The Beautiful Herb That’s Amazing for Your Heart; Red Clover Benefits

Finding a three-leaf clover may bring good luck, but taking red clover as a healing herb may bring even better fortune!

People have appreciated the therapeutic qualities of the red clover’s pink and red-hued blossom for generations. Women, in particular, have passed down its secrets as a remedy for feminine issues, whether premenstrual syndrome or menopause symptoms.

In modern times, scientific research has backed up its traditional uses, including supporting bone strength, blood health, hair growth, and mental wellness. For women, red clover might also offer support for symptoms of menopause; for men, it’s believed to encourage a healthy prostate.

What Is Red Clover?

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) — also known as cow clover, meadow clover, or wild clover — is a legume found in Europe, Western Asia, and northwest Africa. Red clover contains isoflavones. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogens, which are chemicals that are similar to the hormone estrogen…

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Imbolc Celebration..

Good Witches Homestead

february-imbolc

This holiday is called many names including Imbolc, Oímealg, Lá Fhéile Bríde, Laa’l Breeshey, and Gwyl Mair Dechrau’r Gwanwyn and was originally celebrated when the ewes first began to lactate. Some older sources mention Imbolc being celebrated on February 13th, although now the date is fixed on February 2nd. This holiday is a celebration of the loosening of winters hold on the land and the first signs of spring’s immanent arrival. Three main types of ceremonies could be undertaken – purification with water, blessing with fire, and consecration of talismans or charms. In addition, the main ritual theme centered on inviting the goddess Brighid into the home, either in effigy or in the form of a person acting the part.

The fire represents the growing light of the sun. Candles are lit to celebrate the increased daylight, and often candles were blessed for use in the year to come; this…

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Mithras

secretsoftheserpent

Many people do not know that there are a few versions of Mithras. There was Roman, Zoroastrian, Greek, Iranian, Hindu, Persian and Sabean versions of Mithras. They were all blended together and composed to local ways to become the one that Rome eventually adopted. Of course Rome added and deleted things to make Mithras their version. The Mithras cult is very old indeed. In most to the Mithras reliefs he is slaying a bull. Most researchers have no idea why he is slaying a bull. It all has to do with the sun in the age of Taurus. Slaying the bull meant the sun was about to exit Taurus, so Mithras had slayed the bull.

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February in the Low Desert

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

In February, continue to prepare for frost events and take necessary frost protection measures. Don’t let a warm week in February fool you into believing spring has arrived. The low-desert can still have periods of freezing temperatures during the month.

Mesquites may ooze an amber-colored resin; this can be normal or released as a result of an injury. The exudates are often sweet smelling and tasting. If the exudates are dark in color, sticky and odiferous it is caused by a bacterial infection called slime flux. You can prune affected branches, but once it has been established the tree will remain diseased and take years to die.

February is still a good time to prepare a new vegetable garden bed for spring planting. Prepare your vegetable bed by using a digging fork or rototilling to approximately 12-18 inches deep. Do not work soil if it is too wet as it…

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Natural Dyes from your Flower Garden [Infographic]

ecogreenlove

We plant gardens for food, health, and beauty. But did you know that many plants yield natural dyes for yarn, fiber, and fabric as well? The truth is that humans have been borrowing nature’s colors for thousands of years. This concept is back in vogue as it opens up a whole new world for many – especially those who value organic practices.

Botanical dyes are earth-friendly, biodegradable renewable resources. Crafters are also drawn to them because natural plant dyes produce hues that are much more complex than their synthetic counterparts. Color doesn’t stop at flower petals. Depending on the species, it can also be found in other parts of the plant, such as leaves, stems, roots, and fruits.

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All About Your Heart; 6 Weight-Friendly Juice Recipes

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Juicing has become a popular way to boost energy and lose weight. You may have heard juice cleansing radio ads, seen (or bought) expensive juices in the store, or maybe you’ve even made juice from scratch. But does juicing for weight loss work?

Juicing refers to using a juicer or blender to liquefy fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Juices differ from smoothies because the latter include additional ingredients like milk, yogurt, seeds, and sweeteners. Juices typically contain only the liquid components — although some juices contain pulp. Making your own blends is easier with a juicer, although some people use a blender.

When used with other dietary and lifestyle changes — particularly increased exercise and a plant-based diet — juicing can help you lose weight. You can add juice to your regular diet to maintain a healthy metabolism and detoxify your body, and some people juice-fast as a short-term detox or body cleansing regime.

Is Juicing Good…

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All About Your Heart; Foods That Lower Blood Pressure

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

There is a virtual cornucopia of foods, herbs, and other forms of nourishment that are readily available to lower high blood pressure, or hypertension, naturally. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are just a handful of healthy things you can eat to promote healthy blood flow. Learning the benefits of these foods and determining which ones are best for your diet may help to lower your blood pressure and maintain circulatory health.

The Importance of Your Blood

“Blood is a very special juice,” wrote the famous 18th-century author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, but it is more than just “special.” Blood is the fuel that sustains human and animal life. It enables the body to stay alive by carrying oxygen and nutrients to living cells, taking away waste products, and transporting immune cells to fight infections. The average human adult body contains more than six quarts of blood which travels through the blood vessels and…

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The Energies of February

Good Witches Homestead

As February begins, we find ourselves feeling a little bemused as to how January has managed to slip past quite so fast but definitely enjoying the lengthening daylight hours and the promise they hold that spring is not too far away. Before we get to that though, February seems set on living up to its reputation as being one of the coldest months of winter with low temperatures and snow on the menu for most of us for the next little while.

The start of February is the midpoint between the December solstice and the March equinox, an occasion traditionally marked by the Celtic fire festival Imbolc, a celebration that honors the slowly returning light in the northern hemisphere. The corresponding festival for those in the southern hemisphere is Lammas, which traditionally celebrates the gathering in of the first fruits of the year’s harvest. Chinese New Year will be celebrated…

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