And glad to read everyone's posts. Except carrielamonts....geeze, I hope things look up for you!! A collapsed lung is no joke.
This last year or so has been a real roller coaster. And you all know how it gets. :(
For those that might not remember me...I have fibromyalgia and was last seen (on the boards) tackling a gluten free diet that was helping. Well, I'm still on my diet, more or less. And it's still working, more or less! LOL!
I'm so glad to be back...
Jacki
AKA
Planti
After a long absence...I'm back.
Welcome back, Jacki.
katie
Thanks, Katie. Hope things have been okay with you this last year. Glad to be back!
J.
Glad you ARE back Jacki.
Vickie
Thanks, Vickie!! I took off a year from major gardening and studied herbs and herbalism. But I'm back this year with big plans for my garden.
Jacki
WELCOME BACK! She didn't say I have a collapsed lung, just that she's worried because I have a lot of the risk factors. Still coughing, still feel fine!
Oh good, Carrie....that's better at least! So glad to be back...
I feel fine with very little coughing today. I think it's postural, i/e. when I'm lying down (asleep) it's worse. DH thinks I'm on my deathbed, which is pleasant -- NOT.
Eat that attention up Carrie.
OH BOY an herbal specialist. We want to know ALL, LOL
I wouldn't go so far as to say, "specialist"! Hahaha! I found out there is a WHOLE lotta stuff to herbalism than I ever dreamed. But I have learned a few tricks...
One of the best being; gathering wild St Johns Wort flowers in june. Then I fill a jar with them, pour olive oil (or similar) over the flowers, shake it up and set it in the sun. After a couple of weeks, the oil turns a ruby red! Strain out the flowers and use the oil as is, or mix with melted beeswax to make a salve. THE BEST for body pain, especially having to do with nerves. Works pretty good on my fibro body. Works great on places that generate pain through nerve compression like my neck, my tailbone, welll...my whole spine! It's not immediate relief but I can tell the difference overnight. I've run out of it by now and I really miss it!
Anyone that wants to know the details just give me a shout out and I'd be happy to take you through the process. I'll be making a lot more SJW oil this year for sure!
Wow! Who knew!!!!! (Btw, ALL better now!)
so glad to hear that!
So glad to feel it! The scary thing is, I FELT fine, no fever, never breathless or trouble breathing but then I would gak up these huge balls of mucous in the middle of the the night.
Weird...and scary!
That must be scary Carrie.
I have ST Johns wort and i'd love the directions. I plantd some in a flowerbed, It died in the bed but is growing wild in my clay path.
Vickie
Hi, Planti. I’m Nadine. I think I arrived here after you went on sabbatical. I’m Amargia’s most recent problem child. :-) Physical depression is my challenge. I’ve heard of using St. John’s Wort as an anti-depressant, but this is the first I’ve heard of using it topically for pain. I learn something new every day here. I’ll have to check PF to see if St. John’s will grow in our zone. ~N~
Hi Nadine! I have missed hearing about Amargia...
I have also heard about taking st johns wort for depression. I tried it but it just interacted with my regular antidepressent. Besides, that was taking pills and not the plant so who knows what's in there. When it gets closer to June, I'll start a thread on making st john's wort oil.
I've heard that the cultivated st johns wort isn't as effective as the wild. It grows like a weed (fortunately) around here so I can always send some your way during the season. Might get quite a bit of use around Amargia :)
Jacki
I've got ST. Johns wort too. Mine wont grow in a bed but does great out in my clay path. So I can send some.
Jackie, so happy to see you back in town.
St. John’s Wort is only marginally hardy here. It makes good sense to get herbs that would struggle in our climate from people in places where the herb naturally thrives. We would love to try the oil you make. Jim is always looking for things that will ease his pain without interfering with his meds and that sounds like it would be worth a try.
I actually used St. John’s for Depression after I had a horrible experience with a prescription anti-depressant back in the 80’s. I didn’t trust psycho pharmacologist for years after that experience. I’m on a prescription anti-depressant now that works a little better than St. John’s Wort for my type of Depression with no noticeable side-effects. SJW got me through for years though without doing me any harm. Kay*
I would still like to try and grow a little patch in the wildflower area for my bees. Will you please send me some seeds when yours goes to seed, Vickie? I wonder if honey made by bees who forage on St. John's wort would help with Depression? Would the hive that had foraged on the flowers be calmer and less likely to sting or swarm? :-) I am willing to make the sacrifice and consume honey everyday in the name of medical science. ~Nadine~
Will do Nadine. I may need some too. I keep having good days and then Zonk-down to the pits again.
The worst part is the beautiful days we're having and i can't injoy them.
Am staying busy tho. Don't remember what i've told you about planting so forgive me if i repeat myself.onions, strawberrys,cukes,sweet peppers,Creole tomatoes,radishes,lettuce,
Remember these are all in containers so not many plants. A local produce farm has strawberrys i love but they were sold out when i went by there and i wont be going back to town for a week.I won't to freeze some. Walmarts is advertizing they are buying from local farmers but they are'nt from this farm so i have my doubts.
Thanks, Vickie. Since you mentioned it, I noticed the strawberry farm several miles from here is still open. They use some kind of material that looks like black plastic meaning they have strawberries very early. I'm ashamed to say I've never bought my strawberries directly from them. I think I'll change that.
Planti, do you think the same technique you use to make St. John's oil might be applied to making massage oils from other herbs? Tension makes Papa Jim's back pain worse. He is on powerful muscle relaxers, but they don't always relieve the tension. That's when Mama Kay resorts to massage. ~Nadine~
I'm still the slowpoke of the bunch. Nice to have you back, Jackie. Should I be watching for your St. John's oil making thread on the Herb formum or the Accessible forum because it's an oil to help with pain? (Jim)
Thanks, Jim. I'll put the SJW oil stuff on the Accessible forum I think. I know you guys. Right now I am using dandelion oil which is a nice mellow pain reliever when made into an oil or salve. It's not as good as the SJW but it's nice. Maybe I should do that now, come to think of it, as our bright yellow friends are starting their show around here!
I'm glad someone else likes dandelions. I picked someseeds from my banks lawn and planted them up here. They're spreading nicely. My next project is to start henbits up here.