Where has she been?

To all who wonder where I have been,  I am alive and working hard!

Haven’t been at the farmers market because I am working on a new product line.  To be honest, im not sure if I like being at the farmers market.  I like being available to people in need, but im not sure if this is the best avenue for me.  I find it very difficult to talk to people who have specific questions amongst the chaos of local shoppers, and I really would like to do more “sit downs” with people and really hear them. I might do some market in the spring though….so keep an eye out for me!

So, I have decided to continue having my line at the co-op ( new product on the way!) as well as teaching courses with some community groups, low coast and affordable.  I’d like the courses to also serve as a support group.  Lets come together and help each other!  I feel drawn more towards educating the community about herbs, as opposed to blindly selling them product they may have no idea about.  I’d like to help YOU understand YOUR health and how to use herbs effectively.

The course will begin soon, more on that later.

In the meantime, there are some exciting events coming up in our community that I would like to promote:

I will be assisting at this workshop- An Introduction to Medicinal Herbs: Nervines and Adaptogens see link below for more info:
click here

Also, I am so pleased to say that the first ever Florida Herbal Conference will be in March!!! OMG I can’t contain my excitement!!! My herbal teacher will be hosting it as well as Rosemary Gladstar!!! AHHH!
click here for more info

I am also a contributing writer to a local newsletter around town called ALT HEALTH, keep an eye out for it- its FREE alternative health views on massage, diet, and herbs!!!

New email by the way- rootedremedies4you@gmail.com

Thank you all for your support.  My community continues to amaze me with its interest and I am excited for whats to come. Blessings!!!

Oh Ye Who Suffer!

” Oh ye who suffer! Know ye, ye suffer from yourselves.  None else compels, no other holds you that you live or die.”  
~Siddhartha

I was asked to begin writing articles for an alternative health newsletter that some friends of mine are creating, free to the public, to promote well being and alternatives to standardized healthcare.  I decided to write about what I think are the underlying causes of dis-ease.

In this Western world we live in, many of us grow up relying on a doctor to diagnose us. The medicine we would take for a problem usually targets the symptoms.  You have an upset stomach, they give anti-nausea meds.  You have depression, they give you anti-depressants.  You have the flu, they give you antibiotics.  The problem with this is many of us only treat the symptoms of our health problems.  We don’t want to feel pain or discomfort so thats usually what we target.  An analogy my herb teacher once used was:  There is a fire going on inside the house, the firemen (western doctors) race in and begin smashing the fire alarm so that the beeping stops.  But the fire continues….

My point is that herbs wont solve your problems if you are looking for an alternative.  If you only use herbs when you need them and continue to not address your lifestyle, your diet, and your spiritual self; you will continue to be disappointed.  Don’t get me wrong, herbs can be great for acute and chronic conditions and preventing illness, but one must go deeper in these times that we live in.

Disease of the body, as we know it, is a result, an end product, a final stage of something much deeper. Disease originates above the physical plane, nearer to the mental. It is entirely the result of a conflict between our spiritual and mortal selves. So long as these two are in harmony, we are in perfect health: but when there is discord, there follows what we know as disease. If we continue to ignore what is ailing us on a deeper level, we will continue to suffer and deal with these same problems over and over.  And eventually for some, minor illness will develop into disease and lead to a difficult battle in their later years.

People don’t believe me when I say I have not been to a doctor in years, or I haven’t taken antibiotics since I was a kid.  They literally do not believe me!  Not to say that a western approach is not applicable at all, on the contrary it is very useful.  But one must ask themselves, What is my intention?  Is it necessary?  Do I keep suffering from the same problems? What can I change about myself?

Disease is solely and purely corrective: it is neither vindictive nor cruel: but it is the means adopted by our own Souls to point out to us our faults: to prevent our making greater errors: to hinder us from doing more harm: and to bring us back to that path of Truth and Light from which we should never have strayed. Disease is, in reality, for our good, and is beneficent, though we should avoid it if we had but the correct understanding, combined with the desire to do right.

Keep an eye out for the Alt-Health newsletter distributed around town, in various places.  It will include info about herbal health, benefits of massage, wellness coaching, and I imagine much more!

Blessings.

Summer says goodbye as Fall approaches

Hello everyone!

Wow its been a long time, so sorry to any readers who enjoy reading this thing.

Im excited to feel that cool breeze start to creep in, and less humidity everyday.  Which means I will start back at the market shortly.  Im thinking beginning of October.  More to come on that…..

Have you been to the Citizens Co-op yet?  If not, check it out!  They have recently started a Sunday market in the back of their store, where farmers and locals can come sell goods!  Similar to the Wednesdays farmers market but smaller and more quaint.  Im thinking of doing that too.

Lots in store for the winter: new products, new discoveries to be shared, and possibly starting to teach herb classes!  So stay in touch, keep a look out for whats to come.

Thanks for your support,
LeAnn

New Name

As you may see, I have changed the name of my herbal line.  It is now Rooted Remedies.  I decided to change it because I felt the old name Analemma Herbs might have been too cryptic and confusing for some people who may not have a passion for astronomy as I do.

Rooted not only represents the obvious, a part of the plant, but it also represents the community.  What I am trying to do is reach out to the community, get people interested in herbal preventative healthcare. Im also feeling very “rooted” at this point in my life. And of course Remedies because that is what I am creating. Remedies for your everyday ailments!

With any new business venture comes changes, and I look forward to changing a lot.  Not only have I created a new name, but I also have recently created new products despite my absence at the market and look forward to getting them out to you via the Co-Op that will be opening next week! I will return to the Wednesday market once it cools down, probably in October.

Blessings.

Takin a break…..

So summer is here in full effect!

Which is great for beach lovers and such, but not so good for selling herbs outside.  So, considering I want my herbs that I sell to be as fresh and safe as possible I will be stepping away from the Farmers Market and selling my product by request through my email, analemmaherbs@gmail.com

Also, a local CO-Op is opening in Gainesville (YAY!) and will be carrying my herbal products!!!  So as soon as they open you can find them there! Please take their survey, and become a member to support their endeavors!

I am still thinking about randomly showing up at market on Wednesdays, but not sure yet.

I hope you still continue to support me and keep in touch through these hot months ahead…..

Much love.

Men need herbs too! Right?

I wanted to write a post about a product I made for men. Its called Men’s Long Life Elixir! 

There have been many books and articles written for women’s health, herbs for women, etc.  Unfortunately the same can not be said about men’s health. Don’t they get sick too? Do boys like herbs? Of course they do, but few herbal publications have been written with a focus on men’s health.

According to herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, as she writes in one of  her books, forty percent of sexually active men are infertile, heart disease is the number one killer of men in America, and hypertension is rampant. More than 70 percent of men over the age of 60 will have prostate problems requiring medication of some kind, and men continue to die on the average eight years before women.  She also writes that information is sorely lacking in the men’s world, as they rarely talk about their needs, and often what is out there regarding men’s health is from a feminine perspective.

The use of herbs has always been a practice predominately used by women, and we as the caretakers and nurturers of the family, have in a way kept it exclusive to women.  Understandably. ( A good read regarding the history of women as healers I recommend is Witches, Midwives, and Nurses)

So what I have to offer men is an elixir that is comprised of Yang herbs, that helps build strength and vitality.  It is great for prostate problems, infertility, lack of sexual stamina, and energy.  The Elixir contains: Damiana, Fo-Ti, Ginger, Licorice, Sassafras, Wild Yam, Anise, Sarsaparilla, Saw Palmetto, Ginseng, Brandy, and Black Cherry Fruit Concentrate.

I leave you with a testimonial by a fellow herbalist and great friend of mine =)

“I have struggled with prostate issues for years. After taking LeAnn’s Long Life Elixir for Men, I have felt a distinct shift. This powerful tonic has energized and vitalized me both sexually and emotionally.“
-Rusty Poulette

A cup of tea and a book

Just wanted to share something from the book I’m reading, Coming to Our Senses.

It may be when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work,
and that when we no longer know which way to go,
we have begun our real journey.

-Wendell Berry

I feel so blessed right now.  After this high energy weekend, I am about to sit down with a cup of red clover/peppermint tea and just be.  The birds are singing outside as the sun sets, and I feel great.  Theres nothing like a cup of tea and a good book, and having nothing to do at this very moment.

Hives AKA Urticaria

So yesterday my partner came home with hives all over his body.  We treated the situation herbally without a trip to the ER or synthetic drugs.  I wanted to share what we did, and more information on Hives.

Hives, also known as Urticaria, are batches of raised, red or white itchy welts (although not always itchy) of various sizes that appear and disappear. While most cases of hives go away within a few weeks or less, for some people they are a long-term problem. Chronic hives are defined as hives that last more than six weeks or hives that go away, but recur frequently. 

Looks crazy huh? Imagine it all over everything! I mean EVERYTHING!

These are some words my partner used to describe his experience:  Hot, inflamed, over heating sensation,  kinda itchy but not really, swollen, painful, achy, anxious, and feverish.  We noticed that the areas most inflamed (where his skin was raised the most) was where his lymph nodes were such as the armpit area, and inguinal area. This made sense to me since the lymph nodes can swell up when there is infection in the body. Not to mention his genitalia and buttocks were swollen and painful.

I immediately ran a cold (not too cold) bath for him with essential oils and told him to sit in there while focusing on his breath.  I told him to do this to avoid stressing out anymore, and to keep his mind off of it.  ( Stress is the number one reason for hives apart from allergic reactions) While he was soaking I did some research and found that too much sun, or restrictive clothing and sweating can also cause hives which would explain the buttock/genitalia area.  He works outside in the sun all day in the dirt, sweating.

However, I wasn’t convinced that this was the only thing causing this reaction.  I made him some tea with herbs to purify his blood (Burdock, Red Clover, Sarsaparilla, Sassafras) , and added some calming herbs (Chamomile) as well.  I let the herbs sit for an hour while I mixed some clay and witch hazel to form a paste which I applied to the areas. This helped he said.  Then while he had the clay all over, I made him write me a list of everything he had eaten that day.  Everything he had eaten seemed normal, he did have some Jamaican food at a new place and we still aren’t sure if that  might have been the cause. But other than that, the food he had eaten was food he has had before. Also he did not complain of asphyxiation which seems to be related with food allergies. He did think that maybe it was a spice used in the Jamaican food that could have caused this reaction.  He said he felt like poison was leaving his body, which put more of a positive spin on it.

After that, he rinsed off the clay and I applied my First Aid Spray which is an old recipe that is often used for poison ivy. It contains goldenseal, myrrh, and echinacea among other things. I figured this would help. I gave him doses of my Echinacea tincture to support his immune system and a dose of Bach Flower Essence Stress Remedy. Then I instructed him to drink the tea I had made, and go to bed.

I couldn’t believe it, but this morning he awoke hive free!!!!!  I was amazed! His skin looked as if the hives were never there!

The best thing I learned to do when treating skin problems is to treat it externally and internally.  In this case rest was essential.  We also discovered that he has been under an immense amount of emotional stress.  All in all, we aren’t sure what exactly caused the hive outbreak, but we think it was probably a number of things.

Products that I have that you could use in this case would be:
Immune Support Tincture
Blood Purification Tincture
Bad Skin Be Gone Tincture
First Aid Spray
A plethora of tea blends
Plus more that I haven’t made but am thinking of making…..

I wanted to share what we did in this situation in case you ever find yourself covered in hives.

Calcium

Calcium is well known for building healthy bones, but it is also essential for healthy nerve function.  A lack of calcium is often the root cause for stress, anxiety and pain. Proper amounts of calcium prevent nervousness, irritability, muscle spasms, cramping, and insomnia. What many people don’t know is that many herbs are rich in calcium (plus a lot of other good stuff!) and can be used in place of high fatty foods such as dairy products.

So in light of this, I have created a couple high in calcium products =)

Headache Tea
A high in calcium nerve formula for headaches, soothes the nervous system, relaxes the mind and calms the spirit.

High Calcium Tea and Tincture

This calcium rich tea blend is soothing and calming to the nerves.  It is most effective when used over a 3-4 month period.

Cramp Prevention Tea

About 10 days before menstruation begins, calcium levels in the blood begin to drop. Blood calcium deficiency is responsible for many of the symptoms of painful menstruation. This high calcium blend is designed to prevent cramps before they begin.

Come see me next week at the farmers market and see my new additions to my product line!

National Herb Day

I didn’t even know that National Herb Day existed!

A friend of mine who is in her last year at The Academy for Five Element Acupuncture told me of an event they are having:

Click here

I want to go see the movie they are showing at 3, Numen, The Nature of Plants. Mainly because Rosemary Gladstar was apart of it, and I studied under her. But I am still not sure if I will be able to make it.

Anyone planning on attending this FREE event?