Path to success

I went backpacking in Australia about five years ago. I had taken a gap year between high school and college, worked two jobs, and saved enough money to head over there. I saved money by staying with relatives, but mostly by working on organic farms in exchange for food and accommodation. It was a great experience and I recommend it to everyone.

While in Ballina, a northern New South Wales city, I stayed with an interesting and amazing woman. She often praised the virtues of tea tree oil and took me to a tea tree oil farm where they cultivated the oil naturally. I began a love affair with this oil and took it back with me to the US. Known for its anti-inflammatory and cleansing properties, it’s a great way to deal with a lot of skin problems. I used it most often for acne. When I ran out, I actually couldn’t be bothered to find any more and forgot about it. Now, with this start into herbalism, I bought some tea tree oil and again have started my loving relationship with it. The scent brings back my memories of Australia and the organic, hippy-like area of Ballina that surrounded me for a couple of weeks.

I have most recently used tea tree oil in an infusion for a dry/itchy/flaky scalp. I made some infusion for my husband and for my friend. I was nervous about giving it to my husband because he regards my recent herbal experiments with skepticism. He is the type of person who would rather take a Nyquil to fall asleep than try using Valerian. So I knew that this infusion could either encourage him to take my herbalism more seriously or break what little faith he has in it to begin with. Thankfully (!) he seems to really like it, even though he’s used it only twice. He reports that it has an instant cooling sensation and slight tingling sensation as soon as it hits his scalp.

The infusion mostly consists of apple cider vinegar, rosemary, sage, tea tree oil, and – I feel most importantly – nettle. Mountain Rose Herbs describes nettle as having “been used as a hair and scalp treatment for centuries [and] those uses are being supported by research as well. Nettle leaf extract seems to promote hair regrowth and thicken hair, as well as reducing dandruff and scalp conditions when used as a rinse.” I love finding out about the key herbs that are essential to a recipe. Clearly, this infusion is a mixture of all different herbs but I’m 90% positive that the nettle leaf could be the most important.

Among the other herbs, Rosemary has been used for baldness and Sage relieves itching on the scalp. Fascinating! I love all that I am learning. Rosemary and Sage, two herbs that we associate with cooking actually have external medicinal properties as well. Tea tree oil is often necessary when dealing with skin problems, which is why I think it is in there. Apple cider vinegar helps with hair loss, but also removes the scaly buildup and residue from hair shafts and helps close the cuticle. This is just so fun! I feel like this rinse could really help with my husband’s and friend’s problem and I am most excited to keep up on the progress with both of them.

Now, onto other herbal matters: I have been drinking the black cohosh, but I don’t think I have been doing it regularly enough to notice. I took Liv’s suggestion and put the cohosh in with peppermint tea (thanks so much, Liv, it helps a bunch with the taste!) and have it once a day. :( Definitely not enough and I should be doing it more. I just get nervous because of all the talk that surrounds Black Cohosh as a uterine stimulant.

I have been keeping up with my dry skin sauna and honey mask. Both of which I love. I can’t notice huge benefits with the sauna but I love steams so much that I keep doing it. Before I started this herbalism venture, I would do steams and throw a tea bag in anyway, so might as well keep doing this with herbs that actually have specific properties to help my face. And the honey mask – definitely moisturizing! Except next time I think I will do organic honey, as opposed to processed raw honey which is all I have in the apartment now.

Lastly (and I know this is a long blog post), I was cozy on my couch a couple of weeks ago, slightly sleepy with the help of some Valerian and reading Hoffman’s book. I stumbled upon a section called the “Bach Flower Remedies.” I had never heard of this. The next day, I went and got a massage and there in the therapist’s bookshelf was a book on the Bach Flower Remedies. This was a sign.

I went back home and reread the section on Bach and his flower remedies. It is absolutely fascinating. They are water drops infused with a certain kind of flower that is supposed to help specific moods. You take 4 drops a day, 4 times daily to help with your mood. Anyway, hard to explain but research it online if interested. I took a questionnaire test and my top 3 best for me are: 1) Beech 2) Impatiens and 3) Rock Water.

This sounds hokey pokey and ridiculous, I understand that. BUT I’m also very curious. According to the remedy, Beech will help me to be more tolerant and see the positive in others despite their imperfections, to help see the “good growing within”. Impatiens is to help deal with slow situations/people with good humor rather than impatience or irritability; also for those who are quick in thought and action. Rock water would help me enjoy life's pleasures rather than stick too rigidly to my ideals or personal habits; also the type of people who want to be well, strong, and active and will do anything to obtain that, hoping to be examples to others.

Now, if that doesn’t explain my personality in a nutshell. If interested, I would recommend this questionnaire to figure out what is best for you, as the Bach webpage can be overwhelming and you feel you need so many remedies, you don’t know where to start. So I am definitely interested, just not sure if I will be buying it any time soon. Maybe I’ll start this summer, but I would love to see how this plays out.