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T's Tonics

Handmade Natural Products and Organic Herbal Tea

Menopause Herbs to Help

Herbs for Women

So many women have asked me what to do for the “crazies”, hot flashes, night sweats, ups and downs, weight gain, body aches and/or other discomforts of starting menopause.

Hormonal changes seemed to revolve, for me, in a long cycle for 2 years.

Here are some herbs and actions that I found helpful. Every woman is different, of course, and trial and error and intuition are good to exercise in finding what works for you. You can also have blood work done to find out any vitamin or hormonal imbalances. There are some good companies online. I can vouch for Lifeforce.com .

Hot flashes = Wild Yam capsules. 1-2 daily of these worked for me for over a year taking away my hot flashes and night sweats!. After about a year I needed other herbs for support.

Thyroid support = Chlorophyll, liquid mint flavor is  my preference, 1 oz daily as needed. Lemon Balm is another herb excellent for the thyroid as well as hyssop, kelp, red algae, and alfalfa.

Iron = If you are anemic or a heavy bleeder and feel depleted of energy regularly, it may be iron. Iron needs vitamin C to digest. My favorite forms of iron are molasses, beets, seaweeds, apricots, eggs and beef. An excellent easy to assimilate Calcium/Iron/mineral supplement is Floradix Iron with Herbs. You can find it in health food stores. It comes in liquid form.

I now take Bromelain (from pineapple) to help digest proteins for better iron absorption.

Calcium = sesame seeds, tahini, yogurt, kefir, spinach. Nettles brings magnesium in for better calcium absorption.

I make an herbal calcium blend which includes: nettle, oat straw, shave grass, marjoram, dandelion greens, thyme, oregano, ginger, sesame, flax, and pumpkin seeds. I will soon be offering this on the tstonics.com website.

Vinaigrette Recipe:

Add the above herbs ground together into olive oil and vinegar with a little salt and lemon for a nutrient rich vinaigrette dressing for salads. I will also add a spoonful into the morning smoothie or into soups, meat and veggie dishes.

For Balanced Hormones= Vitamin E lowers estrogen and balances hormones! Take it with Selenium for absorption.

Herbs helpful for women going through menopause: Damiana, hyssop, raspberry leaf, gota kola, eleuthero (ginseng), yarrow, chickweed, sage, dandelion root, lady’s mantle. These can be found in our Women’s Tea.womens tea

 

 

12 Benefits of Hawthorne For Heart and Blood Pressure

Support Heart and Health with Hawthorne

The Hawthorne Berry harvest was great this year!

Thank you Dad and Nancy and Charlie and all the harvest crew.

Let me tell you some of the many benefits of this lovely tree berry and how, when and why to use it:

Hawthorne berries and leaves are wonderful for the heart and circulatory system because they are high in bioflavonoids with vaso-dilating and heart muscle strengthening and regulating activity.

They are also effective at reducing high blood pressure and arterial plaque.

They help strengthen vein and capillary structure and improve circulation.

Act as a digestant for better food absorption. It helps reduce constipation, bloating, cramping. It is also helpful in treating intestinal infections and parasites.

High Cholesterol reducing. Also beneficial effect of triglycerides, liver cholesterol, and loss of body fat.

Regulating heart rhythms. People find a significant decline in heart palpitations when taking consistently.

Immune system support and overall health tonic. Hawthorne berries contain powerful antioxidants which promote anti-inflammatory action. It helps remove free radicals that cause damage to the body. They also contain a high level of vitamin C which helps fight infection.

You can eat these raw or cooked, in tea, tincture or make them into a jam or jelly.

Here at T’s Tonics we dry our Washington state farm harvested (thanks Dad) Hawthorne berries and steep them into a tincture for optimal strength and potency.

We like to combine them in our Heart Tonic with Gingko, Motherwort, Rosehips and Linden for a whole body supportive Tonic. Try it today!

Lemon Balm -12 Benefits Beyond the Calm

lemon balm plantLemon balm, Excellent for soothing the nerves and “lifting the spirits”, does so much more!

This calming herb is a powerhouse for the entire body. Here’s some of it’s many benefits besides being such a deliciously lovely tea:

It strengthens the digestive system and is helpful for stress related digestive problems. It is useful in easing constipation and colic. 

Relieves anxiety– it helps to reduce anxiety in kids and adults alike. It can help calm racing thoughts. It is calming to the body as well as the mind and improves moods. It has been helpful with ADHD as well as mild depression.*

Anti-viral, antibacterial and anti fungal properties. Helpful against Candida yeast infections. Also, helpful against the herpes virus including cold sores and Shingles.

PMS Symptom reduction. It is an anti-spasmodic and reduces cramping and anxiety symptoms of PMS.

Sleep aid. It reduces anxiety in the body and mind and helps people get deeper sleep.

Protects the heart. It lowers blood pressure and calms heart palpitations.

Helps with Liver detoxification and production of anti-oxidants.

Supports the body in fighting cancer cells.

Diabetic help. It helps control blood sugar levels.

Improves Memory, cognitive function and problem solving skills in all ages.

*References: The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies by Nicole Apelian and Claude Davis.

My Dad didn’t realize what he was taking on when he said he would grow Lemon Balm for me on his farm in Washington state. This herb is easy to grow and spreads rapidly. It can take over areas and can be harvested several times throughout the summer.

We offer his organic, lovingly hand cut lemon balm in several teas and tonics here at T’s Tonics: It is found in our Tummy Tea, Tension Tonic and Sleep Tonic.tummy tea herbs

Top Weight Loss Tip-Passion!

Weight Loss the Easier Waynatural pain relief products

The best way, in my opinion, to lose weight is to get excited about something! Anything. Refocus your energy onto something greater than yourself, your problems, your weight, your next meal.

Find a new hobby or passion and immerse yourself.

It gives you excitement and focus, decreases boredom and can help make healthier habits happen. Let me explain:

When I was a behavior counselor for Nutri-System, a weight loss program franchise, 30 years ago, I noticed this pattern. We would discuss habits, and triggers, and share our struggles. A lot of talk and thought focused on food, types of foods, portion sizes, times and styles, etc. I struggled with my own weight in that job because I was thinking and talking about food so much!

The times extra weight slid off easily is when I wasn’t focused on it. I was focused on something beyond myself. 

For me, I can pile on weight when I am unhappy. When I lived in the Willamette Valley area of Oregon for a year I gained an extra 30 pounds. Which is a lot on a 5’2″ frame. I was unhappy in my situation, had no activity outlet, was in a very gray and rainy area, and feeling a little unloved and lost in life. 

The minute I decided to move and go to the college I wanted to, I got excited about life again. I had direction and purpose and the pounds started pouring off.

Do you have something you are excited about in life?

My daughter, Arianna, is another example. A few years back, she was in a job that was unhealthy for her and had gained some weight. As soon as she met her future husband, the weight came pouring off. Her whole body changed before our eyes! The combination of nerves and feeling loved were transformative, literally.

What ever we focus on grows! What do you want to grow in your life?

I believe another big factor in eating extra is boredom.

That’s why moving forward in life and being excited about something works!

It truly comes down to habits. 

One habit change that My husband and I did a few years ago that has really helped us is to have a smoothie in the morning rather than the bagel that was our yesteryear breakfast.

I pack our smoothies with lots of super greens and goodness that helps give us a good start on the day and helps keep our gut biome healthy and regular. I know that some people swear by having protein in the morning. That may work well for them. I’m not quite ready for a big meal

cranberry smoothie

Morning Cranberry Smoothies coming right up!

first thing in the morning. This works for us and makes us feel good. 

Do what works for you. Our recipe is below, tweak at will:

Breakfast Smoothie:

(Per serving)

1 ripe banana

1/4 c. Frozen blueberries (organic) or cranberries

1/4 c. Fresh greens (I go out and pick mint, herbs and/or greens from the garden. Kale, parsley, cilantro, etc. will do as well)

Heaping Tbsp. Plain yogurt

2-3 pieces pineapple, orange or lemon

1 Tbsp. Supergreen mix (recipe below) or protein powder or almond butter

1/2 c water

Supergreen Powder Mix

Change up according to what’s on hand:

Moringa powder

Red beet powder

Spirulina 

Matcha

Kelp or Atlantic dulce

Wheatgrass

Chaga mushroom powder

Reishi mushroom powder

Lemon peel powder

Ginger root powder

Turmeric  

Dash cayenne and black pepper

Ground sesame and flaxseed

Maca root powder

Once in a while options: ashwagandha powder, saw palmetto, tea, etc.

Our Trim & Tone Tea is also a great jump start to help take off pounds, increase digestion, cleanse out mucus and crud. Try some today.

And let your passion and excitement for life be big!

Healthy Baby Tip 1-Don’t Worry

Don’t Worry- Just Get Even with Laughtereating sand by the river

Us mothers all have advise and wisdom for you. And there are some good gems in it too, believe (only) me!

We want what’s best for you, of course.

We all have the perfect way that worked for us in everything from getting kids to sleep, to eating, to potty training and on and on. And it’s good to listen to and learn from whatever advise. Mom (and Dad) hacks are great.

Take it and then use your intuition and observation skills to judge what works best for you.

And then don’t worry.

I needed that advise the most when I was having young kids.

It’s natural to second guess yourself on many things. To not be sure if you are doing enough, or doing too much. The mental gymnastics can be big. At least they were for me. Along with guilt trips and being hard on my self for any little thing throughout the day.

Just know you get a reset the following day.

So don’t worry.

And the child that seems slow at something will catch up. Don’t worry. And the child that is fast will find other things to be slow at.

And your spouse will do things different than you and have a different relationship with your child. That’s good even though it will drive you crazy at times.

And whatever seems like a problem right now will not be important next week or next month. (If it’s still a problem, you will get more opportunities to work on correcting it.)

So be gentle with yourself on the learning curve you are on right now. It’s steep as a new parent.

You are made for this!

And the dishes can wait. Sometimes there are more important things to do. Don’t worry.

So laugh at yourself and laugh at the mess and laugh at the day and laugh with the little ones.

What an adventure life is! …Without the worry.

Take a deep breathe and fix yourself another cup of tea. My mama said everything is better with a cup of tea. Mama’s Tea

drinking a cup of tea

Mama’s Tea

Ticks and the Natural Oils that Repel

Natural Oils to Repel Ticks

We found 4 ticks crawling on clothing when we were camping in the Ochocos National forest this time last year. My daughter found 2 near brush here at home.

But never fear, there are natural oils that repel ticks. They are also helpful on the skin if you have had a tick bite. These work great on animals too.

My sister, Tena, has tick problems on her property in Texas. She has to check her dogs every day after they run in the brush. She told me she has taken to spraying our Skeeter Beater on a bandana that she puts around their necks. It helps a lot.

This year we are prepared! Here’s a quick list of insect repelling essential oils:spraying hand

Oregano, Thyme, Pennyroyal, cedarwood, peppermint, lemongrass, lemon eucalyptus, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, tea tree, juniper, rosemary, patchouli, citronella, Idaho tansy, cinnamon, clove, lavender.

Blends of oils such as what’s in our Skeeter Beater and Anti-Itch Spray work best.

Happy exploring! Stay bug free and joyful.

5 Herbs Good For Your Memory

Herbs for Your Brain and Memory

These herbs are all shown to be for improving clarity and memory. Together they are even more powerful. Here are some quick descriptions of some of their benefits. Try them alone or together.

Not to be used if Pregnant or Lactating.

Spring bouquet of apple mint

apple mint

Peppermint leaf is a powerful anti-oxidant and gives support to the heart, digestive and nervous systems. It is also good for strengthening the immune system and is good for the skin. Stimulating to the brain yet calming to the emotions enables this herb to help with concentration and focus.

A little story on Peppermint Oil: A few years back, my friend, Audra’s, son got a bad head concussion. After it happened, she kept catching him sneaking into her bedroom and using the peppermint oil she kept there. She later learned that peppermint oil can be helpful in promoting the healing of brain traumas.

2. Ginkgo leaf – antioxidant, stimulates circulatory system, reduces inflammation, improves memory and brain function, anti-aging benefits. High in iron, calcium and vitamin C.

3. Sage leaf– antibiotic, antioxidant, immune building, helps memory retention and concentration, drying to mucus membranes, dries milk in nursing moms, helps balance hormones for menopause, decreases inflammation, good for skin and bones, eczema, acne.sage leaf

4. Rosemary leaf– sister herb to sage with similar benefits: helpful to digestion, brain stimulation, immune system, and healthy hair growth. Together, they are shown to equal the benefits of some Alzheimer medications.

5. Gota kola– Known as the herb of “enlightenment”, gota kola has many benefits including increased cognitive abilities, circulation, oxygenation, treats gastric ulcers, helps regulate blood pressure, decrease anxiety, stress, and mental fatigue, increases libido, a mild diuretic, it can help pass toxins out of the body, helps wrinkles and aging of the skin.

Try these herbs alone or together. They can be used in recipes, teas and tonics. T’s Tonics version is available Here.

herbal brain tonic for mental clarity

4 Herbs That Help With Environmental Detoxing

Environmental Detoxing with Simple Herbs

We are all affected by our environments and absorb them to a certain point. And there are many pollutants and chemicals we are exposed to every day. They are on most manufactured items; in our air and soil, foods and clothes and the homes we live in. Toxins and chemicals build up in us over time.

This is not intended to promote fear. Rather to be aware and take action in cleansing your internal and external systems once in a while. Recommended at least a couple times a year.

Here are herbs for simple teas that are known to help with cleansing specific chemicals out of our body systems. I referenced these from the book Medical Medium by Anthony William.

Heavy Metal Detoxingtrim and tone tea

Cilantro/coriander

Atlantic Dulse

Barley Grass juice extract powder

Spirulina

All of these can be added into juice or a smoothie for easy consumption

Chlorine and Fluoride detox herbs:

blackberry leaf

raspberry leaf

hibiscus flower

rosehips

combine equal parts of these herbs and steep as a tea. Enjoy!

Pesticides, herbicides and fungicide detox herbs:

Burdock root

Red Clover

Lemon Verbena

Ginger

combine equal parts of these herbs and steep as a tea. Enjoy!

Blood Cleansing herbs:

Red Clover

Dandelion Root

Burdock Root

Chickweed

combine equal parts of these herbs and steep as a tea. Enjoy!trim and tone tea

Our Trim and Tone Tea has many of these herbs included as it is designed to cleanse and jump start the entire system.

Clearing out our internal and external environments doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it can be tasty. I hope these lists of herbs inspire you too!

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed doctor. This is for educational purposes only. Not intended to diagnose, treat or cure disease. You are responsible for your own health.

8 Herbs Helpful for Parasite Cleansing

8 Herbs Helpful for Parasite Cleansing

Nearly everyone can benefit from a cleansing of intestinal parasites once or twice a year. Especially if you have pets and/or live on a farm. These herbs are also found to be effective for all around cleansing, activating and strengthening of your entire system.

Below are my favorite herbs for parasite cleansing. There are others, and good options can be found in your local health food store. I have found these herbs in combination to be effective. Using all of them is not important, but combine as many as possible when making your own capsules.

cleansing herbs

grind herbs into powder for capsules

Wormwood

Black Walnut

Chicory

Hawthorne 

Pau D’ Arco

Garlic

Sage

Oregon grape root

I get these in organic powder form (or grind them into powder in a coffee grinder), blend a Tbsp of each together and put into capsules. Take 1-2 capsules a day with meals for 2 weeks on, 10 days off, then another 1-2 weeks.

Fire Cider can also be helpful as it has garlic, onion, horseradish and cayenne pepper in it which are all anti-parasite helpers. Add some thyme and oregano in for extra power.

Doing this cleanse will help get the intestines back to functioning better as well as strengthening the whole digestive system.

Do not use these herbs while pregnant or nursing. Ask your doctor first if you are on prescriptions. Don’t take for an extended amount of time.

Information is for educational purposes only. Not intended to diagnose, treat or cure an illness. Your health is your responsibility always.

7 Love Herbs, Oils and Spices

The Herbs, Oils and Spices of Love

Love is such a fun topic. It’s universal, limitless, wanted and needed by everyone. What better thing to focus on?

arnica for breakouts

I am actually meeting weekly with a group of ladies to study all of the characteristics that Love Is according to 1 Corinthians 13. It’s been an interesting study taking one characteristic per week and focusing on it. Hannah Hughes actually gave us this idea in her book/journal, Love Is. So I will link it here if anyone is interested: https://www.thehannahhughes.com/shop

There are lots of plants in nature that can help us feel more loving. Natural aphrodisiacs,  libido increasing herbs, spices and oils can certainly “spice” up our time with loved ones as well as add nurturing moments into our own lives.

So I thought I would list a few of each for fun this Valentine’s month:

Libido and Hormone Balancing Herbs:

Damiana, Ginseng, Gota Kola, Sarsaparilla, Saw Palmetto, Licorice, False Unicorn Root

These herbs are equally good for men and women and can be taken in combination together. They are known to help balance hormones and increase sexual desire as well as strengthen the virility of the whole system. Don’t take for extended amounts of time.

Note: These herbs are Not for pregnant and lactating women.

Romantic Herbs:

Rose, Hibiscus, Vanilla, Linden, JasmineLover's Tea

These can be fun to add to recipes. Sprinkle them over homemade chocolate bars, brownies, muffins, or add them to drinks, teas and cocktails or mocktails; ie. Rose hibiscus sparkling lemonade.

Spice it up Spices:

All of your chai spices help increase blood flow, energy and circulation:

Cinnamon, Clove, Cardamon, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Ginger, Nutmeg

Oils of Love:

Women: Geranium, ylang ylang, clary sage, nutmeg, rose and black pepper, jasminehappy mama spray

Men: Myrrh, black pepper, ylang ylang, pine, ginger, nutmeg, rose

Love Spray Recipe:

Blend 8-10 drops of a few of your favorite oils from above into

2 oz. of water, 1/4 oz. aloe vera,  and 1/4 oz. witch hazel.

Store in a dark glass spray bottle and spritz self as desired to increase desire!

Enjoy!

“Love is the most universal, formidable and mysterious of cosmic energies.”– Teilhard de Chardin

“The question of love is one that cannot be evaded. Whether or not you claim to be interested in it, from the moment you are alive you are bound to be concerned with love, because love is not just something that happens to you: it is a certain way of being alive. Love is, in fact, an intensification of life, a completeness, a fullness, a wholeness of life.” Thomas Merton