SKIN SENSE!

According to the New Encyclopedia Britannica our “skin is the largest organ of identification and sexual attraction” In other words our skin tells us and others just who we are. Every persons skin is unique from its texture and scent to the troublesome characteristics it sometimes exhibits.

Being the largest organ of our body it is basically a barrier or shield, responsible for what goes in and comes out of our body. Therefore it is just as important to know what we are putting on our skin as it is to know what we are eating. You wouldn’t eat petroleum, so why would you put petroleum products on your skin. Yet a large percentage of skin care products on the market today contain petroleum or petroleum by-products. It can be found in most lip care products claiming to alleviate the very conditions it can create including: photosensitization (promotes sun damage), it interferes with the body’s own moisturizing mechanism leading to dry skin and chapping!

Other dangerous chemical ingredients in many skin care products on the market today include:

Sodium lauryl sufate-used in shampoos causes eye irritations, rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic reactions

Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethylparben-highly toxic used as a preservative in many products

Steralkonium chloride-used in hair conditioners and creams-causes allergic reaction and is toxic.

Synthetic fragrances-may contain up to 200 different chemical ingredients and are widely used throughout the cosmetic industry. Known to cause everything from headaches and rashes to vomiting and hyperpigmentation.

And the list goes on……….As a rule of thumb “if you can’t pronounce it, don’t use it!”

If this isn’t enough to convince you to buy or even make your own all-natural skin and bath care products, maybe the dollars and “scents” will--commercial cosmetics have one of the highest profit margins of any product on the market. In fact, it is not uncommon to pay $50.00 or more for a 60ml (2oz) jar of cream that promises to rejuvenate you by twenty years in twenty days! We all know such a promise can never be kept, but we pay the price anyway because the promise feels so good.

Labeling is another issue, there are no current labeling guidelines for skin care products in Canada, so often you do not even know what is in the product. Become a label reader, insist on knowing what is in these products-it’s your body and your money!

2008 Herb of the Year

CALENDULA

WOW! I can’t believe it, one of my most favourite herbs has now reached international status by being named ‘Herb of the Year’ for 2008.

Not only is this herb easy to grow and a beautiful addition to any garden, but it is also widely recognized as being ‘skins best friend’. Its remarkable ability to heal without constricture reduces scarring, makes it a popular ingredient in many skin care products for everything from eczema to wrinkle reducers. With no known contraindications it is great for all ages from babies to boomers! And let’s not forget about our animals friends, especially for cuts/scrapes, chronic skin problems and ulcers.

The Facts……………

COMMON NAMES: MARIGOLD, CALENDULA,

GARDEN MARIGOLD, POT MARIGOLD, MARYGOLD

LATIN NAME: Calendula officinalis FAMILY: Compositae

HISTORY: The name Calendula comes from the Latin word kalendae,”first day of the month” in the Roman calendar, as they can be found in flower at the beginning of most months of the year. Marigold refers to its links with the Virgin Mary. In Assyrian tablets pre 600BC gods and goddesses of India were crowned with wreaths of marigolds and it was used as a medicinal herb and as a colorant for fabrics, foods and cosmetics. Long used by Native Americans. The common name marigold is used for various species, notably for tagetes species which have very different properties.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION: Bushy, aromatic, long lived annual with branched stems and lanceolate leaves. Flowers up to 7 cm across, with yellow to orange ray florets are produced during summer and autumn.

TYPE: ANNUAL HEIGHT: 50-70 CM SPREAD: 50-70 CM

HABITAT: Native of southern Europe, now widely cultivated. Well drained to poor soil in full sun, dies out in hot summers, remove dead flower heads to prolong flowering and prevent excessive self-seeding. Caterpillars, powdery mildew or rust may attack foliage. Believed to improve the condition of plants planted near by.

PROPAGATION: By seed sown in spring or autumn, self seeds readily.

PARTS USED: petals, whole flowers

HARVEST: Flowers are cut in dry conditions and petals are used fresh or dried-either separately or whole flower head as quickly as possible in a shaded location to avoid discoloration.

Calendula continued….

CONSTITUENTS: saponins

carotenoids

triterpenes, pentacyclic alcohols

essential oils

mucilage

flavonoids, quercetin, rutin

sterols-cholagogues (sterol glycosides)

chlorogenic acid

PROPERTIES: vulunery, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-hemorrhagic-styptic and astringent, stimulant, diaphoretic, cholagogue, immunostimulatory, emmenagogue

INDICATIONS:

-as an infusion for stomach disorders, gastric and duodenal ulcers, dysmenorrhea, splenic and hepatic congestion

-as a wash for vaginitis, cervicitis, endometriosis, vaginal abrasions, non-specific urethritis, leucorrhoea, lacerated perineum

-a strong infusion used as a wash for chickenpox and measles when breaking out helps speed up the process.

-as a cream, oil or ointment used externally for cuts, bruises, eczema, diaper rash, sore nipples, burns, scalds, slow healing wounds or skin ulcers, insect stings and bites, varicose veins, skin cancers.

***Heals without contricture. Acts to paralyze vasomotor nerves to arterial capillaries attracting white blood cells.

DOSAGE:

INFUSION: 1-2 tsp. Dried or 1 Tblsp. Fresh petal/ cup boiling water and allow to steep 15-20 minutes. Take 1 cup 3 times per day or 2 Tblsp. Infusion per hour.

OIL: a calendula infused oil is excellent for applying directly on dry or trouble areas or adding to the bath and also makes an excellent all natural massage oil and personal lubricant.

OINTMENT/CREAM: either substitute water portion with strong infusion or infuse the herbs in oil and substitute the oil portion of formula. Use externally as required.

POULTICE/FOMENTATIONS- soak in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes then wrapped in cheese cloth or use our heat sealable infusion bags filled with the fresh or dried flowers/petals and when cool enough apply directly to area. Can also soak clothes in the steeped liquid and apply the same way.

TINCTURE: 1- 4 ML -3 times/day-as an anti-fungal and emmenagogue

OTHER USES: Fresh petals are edible and can be added to salad, can also be used as a substitute for saffron in rice and soup, or infused to give colour to cheese, butter, and milk desserts. Makes a lovely addition to herbal teas and is very beneficial in bath blends.

COMBINATIONS:

for digestive tract- marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) and

american cranesbill (Geranium maculatum)

for external soothing- slippery elm (Ulmus fulva)

for antiseptic uses- myrrh (Commiphora molmol) and golden

seal (Hydrastis canadensis)

CONTRAINDICATIONS/WARNINGS: None.

Do not use pungent cultivars for these indications.

Calendula Oil/Ointment

Wonderful to have on hand at all times. Use for all types of skin irritations from diaper rash, eczema and burns to wounds, cuts and scrapes.

1/4 cup 60ml dried calendula flowers-whole

1 cup 250ml vegetable oil such as olive, almond, grapeseed-

use enough oil to completely cover herbs

1 T 15ml beeswax –approx. 20g-for ointment

¼ tsp 2ml Vit. E- for ointment-Make sure to add 5ml of

Vit. E to your infused Oil too!

To Make Oil: Place calendula in a glass jar, pour oil over-make sure to cover completely. Cover tightly and steep in a dark warm location for 2 to 3 weeks-shake daily. Strain out herbs and bottle oil in a suitable container, add 5ml Vit. E, mix well then cap and label. Use directly on the skin. (Shelf life approx. 1 year)

To Make Ointment:

Place 60 ml of the infused Calendula Oil in a small pot over low heat. Melt the beeswax in a separate pot and slowly add to the warmed oil. Mix well, remove from heat, allow to cool slightly. Then add the Vit. E, stir to blend and pour into amber jars, allow to cool and then cap, label and date. Makes approx. 50ml of ointment (Shelf life approx. 6 to 12 months)

TOGETHER AGAIN

I am sadden by the recent passing of ‘Bailey’, the younger of my two springer spaniels. He had been diagnosed about 5 years ago with ‘Huntingtons Disease’ and was not expected to survive for more than 3 years… but he did amazing and was quite healthy until the end. He even learned how to swim in the pond this summer-I’m sure he always could swim, but he was a bit timid ever since he fell in the pool when he was a puppy. Bailey was really missing Hershey this past year and I’m sure he is happy to be re-united, however, I am not sure that the feeling is mutual! I will miss him terribly. It sure is quiet without him.

So what’s happening at Kettleby Herb Farms?

· The garden did much better this summer and I had a bountiful harvest of herbs, despite the very dry weather. Gotta love those herbs, they seem to thrive on abuse. Unfortunately, my lawn did not fair as well and I will have to cover it with topsoil and reseed in the spring. I have just finished putting in 4 other gardens, but ran out of time for planting them this fall, so that will have to wait for spring.

· Thank you for all the positive feedback on our new ‘Wild Yam Cream’. We have also added a ‘Lemon Balm After-Shave’ to our product list. It is non-stinging, non-drying and alcohol free! The men in my life have been using it for a while and they swear by it!

· Our Web Site: www.kettlebyherbfarms.com has just been updated. For those who where looking for, Black Mustard Seeds and Paraquay Tea (Yerba Mate), they are now available in the dried botanical selection.

· I have also posted a picture from one of Bailey’s swimming lessons…you can see how dry it was by the low water level in the pond and of course how dirty and I might add stinky, the dog was!

· Please note we will be closed from Dec 7, 2007 until Jan 7, 2008 and no orders will be processed during this time.

I am off to Venezuela again….I have been taking Spanish lessons and this should give me an opportunity to gain a bit more confidence-seems I can read and write it, but choke when it comes to the speaking part…oh well , what do I really need to know…. ”Hola!, cerveza, por favor! Gracias!”

All the best for 2008!

Sue