advance dental care: January 2008

The History of Tussie-Mussie

Have you heard of the infamous and misunderstood tussie-mussie? Currently thought of as a nosegay, or compact bouquet of flowers and herbs, it has a colorful, if obscure, past with hilarious connotations. In light of its modern bridal and festive associations, I really couldn't pass on the irony.The language of flowers, having robust historical and literary antecedents, includes this little gem,

Growing Your Own Saffron

Saffron is an expensive spice that has a very distinctive flavor and aroma. It is prized throughout the world, but often only used for special-occasion dishes because it is so expensive.By weight, saffron is the most expensive spice on the planet.

Where Does Saffron Come From, Anyway?

Saffron comes from the three stigmas of an autumn blooming crocus plant, the Crocus Sativus. The

Using Herbs for Dental Care

Because commercial toothpastes and other tooth cleaners and whiteners contain harsh abrasives, detergents, and bleaches, you can give your teeth a break by buying herbal toothpastes, or making your own. Here are some tips for quick, effective tooth care:A sage leaf rubbed over the teeth and gums will help clean them and make them feel smooth and fresh.Alpine strawberry rubbed over the teeth can

Do Poppy Seeds Contain Drugs?

The poppy is a red flower with a thick seed pods that carry the popular poppy seeds used in cooking. Although there's been a great deal of misinformation about the ability of poppy seeds to create false positives in drug testing, more modern testing does not confuse culinary poppy seed ingestion for drug use, and you shouldn't refrain from eating or using poppy seeds in cooking because of it. If

Make Lavender Sugar

For an unexpected and rich taste, try making your own lavender sugar. This is a unique treat that's easy to make and fun to use.Uses for Lavender SugarLavender sugar is a great alternative to vanilla sugar as a topping for candies, cakes, and other pastries. It's also a wonderful sweetener for tea. You can leave your lavender sugar white, or use food coloring to give it a slight tint. Either

Herbs for Oral Health

If you've had concerns about the use of strong mouthwashes and toothpastes, consider their safer and gentler alternatives. Herbal oral products provide antibacterial protection without the fillers and stabilizers associated with major manufacturer's brands. They also often drop the strong bleaches, chemical antibiotics, and dyes that you've come to accept from the more common drug store

It's Not Too Late to Protect Your Plants from the Cold Weather

The cold weather is upon us, and if you live where there's a freeze, be kind to your plants. Check to make sure that plants that are borderline for your growing zone are well mulched and protected from the wind chill and freezing temperatures. A Calla lily that survived last year's mild winter may not make it to spring this year without a little help. Be good to your plants when the

Make Lavender Bath Salts

Bath Salt Ingredients

Reduce stress by bathing with lavender. Lavender aromatherapy can help you relax and regroup. Use your bath to get the aromatherapy benefits of lavender while enjoying the natural muscle relaxers in Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). Magnesium sulfate has also been proven to reduce your blood pressure and adrenalin levels.

When you have a few moments, make some lavender

Homemade Ginger Beer

Ginger beer is a light, refreshing ale that you can easily make at home. Brewed with yeast, it is a unique beverage that will become a summer tradition at your house. It's great to make with the kids, and there's something magical about waiting for it to be "done" and ready to drink. Create a memory for your children this season by making ginger beer.

Ginger beer recipes are plentiful on the

Free Herb Catalogs

Below is a listing of free herb catalogs; some are snail mail and some are PDF files. Happy Shopping! Click on the name to go to their request pages.

Horizon
Herbs

Mountain Valley Growers

Mountain Rose Herbs

Nichols Garden Nursery (PDF Download)

Richters

Prairieland Herbs (PDF Download)

Medicinal Herb Plants

Sand Mountain Herbs (online only)

Sandy
Mush Herb Nursery (Download only)

Using Herbs for Breast Enlargement

I am asked this question frequently, and there is no easy answer. Although I do recommend herbs to relieve the symptoms of menopause, my feeling about using bulk herbs for this purpose is pretty negative. The idea of increasing breast size without surgery is, I'm sure, attractive, but realistically, the impact herbs can have on developing your breasts without having serious side effects is

Four Thieves Vinegar

In my explorations of the history and uses of lavender, I came across some interesting information about Four Thieves Vinegar. I'd heard of it before, but didn't know what it meant:

The Legend of Four Thieves Vinegar

One version goes that in the 1630's, when the plague was raging in France, the town of Toulouse was beset with looters. Four looters were apprehended, but rather than punish them

Make Your Own Herbs de Provence

Herbs de Provence is a robust mixture of herbs made popular in the southeastern region of France. It is often used in the preparation of grilled meats, fish and vegetable stews, and is usually added before or during cooking.

Changes in Herbs de Provence Over Time

The ingredient ratios have altered over the years, and ingredients like tarragon, chervil and fennel have been added to some

Hops - More than Just an Ingredient in Beer

The history of hops can be traced back to first century (A.D.) Rome, where it was used as a vegetable and as a decorative plant. Several hundred years later it had spread throughout Europe and was in widespread use in brewing.

Healthful Benefits of Hops

The xanthohumol in hops is showing promise in preliminary trials in inhibiting the growth of breast, ovarian, prostate, and colon

Herbs and Foods that Can be Toxic To Your Pets

For many of us, our pets are members of the family, and there are unpublicized hazards that can impact their health.Household Dangers to Your PetYou may not know it, but using high heat with your non-stick pans can be toxic to your birds, that aspirin and aspirin-like pain relievers can kill your cat, and onions can be toxic to your dog.Chocolate and raisins can also be harmful to your dog, and

Lavender in Literature (Quotes about Lavender)

Lavender has a long literary past. With a fine fragrance, medicinal and culinary value, and a history of favor at court, lavender waxes poetic in these memorable quotes and passages:

Lavender and Culpeper
(The Complete Herbal, 1652)

Being an inhabitant almost in every garden, it is so well known, that it needs no description.

Lavender and John Gerard
(Herball, 1597)

The floures of

Lavender History and Lore

If you are a lover of lavender, then its associations with luck from the early St. John's Day festivals, and its reputation as an anti-plague herb, are tidbits you'll enjoy with your morning coffee.

Books like "The Book of Herb Lore" by Lady Rosalind Northcote, with its historical and literary references, add another dimension to the herb-keeping hobby. Lavender is one herb with a rich and

Keep Lavender Indoors

Lavender makes an attractive and useful indoor plant. When kept in a sunny window, it brings its unique fresh fragrance to your living space. A lavender plant requires little care, preferring to dry out between waterings, although it needs good air circulation, so don't crowd it with other houseplants.The Best Lavender to Pick as a Houseplant French lavender (Lavendula dententa) adapts well to

Propagating Lavender

Lavender can be propagated from cuttings, seed, or division.

Propagating Lavender from Cuttings

Lavender is easy to grow from cuttings in spring or fall. Take young stems with a heel attached and dip them in rooting compound. Plant the stem cuttings in sandy soil in a sunny spot that's sheltered from the wind. Lavender is also easy to propagate indoors if you have a sunny window.

Propagating

Understand the Different Types of Lavender

English Lavender

Lavender is enormously popular, but not all lavender is created equal. Using different varieties of lavender will yield different results, and knowing the right lavender for your garden or intended use will help your project be more successful. Lavender flowers can be large or small, and lightly shaded or vivid, depending on the variety you choose. There are even

Remove Mineral Deposits and Sterilize Your Plant Pots

When I can't work in the garden, most of the houseplants are dormant, and the new season's seed catalogs haven't arrived yet, I turn to cleaning.

One of my regular winter chores is to remove scale and mineral deposits from my plant pots and trays. I used to live with the chalky waterline that marked most of my pots, but now I use vinegar to clean them before spring.

Clean Mineral Deposits

The Healthful Benefits of Cranberries

You may not be growing them in your garden, and they may technically be a fruit, but cranberries are proving to be very beneficial to your health.I didn't design this blog to discuss current medical research, but time to time some things just jump out at me. I figure, like me, you enjoy understanding the uses of your herbs better. I think this leads naturally to an interest in the uses and

Growing Lavender

Lavender is one of the most easily distinguished, popular, and restful of fragrances. It is attractive to both men and women, and is the main fragrance in a wide range of beauty and home products.

Lavender Planting Tips

Lavender likes a well drained, sunny spot, and can tolerate dry conditions. It prefers sandy soil to which lime has been added, and will grow from 18" to three feet. New

Log Under Interesting Gadgets - The Neti Pot

If you are one of the few people who hasn't heard of the neti pot (also referred to as the salt lamp or nose bidet), it is an ingenious Indian device used to irrigate nasal passages. A "do it yourself" appliance, the neti pot can give you relief from cold or allergy discomfort without drugs.

The neti pot has a pour spout and handle, and is a little larger than a tea cup. It's a great solution

Can We do it All?

I just received my first seed catalog in the mail and watched a useful cable how-to on composting. My original plan for the day included writing notes about both these topics, as well as making a batch of scented bath salts. Well, I made the bath salts, but the rest is going to have to wait for another time.When? you ask. I don't know. Tomorrow maybe.So, to the question of the day: Can we do

Garlic as a Pest Deterrent

I have a garlic update since I blogged about keeping rue and garlic together near your roses.Japanese Beetle DeterrentI've mentioned that you can grow garlic and rue with roses to keep pests like the Japanese beetle away. In a past garlic post, I admitted that I've never gotten a harvest of large bulbs from my garlic, probably because I plant them in spring. Spring garlic plantings won't develop

Propagate Aloe Vera

I get lots of requests for information on propagating Aloe Vera, so here is my take on the subject.Watch For Aloe Vera Plant PupsAs a succulent, Aloe is easy to keep and grow. It requires well-drained, loose, sandy soil that is low in nutrients. It needs room, lots of it, because it's a fast grower during the summer months. From a central whorl, it sends up small shoots or "pups". Your plant has

Natural Hangover Remedies

If you're feeling a little the worse for wear after your New Year's Eve celebration, try taking some honey. Naturally high in fructose, honey will help your body metabolize any residual alcohol. Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water will help too.Other herbs that will help you deal with the day after headache and sour stomach are: ginko seeds, ginseng, cherry birch bark, mint, and