Season One Replay continues with an interview with one of my favorite Denver herbalists, Monticue Connally. His approach to herbalism (and life) is inspiring to anyone that appreciates the spiritual side of the work.
Samhain, or Halloween is the perfect time to sit back with a steaming cup of tea to listen to this episode about working with herbs and spirits. Monticue gifts us with him rapping too!
I am re-releasing Season One of The Herb Walk Podcast because for some reason it is not showing up on iTunes or Stitcher any longer. I don’t want you to miss out on some amazing interviews with people like Jane Bothwell, Mindy Green, Julie Caldwell, Monticue Connelly and so many others.
Jane Bothwell was my very first herb teacher! Way back in 1998 I took her Beginning with Herbs class through the Dandelion Herbal Center and my entire life changed. You will know why Jane is revered as an herb teacher and a mentor after listening to this episode!
Season Two will be re-released soon since they are also no longer available through iTunes or Stitcher. Season Three recordings have begun and I should have a new episode to you soon. I’m excited to be back in the studio (even if I’m super distracted by everything else I’m doing!)
I’m back after a long summer hiatus! I didn’t expect it to be so long, but it has seriously felt like summer until just a couple of days ago. Oklahoma summers are no joke! After months of extreme heat and high winds, the mornings and evenings are now cool and our long work days in the garden are winding down. I just froze the last of the okra harvest (no-not mine, but some gems from a sweet old man I met at his Davenport roadside stand).
We have begun the harvest of our Legal cannabis garden. I’ve been growing medical cannabis for two decades and I am as excited today as when I first began. Most of the outdoor plants have been trimmed and are ready to be sold at our dispensary, Bakers Medical. The hoop houses are still a few weeks from being ready. I suspect they will turn out even better than the outdoor plants. I am ecstatic about our first harvest season here in Oklahoma!
Our dispensary should be open anytime now. Just waiting on a couple more inspections and we should be good to go. I will breathe a deep sigh of relief once we Finally up and running! Once we’re open- send your Oklahoma City friends (with a medical card) to Bakers Medical!
So now you know what I’ve been busy doing all summer. Trying to run multiple cannabis businesses, while continuing to teach, write and relax by our ponds. New episodes of The Herb Walk Podcast are in the works and will be released in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for interviews and musings on herbalism, Chinese medicine, and cannabis.
For those that want to hear an interview with me on MindBody Radio, tune in live Tuesday October 15th at 4:15 CDT!
I’m going way back to the beginning of Season One of The Herb Walk Podcast where I interview herbalist and author Brigitte Mars.
Brigitte is an herbalist and nutritional consultant of Natural Health with almost fifty years of experience. She teaches Herbal Medicine at Naropa University and The School of Health Mastery in Iceland. She has taught at Omega Institute, Esalen, Kripalu, Sivananda Yoga Ashram, Arise, Envision and Unify Festivals, and The Mayo Clinic. She blogs for the Huffington Post and Care2. She is also a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild.
Brigitte is also the author of many books and DVDs, including The Home Reference to Holistic Health and Healing, The Country Almanac of Home Remedies, The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine, Beauty by Nature, Addiction Free Naturally, The Sexual Herbal, Healing Herbal Teas, Rawsome!,and co-author of The HempNut Cookbook. Her DVDs include Sacred Psychoactive, Herbal Wizardry for Kids of all Ages, Natural Remedies for Childhood Ailments, Overcoming Addictions, and Natural Remedies for Emotional Health. Her latest project is a phone app called iPlant that helps budding herbalists to identify plants in the wild.
May you find this interview inspiring and fun! You can see both me and Brigitte (and many more great teachers) at this year’s Red Earth Herbal Gathering in Boulder, CO September 13-15, 2019
Tobacco is demonized by many as a deadly killer, but she is also one the most sacred plants on Earth. Grown across the Americas by people from Chile to Canada, Tobacco has been a predominant crop and sacred plant for thousands of years.
As the mass colonization of the continent increased throughout the eighteen century, Tobacco would be exploited and marketed to consumers as a panacea for all their ills. An ugly reality in the tobacco trade is slavery was a necessity for the colonizers to maximum profit. Without the impressed labor of slaves, the wealth derived by settlers to facilitate and ensure independence from England would not have been possible.
It’s disturbing to realize that while our founding fathers were fighting for their freedom, that freedom was only possible by enslaving others. It’s disgusting and that’s why I will not be celebrating “Independence” Day tomorrow. Instead I will continue to speak out against the continuous oppression of people of color in America. I will look deep into my own history and own my place in the continuation of white supremacy in America. It ain’t easy y’all, but it is necessary if we truly want to be the America we believe we are.
For the rest of Summer I’ll be periodically re-playing some of my favorite Herb Walk interviews from the past two seasons. There will be one special episode of me talking about The Red Earth Herbal Gathering coming up in September!
I don’t talk about my book, Plant Songs: Reflections on Herbal Medicine very often. To be honest, I’m still kinda shy about it. Besides information on my favorite herbs, I also share some personal stories of my life. Which is really hard for me!
In this episode of The Herb Walk with Jessica Baker, I read from my Nettle chapter. Nettle is the ultimate “Pay Attention” plant. If you don’t, Nettle will remind you every time! I recall my memories of hiking in the Annapurna Mountain Range in Nepal and getting the message of Nettle very clear that if I should pay attention. I’m glad I did!
Only one more podcast episode left until I break for summer. Just as a teaser- it’s all about Tobacco….
In the last month we have had Denver decriminalize psilocybin and Oakland decriminalized a slew of entheogens including psilocybin, ayahuasca and ibogaine.
This is a win for freedom of choice of medicine! I can only hope our minds and hearts are expanded with the reverent use of these ancient substances. It is apparent that we have a serious mental health crisis in our country. May the gifts of the earth prove to be the remedy we all need.
In honor of the new laws I am re-releasing my interview with Kelly Green of Refugio Altiplano, a wellness center in the heart of the Amazon jungle. Our discussion includes the mission of Refugio Altiplano to help preserve the 1,200 acres that surround the center. Kelly also has a gofundme to help purchase 500 of those acres that are in danger of being sold to companies that want to cut the forest to grow cacao and other crops. If you feel called to support, please pitch in as you can!
Sit back, partake in your entheogen of choice, and enjoy this episode of The Herb Walk with Jessica Baker.
Please leave a review so others can find the podcast easier!
This is the last in a series of interviewing women in the cannabis space. Today’s Herb Walk Podcast episode is with Stephanie Boucher, of Cannabotanicals.
Stephanie created Cannabotanicals to bring cannabis back into the modern herbal apothecary, keep it in the hands of the people, and utilize it as the powerful transformational tool that it is. We had a great conversation about how she got interested in herbalism and then inadvertently cannabis. This is an episode not to be missed!
Listen, subscribe and please leave a review so others can find The Herb Walk Podcast!
I have been waiting for this episode to air for several reasons.
1- This is the Dr. Lakisha episode and I have the upmost respect for what she is doing in cannabis healing and research.
2– Because of our talk I know we all need to meet in Jamaica to smoke and share our finest ganja (listen to find out about legally flying cannabis to Jamaica).
3– We need a fundamental shift within our healthcare system and our values about wellness, nutrition, and cannabis use. I believe Dr. Jenkins is here to be part of that change.
Discussions like the one I had with Dr. Lakisha is why I started The Herb Walk Podcast. I want to learn from as many people (and plants) as I can and I am grateful for all the guests that have said yes to speaking with me!
I hope you enjoy this episode of The Herb Walk with Jessica Baker. Please share with your friend and family and leave a review so others may find me easily.
We all know Hemp is everywhere. Thank goddess! Hemp Hemp Hurray! Decades of prohibition is lifting as we see Cannabis spread across the continent. I also see the old guards fighting back every way they can, redirecting their hatred of the feminine with their arcane abortion laws (that’s a different post- which I will get to once I have a more creative outlet for my anger!)
Today I celebrate Cannabis instead. In this interview with Jessica Bates, of Moon Mother Hemp, we discuss her full spectrum hemp product line, where she uses her knowledge and love of herbalism to fuel her highly sought after hemp products.
We talk about the importance of using full spectrum hemp, as opposed to just CBD distillate or isolate, as is common with most products on the market. At Moon Mother Hemp, the difference is that cannabis is incorporated into tried and true herbal formulas, enhancing their effect with the full spectrum oil. Cannabis is not the only medicinal plant, as in most products.
What I love about Jessica is that she is an herbalist and talks about Rose, Calendula, and Nettles with as much reverence as she does Cannabis. Like me, her connection to plants runs deeper than the newest fad.
Listen to the latest episode of The Herb Walk with Jessica Baker and let me know what you think! Please leave a review so others can find me on iTunes and Subscribe to stay up to date on new releases.
With love,
Jessica
If you haven’t been to my website lately, check out my new offerings!
My interview with Dr. Michele Ross, neuroscientist and researcher, is one you will want to hear! I met Dr. Ross a couple of years ago when we were both on a panel with the founders of the Holistic Cannabis Academy at an annual Women Grow event in Denver. She is a wealth of knowledge and I am honored to have her on the podcast.
Dr. Michele Ross is a leading psychedelic researcher and educator as well as fibromyalgia patient. She founded the first 501c3 nonprofit on cannabis for women’s health in 2013, and is now CEO of Infused Health, an online platform for cannabis health coaching. Dr. Ross is the author of “Vitamin Weed: A 4-Step Plan to Prevent and Reverse Endocannabinoid Deficiency” and has a Doctorate in Neuroscience. Dr. Ross’s most recent project is an initiative attempting to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms in Denver in May 2019.
During our interview, we discuss the importance of having a healthy endocannabinoid system and the various ways to create homeostasis with cannabis and other remedies. We talk about what is on the forefront for cannabis and psilocybin, as well as her health consultations and online courses for those that want to learn more about how to incorporate cannabis into their wellness regimen. Check out all Dr. Ross has to offer!
Please subscribe and leave a review (iTunes) so more people can find The Herb Walk Podcast! As always, your support is greatly appreciated!
There is much to be said about being on time, but since time is an illusion I’m going to say my timing is perfect.
Spring is in full force here in Oklahoma. The cherry and dogwood trees are blooming. It’s been 80 degrees and those spring winds are definitely blowing! Fingers crossed for a mild tornado season this year.
And double so for the winds that are stirring humanity. May we have truth and justice over division and strife!
Before you listen to the Wood Element, check out my (absolutely late) Earth Element episode. There’s an nice intro into the Wood Element that you may enjoy!
May you have compassion for yourself and then share that compassion with others.
With love,
Jessica
when energy flows, wellness grows
PS: For some reason my first Season of The Herb Walk Podcast is no longer on iTunes or Stitcher so I will be re-releasing those episodes over the next several weeks. Enjoy!
As we approach the stoner holy day of 4/20 I thought I’d share a podcast about the evolution of Cannabis as medicine throughout history. Used throughout Southeast Asia for millennia and cultivated for at least 10,000 years (probably much longer), Cannabis has a long history of medicinal use. Hemp was an already well known herb in Europe in the 15th century.
Today we have so much information (and misinformation) on Cannabis, especially with the terms sativa and indica. I think you’ll be surprised by how these terms are widely misused. With Cannabis becoming more popular it is more important than ever to make sure we are spreading Truthful information, and not concepts that were created and spread because of the ignorance prohibition caused.
If you’ve been wanting to learn more about Cannabis or how to use Cannabis as medicine, I am available for herbal consultations via Skype and I can also formulate for your herbal products company. I have worked with several companies to help blend Cannabis and/or CBD with other herbs. I would love to help spread Cannabis any way I can!
If you are in Oklahoma City for OK CannaCon April 18-19th I’ll be walking the floor and hanging out at the Cultivate Booth. Come by and say High!
Those of you who read my blog know that I’m not a sugar coated unicorn-loving optimist. If anything I see unicorns as the symbol of white masculinity. Maybe if unicorns weren’t almost always depicted as white I’d feel differently.
This blog post isn’t about unicorns or white masculinity.
Today is one of those testy days. I got sick yesterday, which is pretty rare for me. There’s also some stress in our lives (good and bad) that have altered my sleep patterns. Not to mention a weekend of good times at the Baby Bathwater Institute Members Only Mastermind that definitely over stimulated me!
To bring myself back into balance (in body and mood) after too much stimulation I always come back to my herbs. They always know exactly what I need. This is what’s in my medicine cabinet today.
I’m rolling this blend on my chest, neck, and behind my ears. The therapeutic properties of Douglas Fir, Tulsi Basil, Eucalyptus radiata, Scots Pine, and Clary Sage help me take deep breaths and let go of the irritation and agitation I feel.
– GET OUT THE FUNK TEA– This is a blend that is my go-to when I’m sick. I don’t measure any of the herbs, but you can blend 1-2 teaspoons of each herb together and add as much as you want to a quart jar that you drink throughout the day. I’ll probably drink 2-3 quarts of tea over the course of the day. Blend together elderberries, citrus peel, peppermint, yarrow, and ginger.
– WATER– I can’t tell you how much water I’ve had today. Although my throat hurts I drink water and/or tea constantly to stay hydrated.
– REST– Guilt and commitments make me think I need to push through, regardless of how tired I am. Reality tells me that I should rest so I recover faster. Most of the time it’s okay if work waits until after a nap (which I am going to take right now).
Spring Equinox is here! And a Super Full Moon too!
Spring Equinox is one of my favorite days of the year. The balance of night and day, yin and yang, earth and heavens is palpable to me. It is the pull of the awakening of life after a cold lifeless winter.
Spring is also the return of the Wood Element. We see green sprouts growing around us while within in us the yang energy also awakens. We feel this instinctively though it often goes unnoticed in our busy lives.
For the last two decades I have recognized and celebrated the Spring and Vernal Equinox, Summer and Winter Solstice and cross days like Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, Samhain. I pay attention to the changing of the seasons for reasons I can’t explain. It feels essential for my mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
These rituals connect to the universal energy around me and tune me in with natural cycles. And affected by in infinite ways I only understand in fragments. On days like today, with the Equinox and Full Moon energies, it’s easier to feel the connection. Revel in it!
May you find balance in life and love and be in harmony with the cosmic qi around and within you!
I have been hearing about gnarly colds and coughs still plaguing people all across the United States. These Winter bugs are still here and like I said on my Earth Element Podcast (which no one has heard because I haven’t been able to release it yet….), so I’m saying it again. We are going to hear about people being sick well into Spring. I wish it weren’t true, but people are still run down from illnesses they had weeks ago. And when Spring brings those winds, with it comes pathogens that thrive in the warmer weather ahead.
Let’s not talk about Spring quite yet, since Winter is still in full force. At least for me. Today I’m in Denver and there’s a pretty raging snowstorm right now. I thankfully am not down with anything, but I sure am bundled up, drinking tea, and staying out of this weather!
If you’re one of the many that still have the crud, this chest rub recipe may be for you. It’s quick and easy to make (if you have the infused Oil already made) and can be a fun creation to make with friends or kids.
2-3 grams Menthol Crystals (less if skin is sensitive; do not use on children under 4) You can substitute Mint Essential Oil if you don’t have the crystals.
12 drops Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil
12-18 drops Eucalyptus radiata Essential Oil
Please use organic and ethically wild-crafted and sourced ingredients
Pour infused Olive Oil into the top of a double boiler and add Beeswax. Heat Oil until Beeswax melts and there are no more than small bubbles are around the edges of the mixture. Add Menthol Crystals and stir until melted and well blended. Take mixture off the heat and add Essential Oils, blend thoroughly. Pour into 2 or 3 small glass jars (you will end up with about 6 ounces). Let cool completely before you put on the lid.
Rub on chest, behind the ears and along the lymph nodes on the neck. Skin may experience slight tingling and/or redness due to the Menthol Crystals and Essential Oils.
Remember to also stay hydrated with water and herbal tea. A hot cup of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) or Mint (Mentha species) tea with Lemon and Honey can do wonders to lift your mood, open your sinuses, and soothe your belly.
Cooking with common culinary herbs also help rid the body of unwanted pathogens and toxins. Add handfuls of fresh, organic Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and Basil (Ocimum basilicum)to your salads, stews, and broths. A perfect reminder that food is medicine too!
Be well out there and be gentle with yourself.
With love,
Jessica
when energy flows, wellness grows
PS: To tide you over until my new podcast episodes release, here’s one of my favorite episodes from Season One. I sit down with my very first herb teacher, Jane Bothwell, of the Dandelion Herbal Center. We talk herbs, plant communication, and why we love Humboldt County (which is known for its own strain of gnarly coughs, the Humboldt Crud). And please review my podcast, it helps get me out there to more people! Thank you!
Today feels really good! I am on the brink of something Big. Something so exciting I want to scream it from the top of the rafters. The timing is not right yet. Hopefully in just a few short weeks I can share what I am so pumped about!
Until then I will share with you an excerpt from my book, Plant Songs: Reflections on Herbal Medicine. Chapter 8- Cannabis: Reflect, Feel, Create, Evolve was probably the hardest chapter to write. Partially because of the stigma that surrounds Cannabis and partially because I am still processing my experiences of 20+ years in Humboldt County. It’s hard to be open about parts of my life that I have been so secretive about. Even writing these sentences is causing my heart rate to rise. (If I was at home I’d make myself some chamomile and rose tea!)
Excerpt from Chapter 8 of Plant Songs: Reflections on Herbal Medicine Wriiten by Jessica Baker, LAc, RH (AHG)
The legalization of cannabis and its acceptance in the medical community is long overdue. I get giddy every time I see a cannabis dispensary. It brings back the fondest memories of standing in the middle of a ganja garden, feeling the warm Northern California breeze, smoking a joint, pruning the plants while listening to my solar-powered radio. This was the late 90’s, and although growing medical cannabis was legal under California law, there was still eradication under CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Planting). The fear of imprisonment was real. Growing medicinal cannabis was not respected as it is now and people risked everything for their right to cultivate. There is something exhilarating and empowering about growing your own medicine. It makes me feel alive and connected to all the people who have cultivated cannabis over the ages. For those in Northern California that grew under fear of harassment and arrest, the legalization of medicinal and adult-use cannabis has the potential to change not only the lives of patients, but also cannabis growers. A lot of healing can occur when prohibition goes away. Like many, there are days when I still pine for the good old days, when cannabis growers were the freedom fighters, providing clandestine medicine to those in need.
Today, cannabis is highly regulated, packaged for consumers, in child-proof packaging, and probably contains ingredients like propylene glycol, butane residue, and/or refined sugar. Yum! Almost makes me want to go back to the outlaw days. Almost. The fear that cannabis prohibition perpetuates is something that I have trouble comprehending. The losses of community, family and character that have come from imprisoning nonviolent drug dealers and cannabis users far outweighs the negative effects cannabis can have on a person’s health or psyche. As our culture evolves, we have to look at the bigger picture. Which is worse: ingestion of a safe plant for recreational purposes or knowingly ruining someone’s life because they are growing an herb? It is an obvious choice if we care about people at all.
So there it is. A little window into my past. If you’re interested in learning more about herbalism or cannabis, you can get a copy of Plant Songs from bakerbotanica.com or from Amazon.
May you be inspired to live your dream as I am living mine!
Cannabis is now all over the media. That makes me really happy! As an avid Cannabis user, educator, and advocate, even I am more than a little concerned about the ever-growing hype about CBD (cannabidiol, one of the many phytocannabinoids in cannabis). Yes, CBD has therapeutic properties. No, it is not the panacea miracle drug that so many people claim it to be. Yes, CBD is effective for extreme childhood seizure disorders. No, this does not mean taking CBD is going to cure all of your illnesses.
We are a culture of trending health diets and fads. I’m afraid CBD is falling into that category. Plant medicine is for real. Cannabis medicine is for real. CBD does have therapeutic benefits that interact with our own Endocannabinoid System. This does not mean that every hyped up CBD product on the market is going to work. Since most of them are derived from industrial hemp in Eastern Europe or China, they’re probably not going to. Price does not guarantee quality. I see all sorts of outrageous prices on the market! Researchers found that only 30% of CBD products on the market have within 10% of what is actually on the label. 42% had more CBD than listed on the label and 26% had less CBD than stated (Marcel O. Bonn-Miller, Mallory J. E. Loflin, Brian F. Thomas, Jahan P. Marcu, Travis Hyke, Ryan Vandrey. Labeling Accuracy of Cannabidiol Extracts Sold Online. JAMA, 2017; 318 (17): 1708 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2017.11909)
We need a holistic approach to health. Including when working with Cannabis. We also need to be able to discern and weed through the marketer’s exploits. A stand alone CBD is only going to be have limited effectiveness. I always go back to what Ethan Russo, neuroscientist and cannabis researcher who theorizes that there is a synergistic effect between all constituents found in plants, including phytocannabinoids (THC, CBD) and terpenoids (aromatic compounds that have known therapeutic benefits and create the pungent smell of cannabis). That means that CBD alone can have some therapeutic benefit, but when we combine that with other constituents in the plants, we have an even stronger effect. When we ingest anything, we also have to take into account our own physiology, metabolism, and healing ability. All of these factors play a role in how plant medicine works within the body.
That’s why all herbal medicine, OTC and pharmaceutical drugs can react differently for each person. And that’s why we can’t make claims that CBD is saving everyone’s life and curing all illnesses. CBD companies shouldn’t be making health claims anyway. It violates FDA rules and many businesses are getting cease and desist letters because of it.
The beauty of what is happening is that there are millions of us that love Cannabis! Millions more have wanted to love Cannabis and have been lied to for decades about how dangerous and addictive it is. Now everybody’s curiosity is justified by the medicinal benefits of CBD! That’s great and all, but now we need to update our weed knowledge now that Cannabis has come out of the closet.
The more people excited about plant medicine the better! With all this enthusiasm- let’s drop some education about cannabis.
1. Cannabiscan be used in phytoremdiation. This means that Cannabis can be used to accumulate heavy metals like cadmium. Because heavy metals can be present in plant material (and even more concentrated in CBD products) it is so important to know where our CBD products come from. Know your supplier! And always ask to see proof of heavy metal and pesticide testing of the CBD used in their products.
2. Terpenoids, like linalool, beta caryophellene, and pinene are found in Cannabis. And also found in other medicinal plants. The same aromatic molecules are in plants like lavender, pine, citrus, and countless others. It is the synergestic effect of terpenoids and phytocannabinoids (CBD, THC, and others) that illicit Cannabis’s effects. Read Ethan Russo’s research article Taming THC.
3. The way we describe Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa is completely wrong. This is too in depth to go into here so I embedded The Real Dirt podcast interview where I speak in detail about the differences between the two species. You may be surprised at what you find out!
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to learning about Cannabis. Information and enthusiasm is spreading fast. Let’s stay informed, and high. Let’s definitely stay high!
With love,
Jessica
when energy flows, wellness grows
PS: Speaking of Cannabis, I had so much fun interviewing Dr. Michele Ross for The Herb Walk Podcast this week. She is a wealth of information! Our conversation was exhilarating, reminding me how far we have come with cannabis in just a few years. And how far we still have to go! The episode will be released next month and I am so excited to share it with you.
For now, enjoy my episode, The Taxonomy of Cannabis on The Real Dirt instead.
I have never been into Valentine’s Day. Never will be. Don’t give a shit. And I have been in a very loving, supportive relationship with my husband for over twenty years. I just don’t buy into Hallmark holidays that revolve around buying more plastic or sugary crap for your loved ones (didn’t we get enough of that at Christmas?!)
For those that don’t feel like me, Valentine’s can be hard. It is another reminder of your loneliness from not having someone to share your life with. Or it could be that you are in a relationship that is abusive or just not serving your highest purpose. Valentine’s can stir up all kinds of emotions for us.
As always, plants are there for us.
3 Ways to Avoid the Valentine’s Funk (Herbalist style)
1.Eat Chocolate, Lots of Chocolate
The darker the better. If it has Rose petals, Raspberry filling, or is dipped on Strawberries- Do it! Rose soothes a broken heart and anything red in color is beneficial to the heart channel and the fire element, which is the element of passion, creativity, and joy.
2.Drink Herbal Tea
Nutritive herbs like Milky Oats, Skullcap, and Rose petals help keep you relaxed, while reminding you that you are supported and loved. Just add a teaspoon or two of dried herbs to 1 cup of hot water, steep for at least 10 minutes and then enjoy! TIP: Chocolate is a wonderful accompaniment to chocolate and will mellow out the richness of the dark chocolate.
3. Phone a Friend
This is Huge, especially today when we often text instead of call someone. Hearing a friend’s voice can do wonders for the soul when you’re feeling alone or isolated. If you have friends like mine, laughter is sure to follow- and we all know laughter is The best medicine.
As for me tonight I won’t be out at a romantic dinner or welcomed home from work with (chemical laden) roses. I will be happily at home, with my husband, not celebrating Valentine’s Day, but eating chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate.
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Tashi Dalek! The Lunar New Year is upon us and I love to celebrate the cyclical shift from one year to another! On Monday’s New Moon we left the year of the Yang Earth Dog and welcomed in the Yin Earth Pig. I hope this year’s energy is a little less aggressive wounded dog and more congenial lucky pig. May our collective focus turn more towards generosity and companionship and farther away from personal motives of money and power.
My birthday was also on Monday and along with honoring the next lunar cycle, I also celebrated my next revolution around the sun! A perfect yin yang balance! I threw an all day Drinky and Smoky Tea Party where we drank loads of Tea (Camellia sinensis), ate pastries, and smoked fatties. In typical Jessica fashion I took photos of me preparing the goodies, but forgot to get images of the final creations! I also had so much fun during the party I only had one series of pictures taken of some girlfriends and myself. Next time I’ll remember to take more photos!
I will admit I went to bed with a bellyache Monday night. I ate way too many sugary treats, drank too much caffeine, and then had cheesy calzones late in the evening. It was a deliciously indulgent day and I felt the aftermath. As a Chinese medicine practitioner I embrace their theories on food stagnation (bloating, gas, and fatigue due to eating heavy, rich foods) and know that eating like this can wreak havoc on my digestion. That’s when I remember the wonders of Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida).
If you’ve been overdoing it like me, then you need one of my favorite Hawthorn Berry recipes. Perfect for sluggish digestion after too much fun! This tea is tasty and works wonders to help digest fats and heavy foods. I recommend drinking small 2 ounce cups throughout the day if you tend to overeat. I should have been drinking this tea during my party and I wouldn’t need it so badly now!
Swollen Belly Decoction (aka Belchy and Burpy Tea)
Simmer berries and peels in water for 20 minutes. Strain out herbs and set aside. Drink 2 ounces of the decoction throughout the day or 1/2 cup after a heavy meal.
