From HerbMentor.com, this is Herb Mentor Radio.
You're listening to Herb Mentor Radio on HerbMentor.com. I'm John Gallagher. My guest today is Dina Falconi. Dina is author of Earthly Bodies and Heavenly Hair, Natural and Healthy Personal Care for Everybody and is founder of Falcon Formulations, a line of herbal skin and hair care products. She is also cofounder of Earthly Extracts Medicinal Tinctures. And Dina is a practicing clinical herbalist and has been very active in herbal education. Dina, welcome.
Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Oh, I'm just so glad that you could, join us, last minute almost like this right around the holidays.
So I'm sure people really appreciate So, you know, I I, for I love for the the members on Herb Mentor to get to know the the the folks I'm interviewing because, your your journey as an herbalist, can be can be really inspiring to people and help give direction to people because everyone learns differently and and has different mentors and has different situations.
And you just never know what you're gonna say. You know? That can be like, oh, yeah. You know? Absolutely. So, so first, like, Dina, tell me how, you are involved as an herbalist in your community.
My involvement as an herbalist in the community is, I would say, pretty well rounded.
I I supply people with medicine. So in a sense, you could say I'm the local crude pharmacist.
I also help people with health issues, so I'm a consultant.
If people are interested in learning the plants, I help people on their land or in in the environs to check out what they have and how they can use them, the plants, and, what else? I'm also pretty active in the in the, food realm. So I teach a lot about, healthy eating and connecting people directly to farmers. And so playing a role in that consumer, farmer relationship is pretty important here.
What else do I do for the community? I think, you know, I've lived here for about twenty years, and so I'm I'm I'm a kind of resource. And if I'm in a shop, somebody will tap my shoulder and ask me a question or, you know, I'll receive phone calls and stuff like that. So I feel pretty integrated actually into the community as an herbalist, as somebody who serves the community, with herb questions.
And like I said, it could it could range anywhere from, you know, could you help me figure out what tree is growing out my front yard?
Or, you know, my son has this particular health issue, and I wonder, you know, what you think about Now I know that a lot of people listening are, who would like to be in in a position like that, that, like you are in your community to be that that person.
Like, I think they they there's a lot of people there. They're they're drawn to wanna work with plants to to help people in their communities. And so, how how, you did you were you doing working with herbs since, you know, a young age, or did you start using them medicinally or elderly or older?
Or I mean, my first, involvement with alternative healing, holistic healing was at a very young age.
And, I'm lucky to have had a mentor when I was eleven, eleven years old in New York City Wow.
Which is where I was raised. And, this man named Mickey Carter, he was somebody who, helped me really to think about how to heal with food, how to use herbs for healing. And so he's really, you know, an amazing initial teacher. And so at eleven, I was very kind of committed to this alternative journey, and it kind of grew from there, and I haven't stopped.
So it's, it's an interesting you know, looking back now through my life and the evolution of who I've become, it's it's kind of it's, it's kind of a bizarre thing to do, you know, when somebody asks to you know, for me to speak about myself, and then I'm like, oh, yeah. It started way back then. So the passion for, you know, using food as healing and really looking at, you know, that holistic approach to taking care of of one's self started so young. And he also never used allopathic medicine, so he was always encouraging me encouraging me to use herbs if I was ever unwell.
And so I I didn't really use pharmaceuticals from that age pretty much. I mean, you know, very, very occasionally. But so I was pretty committed. But I would say that the herbal component really became stronger when I moved to the country when I was in my early twenties.
Mhmm. And then I could meet the plants directly because I was less comfortable with them in the herb stores for some reason. I didn't I didn't know them directly enough, and I felt uncomfortable. So I think I was young too.
And as a young girl, going into these herb stores in the village, they were a little daunting.
Right.
And so coming coming into the, country, in my twenties, then I I became much more excited about, oh, this is red raspberry. At least look, it's everywhere. We can harvest this. We can use it. So I got very excited at that point, about using wild foods and then also how they related to, therapeutic use. And so how the journey continued from there was I, I began a formal training. I did an apprentice.
She She she taught myself and another good friend of mine that first year, and then I did the second year with her. And then I actually made products. I worked as her wildcrafter and medicine maker of the company at the time, which was called Green Terrestrial.
And then from there, I continued, to pursue training more, of a clinical approach and went to New York City and did a tutorial with a man named William LeSafier, who basically was my formal clinical herbalism. You know, he's the one who helped me with that aspect and studied with him for a little less than three years. And, so I would say that those two, you know, those two pieces with Pam and with William, I'd say were a big part of the foundation of the herbalism that I, you know, that I grew into or the herbalism that I practice or, you know, what I do. Of course, a lot of other herbalists have influenced me through my life.
Mhmm. Rosemary Gladstar, Ryan Drumm, and, you know, I never stop learning, and I'm always researching. And so the herbalism part didn't, eclipse the food part, which continued to be part of my, learning process throughout time as well. And that was pretty much self taught, so constantly researching nutrition and and learning things along those lines.
So, yeah.
And my interest in food also grew into becoming a CSA farmer in nineteen ninety one, and then going into, you know, really heavily gardening and growing herbs. And so that combination of of wanting to learn everything that the environment grows on its own and then the things that we can cultivate and bringing those worlds into also how we can make food and medicine from them. And that self sufficiency component has also been really strong throughout my life. Mhmm.
Yeah.
So So I so I what I see here is that, you know, people can can look at it.
Hey, Dino. Dina has written a book, and you're a clinical herbalist and helping your community. But what I'm hearing from you is that, hey. You know, your your your experiences were step by step. You know, you just took one step, and and and one thing led to another. And and your and your, your learning process was probably very different than a lot of other herbalist learning process, but the there but there were a lot of maybe a lot of similarities, but you just did it as you were inspired and as you were ready. You know?
Pack absolutely.
And I think that's part of what being in my mind, what being an herbalist is is somebody who's really passionate about, working with with plants, you know, working with the environment, working with people, and the mystery of it all because it's not like you ever attain, you know, you never attain the position excitement and the excitement and the beauty of this work is that it's a never ending unfolding mystery.
But, you know, when I finished my tutorial with William in New York City, I thought, well, you know, after three years, you know, a little less than three years of heavy intensive tutorial with him, I thought, well, I'd really be ready, and I would know. Mhmm. And I realized after that that I knew less in some ways. It was like, oh my god.
And Yeah. And he also said, well, all you're doing is you're practicing. Don't forget that. You know, that when you do the work that you're doing, you're you're practicing.
Interested in helping, and you try, and that's the best you can do. You never attain anything anywhere. You just keep trying.
You just keep trying. It's it's it's very true.
Like, you know, it seems like, every year conference I go to, any everything I and class I take, I feel the exact same as I did when I first started.
Or or even less.
I'm even less. I'm just still like, what's a what's a a tincture now?
I mean, you know, there is there is the aspect that you feel that you have so many more tools that have to be true too.
That there's a strength in what you've what you've gained, and that isn't to be belittled. That's a real thing. But at the same time, you realize that so many more doors in the horizon is just broadened, and you're just like, you know, woah.
Well, as as Susan Weed says, it takes seven lifetimes to become an herbalist. Right? No. I guess. I don't know. Maybe more than that.
Yeah.
But But, yeah, that's that's that's very true. And the but the most important thing is just, like, that every day you wake up and you're inspired to learn a little more or do a little something, and you just kinda like it's it's about a lifestyle, style, right, and about just Mhmm. Infusing it into your life. And it's not really about knowledge you obtain that you have with you know, it's it's really just about the experiences and that you're living.
I mean, it's an intro it's it's an interweaving of those aspects because, yes, you're I'm constantly excited about new knowledge, you know, meeting a new plant, being able to key it out. That's just exciting for me. Mhmm. You know? So there's an actual knowing, a concrete kind of knowing. And, you know, I just keyed out that particular twig because it's winter here, so that's what I do these days is I go around and I collect tips of trees and I try to figure out who I have, you know, and it's really fun. And there's something really satisfying, and I feel there is a knowledge that we get, you know, in doing that and and working with people when you you do feel that somehow things have gone in a way that you feel knowledgeable.
Mhmm.
But in in the bigger picture, there's the always the unknowing, you know, that there's always more to learn and there's always more predictability. And whatever that case study was that you had great success with, well, that was that individual person, you know. And so each person is is is its own puzzle and, you know, we each have our own journeys to take. So that's kind of also what I'm referring to.
It's like and also each plan, all of a sudden you feel like, yes, you can key it out, but, what do we use the plant for? And then in in so many more years, you might have learned a totally different use for it or in, you know, the opposite South Pacific, this particular plant. They use it so differently. Mhmm.
So that's also really exciting because you feel like you knew what this plant was used for. And it doesn't mean you don't know that part, but all of a sudden, this other part comes up. And then you have you know, your world gets rocked a bit, and you're like, I don't really know very much.
Right.
Right.
You know? So yeah. And in healing, that's a big piece too, is that the healing if anyone's called to this profession, there's a level of humility and for me, very real, the fact that you don't do any of the healing. That, you know, as an herbalist, you help people to heal themselves, and that is their journey that you have no power over. So that's another huge lesson of, you know, hey. I ain't got no control here.
You know? Right. Exactly. Exactly. That's the same kind of and every type of acupuncture I practice as well, it's the same thing. It's like I'm just hanging out here and nature's doing the healing, and I do what I can and do the best I can in the moment and the best intention, and that's all you can do. Right?
Exactly.
And, and and and you hope that you have clients or patients that understand that process.
Right.
And then they say you're not the hero and you're not the, you know, the fixer. It's the magic pill that you're just doing what you can do, you know.
And they're exactly. They're the heroes, and they're the healers, really. Mhmm.
And we just help to illuminate that path if we can.
Yeah. And that's what I was kind of saying with the interweaving as we take our knowledge and we constantly gather as much of it of it as we can, and we kind of don't stop.
And and then you put it forth to kind of the mystery and let it unfold.
And that, you know, is the unknowing. Like, oh.
It's, it's yes. So it's very important to just get comfortable with the fact that you're never gonna know it all and then and to make that actually the exciting part. That's what I do. Yeah.
You know, just make I I love the fact that it's all so huge.
Mhmm. Right. And then when you can really embrace that, you're there.
Well, I don't know about being there.
But yeah. Yeah.
Well, you know what I mean. You you know what I mean. You're you're you're you're on you're you're in a place where I feel like The flow. That you're in a flow and that you're you're, in a place where you're, accepting learning and and that, you know, and and the on all on all their in other words, that you're that you're comfortable with that and learning every day that it's not in about like, okay. I've made it to point b. I've got my diploma, and I'm at the you know? Yeah.
It doesn't work that way.
Exactly.
So, you know, I you you wrote this great book, and I have to thank you for sending a copy out to me all about a year.
Yeah. It's a great book. Yeah. I this great book, and I did thank you for sending a copy out to me about a year ago. And, but, however, even though a year has gone by since we've talked, we have my wife and I have really enjoyed your book, and, we have been, you know, going through it and trying some things in it. And and, it is just, like, fantastic, because I love I I love it when I can see a book that's really simple, when I see a recipe that has, like, a couple of ingredients or a few ingredients, you know, and not, like, fifty different, you know, blends and things. And and and you really just say what's needed in in here, you know, and and and it's a great not just great things you make, but also, it's it's it's great for anyone wanting to learn, especially wanting to learn, you know, to make personal care products, you know, external applications, hair products.
And because I noticed that in a lot of my our our members on on Herb Mentor is that they they're really interested in that. And so that's why I was just like, okay. I've got to get Dina on here. And so, so I wanna what I did is I, we we we got some questions together from members.
And and in a few different areas I kind of sectioned out here and a larger one is, you know, because as you saw a lot of people emailed in, like body care questions, and you see like, and so all all you wrote nice personal notes to Dina and all that, and she got those. I She read all the original questions.
And so I also have some questions on on diet and and dental care and and all too. We'll get to those. So but, of course, there was there were a lot of questions. We can't, of course, get to everything, but we're gonna make a, we're gonna hopefully make an informative show for everyone here.
So so I'm gonna start with with a hair question, and Becky writes in, you know, that she, what about about dandruff? Doesn't respond to rose what about dandruff that doesn't respond to rosemary rinses, apple cider rinses, or sage rinses so far.
So she she wants to know what, you know, some help that she might, use herbally.
Yeah. So let's think about that a little. So we have Becky with dandruff. And, again, the question would be, you know, who is is creating the dandruff?
So without going into that, you know, but that's kind of that's how I would approach it. So Mhmm. You get to know the person and and what, you know, what's triggering the dandruff in their lives, if, you know, that is possible. If you in this situation, we're gonna just talk about, the hypothetical dandruff situation.
And, so things to consider if, the dandruff if the dandruff is because there's dryness. Simple. You know? And so in that case, you wouldn't use apple cider rinses and sages and things like that because those are drying.
So if the dandruff dandruff comes from a dry scalp condition, like a dry skin condition, then you'd wanna hydrate, obviously, water, appropriate fats. Fats are really critical to making sure your skin is healthy and your scalp is nice and, you know, non non dandruffy in a sense. The other thing to consider too is what you're doing externally. So if your shampoos, hair treatments, hair colors, things like that are irritating to the scalp, that'll really cause dandruff to kick up as well. Mhmm.
And the other considerations too are even just shampooing.
Too much shampooing can cause dandruff.
So I'm pretty radical in suggesting that people try to shampoo as little as possible, perhaps not at all for some hair types. They don't need it. So that's another big question. Over shampooing can cause dandruff.
Wow.
Yep. Very hot water can cause dandruff. Like, if somebody loves to stand on under a really, really hot shower, that alone can make the skin really, really dry and so you can can get dandruff, you know, flaky skin.
Chlorine is another thing that can trigger it. You know? So somebody's a swimmer or they live in the city that's got chlorinated water, then, you know, maybe look into some kind of water filter.
The other concerns here, like like clients that I've seen who have dandruff, sometimes it has nothing to do with all of that, and it has to do with being allergic to something. So that's another question for Becky. You know, is she having an allergic reaction to something like dairy, like a conventionally raised dairy product or wheat or if they're aggravating, something that's causing her body to have this you know, hyper shedding response.
So those you know, that's another way to look at it is what's going on internally and if that can be addressed.
And then something simple, a simple herbal suggestion, again, without knowing much about Becky, is, burdock seed tincture can be very helpful for things like dandruff, sebaceous gland helper. In a way, I think of burdock seed as a sebaceous gland helper. So it can be used for dandruff or even for blackheads or acne or just things where, you want to influence the health of the skin when things are kind of congested and building up in a sense, not moving well. Yeah. So I think that might be all for the moment.
Okay. Well, that's great information just in itself about that. And she said, yes. It gets worse in the winter, and I think that's probably because, like, you know, air heat's on and things are drier in the house.
And Yeah.
Exactly.
So Shelly, wants to know, for formulation for her lips. They of course, they get really dry this time of year.
And store bought ones don't help. And and she might, you know, when she says store bought, I'm assuming she's buying not buying ChapStick.
I hope.
But, so she's she's she's open to a balm or cream as long as it works.
So what what anyway, whatever she's doing, what would you like to do for for moisture?
So let's think about the lip balm that Shelly might be buying. If it is from the health food store, you still wanna consider the oils that are used in the balm itself. Some oils are considered drying. So I find, let's say, grape seed oil to be drying on my skin. So a lot of lip balms, if you look in the ingredients, you'll see that often they're based on a grape seed oil. Mhmm.
And that would be something you just don't wanna use. Another thing, so essential oils are drying, and often lip balms are very scent very highly scented. They have a lot of essential oil content. So those two things alone just just could keep your lips peeling.
You know? It's like get a a grapeseed based lip balm with some strongly scented, essential oil, and you just have a drying formula on your lips. Mhmm. Let's talk about what would be a good alternative.
A cold pressed virgin olive oil.
This is a recipe that I like to use. It's three parts, three ounces of cold pressed organic virgin olive oil, one part or one ounce of beeswax.
Mhmm.
And that's it. That's a really lovely, luscious lip balm. If you wanna get a little fancy, which I like to do, you know, the recipes that I have in the book go from really simple to really complicated because I like all those options.
Right.
But so in the lip balm one of the most therapeutic balms I recommend for damaged lips is the calendula salve, which is basically a calendula infused in the organic olive oil.
Mhmm.
So you would use that instead of the plain olive oil, and then you would harden it with the beeswax.
Comfrey is another good choice too as an herbal infused oil. So I hope that's clear. It would be three parts organic cold pressed virgin olive oil infused with either comfrey root or calendula blossom, and then you would harden that with one ounce of beeswax. And Okay.
If this is unfamiliar, the salve, techniques are given in the books, Earthly Bodies and Heavenly Hair. So, and then just to to throw out another, option too for super healing lip balm when somebody's really suffering, They can try straight up castor oil on their lips, which sounds really kind of disgusting, but it works really well. So to put it on before you go to bed, and then you wake up and often your lips are healed. And it's the same with the salve.
The calendula salve works wonderfully when you put it on before you fall asleep.
But then just to add to, the possibilities, the super healing lip balm is made with coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, again, the calendula olive oil, and some castor oil. So that just gives you some more ideas about though all those oils I just mentioned are incredibly rich and nourishing and therapeutic for damaged skin. So Okay.
Yeah. Okay.
There you go.
Yeah.
You know, and my my own question too is, because I never seem to be able to give the right answers. Is that because different people seem to have different answers to this. Is what type of when you're gonna purchase olive oil to to make oils or stuff, what what's your favorite kind of purchase to purchase and why? Because I know there's cold pressed and there's virgin and extra virgin.
Yeah. It is a little confusing. Yeah. I tend to get when it I don't mind if it just says I like it to be organic if I can afford it.
I with most most of the products I make, I use an organic olive oil. And then I like the organic cold pressed or can say organic virgin or organic extra virgin to me. All of those are or they all sort of mean the same thing. Basically, no solvents are being used in the extraction of the oil, and that's what you want.
You want a cold pressed process.
So they can call it virgin or extra virgin.
You don't really care. You know, as long as the chemicals aren't being used and heat isn't being used, then your oil is in good shape.
And that's what you're looking for.
Yeah. Oh, that's very good. That clears it up. That is very practical. I like that.
Yeah. So, you know, we have a a a case study here from Michelle. And, earlier this year, she got a second or third degree burn on her leg, from a heating pad that she fell asleep on. And, it was that's oh. That was healing fine with the salve.
And then I'm not sure what happened, but somehow it got infected, and she believes twice. And then the sore would just wouldn't heal tripled in size.
And and she went to the point where she had to go to a dermatologist. And and so by the time she, had to take and she's by that time she had to take antibiotics, just short of the infection turning into what is called an ID reaction, which causes bumps and itching all over the body. That's what she wrote ID.
Anyway, she slowed down on her herbal infusion. That would be, you know, taking new nettles or a straw or something. And I was, and and, and at the time, and was taking the antibiotic and and slowly made my way back to them, like burdock or strawnettle.
However, her skin is not healing very fast, which it normally does. So she's been injected with, steroids, including topical steroid cream, that she's still advised to use. Are the infusions hurting more than helping? And what can I do to fully heal her skin and immune system, not to mention flushing out the antibiotic?
I know that's a lot there, but I I really like this question. Alright. Because there's because this is very practical situation. You know?
Like, you know.
Yeah. So just right off the bat, when you get a burn, it's pretty important to treat it properly, and I don't know, you know, if she was cleaning the the burn properly. It sounds like it got infected because there she could use some nice antiseptic herbals, like some washes to clean the area before you would put a salve on. This the salve isn't, is not an antiseptic usually, unless it's got a lot of essential oil in it.
So it it can create a breeding ground for infection. So the first thing is in the you know, before, just to consider how you clean a burn, and that's pretty important. So you wanna make sure you're disinfecting it before you're salving it. And the salve is there to heal the skin but not to clean the wound.
Back so to where we are with her now, and the question would be, so why isn't she healing and what's going on?
Brings me to think about skin rejuvenative foods. You know, what can she do to help her, body produce skin basically so it can repair itself and to and to support the immune system.
The things that do that are, proteins and fats. So those are the things in the diet she would wanna emphasize, things like really clean, free free range grass fed animal products. That would be eggs, you know, meats, red meats, fish would be excellent.
If the meats are eaten, they're eating eating with the skin and the fat on them.
The eggs are whole eggs, really good biodynamic full fat yogurt if she's not dairy intolerant.
So we're looking at the nutrients that make that help her body, produce more, skin, you know, really obvious basic things that we sort of forget.
Vitamin e rich foods are really critical here too, so that would include things like the sunflower seeds, the almonds. Of course, they should be soaked, but we won't go there now. But avocado, you know, and collagen is really critical here and minerals. So we go to the bone broth, where you're making a really good primitive style bone stock with different bones from either fish or poultry or red meat or, you know, whatever wild game you have, that's really important here. So and also that you would include the things that are skin like in it. So it sounds really basic, but the skin helps you build the skin.
Mhmm.
Cod liver oil is a really important supplement, and you'll hear me say that a lot.
That, supports the skin, vitamin a. It's preformed. It's not beta carotene. It's a premade vitamin a, so we can use it right away.
So she would need a good amount of vitamin a right now. Vitamin d is needed along with that. That's in the cause of oil. I would say her dosage would be maybe five thousand IU of a and five hundred IU of d.
That's the appropriate ratio, and that would be in the Casa Varoil that's a good quality one.
Kazuha oil that's a good quality one.
Mhmm. Again, lots of veggies are always useful, all different shapes and colors. And, seaweed can be really helpful here. If her metabolism is sort of thrown off by this infection or somehow she's just just the medications slow everything down. So making sure she's getting a good amount of seaweed can be really, helpful for kicking the thyroid up a giving some iodine, and just lifting the metabolism up. And, of course, adding minerals to the diet too.
Yes. So so her her burdock, oh, straw, nettle is what she wants to be taking.
And this year, her fusion Yeah.
I would get to the herbs at the end. Exactly.
Yeah. I mean I would definitely So she she was holding off on that thinking that might, but the thing is these are food packed with vitamins and minerals and not Exactly. And not something like, that's some kind of, you know, medicine that's count is conflicting with your steroids. You know?
No. Not at all. But in order to utilize the minerals that are in those herbs, she needs to have her fats. So they're the catalyst.
There's the those are the keys that open the doors for her body to use those minerals and the proteins to build the skin. So the herbs themselves are so important, but they're in the matrix of everything else that's going on. They're in the context of everything. And also, other herbs that I would recommend for her would be something along the lines of calendula flower internally.
Mhmm. You know, the dandelion root internally, milk thistle. Again, helping the liver, support liver function so she can, let her body do the things that it needs to do. The liver is responsible for detox as you know and just so many different functions.
So, yeah, her brew is nice, and I would just add more to it. But don't forget about food, which would which is the part that's gonna help her body actually do the work Mhmm. You know, of building tissue. If she's eating a very carb rich menu, like, all she's got is fuel running around, but she doesn't have the building blocks to make these things happen.
So and one other simple thing too is the gut flora issue when she's been on the antibiotics, you know, as, you know, we've got the good stuff with the probiotic foods that we wanna bring on. So that's the live yogurt cultured foods and, you know, the live sauerkraut. Beet kvass would be very appropriate here. It's a good liver toner as well as the gut flora enhancer. So Mhmm.
And that, by the way, is in the Nourishing Traditions book. And, also, check the Maria Atwood interview that we did on radio. She talks all about beat Kvass there.
Excellent. Exactly.
And, and she's got that video she did too, Maria. And, something I wanna you mentioned bone broth.
Like, we like to stir a little miso in the bone bone broth, and there's another life.
Absolutely. I have I have miso fish stock as a great choice for when people are skin healing. Yep.
With that, you could add your seaweed too. You know, you could have your nice little one to two teaspoons. You don't need a lot of seaweed. You just need to make sure you have it every day when you're healing like that.
And, you know, maybe even more than two teaspoons when you're in you know, when you're down and out in a sense, which she's going through. Her body is not recovering, so she needs that lift. She needs a little more juice.
So, yeah, I think that might cover it for now for Michelle unless But, you know, and I really like what you're saying overall here because you're saying that, yes, you know, you've got these these the book with the various skin recipes and things, but that's part of the picture.
That's just it's it's the diet. It's the it's a lot more than just just, putting some herbs on your skin.
Yeah. I mean, the herbs that she needs, you know, to keep that infection from spreading would be things that she used topically, like but she's got medications she's using now, so she wasn't asking about that.
Right. Right.
You know? So that's where we didn't step there.
And in the future and in the future, with burns, like, yeah, just remember. Yeah. You don't wanna trap that in. You wanna compress even just some a warm right?
Soak in a warm cloth with a little lavender essential oil in it or something could be Yeah.
The lavender is a great choice because not only does it help heal, burns, but it's a very good antiseptic.
Mhmm.
So when you have raw tissue like a burn, you wanna make sure you're keeping it from getting infected while you're encouraging healing, not just the soothing, sad part of it.
Especially a second to third degree burn.
I mean, it's one thing to get a little external kitchen Right.
Quick kitchen burn.
But, you know Right.
So you wanna take the heat out of a burn by applying a a cool pack on it. Like, I keep frozen things in the freezer, and then you pull them out and you put them on on the burn. Actually, it takes the heat out and and keep the burn from going deeper. It's like you're pulling it out. And then once you've cooled it down enough, then you apply these antimicrobial antimicrobial preparations.
I particularly like diluted pinchers like miss calendula, goldenseal, echinacea, yarrow. Those are your good wound or and more. You know, those are just the quick ones that come to mind. And you would dilute the tincture, oh, Saint John's wort.
That's a grape burn topical. Even though, internally, it makes you susceptible to sunburn, but externally, it's really good. And so you would dilute it usually one to one, a good tincture, part, half water, half tincture, or slightly less tincture if it's burning, but you check the skin. You would constantly bathe the area with something like that.
So no infection is gonna kick in there.
Okay.
And then once that's clear, then you start putting the stab on. But that might be a couple days later.
Alright.
So yeah.
So, so then thank you. That's that's great. That's great. And if that you know, and people can if you were curious about burns or first aid and that kind of stuff, you can we can take it to the forum on our mentor as well if you have more questions about that.
So, so Jane has well, actually, Jane and Joy, and if you actually had a couple other people wrote into about eczema, so I gotta talk about this. But Joy has a descriptive one where she says, her fifteen year old daughter suffers from eczema on her legs just above her ankles. She's tried many topical treatments, and nothing seems to work for long. Are there any good herbal remedies for this?
I know my daughter would appreciate it. So I I know this is yet another one where you're looking at the internal. Right?
I mean Yeah.
Well, you wanna know what's up with her fifteen year old.
Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.
Long has she had the eczema and, you know, the context to which the eczema exists.
Mhmm.
But without that, I mean, it's okay. She's fifteen, so she's probably stressed out like nobody's business. You know? She's probably, you know, an angst out teenager.
So oftentimes, eczema is, exhibits itself when someone's really stressed out. It's like an inflammatory response. You know, things are on fire. So what's on fire in this fifteen year old's life?
So, you know, you want to ask those questions.
But we can also think about simple things like what is the soap that she's using? Again, that question of are we destroying the skin by overwashing it? You know? So I would, you know, really encourage no soap.
And I and I work a lot with eczema people, and I do the no soap, no soap. And it helps a lot. You know? It doesn't always heal the eczema, but it can reduce a lot of the discomfort from it.
So the no soap and, again, the very, very hot water, which will make the eczema much more, irritated.
What kind of creams, if she's using any, what kind of skin products is she using? Again, is she having allergic reaction to what's in them?
And then something really simple too is the detergents that people use to wash their clothes.
Sometimes that causes allergic reactions, so clean that act up a bit too. See what's going on.
Soothing topicals, what can she do to help her daughter just find more comfort and sometimes also eliminate it? I can't always say that, though. Eczema, again, is like we said, it often is internal. But the soothing topicals, calendula, again, comes up. The calendula salve can be really helpful. Shea butter is another, good oil.
Skin revival is a product that, in earthly bodies. It's it's a complicated cream recipe, but it seems to help people with with eczema sometimes really, you know, really nicely. And it has calendula in it, shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil. It's a very rich nourishing cream.
Again, with her daughter, is she skin deficient? Do we have, nutrient deficiencies that are causing her skin to have this this condition. You know, is that what's happening? Maybe. And, again, the cod liver oil, why not put that in? That's another good anti inflammatory. So the omega threes, which again are premade there, can help her with reducing the inflammation on her skin.
Okay.
You know, as yeah.
Let me just see And and also, cut, you know, is how much, you know, sugar, how much is there coffee?
I know me personally. If if I have a little flare up in the back of my arm, sometimes I do in in the dry times and eczema, you know, especially when I I know it's more when it when when it's a stressful time. Like now, in the holidays, a little bit to be honest. So there's a little tiny bit in the back of my arm, and I but but I know that if I don't have a cup of coffee in the morning, that it goes away. I know that that that that it helps. Like, you know, there are things even though there's stress, there are things you can do to help, you know. So I don't Yeah.
And then and the nervine. So we can talk a little about the herbs. Maybe a nice nervine tea for her daughter would be helpful.
Lemon balm, chamomile Mhmm.
Oatstraw, you know, nice nourishing nervines to help her nervous system. Again, like you just said, sugar is in out. And the opposite of sugar are the things that help stabilize.
You know, so what would those be again? The nutrient dense diet, the nutritious foods help hold her body, you know, so it can handle the stressors that come. Adrenal support, you know, meditation, deep sleep, good rest, the adaptogens are really useful here. Oftentimes, you can use herbs like eleutherococcus centricosis, or adenopsis, organoderma.
You know, So here, you know, lots of options for her daughter to try. Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah. And and, you know, and if the fifteen year old has trouble with, cutting out the sugar, it's like, well Yeah. I mean, you know, what do you what do you want? I mean I mean, I was in you know, if I I have a Starbucks down the street and go over there sometime, but it's the social it's the social place to go. You know? I mean I am in Seattle after all, and I go down there, and there's plenty of fifteen year olds and under in line getting lattes. I know they're you're drinking a lot of coffee.
And if you think about the coffee sugar, that's exactly what they do is they cause kind of this heat in the body.
Mhmm.
They cause adrenal nervous heat, and that can come out on the skin. You know? So but at the same time, you can do the other things we were referring to to help somewhat. So it's not like a all or nothing.
You know? Mhmm. You can play around with adding things to the diet if you still don't wanna give up your advice and still being helped to some degree. You know?
So I like to think of it in many many stages.
Yes. Yes. That's that's really helpful. That's good. Because this is exactly what we like to help people. Like, in Nerdmentor, they get to because a lot of people come on saying thinking that, alright, I wanna know what herbal, you know, what herb pill I can take to take care of this situation, and often they think that's the response they're gonna get.
And, but what we do is is hopefully those who engage is really, you know, get they they brings them through a process and and and and this is so wonderful.
I love what you're sharing.
And, there were a few questions about hair loss, but what was interesting is people were wondering about hair loss in women.
And, so do you have any suggestions?
Let's see. You're curious about formulations to help with thinning in middle aged women.
This person doesn't have any thyroid problems that she's aware of and doesn't do estrogen therapy for menopause.
So that gives you a little background there about her case, this person's, and it's so she she it's but she says her hair is about half the density it was when she was young. So any ideas?
So hair loss can often come from, again, a certain amount of nutrient deficiencies.
Oftentimes, there's a genetic component to hair loss and then sometimes trauma or stress. If someone goes through traumatic experience, they can shed a lot of hair.
Nutrients that we need for hair health, again, bring us to protein. So making sure there's enough protein with fat to create hair. You know? And and that's, maybe fifty to eighty grams grams a day, just, you know, ballpark figure I'm throwing out. But that's more protein than a lot of people realize.
You know, and, again, the minerals. So your hair is made of the minerals and the proteins. And the minerals are found, again, in, you know, bones, seaweeds, grass fed berry, you know, in whole foods. But primary bone sources are the, I mean, mineral sources are the bones and the seaweeds, and the dairy. What else?
She could use a nice herb mixture. She could try this.
Nettle Mhmm. Burdock root, oatstraw, bladderwrack, which is a seaweed, horsetail, little bit of rosemary.
Equal parts no. Horsetail, she should do maybe a half part or a quarter part. But that's a real traditional hair and skin formula. So, like, nice healthy hair and skin, And Mhmm.
Hair loss often too, you wanna look at what they're doing. What are they using? Are they over shampooing? What kind of shampoo? So, again, that same thing I said before is reduce the shampooing, like, to nil if possible.
Do do you do, like, like, phone, like, consultations that people can pay you for as well? I mean, like, you know, I'm just wondering with a lot of people might wanna go more personal with some of this stuff. I don't know.
Yeah. I mean, you know, I to be honest, I work within this community, and I work with with people face to face because I I can see a lot in in in the person when they come to see me.
And that's why I can figure out we can share then what they need.
You know? Mhmm. In a situation on the phone, it's much less, clear to me. But I'm open to it, you know. It's something I'm open to.
One thing to suggest for the hair loss where the other woman didn't find helpful for dandruff, but the rosemary olive hair oil Mhmm. Can be very helpful for hair loss.
And then the adaptogens to, you know, the herbs again that we were talking about before, the nervines and the adaptogens, things to anchor the adrenals and soothe the nerves, which in that, herb mix I just mentioned, the oats would would fulfill that role there.
But then if somebody was really stressed out, you'd bring in some other herbs like a leutherococcus.
You might throw in chamomile, you know, lemon balm, soothe more soothing calming herbs.
The b complex foods, by the way. Let's not forget those. If we're talking about stress and hair loss, we wanna make sure that the b complex foods are covered. And that's, again, not the favorite food of America these days, but the organs are probably the highest in the b complex. And then the raw cultured dairy, like a kefir, a real kefir.
Mhmm.
And then whole grains are nice too, but they're not at all as rich as the other two food categories. So the b complex could be helpful in hair loss.
And you could get organic liver at a coop, and, you can listen to, Maria's, thing about about the Kiefer or Kaffir as you say.
Anyone hears a a siren in this, broadcast going in the background?
I don't hear it.
Oh, you don't hear it in here? Is it every every there's a flood warning at at at Wednesday every twelve noon every Wednesday in my town because there's a dam up the river. And so they have this, like, this thing. And so it's it feels like you're in a war zone every noon. Wednesday, sirens go off. There's Yeah.
One last thought one last thought about the hair loss question too is as we age, we do lose hair, and that is a natural thing. It doesn't mean that we have to lose as much and that there's not a lot we can do. Mhmm. But if you are genetically then, you know, it's another thing to embrace that in a gentle way and not beat yourself up. It's what it is, you know. In some cases, that's what happened.
So that's just another thought.
Well, that's that's excellent.
So, I'm wondering, you know, because I hear so many people wanting to know some recipe questions and especially about shampoo, shampoo bars, and things of the sort. You you cut you cover these things in the book. Right?
Yeah.
Yeah. So there there's a lot in here. It's where there's a lot in here.
So There's a whole section on how to make all your own shampoo Yeah.
In the book.
That's probably a little, you know, more than we have time to get into here, but I just wanna at least point people who ask those questions in that direction.
And there was somebody who wrote in, who owns your book and and has a specific question.
As in the let's see. On page one thirty four, she's referring to.
Did you check this one out when she was Tell me the question.
Was, is there an oil replacement, perhaps a gel type skin due to the oil content.
Maybe it's the kind of oil she's using.
I don't like the oily feeling most homemade preparations leave on her skin due to the oil content.
Maybe it's the kind of oil she's using.
So it's a good question that she asks. And some people's skin types don't digest oil, which is interesting. It's like they put it on, and it doesn't go away. And for those people, it just doesn't work.
But just to suggest, this lady may be applying much too much of whatever it is that she made. Because sometimes when I see people put cream on, I'm shocked. They just put on way too much. A dab will do you.
So that's the other thing, just to consider the amount that she's putting on as well. But if in fact she has the skin type that's just not digesting the oils and they're just sitting and they don't they don't get absorbed, then these oil base bases are not for her. And, and it's not something I have an answer for. I've had this question come up before.
Mhmm.
You know, can we make some kind of a cream that doesn't have oil in it? And, if she finds out about how to do that, she should let me know. Okay?
And in the, in that woodland aftershave on the page, that's what she's meaning on the one page one thirty four that that bay, that bay essential oil. Does she mean you mean Greek bay laurel, lauris nobilis or bay spice? Oh, you mean okay.
The lauris nobilis.
And if anyone ever has questions about the plants that are being used in the book, they can go to the ingredients section, and there all the all the plants are given in their Latin names, so you don't have to have any My goodness.
You thought of everything.
Yeah. Well, it's something that I care for too when I'm doing research. I wanna know exactly which plant. So, yeah. It's there along with a brief brief description of the plant, you know, what what to use it for. Okay. So, yeah, it's lorris no villas.
Gabrielle wants to know if, if you're gonna write another book.
I probably will, but I don't know yet.
I know what it is.
Yeah. Good. I'm I'm looking forward.
So that was a lot of a lot of questions on, on on that was great. Thank you so much for that, the questions. And and there's there's a few more here and some couple different topics with the time we have left here. And and, and onto, in dental care, and there were people who who like, a few a couple people asked questions, and then I had, like, you know, I I didn't send those to you, but there are people like second that, third that, fourth that, that kind of thing. You know? And, because I people were asking questions on a forum con so people could read other people's questions they submitted. So, you know, they didn't get a lot of doubling.
So, you know, she would love to hear about dental care specific. This is Em, and Em's been around a while on the on the forum, and she she's great and contributes a lot. And and she, she wants to know about dental care and, especially, foods and herbs that that keep the, teeth strong and healthy.
Yeah. So that's a real focus of mine. It's been for years really important.
And I do wanna suggest that she goes to doctor Price, doctor Weston a Price's book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, which is, all about, dental health and what causes decay and how to prevent it, based on the primitive wisdom of the people that he was researching. So it's an incredibly influential book. It has been in my life. And just quick, quick comments on that.
Big issues again, the teeth are made of minerals and proteins, Critical. Making sure the body has those and the fat soluble activators to allow the minerals and proteins into the body. Those again are grass fed animal fats, olive oil, insects, you know, like worm. I mean, there's all kinds of what's familiar to us though is the grass fed animal fats and the fish oils, the cod liver oil.
And these have what are called activators that, are critical for allowing the body to mineralize itself and to create healthy teeth. So very important. The mineral content of the, you know, of the diet is really important too. Right?
So we wanna make sure we're getting all the right minerals again with whole foods, a good, nutrient dense Whole Foods program.
That would include, you know, as I said before, the good primitive bone broth stocks, the good grass fed dairy, seaweed, greens.
And then another interesting thing for dental care, to prevent a large well, obviously, sugar. You don't wanna eat a lot of sugar. So, and that's even the the sugars that we like, which are maple syrup and the, you know, unrefined whole food sugars. Too much of those aren't good for our teeth either. And then too much carb can be a problem sometimes because you're throwing off blood sugar stability, and that causes things to go awry in the body.
Grains, legumes, things like that that aren't properly soaked, that aren't properly prepared can escort minerals out of the body, so they detract from dental health if they're not prepared properly like the phytase.
You know, we've been hearing a lot about that.
They take zinc and calcium out of the body. So So dental health is, really needs soaking and sprouting of our grain foods. And what else can we say about that? The detractors again, coffee, caffeine, you know, sugar, all the things we like.
Right. Right. Right. Herbs to nourish the deep kidney adrenal perhaps would be useful here.
And there's you know, that brings us into what are adrenal anchors, adrenal tonics, Cotonopsis is really useful here. The seaweeds, again, come back in.
Other mineral rich herbs that are traditionally used in formulas for teeth are oat straw and horsetail.
And if somebody is interested in, let's say, toning and cleaning and fighting bacteria, with a kinda with a wash, like an herbal wash Mhmm.
You can make something really simply with. And I'm gonna throw out a formula that, we make, or flea extracts. It's an herbal mouth rinse, and I'm just gonna say it. I know it's not gonna you know?
Anyway, it's not gonna be easy to write it down, but I'm just giving you the flavor of the The people can rewind on the recording.
They can download the m p three, and they can rewind.
Okay. Great. So it's one tablespoon of echinacea root tincture. Okay. Let me just say all of these are tinctures that I'm gonna say, and it's one tablespoon of echinacea root, one tablespoon of calendula blossom, one tablespoon of St. John's wort herb, one tablespoon of sage leaf, one tablespoon of licorice root, one teaspoon of myrrh, two teaspoons of goldenseal root, one tablespoon of horsetail.
So those are your tinctures and you're mixing them and you're adding to them two ounces of vegetable glycerin, ten ounces of distilled water, and that's your liquid to that. You're then gonna add again essential oil, twelve drops of tea tree oil, and sixty drops of either fennel or spearmint. And that's depending on what you what your flavor what you prefer. That's a really nice rinse. So you can use that, you know, to to help with gingivitis, irritated gums, reduce bacteria in the mouth.
But, again, for dental health, that's only the topical part. You know? As you heard me speak, much emphasis was placed on what goes on internally.
And that's because when you think about it, I mean, it's, obviously, our teeth are mineral rich.
And, if we're if we're not if we're eating processed foods and foods that deplete our minerals and there's stress in our life and we're not eating mineral rich foods to replace that, then, of course, the body's gonna go, hey, where can I get this, these minerals from? And I'll go, oh, the teeth's available.
Exactly.
You know? And and and it's gonna go there so that it's not about, you know, and it's not necessary I could say it's not just about what we're topically using. I think that's really the theme here, it seems to be, on our talk today.
Yeah.
Yeah. That's that's really good. That's really important.
And, let's see. Do you have opinion on xylitol in gums and toothpastes?
I don't have a very strong opinion, meaning I don't know much about it. I personally don't like it. I don't use it. I don't relate to it. So Yeah. I don't understand it.
And and I'm gonna refer folks too to, Village Herbalist on HerbMentor. There's a whole lesson where Heather goes into all kinds of recipes and and things about various dental and teeth care.
Okay. Just just so, you know, those who might wanna learn more who didn't know about that resource.
So, Trish here, this is a good question. This is kinda moving on to our last topic here in in diet, and she's an ovo vegetarian. So that means she a vegetarian eats eggs? Yeah. She reads to use farm raised eggs, keep me from she does that from time to time. She's been a seriously unhealthy omnivore and an unhealthy vegan, and and since has learned to clean up her act and eat, in parentheses, cook, drink healthy.
I have checked my blood for bugs bug debris from time to time.
I know.
And and excessive protein, like, what, like ants and all that. And now I know, too. And excessive proteins usually from excess gluten.
I am interested in eating the quote unquote weeds, and if there are daily regiments that are well balanced, what would they be?
I'm ready to try this aspect of herbalism. I know from my experience, the overall health of hair, skin, nails, organs, etcetera, are linked to what we consume. I think it's good. And so if we're, so if anything goes awry, that is my first stop. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food before I even start medicating with herbs.
So I am looking forward to, this. And so, so it seems like she is, kind of, starting out here and kinda just wonder you know where to take it. I'm gonna let you take it.
Okay. Well, she's saying a lot of different things.
Yes.
I'm gonna respond to just saying I had been a vegetarian for a very long time. And being a vegetarian, I'm glad she's OVO, so at least she's getting some good egg activity there. But it requires vigilance. So to do it right, you really have to do proper prep of grains, beans, seeds, you know, the whole thing. So, but that aside, she's not asking about that. But that's just, you know, something that I felt compelled to say is you have to be really vigilant as a vegetarian to stay stay healthy.
And then the weeds that she's asking about to put into her diet as a regimen for something that she could use on a daily basis. See, this is where again, Trisha, I don't know where you live, so I wouldn't know how to address what food you know, what wild food you would have there. But just off the top of my head, most people can find and, would benefit from dandelion greens, violet flowers and leaves, young nettle, chickweed greens, mallow leaves, burdock roots.
Those are just some of the most common, and very nutritious and somewhat tasty weeds that most of us can find. So, you know, without knowing more exactly about how to address Trisha's specific circumstances, those would be nice things to include in the diet but you could probably find not too hard.
So I I I don't know if that would be bad here.
We we stress we have a whole section on HerbMentor on the left column. You click on it it with a video and an ebook that and it's it's in the most important and, you know, front and center place on HerbMentor, and that's all on the nourishing infusions.
You know, it's all on you all the herbs you just said. So Yeah. As a routine.
I would say to eat them. Yeah. And to eat them too. Like, infusions are one thing.
Mhmm.
But actually to make them into foods is another. And that's also really important, so that they're not being used, as an infusion only. Infusions have certain benefits, but they're not the same as eating the plant. You know?
She she's in Missouri. So, this time of year, a little tougher, to go and get the dandelion leaf. But when when she can, but, hey, you know, she she if maybe I don't know about where she lives in Missouri, but at least in my local health food store, I can buy burdock root anytime.
Exactly.
But I know Missouri is a little different than Seattle.
So So you know?
Yeah. Now she right. Now she's well, now she's gonna be dependent on whatever has been put aside for winter. Mhmm. But, yeah, the feeling of her question was what can she go out there and grab and eat? You know?
And probably not too much right now. She could go grab a deer.
But for now, until that starts coming up and please use the forum to ask as you're going along when things start popping up in the spring. But for now, the the nourishing infusions is a great way to go because you can just order organic herbs and and, and make infusions, and that's one way you can do it. And you can also take the right the dry burdock root and the seaweeds and, all the things in Susan weeds healing wise, you know. And, you you know, the dandel oh, dandelion root, burdock root, seaweed, you can throw these into your soups and stews right now.
I mean, you can Absolutely. A little Ganoderma mushroom wouldn't hurt.
Never does.
So what other question do we have? Have?
So let's see.
Alright.
Oh, you know, yeah, this is a good one. I would like some resources for bread making using sprouted grains that don't include white flour in the recipe that to me seems to defeat the purpose of sprouted grains.
And my wife makes sourdough bread with, you know, grain she grinds with the sourdough culture, but I don't, Yeah.
I'm not a bread baker. Yeah. So that's another question Mhmm. I could just suggest nourishing traditions for.
Mhmm.
She could check it out.
I think there's an Essene bread recipe based on sprouted grains Mhmm.
In Sally's cookbook.
Mhmm. And yeah. So I'm not gonna say more about that. It's not really my focus. I don't do bread baking. Mhmm. But she definitely doesn't need to make bread with white flour.
Right. Right. Right. Definitely not. Yeah. Right. No.
Let's see here. And, yeah, yeah, there's a lot of questions that keep getting into the shampoo recipe and shampoo bars and conditioners. I'll just keep going back to the referring to the to the book on that one because there's a lot there.
Yeah. That's a great yeah. Great recipes in the book.
So one last question, I guess, in the diet area was, Kadena suggests some herbs and dietary ideas for type two diabetes.
Our partner is diabetic. Eats, numerous whole foods diet with very little sugar intake and takes burdock root and alpha lipoic acid.
Okay.
So this is a really good question because type two diabetes is on the rise like nobody's business. And it's a real, concern, and I do feel that it can be really simple to prevent less simple once you have it to keep it under control, but still still something that can definitely be helped with food, diet in particular, herbs some. But and this is where we're talking about macronutrients and how you balance them. So we're talking about the fat, the protein and the carb intake in the diet and how they enter the bloodstream.
So that's a balancing act that needs to be, you know, really, looked at so that, the blood sugar levels are kept in a nice, constant, steady, way so that they're, basically the insulin is not being called into the, you know, it keeps everything by eating properly. You can keep things in check. What do I mean by eating properly? I mean, that's a huge question. Again, it depends on on this this person with the condition, but I highly recommend a book called the Schwartzbein Principle.
Schwartzbein Principle. And that book really details how to once you have type two two diabetes, to keep it under control and to really how to avoid getting it.
Simple simple suggestions are, let's see, in again, we go back to that increasing the fat and protein, which most of us don't want to eat much of anymore for some reason, but and reducing the carb intake.
I'll throw out the simple grams, which come to mind where each meal, you wanna make sure you're you're not taking in more than fifteen grams of carb. That is if you're a type two diabetic. Mhmm. So that's a pretty low carb intake, but you're increasing your fat and your protein. And then you're gonna have snacks as well, which have seven or eight grams of carb.
So you're never eating carbs alone. You're always eating them with fat and with protein.
That they the fat actually is the most, what would you say, modulating, the thing that moderates Right.
The blood sugar. So it's it's the fat that you really want. You wanna make sure you have your protein in there. And then the carb is also really important, but you wanna make sure there's not too much.
Right. And you need your meals on a steady regular basis. So this is where your food is really your medicine. And each time you put something in your mouth, you're addressing that blood sugar stability question and and balancing, you know and so this is largely based on the Schwartz fine principle, this carb, you know, detail I just shared.
Like Schwartz, s w a r t z?
It's s, c as in cat, h as in Harry, w a r, z as in zoo, b as in boy, e I, and then n as in Nancy.
K.
I'm you know, the book doesn't Yeah. The book doesn't necessarily, go with the whole food approach to that, you know, and the clean food part that I would emphasize, But she's really good about balancing blood sugar. And when you're dealing with type two diabetes, that's what you're looking for.
So, you know, it's a steady supply of nutrients throughout the day in a very, well crafted way. The carb being the thing you have to well craft, the protein and the fat is actually, really easy to play with. You can have as much as you want in a way. So that's not the issue.
Some other thoughts on that is, to open, the body to bringing down the blood sugar, exercise plays a huge part. Mhmm. So moving the body and increasing muscle mass. The muscles help the body take down the blood sugar, reduce the insulin, you know, the high insulin in the bloodstream.
So exercise half hour, twice a day. And this is something I talk with clients all the time about many things. But, so it helps stabilize blood the blood sugar by moving the body. Mhmm.
You know, it's like, come on, obvious. But, and then I'll throw out two herbs, three herbs, maybe more. Let's see. Better, folk remedy related to balancing blood sugar, Devil's Club being one.
Mhmm.
Aplopanax, Horridis is its Latin name. Mhmm. Devil's Club.
Interestingly enough, bean pods have come up a lot too. They help stabilize blood sugar. So that I would suggest. Why not that? Bean Pox.
You know? Yeah. I I would suggest that the devil's devil's clothes is a native plant around me, and I rarely, if ever, wanna pick it just because it's kind of one of on those I I would Endangered. Yeah. It is Yeah. Yeah. I I don't feel good about, like, you know, even picking it myself.
Right. And so that's another question. Right? If you wanna pick it and if it's endangered. Blueberry leaf is not too endangered, and that's another one that helps with bringing down blood sugar and stabilizing it.
So I feel really strongly about, you know, counseling people with type two diabetic thing. And this person who's talking about being omnivorous, that's not good enough. Omnivorous means you can eat everything, but the the the image you wanna come back to is that you wanna focus on the foods really that are that were prehistory foods. So that would reduce our carb foods pretty strongly, not entirely at all, but just much less and would increase our fat and protein food.
And and then the movement that we always did as, you know, non sedentary people in the past. So those were the things, you know, and it's pretty basic and and not so complicated. It sounds awful.
Right.
But it isn't I mean, other thing to consider is no caffeine, no stimulants. Again, you wanna really tap into healing the adrenal, you know, the whole the whole, hormone balance story, and then liver support.
Mhmm.
You know, because the liver is is you is, called into action when you're always trying to restore blood sugar. The homeostasis of our body is so dependent on on liver health. So bring in the liver support, bring in the alteratives, the herbs that help the body to alter itself in a sense to a state of health. And those, again, we talked about.
What herbs are those? Dandelion, root, burdock, root, milk thistle seed, artichoke leaf. Those are the ones that come to mind right now. Yes.
So I I definitely hope that this person who wrote in can, you know, for further educate themselves on this. It's there's definitely good possibilities for them to improve their health.
Wow.
So Thank that's amazing.
Thank you for sharing all all that. That was a lot. That's a great place. There's enough places. So you're you're you're in you're in Ithaca area. Right?
Or I'm in the Hudson Valley.
Hudson Valley. Okay.
I'm in between Kingston and New Paltz and Woodstock, New York.
Okay. Wow. A lot of great herbalists in New York State. Boy, oh, boy.
Yeah. No shortage of great herbalists and teachers. And thanks to all the herbmentor dot com members for asking such great questions. Those are great, Yeah.
So, you know, you feel free to take, to the forums folks there if you listen in and then get to your question or or you will have something else that comes up. So, Dina, where can where do where do you like people if they wanna purchase your book? Where do you recommend they get it? Because I like to ask, you know, do do do does it matter? Just go get it on Amazon, or do you have someone you like to support their business to get it through?
If people want to order books, they can order them through me.
Okay. Well, how do I get them in contact with you?
They call you through?
Me or they can write me. Okay. Yeah. Either way.
And where they get that information, I'll I could, you know what I'll do?
I'll It's in the book that I wrote yeah.
Oh, it's in where?
It's in the book that I wrote as a resource. I'm a resource. So Mhmm. They can call me. Eight four five six eight seven eight nine three eight. Mhmm. Or they can write four six eight County Route two Mhmm.
Accor, New York Mhmm.
One two four zero four.
But if they wanna get it from Amazon or a local bookstore, I always encourage that too. Okay. Whatever works.
Yep. Okay. Great. I like to just make sure that I, you know, recommend where people like to get it, you know, because they're getting directly from the author always helps the author out a little more.
Absolutely.
I appreciate it.
And, what about your formulations? Do you say that James Greens carries them?
Or Yeah.
Actually, you can order all the products that I make directly through me as well.
Okay. Great. They can write for a catalog?
Exactly.
Okay.
So you can Yeah.
Go ahead. Sorry.
So then do that then, folks. Just write write Dina for catalog, and then you'll get one. And then you can even order the book through that.
Right? Absolutely.
Okay. That's Yeah. Probably the easiest way.
That's great. Then people can see all the different things that you make because because you don't have a website, and so that's why I wanted to mention that. So, and probably is for the best because it's quite a bit of work keeping up all of that stuff.
So, Dina Falcone, thank you so much for spending time time with us today. We really appreciate it.
My privilege.
We'd love to have you back sometime, answer more questions if you don't mind.
Absolutely. My pleasure.
Oh, thanks so much, and have a wonderful, holiday season there.
Alright.
Happy solstice.
Happy solstice to everyone.
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