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Herbal Remedies and Essential Oils~Herbal health from a Christian Worldview

12 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

 

When I retired, one of my goals was to learn more about herbal remedies, so I was delighted when in the process of searching for book bloggers, I stumbled upon Lydia’s Herbals. I contacted Lydia and she graciously agreed to be interviewed. Enjoy~Onisha

buffet

 

Why were you drawn to herbal remedies and how did you educate yourself in the art?

Originally, I wanted to start a pretty garden, but I wanted it to be useful. So I decided to make an herb garden. Then I had to learn about how to use them, so I read library books on the subject. The books didn’t provide enough hands on information, so I searched for an herb course from a Christian worldview. After nearly giving up on ever finding one, I found Vintage Remedies, Inc. and took the Family Herbalist Course as part of my high school coursework. When I finished, I decided to take the Master Herbalist Course so that I would know even more and be more equipped to use the herbs. I really like Vintage Remedies, as they are evidence based, so they try to take a safer approach than many others.

Essential oils are all the rage now. Do you have any advice about them?

 Don’t use them neat (undiluted)! There are several companies advocating the use of neat essential oils, or using them internally. Doing so can cause SERIOUS problems. Neat essential oils can burn your skin, and many oils can be toxic in small quantities, causing liver and/or kidney damage. Essential oils are very powerful, so less is more. They also work better when applied externally, as well as being safer.

Most essential oils need to be diluted by putting 3 drops of essential oil into 1 Tsp. of carrier oil. I usually use olive oil for the carrier oil, but almond oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil are other choices.

Diffusion is also a good method to use, you can add a drop or 2 of essential oil to some boiling water and let it diffuse into the air. There are also many diffusers available to purchase. I use a terra-cotta diffuser from Mountain Rose herbs for a small room, or a pan of water on the stove or wood stove for a larger room.

As with anything, you have to know what you are doing. Do some research from reputable sources. Aromatherapy for Health Professionals is my favorite book about essential oils. It has safety information as well as many case studies. Many essential oils should not be used if you are pregnant, and there are several that should not be used on small children. There are other safety concerns as well, such as seizures. My favorite resource is one of my textbooks, because it has all the information on how to use essential oils safely. You also need to make sure the oils are good quality. The sources I trust are Mountain Rose Herbs and Native American Botanicals.

Do you have advice for someone like me who is just beginning to explore herbal remedies?

Don’t believe everything you read. Some people will recommend dangerous herbs, and say they are safe. If you can, find someone who is willing to help you learn, but make sure that they know what they are talking about.  I highly recommend Vintage Remedies, and the Family Herbalist course gives you a working knowledge of herbs and essential oils and how to use them safely, including dosing and preparing herbs.

Do you suggest a person grow their own medicinal herbs or is there a retail source for obtaining them?

If you can, grow your own. I sometimes grow my own, but I go through large quantities with my goats, so I have to order them. Mountain Rose Herbs and Best Botanicals have good quality herbs, as does Bulk Herb Store.

If one wants to start a beginner level medicinal herb garden which would be your top five suggestions and why?

  •  Calendula, because it is easy to grow and very good for your skin.
  • Peppermint, also easy to grow. It is good for nausea and headaches, as well as other things.
  • Lavender, because it smells nice and is easy to preserve.
  • Borage, because it is pretty, easy to grow, and has edible flowers. It also attracts bees.
  • Chamomile. It is calming, relieves headaches, and is actually helpful in fighting bacteria. It is also pretty and easy to grow.

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Tell our readers about the products you make, their uses and how you create them.

 I make Lydia’s Herbal Healing Salve, Lydia’s Herbal Muscle and Joint Salve, Lydia’s Herbal Sun Block, Lydia’s Herbal Lip Balm, Lydia’s Herbal Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth, and Lydia’s Herbal Tick Repellent, as well as herbal wormer, herbal minerals, and a few tinctures for animals.

My family and I have used Lydia’s Herbal Healing Salve on dry skin, bug bites, bruises, and rashes. My friends have found it to help with eczema and psoriasis. We use Lydia’s Herbal Muscle and Joint Salve on sore muscles and joints. The others are pretty self-explanatory. I made the toothpaste for my Mom, because she has super sensitive teeth and the store-bought toothpaste wasn’t working for her.

To make any of my products, I first research. Sometimes it takes hours, sometimes it takes days. I look for any safety precautions on the herbs and Essential oils, and look for the best herbs to use for a particular application. After I have thoroughly researched, I come up with a recipe using the herbs and essential oils I researched. Then I order the herbs I need.

For the salves, sun block and lip balm, once the herbs get here, I make an oil infusion. An oil infusion is made by weighing the herbs according to the recipe, then covering them with the right amount of oil.Not sure

I put it in a warm oven for 3-6 hours. I usually let it sit for several days after having it in the oven, to make sure all the herbal properties get transferred. Then I strain the oil, and add beeswax and heat it up until the beeswax is melted. After the beeswax is melted, I add the essential oil and package it.

The tick repellent and tinctures for animals are HErbal tickcreated by making a tincture out of the herbs and alcohol or apple cider vinegar. The tick repellent then gets essential oils added.

 

The sun block basically is a salve, but it has some minerals added to it to increase the effectiveness. The lip balm is also about the same as a salve, just more beeswax.

The toothpaste has some oil infusions in it, and then I add the other ingredients.

The herbal wormer and minerals are just powdered herbs that are mixed together. Not everyone has 15+ goats, so I sell it by the pound. I make it because with the amount of animals we have, we go through a lot of it.

 

I hope our readers have enjoyed this interview as much as I have!

 

 Lydia’s Herbals 

Herbal health from a Christian Worldview

Click HERE 

herb for blog copy

 

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I AM Breaking a Big Rule

15 May

Blackberry blooms copy

On the Porch 

Onisha Ellis

I am breaking a big rule of blogging today. I am going to ramble, go off topic, bounce around. I am NOT going to stay focused. Why oh why would I commit this crime? Because I can. Because that is what my brain is doing. So let’s rock and ramble!

 RAMBLE ONE

I enjoy eating boiled eggs. For seventy calories I can grab a God created protein snack. I do not enjoy boiling them and peeling them is even worse. So this Easter when Facebook was filled with posts about baking your eggs in the oven I joined the frenzy and tried. It worked!! They peel like a dream even a week after I baked them! My eggs had a slight brown spot on the egg white but it was very easy to flick off.

Here is the “recipe” and you can visit Unsophisticook! to read the complete story.

 

How to Bake Hard Boiled Eggs

 

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

eggs

ice water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Place desired number of eggs in a regular or mini muffin tin and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove eggs from oven and, using a pair of tongs (I like these tongs with rubber tips from OXO), immediately transfer the eggs to an ice water bath. Allow to cool down for at least 10 minutes.

RAMBLE TWO

I have been working my way through book blogger websites, looking for bloggers who would be willing to accept an ARC (advanced reader copy) of Rebekah Lyn’s (otherwise known as my daughter Beck) upcoming release, Jessie. I feel the same anxiety I felt when I left her with a babysitter, sent her off on her first sleepover and drove her to college. Do mothers EVER get over the instinct to protect their children? I am pretty sure I have spent more time praying over my children in their adult like than I did when they were little tykes.

If you happen to be a book blogger or just enjoy reading and reviewing, speak up in comments and I will email you an ARC.

I am humbled and thankful that my BFF Pam has joined the Rebekah Lyn Books team as a marketing and Publicist assistant. Launching Jessie and planning Teas has so many elements to pull together, I was feeling totally overwhelmed.

RAMBLE THREE

My heart has been filled with prayers for a sweet thirteen year old, Kylie Myers who is receiving chemo for a rare cancer. You can visit her Facebook page Smiiey For Kylie. She has had a rough time adjusting to having cancer and the side effects of chemo.

Her dad is author Mark Myers who wrote Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption.

When I think of Kylie, I wish she could meet my friend Wanda and her daughter, Allie who has been on a similar chemo schedule with Kylie. Allie shines with joy and confidence in Christ and my faith is made stronger when I see her on Facebook rocking the headscarf or sporting the smooth head style with her brother.

That’s the end of my ramble. There is a lot more in my brain such as why does the male cardinal insist on constantly banging his head on anything shiny, but that is for another day. Our blackberries are in full bloom and the locals say if we get a frost while they are blooming, our winter will be called a blackberry winter. Temps are expected to drop this weekend so we will see, I like blackberry blossoms because they remind me the flower of life is beautiful and even though there will be thorns, the fruit will be delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What Makes God Anxious

8 May

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

What makes God anxious?  The word anxious tends to make one think of anxiety but I never thought to  link the words anxious and God together.

This morning, I read a devotional by David Wilkerson titled “The Blessings of Goodness” The scripture that really stood out for me was Isaiah 65:24

It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will “hear”.

David Wilkerson explained “This verse provides us with an incredible picture of our Lord’s love for us. Evidently He is so anxious to bless us, so ready to fulfill His loving-kindness in our lives, that He cannot wait for us to tell him our needs. He jumps in and performs acts of mercy, grace and love toward us before we even ask-and that is a supreme pleasure to Him”

Imagine, God  can hardly wait to  provide for us! Can you recall a time when God had already placed someone or something in your life before you even knew you had a need? I have and it thrills my heart, every time.

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A New Writing Tips Book for Authors

1 May

In April, I had the opportunity to proofread 52 Weeks of Writing Tips by author and editor Bob Nailor. I was impressed with the subjects covered and the brief, concise manner. In my review I called it a “total package” Since Elyse Salpeter is a fine writer and author herself, I decided to reblog her rather than write my own post since I have company coming and if you live in the south, you know those are exciting words!

Elyse Salpeter

52weeks You know that saying “You can never stop learning?” It’s true. I always feel like I have something to improve upon. I love writing, but I’m privy to committing a lot of cardinal sins. It’s one of the reasons I desperately need an editor (and she points out every single one of those little buggers to me, too!)

I’ll be honest here – I’ve never been one to read long books about the craft of writing. Maybe it’s my attention span, maybe it’s my fantastical imagination, but I can never get into them. For me, the best way to learn the craft is in pieces at a time. That’s where author Bob Nailor comes in. He has been writing a special blog, featuring author writing tips, every week for over a year. He tackles one subject at a time, in small, manageable segments that are filled with examples and easy…

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I’m Putting My Foot or Feet in It

24 Apr

feet in socks copy

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I’m going to put my foot in it big time, but it is a subject that has been puzzling me for a long time. I would like to talk about…. Church music. Gasp!

The ongoing controversy in the 21st century church that is tearing them apart is not gay marriage, abortion or sexual sin, it is church music

I typed “what does the bible say about music “into my browser and came up with a whole page of scripture on the subject. If you would like to see them all, click HERE

Here is one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament:

Psalm 95:2

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

And then there is this:

Proverbs 25:20

Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.

So, it would seem that controversy about music is not new. Ecclesiastes 1:9 says: What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.

Mulling on this subject I ran various scenarios through my mind, trying to find an answer and this is what I came up with.

Many denominations routinely rotate ministers from church to church. Others keep the same one until the Lord tells them to move or their congregation asks them to leave. I believe that just as the church body learns from their pastor, the pastor learns from the church and sometimes they need to move to share what they learned or they have something else to learn.

So I came up with the idea that if your church is not providing the kind of music you enjoy maybe you should be willing to move on. I envisioned happy vibrant congregations filled with people who agreed on the same music and would be ready to move forward in serving God.

I shared this theory with a group of senior ladies I meet for breakfast. Their responses were enlightening.

Barb has young adult children, raising families and she felt compromise was the answer, with each group sharing the music, hymns and contemporary Christian. I asked if she had seen this work in a church. No, was her answer.

Greta shared that when she was younger, she was opposed to having a trumpet or drum set being played in church, but now was fine with it. She also made the point that moving to another church defeats the goal of being an active member, serving the church and the community. You make close friends in church and know you can depend on them in a time of need.

Irene is a gifted pianist but grew up in a church that did not use any instruments, not even an organ. (I wonder if this denomination might have been on the right track after all)

Peggy is the senior member of our group and filled with wisdom. She sat quietly during the discussion. When it was her turn here is what she said, paraphrased because of course, I did not write it down.

The word of God and teaching it should be the priority in every church, nothing should come before it.

So simple and so correct. I welcome your thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Teodor Flonta~Memories of Easter in Transylvania

19 Apr

On Facebook today my friend, Teodor Flonta shared  his childhood Easter traditions growing up in Romania during a Communist regime. With his gracious permission, I am sharing them with you~Onisha Ellis

From Teodor

 

HAPPY EASTER! 
to all my friends from around the world with #Tasmanian eggs coloured with onion skin, just as my Mama used to do long time ago when I was a little boy in #Transylvania! You can read an excerpt from ‘A Luminous Future’ about my Easter there.

Mama borrowed an old Bible from Piţurca, the only one in the whole village, and started reading to me in the evening. On Thursday night, we would creep into the church, terrified that we would be seen and reported to Comrade Petroi. The church was dimly lit. We would sit on the cold and hard floor in front of the altar, jumping at any slight flicker of the shadows. Father Iordan said that we were like the early Christians, who had to practise their religion in secret. At the end, we would leave only after checking that nobody was on the road. This went on until Easter Thursday, when we were allowed to hammer on the toaca until sunset, to announce the death of Christ. The toaca was a 20cm wide board on a 2m pole in the church courtyard. After sunset, neither hammering on the toaca nor the ringing of bells was allowed until Sunday, the day of the Resurrection.


On Easter Sunday women placed little baskets full of coloured hard-boiled eggs and cross-shaped loaves of white bread in front of the altar for the blessing. The children, dressed in white shirts, took the first Communion in front of the congregation. However, the spectacle we were waiting for was to come later in the church courtyard during the frenzied egg-cracking competition. We wrapped one hand across our egg, exposing only the pointy end, and hit each other’s eggs hard. If your egg cracked, you lost your egg.

“Mircea, I bet I can take away your eggs,” I challenged him outside the church.


He gave me a push and responded, “Try this, smarty.”


I tried and lost.


“You want to try another one?” he asked.


I suspected he was so confident because there was something fishy about his egg. So I accepted the challenge, pulling out from my pocket my special egg. I hit hard and a funny, thick sound, not at all like the sound of an egg cracking, was the result.

What did you do, stupid? You have a wooden egg,” said Mircea.


I ran away laughing.


“And yours is filled with pitch. I could hear it,” I said.

 

Transylvanian born Teodor Flonta is a retired academic, author of ‘A Luminous Future’ – a memoir about life under Communism in the 1950s and 60s – and of multilingual proverb dictionaries and apps (available on iTunes and Google). He lives in Tasmania, Australia, with his wife, Ariella, surrounded by beautiful grandchildren.

 

You can find Teodor’s books on:  AMAZON   BARNES AND NOBLE

 

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Do You Measure Up?

27 Mar

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

Do you ever have the feeling in your life that you never measure up? I do.  I feel it when I realize I am trying to meet someone else’s expectations, their standard.

Early in my life, beginning around age six, I learned I was a failure. My attempts in first grade art were dismal. I couldn’t even color in the lines. As a teen I was socially awkward. My clothes were all wrong, my hair was too straight. I was shy. According to my older brother, I was the ugliest girl on the planet. As a teen, he told me that all his friends hated me.

As an adult, I began asking God, what do you want me to do, what is my purpose? The answer came, not in an earth shattering revelation, but in the form of an inexpensive Christmas gift, a Bible verse in a simple, inexpensive frame. My Ladies Sunday School teacher gave one to each of the women in the group, the verse chosen specifically for them.  Mine was: Micah 6:8

The Message version

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.

 I actually prefer the New International Version. It is shorter and speaks directly to my heart.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you? 
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[prudently] with your God.

 What joy and peace this verse brings me. I don’t have to measure up to anyone else’s talents or standards! What about you, have you experienced failures because you tried to meet someone else’s expectations?

 

 

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Pancakes and Shovel

13 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

heart bordrer

This morning my husband made incredibly delicious pumpkin pancakes for our breakfast. He was using up the pumpkin  left over  from Rebekah’s baking marathon on Wednesday during the snow storm. This afternoon he was outside shoveling snow off of our driveway. This was only the second time he has shoveled snow as  we spend most of our winters in Florida. Last winter he was too ill to even contemplate shoveling and I so very thankful. He is my Valentine tomorrow and every day of the year.

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries

6 Feb

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

Last Saturday I attended a wonderful party with friends I have know for fourty years. We met when we were all young and members of a young marrieds Sunday School class. We don’t see each other every Sunday now as many of us have moved on to different churches, but some things one doesn’t forget. For instance, my friend Evelyn is a wonderful cook. So when she  gives a cooking tip my ears tend to perk up.

For the party my daughter, Rebekah and I dipped some  peppermint filled chocolate cookies in Girahdelli dark chocolate . They were deee-licious. Evelyn and I were chatting about the cookies when she mentioned that she had recently dipped strawberries for her mah-jongg group. This is when my ears began growing bigger and telling my brain to PAY ATTENTION. You see, I have been a strawberry dipping failure. Evelyn casually mentioned that not only do strawberries have to be dry for the chocolate to cling but they can’t be too cold. Who knew? Well most likely everyone except me.

You won’t believe what happened next. I was in Target scavenging on their mark down end caps and there were four bags of Ghiradelli dark chocolate  melting wafers on clearance. I snagged all four bags. Later that day I shopped at our wonderful fresh produce market and they had beautiful fresh strawberries grown right here if Florida. I took it as a sign that I was to go home and make chocolate dipped strawberries and try out my new knowledge.

My First Successful Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate

My First Successful Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate

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Get Over It and Move On

30 Jan

On The  Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

My friend DiVoran and I were having a lively chat one day when  get over it came up. On the surface it seems like a rude, heartless thing to say, but is it?

I remember the times I said  “get over it and move on” to my teenage daughter after her first big heartbreak. She really hated when I said that, but what I was really saying was, work through this, stop letting it control you.

It takes courage, faith and work to overcome a broken heart, hurt feelings and disappointments. We don’t get over it without dealing with the situation. These are the actions I use when I need to get over it.

First I pray. I let God know I am counting on Him for help to accomplish these steps.

  • Determine to accept the situation. I don’t have to like it.
  • Accept responsibility for my actions. Yes, even if I feel justified.
  • Grieve the loss. I believe a time of grieving is a vital part of healing.
  • Choose to let go of the pain or anger. I can’t heal as long as I am hanging on to it.
  • Best of all, forgive.  Carrying a grudge can be a mighty heavy load.

Do I do this everyday and in every situation? Nope, but I wish I did. Guess I’m still  learning.

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