Aylen has Fluffy Toothmonsters and Plants

This is not okay at all. I’m quite attached to my tumblr...

Sat, 18 May 2013 21:45:47 -0500

This is not okay at all. I’m quite attached to my tumblr and yahoo has such an abysmal track record. Is there nothing we can do?

backyardharvest: Can anyone tell me what these are? A friend...

Sat, 18 May 2013 21:21:15 -0500

backyardharvest:

Can anyone tell me what these are? A friend gave me an unmarked packet of seeds and told me they were onion seeds. I think in fact they might have been radish seeds.

Seedlings :D They look like radishes or cabbages!

truebluemeandyou: DIY Five Honey Citrus Sryups for Sore Throats...

Wed, 15 May 2013 01:12:00 -0500

truebluemeandyou:

DIY Five Honey Citrus Sryups for Sore Throats Recipes from The Yummy Life here. As with all of The Yummy Life’s recipes there is a lot of advice, tons of photos and easy to follow instructions. I would use these sryups not just for sore throats but as gifts for tea lovers. Flavors:

Lemon Ginger Honey

Clementine Cardamom Honey

Lime Mint Honey

Lemon Rosemary Honey

Orange Clove Honey

Okay...

Mon, 13 May 2013 22:56:42 -0500

Now I’m getting anonymous spam questions. Nonsense about diets and fake jobs and whatnot. I’m disappointed, tumblr. I expected better from you.

"What do you mean, “what can I do?” You can participate. You can connect. You can get actively..."

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:30:19 -0500

“What do you mean, “what can I do?” You can participate. You can connect. You can get actively involved. You can turn off the tv. You can cancel the Disney vacation and buy bushels of tomatoes to can or turn into salsa. You can get some pots and grow a pot garden… of vegetables. You can put a beehive on the roof of your house. Just like today— whatever today looks like— is the manifestation of billions of individual decisions accumulated over time, tomorrow will be too. We must stop this incessant victimhood mentality. Somebody else will not fix things. Somebody else will not make me healthy. Somebody else will not make me happy. These things are my responsibility. Not the neighbor’s, not the government’s, not the church or the civic club.”

- Joel Salatin (via realistdreamer)

Photo

Sat, 11 May 2013 10:22:50 -0500

Shionni, over 50 lbs and still growing. She is getting more...

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:45:59 -0500

Shionni, over 50 lbs and still growing. She is getting more ornery but hopefully she’ll grow out of it soon. Last final is tomorrow and then we will be spending a lot more time outside.

River Veins: On Fermented Foods....Making Kim chi

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:03:03 -0500

River Veins: On Fermented Foods....Making Kim chi:

gratefulhermit:

Here is a very basic and inexpensive recipe for kim chi but you will need to allow for preparation time as the cabbage needs to soak for 5-6 hours and takes 3-5 days to ferment.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 large (or 2 small) cabbages, napa or regular

10 cups water

1 cup salt

1 cup crushed…

Wow, this seems way easier than I’d thought… :D

thehomesteadsurvivalguide: brownfinches: Sun Tea - Free...

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:03:30 -0500

thehomesteadsurvivalguide:

brownfinches:

Sun Tea - Free People

My mother and grandmother used to do this all the time. I totally forgot until seeing this :D

Photo

Tue, 07 May 2013 03:26:13 -0500

So this is something I found somewhere ages ago. I’m just...

Tue, 07 May 2013 03:08:42 -0500

So this is something I found somewhere ages ago. I’m just going to leave it here XD

Welcome to Omega: LISTEN UP ABOUT YOUR HERBS.

Sun, 05 May 2013 20:51:18 -0500

Welcome to Omega: LISTEN UP ABOUT YOUR HERBS. :

rynvasnormandy:

aylface:

rynvasnormandy:

For those of you into complementary and alternative medicine, yoga, acupuncture, herbalism, herbal remedies, all-natural remedies, health living, etc cetera, here’s a little database for you: http://nccam.nih.gov/

It’s incredibly easy to come across false information when it comes to…

Hmmm. On the one hand, yes safety and knowledge are so so very important and I’m sure this is a great resource. Definitely worth a look especially for the drug interactions.

On the other hand… It doesn’t take a conspiracy theorist to be aware of the strong ties between the US government, pharmaceutical companies, and other entities who have vested interests in spreading misinformation, discouraging or outright banning the use of various plants, their health benefits notwithstanding (cannabis, case in point). So this source, like any other, should be taken with a grain of salt and as much knowledge as possible about its scientific validity and biases.

And yeah, I am just beginning to study herbalis. Yet even I know of powerfully medicinal plants (not cannabis) that have been sporadically called toxic and re-allowed by the FDA. Just saying. /rant over

The national center for complementary and alternative medicine, which is very supportive of CAMs, in comparison to commercial websites, right? This just reads very similar to anti-vaccine arguments…

The thing about the scientific validity listed on the website is that it doesn’t claim absolutes. It’s states that studies haven’t been conclusive about it or that not enough studies have been conducted. I don’t see the issue here or how it at all ties into any conspiracy theories you’re perpetuating.

The thing about you starting that argument on my post to begin with and telling people to take it with a grain of salt is that, whether you mean to or not (a nod at the “work a look for the drug interactions”) it’s quite possible people who see your post are going to discredit the toxicity information entirely and that’s dangerous.

I made this post because of the number of calls we get to our Poison Control center because of people taking herbs and natural remedies improperly. This site and the toxicity information provide are incredibly important to not take with a grain of salt because of that.

No matter how you feel about pharmaceutical companies, you can’t deny the fact that drugs are regulated. Herbal remedies, including extracts (and even vitamins if you wanna get on that note) usually aren’t. The problem here is that, more often than not, they don’t come with instructions, warning labels, etc cetera.

No/Improper labeling = poison consumption, incorrect administration, drug interactions, overdose.

People who know no better and who first start out on a CAM kick can very easily hurt themselves or their children because of that. Some plants you should only take topically. Some plants you should only consume parts of.

And the very real, immediate reactions that a lot of these can cause can be life threatening and should not be taken with a grain of salt when read about because you’re taking unnecessary risks with your life and the lives of people you may care for. And for some of these herbs and extracts, an incredibly low dose can be fatal. Which is no different than medications you may be prescribed beyond the fact that THAT bottle had a warning label and scientifically backed directions for administration (there’s nothing misleading here; I’ve studied physiological processing of medication and I’ve administered medications in a professional environment. It is calculated based on very specific factors.)

I also don’t see how the immediate/fast onset signs and symptoms associated with these plants can be ever be side-eyed because of the possibility that organizations may have interests that are contrary to its use. You can’t tell me that an herb that should be used topically, when consumed, causes shock and organ failure is only listed as poisonous because some people have “vested interests” against it.

I don’t care about what people thinking of the scientific validity when it comes to the effectiveness of herbal remedies. I do care about people using reliable research methods to put their minds to rest and give them an idea of what and how much they should take of something instead of engaging in and promoting risky behaviors.

I sincerely apologize if it sounded argumentative. That was not my intention at all. :( I usually try to add my thoughts with a post I reblog for my own records and honestly did not expect anyone to take note of it. Perhaps that was ignorant of me as well.

I meant to thank you for providing the useful and lifesaving database in case you did happen to look, and did not mean to counter the effect of your post. I meant to express my concern that valuable medicines exist that have sometimes been misrepresented, and that I will not always be able to learn the whole story by reading official statements. (not to suggest that just because they say so, it must be a conspiracy) The science behind how herbal medicines work and how they are tested (and who decides) and regulated by the FDA is something I am very interested in learning more about, but of course it is hard to read about without coming across the anti-vaccine, anti-hospital kind of theories you mentioned.

(I’d like to respectfully disagree that I am perpetuating any conspiracy theories. I am very aware that different herbs/extracts are used differently and can and do have harmful side effects depending on dosage, or how they are taken. I didn’t tell you about the safety or toxicity of anything, nor would I presume to do so.)

I will go back and edit my post so as to make it more clear I am not advocating disregarding the information (as again was not my intention, I reblogged because of how incredibly valuable I thought it was). I truly do not want anyone to come to harm because of my doubts. I am sorry that my post was ill-thought out and came across in such a way.

Welcome to Omega: LISTEN UP ABOUT YOUR HERBS.

Sun, 05 May 2013 17:42:00 -0500

Welcome to Omega: LISTEN UP ABOUT YOUR HERBS. :

rynvasnormandy:

For those of you into complementary and alternative medicine, yoga, acupuncture, herbalism, herbal remedies, all-natural remedies, health living, etc cetera, here’s a little database for you: http://nccam.nih.gov/

It’s incredibly easy to come across false information when it comes to…

Post edited/rewritten for clarity: I reblogged this because it is a great, convenient resource that I personally intend to use quite a bit. While I firmly believe that everyone has the right to make their own decisions about their own health, I don’t at all advocate blindly trying herbal medicines because “it’s natural so it’s safe”. Nature makes plenty of poisons too.

Safety and knowledge about what you put into your body are so so very important and that is what makes this a good resource (Thank you for sharing it!). Definitely worth a look especially for the drug interactions. It’s uncommon enough to find potentially harmful side effects listed in books about medicinal herbs — drug interactions I almost never see mentioned.

On the other hand, it worries me to wonder what information isn’t in here. It doesn’t take a conspiracy theorist to be aware of the strong ties between the US government, pharmaceutical companies, and other entities who have vested interests in spreading misinformation, discouraging or banning the use of various plants, health benefits notwithstanding (obligatory mention of cannabis, case in point). So what I mean when I say I take this (and every other thing I read) with a grain of salt, is that I always want to look deeper if I get the feeling something is being left out.

If I were to see something on here that seems fishy based on other things I’ve read, I’d be doing a lot of reading and asking herbalists and/or naturopaths in person about the situation and why the NCCAM chose to warn people about whatever-it-is. Then, if I decide to try something “off-label”, that will be a calculated risk I have the freedom to take.

And yeah, I’m just beginning to study herbalism. I’m no doctor and I’m not a healthcare professional. But I do know of powerfully medicinal plants (not cannabis) that have been sporadically called toxic and re-allowed by the FDA. That doesn’t mean I think people should blow off toxicity warnings and ingest medicines like tea tree oil or arnica. Just that in my study I want to stay vigilant about possibly lifechanging knowledge I might be missing out on.

/ok I’m done now. Sorry for the long post, I became aware that since this is a public post, some things had to be explained better.

TL;DR if you’re reading this, you should really do your homework before you try any kind of medicine, herbal or otherwise. I just reblogged a great resource to help you do so!

lemonbalmgirl: Cat tea. Cat tea! And chamomile tea fights...

Sun, 05 May 2013 15:23:00 -0500

lemonbalmgirl:

Cat tea.

Cat tea! And chamomile tea fights diabetes? Hmm that I will be looking up.

The other day we harvested some cabbages and put them in...

Sun, 05 May 2013 01:45:00 -0500

The other day we harvested some cabbages and put them in yakisoba! We had to wash the bugs off though.

"It’s no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."

Sun, 05 May 2013 01:30:50 -0500

“It’s no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”

- Krishnamurti (via thefreelioness)

Things I am going to do after finals

Fri, 03 May 2013 19:23:27 -0500

1. Sleep

2. Finish partly-done art projects that were promised to Whitney

3. Sleep

4. Clean house and deal with rude soon-to-be-ex-housemates

5. Transplant herbs

6. Sleep

7. Mail family members long-overdue presents

8. Hibernate

But first, I have to write some papers.

Ground Ivy Magic: Alterative - Metabolic tonic, improves or “alters” the body’s ability...

Thu, 02 May 2013 05:27:54 -0500

Ground Ivy Magic: Alterative - Metabolic tonic, improves or “alters” the body’s ability...:

ground-ivy-magic:

Alterative - Metabolic tonic, improves or “alters” the body’s ability to function, including enriching blood flow to the tissues and purifying or detoxifying blood; use for blood toxicity, infections, inflammations, cancer, and skin eruptions. Burdock, tulsi, dandelion

Amphoretic - normalizes…

This is a wonderful post! I’ve been trying to understand these things so that when I look up an herb I will actually know what the books are trying to tell me.

ilovefrollomarik: sushinfood: now THAT is one hell of a way to...

Thu, 02 May 2013 04:44:31 -0500

ilovefrollomarik:

sushinfood:

now THAT is one hell of a way to make money

What the actual fuck… I know that guy. He’s always between my house and work and he just showed this to me today, well his new version since the cops made him pick up the bowls. …Sometimes you scare me, tumblr.

CISPA is NOT dead. Here's why...

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:41:05 -0500

CISPA is NOT dead. Here's why...:

This is important, so here is a cute infographic instead of a wall of text. XD