I love to use herbal sprinkles when possible because of the convenience of easily adding them to foods while cooking.  They not only add flavor to food but provide another way to get herbal power into the body. 

This particular sprinkle comes from Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs for Beginners book.  All the herbs in this sprinkle help to strengthen, support and protect the heart and blood. 

2 parts hawthorn berry powder
1 part cinnamon powder
1/2 part ginger powder
1/8 part cardamom powder

Put all the powders in a spice jar and shake up.  Use to sprinkle over hot cereal, toast, smoothies and fruit salads. You could also make an herbal honey with this blend or sprinkle into other herbal teas.

I came across this wonderful tea blend while taking the Intermediate Herbal Course from The Herbal Academy.  This tea starts calming and relaxing the moment you inhale it, before even making a cup of tea.  The herbs in this blend all have an affinity for the heart and work on a physical and emotional level.  It can be used for insomnia and sleeplessness, to calm the nerves, relieve anxiety and stress and uplift the mood.  On a physical level it can reduce blood pressure and protect the heart.  

1 part rose petals
1 part chamomile
​1 part lemon balm
1 part linden blossoms
​pinch of cardamom

Best used as a tea but can also be made into a tincture or syrup.

Lack of iron in the body equals less oxygen going throughout the systems which can cause fatigue and weakness and can lead to more serious conditions. Synthetic iron is hard for the body to assimilate and can even cause constipation and heavy metal build up. This blend is an easily absorbable form of iron the body can use to build blood and increase oxygen. 

Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, parsley and cilantro also have absorbable iron and the addition of vitamin C rich foods such as citrus fruits and cayenne can help break down the iron for the body to utilize and absorb even quicker.

Equal parts of the following herbs:

• raspberry leaf
• nettle 
• dandelion leaf
• alfalfa 
• yellow dock root

This blend can be made into a tea (sip on a quart each day), tincture or capsules. 

This formula comes from Shoshanna Easling in her book, Making Babies. A pregnant woman will double the amount of blood her body produces to care for both her and her growing baby so extra iron is always a need.  This tea is to give the body a good iron boost throughout the day.

2 1/2 cups nettle
1 cup rose hips
1 cup dandelion leaf
1 cup fennel
8 cups hot water

Place all the herbs in a glass jar and cover with hot water.  Cover and let sit overnight.  Strain out herbs and sip throughout the day.

You could also make a tincture out of this blend.

Crataegus oxycantha (many species can be used medicinally)
Family: Rosaceae (rose, apple, peach, strawberry)
Subfamily: Almond
Parts used: fruits, leaves and flowers (most medicinal) 

Also known as Mayflower for in England it flowers in May, this is the same plant the pilgrim's ship was named for. Well known as one of the best heart supporting plants out there. It is best used as a long term tonic to be taken every day as a nourishing "food" for the heart.  Diet and nutrition play a critical role in heart health as well.

• Cardio tonic: feeds, tones, strengthens, supports and restorative to heart - go to for any heart/circulatory related issue
• Can regulate blood pressure, rapid pulse, palpitations, angina, anemia, etc.
• Softens and opens veins and arteries for free flow of blood, improved circulation
• Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
• Can dissolve calcium and cholesterol deposits which can help with hardening arteries and plaquing
• Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
• Protects heart during oxygen loss, heart attack/stroke recovery and even prevention
• Circulatory conditions, including blood clotting (best when blended with yarrow).
• Strengthens capillaries which helps with bruising, varicose veins, blood shot eyes, etc.
• Strengthen and repair ligaments, tendons, muscles, joint lining, collagen, and spinal discs – bruising, arthritis, fractures, osteoporosis, orthopedic aid (use equal parts horsetail)
• Can quiet ADHD, fidgety, can't sit still, disruptive, restless, etc.
• Urinary tract support and aid, kidney issues like stones 
• Sore throat (berries)
• Traditional uses: diarrhea, heavy menstrual bleeding, drawing action

​

Hawthorn has around 900 species and ranges from a hedge to a shrub or tree.  It grows in woodland areas, abandoned fields, pastures and scrub and can be found in parks and garden. It can be easily cultivated in your garden by purchasing a tree or shrub from your local nursery.  Plant in full sun with moist soil, although it isn't too picky about growing conditions. 

• Gather blossoms and leaves in the spring when partially to fully open.
• Berries are harvested in the fall when deep red, avoiding any with rot.  Be mindful of the stony seeds when processing.

Hawthorn can take up to three months for any effects to be noticed and it may need to be taken indefinitely since it does not stay in the system. Can be used as a daily supplement

Do not take with other heart medications unless under the care of a trained physician. 

Updated: 11/21/2024

Mountain Rose Herbs: Hawthorn
Edible Wild Food - Common Hawthorne
​Hawthorn Benefits by Dr. Axe
​The Herbal Academy - Hawthorn Offerings
Herbs to Know in the Garden
Herbal Roots Zine - Hawthorne Syrup
​Backyard Medicine (quotes from old herbals and recipes, with dosages), p. 65
Botany in a Day, p.95
Breverton’s Complete Herbal, p. 162 (History, lore)
Floriography, p. 74
Healing Plants of the Rocky Mountains, p. 76
Herbal Health Secrets by Richard M. Lucas, p. 138 (case studies)
Mountain States Medicinal Plants by Briana Wiles, p. 117
Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pedersen, p. 107 (details of actions and constituents)
Peterson Field Guides: Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, p. 295
Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra, p. 259
Practical Herbalism (full list of constituents and actions, preparations and dosages) p. 171
Prescription for Herbal Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, p. 79
Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, p. 115 list of phytochemicals and actions
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of herbs, p. 275
Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide, p. 144
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody, p. 51
The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook by James A. Duke, p. 125
The Healing Garden by Gayle Povis Allerman, p. 134
The Herbal Kitchen by Kami McBride, p. 70
The How to Herb Book by Keith and Gordon, p. 36 (specific conditions and how to use)
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies, p.119
The New Age Herbalist by Richard Mabey, p. 104
The New Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman, p. 342 (Includes case studies)

Self-Reliance in Health Course Lesson 7: Liver and Urinary Tract is ready to access.

Silybum marianum
Family: Asteraceae/Compositae (members include daisy, dandelion and calendula)
Parts used: seeds (other parts can be used as a survival food)

Other names include Our Lady's thistle, blessed milk thistle, wild artichoke and Saint Mary's thistle. For more than 2,000 years milk thistle seeds have been used to support and heal the liver and connecting conditions. "Silymarin (found in milk thistle seeds) benefits the liver in several ways. It binds tightly to the receptors on liver cell membranes that allow toxins in, thus locking them out." The New Healing Herbs

Milk thistle can be cultivated in your yard by planting seeds in the fall or you can find it growing wild in disturbed areas, waysides and mountain trails. 

• Seeds can be harvested in the fall when the blossom head dries and seeds are visible. Cut the tops and use your method of choice to dry the for a couple of weeks before removing the seeds by placing in a bag and shaking or rubbing them out with your fingers. 
• Leaves can be harvested for survival food by stripping off the spiny green part, leaving the midrib, rub off wooly hairs then eat raw or cook.
• Stalk should be harvested in the spring while tender. Hold upside down and cut off green parts, exposing the inner stalk which can be eaten raw or cooked.
• Flowers should be harvested before opening. Cook them first then squeeze out the core and eat like an artichoke.
• Roots can be dug and harvested anytime for survival food.

Rumex crispus
Family: Polygonaceae (Buckwheat)
​Parts used: root (most medicinal), leaf, and seeds can be used for survival food but not medicinal.

Also known as curled or curly dock, narrow dock, sour dock, and garden patience.  Yellow dock combines really well with other herbs for supporting different body systems and aids the body in absorbing their properties and nutrients.

Found in disturbed areas, grassland, river banks, dry soil, mud, waysides, roadsides and as a yard weed. 

• Root: harvest anytime after the seed heads have matures and the tops begin to die until early spring before new growth starts. 
• Leaf: can be harvested as needed for poultices or food.
• Seeds: harvest as a survival food when they turn brown. 

Use with caution while pregnant and nursing due to the detoxing effects. Leaves contain a good amount of oxalic acid so should be steamed or cooked for eating.

Edible Wild Food - Yellow Dock
Herbs to Know in the Wild
A Handbook of Native American Herbs
​Backyard Medicine
​Practical Herbalism
School of Natural Healing

A couple years ago I had a friend that had been suffering with multiple urinary tract infections and the antibiotics she kept being given were making matters worse for her. She asked in desperation what she could do to get rid of this very uncomfortable infection.  I found a great formula from Rosemary Gladstar in her Medicinal Herbs for Beginners and made a few of my own adjustments to it. I also suggested she drink plenty of fluids, including plain cranberry juice. Generally this needs to be purchased from a health food store because the grocery store versions are filled with sugar and other concentrate juices which can aggravate the problem. After incorporating plain cranberry juice, avoiding sugar and taking this formula as suggested below, my friend was finally able to get rid of her infection.  Since she was prone to getting UTI's, she always kept some of this formula on hand for any future occurrences. 

2 parts uva ursi
1 part echinacea
1 part Oregon grape root
1 part marshmallow
1/2 part horsetail

Make into herbal capsules, tincture or tea.  Rosemary Gladstar recommends 2 capsules, 1/2-1 teaspoon tincture or 8 oz. of tea every 3-4 hours until symptoms subside.

This is what Rosemary has to say about her formula:

Most of the liquid in our body must be filtered and pumped through the urinary tract. With the standard American diet and all the toxins around us, this can be quite the challenge for our liver and kidneys. In addition to diet and removing as many toxins from your environment as possible, this formula can be used for sluggish kidneys, to increase urine flow and decrease water retention and to strengthen and support the urinary tract.

2 parts dandelion leaf
1 part marshmallow root
1 part raspberry leaf
1 part crushed fennel
1/2 part oak bark
1/2 part uva ursi (not for those who are pregnant)

Mix the herbs together and use as a tea, tincture or capsules. 

If you would like to strengthen and support your kidneys but don't want to mix up your own herbal formula, Dr. Christopher's Herb Shop has a kidney formula that comes in capsules, glycerite tincture or the pack of premixed herbs. Just note that this formula is a different one than Dr. Christopher's.

Lesson 6: Digestive System and related ailments, is now ready to access.