurt and Honey Facial Mask

Why use Dandelion Flowers for a facial mask?

Applied topically it is great for combating aging skin and leaves it soft and supple. It is helpful for reducing acne and blemishes.

Dandelions have skin friendly minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron which supports healthy skin along with flavanoid compounds that protect the skin from environmental threats and harmful effects of the sun. Dandelion is also a source of Vitamins A, C, E and K, folate and choline.

Dandelion Facial Mask

After using this recipe myself I find my skin tighter. I applied to my face and neck and found it instantly refreshing and alive. After a number of minutes it began to harden and tighten. Easy to make, apply and wash off.

Other suggestions:

Drink a cup of Dandelion Flower Tea a day or prepare a daily water infusion to drink through the day and rejuvenate your skin from the inside out!

Buy Canadian Dandelion Seeds

Back to Recipes

Back to The Amazing Dandelion

Blue Pea Flower Facial Mask

How to Infuse Wildflower Oils

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

Forget Me Not Flowers

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Renee Lindstrom • Posted in Forget Me Nots, Uncategorized • Tagged Alpine Forget Me Not, anti-aging, Forget Me Nots, garnish, Language of the Flowers, Love, Moose Forget Me Not, Myosotis, Myosotis scorpioides L., pastry decoration, remembrance, Scorpion Grass, Water Forget Me Not, Wood Forget me Knot

by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP: This post may contain Affiliate Links for your convenience, thank you in advance for your support! Renee

Forget Me Not Flowers

Language of Flower Meanings – In love & remembrance, True Love & Memories

This was my Mom’s favorite flowers! We grew these under our front living room window to add some color to the plowed up land (clay) my parents wanted to retire on.

Myosotis scorpioides L.
Genus: Myosotis
Family: Boraginaceae
Origin: Europe & Asia

There are a number of species names for this flower (M. sylvatica / M. scorpioides / M. alpestris) along with common names such as Wood Forget me Knot , Alpine Forget Me Not, Water Forget Me Not, Moose Forget Me Not and Scorpion Grass. A giant Forget Me Not like flower is called by the same name in Asia and used in tea recipes, however it is not a true Forget Me Not.

In modern times the Forget Me Not Flower is used as pastry decoration, garnish for recipes and salads and frozen in ice cubes for drinks. The flowers, stems and leaves are all used in make up for hair and skin for rejuvenation, whitening and anti-aging. This flower is rich in Vitamin C and Anti-oxidants.

Traditionally it was used to stem nosebleeds, as an eye lotion and for wound care. The whole plant is astringent and ophthalmic.

This flower is edible though one is recommended to do so sparingly as it contains varying levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Folk Lore – awareness and expanded consciousness

The Forget Me Not Flower was infused with oil to make a salve or lotion for ones eyes to induce visions on August 27th! Perhaps this was in honour of either the:

Wiccan Celebration for the Egyptian Goddess Isis – Partner and true love of Osiris, and mother of Horus; guide of all wives, mothers, healers, advocates, and teachers or,
St. Monica’s Day – a Day of Visions

More on – The Secret Language of Flowers

Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees