It took an hour or so to cook eggs this morning because the kids decided they needed to be chased out of rooms they had no business being in all morning but we finally got through it and they are now happily playing.  My daughter has engaged Daddy in a game of "kick it".  In other words, she brings him the ball and asks him to kick it.  This makes her happy so have fun.  I really enjoyed reading the constituent below this morning.  I remember when writing about this herb in class that it was unknown if it actually had any estrogenic effects because some said yes and some said no.  Interesting information!  I was also shocked at how few constituents were left after I eliminated the ones I had talked about.  I'm going to go with they don't know much about this herb yet.  I do have a few old-school books on the way and a few more I need to get.  One is quite expensive but it will be worth it.  I think it important to understand how they were used in the past, how they are used now and what the science has been able to prove.  I hope to encapsulate all of this in my book entries as well.  I have a LOT of reading to do before I can write the essay that's due next week.  I just need to find a way to read this book without the children mauling it.  The cover almost got ripped off yesterday. This is one of my toxicology books.  This is the only one issued for this class but I did buy the supplemental material for this class.  I cannot stress safety enough.  I'm gong to go ahead and try to get some of this reading done.  It does have short chapters.  I got one read yesterday which was only 3 pages.  That is also how I found out about some books I should have.  I used the bibliography at the end of the chapter to go searching for those books. Love and Light!

On to the constituents of fenugreek!

Diosgenin synthesizes hormones. Hoffman says it’s used for partial synthesis (Ganora adds this is the aglycone portion) of steroid hormones. Ganora says these may be antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory. She also says there have been questions on whether this effects estrogen but there is no current evidence this constituent is able to synthesize any sex hormones (Hoffman, 2003, p. 82; Petersen, 2018, p. 46).

Nicotinic Acid is niacin, also known as Vitamin B3.

Constituents: 4-hydroxyisoleucine, histadine, arginine, the alkaline trigonelline, 

Have a Great Day!

I went to the consult this morning for my daughter to have those teeth out.  She goes in on the second.  I still don't like having her go through this but there isn't much choice.  That broken tooth has to come out.  No food 6 hours prior, no drink but water 3 hours prior.  Not very easy for a 3-year-old.  I left her with Daddy when I went and she flipped out for a few minutes.  Today I plan to focus on the papers and quizzes due this week.  I submitted my plan for a project yesterday.  We shall see what she says.  I had a really good day yesterday.  I helped a friend "figure out what he wanted to be when he grew up".  He's been retired from the Navy for a few months now and has been struggling to find a job.  He keeps telling me what he's doing and I kept telling him those jobs weren't what he really wanted to do.  Finally, I asked him what he LOVED about being in the Navy.  As he was answering me, the light bulb went off.  I'm very glad I could help him and will still be here for him when he needs because he still has a long way to go but progress is great!  Positivity is a great teacher. Love and light!

On to the actions of fenugreek!

Anticarcinogenesis is another way of saying anticancer.

Constituents: Coumarin, diosgenin (synthesizes hormones), proteins (lysine, tryptophan), oils, oleoresins, and gums (Petersen, 2018, p. 46). Alkaloids, free amino acids (4-hydroxyisoleucine, histadine, lysine, arginine), flavonoids, saponins, lipids, mucilaginous fiber, vitamins (nicotine acid), and minerals (Petersen, 2018, p. 48). Chevallier (2016) adds the alkaline trigonelline, the saponins are based on diosgenin, proteins, volatile oil, and the vitamins A, B, and C (p. 227).

Have a Great Day!

I forgot to share a really cute story yesterday.  When I made breakfast I brought my daughter both of her new Tinkerbell plates to ask which she wanted to use.  She took both and looked them over then selected one and told Daddy, whose lap she was sitting on, he could use the other one.  He politely refused of course but such a sweet moment!  She didn't get yelled at much yesterday and they both have been pretty good today.  They are glad Daddy is home and they get cuddles and get to be held while Mommy cooks so they can see.  I just read over the instructions for my capstone and I don't know if I can do what I want.  My assignment for this week for that class is to explain what I'd like to do.  We'll see what my advisor says.  I'm supposed to discuss at least 2 projects.  If she advises against it, I'll just do a literary review on the science behind how rosemary works on cold and memory which will give me a start toward that first entry.  I want to start with that one since it's so well established in my bed outside. It will be easiest to get the pictures I want for the botanical portion.

On to Fenugreek!

Constituents: Coumarin, diosgenin (synthesizes hormones), proteins (lysine, tryptophan), oils, oleoresins, and gums (Petersen, 2018, p. 46). Alkaloids, free amino acids (4-hydroxyisoleucine, histadine, lysine, arginine), flavonoids, saponins, lipids, mucilaginous fiber, vitamins (nicotine acid), and minerals (Petersen, 2018, p. 48). Chevallier (2016) adds the alkaline trigonelline, the saponins are based on diosgenin, proteins, volatile oil, and the vitamins A, B, and C (p. 227).

Therapeutic Actions: Analgesic and anticarcinogenesis

Indications: diabetes (promotes healthy blood sugar), loss of appetite, dyspepsia, gastritis, constipation, atherosclerosis, high serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and lactation (Petersen, 2018, p. 45). Kidney ailments, hernia, beriberi, impotence, fever, mouth ulcers, boils, bronchitis, cellulitis, chronic coughs, chapped lips, baldness, and cancer. Topically it can be used as a poultice for gout, wounds, leg ulcers, and eczema (Petersen, 2018, p. 46) Chevallier (2016) says this was used in an ancient Egyptian burn cream and was used in ancient Egypt to induce labor. It has been used for gynecological issues since the first century.  This herb is used while sick as a general nourishing herb and helps with weight gain.

Safety: The family may have allergic effects. Unknown safety for use in pregnancy. (Petersen, 2018, p. 50-1)  There is a long list of drug interactions on page 51-2 so use with caution.

Have a Great Day!

The party went as expected last night, sort of.  My little girl was so excited over her decorations that I had to move some to her room, take others down (the things that hung from the ceiling I figured could be added to her room).  Her "walking" Tinkerbell balloon, one of the wings popped when I blew it up but it turned out being a good thing because that is her favorite thing of all the things she got. She fell asleep last night with it.  No, I won't let her bring a balloon that's bigger than her to bed.  She loved everything she got except the walking unicorn.  She picked it out but didn't know it moved.  She gets freaked out by toys that move on their "own".  My son loves it though and is trying to figure out how the legs move when you press a button.  Once I had everything put up except her balloon, she was able to calm down enough to go to sleep last night.  My son fed off her energy so he had the same problem with sleeping.  She was so happy with everything she didn't eat her cake until I had everything picked up as well.  I guess I made great choices for her.  This morning, they both woke up around the same time and my husband came to check on us at the right time because both kids exclaimed "daddy" and scrambled out of bed to get to him.  It's been a great day so far.  He's working on the truck right now so we can go get the rest of our errands run.  I just hope my daughter doesn't think she's going to bring this big balloon with her... 

On to the constituents of eucalyptus!

D-limonene is also seen as (+)-limonene and makes up 90% of bitter and sweet orange peels. It works against cancer through detoxification (Ganora, 2009, p. 136).

Constituents: Volatile oil (a-poinene, p-pinene, a-phellandrene), polyphenolic acids (protocatechuic), flavonoids (eucalyptin)

Have a Great Day!

Been a busy day already and it's not going to slow down!  I have to go a bunch of chores, finish my essay for Health and Wellness then get ready for a birthday party!  We won't tell her it's 2 weeks early...  I learned some cool information in the portion below on the constituents and hope you enjoy the information I found.  I thought I had one of those done already and was shocked to see I didn't which makes me think I missed one with an herb I've already covered.  Since a lot of these entries say "and more" or "and others" it's quite possible. Hubby is on his way home but he needs to make a detour and drop off his trailer.  Since he's in Huston, I hope the traffic cooperates to get him home in time to distract the birthday girl so the decorations can go up.  I'm planning on just doing pizza for dinner, though I might do a frozen lasagna.  I'll see how the clock goes.  I can't wait to have the time to make my lasagna from scratch again.  The family loves it!  Hubby voted for lasagna so that's what we'll have.  I'm thinking of doing a book entry as my class project for my capstone class.  I'll need to see if I posted the rosemary herbarium because I will be building off that for my project since I can easily take the pictures I need until I'm happy with them for my entry.  I think I'll run it past my teacher and see what she thinks.  The purpose of the capstone is to demonstrate what we learned (for those who don't know that - My bachelors was just to write a paper on a topic taught in any class).  Okay, hubby says he should be home around 6 tonight...  I wanted the party to be at 7...  We shall see what happens.  Time to get house work done and see what else can be done after that.

On to the constituents of eucalyptus!

1,8-cineole has anthelmintic, expectorant, and antiseptic properties and repels cockroaches. Ganora adds antimicrobial and it is also called monoterpene cineole.  It also has another name which I'll add when I find it.  The spelling makes it a "twenty-dollar-word". She goes on to add it has anti-cancer properties and is great for upper respiratory issues  (Hoffman, 2003, p. 66; Ganora, 2009, p. 68, 135).

Eucalyptol has anthelmintic, expectorant, and antiseptic properties and repels cockroaches (Hoffman, 2003, p. 66).

Ferulic Acid increases phagocytosis (Hoffman, 2003, p. 152).

Gallic Acid, parent compound of gallotannins, has astringent, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antianaphylactic, anitmutagenic, choleretic, and bronchodilatory properties.  It also relaxes smooth muscles and inhibits the degradation of insulin. Ganora adds this is an antioxidant. These are found in grapes, nuts, and many berries. She continues they are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and detoxify the liver. This acid is also easily absorbed and bioavailable which means there isn't much keeping it from getting into the body and beating up on some bad cells. She says historically, this was used as an astringent for gastrointestinal and urinary system issues and topically for purulent conjuctivitis. This compound is soluble in hot water (Hoffman, 2003, p. 92, 114; Ganora, 2009, p. 65, 81, 107, 108, 118, 123).

Constituents: Volatile oil (a-poinene, p-pinene, d-limonene, a-phellandrene), polyphenolic acids (protocatechuic), flavonoids (eucalyptin)

Have a Great Day!

Lots going on today.  I had to order groceries for delivery because I have to leave the truck sitting and IF everything goes okay, it will be an easy fix but I would rather be prepared just on case something goes sideways on that.  Hubby will be able to eat.  I also have the dentist paid for the estimate of my daughter's dental.  I just need a functioning vehicle to get the consult done.  She said if he can fix it quick, I can still get the consult done this week so he can watch her while I go over there so she won't have to be scared. The least trauma I can subject her to, the better. I forgot to tell you I have more books added to my list in the references section, will add another here in a few minutes. I wanted some books that had herbs that were in the other books (I know, good luck on the search) but I also wanted books with recipes for personal care. Those who have been following me since the beginning know my stance but I'll reiterate it here for any readers since I explained this.  There are two ways to prepare herbal recipes: folk and scientific. Folk is a bit like the eyeball method.  I refer to these two as cooking and baking.  in cooking, you toss things in the pan until you're happy.  In baking, you have to be precise. While cooking herbs tend to be more safe in terms of toxicity, not all are in that category so I consider the "cooking/folk" method to not be very smart.  There are many herbalists out there that practice that way and that's fine. They feel fine using that method.  I do not.  The three books I added, two were written by Groves.  She uses what I call the "baking" method. I have not read the books through, of course but I read enough to know we are on the same page. Both books look like I will gain a lot from them.  Houdek, however, uses the "cooking" method and I will likely use her recipes but I will convert them to metric and be a bit more careful though with these recipes, they are primarily external, soaps, shampoos, etc, so the only real risk of using too much of an herb is contact dermatitis. The other book I need to add that just arrived is by Tierra. I really need to learn more about Chinese Herbalism and this book is my first step in that direction.  I have 2 more on the subject I want but those are expensive.  I'll get them eventually. I have only had time to flip the pages at this point but the herb entries are on par with the class last semester where it talks about temperature and such of the ailment and the herbs. I do look forward to getting into the subject more when I can.  For now, I need to sign off here and get things done. My son has just gone down for a nap and I want to take advantage of the time with only one child to keep an eye on.  This two kids getting in trouble in opposite directions is hard!

I went through the list of actions and I have discussed everything already for eucalyptus so I'll go into constituents tomorrow.

Constituents: Volatile oil (1,8-cineole - eucalyptol, a-poinene, p-pinene, d-limonene, a-phellandrene), polyphenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic, gallic, protocatechuic, and others), flavonoids (eucalyptin, hyperosides, rutin), tannins and resin

Have a Great Day!

The day has been so busy and I've gotten no school work done so far.  I need to read a chapter to do the essay that's due. I still need to figure out what my research topic is so I can properly answer the discussion question for my capstone class.  MUCH to due and that clock keeps ticking. I went and got my daughter's birthday cake today and prayed the truck would not overheat and leave us on the side of the road.  She did her duty and got us there and back.  I am now grounded until my husband can fix it.  He thinks the thermostat is stuck so he's gong to replace it.  I wasn't happy about the cake but we worked it out.  I asked for a chocolate quarter sheet and got a half sheet marble cake.  At least they dropped the price to what I ordered.  With the truck, I couldn't risk going over there again to have them make it again.  Anyone have any friends in Shreveport that like cake?  This also meant the hiding place I had for it was too small so I have it in the oven...  My daughter ripped the lock I had on it off with her greasy hot-dog-hands so now she might get at it.  I need another plan.  At least the design was exactly what I asked for!  Now I just have to add all the things I want on there just before her party. My son woke with another gas bubble last night so I brought him to bed and being stuck between two females warmed him up enough to let that out...  Then he woke me up because his sister was laying on his hand and he couldn't get it out from under her...  Interestingly, we all still got enough sleep.  Below is an herb I think many of you will be familiar with. Enjoy!

On to Eucalyptus!

Constituents: Volatile oil (1,8-cineole - eucalyptol, a-poinene, p-pinene, d-limonene, a-phellandrene), polyphenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic, gallic, protocatechuic, and others), flavonoids (eucalyptin, hyperosides, rutin) (Hoffman, 2003, p. 547). Chevallier (2016) adds tannins and resin (p. 96).

Therapeutic Actions: Antimicrobial, antispasmodic, expectorant, stimulant, febrifuge (Hoffman, 2003, p. 548). Chevallier (2016) adds antiseptic, analgesic, and insect repellent (p. 96).

Indications: Internally – decongestant and expectorant. Externally as anti-microbial (Hoffman, 2003, p. 548). Hoffman has a whole half-page on this section for the historical use but these are the current uses. Chevallier (2016) says this was used by aborigines for infection and fevers. The expectorant makes it great for colds and coughs, including bronchitis and pneumonia. The antiseptic property helps with colds as well including sore throats.

Safety: No drug interactions known (Hoffman, 2003, p. 548).

Have a Great Day!

I checked my e-mail this morning and it looks like I need to get my graduation stuff started this month.  I'll take a look at that in this coming week.  The night time was interesting...  My brand new toilet was leaking so I bought some flex-seal.  I sprayed it on and left it to dry so I could turn the water back on and it still wasn't done and the smell was not pleasant so I had the exhaust fan on as well as the ceiling fans and opened two windows.  At 2, I I woke up and realized I could hear my daughter breathing but not my son so I put my hand in his bed in the dark and there was no boy.  I went into the living room and the first thing I noticed was the blanket was no longer in the chair.  I found a Lightning McQueen lump on the floor and poked it.  It moved.  Eventually a head emerged and looked around. Upon seeing me, the rest of the body eventually became visible and stood up and put up it's arms. So I picked him up, changed his diaper and took him back to bed where he fell back to sleep.  My daughter, however, woke up and could not go back to sleep.  I had to turn off the fans and the exhaust so at 6 am, she went back to sleep.  Yep, I've been awake since 2.  And what did I get for all this headache?  A partial fix.  The leak is still there but I'm no longer seeing air bubbles. Why is it so hard to have a functioning toilet?  I want to have this post done before my daughter wakes so I can immediately make breakfast so I'm going to end it here.  I realized I forgot to add a constituent important to this herb to the list yesterday so I will get that done after I get this post up.  Apologies for the oversight!

On to Siberian ginseng!

Sesamin has antihypertensive, cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective properties and helps protect the skin from UV rays. (Ganora, 2009, p. 112)

Constituents: ciwujianosides, eleutherans, isofraxidin (a coumarin derivative), syringin, , and friedelin.

Have a Great Day!

It's been a busy day and I have not even gotten any school work done yet. Dishes done, 2 meals one, clothes washing, child had a nap, the other child woke him while I was going to the bathroom...  At least he can get his lunch now. Dinner is cooking in the crockpot. I think my friend went to work without bringing me her daughter's car seat.  I think I need to go over there. Hubby called to let me know he won't be home before Tuesday so we are moving the party.  This is why inviting people is difficult...  You can plan to be home by a certain time but the loads like to change your plans for you. It's all good.  I ordered her another balloon so this give more time for it to get here before the party!  Her plates and napkins are all here.  Apparently my son was hungry.  He's devouring his peach. When he's done, we'll try to catch up to my friend at the store. I tried to buy my own booster seat for her before and they were out.  Maybe I should look again. I need to be able to transport her safely without worry mom will get really busy and forget. He's done eating so I'm going to leave this here.  I need to have a seat in hand before I get her off the bus and that clock is ticking!

On to the constituents of Siberian ginseng!

After I spent a lot of time reducing the list to things I have not talked about, the list is quite short but none of these are in Hoffman.  I'll look through Ganora tomorrow.

Constituents: ciwujianosides, eleutherans, isofraxidin (a coumarin derivative), syringin, sesamin, and friedelin.

Have a Great Day!

The day is here! The first day of class.  The kids were upset with me because breakfast was put on hold while went through my class lessons to see what to expect this semester.  I have a final in toxicology, a proctored final in health and wellness and a final paper on my capstone class.  It looks like they want video assignments in capstone and health and wellness which will be very interesting with 2 children with no volume control.  This is going to be a very interesting semester indeed!  I also might be able to read the books since they are small enough I can read them standing up.  I will make the attempt, for sure.   Toxicology and health and wellness are vital to herbal health so if I can find a way, I will do it.  I was able to read Wisper's book because I was able to read while I was cooking so there is an idea.  I had my friend's children yesterday so she could get some extra hours and my daughter blew up a balloon for my daughter.  The kids are now playing with it in my daughter's room.  I think I'll by more of them because I'm fully impressed with the amount of abuse this has taken and is still kicking!  I blew up one with the helium tank I got for my daughter's birthday and my daughter broke it the minute she got her hands on it.  There is something to be said for quality.  I'll have her again tomorrow but not for as long. I will also get her off the bus on Monday to help me get ready for my daughter's birthday party.  She is very excited and is looking forward to learning how to wrap presents and such.  She thought I was going light on the number of presents and I let her know I don't do clothing as presents.  It's fine if family does but I consider that too essential.  If they need new clothes, they need them now, not in a month or two.  I'm going to leave you with the information below on actions of Siberian ginseng.  I thought I had done adaptogen before but it wasn't in my list so it is now!

On to the actions of Siberian ginseng (easier to spell)!

Adaptogen can mean many things. In general, these herbs have their own properties but they also augment other properties in herbs making it a good companion herb in recipes. You do want to be careful on using these as a companion because I don’t think you’d want to boost things like diuretic, for example.

Immune modulating is the same as immunomodulatory.

Constituents: Eleutherosides A-E, glycosides of aglycones (sterols, lignans, phenolics), polysaccharides.  (Hoffman, 2003, p. 545) Chevallier (2016) adds triterpenoid saponins (p. 94). I looked up eleutherosides in Ganora (2009) and they are the triterpenoid saponins (p. 69).  On page 142, she explains I, J, K, L, and M are different from this group.  These eleutherosides are what gives Siberian Ginseng the adaptogenic property as well as the improvement of stamina and resistance to stress due to the tonic action on the adrenal glands.  They are also neuroprotective and neuroregenerative. The Thorne research group (2006) further explains A-M are present in the plant but A-M are in the root, these others listed are from the leaf.  Other constituents they say are in the root are ciwujianosides (minor saponins), eleutherans (polysaccharides), beta sitosterol, isofraxidin (a coumarin derivative), syringin, chlorogenic acid, sesamin (lignans), and friedelin (triterpene).

Have a Great Day!