Ida Mae's Herbals

Can  you compel, entice & prosper with traditional blends of herbs and oils? When I studied any herb, I didn’t think I had learned enough until I had understood its place in mythology, lore, history, witchcraft, hoodoo, voodoo, superstition and Southern and Appalachian root magic.  Still, I discover more about herbs every day.  As a Southerner that was raised by those of Irish descent it wasn’t strange for me to hear that if a broom fell that company was coming or if a garden spider spelled your name that you would surely die, or that if you put tobacco on your bee sting that the swelling would go down, or you should throw salt over your shoulder if you spill some.  It was sometimes hard to sort out superstition from what wasn’t.  And since I earned my first degree in anthropology, and studied people and their beliefs, I couldn’t very well dismiss the significance that herbs have for some on a spiritual level. Now that I have studied herbs medicinally, and I have bec

So many of our little ones need support, and many of us aren't necessarily comfortable with the idea of medication. If you have been given a diagnosis for your child of ADD or ADHD, or if teachers or caregivers have expressed concerns that your child may have one of these, you may be like many parents and be hesitant to place your child on a pharmaceutical medication straight away.  Many parents are afraid that these diagnoses are offered too frequently these days, and that medication is an immediate recommendation. In fact, most diagnosis processes (up to 80%) use information gained from an adult outside of the immediate family, and 90% of evaluations incorporate behavior rating scales, typically completed by a teacher.  Around 77% of the time, the process results in a diagnosis of ADHD. 2 I'd like to make a note here that of course there comes a point where a teacher sees a child for long hours of the day, and observes their peer interaction and their learning p

Those with the Winter Blues, or Seasonal Affective Disorder,  are especially responsive to aromatherapy. To help get through the winter blues, getting adequate sunlight is a big deal.  Sitting by a window or making sure you have exposure to natural light is important.  The best thing you can do is to go outside for at least an hour a day for a good long walk, hike, jog or whatever level of exercise you are comfortable doing.  Exposure to SAD lights can be beneficial if you can’t get out into the sun.  Yoga and meditation can also be valuable, gentle exercises and help to center you. A healthful diet with plenty of organic fruits and vegetables  and staying hydrated with lots of water and hot tea are important. It is also vital to be sure to get plenty of sleep and to keep warm.  Herbal support with St. John’s Wort, for instance, can be useful. People with the winter blues may be particularly responsive to aromatherapy.   It has been found that those suffering from Sea

Aromatherapy inhalers are easy to transport and easy to use. So I recently had to travel across the country by plane, and sitting on board breathing in recycled air and hearing people coughing made me very glad that I had my herbal travel kit. I almost always feel like I am coming down with something after being exposed to a plethora of pathogens and dry recycled air on board a plane.  Airborne pathogens, despite filters designed to help reduce them on board, are a  significant and realistic threat. 1  When a girl sitting across from me in a terminal was sneezed on and froze, half amused and half disgusted, I offered her some Thieves Hand Sanitizer.  She was very grateful.  So, I include in my travel kit:    One Thieves Aromatherapy Inhaler  One Breathe Easy Aromatherapy Inhaler (These function as my personal air purifiers.)  One bottle of Thieves Hand Sanitizer.  One bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy (for natural stress relief).  A few bags of Kick A$$ tea for immune supp

What is Thieves? Thieves is an oil blend that is reputed to have been used during the bubonic plague to assist some merchants or thieves who were taking items from those who had died of the Black Plague, and sold those items for a profit.  The legend varies, but usually the story goes that four of the thieves were captured and told that if they were to share the secret as to how they were able to remain well in the face of the plague, then their punishment would be less horrible.   The formula differs from story to story, and usually is considered to be a vinegar formula, that contains wormwood or rue (both known to repel pests), and usually containing cloves, sometimes garlic, camphor, rosemary, lavender and various other herbs.  There are different claims and recipes.   The essential oil blend is quite simple and very effective.  It usually contains a mixture of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils.  These oils can be applied with a carrier

Cayenne is useful for a good many things.  It is an analgesic, antiseptic, anodyne, astringent, antispasmodic, stimulant, tonic, vasodilator, rubefacient, and has many other therapeutic uses.  I use it to help treat pain, topically.  I put it in my Kick A$$ Tea as a stimulant, along with ginger, and a few other herbs to help fight off a cold as it is coming on.  Cayenne can be applied topically for the relief of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy and shingles due to the content of capsaicin.  Capsaicin in topical preparations has been approved by the FDA for these uses.  It has been shown to reduce pain for those who suffer from fibromyalgia.  I make a Cayenne Aches & Pains Salve. When cayenne is first applied to the skin, it can cause itching, burning or a tingling sensation.  It is a rubefacient, which means it causes the area to redden due to an increase of blood circulation and dilation of capillaries at the skin’s surface.  This c

Some of you may have heard of smudging, which is the burning of herbs to clear the air for spiritual or medicinal purposes.  This practice has been adopted by many people and has become increasingly popular across diverse cultural backgrounds.  It is believed to wash away bad spirits, or to bring needed balance, or to simply purify the air.  Here is the truth: medicinally, this is for real.  Studies have been done to indicate that it actually can purify the air and eliminate pathogens.  There are many combinations of herbs that have been burned traditionally, and there are a few that have been studied.  Some that have been shown to have antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal or anti-viral properties include African wormwood ( Artemisia afra ), lavender tree ( Heteropyxis natalensis ), resurrection plant ( Myrothamnus flabellifolius ), hard fern ( Pellaea calomelanos), camphor bush ( Tarchonanthus camphorates ) and white sage ( Salvia apiana ).  1,2   The

I love garlic.  I remember driving through California, through vast artichoke fields and smelling the garlic wafting from the roadside stands where they were roasting the artichoke in garlic.  The smell made my mouth water, and it makes my mouth water writing this!  Garlic is really, truly a cure-all to me.  I eat it every day, no joke.  Garlic is one of a few items that I try to include in my daily diet.  This one is vital to me, and here’s why: Garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure. Yes, it is true:  studies have shown that eating garlic can reduce hypertension. Eating garlic can reduce cholesterol levels: eating ½ to one clove daily can reduce levels to 9%. Garlic can protect your heart and kidneys, and the sulfur containing amino acids can help protect the digestive tract. Garlic is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, antifungal and anthelmintic (meaning it will fight against worms).  It can help support you when you have cold symptoms, sinusitis, vagini