Wellness

For Your Valentine’s Day

An Herbal Love Potion

ashiatsu valentine, a red heart shape with swirls and smaller red heart shapes

Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m not much on the ooey, gooey, lovey, dovey stuff on Valentine’s Day, but I thought I would drop an herbal Love Potion here for your tasting pleasure!

In our recent Love Potions: An Herbal Exploration for the Heart class, we made and tasted this heart-warming elixir that you can make at home any time. It’s a lovely pick me up, sans caffeine, warm and comforting with a little bit of spice to add interest.

Cacao & Roses

A Love Potion for the Heart

1 tsp Cacao Powder
1 tsp Rooibos (a teabag works too)
1/8 tsp of Ground Cardamom
½ tsp of Rose Petals
Cream or Coconut Cream (optional)
Honey, Stevia, or your Sweetener of choice

Drop the first four ingredients into a brewing vessel (I like a glass jar or single-serve teapot) and top with 8-12 oz. of boiling water. Steep for 5-10 minutes, strain, sweeten and enjoy.

I find this tea creamy and chocolatey all by itself, but some warm cream takes it from lovely to decadent. And if you’re feeling like an extra fancy treat, garnish with a few rose petals.

I hope you love this heart-warming Cacao & Roses Love Potion as much as I do. If you’re interested in a tasting or learning more about ways to use herbs to help support your heart, shoot me an email.

♥

THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

♥

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

For Your Valentine’s Day Read More »

Fennel & Lemon Tea: A Digestive Soother

dehydrated lemon slices and fennel seeds

All the Thanksgiving foods have my tummy feeling off…

If you, like me, ate too many things you’re not accustomed to while celebrating Thanksgiving this year, never fear. I have a tummy soother that is tasty and easy to make with basic kitchen ingredients.

This Fennel and Lemon Tea has only a few simple ingredients:

  • Fennel Seeds
  • Lemon
  • Hot Water
  • Your Sweetener of Choice (optional)

So you’ll need a cup and a tea ball or infuser. In the tea ball, you’ll want to put about a teaspoon of fennel seed. Crushing the fennel seed will give you a stronger, more potent experience, but it’s not necessary. Drop that in your cup and throw in a lemon wedge or round and top with hot water. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea ball (unless you really love fennel, it gets strong and bitter after a while) and add your sweetener of choice. Honey is always good if you can tolerate it. I usually opt for stevia for a no sugar experience. Be sure to take a moment to savor the warmth in your hands and the aroma of the steam. This is a really nice cup of health, enjoy!

Why it Works!

Fennel seed has a mild flavor that you’re probably already familiar with. For me, no mild Italian sausage is right without the distinct flavor of fennel. It’s also used in a candy everyone knows, licorice! Fennel seed also contains several vitamins and minerals that are important for more cellular functions than I care to list today. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, some studies have shown it mildly curbs the appetite (which may be helpful after eating so much for Thanksgiving), has anti-cancer properties in concentrated form, helps bring in or improve milk for new mothers, and is helpful for our colicky little ones. And this is an abbreviated list of uses without even getting into the particulars of cooking with it.

The reason I’m writing about it today is because it is well-known for improving digestion and relieving gas pain. The fennel seed has a diuretic effect which helps with bloating (hello, Thanksgiving!), it has a lot of fiber which helps the digestive tract work more efficiently, and also features chemical compounds that allow the muscles of the digestive tract to relax which allows gasses to exit as designed. The only drawbacks to fennel seed that I can find is that it can be an estrogenic. If you’re struggling with estrogen dominance you may want to try another herb.

Lemon for flavor, a little acid kick, and to stimulate digestion. Acid? Yes, acid. Now if you are already suffering from excess acid, you want to be careful with how much lemon you’re using. If you have low acid, this will be very helpful for getting the stomach contents moving out into the intestines. Lemons stimulate digestion through a fiber called pectin. Pectin is also a good pre-biotic which gives your gut microbes good food to chew on for longer term intestinal health. You’ll notice in the photo the lemons are dehydrated. These work as well though the acid profile is different than fresh lemon or lemon juice. I prefer the dehydrated lemons because the sugars have caramelized, and the flavor is amazing. Also, they don’t grow a green sheen in my crisper drawer which is very likely to happen to fresh lemons in my house.

Stevia, my typical sweetener of choice, is also an herb. And it has its own digestive benefits as it’s full of inulin fiber which is again a powerful pre-biotic. If you’ve never used it, start slow. It has a tendency to go bitter in large amounts and the fiber can cause gas if your digestive tract isn’t accustomed to handling fibers.

Bonus Belly Herb

If you’re experiencing gripping or cramping, try adding a couple of coins of ginger. Powdered ginger will also work in this Fennel & Lemon Tea.

So, there it is… a little cup of herbs and spices for a happier belly. This tea will be a lovely addition to your digestive repertoire. It’s mild, tastes good, the ingredients are easily accessible, and generally regarded as safe even for kids.

Let me know what you think in the comments if you try this Fennel & Lemon Tea!

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Fennel & Lemon Tea: A Digestive Soother Read More »

Using Binaural Beats to Relax

It’s no secret that sounds and music can have profound effects on mood. I think we’ve all experienced sentimentality while attending a wedding, the elation and hyperactivity after a rock concert, and irritation at an alarm that just will not stop. I’ve always been especially tuned in to noise and music which probably explains why I spent so much time in band and orchestra as a younger person. Thus I found it very interesting when I started seeing articles a few years ago about a new kind of music.

This “new” music was called binaural beats music. And essentially it is a type of music written such that each ear hears a different frequency or note. Sounds weird, right? Just weird enough that I had to try it!

So after a bit of research and reading I found some samples of binaural beats music. I have to admit I was skeptical. It flew in the face of all my musical education. And not wanting to spend a lot of money on something that I thought was perhaps just another gimmick, I settled down with the samples to listen and I was stunned at my body’s reaction.

After my first binaural beats music listen, I was drunk. Not the tipsy, let’s party kind of drunk; I was drowsy, time to go to bed drunk. And I went to bed and slept hard. Obviously more research was in order because one can’t just go around being drunk all day. Well, I guess one can, but it might really impact one’s ability to function productively in society.

So upon even more reading I discovered that binaural beats music has an interesting effect on the brain. Used mindfully, it can take one from a state of high functioning brain activity to a more relaxed state of brain activity. In lay terms, it can turn the monkey brain off and promote a more relaxed state of mind.

What would you do with a more relaxed state of mind?

Even more interesting, binaural beats music can be customized to take the brain into a state suitable for sleep (which is what I listened to that first time) or to an alert state great for getting all the things done or to enter that meditative state that is so healing and relaxing. If you’re still reading I know you’re now wondering how that works. Well, it’s got to do with sound frequency and how the brain responds to different frequencies and all of a sudden things get very sciency. If you’re really, really interested in the science behind it I recommend starting here to read about what’s happening in the brain when listening to this kind of music.

If you don’t really care about the science, that’s okay and you don’t have to know it to use binaural beats music. And even better the creators of binaural beats music (even some of the free stuff) label each “song” according to its purpose. So it’s really easy to find something that suits the kind of relaxing you need to do whether it be getting to sleep or getting into a creative groove.

So let’s get down to some details about how you listen to binaural beats music to get this relaxation effect. First you need to find some binaural beats music. Here is a website that let’s you download sample binaural beats music for free. You’ll need a set of earbuds or headphones and they need to be able to handle stereo sound. Get comfortable, take inventory and see how you feel, put on your headphones, and start the music. Plan to spend at least 15 minutes listening. When you’re finished take inventory again and see how you feel.

It might take a few tries to find something you like. Big surprise I’m sure, but I’m partial to nature sounds. It may also take a couple of tries to really start feeling the relaxation effect. It’s sort of like meditation or other relaxation methods in that you have to give your brain and body a chance to figure out what you’re trying to accomplish. Also, you must use earbuds or headphones. The technology simply doesn’t work without them. And some of this music you can’t hear at all without earbuds or headphones.

I hope this gives you one more self-care, stress-relieving technique in your arsenal. If you try it I’d love to hear about your experience. Happy Listening!

♥

Sharon Bryant Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s Exclusive Provider of Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage!

Using Binaural Beats to Relax Read More »

Traditional Herbal Flu Fighters – An Herbal Class!

Harvest Moon Massage Therapy & Reflexology will be hosting a class in Traditional Herbal Flu Fighters. Get a jump on flu season this year by learning traditional herbal remedies and methods that local Native Americans and Appalachian settlers used.

Learn to identify, process and use sweet gum, elderberry and herbal teas.

Class includes: Herb walk, make and take a sweet gum tincture, taste elderberry syrup and herbal teas.

$10 per person + class materials (list will be emailed upon registration)

Class size is limited so register today!

Class will be led by Alice Evans. Alice is a second year student with Phyllis Light of the Appalachian Center for Natural Health and is pursuing her Community Herbalist certificate.

REGISTER HERE!

Traditional Herbal Flu Fighters – An Herbal Class! Read More »

Help for Upper Back and Neck Pain

A black and white photograph of the back head and neck area of a man, seated. A person with upper back pain receiving massage therapy.

This week has been jam packed with back pain in my office and so many have been asking what they can do for self-care at home between appointments so I decided to put a few more videos together that I find helpful.

I find myself recommending these two mobility exercises over and over again for upper back and neck pain. I actually use them myself when I get a stiff neck or that spot of pain further down between the shoulders that just makes my day miserable. The reason I think they work is that they both target increasing mobility in the upper back. A sticky or stuck upper back is many times a major player in neck (as well as shoulder) pain.

Free Your Neck

This first video I’ve been using for quite a while and find it very effective for loosening the upper back and getting the neck and back working together to reduce pain.

Magic Neck Stretch

This next video also does a great job of getting the upper back moving so the neck can stop working so hard. It also shows you how to test to see how much progress you’re making with the stretches.

***Updated stuff I added***

So I was in the shower this morning thinking about why I only had two videos in this roundup and wondering if I’d forgotten something when I realized that I had, indeed ,forgotten about this next video. It’s a little different than most of the things I find, but when I tried the first part of the exercise worked so well I forgot to do the last two parts. If the video is any indication, I need to be doing this one every day!

Baby Rolling, Who Knew?

I also found this video that goes into explicit detail about how to improve your posture in just a few minutes.

After trying these exercises, it’s a good idea to head on over and read a little more about head forward posture and how it contributes to upper back and neck pain. And then go learn how to strengthen the upper back with a simple move you can do anywhere. You won’t regret spending a few extra minutes with these articles.

As always, be gentle with yourself. Go slow, take care of yourself and if anything feels wrong, stop. If these exercises seem to help, but don’t quite take care of the issue give me a call and let’s see if we can get to the root of the problem.

***Micro mini fine print: I’m not a doctor and this article is not intended to replace medical advice. Please listen to your body and seek medical attention when necessary.***

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Help for Upper Back and Neck Pain Read More »

Symphony of the Cells

SymphCellsHarvest Moon Massage Therapy & Reflexology in Decatur, AL invites you to join us for a demonstration of the doTerra Symphony of the Cells technique.

We will have Norma Willock and Anna Rickabaugh from the Auburn/Opelika area here to share with us about integrating essential oils into your wellness journey.

If you are interested in learning more about essentials oils, their uses and application techniques please plan on attending this talk.

When: March 25th @ 4pm
Where: 1900 Flint Road, Decatur, AL 35601
Cost: Free – Please RSVP here, space is limited

♥

Sharon Bryant Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s newest Certified AromaTouch Therapist!

Symphony of the Cells Read More »