Cally The Hedge Witch

9 Health Benefits of Dandelion When you think of dandelions, you might picture pesky little weeds that grow in your garden. But don’t make the mistake of disregarding it as a “weed.” Dandelion has been long considered a beneficial herb by many different cultures around the world. In fact, different parts of the dandelion plant have been used by the Native Americans, the Chinese, and the Europeans in the preparation of herbal medicines and teas to cure several ailments. In recent years, science has also found that dandelion has many health benefits and can be used to cure a number of diseases. Here’s a list of benefits of dandelion. For example, dandelions contain over 100 phytochemicals and are not only abundant in vitamins A, C, and K, but also contain vitamin E, folate, and small amounts of other B vitamins. They are even sources for several minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. On top of that, dandelions possess characteristics tha...

When it comes to relieving joint pain, one of the best solutions for combating those annoying aches might already be in your kitchen. Aromatherapy—which has been used for centuries—is a safe, effective, and science-backed place to start before going directly to the harder stuff at your doctor’s office. While there are a handful of all-star options, one of the best is none other than ginger oil, which has been shown to help reduce knee pain, chronic low back pain, arthritis and beyond due to its anti-inflammatory properties, simply by massaging it into the skin. How to make ginger oil While you can buy the powerful oil in stores, you can also make it yourself—and it’s not nearly as complicated as you’d think: All it takes is one cup fresh ginger root, one-and-a-half cups olive oil, and a few simple steps. After rinsing the ginger—skin included—let it sit out until it dries, which might take two to three hours. Once dry, take a cheese grater and shred it, or chop into small pieces adding...

Everybody should have garlic infused oil, it is so lovely. Add it to any dishes where it needs garlic and Pizza, drizzled over pizza is so, so good. If you make your own pizza, spread some on the base first. Also makes delicious garlic bread. Spread it on a baguette, add a little chopped garlic and put in the oven for around 10 mins. INGREDIENTS 200ml (~1 cup) of olive oil (Get a good quality oil) 4-6 cloves of garlic INSTRUCTIONS First peel the garlic cloves, doing your best to keep them fully intact. Cut off the root end, this makes contamination with C. Botulinum less likely. In a pan, cover the garlic cloves in the oil and gradually raise the heat until the garlic is bubbling gently. Simmer for around 15 minutes. The garlic should go beautifully golden but not black or burnt. Turn off the heat, cover and leave to cool and infuse for the rest of the day or at least a couple hours. When the oil is cool, you’ll need to carefully strain out the garlic. Any little pieces left in ...

It’s so easy to make an infused honey. Firstly, use a good honey, preferably from a Honey farm or bee-keeper, I’m lucky enough to have both lically. Ty to avoid the stuff sold by supermarkewts unless you’re sure of the brand, some of them aren’t honey at all. The video will show you how to make it but I love Chamomile honey. I enjoy a cup before bed and it really helps me relax and sleep. Take a sterilised jar, add your washed and dried herbs (i use fresh chamomile) and top with honey. Screw on cap tightly and leave until the honey absorbs all the flavour and goodness from the herb. I keep mine in the fridge. Makes delicious tea and Infused honeys can also be enjoyed on fresh fruit, oatmeal, breads, desserts, smoothies, beverages, marinades and even drizzled over yogurt and ice cream. Lemon-Rosemary Honey This is great for marinades 1 tablespoon dried, grated lemon zest (allow fresh lemon zest to sit on a windowsill overnight) 1 1/4  teaspoons dried or 2 fresh r...

St Johns Wort is a nerve stimulant useful for treating depression, restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia. It should not be taken by patients with bipolar disorder since it seems to increase the risk of mania. Personally, I do not recommend anyone suffering from any of the aforementioned use the herb. Many drugs can interact with St. John’s wort, and serious drug interactions can occur when certain medicines are used at the same time. Do not take St. John’s wort without medical advice if you regularly use other medicines, especially; an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medicine; a sthma or allergy medicine; cough or cold medicine; cancer medicine (chemotherapy); cholesterol medication; erectile dysfunction medications; heart or blood pressure medicine; HIV or AIDS medications; medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection; medicine to treat any type of infection (including HIV, fungal infections, malaria, or tuberculosis); medicine to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or o...

Tobacco Root, Valerian Root, Valeriana edulis Valeriana Edulis also called tobacco root or valerian root, is a plant speciesin the family Caprifoliaceae. Despite the name tobacco root, the herb is not related to the tobacco plant. Most herbalists will use the dried root, I have tried growing it but finished leaving it growing on. Edible Use The seeds, leaves, and roots are edible. It has been reported to me that the root is poisonous raw, but when slowly baked, it produces an edible vegetable that has a peculiar taste and odor. Some people enjoy the flavor; not me. The seeds are also edible when lightly roasted. Medicinal Uses Anxiety and Panic Attacks Tobacco root has a calming effect that is beneficial to patients with panic and anxiety disorders. Take a brew of Tobacco Root Decoction from the leaves or roots to treat these types of attacks. Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior Tobacco root improves symptoms of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder by improving the b...

Materia Medica – “…is a Latin term…for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing.” (Wikipedia). In this post I will go over what exactly that means, why (and how!) you should start your own materica medica. If you are just starting your journey into herbalism, or have dabbled for awhile, you may be struggling with a way to gather all the information available out there, remembering what herb to use for what ailment, or understanding new ways to look at herbal medicine. For example, perhaps you’ve been learning about European herbalism but are excited about incorporating ayruveda. But where do you start? And how can you connect the two? What is a Materia Medica? That’s where your materia medica steps in. It’s YOUR customized spell book. Your recipe book for all things herbal medicine. A materia medica is comprised of individual monographs. A monograph is an in-depth study into one plant. Often ma...

The earliest doctors were herbalists who used their extensive knowledge of plants to heal aches and ills in their communities. In ancient times, this practice was more superstition and guess-work than it was science. Herbal medicine is becoming popular as people try to turn their backs on artificial medicines and corrupt pharmacies but what do you need to know about herbal medicine? But there are some things you really need to know: Some Herbal remedies can react with prescription medication. So, it is never advisable to take herbal remedies unless you know if wil not interefere with the prescribed drug. There will be a post available for some of the herbs you may need to avoid. But saying that, more folk die from prescription medicines and suffer terrible side effects too. Let’s face it, Herbal medicine was all we had, yet we survived viruses and plagues and some other terrible diseases. We had the Wise women and the Apothecaries, who over thousands of years learnt their craft. ...

Carrier Oils and their Qualities When you choose a carrier oil make sure that it is 100% pure, cold pressed and unrefined. A rule of thumb to Dilutions: 1% dilution: 1 tsp carrier oil with 1 drop essential oil(E.O) 5% dilution: 5 tsp carrier oil with 5 drops essential oil(E.O) Apricot Kernel Oil : Is from the kernel of the apricot. It is light yellow in color, is a light oil and absorbs well. Rich in vitamins A, B and E which are great for skin rejuvenation. This oil is great for sensitive skin types, great for the face, leaves the skin feeling silky smooth and is a great moisturizer. Avocado Oil: This oil is rich in vitamins A, D and E and is packed with essential fatty acids. It absorbs well and help cell regeneration so is very good for mature skin. Grape Seed oil: Is an astringent so is good for toning and tightening the skin. Wheat germ oil: This oil is super rich in vitamin E which makes it great for your skin to regenerate it and give it a healthy glow. Coconut oil : a perfect ...

Safety Please remember that essential oils are very powerful so please treat them as such. Essential Oils on the Skin In most cases, essential oils should not be used undiluted on the skin. As a general rule, essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil like coconut oil or almond oil in a 1-5% solution.(1-5 drops of essential oilsper teaspoon of carrier oil) Less for children. Undiluted use on the skin can cause irritation or an allergic reaction Use on Babies and Children Essential oils should never be given internally to children or used undiluted on the skin. They should be diluted more than they are for adult application andcare should be taken with any essential oils considered “hot” as they may cause damage to the skin. In general, oils like lavender, chamomile, orange, lemon and frankincense are considered safe for diluted use on children, but do a skin test and check with a doctor first. Some oils have caused seizures in children and extreme caution should be used .(Albeit...

Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia Lavandula angustifolia, common lavender, belongs to Family Lamiaceae and genus Lavandula. It is also known as garden lavender, common lavender, narrow-leaved lavender, true lavender or English lavender. Edible Use Several parts of lavender are edible including the leaves, flowering tips, and petals. They can be used as a condiment in salads, soups, and stews. They have an aromatic flavor that comes through nicely in tea made from fresh or dried leaves. The fresh flowers are added to ice-creams, jams, and vinegars as a flavoring. Oil from the flowers is also used as a food flavouring. Medicinal Use: Medicinal properties of this plant include Anti-anxiety, Anti-halitosis, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Appetizer, Aromatherapy, Aromatic, and Carminative, Cholagogue, Diuretic, Nervine; Sedative, Stimulant, Stomachic, Tonic. Aromatherapy Lavender is an important relaxing herb, having a soothing and relaxing effect upon the nervous system. In most cases, all that...

Pot Marigold, Calendula officinalis Pot marigold is a short-lived, perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family and is often grown as an annual. They are commonly used as ornamentals and sometimes for medicinal preparations. The flowers are yellow or orange with a 2- to 3-inch flowerhead, tworows of hairy bracts and a single or double ring of ray florets aroundthe central disc florets. Flowers appear year-round when the weatheris suitable. The fruit is a thorny archene. Edible Use Pot marigold flowers are edible. They are used in salads and as a garnish in some dishes. The leaves are also edible, but bitter and unpalatable. Medicinal Use S kin Diseases, Cuts, and Irritations Pot marigold leaves and flowers are soothing to the skin, and I use them to treat all kinds of skin problems from acne to sunburn and rashes. The leaves make a healing poultice for minor cuts,scratches, and skin irritations. Place the bruised leaves directly on the skin. The leaves soothe inflamed skin and help ...

Chamomile, Matricaria Chamomilla Chamomile is an ancient remedy still in use today. Its longevity testifies to its usefulness and effectiveness. I think of it as a calming plant, and it doeshave sedative properties. Plant Identification The plant has daisy-like flowers with a hollow, cone-shaped receptacle, and tiny yellow disk flowers covering the cone. The cone is surrounded by more than ten (probably 10 to 20) white, down-curving ray flowers, giving it the ultimate appearance of a miniature daisy. You can distinguish the plant from similar flowers by the pattern in which the flowers grow, each flower on an independent00stem. The most common way of identifying the Chamomile is by plucking a small amount of the blossom and crushing it in between your fingers. Chamomile has a faintly fruity scent. It thrives in open, sunny locations like roadsides, pastures, cornfields, and in well-drained soil. It will not tolerate excessive heat or dry conditions. Matricaria chamomilla is German cham...

Feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium Feverfew is an herb that I highly value for my own use. I have long suffered from migraines and nothing I tried offered any help, until I found this miracle herb. This bushy perennial is a member of the Aster Family and grows along roadsides, on rocky slopes, walls, waste places, and is cultivatedin some home herb and ornamental gardens. It likes full sun or partial shade and dry soil. Also known as Chrysanthemum parthenium, wild chamomile, and bachelor’s buttons. Plant Identification Feverfew grows into a bushy shape, approximately 1 to 3 feet tall. It grows from a taproot, sprouting round, leafy stems. The leaves are yellow-green and pinnately divided into slightly rounded divisions. The upper leaves are more lobed and toothed. The leaves have a distinctive bitter aroma and taste. Flowers appear in June to August, depending on how far north I travel. The flowers are daisy-like, only smaller, with a large yellow disk and short white rays. The center disk...

Make an apple cider vinegar (ACV) solution. Instead of putting vinegar directly onto your pet’s skin, which can irritate his/her skin, you need to make a diluted solution. Mix up 1 cup of ACV, 1 quart warm water, and 1 ounce of Castille soap. This diluted solution is powerful enough to deal with fleas and ticks, but not so strong that you will be able to smell it. If you want to add something extra to help repel the fleas and ticks from your pet, add 2-3 drops of lavender or cedar oil to the mixture. The scent of the oil will help keep the fleas and ticks off and also give the solution a pleasant smell. You can also add 2 ounces of aloe vera to the mix as well. It will help moisturize your pet’s skin and repel the fleas. ACV is nontoxic to dogs and cats. However, if your pet has sensitive skin, change the ration of ACV to water in your rinse to one part ACV, three parts water. Wear gloves and long-sleeved clothing. Fleas and ticks can bite humans too, which may cause itchi...