Posts Tagged: wellness
Schizandra Berry for vibrant health and beauty
Hello!
Today I wanted to share one of my favorite herbs, and one of the most powerful and beneficial around: Schizandra berry.
I’ve been taking this herb for several years, and I’m excited that I finally got my hands on some of the highest quality Schizandra out there (and I want to share the wealth!)
It has been one of the top herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, promoting vibrant health and beauty. It’s said to “calm the heart and quiet the spirit” and to “prolong the years of life without aging”
It’s known as Wu Wei Zi, often translated as “five flavor fruit” – and is the only herb with all 5 flavors ( sweet, salty, bitter, sour and pungent ). It benefits, tonifies, and balances all organs and meridians in the body, and is an adaptogen (helping you deal with physical and mental stress.)
“If used for 100 days successively, Schizandra is said to purify the blood, sharpen the mind, improve memory, rejuvenate the Kidney energy (especially the sexual functions in both men and women), and cause the skin to become radiantly beautiful.” – Ron Teeguarden.
It also:
Improves eyesight (In Russia Schizandra is considered eye food, and is a registered medicine for vision difficulties. [Source]
Cleanses the liver
Improves alertness and concentration
Strengthens the respiratory system
Boosts energy at a cellular level
Helps skin retain moisture
Promotes beautiful eyes & hair
Safely detoxifies the body
Helps speed recovery after surgery
Normalizes blood sugar
Improves mood
etc..etc..etc.. (learn about more of Schizandras benefits, here. Yes – there are even more benefits!)
Where to find it, and how to prepare?
I’ve made schizandra berry tea & tinctures with berries from Mountain Rose Herbs* in the past ( Learn how to make your own tincture, here:
http://thelotusroot.com/making-herbal-tinctures/
Lately I’ve been mixing 1/4 of a teaspoon of schizandra powder in hot or cold spring water.
As I mentioned, I just got my hands on some really high quality Schizandra extract from Lucidera* (Organic, American grown in pristine soil, highly concentrated, freeze-dried to retain nutrients, etc..) As luck would have it, Nick, the owner of Lucidera sent out a coupon code yesterday as I was working on this post. I emailed him to find out if I could share it with you, and he generously offered to create an exclusive 20% off coupon code and extend it to March 20th at Midnight, EST. Sign up here to get the code!
*I have no affiliations with these companies. I just love supporting and spreading the word about businesses with sustainable practices, who are going above and beyond with the quality of their products. I love researching this stuff, and being able to share it with you. It hurts my heart when people think herbalism doesn’t work because they’ve only tried low quality herbs.
Let me know if you try schizandra, and what results you get!**
To your health!
Liz
You may also be interested in Triphala – an Ayurvedic herb for healthy skin, detoxing, and more
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**Disclaimer: Not recommended if you have epilepsy, or are pregnant or nursing. May cause gastrointestinal upset in some individuals, although it’s rare. If you have any health conditions, please do your research or check in with a qualified physician before using schizandra.
The information in this post is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Street Yoga
I’m excited to start donating a portion of my sales to various organizations. From now until the end of the year, 10% of profits from our organic cotton t-shirts will be donated to Street Yoga.
Based in Portland, Oregon, “Street Yoga is a non-profit organization that teaches yoga, mindful breathing, and compassionate communication to youth and families and their caregivers struggling with homelessness, poverty, abuse, addiction, trauma and behavioral challenges so they can grow stronger, heal from past traumas, and create for themselves a life that is inspired, safe, and joyful. Our programs are based on solid evidence that yoga helps with physical well being, depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD.”
This organization is near and dear to my heart – I know first hand how transformative yoga can be. I’ve been doing yoga since I was about 17, but know my teenage years would have gone a lot more smoothly had I found it sooner.
I love that they’re providing a way for at-risk youth to get centered, find tranquility, improve their health, boost their self esteem and heal.
Street yoga is also holding teacher training sessions in cities around the world – take a look at this post to find out upcoming training dates & locations, or contact them to bring teacher training to your city (You don’t have to be a yoga instructor to take part in the training).
Check out their website if you wish to donate: http://streetyoga.org/ and their facebook page for info + updates
How to relax and get a good nights sleep
- As a supplement
I like “Natural CALM” and “Super Mag”- both are magnesium powders that you mix into water to make a fizzy drink. Both are incredibly calming. Just be warned – taking too much internally can cause a laxative effect, if you catch my drift. I find it’s best not to get too creative and to follow the instructions on the package when it comes to taking it internally.
- Magnesium oil:
This stuff is awesome. It’s not really an oil, but a magnesium salt water solution. You can spray it on and massage it into your skin, or use it as a foot soak. Applying magnesium to the skin can prevent the laxative effect since it doesn’t have to pass through the digestive system. (Of course, everyone is different, so don’t take my word for it – be sure to do your research*). I order mine on amazon.com (although I’m seeing it more and more in health food stores these days). Note: it may itch at first (for me it only itches if I haven’t used it in a while), but I’ve read that the itching should stop if you water it down a bit.
- Epsom Salt a.k.a Magnesium sulfate: Aaaahhhhhh…Soaking in an epsom salt bath is another tried and true way to relax your muscles and get a dose of magnesium. I like to stir 2 cups (or more) into a nice warm bath. Add 5-6 drops of lavender essential oil to the water for an even more calming experience. You can easily find epsom salt at any drug store, and lavender oil at most health food stores. The epsom salt will make you sweat (great for detoxing) so it’s a great idea to drink some water during your bath or better yet, a nice relaxing cup of herbal tea.
You can learn more by watching this video by Dr. Mark Hyman; “Magnesium: The most powerful relaxation mineral available”, or this one by Mark Sircus on Magnesium Oil therapy and finding the right dose for you. ( Mark Sircus recommends adding 5 POUNDS of epsom salt to your bath – pretty hardcore.)
2. Restorative Yoga:
During restorative yoga, you get into different poses supported by pillows, bolsters or yoga blocks, and you lie in each pose for a while (much longer than you would in more active types of yoga). The different poses help you release tension and help bring your emotional patterns and nervous system back into balance. Here’s a great restorative yoga video I found on youtube. The instructor has a really soothing voice, and her yoga sequence is relaxing and perfect just before bed. A lavender eye pilllow is a great addition to the practice since you’re lying on your back or your side for the poses. Find my handmade bamboo + organic cotton aromatherapy eye pillows in my etsy shop.
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*Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or registered dietitian / nutritionist. The purpose of my blog is to share my own experiences with healthy living. When it comes to your health, please do your research & be sure to consult a health practioner before trying anything new (especially when pregnant or nursing).