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T's Tonics

Handmade Natural Products and Organic Herbal Tea

Herbs and Foods to Help Prevent Clots

What herbs are helpful in the prevention of blood clots?

Fresh air and arnicaI have been asked this question a few times this last year. I usually suggest starting by cleansing the blood, drinking lots of liquids and moving your body often.

There are herbs and foods that can help also. I have compiled a list here. This is not comprehensive. Feel free to add to the list in comments if you have other good suggestions. We can all use extra resources and tools of natural and alternative medicines that we can compile. Enjoy!

Internally:

Herbs and foods high in Rutin (helps vascular system, prevents varicose veins etc):

Goldenrod herb
Violet leaves and flowers

foods: apples with the skin (organic), buckwheat, apricots, cherries, citrus, plums, grapes

a little maca powder on top

Vasodilators
Prickly Pear
Motherwort
Angelica
Nettles
Lion’s Mane and Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Hawthorne Berries
Circulation
Horseradish
Cayenne
Rosemary and Sage together
B vitamins and magnesium can be helpful.
Externally:vein glory held
Arnica is exceptional for external inflammation.
Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel, Grapeseed oil
Epsom Salts and/or Magnesium Flakes soaks
Essential oils such as peppermint, basil, cypress and marjoram
T’s Tonics Vein Glory Spray is excellent topically for relieving vein pressure and helping with spider and varicose veins.
Recipe for Super Tonic (Fire Cider):  https://www.tstonics.com/herbs-and-recipes-for-circulation/
Also, I have herbs listed here that are good blood cleansers which is a great way to start: https://www.tstonics.com/7-herbs-to-get-ready-for-spring/
These can be found in our Spring Tonic and also our Trim & Tone Tea
These should all be safe to take in moderation and not in contra-indication with other medicines, but check with health care providers if you are not sure.
For educational purposes. Not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
 
Hope this helps and finds you healthy and thriving!
 
All our best in health and life,
Teresa

7 Herbs To Get Ready For Spring

7 Herbs That Can Help You Get Ready For Spring

I am reposting this blog from last April with some updates. Still true and more relevant than ever.

In the winter we can build up and store congestion, mucous and toxins in our bodies.

Spring cleaning the inside of our bodies can be just as refreshing, lightening and energizing as the spring cleaning we do in our homes. After all, how often do you wash your hands or take a shower to clean the outside of our bodies?

Here’s 7 herbs that can help lighten up and renew your whole body from the inside out.

Good anytime of year. Lovely in the springtime.

Take them individually, make your own herbal tonic or enjoy our Spring Tonic bottled and ready for you. Enjoy!

field clover for spring tonic

fresh clover tops

Red clover is high in minerals and is an excellent blood purifier.

Dandelion Root is a whole system tonic. It destroys acids in the blood as well as purifies and builds. It is high in minerals, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, and Vitamin C. Also cleanses the liver and is a gentle diuretic.

Ginger has been used for digestive disorders, motion sickness, fever and coughing and helps lower cholesterol.

dandelion root is great fresh in the spring

dandelion

Chickweed is high in vitamin C and helps dissolve fat and mucous in the body. Good for skin problems.

Fennel is good for digestion, nervous disorders, energy, endurance, helps dispel sinus congestion and much more.

Sarsaparilla is a blood purifier that can help balance hormones. It is good for longevity and aging. It was used by native Americans for thinning the blood in preparation for the rising heat of summer.

Yellow dock is a blood purifier and body cleanser. It acts as a natural Iron and energizer in the system. It is good for liver and skin problems, inflammation, swollen glands, tumors, ulcers.

All of these herbs are carefully extracted and combined together in our Spring Tonic Blend.

Here’s to having a wonderful, light and healthy Spring.spring tonic

Herbal Remedy Recipes

Directions and Recipes for Simple Herbal Remedies

Drying Herbs: Hang upside down with twine, or place in a basket on newspaper or in a brown paper bag. Wet herbs (such as chamomile) need to go in a food dryer or tray in the oven on low temperature until dry.

Tea Infusion: (leaves and flowers)green tea

Fresh herbs use 1 Tbsp per cup or for dried herbs use 1 tsp per cup in a tea infuser or straight. Pour very hot water over leaves and let set up to 15 minutes or desired strength. Strain out herbs and add honey or agave to your taste preference. Enjoy!

Decoction: (For barks, roots and berries)

Same as above but steep 15-45 minutes for desired strength.

Tincture: (Concentrated and easily absorbed)

Wash and chop fresh herbs or grind dry herbs and place in wide mouthed glass jar.

Cover with vegetable glycerin, vodka or brandy, cover the jar, shake to mix thoroughly, store in dark area for 2-4 weeks, strain through cheesecloth or coffee filter, squeezing liquid out of herbs, compost herbs.

For glycerin tincture use 2/3 c glycerin and 1/3 c. water for every cup of herb.

For alcohol tincture use 3 times the alcohol to dried herb or twice as much for fresh herb.

To use: 1-2 droppers once per day as preventive or 3-5 times for acute.

Oxymel: (sweet and tangy, nutrient rich)

Cover dried herbs with equal parts honey and vinegar in mason jar, cover and store for 2 weeks, strain out herbs, label and store up to 6 months in the refrigerator. This makes a lovely way to use herbs, great in salad dressings or in drinks.

Herbal oils:

Use dry herbs only, not fresh, and cover with 3 times the amount of oil blend of your choice. (I like grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil and/or jojoba.) Let steep at room temperature for 2+ weeks, strain, bottle, add essential oils if desired, label and enjoy for up to 9 months. You can speed this process using a double boiler on low heat for 3 hours then let sit for a couple days, process and use.

Herbal honey:

Use dried herbs in mason jar. Cover with 3-4 times the honey, steep for 2+ weeks, strain herbs out, seal, and label honey. Enjoy!

Smoothies for Spring Allergies

Smoothies for Spring

Spring is a time of renewal. But allergies can take some of the joy out of it.

Here is a yummy, easy smoothie recipe to help give you some extra defense against allergies:

Spring Smoothie Recipe

a little maca powder on top

3-4 Fresh pineapple slices (Bromelain, vit. C)

inch piece ginger root or tsp dried ginger (Bromelain),

1/2 c plain yogurt (Bromelain and probiotics)

handful of Kale or spinach (Bromelain and quercetin)

I usually grab some Dandelion leaves and or chickweed leaves to throw in (blood and allergy cleansers).

fresh chickweed growing wild

fresh chickweed

1/2 orange or lemon (vit C, pH balance) if organic, put a piece of peel in too for extra nutrients

1 tsp- 1 Tbsp to taste raw local honey (local allergens)

1 banana (potassium)

1 handful parsley and/or cilantro (blood cleansers)

Optionals: 1/2 seeds or nuts, like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or nut butters; frozen blueberries; lime juice; celery; cranberries; grapefruit

Blend up in the blender and enjoy! 

We do a variation of this smoothie recipe nearly every morning. It is a great way to start the day!

Another spring food that can help fight allergies because it is high in quercetin is aspargus. 

Rhubarb is also a good defense food in springtime. (calcium)

Basically a rule of thumb is eat what is in season to help with seasonal challenges.

Here is a great reference:

https://thelostherbs.com/avoid-spring-allergies-with-these-7-natural-remedies

We wish you the very best spring ever! Here’s to getting outside more!

8 Raspberry Leaf Tea Benefits

Raspberry Leaf Tea For Mood Lifting!

raspberry leaf tea

raspberry leaf for women

Here are 8 Benefits for you:

  1. They are rich in nutrients and minerals. That’s why it is the #1 recommended tea ingredient for pregnant women.
  2. Uplift Moods
  3. Balances Hormones
  4. Helps with PMS symptoms and menopause, regulates period cycles
  5. Helps with inflammation of all kinds, including leg cramps, stomach cramps, nausea, etc.
  6. Helps to prevent hormonal acne and breakouts
  7. Boosts immune system because it is rich in anti-oxidants
  8. Helps relieve adrenal fatigue

Get local raspberry leaves for tea if possible. Local organic leaves give you the most benefits fitting the specific needs in your area. And United States grown leaves are less acidic to your system then overseas leaves.

We combine our raspberry leaves into tea blends for even greater effect. Both our Women’s Tea and our Trim and Tone Tea have local raspberry leaves included.

It makes for a very lovely tasting, soothing tea.Enjoy some today!trim and tone tea

Dandelions, the Tonic of Spring

Dandelions are a perfect Spring Tonic

I love the sight of dandelions coming up in the spring. It’s one of those signals that growth is coming. Let me share some ideas to take advantage of this spring tonic found in nearly everyone’s yard.

I wanted to make dandelion wine a few years ago. (Quite a few years ago). It was spring time and I was in love with the yellow bouquet scattered across my lawn. I had read the book, Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury. The notion of “bottling up the sunshine” was captivating to me. I didn’t even drink wine. Then. But, I was a budding herby and the fermenting experiments were running wild in my pantry. This sounded like a tasty addition.

I think I found the recipe in my old Preserving the Fruits of the Earth book which has everything from how to pickle herring to preserving persimmons and some things I have never heard of in it.

I layered slices of oranges and dandelion flowers in a crock pot and followed the directions precisely. I stirred diligently. I waited for months. I peeked regularly. It failed famously.

The chickens danced with glee over THAT pile of scraps.

I still love dandelions. I now make teas with them.

Dandelion leaves and roots are exactly what we need in springtime! They help cleanse the winter cobwebs out of our liver, so to speak. We eat hardier foods in the wintertime. Dandelions help clean the blood, kidneys and liver and lighten us up for the hotter seasons. It also destroys acids in the blood and is a tonic to the entire body.

Dandelion root is also wonderful for women going through menopause. It can be taken fresh or dried on a regular long-term basis to help regulate the hormones.

Dandelion leaves are an excellent diuretic. They are high in calcium and minerals and help flush chemicals out of the system.

How to Use:

So how do we go about taking advantage of this plethora of goodness?

Look no further than your own lawn. But first make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with any chemicals. Also, keep out of the dog rooming and varmint areas.

Young spring dandelions are best. The whole plant is edible, so carefully pull it out, root and all. Wash thoroughly and separate out the parts you want.

The leaves and flowers are a great addition to salads.

The roots can be chopped up and put in soups, stews, smoothies, tea, sauces, etc. They hide well, not having a strong flavor.

Some people like to tempura batter and fry the flowers for a fun food too.

However you eat your dandelions, Enjoy! They are a special healthy treat given to you each spring!

“Our mouths are filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.” -Ps. 126;2

Cranberries Saved Me!

Cranberries saved me from prescriptions!

cranberry benefitsIt’s that time of year that cranberries are in season in the stores. I find myself compulsively buying fresh bags of them to throw in the freezer.

Come to find out that cranberries have a lot more going for them than just vitamin C.

Here’s the story on how they helped save me:

When I was not quite five years old, I became sick and went into convulsions in my sleep. I was rushed to the hospital where I had surgery for a constriction around my bladder. After two weeks in the hospital and an overdose of something that nearly put me under again, the doctors told Dad and Mom that I would need to be on medication probably for the rest of my life.

My parents declined the doctor’s advice and put me on cranberry juice and a wholesome diet.

I have had no problems with my bladder or kidneys and have been relatively healthy without the need for prescription drugs to this day!

I am thankful for the power of cranberries!

Some of their Benefits:

  1. Strengthening to the kidneys and bladder, (perfect for the wintertime when these organs tend to need extra support.)
  2. Can help prevent urinary tract infections.
  3. High in Vitamins C, A and K.
  4. Supportive to the Immune System.

So this time of year especially, I like to indulge on cranberries. If you don’t like cranberries because you were introduced to them by way of canned cranberry sauce, you may want to try them again, fresh. It’s a whole different food.

In Bandon, Oregon, where the majority of Pacific cranberries are grown, you can sometimes find Dark Chocolate covered cranberries at the farmer’s market, which are out of this world. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

cranberry smoothie

Morning Cranberry Smoothies coming right up!

I love to just throw a handful of cranberries into my morning smoothie. It gives it a little extra punch and it’s so easy.

Morning Smoothie (tweak and vary to your liking), per single serving

1 banana

1 sm. handful of frozen blueberries (or other fruit)

1 sm. Handful of whole cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1 Tbsp. plain yogurt

1 piece 3 inch celery

sprigs of cilantro, parsley, or kale

1 tsp.-Tbsp almond or peanut butter or tahini (sesame seeds)

1 small piece fresh ginger root

I also put in a tsp. maca root powder, or pea protein, tumeric, saw palmetto, spirulina, or other bulk powders/medicinals as I feel the need.

Fill to ½ of container with fresh apple juice or water and blend. Enjoy!

Here’s some other yummy, easy recipes using fresh or frozen whole cranberries:

Cranberry Salad:

making cranberry salad

Conners making cranberry salad for the hundredth time

2-3 cups whole fresh or frozen Cranberries

1 Orange, peeled

1 apple

2-3 Tbsp. raw honey

walnuts and/or chopped celery, optional

chop/blend the fruit together coarsely in a food processor, add honey to your liking as well as nuts if desired. Enjoy!

Cranberry Salsa

3 c cranberries

1 jalapeno pepper

3-4 green onions

½ c cilantro

1 Tbsp lime juice

3+ Tbsp honey

salt to taste

Blend all together coarsely in food processor. Serve with chips or over cream cheese with crackers, etc.

Conner wrote his first cranberry salad recipe when he was 7 or 8. He’s been in charge of the cranberry salad for Thanksgiving ever since.

recipe

Conners original cranberry salad recipe

 

What to Pack For Traveling To The Tropics

girls on logWhat to Pack For The Tropics

Our girls went to the Philippines recently. They had to pack light for the tropics. For Asian air travel between islands, their packs could only be 22 pounds.

They were going some places they would need to backpack. And they had some adventures planned; like hiking, camping, scuba diving, snorkeling and general exploring as well as going to Church gatherings. They needed to cover a few different bases as efficiently as possible.

So when they got home, I asked them what they packed that had worked, (primarily focused on first aid items), what didn’t and what they wished they had brought. Here’s the breakdown for any of you going on a backpack trip to the tropics soon.

The first 5 were sponsored by T’s Tonics, of course, but they said they were all greatly needed and used.

What worked (for them) in the Tropics:

Natural Sun Block, waterproof, lots needed

Sun Soother Spray– they used it all and wished they had more

Traveler’s Spray– disinfectant

Skeeter Beater– bug repellent

Lip balm

Band-Aids

Peppermint oil and ibuprofen for pain, headaches, digestion

Nausea medicine – 1 girl got sick and used it all, they needed more

Melatonin vitamins for the long flights and sleeping

Dramamine for rough boat rides

Vitamin A and E for sunburns

Electrolytes- they used Emergen-C and loved having this when they got dehydrated

Liquid soap (= laundry detergent)

Travel packs of tissue (= toilet paper)

Sarong- (= towel, cover up, beach blanket etc)

Travel Bible

ear buds

Zip lock bags

Granola bars and jerky- wanted more of these too

Comfortable, all purpose sandals/flip flops; they wore their Teva sandals everywhere

Snorkel, mask and fins

Things they wished they had brought:

Tropical ear solution (easy recipe below)

Dry shampoo

Hat

More immune boosters

More quick proteins

Their Advice:

Get small change in the airport – most places couldn’t make change for bigger bills

Buy and drink lots of water –it is easy to get dehydrated

Wear a swim shirt when snorkeling

No need for an electrical adaptor there

Bring more Sun Soother!

Ask around and know prices before buyinggirls scuba diving

Tropical Ear Drop Recipe:

1/3 part hydrogen peroxide (kills bacteria)

1/3 part white vinegar (balances pH)

1/3 part rubbing alcohol (dries water)

To this mixture add vegetable glycerin to make 5% of solution (emollient).

 

Why are Teas so Popular Right Now?

6 Reasons Teas Are Popular Right Now:

Tea is flying off the shelves at an all time high lately. What is making teas so quick to sell when January and February are traditionally slow retail months?

Here are 6 reasons for tea’s rising popularity, just for starters:

  1. Baby, it’s cold out there!

    cold!

    cold!

In these cold winter months, wrapping your hands around a steaming mug of tea is more than comforting! Having a hot drink helps take the frosty edge off the hard work of the day. Tea is a great option to other hot drinks because it is low in calories, yet high in healthy benefits such as anti-oxidants, nutritionally dense herbs and natural stimulants/relaxants. It is easy to get, easy to make, and can be steeped again and again.

  1. Health, health, health

    Basket of Herbs

    lots of goodness

People are becoming educated on the many health benefits of tea. Beyond New Years resolutions to start the year out healthier, people are choosing to take personal charge of their health. Healthier food and drink options, in general, are in demand. Tea is one of the easiest, actionable ways to jumpstart and recharge health, because it is just adding a tasty drink into your routine. Drinking tea is an enjoyable way to lighten the load, energize the body systems, detoxify and cleanse, and increase the anti-oxidants and immune boosters to stay healthy through the winter.

  1. Variety

There are so many different kinds of tea and tea blends now available! Blacks, greens, whites, reds, herbals, chai, mates, concentrates, bubble teas and more. Stimulating blacks to start the day, greens and citruses to continue the day, and mellow herbals for relaxing in the evening, there is tea for every occasion, time and season, hot or cold. When you get bored of one variety, just switch it up.

variety

variety

They are also used in more and more specialty foods, cocktails and mixed drinks. Recipes

  1. Millennials

Consumer reports show that over 87% of millennials (those in their teens and twenties) are drinking tea. They are driving the market on specialty blends; preferring organics, loose leaf, green teas and variety.

In fact, consumer reports show that tea sales- specialty teas and loose leaf teas at the top- have increased over the last few years at a growth rate of 5-10 % each year, more than coffee, sodas or other consumables! (http://www.teausa.com/14655/tea-fact-sheet)

  1. Price

When compared to other drinks, the value of tea far outshines, in both price per cup and nutritional quality per drink. Compare to sports drinks in energy and anti-oxidant levels. Compare to coffee beans and sodas. Compare to alcoholic drinks. Even organic, gourmet specialty teas are reasonable and sustainably priced per cup in comparison and many tea leaves can be steeped again and again!2016-02-17 12.06.47 (1)

  1. It’s just plain Good

Amazing flavor, health, variety, mixing ability, price, popularity (tea is the most consumed drink in the world after water), need I say more?

Mo-Tea-To Recipe with Lemon Refresh-Mint Tea

Refreshing Mo-Tea-To

This “Mo-Tea-To” green tea version of a Motito was well liked when it made it’s appearance at the Bend Art Walk.

It is a flavorful, sparkly and refreshing drink with a feel-good peppermint finish. The green tea gives the traditional summer time recipe more depth and interest, I think.  People were asking for the Mo-Tea-To recipe, so here it is:

Mo-Tea-Tos

4 oz T’s Tonics Lemon Refresh-Mint Tea, prepared, (follow directions on back).

mo-tea-to Ingredients

mo-tea-to Ingredients

2 Tbs Raw Honey Simple Syrup

2 oz. Spritzer or Sprite

2 slices lime

10 pc. Mint leaves (optional)

2 oz light Rum (optional)

 

It was very easy to make as the T’s Tonics Refresh-Mint Tea itself has the 3 main ingredients of Green Tea, Peppermint and Lemon.

Green Tea Lemon Refresh-Mint

Prepare a cold infusion of lemon Refresh-mint tea.

You can do this by steeping a tea strainer of the tea in 16 oz. (or 1/2 cup for a gallon) of hot water for 4 minutes and then cool it down in fridge with a ziplock bag of ice submerged in it for speed.

You can also make a sun tea by putting 1/8 c lemon Refresh-Mint in a glass jar, activating the leaves with a covering of warm water, then filling the rest of the jar with cool water and placing covered in a sunny window or warm spot for a couple hours until ready.

 

Make a simple syrup. I made a honey mint simple syrup for my recipe.

Here’s how:  A simple syrup is simply made by heating 1 part sugar to 5 parts water.

I used raw local honey instead and steeped a few sprigs of fresh peppermint leaves in it as it was heating. I then strained it honey mint simple syrupinto a glass measuring cup and put it in the fridge to cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slice lemons and limes. I juiced 1 lime and 1/2 lemon to add to my gallon of tea.

tea art

tea art.

Blend the cold tea, spritzer or sprite, some lime juice, the simple syrup and light rum, if desired, together. Add ice cubes, slices of lemon and lime and fresh mint sprigs to garnish.

 

 

 

 

 

Serve and enjoy!

mo-tea-to art walk

Angelinas Organic Skincare art walk