WEED WANDERINGS
with
Susun Weed
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August 2001 ~ Volume 1 Number 2
Legal Disclaimer
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What's Inside
Weed Wanderings this Month...
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Feature Article
~ Ease Your Bug Bites
Summertime means insect bites and stings. Ouch!
Take a leaf from Susun S. Weed's storehouse of natural remedies.
The best natural remedies for insect bites are right underfoot.
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Book Review
~ Luna Yoga
Wise Woman secrets from many cultures help you take control
of your fertility, increase your sexual pleasure, and relieve reproduction
problems.
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Surprise for You!
~ Blood Mysteries
I am wholeness. I am woman.
I know the bloody places:
the narrow space between life and death,
the mess of nourishing life,
the flow of letting life go....
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Recipe of the Month
~ Catnip Pesto
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~ New Links ~
Fun and interesting
sites for you to visit!
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Ask Susun Weed ~
Cayenne and Flooding
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Check out Susun's
books! |
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~ FEATURE
ARTICLE ~
Ease Those Bug Bites with Easy Herbs
c. 2000, Susun S Weed
Summertime means insect bites and stings. Ouch! Take a leaf from Susun
S. Weed's storehouse of natural remedies: Soothe, heal, and prevent
bites with safe herbal remedies that grow right where you live, north
or south, east or west, city or country. The best natural remedies for
insect bites are right underfoot.
Plantain, also called ribwort, pig's ear, and the band-aid plant, is
a common weed of lawns, driveways, parks, and playgrounds. Identify
it by the five parallel veins running the length of each leaf. (Most
leaves have a central vein with smaller ones branching out from it.)
You may find broad
leaf plantain (Plantago majus), with wide leaves and a tall seed
head, or narrow leaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata), with long thin
leaves and a small flower head that looks like a flying saucer. Many
Plantago species have seeds and leaves that can be used as food or medicine.
A South American variety (Plantago psyllium) is used to make Metamucil.(TM)
Photo by Karen
Shelton
Copyright 2000
How to use plantain? Make a fresh leaf poultice. Pick a leaf, chew it
well and put it on the bite. "Like magic" the pain, heat,
and swelling -- even allergic reactions -- disappear, fast! (Yes, you
can dry plantain leaves and carry them in your first aid kit. Chew like
you would fresh leaves.)
Poultices ease pain, reduce swelling, and help heal. No wonder they're
the number one natural choice for treating insect bites, bee and wasp
stings.
Mud is the oldest and simplest poultice. Powdered white clay, which
should be mixed with a little water or herb tea, can be applied directly
to the sting as soon as possible. Clay can be kept on hand at all times
and is less likely to contain fungal spores than the real thing. Finely
ground grains such as rice or oatmeal, or bland starchy substances like
mallow root, grated potato, or arrowroot powder also used as soothing
poultices to ease itching and pain from insect bites.
Fresh-herb poultices are a little more complicated, but not by much.
Just find a healing leaf, pluck it, chew it, and apply it directly to
the sting/bite. If you wish, use a large leaf or an adhesive bandage
to hold the poultice in place. Plantain, comfrey (Symphytum uplandica
x), yellow dock (Rumex species), wild geranium (Geranium maculatum),
wild mallow (Malva neglecta), chickweed (Stellaria media),and yarrow
are only a few of the possiblities.
In the woods, you can take a leaf from a tree, chew it and apply that
to the bite. Any tree will do in an emergency, but if you have a choice,
the best leaves are those from witch hazel, willow, oak, or maple. Play
it safe: Learn to recognize witch hazel (Hamamelis virginia) and willow
(Salix species) leaves before you chew on them. Maple (Acer) or oak
(Quercus) leaves are easier to recognize and safer to chew -- unless
you live where poison oak grows. If uncertain, avoid all shrubs and
any trees with slick or shiny leaves. If the leaf you are chewing tastes
extremely bitter or burns your mouth, spit it out at once.
Photo by Karen
Shelton
Copyright 2000
To repel ticks, mosquitoes, and black flies, try a diluted tincture
of yarrow
(Alchellia millefolium) flowers directly on all exposed skin. A
recent US Army study showed yarrow tincture to be more effective than
DEET as an insect repellent.
If you've spent the day in an area where lyme disease is common, take
a shower right away and scrub yourself with a bodybrush. Have a friend
check you out for ticks. Also, it takes the tick some time to make up
its mind where to bite, so most are unattached and will wash off.
"If the worst happens and I do get a bite, I help my immune system
by taking a daily dose of 2-6 dropperfuls of Echinacea tincture. I avoid
Goldenseal as I believe it could have adverse effects. If I have symptoms,
I use a dropperful of St. Joan's wort (Hypericum) tincture three times
a day to help inactivate the lyme's organism."
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~
BOOK REVIEW ~
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Luna
Yoga - Vital Fertility and Sexuality
by Adelheid Ohlig
Translated by Meret Leibenstein.
Paperback - 192 pages (March 1997)
Published by Ash
Tree Publishing
Told that she had cervical cancer, Ms. Ohilg sought noninvasive treatments.
With the aid of simple yoga and breathing exercises, self-love, tribal
fertility dance movements and a sound application of the principles
developed by Aviva Steiner for female reproductive health, she cured
herself. Her success and the stories told to her by other women, encouraged
her to give up her career as a political editor and devote herself full-time
to teaching LUNA YOGA for vital fertility and sexuality.
Adelheid has refined a system of yoga that is specific for restoring
and maintaining female reproductive health. It brings together classical
yoga and the callisthenics of Israeli Yoga teacher Aviva Steiner for
female reproductive health, along with healing sequences, herbal teas,
meditations, and dreams that will stimulate, inspire and nourish, that
will awaken vitality and curiosity, and lead to healing of body and
soul.
LUNA YOGA is for you if you want to:
~ End infertility problems without hi-tech intervention
~ Increase sexual pleasure
~ Alleviate menstrual and menopausal distresses
~ Heal gynecological illness
~ Be more alive, healthy and beautiful
"LUNA YOGA is finally here! This kind of moon consciousness is
practical yet divine." Zsuzsanna
Budapest
"LUNA YOGA touched me at my center." Vicki
Noble
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Visit our moonlodge page!
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SURPRISE for YOU ! |
BLOOD MYSTERIES
c. 1989 Susun S Weed
In the beginning, according to the Wise Woman tradition, everything
began, as everything does, at birth. The Great Mother of All gave birth
and the earth appeared out of the void. Then the Great Mother of All
gave birth again, and again, and again, and people, and animals, and
plants appeared on the earth. They were all very hungry.
"What shall we eat?" they asked the Great Mother. "Now
you eat me," she said, smiling.
Soon there were a very great many lives, but the Great Mother of All
was enjoying creating and giving birth so much that she didn't want
to stop. "Ah," she said smiling, "now I eat you."
And so she still does.
We all come from the same mother.We all return to her embrace, bloody-rich
womb place, when we die. Every woman is a whole/holy form of her. Every
woman's blood is a holy mystery.
Blood mysteries teach that women's blood is holy blood, healing blood.
The blood mysteries teach us to remember that life and healing comes
from and returns to woman.
Every month we remember: I am woman. I am earth. I am life. I am nourishment.
I am change.
As a woman, I am blatantly and repeatedly confronted with my changes:
hormonal harmonics stirring moon time visions, ovulatory oracles, pre-menstrual
crazies, orgasmic knowings, birth ecstasies, breast-feeding bliss, menopausal
moods.
I am wholeness. I am woman. I know the bloody places: the narrow space
between life and death, the mess of nourishing life, the flow of letting
life go. The Wise Woman tradition is a bloody-handed woman, a bloody-thighed
woman, a woman who sees to the other side of things.
All shamanic powers are the powers of women's blood mysteries. Shamanic
powers
are the natural powers of menstruating, menopausal, and post-menopausal
women:
* Oneness with the earth, with Gaia, as a responsive nuturing presence
* Communication with plants, animals, rocks
* Weather making
* Shape shifting
* Invisibility
* Communication with fairies, devas, elves, dragons, unicorns...
* Foreknowledge
* Acutely sensitive senses of smell, taste, hearing, sight, touch
* Healing
Excerpt (modified) from Healing
Wise by Susun Weed
Available at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com
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~RECIPE
of the MONTH ~
Catnip Pesto
by Susun Weed
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Catnip pesto tastes enough like basil pesto
to fool most people. And, of course, the season is far longer
for catnip than for basil. I'll be back here harvesting fresh
catnip first thing in the spring, too. For freezing, I keep the
pesto simple, leaving out nuts and cheese. (This makes my pesto
much lower in fat content, and I can always add them later.)
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Fill blender container with one cup mild olive oil. On low speed,
drop in 6 or more cloves of garlic and blend. Turn blender speed
higher and begin to add catnip leaves (no stalks, please), a handful
at a time, pausing until the previous handful is incorporated. When
the blender complains, stops, or heats up from the effort, stop.
Serve over hot pasta, adding cheese if desired. Or pour into a heavy
plastic bag and freeze. This pesto will also keep for 3-4 months
in the refrigerator if packed carefully into a clean glass jar and
"topped up" with at least a quarter inch of plain olive
oil poured over it to seal out air. (It may oxidize - turn black
or dark on top - but it is still tasty and fine.)
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NEW
LINKS to check out...
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http://www.altnature.com/
Karen Shelton's online herbal with wild herb pictures
and descriptions of herb uses in alternative medicineis simply fantastic.
You must visit to benefit from over 300 pages of herb pictures, great
links, alternative medicine articles, newsletter, message boards and
so much more. Her CD of herbal photos is a must-have! Email: karen@altnature.com
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http://www.botanical.com/
The hyper-text version of... A Modern Herbal, first published
in 1931, by Mrs. M. Grieve, contains Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and
Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs. Plant &
Herb Index - More than 800 varieties of herbs & plants. Word search
of the 860 page text. Index of Recipes - A listing of 29 plants that
include recipes. Index of Poisons - A listing of 44 plants that are
listed as poisonous. The Botanical.com web page is for historical, informational
and educational purposes, and does not sell nor endorse any products.
webmaster@botanical.com
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http://www.blessedmaineherbs.com/
Gail Edwards site has beautiful goddess art on every
page, an indepth article on women's health, a listing of Opening Our
Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs, complete with an excerpt, and offers
herbal products of impeccable quality. ByRegion.net
has awarded Gail in recognition of her excellent website and her significant
contribution to the online Healing Community. Email: herblady@blessedmaineherbs.com
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http://www.fertileheart.com/
Visit Julia Indichova's virtual community of people exploring
holistic approaches to fertility. Improve your physical, emotional,
spiritual health, improve your chances to conceive. Literature and workshops
to encourage fertility.Plus, recipes, poetry, research, marketplace
and more! Email: webmaster@fertileheart.com
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http://www.radicalweeds.com/
Grow and make your own natural, effective herbal remedies for menopause,
stress relief, and immune support with the Garden Remedy Series from
Radical Weeds. Every book gives you basic information, clear illustrations,
and easy directions. We'll even send you free, fresh seeds when you're
ready to plant. Christie and Jillian's adgenda: "We want a working
garden in everyone's life before the FDA regulates herbs right out from
under us. . . .We want to pass along what we've learned in our weedy
gardens over many seasons -- the power of cultivating wellbeing right
in your own backyard." Email: radical@worldpath.net
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Have a good site to recommend?
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ASK
SUSUN WEED
If you have a personal health question
for Susun, she has a free hotline every Tuesday evening (from Mid-April to the end of October) from 7:30 to 9:30 EST - Call: 845-246-8081.
NOTE: It is helpful if
you have read Susun's article and books before calling her, as you will
find answers to your preliminary question there and so Susun will be
able to help you with more indepth questions you may have.
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Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended
to replace conventional western medical treatment. Any suggestions made
and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat,cure or prevent
any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should
be provided by clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner
with a specific formula for you. All material on this website/email
is provided for general information purposes only and should not be
considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal
physician when you have a question pertaining to your health and healthcare.
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To: susunweed@herbshealing.com
Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2001
Subject: Need Help
Dear Susun,
I have several of your books and have relied most heavily on the Menopause
one the past 10 yrs. I encountered my 1st episode of flooding about
10 yrs ago, with several instances since. I was hospitalized 3 yrs ago
for blood loss (bled heavily for 30 days), The drs gave me birth control
pills to stop it, but said there were no tumors or fibroids. As soon
as I was released I ditched the prescription for the pills. I had one
more incident of floodinf (minor) in Sept of '99 , which I controlled
with cayenne. I have had no period since then (22 mos). I started bleeding
again this past Friday, and yesterday it became VERY heavy. I took 3
doses (1tsp. cayenne w/ tom. juice) spaced 1-2 hrs apart & by noon
the bleeding had stopped completely, but restarted at 9 P.M. I have
been passing large clots & going thru a super plus tampax every
1 1/2 hrs all night. I have taken 2 doses of cayenne in the night, but
they don't seem to have done anything. I don't have insurance &
hesitate to got to a doctor as they all seem to have a "hormones
& surgery" attitude. I will be 50 on Thursday. I am experiencing
moderate cramping across my lower pelvis. I had 3 c-sections and had
my tubes tied after the last one in 1984. I started an oxycise program
last Monday & a chaparral cleanse on Thursay. Could either of those
things have brought this on? I am at a loss as to what to do next. Please
help me!
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2001
Subject: Cayanne causes flooding!
Susun's Response:
I am horrified to hear that you took cayenne. It stops bleeding only
externally. When used internally, it can cause huge hemorrages, not
to even mention the hemorrhoids!! You say you use my book, but I would
never recommend, nor even mention such an use.
Furthermore it saddens me deeply that you are abusing yourself with
so -called cleanses, most of which damage and destroy the body. You
are deeply involved in the body hatred of the heroic school of healing.
(I talk about the three traditions of healing -- scientific, heroic,
and wise woman in my book Healing Wise, which can be ordered through
my website: www.wisewomanbookshop.com)
The first advice I give you is to stop doing these hateful things to
yourself in the name of health. Nourish yourself with stinging nettle
infusion instead. Shepherds purse tincture has provided health-promoting
safe cessation of flooding for many women.
Green Blessings,
Susun Weed
susunweed@herbshealing.com
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2001
Subject: I stopped Cayenne and the bleeding is already easing off.
Dearest Susun,
Thank you SO much for answering my email. I immediately stopped the
cayenne upon receiving your message and made myself a cup of nettle
tea. You are correct - I am from the heroic school of doing things.
My father is a policeman - I was raised in a very "heroic"
& rigid home. I am a Christian - maybe that is the wrong word -
let's say I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ, but have been slowly
rejecting the more rigid trappings of Christianity. About 15 yrs ago
we got mixed up with a channeler & a really evil spirit. When we
broke free we rejected everything un-Christian. I have been using your
books (I have Healing Wise, Menopause, & Childbearing Years, which
my daughter has borrowed), but only for the herbal information. Over
the past 6 months I have begun to again explore tarot & last night
I read the beginning chapters of Healing Wise. I have been told several
times in the past 4-6 weeks that I need to find out who I am & what
I am supposed to do. I believe that your email has finally turned me
in the right direction. How ironic that this should happen on my 50th
birthday! Your wise woman ways make more sense than anything I ever
read. The descriptions of the heroic path are so identical to what I
grew up with. I believe that sometimes heroic measures are called for
- especially when most people don't seek herbal help till they are in
desparate straits. However, the wise woman way seems more sensible if
there is no emergency.
I am taking 4 droppers of shepherd's purse (homemade) every 2-4 hours
and plan to drink 3 cups of nettle tea a day. Is there anything else
I should be doing? What puzzles me is what brought this on. I was taking
ginseng & vitex every day & stopped a month ago - for no particular
reason. Perhaps it was to bring me to this exact place & re-adjust
my thinking. I am grateful for your input. Please forgive me for throwing
much of your wisdom "out with the bathwater"
The bleeding is already easing off - more like a normal period at the
moment & I've been shopping with my daughter all afternoon, too.
With much love & thanks
Legal Disclaimer
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Susun Weed's books include:
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Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
Author: Susun S. Weed. Simple, safe remedies for pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and newborns. Includes herbs for fertility and birth control. Foreword by Jeannine Parvati Baker. 196 pages, index, illustrations.
Retails for $14.95
Order at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com
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Healing Wise
Author: Susun S. Weed. Superb herbal in the feminine-intuitive mode. Complete instructions for using common plants for food, beauty, medicine, and longevity. Introduction by Jean Houston. 312 pages, index, illustrations. Retails for $17.95
Order at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com |
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NEW Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way
Author: Susun S. Weed. The best book on menopause is now better. Completely revised with 100 new pages. All the remedies women know and trust plus hundreds of new ones. New sections on thyroid health, fibromyalgia, hairy problems, male menopause, and herbs for women taking hormones. Recommended by Susan Love MD and Christiane Northrup MD. Introduction by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. 304 pages, index, illustrations.
Retails for $16.95
Order at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com
For excerpts visit: www.menopause-metamorphosis.com
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Breast Cancer? Breast Health!
Author: Susun S. Weed. Foods, exercises, and attitudes to keep your breasts healthy. Supportive complimentary medicines to ease side-effects of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or tamoxifen. Foreword by Christiane Northrup, M.D. 380 pages, index, illustrations. Retails for $21.95
Order at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com
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For Wholesale orders see our terms
letter or contact us at:
Ash Tree Publishing PO Box 64 Woodstock, NY 12498 ~ Phone/Fax:
1-845-246-8081
Website: www.wisewomanbookshop.com ~ E-mail: susunweed@herbshealing.com
Susun
Weed, green witch and wise woman, is an extraordinary teacher with
a joyous spirit, a powerful presence, and an encyclopedic knowledge
of herbs and health. She is the voice of the Wise Woman Way, where common
weeds, simple ceremony, and compassionate listening support and nourish
health/wholeness/holiness. She has opened hearts to the magic and medicine
of the green nations for three decades. Ms. Weed's four herbal medicine
books focus on women's health topics including: menopause, childbearing,
and breast health. Visit her site www.susunweed.com for information on her workshops, apprenticeships, correspondence courses
and more! Browse the publishing site online at www.wisewomanbookshop.com to learn more about her alternative health books. Venture into the NEW
Menopause site www.menopause-metamorphosis.com to learn all about the Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.
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Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com
and www.wisewomanbookshop.com
For permission to reprint any content on this site, contact us at:
susunweed@herbshealing.com
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Susun Weed -Wise Woman Center
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