Tag: herbs

  • 10 Minute Herbal Christmas Ornaments

    10 Minute Herbal Christmas Ornaments

    Looking for something easy to bring the hostess of that upcoming party? Need an inexpensive gift? Make lovely ornaments that can double as a tea!

    Here’s what you’ll need:

     

    • Empty Glass Globe Ornaments
    • Bulk Herbs
    • Funnel

     
    Simply fill the ball with the loose herbs. We kept ours simple, using singular herbs in each, but you could create custom blends that could be poured into a tea ball!
     

    Relax Blend:

    Lavender, Chamomile, Lemon Balm

    Cold-Fighter Blend:

    Elderberries, Rosehips, Cinnamon

    Cold-Soother Blend:

    Marshmallow, Peppermint, Mullein Leaf

    Tummy Soother Blend:

    Chamomile, Peppermint

    Blues Blend:

    Oatstraw, Lemonbalm, Spearmint

     

     

  • Top Picks from Our Brand

    Top Picks from Our Brand

    In a sea of supplements to choose from, it helps to know what brands to trust. We are pleased to offer a brand WE trust and turn to!

    Here’s our favorites from our in-house supplements:

    With all that we know now about the benefit’s of taking Turmeric, this is our favorite to keep on hand for regular use. It contains a standardized 475 mg. of curcuminoids that come from a clinically studied source, and is delivered in easy-to-swallow capsules.

    Let’s face it, we ALL smile when we see this supplement. We could all use some brain support! With the amount of information we are faced with in todays world, there’s no way we can cope without a little help. This formula boosts brain function with Ginko Biloba, Phosphatidyl Serine, L-Carnitine, DHA, Choline and more.

    D3 is essential- and we love the fact that ours only requires a single DROP to get 2,000 IU. One bottle lasts a long time, which makes this not only a potent choice, but an excellent value!

    Adrenal Support means helping your body balance it’s reactions to the stressors in you life. Whether stress ramps you up or shuts you down, the reaction takes a toll. Basil Bandwagon Brand Adrenal Support contains Rhodiola, Eleuthero, Schizandra and Ashwaganda: Adaptogenic Herbs help control the reaction, and bring balance to your hormones and energy levels. This supplement also has B vitamins, L-Tyrosine (an amino acid known for helping with anxiety) and Gotu Kola.

    Basil Bandwagon Brand Supplements are 25% Off until May 31st- stock up on our favorites and yours.

  • Summer Camp Week 3: Simmer Down With Natural Stress Relief

    Summer Camp Week 3: Simmer Down With Natural Stress Relief

    Headaches and heart palpitations and nail biting – oh my! We can’t stress enough how much we despise stress! But we’ve all been there – most of us more often than we like to. And while summertime generally brings more time for rest and relaxation for many people, traveling and traffic and altered schedules can irritate our nervous systems amongst a myriad of personal circumstances we cope with on a daily basis.

     

    Understanding Our Bodies’ Stress Response

     

    We are aware of stress because we know how it makes us feel:  sweaty palms, restlessness, stomach cramping, sensations of hunger or nausea, fatigue, heightened emotion, heart fluttering and general agitation.

    But, to help manage these uncomfortable symptoms caused by emotional distress, we need to answer this question: What exactly IS stress?

    When a physical or psychological stimuli upsets us, a part of our brain called the amygdala – which processes emotion – sends a signal to another part of our brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus functions as a sort of command center by controlling involuntary functions of our body like our heartbeat, pupil dilation, breathing and blood pressure amongst other duties.

    The hypothalamus communicates with our adrenal glands – which sit atop our kidneys in our midsection – and trigger the release of epinephrine into our bloodstream. Epinephrine is a powerful hormone more commonly known as “adrenaline” that brings about a number of physiological changes immediately.  Our heart begins beating faster, increasing our pulse rate and blood pressure along with our breathing pattern.  Faster breathing leads to increased oxygen delivery to the brain, making us feel extremely alert. And all of this happens before we are even able to process what’s going on.

    If the stimulus is chronic, the hypothalamus directs the adrenal glands to steadily release yet another hormone called cortisol, keeping the body in a near constant state of high alert that is not appropriate and less-than-comfortable for daily life. If untreated, it can interfere with our sleep quality, digestion, and mental cognition, negatively impacting our work or school performance, physical fitness and relationships with others.

    STRESS STINKS!

    Luckily, there is a lot that we can do to prevent and treat it.  So much, actually, that we could spend a whole summer (or maybe a lifetime!) covering options.  But to make the greatest impact this summer, we’ll focus on covering a lot of the basic options.

    Prevention

     

    Prevention is key, so let’s start with that. The key here is to change our mindset about stress.  Think of it this way:

    • To stay in shape, we monitor our diet and exercise.
    • To keep up with our hygiene, we bathe and tame our hair. 
    • To maintain good oral cleanliness, we brush our teeth, floss and rinse.
    • To keep stress levels in check, we need to use certain tools to care for our nervous systems.

    With this in mind, here are some tools to add to your Stress-Less toolkit:

    1. Eat Healthy Meals: Eating nutrient-dense, low sugar meals and snacks every few hours can keep your blood glucose levels consistent and minimize adrenal reaction that can contribute to your stress reactions. Limit alcohol and caffeine as well, as these further contribute to negative fluctuations.
    2. Exercise: Exercise is critical for improving your cardiovascular health so that stress doesn’t wreak its havoc. Cardiovascular exercises (i.e. running and swimming) promote the release of feel-good brain chemicals that can counteract stress.
    3. Just Say “No!”: It is important to recognize you’re overloaded BEFORE you get overloaded. Block rest and relaxation time into your schedule so that it doesn’t get skipped. Just as you would with showering and brushing your teeth, give yourself some time to quiet your mind with a good book, a refreshing nap, a soothing cup of tea or a walk with your dog.
    4. Maintain a Spiritual Practice: Harvard-educated cardiologist, Dr. Herbert Benson pioneered the study of the relationship between spirituality and health. His research tells us that spiritual practices like meditation or prayer improve health. Focus on gratitude and stillness over some quiet time each day.

     

    Management

     

    It’s impossible to eliminate stress completely – and some may argue that some forms of stress are positive influences on our lives, keeping us on our toes – but when stress becomes overwhelming, we need some powerful reduction solutions and techniques.

    1. Just Breathe: Take note of your breathing. If you’re experiencing stress, your breathing could be more shallow or more rapid than normal. Try Dr. Weil’s suggested breathing exercise for support, 4-7-8 Breathing.
    2. Seek Social Support: Friends, family, mental health practitioners, support groups and community groups can all provide a simple but powerful solution to stress.  Releasing tension by talking through conflicts is very effective.
    3. Journal It Out: It can also be helpful to jot down your worries, concerns and negative emotion regularly to release the weight of those feelings that you are carrying around. Save your entries in a bound diary or rip each one up after writing it, to symbolically “release” the stress.
    4. Take a Technology Time-Out: Many of us spend a considerable amount of time on our phones, our computers and watching our televisions every day.  While much of this time is spent doing work, a lot of it is also recreational. These devices can overstimulate our brains and contribute to our feelings of burn-out. Try spending one day a week or one weekend a month without using technology. 
    5. Get Quality sleep: We’ve all heard it before: 7-8 hours of sleep minimum per night. It is so critical for our emotional resiliency. Sleep gives our brains a chance to repair themselves and gives our bodies the much needed rejuvenation from any physical stress we’ve endured during the day. If falling or staying asleep is a problem for you, seek out natural support (we’ve got plenty of options at Basil Bandwagon – just ask a team member!).
    6. Turn to Alternative Therapies: Massage, reiki, acupuncture, reflexology, aromatherapy – these are just some of the options out there in the world of alternative therapies for stress management. Different therapies work better for different people. Find out what works for you and schedule appointments regularly for prevention and reactively in times of high stress.
    7. Supplement Wisely:  There are SO many different products available to help manage stress. A few of our favorites include:
      • Omega 3’s:  These play an important role in brain function and mood.
      • B Vitamins: Deficiency of B Vitamins can cause impaired brain function and mood.
      • Magnesium:  Lack of magnesium may cause irregular overexcited nervous system function.
      • Curcumin: The active constituent of our beloved spice, turmeric,  has been found to reverse negative behavioral patterns and reduce  elevated cortisol levels.
      • Herbs: passionflower, chamomile, hops, skullcap, St. John’s Wort, valerian root, kava, astragalus, rhodiola, ashwaghanda, holy basil – there are so many herbal solutions for managing stress, depending on your specific symptoms. Some help address sleeplessness, others promote positive mood along with stress reduction, and yet others focus on adrenal support for healthy stress reactions.
      • GABA: Gamma aminobutyric acid is our nervous system’s most important inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning it helps to calm the brain’s activity. Other amino acids like L-theanine, l-tryptophan and l-tyrosine can help our bodies better cope with stress as well.

    If you haven’t joined our Online Summer Camp yet, then you are missing out on Coupons, printable lists, recipes, etc! Where can you sign up? Well, right HERE, of course!

    References

     

    www.health.harvard.edu – Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School

    www.drweil.com – Dr. Andrew Weil

    www.kripalu.com – Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health

    www.bensonhenryinstitute.org – Dr. Herbert Benson, MD

    www.psychologytoday.com – Psychology Today’s Evolutionary Psychiatry Blog

    www.huffingtonpost.ca – “Six Ways Curcumin Can Help You Sleep More and Stress Less”

  • A Sign of Early Spring

    A Sign of Early Spring

    Despite the cold temps, Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis, like this plant sprouting near Frenchtown, N.J., is looking good! The root of this remarkably beautiful plant can be made into a vinegar-based extract that is a very valuable anti-fungal. It is best used topically, and can be applied to athlete’s foot or other fungal overgrowths, where no open wound exists.

    Studies show the extract can inhibit the deposition of dental plaque, which is why it is used in mouth rinses. It has excellent anti-microbial activity on the mucous membrane tissues. Once again, however, this is a mouth rinse, not to be ingested. Bloodroot has legitimate internal uses, but should not be used this way unless under the care of a qualified health-care practitioner.

    The plant’s most noteworthy physical characteristic is its clasping single grey-green leaf, which wraps itself around the delicate flower when it first appears, later unfurling into a shield-like background for the striking white flower. The small but bulbous root from which the extracts are made contains an acrid red-orange juice wherein lies the medicine. This colorful juice was used as a dye, after careful processing, by Native American people, who adorned clothing and their bodies with it.

  • Medicinal Herbs and Supplements

    Medicinal Herbs and Supplements

    Evidence-based herbal and vitamin supplementation is an achievable reality in our 21st century world. Finding quality herbs and supplements, as well as high-quality information about them, requires experience in the marketplace of natural substances. This is what we bring to the consumer’s table: decades of research into herbal medicine as well long experience working with the finest natural supplement manufacturers in the world.

    There can be a ten-fold difference in the cost of raw materials for good-quality herbs and supplements versus poor quality. Knowing and trusting your herb and vitamin seller is paramount in a world where bargains are everywhere, but information about sourcing can be scarce.

    Taking a degree of responsibility, however small, for one’s own health, is empowering. In addition to exercise, relaxation techniques, and dietary adjustment, herbs and supplements are powerful allies for those seeking optimum health.

  • Natural Allergy Remedies

    Natural Allergy Remedies

    Spring is here. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming … and your allergies are driving you nuts. Instead of running to a pharmacy for the usual batch of OTC meds, give these natural products a try:

    Sinus Breakup, Basil Bandwagon Natural MarketSinus Break-Up

    This fast-acting liquid compound quickly opens the sinus for easier breathing. It promotes healthy sinus and respiratory systems.

    Aller-7

    Aller-7 is a proprietary blend of seven herbal extracts clinically proven to promote immune health. Combined with a proper diet, Aller-7 promotes respiratory health and normal breathing seasonally and all year long without side effects.

    Aller-7 promotes clear airway passages and normal breathing; stabilizes mast cells, which promote respiratory health; and is a powerful antioxidant protection.

    Aller-Aid, Basil BandwagonOregon’s Wild Harvest Aller-Aid

    Very popular with the Basil staff, this compound contains Quercetin and Freeze-Dried Nettle to support your body’s normal histamine-producing response. N-acety cysteine packs an additional punch by brealing down mucous and increasing antioxidant activity.

    Urban Moonshine Aller-Blast

    Urban Moonshine’s Aller-Blast is made with fresh stinging nettle. The formula is unique because it contains the immune-modulating power of reishi mushroom and the tonic action of bitter artichoke. Also included are elder flower and red clover – traditionally used to support a healthy respiratory tract, eyes, nose, and sinus – for a fast acting formula. It can also be taken daily long term.

    Local Honey, honeycomb, Basil Bandwagon Natural MarketLocktown Honey Company Local Honey

    Completely locally sourced, this honey is produced by Hunterdon County resident Glen Brewer. It’s unheated and minimally filtered so it retains the maximum amount of beneficial enzymes and bee pollen.

    Many people swear by honey’s ability to lessen symptoms of seasonal allergies. As honey has anti-inflammatory effects and is known to soothe coughs, it may not seem like much of a stretch; but honey’s efficacy for treating allergy hasn’t been proven in clinical studies.

    That said, some experts say that honey can contain traces of flower pollen, and exposure to small amounts of allergens works as good treatment to combat reactions. Whether it can be proven by science or not is one thing; at worst, honey makes for a delicious placebo . (And don’t knock the healing power of placebos!)

    Honey has an unusual chemical composition, one which makes it keep indefinitely without spoiling, as is seen whenever ancient pots of honey, still perfectly preserved, are found during excavations of early Egyptian tombs. It is uniquely low in moisture and extremely acidic, making it a forbidding environment for bacteria and microorganisms. On top of that, bees add an enzyme, glucose oxidase, that creates hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct. According to the National Institutes of Health, honey is hygroscopic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and has remarkable debriding action. Who knew?

    With this bonanza of properties, honey has been used for millennia as a medical remedy. As Smithsonian.com reports, the earliest recoded use of honey as a curative comes from Sumerian clay tablets, which convey that honey was used in 30 percent of prescriptions at the time. The ancient Egyptians used honey regularly to treat skin and eye problems, as did the Greeks, Romans, and a number of other cultures.

     

  • Spring Detox

    Spring Detox

    Our bodies were meant to detox themselves. Here are some suggestions for getting your body to restart naturally:

    Thistle, Basil BandwagonNourish your liver with milk thistle

    Milk thistle is a potent antioxidant , has anti-inflammatory properties, and has even been proven to repair and grow new liver cells. The liver is a hard-working organ. One of its most important tasks is to remove toxins and waste from the blood. We carry milk thistle in capsules and tinctures. Oregon’s Wild Harvest  makes one of our favorites.

    Chlorella, Basil BandwagonCleanse  gently with chlorella

    Chlorella’s high content of chlorophyll brings it to superfood status! Chlorella binds heavy metals, toxins, and pesticides and carries them out of your body. Take it in capsule form or mix powder form into a smoothie and drink it. We love Health Force Naturals Chlorella Manna.

    Clover, Basil BandwagonDon’t forget about your lymph fluid

    The lymphatic system consists of 600 nodes and glands that help remove toxins and waste. Herbs for improving your lymph include cleavers, red clover, burdock root, queen’s root, and calendula. Try Herbalist & Alchemist’s Burdock/Red Root Compound. It’s potent and easy to take.

  • Adventures in Cough Solutions

    Adventures in Cough Solutions

    As a mother, I questioned the cold medicines I took as a kid. I remembered swallowing huge amounts of red sticky syrups that didn’t work, and the way cough drops made my stomach hurt. I was determined to find a better way for my own kids.

    I started with the classic honey, lemon, and hot water. It was easy for the kids to drink; they loved honey as it was, and the warmth was immediately soothing. I added in homeopathic remedies like Boiron’s Chestel, which contains soothing honey, but is boosted with other cough-fighters. 

    Then along came my youngest daughter, whose coughing was different. She really suffered from coughing more that her brother and sister. For her, the Chestal syrup alone wasn’t enough to control the spasms that kept her coughing once she started. I knew I’d have to dig a little deeper to find some solutions.

    The first thing we did was get her taking Elderberry syrup to prevent colds and flu in the first place. Next, we added Quercetin and Nettles to keep allergies at bay. Every once and a while, though, a cold would happen, and the coughing would start. 

    Stinky feet

    A friend of mine suggested an old wives tale I’d never heard of. “Put vapor rub on her feet at night!” I thought she was crazy! I had the classic vapor rub in the back of the bathroom cabinet and tried it one night, slathering the stinky stuff all over Scarlet’s feet. 

    It worked!

    I was thrilled but quickly sought out more natural alternatives to the drug store brands. It turned out you can use essential oils like eucalyptus, tea tree oil, even peppermint on the feet with similar results. To save time and sanity, though, Tea Tree Therapy makes a great chest rub that works wonderfully. 

    Another nighttime lifesaver has been Herbalist and Alchemist’s Respiratory Calmpound. This contains lung-soothing herbs like Lobelia and Khella seed as well as Reishi Mushroom. This tincture, in a cup of tea, along with the rub on her feet is a sure-fire way to calm the cough. 

    Daytime cough

    But what about daytime coughing? I can tell somedays that Scarlet’s chest is tight, and she’s a little congested. I turn to Whole World Botanical’s Royal Desmodium. (I know, it’s a mouthful!)

    Desmodium has been a miracle for us. It acts as a bronchial dilator, opening up the chest and relaxing the lungs. It’s been used as a muscle relaxant and an anti-histamine, and it can even improve liver health. The best thing about it is that it is safe. I give my daughter a few drops on days when her breathing is labored as a first line of defense. I take it when I’m getting over a cold or on days when allergies are bad. 

    With these tools in our arsenal, coughs no longer bring us down. We have safe, natural options that work. That makes a mom feel good. (And we can all sleep!).