JULY 31, 2012 BENEFITS OF RED WINE

"We are born to be happy, to be abundantly supplied with every good thing, to have fun in living, to consciously unite with the Divine Power that is around us and within us, and to grow and expand forever."    —Ernest Holmes

THIS COULD BE YOUR DEFINITION OF HAPPINESS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE FUN IN LIVING, THEN YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG. LIFE IS MEANT TO HAVE FUN. UNITE WITH YOUR HIGHER POWER IN MEDITATION AND PRAYER. SOME OF YOU WILL BALK AT THE WORD MEDITATION, BUT I ASSURE YOU THIS --TRY IT --IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
I CAN HOENSTLY SAY WITHOUT ANY DOUBT THAT MY LIFE HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY AND WITH THE GREATEST HAPPINESS DUE TO MEDITATION.



Who doesn't like a glass of Merlot after a long days work ! Do you have wine with dinner, especially red? Or do you prefer white. Red wine ( Vitus vinifera) has been shown to improve blood lipid parameters and red cell membrane fluidity in post heart attack patients. This was recently published in Mol Nutr Food Res February 2012. The Coronary Care Unit will now be serving 2 glasses of wine to their patients - one at lunch and one at dinner.

All jokes aside, there is a cardioprotective effect of moderate consumption of red wine. This has been attributed to its antioxidant potential, improved endothelial fucntion of the inner lining of arteries and the specific polyphenols in the wine. What is a moderate consumption of wine ? As I read the article I was relieved to know that the study groups each had 2 glasses of wine- 1 at lunch and 1 at dinner. It was not stated the fluid ounces of each glass of wine.  The red wine was a Burgandy ( Les Haues Cotes; Chateau de Vilars- France) The groups were divided into the wine group and the water group. There was no mention to the water the water group was given. It was stated why this type of Burgandy was used. It was due to the high polyphenol content  3.81 g/L. Diets were the typical Mediterranean type diets for each group.The diet was called a Western Prudent Diet.

I have two flaws in this study- the amount of wine and water is not known, and smoking cigarettes was not eliminated. I guess the French love cigarettes with their wine. The exercise was controlled for both groups.
It was postulated that the red wine consumption group had better erythrocyte membrane fluidity. This increase in membrane fluidity facilitates better circulation and prevents clotting or thrombosis.

So 1 - 2 glasses of some unknown amount of wine with a prudent Western Diet can have cardioprotective benefits. This doe snot mean finishing 1 bottle of Burgandy at dinenr ! It means two glasses of wine ( see above filled glass)

Until tomorrow...

JULY 30, 2012 BITES AND STINGS

No matter what has happened, you have an infinite capacity for love."  —David Simon


We all have the capacity to love, no matter what has happened in our past. We all have had bad relationships or circumstances. Sometimes these prevent us from moving on. This could be fear or anger which can be the same in some cases. Some individuals can move on without even looking at the past. I needed to look at my past relationships and evaluate where I was wrong. I had to promptly admit it. This was due to to 12 steps in my life. Today I reflect on the past with a glance as I have already recognized my mistakes and my role. I do not wait for the other individual involved to ever make amends. That is an expectation I long ago gave up. As long as I have made my amends , I can move forward. To my twelve steps I today I a great capacity to love. This work has led me to a place of peace, serenity, happiness and love beyond my wildest dreams with my husband, my children, my family and friends.

Insect bites and stings are very common in the summer, especially on Fire Island where I spend most weekends. Some may cause discomfort, unless you suffer from a severe allergic reaction. The best course of treatment is to soothe the pain and reduce swelling. Of course, you could get the stinger out. The stinging insect ( as the honeybee) inject the toxin through a stinger at the tail end of the abdomen. The reaction is usually local, but if occurs in the mouth or buccal mucosa of the cheek can be a problem
This weekend I wanted to check the front and back hives in Fire Island. The back hive was relatively quiet. The front hive is very active and mainly my fault. I unfortunately placed a empty super at the bottom with the brood chambers in box 2 and 3 stacked. I do not why I used a empty super at the bottom. Very unlike me and I was rushed when Rick, Gregory, Alyssa and I put the bees in on June 16, ( my birthday weekend) Some five weeks later the front hive is building comb down instead of using the frames above to build comb.( SEE TOP PHOTOGRAPH #1)  It looks pretty, but very very active. I didn't do two things. I didn't pray nor meditate before opening the hive which is my usual custom.
and I didn't wear a face covering, nor smoke the bees. When I lifted the 2nd box with the hanging comb, so Rick could take photos, the bees started to bite me. I never mind a bee sting. I get SAD when I get stung as I know the little girl honeybee will die shortly afterwards. I did mind getting bit on my face twice. My hands got bit, as did my neck and feet. The sting is felt but I was only worried about my eye. All turned out fine.


Some quick remedies:

A. FOLK REMEDIES
1. Some old folk remedies are to use the juice of a cucumber, onion or radish to sooth the pain
2. Bathe in baking soda and water if stung all over the body
3. Compress with apple cider vinegar and /or lemon juice
4. I use fresh garlic on the wound

B. HERBAL REMEDIES
1. Marigold petal on a bee bite ( I should have thought of this this weekend- as marigold plants are in the front of the house)
2. Cover the bite with a macerated plantain leaf ( usually not always available in Fire Island, but can be found upstate)
3. Witch hazel is great , but not effective on bee stings, but better on mosquito bites

C. HOMEOPATHY
1,  Apis can be used once the stinger is removed. Vincent removed all of my stingers. He was amazed at the size of the stinger.
2. Hypericum can be used with great results

To make an insect bite oil:

1. 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil
2. 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Combine and place directly on the bite. Rick and I will make some since we are opening the hive next weekend for close friends who love bees. I would love both of them to consider hives in their upstate home. Store the bottle in a glass bottle with a tight lid. Glass bottles better than plastic.

To make a bite/sting poultice

1. 1 tablespoon of echinacea root tincture
2. 1 tablespoon of distilled water
3. 1/2 tsp of lavender essential oil
4. 1 tablespoon of beconite clay

combine the  mixture and then add to the clay. Stir slowly till all absorbed. The paste should be tacky enough to stick to the skin. Apply directly to the bite and store in a glass container in a cool place.

Photo credit: The unbelievable Rick Byrd ( who didn't get stung)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPPY - ( JULY 30, 1901 - 1992) MISS YOU
Until tomorrow...

JULY 27, 2012 THE BOOKSHOP AROUND IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD; BUY A BOOK

"Nothing ever happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now; and if the past can  prevent you from being present now, what power does it have?"

—Eckhart Tolle

Mr Tole has some powerful statements in his books.
 Have you ever read a book by Eckhart Tolle ?. I highly suggest that you do. No one or no thing has the power over your will. You have the power. You have a choice in life. You have choice to play 'games' or be " in be drama "with individuals. I have chosen for today, not to play into other's drama. It is what it is. Do you something more esteemable than be in another's drama. Extend this choice to buy a book in a little book store.


What happened to the little bookstores of days gone by ? Remember " Youi've Got Mail."(1998)
Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is involved with Frank Navasky (Greg Kinnear), a leftist postmodernist newspaper writer for the New York Observer who's always in search of an opportunity to root for the underdog. Kathleen meets Joe ( Tom Hanks) via email/IM . Joe belongs to the Fox family which runs Fox Books — a chain of "mega" bookstores similar to Borders or Barnes & Noble. Kathleen, on the other hand, runs the independent bookstore The Shop Around The Corner, that her mother ran before her. The store looks lovely, especially with Birdie, portrayed by Jean Stapleton of " All in the Family" fame.
Even the Borders book stores are now closing. ( closure at Park and 57th and Columbus Circle Mall)

Suprisingly there are a number of little bookstores still left in NYC and the boroughs.  One of these is called Unnameable in Propsect Heights  ( 600 Vanderbilt Avenue between Dean and St. Mark's, Prospect Heights, (718) 789-1534 )

Your first time in Unnameable is likely to feel similar to the beginning of a romance, butterflies and all. You feel like you are in The Shop Around the Corner and waiting for Jean to appear from behind the counter. Besides possessing a quiet, library-like ambiance and an unobtrusive staff, Unnameable also boasts an impressive selection of well-priced used and new books. I even like their selectgion better than the Strand. You must be careful with old books, as sometimes the mold can get to you.

 Every time we visit a different town I find two things: 1. a needlepoint store and an old bookstore. Rick has a severe mold allergies so he cannot walk in old antique and bookstores without feeling stuffy . In Philadelphia, we found the Rittenhouse Needlepoint Shop. On Amelia Island we found The Bristley Thistle.   In Brooklyn, in the Unnameable, we  found every author we searched for, and not just their most popular works! The shop carries both obscure and classic novels, anthologies, biographies, tomes of poetry, small-press chapbooks, and a well-curated, if modest, array of graphic novels. I would check this book store out if I were you.

Do you live in NYC? If so start finding these independent bookstores and start supporting them.
I miss my dear ol' bookstore, Oscar Wilde where I first encountered Andrew Holleran and Edmund White. If I didn't end up buying something in Oscar Wilde, then I went on to A Different Light in Chelsea.
We are lucky in NYC as there are an abundance of Independent bookstores. These stores need your help.

Anyone who lives and reads in New York City knows that we are lucky enough to be surrounded by an abundance of independent bookstores—despite the fact that some of our favorites continue to fold. In celebration of these gems, please visit one and buy a book: Make this your new hobby. The internet ( Amazon, Books a Million, and Barnes and Noble) has been a cause of some of these book store closings as well as the Kindle. I have a Kindle but I like the feel of a book in my hand. I especially love hardcover books. I have a vast collection, that one day I will donate some to the LGBT Center in NYC.

1. Morningside Bookshop
2. Book Culture
3. The Strand
4. Babbo's
5. Shakespeare and Co.
6. Housing Works Bookstore on Crosby
7. Greenlight - 686 Fulton Street  Fort Greene
8. Three Lives in West Village - favorite of mine
9. Bank Street Bookstore - great for kids
10. Books of Wonder
11. Book Court
12. WORD - 126 Franklin St Greenpoint Brooklyn
13. Argosy - west 59th - might be closed
14. Bluestockings Bookstore - 172 Allen Street Lower East Side
15. McNally Jackson - 52 Prince in SoHo

I do not know if the St Mark's bookstore is still open
There is one bookstore that has survived. It is much larger than those above. For more than forty years, Rizzoli Bookstore has been an unsurpassed source for superb books on visual topics, foreign language books and periodicals, and an eclectic assortment of music. The flagship store was first established at 712 Fifth Avenue in 1964 and moved into our current location in 1985. The store now occupies three floors of a historic townhouse at 31 West 57th Street, a beautiful setting filled with nooks and crannies that makes Rizzoli Bookstore a welcoming destination that overflows with a treasure trove of books waiting to be discovered.

The treat for me is coming out of my office building at 47 West 57th , turn left and walk 3 minutes- and I have arrived at paradise. Every time I walk in the front door, I get that same old feeling of being in someone's study with oak-lined walls and the fireplace blazing. I could happily stay forever. In addition to a strong selection of popular fiction and non-fiction, Rizzoli Bookstore is an unsurpassed source for illustrated books covering a vast range of topics including art, architecture, photography, fashion, interior design, gardening, pop culture, and luxe travel. Rizzoli carries a vast number of titles in other languages. I got a great small photography book for Rick yesterday. I love 'Wicked Bugs" and ' Wicked Weeds'


Until tomorrow...

JULY 26, 2012 GREEN COFFEE EXTRACT ? FRIEND OR FOE

" If  I were to begin life again, I should want it as it was. I would only open my eyes a little more."

This is the truth. The one song that exemplifies the statement above is Peter Allen's 'Once Before I Go"
It starts off..
Once before I go, I want you to know that I would do it all again.
 I'm sure I'd make the same mistakes,
That I could make it through the pains and joys and aches.
I knew back then I would do it all, I'd do it all again

Before I go, I want you to know that I look back with you regrets
And when our luck was wearing thin and we were down and out
And still came back to win against all bets
Now when I look back I still have no regrets

My eyes would be open widely the second time around. This is NOT in relation to my Rick and my children. It would be to certain family members, previous partners and friends. I would not change the past; I would have paid more attention. I will never regret my participation in a twelve step program. It has shaped me into the man I am today. In retrospect, with my eyes being opened more, I could have 'cleaned my house' a lot sooner and more efficient.

The other song that I love in relation to the topic is " I Made it Through the Rain' by Barry Manilow.
I would have learned to give myself and to others a lot sooner than I did in life. I will never forget to give to me - emotionally, spiritually and physically.





A COFFEE BEAN THAT  MELTS FAT? FEATURED ON DR OZ

Are we educating America ? Dr M. Oz, a physician and television host who I have known since my working  days with the late Dr. Robert Atkins supports coffee green extract.  I am happy for his success on his show. Yes, America did need a doctor educating people. What I do not think is healthy is the aftermath of a show featuring  or discussing a supplement. As an integrative physician/ herbalist as well as cardiologist I utilize many herbs and supplements.   I have been using the supplement Vitamin D3 for years. The American people did not take it until mentioned on the Dr Oz show. The same was true of Green Coffee Extract. This is NOT a new discovery abouts its efficacy for weight management. There are reports of its use, efficacy and benefits as early as 2006. This is not new. Onakpya, Terry and Ernst did a systematic review and metanalysis  of randomised clinical trials in the Journal of Gastroenterology Research published in December 2011.

Green Coffee Extract ( GCE- Coffea canephora ) is mostly obtained from green or raw coffee. It has been reported to have anti oxidant potential. The purpose of Onakpya review et al was to assess the clinical efficacy of GCE as a weight loss supplement.  After Dr Oz's show it became the most natural weight loss supplement of 2012. This is wrong !

The study mentioned above did use endpoint of mean changes in body weight.  From this review it does indicate that GCE can promote weight loss.  The magnitude of this weight loss was moderate but there were very few trials and limited small groups. I agree with the authors that larger trials are needed to assess the efficacy and safety of GCE especially if this is to be used on a long term basis. This is why I object to discussing this on a television broadcast. I am afraid that might be long term side effects which have not been studied and it is possibly not right for every overweight individual.

In  2007 ( five years ago) Blum and others studied GCE ( Coffea canephora robusta Pierre) .The authors did conclude the green coffee extract can modulate glucose metabolism which may impact weight management. I did not put patients on this supplement at that time  nor now, because the population studied was 18 men and women from Bangor, Maine. This is not a large patient population and jelly beans were used as the glucose load. An innovative approach which has much merit, but this does not mean I tell the world to use Green Coffee Extract

Until tomorrow....

JULY 25, 2012 STYE IN THE EYE

You have the capacity to change the plot line of your life, even if you've been acting from the same script since before you can remember."  —David Simon

We all change. Change creates fear. Fear is in reality , just anger turned inside out. It doesn't matter when in your age timeline that you decide to change your plot line. I know some individuals whom have done the same patterns for years. I know another person who has eaten tuna fish sandwiches for every lunch for the last twenty years, despite the fact that mercury is hazardous to their health. Stop acting from the same script.
Change the characters in your life; change the situations; change the plot; and maybe..yes maybe the outcome might be different. This morning, I was listening to Charles Arznavour's version of  'Yesterday When I Was Young' I really listened to the words. The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue..and taste the life as it were the foolous game...I see how the years ran away.' The years have certainly gone quickly, but I am alright with that. I still have time to change and do the things I haven't done yet. I know have someone to spend my 'youthful, happy' years with.  For me, changing the plotline of life , has helped me endure 'life on life's terms.'

A STYE is an abscess occurring around the root of the eyelash, usually caused by a staphycoccoal bacteria but can be caused by other infectious agents. A stye (medical term: hordeolum) develops when an oil gland at the edge of an eyelid becomes infected. Resembling a pimple on the eyelid, a stye can grow on the inside or outside of the lid. Most individuals get nervous about these styes.
Here are some helpful tips

1. The first signs are pain, redness, swelling and tenderness. After symptoms appear, a small pimple will develop in the affected area. Sometimes just the immediate area is swollen; at other times, the entire eyelid swells.Styes are not normally harmful to vision and generally heal within a few days.

2. Styes typically don't cause vision problems. Your ability to see well at either near or distance shouldn't be affected by a stye.

3. A stye is caused by staphlococcal bacteria. This bacterium is found in the nose and is transferred easily to the eye when you rub your nose, then your eye.

4. Styes are contagious, but... Pretty much everyone has this stye-causing bacteria in their body. We all, at any age, have the potential to develop a stye without outside contamination.  So keep your eyes and hands clean, and don't share pillowcases, bedsheets, washcloths or towels with others.

5. Most styes heal on their own within a few days. You can encourage this process by applying hot compresses for 10 to 15 minutes, three or four times a day, over the course of several days.

6. Never "pop" a stye. You shouldn't pop a style like you would a pimple. Allow the stye to rupture on its own. A stye that forms inside the eyelid (called an internal hordeolum) might not rupture and heal on its own. Because this type of stye can be more serious, your eye doctor may need to open and drain it.

7. Other eye issues can accompany styes.  Some often mistaken for a stye, a chalazion (shah-LAY-zee-on or kah-LAY-zee-on) is an enlarged, blocked oil gland in the eyelid. A chalazion mimics a stye for the first few days, then turns into a painless hard, round bump later on.

8. Herbal Remedies -  Chamomile and eyebright can help the swelling ( apply as a teabag) to the stye.
Another great remedy which is my favorite is Marigold tincture ( Calendula) apply directly to the stye. I would also be encouraged to take Marigold internally with Echinacea and poke root to boost your immune system

9. Folk Remedy -I have read about a warm bread poultice applied directly to the eye.

10. Aromatherapy - apply essential oil of lavender ( one SINGLE drop) or tea tree oil to the base of the stye. Be careful

Until tomorrow...

JULY 24, 2012 MIND YOUR OWN BEES-NESS

Most of the trouble in this world has been caused by folks who can't mind their own business, because they have no business of their own to mind, any more than a smallpox virus has.

- William S. Burroughs

I am just absolutely convinced that the best formula for giving us peace , serenity and preserving the American way of life is freedom, limited bureaucratic red tape , and minding our own business , especially  in small communities.  We should take an example from the socialization of honeybees and other animal species
- Patrick Fratellone


I have learned the hard way - I mind my own business. I am tired of hearing other individuals, "character assassination" called gossip. I do what I have to do to maintain my loving relationship with my husband, children and friends. I am convinced that 'my girls' (our honeybees) have good lives. We nurture them. I was meditating in a chair in front of the back hive this past weekend . Listening to their buzzing and flying to and from the hive landing pad is a gift from G.O.D. Who would have thought Rick and I would be so involved with our bees.
Man can learn a lot from bees. Did you know that most of the bees in the hives are female with the only one female able to lay eggs -- the Queen Bee. Therefore, it can be said that most hives are gay or of 'lesbian persuasion. Do you know any lesbians ? I know plenty. In my humble opinion in some communities there is a difference between sober lesbians and those that are NOT sober lesbians. Sobriety makes all the difference. For the honeybees, they need to be sober from the toxins in our environment. Our girls do not have to worry about alcohol but need to worry about pesticides and varroa mites. As I opened the hives this weekend, I was able to taste the honey. How delicious !

Why do we have bees ? For many reasons. For the dying honeybee populations and to help the environment. It is our contribution to saving Earth Mother. We also do it for the honey, the wax, and the bee pollen. We also do it because we love it! I have even been awarded the the prestigious DY Bee Ring !

Honeybees collect nectar and store it as honey in their hives. Nectar and honey provide the energy for the bees’ flight muscles and for heating the hive during the winter period. Honeybees also collect pollen which supplies protein for bee brood to grow. Honey bees live in colonies that are often maintained, fed, and transported by beekeepers. Centuries of selective breeding by humans have created honey bees that produce far more honey than the colony needs. Beekeepers harvest the honey. Beekeepers provide a place for the colony to live and to store honey in. The modern beehive is made up of a series of square or rectangular boxes without tops or bottoms placed one on top of another. Inside the boxes, frames are hung in parallel, in which bees build up the wax honeycomb in which they both raise brood and store honey. Modern hives enable beekeepers to transport bees, moving from field to field as the crop needs pollinating and allowing the beekeeper to charge for the pollination services they provide.

Rick and I will begin to teach Basic Beekeeping to children in the Fall. There are some basic questions that are always asked. The most commonly asked questions are:

1.How many flowers must honey bees tap to make one pound of honey? About two million flowers, give or take.

2.How far does a hive of bees fly to bring you one pound of honey?  More than 55,000 miles.

3.How much honey does the average worker honey bee make in her lifetime? About 1/12 of a teaspoon.

4.How fast does a honey bee fly? About 15 miles per hour.
5.How many sides does each honeycomb cell have?  Each cell is a six-sided hexagon.

6.What state is known as the  beehive state?  Utah.  Fascinating although Rick, Jen , Suzanne and I visited the state of Idaho to look at a bee farm

7.How many wings does a honey bee have? Each honey bee has four wings.


Photographs credit: Vincent Care and Rick Byrd
Until tomorrow...

JULY 23, 2012 DROWNING HICCUPS

" It's not the situation... It's your reaction to the situation."

There are many situations in which we could react to. We might react too hastily and some we not react at all. This weekend while on the Fire Island Shores reading, there was one of those situations. A young man was rescued from the ripe tide by a woman, Christina. She did a heroic job. As the young man was carried out, Rick said, " Patrick.. Go !" I jumped up immediately and attending to the situation. I got into my emergency room /cardiology mode. With Officer Bob I did the pulse, blood pressure, and helped him cough up sea-water fluid. he was having some hiccups from swallowing sea water. I reacted to the situation knowing there was no on call Fire Island Doc in sight. Although the thought of no doctor on call for the weekend disturbs me, I did what I thought was right. I reacted to the situation, although my Rick had to yell loud as I was absorbed in my book.  I was a humanitarian. As I talked to almost drowned Marcus , he was very grateful. I could tell he had been drinking, but at that moment it did not matter. No one talked to me as I did my job, nor afterward. I do not care.  He was air lifted with Christina to Stony Brook. I went back to my chair with Rick and picked up my semi biography book about Sharon Matola ' Flight of the Scarlet Macaw "  as if nothing happened. I got more acquainted with the animals that Gregory talks about so much in the Belize Zoo.( See below)  I saw Christina later in the day. Marcus was still at the hospital. I am a very grateful individual.

I do not know what gave me hiccups. Was it the wintergreen smell or the smoke from the wintergreen Huka.?  A hiccup is a common irrigation of the diaphragmatic nerves which cause involuntary inhalation of air. There are many remedies to hiccups. I have heard them all. Swallow water and hold for 10 minutes in your mouth or breath into a paper bag. The lowering of the diaphragm and the sudden closure of the vocal cords result sin the hiccup.
Perhaps mine was brought on by the carbonated water this weekend. Most of attacks only last a few minutes. Prolonged hiccups can exhaust you. Mine did not last long as I did the trick I always do.
I squirted some lemon juice to the back of my throat and then sucked on a fresh piece of lemon.
Lemons have great properties as a blood purifier, anti fungal, antiseptic and also aids in digestion. Lemons are great for cuts and scrapes. It also con control bladder and kidney infections.
In Fire Island it is great as an insect repellent for mosquitoes, flies and spiders. I encourage people to drink warm water and lemon juice first thing in the morning . It is great to detoxify the liver.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is though that there is either too much Cold or Hot in the system. I have a friend who practices homeopathy who swears by Nux Vomica for hiccups as well as Arsenicum. He also states that if the hiccups are emotional another remedy is Igatia.


If your hiccups start to give you chest pain, I would seek medical attention.

Until tomorrow...

JULY 21 - 22, 2012 OUR MOTHERS AND BERRIES

" Men are what their mothers made them. " - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 "The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. "
       -Honore de Balzac

 "Most mothers are instinctive philosophers. " -Harriet Beecher Stowe

" No matter how old a mother is, she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement.
     -Florida Scott-MaxwellThere are countless quotes on mothers. I am fond of all that I have quoted. I believe with all my heart that  I am who I am because of my mother. Although she is gone now 30 years I can still remember her voice and things she used to say.

There is no coincidence that my husband, Rick and I have mothers that were born on the same day- July 21st . Although born in different decades, both are born on the cusp of the astrological sign, Cancer. Although Rick depicted her as petite southern bell from Virginia with a soft accent who might not be easy to get along with, I knew we would be family forever as she had the same birth date as my mom. I have to believe that my own mom was there for my  accomplishments, my medical school graduation and birth of my children and  she has been there spiritually in the events of the last 11 years standing next to Nancy. I can never thank her and Fred enough for coming to my graduation from the Integrative Fellowship in Arizona in 2005.  Both stood there with Rick, Alyssa, Michael and Gregory  as I received my diploma and walking stick from Drs Andrew Weil and Tierna Lowdog. My dad couldn't make it as he was ill and lying in a hospital bed dying. My dad did say I know you will graduate. He did know I graduated but died two days after we returned home with the diploma.
Nancy and I talk for hours on the phone. I imagine that's how it would have been with my mom and I if she had lived long enough. Nancy has been a wonderful sport about step-grandchildren and the many ' children 'animals - Jack, Cary Grant, Kate, Spencer and Gracie. Who woulds have thought she would cuddle and bath our dogs. Even more shocking, Gracie, our Amazon Green , has great conversations with Nancy- mimics her voice. Nancy even holds Gracie.

When most people think of mothers - it is sometimes associated with baking. What do you think of ?  I        think of apple pie/pecan pie when I think of my mom(s). I also think of unconditional love, kindness, serenity, trust, and happy times. Happy Birthday , Nancy

I have been blessed to have important female role 'moms' in my life. In addition to my mom and Nancy, each of the following women have made up my 'gluten-free' cake recipe of happiness, serenity, peace and love. These woman have been My Nanny, Great Aunt Katie, Barbara B, Aunt Mary, Aunt MaryAnn,  In addition to Jessica Cronin Tandy, Ms Audrey Hepburn and Loretta Young.

All of these woman are THE BERRIES of my existence !


This summer should be all about berries. All kinds of berries. What makes berries so special is their high levels of phytochemicals — those naturally occurring nutrients that help protect cells from damage. So snag some blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries and start munching.

There are studies on the health benefits of berries. One study found that women who eat about two servings of strawberries or one serving of blueberries a week experienced less mental decline over time than peers who went without these nutrition powerhouses, research published in the Annals of Neurology found. In the study, researchers reviewed data from 16,010 women over age 70. Those with the highest berry intake postponed cognitive decline by about two and a half years. “This is due to the effect of  a class of compounds called anthocyanidins, which is a type of flavonoid. Berries are high in flavinoids.
Berries should be eaten by all- even diabetics. Berries have a low glycemic index ( low in sugar) and a high antioxidant potential. Berries are sweet, but not the kind of sweet that should send people with diabetes running. “Because they come with fiber, they can use that in a diabetic diet as a serving of fruit . In general, it’s better to eat fruit whole rather than drink juice, which is much higher in sugar and doesn’t contain fiber.
If you have bowl of fruit int he morning have 3/4 cup of all berries, and then 1/4 cup of other fruit. Some of the other fruit can be higher in sugar as mango, pineapple, watermelon and bananas.
 
There are more studies on berries and Parkinson's disease. People who eat at least two servings of berries a week have a 25 percent less chance of developing Parkinson’s disease than their peers, according to research published in the journal Neurology. The same research showed that men with the highest intake of flavinoids — which are abundant in berries — reduced their risk by 40 percent. Although I use and write about other herbs for Alzheimer's Disease, all berries can help. Berries contain chemical compounds called polyphenolics, which could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease by cleaning up the damaging build-up of toxins over time.


 
Berries also protect you from heart disease. Even people with a strong inherited risk for heart disease may find that a diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables, including berries, can reduce their chances of having a heart attack, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine.
 
I think berries mixed with all nuts ( except peanuts- which are legumes) are a great snack. You must get creative int he kitchen. Let kitchen creativity lead you to experimenting with berries in nutrition-rich recipes such as fresh fruit sauces and salad dressings, pair them with almonds for a fast snack, or eat them plain. I love to add pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds to our salads.

More studies have been done on berries for cancer prevention than other disease except for neurological diseases. There are not direct studies on berries for hypertension. I use hibiscus and Hawthorne berries for cardiac disease in all my patients. All cancer patients should consume berries. Flavinoid-packed berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, may one day lead to more effective cancer-prevention strategies. Research published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis suggests that flavonoids and other compounds found in berries may help reduce colon cancer risk. Because cancer prevention diets generally emphasize fruits and vegetables, including berries certainly won’t hurt
Photo credit:
Top to Bottom: Leonard's Catering Hall Photographer1959, Rick Byrd, 1925 Wedding Photographer for my Grandmother, Rick ' Annie Liebowitz' Byrd, and Michael Byrd

Until tomorrow...

JULY 20, 2012 SAVING THE ANIMALS: TWO FATHER'S INSPIRATION

"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals" ~ Anonymous

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~ Immanual Kant

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France

"I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contained,  I stand and look at them long and long." ~ Walt Whitman


Along with the quote by M Gandi  seen in the photograph above, " The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by which their animals are treated. " all of the quotes resonant with me. Each human individual in this world needs to suuport a project regarding nature, people and animals.
By supporting development projects that meet our three interlinked goals to sustain people, animals and nature we can achieve our aim of handing on a viable planet. For me helping nature means saving our honeybees and donating and belonging to  United Plant Savers.( info@unitedplantsavers.org ) or joining the American Botanical Council ( http://www.herbalgram.org/) For instance, biodiversity in Malaysia’s rain forests ecosystem are aided through our support for local communities, wildlife and nature.
I passionately believe that no matter where we live in the world we must join together with local people in the most endangered regions to ensure sustainable development and leave a viable habitat for future generations. This includes the endangered species in North America. Of course, there are more endangered species in other countries that also need your help.
There are many organizations to save the animals. I urge you to find one that fits your 'helping' needs and support that project.  I didn't realize how many organizations and blogs exist to save animals. Although most of us cannot go to these countries ,we can donate and also be part of by supporting these organizations by become a member. Membership dues also helps support a project.

The inspiration for this blog has been my look-alike. He is not really my look-alike, but my 22 year old son, Gregory Patrick Fratellone. He has unrelentless dream to attend veterinary school next year. He will be completing a 5 year program ( in 4 1/2 years at Co-op Northeastern University in Boston) I would like to think that our caring and participating in saving Earth Mother has been inspirational to him. He worked in Rick's green store( Simply Green) on Fire Island to save the environment and allow Fire Island to recycle. He has helped with saving our bee population, and sees how Rick and I care for our animals. Our pets or rather our family has included at one time 5 dogs, 8 birds, cage of lizards, and fish aquariums. We only are missing another parrot and a spider monkey. He single handed with his college advisors set up a volunteer program saving the animals in Belize. Reading his blog, http://www.greginbelize.tumblr.com/ has been a delight for us. Although we miss him a lot, he is so happy with the animals. We are in a debt of thank yous for those individuals who supported the project by donating to 'go get funding'

As Rick and I write daily blogs, we also read his blog and many other blogs of interest. As Gregory is on a mission to save animals, I started to look at countries like Belize. Belize has done an outstanding job in a variety of  animal projects. In addition to the Belize Zoo and the Manatee and Primate Rehabilitation there is the Jaguar Project.As we ask colleagues and companies do donate money, we wil now ask them at the Holiday time to donate to the Belize Zoo (http://www.belizezoo.org/)
In 2009 , when jaguars kill livestock, farmers often kill jaguars. Sharon Matola - the “Jane Goodall of Belize” - has turned that problem into a solution that just may save the species
Enter Sharon Matola's brainchild - the Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program. Instead of killing the jaguars that repeatedly kill livestock, why not capture them, and bring them to zoos ( one of these is the Belize Zoo)
Matola, an American who became a Belize citizen in 1990, once served in the Air Force, worked as a lion-tamer, and studied Russian in Iowa and fungi in Florida. She’s nothing if not diverse. Matola moved to Belize in 1983 and has lived there since, having made a big impact on the country. The story of her passionate fight to stop the Chalillo Dam is told in Bruce Barcott's The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman's Fight to Save the World's Most Beautiful Bird which was published last year

Photo credit: Gregory Patrick Fratellone

Until tomorrow...

JULY 19 ,2012 BABIES AND DIAPER RASH

“Babies are such a nice way to start people.”

― Don Herold

“Fo' Gawd, Miss Scarlett! We's got ter have a doctah. Ah- Ah- Miss Scarlett, Ah doan know nuthin' 'bout bringin' babies. -Prissy” - In the 1939 film - Butterfly McQueen to Vivien Leigh
― Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind

Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. It doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it makes things more acceptable for a while.”

I have changed diapers. Although I was a  medical intern when my children were born, I did manage to help and change diapers. That was a long time ago. My children are now 24 and 22. I now await the chance for Rick and I to change diapers on our grandchildren. Diaper rash is common. It is not the fault of the parent. It is the fault of the environment. You see- babies start getting Candida at a young age - months. This is the same fungal infection that plagues adults. This is a result of too much yeast in your diet- cheese, breads, and even vinegar products. For babies - it has little to do with diet.
If you have never changed a diaper, find a family member or friend with a baby and change their diaper.



I am NOT a pediatrician, but I am a healer. This was inspired by my daughter's soon to be fiance baby sister, Arabella having diaper rash. I know there are many remedies on the pharmacy shelves especially Desitine Ointment. Diaper rashes are common in babies between 4 and 15 months old. They may be noticed more when babies begin to eat solid foods.Diaper rashes caused by infection with a yeast or fungus called Candida are very common in children. Candida is found everywhere in the environment. It grows best in warm, moist places, such as under a diaper. A yeast-related diaper rash is more likely to occur in babies who:

•Are not kept clean and dry
•Are taking antibiotics, or whose mothers are taking antibiotics while breast feeding
•Have more frequent stools

Other causes of diaper rashes include:

•Acids in the stool (seen more often when the child has diarrhea)
•Ammonia (produced when bacteria break down urine)
•Diapers that are too tight or rub the skin
•Reactions to soaps and other products used to clean cloth diapers
•Too much moisture

The best treatments can be: 


•Always wash your hands after changing a diaper
•Ask your doctor if a diaper rash cream would be helpful. Zinc oxide or petroleum jelly-based products help keep moisture away from baby's skin when applied to completely clean, dry skin
•Avoid using wipes that have alcohol or perfume. They may dry out or irritate the skin more
•Do NOT use corn starch on your baby's bottom. It can make a yeast diaper rash worse
•Do NOT use talc (talcum powder). It can get into your baby's lungs
•Change your baby's diaper often, and as soon as possible after the baby urinates or passes stool
•Lay your baby on a towel without a diaper on whenever possible. The more time the baby can be kept out of a diaper, the better
•Pat the area dry or allow to air-dry
•Put diapers on loosely. Diapers that are too tight don't allow enough air and may rub and irritate the baby's waist or thighs
•Use water and a soft cloth or cotton ball to gently clean the diaper area with every diaper change. Avoid rubbing or scrubbing the area. A squirt bottle of water may be used for sensitive areas
•Using highly absorbent diapers helps keep the skin dry and reduces the chance of getting an infection

Lets get some facts. Although the products on the market are used to prevent some products actually worsen. This is why I have researched some natural diaper rash products that you can make yourself for your baby
First you need to make Baby Flower Oil. This is simple. You will need some dry herbs as 1/2 cup of lavender, calendula and elder berry flowers with 3 cups of almond oil.  You chop the herbs and put in a clean jar Put in almond oil and place in sunny window for 2-3days. Filter after 3 days and now you have your own fresh baby flower oil. You need to make the Diaper Rash Salve. This salve could also be used for men or woman with yeast infection near the genitals.
You need for this salve
1. 1 cup of baby flower oil
2. 1/2 ounce of beeswax ( I can provide that to you)
3. 5- 400 units of Vitamin E gel caps
4. 2- 1,000 units of Vitamin A gel caps ( can have vitamin D in the gel caps)

Heat your Baby flower oil you made 3 days ago. Must heat so you dissolve the beeswax. Put a pin hole in the vitamin E and vitamin A gel caps and squeeze. Pour the still hot mixture in a jar and let cool.
You now have your own natural remedy which I find more effective. The fun is that you make it yourself for your child. It can be used on abrasions as well as diaper rash


Flower Photographs: Top to Bottom: Calendula, Lavender and Elderberry Flowers

Until tomorrow...

JULY 18, 2012 WHALES IN THE EAST RIVER ?

"You know, within a few tens of miles of Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera of NYC, there are the largest animals on this planet, crooning and singing arias and magnificent songs, just offshore. And if you went to the very top of the Stature of Liberty, looking out onto the ocean south of NY Harbor … you’d be looking onto the stage on which the animals are singing. They’re right there. "   – Christopher Clark, Director of the Bioacoustic Research Program at Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology
" We owe it to our children to be better stewards of the environment. The alternative? - a world without whales. It's too terrible to imagine. "  - Pierce Brosnan

“The whales do not sing because they have an answer, they sing because they have a song.”
― Gregory Colbert



Last night I didn't sleep too well. This is not uncommon to me. I thought I sit on the terrace and meditate. I usually meditate in the morning, but I started a 21 day Deepok Chopra meditation , so I thought I do Meditation 1 again. Before I began I looked out over the east river. To my left is the tram and the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge ( one of the 10 bridges that cross the East River) To my right is the north of the city. I can see the Cornell Weil Medical Center spanning East 67 - to East 71st.
As I was gazing to the left towards the bridge I saw commotion in the water. Something was popping up and down. I ran inside to tell Rick I think I see a whale. He was sleeping, but I asked him  "where  are the binoculars " He mumbled " The other bedroom." I ran to the other bedroom , grabbed the binoculars.
From the binoculars ( which has a camera on it - I never used or know how to use) I saw the large back of a whale. I was hoping to see him/her spout or a tail fin which I didn't. I followed the whale for 10 minutes in utter amazement and joy, till I saw it no longer. The appearance of the whale for me was symbolic as well as provoking a memory of our son, Gregory. Gregory must have been 7 or 8 years old when he and I went whale watching in Providence Town, MA. It was magical to see whales jump from the sea. To hear their back fin slap against the water is beyond reproach. We even saw a mother and child whale. I will never forget the look on Gregory's face when the whale jumped . From that memory I bought a painting years later of a father and son looking at the water from the beach. Alyssa didn't go whale watching that day in PTown, but she went shopping. She will have to go whale watching with me one day.

 Rick asked me this morning, did I ask him about a whale last night. I said 'Yes' and that I saw a whale.

There are whales right here in New York Harbor. And seals and dolphins and a wealth of marine life. Wildlife is returning not just to the skies and parks of the city, but to its waters. Tom  Paladino of American Princess Cruises in Queens has been leading wildlife-watching boat tours into the waters of New York Harbor and beyond. In a recent article in the NY Daily News, Paladino reports a tenfold increase in whale sightings in recent years, and says he saw dolphins virtually every day from June to September. Six different species of whale have been identified in New York waters: Humpback, Minke, Fin, Sei, Blue and the endangered North Atlantic Right whale, of which fewer than 400 still exist. If you walk by the rivers ( east or west- The Hudson) keep your eyes open for sea creatures. On Fire Island about two years ago, a baby seal was seen on shore.


The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island (including the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn) from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland. It is 16 miles.
The East River is dangerous to people who fall in or attempt to swim in it, although as of mid-2007 the water was cleaner than it had been in decades. Anyone in the channel would find there are few places from which to climb out. According to the marine sciences section of the city Department of Environmental Protection, the channel is swift, with water moving as fast as four knots (just as it does in the Hudson River on the other side of Manhattan). That speed can push casual swimmers out to sea. A few people drown in the waters around New York City each year.

 The Brooklyn Bridge, opened in 1883, was the first bridge to span the strait, replacing frequent ferry service. Some passenger ferry service remains between Queens and Manhattan.

The river is spanned by ten bridges, which from north to south are:

1. Throgs Neck Bridge
2. Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
3. Rikers Island Bridge (From Queens to Rikers Island only)
4. Hell Gate Bridge
5. RFK-Triborough Bridge (East River Suspension Span)
6. Roosevelt Island Bridge (east channel only)
7. Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge
8. Williamsburg Bridge (Vehicular traffic & Trains of the J M Z subway services)
9. Manhattan Bridge (Vehicular traffic & Trains of the B D N Q subway services)
10. Brooklyn Bridge

The river is spanned by thirteen tunnels. From north to south,

1. 63rd Street Tunnel (Trains of the F subway service – upper level; lower level – under construction for  LIRR East Side Access project)
2. 60th Street Tunnel (Trains of the N Q R subway services)
3. 53rd Street Tunnel (Trains of the E M subway services)
4. Steinway Tunnel (Trains of the 7 <7> subway services)
5. Queens-Midtown Tunnel (Vehicular traffic of Interstate 495)
6. East River Tunnels (Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak trains from Penn Station to points north and east)
7. 14th Street Tunnel (Trains of the L subway service)
8. Rutgers Street Tunnel (Trains of the F subway service)
9. Cranberry Street Tunnel (Trains of the A C subway services)
10. Clark Street Tunnel (Trains of the 2 3 subway services)
11. Montague Street Tunnel (Trains of the N R subway services)
12. Joralemon Street Tunnel (Trains of the 4 5 subway services)
13. Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel (Vehicular traffic of Interstate 478)

Until tomorrow...

JULY 17, 2012 HUPERZINE A AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

“The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche

“One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.”
― Antonio Porchia

“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.”
― Marcel Proust


Do I laugh or cry when I read these quotes. I think that if you have Alzheimer's Disease, I prefer Friedrich Nietzche's quote about memory. I fear losing my memory. It is one of my greatest assets. I would be lost without my memory. This is true for so many individuals. Forgetting is a sign of old age, yet I see it even in younger individuals. Protect your memory ! Do jigsaw puzzlles, word and seek puzzles, retention exercises and have a common bowl for your keys, glasses, and wallet.
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative disease that most commonly appears after the age of 50. Currently, Alzheimer’s afflicts approximately 40 percent of all individuals over the age of 85, for a total of 4 million people in the U.S. alone. When symptoms occur before the age of 65 the disease is designated Presenile Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type (PDAT). When symptoms occur after age 65 the syndrome is referred to as Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type (SDAT). Symptoms include a gradual yet inexorable loss of memory, mental performance, communication skills, abstract thinking and personality. Ultimately, Alzheimer’s ends in the death of the patient, with a mean life expectancy of 8 years.

As well as being a profound personal tragedy for afflicted individuals and their loved ones, the financial costs of caring for victims of the disease exceed $80 billion per year. To see a patient for years and see their decline from AD is difficult for me as their physician. There is limited conventional treatment for AD. The current trend towards longer life expectancy, combined with the increased incidence of senile dementia with age, means that cases of Alzheimer’s increase alarmingly as the median age of the population grows, underscoring the urgency for finding an effective treatment for this disorder.

I turn to the Herbal World for help in AD.


The brain's cholinergic system has been the focus of many attempts at pharmacotherapy for Alzheimer's Disease (AZ) for the last twenty years. The drug on the market today as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChE) is tacrine. Tacrine is a centrally acting anticholinesterase and indirect cholinergic agonist (parasympathomimetic). It was the first centrally-acting cholinesterase inhibitor approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and was marketed under the trade name Cognex. Tacrine was first synthesised by Adrien Albert at the University of Sydney. It also acts as a histamine N-methyltransferase inhibitor.


Tacrine was the prototypical cholinesterase inhibitor for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Studies found that it may have a small beneficial effect on cognition and other clinical measures, though study data was limited and the clinical relevance of these findings was unclear.

The use of tacrine is limited by poor oral bioavailability, the necessity for four-times daily dosing, and considerable adverse drug reactions (including nausea, diarrhea, urinary incontinence and hepatotoxicity) such that few patients could tolerate therapeutic doses.

Newer cholinesterase inhibitors, such as donepezil ( Aricept ), are now preferred over tacrine. I do see gastrointestinal side effects with Aricept in the elderly. I usually do a combination therapy or Aricept with Namendia.
However there are herbs which have been studied with good results for AD. Huperzine is used in Chinese medicine for AD. The club moss, Huperzia serrata is a component of a tea administered to the elderly in China. It has been found that Huperzine A is a selective AChE inhibitor.

Huperzine-A is NOT a new supplement. It is derived from an ancient traditional Chinese herbal medicine that offers hope to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related mental conditions. In addition to benefiting patients suffering from Alzheimer’s, Huperzine’s memory-enhancing properties suggest that it may be an effective agent for improving memory and learning in healthy humans as well.

The studies from Wang since 1986 have found good evidence to use this herb. I use it extensively with patients with AD. Hup-A has undergone double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials in China in patients suffering from various memory disorders, including AD. In fact, it is estimated that in the past few years 100,000 people have been treated in China with Hup-A. Researchers in China claim that it helps normal elderly with memory problems as well as people with AD.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials in China have demonstrated that patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and various other memory disorders gain significant benefit, both in terms of memory and life quality. Xu et al. conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind study in which subjects with AD were given 200 mcg/day Hup-A or placebo for 8 weeks. Statistically significant improvement was achieved in 58 percent of the treated group with respect to cognitive function and their ability to retrieve past memories.

As a individual whether inflicted with AD or for a loved one, I would suggest you talk to your health care provider about using Huperzine A and other herbs/supplements for AD

Until tomorrow...

JULY 16, 2012 HERBAL SALVES

' What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us."
                                                                                                                           -Helen Keller

" The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death. "

" What the heart has once known, it shall never forget"


Love is forever. Love has no boundaries. Love exists between man and man, man and woman, woman and woman, mother and child, man and nature, man and pet et al. It is endless. Love has no race, religion or politics. My needlecraftt hobby might be tiresome and boring to others, but the fabric is from love and the threads of the memory doing the work. I always remember where and when I started and finished a needle craft work.  I can never forget  what my heart has once known, whether person, place or thing. I have been blessed with amazing people in my life. As he/she leaves this Mother Earth, a memory is left behind. That memory is mine. I always cherish the memories. I laugh and talk of people gone in my life, as if they were beside me. I do this because they are next to me. I again meet these individuals in my dreams and sometimes in an awake state. Sometimes I remember those that are here on Earth Mother but no longer present in my life. I pray for their safe journey in life. Prayers and good thoughts for these individuals are done with love and good intentions. Each person in my life has played some sort of role. I always remind myself of this. It allows me to continually move in life.


This weekend Rick and I made herbal salves. It was a relaxing weekend of sleep and rest. There are many ways to make salves.  I would suggest a great book to help you. 'Making Plant Medicine" by Richo Cech is one of the books I have used.
It is easy to make a trauma salve using calendula, arnica and st john's wort. Cech's formula is 100:17 which is volume of herb oil in ml to the (:) weight of beeswax in grams. Cech uses 500 ml of calendula, 250 ml of arnica, and 250 ml of St John's wort to 170 grams of beeswax.

Yes we use beeswax. Why shouldn't we? It is natural, and superior to paraffin. And the best is - it is from our own Honeybees.  Beeswax is universally applicable for making salves and creams.

Cech suggests:
1. Combine herbal oils by pouring in a double boiler
2. Set jars aside on a dry surface
3. In a separate double boiler melt the wax until fluid
4. Slowly pour melted wax into the herbal oils ( make sure you are constantly mixing)
5. Once mixed remove from stove and carefully fill the jars.
6. Allow the salve to harden. Place in dark closet
7. The shelf life for your salve is 3 years.

Rick and I were going  to mimic a salve I made with 7song . This was a great useful salve my herbal class and I did together. It had Chapparhal, St John's wort and two other ingredients., I couldn't find dried Chapparal at Flower Power in NYC. I substituted some other anti microbial herbs from my 'memory bank' and bought those at Flower Power. Sunday evening was fun making salves with Rick

Until tomorrow...
Photo Credit : Rick Byrd