NOVEMBER 14, 2011 THE ROSE

"The holiest of all holidays are those kept by ourselves in silence and apart; the secret anniversaries of the heart." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - from Lavender Light

The best days are the ones we keep to ourselves. These days might be remembrances of the past. In November we all think of Thanksgiving. For me it is the month my father passed away. Some of spend it with family, while others spend it with friends - which are their family. Holidays can be be happy for some, and for others create anxiety and fear. Since I have no biological parents, I could say I am an orphan, but I am not. I have wonderful surrogate parents, children and friends. For me, November is a time of spiritual renewal and a celebration of life- especially my life with my dad.

When you think of love --what flower do you think of?

I think of the Rose - the Wild Rose (Rosa spp). Roses are invasive and colonize everywhere. But how could you be mad at a Rose-- with it's fragrance. The Rose plant is special in a way to every one of us. Red rose for love, and yellow roses for friendship.

The multiflora rose was introduced to the United States in 1866 from Japan. This rose continues to spread. It spreads by agricultural practices and the birds. I do see wild roses in gardens in Fire Island as well as throughout the city.

Do you think the Rose has a place in medicine? I would have never thought of Roses as medicine, but its true. Most of us are familiar with Rose hips. Rose hips contain plenty of Vitamin C (1000-2000mg/100g) and is used as an antioxidant. The rose hips are traditionally used for urinary tract complaints.

There are published studies on the species, Rosa laevigatae as an antibiotic against certain strains of bacteria.

History tells us that Rose water has been used for centuries. There were bowls and pitchers just for Rose water in the 1700 and 1800's in Europe. Rose water is great for chapped hands. It is great for skin inflammation. It also can be mixed with honey to be used as a swish, gargle and swallow for sore throats.

The cosmetic industry has popularized rose hip seed oil in many skin care products. At an herbal conference three years ago, I heard herbalist Rosita Arvigo discuss using rose water to stop heavy vaginal bleeding. One of her great books, Sastun discusses her apprenticeship with a Maya Healer . It is an excellent read for all!

Don't you love to get Roses? I get more than roses. Since Rick has completed the School of Floral Design I not only get fresh flowers in my office every week, but also at home. I am a very grateful man . The first photograph is a floral design by Rick.

Until tomorrow...

OCTOBER 23,2011 MORE ESSENTIAL OILS

"Live with hope for the possibilities and accept the good that comes."

Can you accept the good that comes your way? In the past I never could. If things started to get good I would sabatoge them. It was a very different time in my life. Today I live a life that I always wanted to live. I feel so serene today. I have had the pleasure and company of colleagues and friends from my herbal/botanical world. I never thought this would be a possibility in my lifetime. I love how I treat patients. I love the incorporation of different disciplines of medicine. Now using essential oil with herbal medicines is yet another possibility. I have learned through prayer, meditation, communication and meetings to live with hope, have no expectations and the good will come. It has --

Each form of administration of an essential oil achieves a slightly different effect on the area it is treating. With the essential oil treatment you try to get the closest to the area that is infected. Most oils do not damage the microflora. I was fascinated to learn the routes of internal administration of the essential oils. I was ignorant about the workings of Essential Oils. For me, this is part of the learning curve and so I have something new to learn and incorporate into my herbal practice.

Some of the administrations are:

1. gel capsules

2. sublingual preparation

3. rectal suppository (systemic absorption is excellent)

4. vaginal sponge

5. vaginal pessary

6. organic tampons

7. skin preparations

8. inhalation - nebulizer or diffuser

To use oils clinically we always need a good source. I know there are many essential oil companies on the market. I wouldn't know the best source, but here is a clue. During this essential oil lecture, the participants were allowed to smell a variety of oils. The oil vials were passed around the room. I noticed the company on each vial. It was Snow Lotus. Their web site on the bottle was http://www.snowlotus.org/

I know many herbs that are anti microbial but I do not know any essential oil except tea tea oil,

(Melaleuca alternifolia). I have used tea tree oil for many fungal infections. This well researched oil is also used for bacterial infections of upper and lower respiratory tract, intestinal dysbiosis and even periodontitis. Great for HSV-1 , genital warts and other viral infections.

I did get to smell an essential oil called Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini). It is a relative of Lemongrass- different species C. citratus. Palmerosa is equally antifungal and antibacterial with a broad range of infections. It is also anti-inflammatory.

Until tomorrow...