"When we rush through our days and lives, we fail to notice the simple beauty of living."
I teared when I read that statement. I have finally learned to stop rushing. I have not learned to slow down yet, which worries me. My Nanny called me ' her jack rabbit' and how true it has been. I put up these beautiful photographs, most taken by Rick which makes them beautiful in their own right. Each one is soothing. We all have beauty in our lives, but we fail to notice it most of the time.
Sarah Bernhardt, although not the most beautiful silent stage actress, found beauty in a chocolate confection. When she tasted the macaroon holding a ganasche center with a chocolate covering, she fell head -over-heels in love. Since 1939, St Moritz famous tasty delight have been called the Sarah B's. Perhaps she saw beauty in chocolate, and not a flower. Find the simple beauty of life in every day.
I usually use Elderberry and ginger cough syrup for those annoying coughs. I have just been introduced to another herb, Elecapane. (Inula belenium)
It is used for the irritating bronchial coughs. One of my herbalist colleagues uses this for coughs that have copious thick sputum. He has combined it with Yarrow. Yesterday when a patient called about some phlegm I used Yarrow and Oregon Grape Root. He had no cough, but if he had I would have added Elecampane. The mucilage has a relaxing effect accompanied by the stimulation of the essential oils of the plant. The essential oil is called helnin.
As I am using more essential oils as aromatherapy in my practice, I will start combining ginger or elderberry tea for coughs, with one to drop of elecampane. I would only use this formula if there is a copious sputum production. In Matthew Woods' Old World Medicinal Plants he quoted Sir John Hill about Elecampane:
"Hardly any plant has more virtues."
I do not know if I agree with that after all of my research on Camella sinensis. (Green tea). But elecampane is a warming, stimulating, aromatic bitter that permeates the bronchial system. That is what I want when I use it.
I also did some research on the plant and found out that the old name for the plant is 'elfwort.' I think this is due to the fact that it prefers low, moist fertile ground when growing.
I think it makes an excellent lymphagogue. It would be great to have a massage therapist use it in lymphatic drainage.
Photo credit: Rick Byrd (all except the yellow flower, Elecampane)
Until tomorrow...
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