Rhode lsland Monthly featured our beekeepers in May’s issue of the magazine with a delightful article written by one of Roots Remedies favorite writers.
Kathryn's Blog
Kathryn Grantham is the founder of Roots Remedies
Read her bio here »
Our Beekeepers are the Best!
May 31st, 2011My Favorite Herb for Skin Issues
January 15th, 2011
This time of year my skin turns into a surface that belongs to the reptile family. Dry, scaly, blotchy – and pale from the short winter days. I need sunshine! The herbal remedy I turn to is the bright orange Calendula whose flowers can do wonders to alleviate skin issues. It is so gentle, I have been using it to wash my 2 month old son’s little hands and face, yet so powerful, I have a bar of calendula soap that turns around everything from athletes foot to irritated eczema. This is a must-have herb for every herbal home kit. I recommend having on hand 1/4 pound dried herb in an air tight jar to make infusions (herb steeped in hot water for at least ten minutes) or a tincture (alcohol-based extract that you dilute in water before use–just a few drops in 1oz water). And use it liberally to soothe and repair those winter skin doldrums!
The Season is Upon Us
November 3rd, 2010And I know because the other day I drove by a corner with two national chain drugstores on opposite corners with dueling flashing signs that read ‘Get Your Flu Shot Here’. I think one was priced 5 cents cheaper than the other. Such outspoken competition over who will happily take your dollar in exchange for immunity seems a bit over the top, but nonetheless a reminder that it’s that time of year -for dueling stores (holiday shopping!) and, ugh, getting sick. Whether you chose to pull into one of those parking lots and get your shot or not, don’t forget to supplement with one of nature’s most potent protectors during this time- elderberries. 
The best part is that they taste delicious. These powerful purple berries are strong protection against getting sick and safe to take all winter long.
Trends in Natural Products
October 24th, 2010
This month Roots Remedies joined like-minded companies at the Natural Products Expo in Boston, an extravaganza of organic, natural and healthy lifestyle products. I ducked away from our table a few times to get a pulse on what’s new and interesting. What I found was a lot of greek yogurt, thick white and creamy mixed in all sorts of flavors, some organic, some not – everywhere I turned someone was handing me a mini-tub of this stuff. Perhaps it had something to do with my being very visibly pregnant? The other food group, and I don’t give it this label lightly, that seemed to be taking over the food aisles was gluten-free this and gluten-free that. From frozen enchiladas to english muffins to giant cupcakes, if you can’t take the gluten, you were born at the right time. Unfortunately, our aisle of herbal supplements was mostly filled with the usual white plastic bottled powdered herbs from China scariness, with the great exception of our friends at Urban Moonshine who have concocted a totally terrific bitters line that will knock your socks off in any cocktail or just sprayed on your tongue to get those digestive juices going. Until next year!
Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Your Herbal Tonic:
September 15th, 2010
10) By the spoonful.
9) Swig right from the bottle.
8) Mix into a fresh fruit smoothie.
7) Add to a warm, herbal tea.
6) Pour over ice with sparkling water, add lemon or lime twist (Energy Tonic).
5) Add to any fresh pressed vegetable or fruit juice drink.
4) Pour over ice cream (Immune Tonic).
3) Make single dose ice cubes, add to your favorite beverages.
2) Immune Tonic popsicles!
1) Lick it right off the sides of the bottle.
Natural Bug Spray
August 18th, 2010
These summer evenings can turn into a war zone. But you can fight back against the bugs, without using toxic chemicals. Peeka gave me this recipe for a natural insect repellent – that works! – about ten years ago and I have been using it ever since. Surprisingly, you will note that it does not have the popular citronella oil which some people find actually attracts bugs. There are an ever-increasing number of natural repellents on store shelves, but it is so easy to make – why not try it yourself? Makes a great gift too.
Natural Insect Repellent
8oz alcohol – 80 or 10 proof vodka is a good choice
15 drops rosemary essential oil
15 drops geranium essential oil
15 drops cedarwood essential oil
15 drops juniper essential oil
Mix well in a glass container, pour into a spray bottle, label and let the bug-free sunsets begin!
*you can find high quality, responsibly harvested essential oils at your local natural food store
It’s hot!
July 7th, 2010Yes, we all know that drinking water is critical during heat waves. But the quantity required can turn this refreshment into a chore – which is when the temptation to reach for bottled sugary drinks in bright colors starts to peak. As a healthier, cheaper and greener option – how about just sprucing up your water? Take a handful of fresh mint, basil or lemon balm, wash and stuff into a large pitcher (crushing the leaves a bit will release the flavors more quickly). Cover with water. Let chill overnight. Voila! A fresh take on an old friend.
Herbal Water Recipe
1 large Pitcher
Handful of clean fresh herbs (mint, basil, lemonbalm)
Fresh water
Lemons/limes (optional)
Pollen, Pollen Everywhere
June 7th, 2010As I sit down to write this, I am amazed at the dusting of yellow pollen covering everything on top of my desk. I wipe it clean and just hours later it is back. I can only imagine how my body is filtering this out of the air I breathe. Allergy season is in full effect! Here are 5 ways to maintain a healthy immune response and keep your body integrated, rather than aggravated by this season:
1) Start every morning with a gentle liver cleanser: 1/4 of a lemon squeezed into a glass of room temperature water. A clear and primed liver will, among many health benefits, assist in filtering out the pollen and irritants in the air without triggering an immune response (coughing, runny nose, etc).
2) Avoid dairy products – these stimulate mucus production, and bog down your system.
3) Get a daily dose of nettles for its antihistamine and anti-inflammatory effects. You can find fresh nettles out in the wild and make a tea from it, or in extract form in alcohol as a tincture or in a formula like our herbal tonics.
4) Take a daily vitamin supplement with at least 100% RDA for vitamins C and B. Zinc when you are in an acute state of hay fever.
5) Local raw honey! Much research is pointing to the homeopathic (think vaccine) effects of eating local honey to adapt your body to its natural environs. I recommend a raw spring wildflower honey for hay fever season. Again, incorporate this into a daily routine.
Slow Food to Slow Love
May 20th, 2010
A must-read for those interested and inspired by the slow food movement is Dominique Browning’s latest book ‘Slow Love’. Though there is mention of lots of eating, it is more a book about taking the essence of slow food and broadening it into a slow life. Her personal tale of ups and downs and more downs is quite inspiring and refreshing. She is book touring the Northeast right now – I recommend catching one of her readings. And if you miss her, you can read more at her blog www.slowlovelife.com.
Springtime Herb Walks
May 1st, 2010
One of my favorite local adventures to take this time of year is an herb walk in my own neighborhood, scanning the cracks of sidewalks, the edges of lawn, the roadside fields of wild flowers for medicinal plants. Grab a field guide for your back pocket (I love my beat-up Peterson’s Field Guide to Wildflowers), but start with counting how many wild plants you can name without checking. And how many of those do you know the medicinal value? Dandelion – detoxifying for the liver, Red Clover – blood builder, Mullein – lung tonic, Willow Tree – bark is ‘natural aspirin’…Usually, I am stumped around 15, what is your count?