Herbal Hair Oil and Cradle Cap

We here at The Herbalist are obviously firm believers in our products. Though as much as we believe in the products we create, after almost 30 years in business one of the best things for us is to hear success stories from people using our products. Read on for a testimonial about our Herbal Hair Oil in use with cradle cap.

My daughter was born with a full head of hair, and so I never paid much attention when she got “cradle cap” and just left it alone, assuming it would disappear on its own. When she turned 1 and I put her hair up in pigtails for the first time I realized how bad it was. When I addressed the issue at her 1 year appointment her pediatrician recommended using an adult dandruff shampoo because he said at this age it's not really cradle cap, it's dandruff. Personally, I didn't want to use anything that harsh on my baby's sensitive skin. I also didn’t want to go that route after the pediatrician warned me about keeping the dandruff shampoo out of her eyes. I ended up using The Herbalist's Organic Herbal Hair Oil and it worked in just one application. I gently massaged it into her scalp and left it on for 10-15 minutes. Then in the bath, I gently combed her hair with a fine tooth comb and it very easily lifted away with no scrubbing . . . no redness, no irritation. It has been almost a month and her scalp still looks great!

Herbal Hair Oil

Promotes Healthy Hair & Scalp

This is a potent aromatic blend of essential oils and herbal extracts that are valued for their moisturizing and scalp stimulating properties. It is used to stimulate hair growth while deeply conditioning the hair and scalp. Helpful for those with eczema, dandruff, itchy scalp, and dry, brittle, over-treated hair. Can be used as a preventative and treatment for head lice. Apply directly and/or add to your daily shampoo.

Herbal Remedies for Memory: Rosemary

"Rosemary for Remembrance"
- W. Shakespeare

The Journal of Medicinal Food published a study on the Effects of Rosemary on Cognitive Function in an Elderly Population. This clinical trial assessed the effects of powdered rosemary leaf on 28 elderly people. (Here's the link) They found that the speed of memory recall improved significantly at the lowest dose of rosemary, while the effects decreased as the dose went up. The take-home message being: A little Rosemary is good for memory, while too much - not so good. This is good news for those of us who like to eat our herbal remedies - especially one as delicious as Rosemary.

New Brain Choice:
herbal tonic for
brain and memory.

The best results in improvement of cognitive function was observed at a dose nearest to normal culinary consumption. Rosemary has a long folkloric use for increasing concentration, focus, memory and general mental function, and recent research backs up these traditional uses. As an excellent circulatory stimulant, Rosemary works largely by improving blood flow to the brain. Better circulation brings more blood and oxygen to the brain - resulting in optimal brain function and health, and an increase in antioxidant power. This antioxidant effect is important for brain health, as all brain disorders, including Alzheimer's and dementia, have a component of oxidative degradation. Herbal remedies, including Rosemary, act here as "cerebral antioxidants."   

Use fresh or dry rosemary leaves in cooking, freely added to all culinary dishes.   

1 tsp of the leaves added to olive oil and balsamic vinegar makes a great homemade salad dressing. You can make your own seasoning salt using powdered rosemary mixed in with sea salt and any other favorite culinary herbs. Rosemary essential oil can be worn as a perfume, applied diluted as a body oil, added to bath water, steam or nebulizers. Students in Greek universities were known to carry sprigs of fresh Rosemary to exams with them to improve their recall. The possibilities are endless!  

- Shared by Lauren H. @ The Herbalist

Herbal Remedies for Sexual Health: Yohimbe

These days it is rare that a commercial break on TV doesn't include at least one ad for erectile dysfunction help.  The sales of Viagra, the primary ED drug, are staggering, indicating that millions of men suffer from some form of sexual dysfunction. 1 in 5 men over 40 have tried Viagra at least once.  As Viagra and other ED-meds come with a myriad of side effects, including reported deaths, men are naturally interested in alternatives that can produce similar effects.  Herbal remedies abound for improving sexual health and function, an herb called Yohimbe is one such herb.

Native to tropical West Africa, Yohimbe has long been used as an aphrodisiac.  In Native folk medicine, the bark of Yohimbe was made into a tea that was used to amplify sexual prowess and male virility.  This potent brew was used during tribal sex ceremonies that lasted as long as 14 days.  Sounds promising.  How Does it Work? Yohimbe contains the potent alkaloid yohimbine, which blocks alpha-adrenergic receptors - sympathetic nervous receptors that center primarily in the genital region.  This blocking effect dilates the blood vessels in the genital region, thus increasing blood flow to erectile tissue, and improving  sexual stimulation, performance and sensation.  Yohimbine also inhibits monoamine oxidase, which counters feelings of depression and anxiety - other common deterrents to feelings of sexual well-being.  Truly one of the best herbal remedies for sexual health, Yohimbe works on all erectile tissue, not discriminating between the genders... works effectively for ladies too! 

Love Potion #9: An
herbal aphrodisiac
with Yohimbe.

Directions for Use: For use as a sexual stimulant, start with 30 drops, increasing by 10 or so drops each time until you reach your desired effects, without any uncomfortable side effects.  Yohimbe should be used with caution.  Do not use Yohimbe with any other pharmaceutical drugs (including tranquilizers, narcotics, antihistamines, MAOis, cardiac medication, etc.) It is contraindicated for use with preexisting heart conditions, hypertension, kidney or liver disease, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and certainly not pregnancy or nursing.  Tierney shares how she discovered the efficacy of Yohimbe firsthand as a budding herbalist. After drinking an ounce of it, what felt like a raging yeast infection resulted! This is due to the strong stimulating effects on the genital tissues and the amount of blood it brings to the area.  

The effect that diet and lifestyle have on sexual vitality, sex drive and sexual performance cannot be overstated.  A healthy diet, healthy weight, regular exercise routine, positive outlook on life, and healthy, satisfying relationship are the true recipe for a healthy sex life.  Herbal aphrodisiacs, like Yohimbe, work best when used in this context.

Herbal Remedies for the Urinary Tract

Urinary tract infections are responsible for over 8 million doctor visits each year, with women being 14 times more likely to develop than men.  The shorter length of women's urethras make it that much easier for E. coli, a bacteria responsible for around 90% of UTIs, to migrate from its home in the colon and cause infection.  Antibiotics are always prescribed for UTIs by medical doctors - and while they do effectively destroy the infection, the long-term problem is made worse and susceptibility to future infections increases exponentially.  Antibiotic use causes an overabundance of yeast to develop and the recurrent UTI/vaginal yeast cycle begins.  This cycle is frustrating, painful and expensive for the countless number of women who are stuck in it. Over and over again, we have helped women break free of this vicious cycle with the use of herbal remedies.

Escherichia coli: the bacteria responsible for
at least 8 million bladder infections each year.

Antibiotic herbal remedies effectively fight infectious bacteria without destroying the good bacteria, thus sparing the susceptibility to yeast infection. Diuretic herbs cleanse the urinary system and relieve feelings of urgency and burning.  Demulcents decrease the inflammation and irritation in the bladder, and soothe the uncomfortable pain and burning. Probiotics restore healthy bacteria to deter the growth of unwanted bacteria and yeast. Cranberry juice or Cranberry capsules inhibit bacteria from colonizing the urinary tract and bladder. While using these herbs, avoid bladder irritants including alcohol, coffee, sodas, sugar and sweets, processed foods, chocolate and citrus fruits.  Identifying food allergens is important, especially in the case of interstitial cystitis or recurrent UTIs.

Marshmallow Root Tea soothes and cools
the burning, urgency and pain of UTI.

Herbal Treatment of Acute UTI

• Bladder Be Well Extract: 60 drops every 1-2 hours

• Bladder Be Well Tea: Several cups daily

• Herbal Biotic Extract: 60 drops 4 times daily

• Vitamin C: 3000-6000mg daily

• Probiotics: 40 billion organisms daily

Herbal Treatment for Recurrent UTIs

• Diuretic Choice Extract: 30-60 drops 3 times daily

• Fungal Defend Extract: 60 drops 3 times daily.  Overabundance of yeast in the system (often caused by antibiotic use) is correlated with recurrent UTIs.  If UTI accompanies a new sex partner, a yeast cleanse is indicated.  In addition to the antifungal herbs, follow an anti-yeast diet, avoiding sugars, starches, breads, beer and all sweets. 

• Marshmallow Root Tea: 1 cup daily

• Cranberry Juice or Capsules: 6-8 oz daily

• Magnesium: 400-600mg daily

• Probiotics: 40 billion organisms daily

Herbal Remedies for Grief

February is heart health month.  What constitutes a healthy heart? Certainly a heart that beats in a coordinated manner, pumps blood efficiently through the vascular system, and maintains proper blood pressure - is considered a physically healthy heart.  But what about the other aspects of the heart? The emotional and energetic functions that the heart maintains?  The heart is the center of love and of emotional experience.  Feelings such as joy, compassion, understanding and affection all reside in the heart.  Conversely, feelings of loss, guilt, shame and grief are the heart's domain as well.  Whatever emotional place the heart finds itself in, February (Heart Month and home to Valentine's Day) heightens the experience.  This blog is dedicated to the difficult yet unavoidably necessary process of grieving, and the array of herbal remedies for grief.

The Heart Chakra: Open your heart to
joy and happiness instead of
closing down during times of grief.

Herbal remedies  help us to open our hearts to welcome joy and happiness, instead of closing down in times of stress and grief. They ease sadness and heartache while releasing the anxiety and depression that accompany grief and loss.  Time is the greatest healer of all, and offers the promise that the heart will inevitably heal and the grief slowly begin to melt away.  Remember, feeling is healing.  Having feelings means you have a heart and it will heal... with time and of course, the comfort of herbs.

• Healing Heart: This floral tonic lightens and cools the inner fires of grief.  It contains classic soothing herbs for the heart including hawthorn, motherwort, lemon balm and lavender.  Flower essence of Bleeding Heart provides emotional freedom from loss and calms the fear of what's next. 

Rose for Grief

• Heart's Ease Tea: Combine equal parts of the soothing floral herbs Rose petals, Hibiscus flower, Hawthorne leaf and flower and Lavender flowers to make a lovely tea that is cooling and calming to a grieving heart.

• Rose Essential Oil: Rose is the ultimate floral heart healer, and the intoxicating essential oil can be just the ticket to transcend states of grief.  Wear the oil, add to a diffuser or nebulizer, or sprinkle a drop on your pillow to soothe the heart during times of grief. 

• Using Flower Essences during times of grief and other emotional hardships helps facilitate healing on the soul and vibrational levels to encompass full-body healing and ensure no thought patterns become stuck.  Read about Flower Essences for Grief written by our resident flower essence maker, Monica Caulfield of Lifeforce Essences. 

• Nurture Yourself.  Take a candlelit bath with rose oil.  Make yourself a special meal.  Cuddle up in a warm blanket or comfy sweater.  Go on a long walk, basking in Nature's healing energy.  Receive a massage.  Sleep enough but not too much.  Be patient with yourself - allow yourself to feel exactly what you are feeling while remembering that this too shall pass.

- Shared by Lauren H. @ The Herbalist