As warm weather fades and autumn brings in the cool air, immune systems are on many parents’ radars. I keep hearing, “How can I boost my kids’ immune systems?” So I compiled a few things that are helpful for any sized human being.…
When I tell people I am a naturopath, I usually feel compelled to explain what it is that I actually do. Sometimes, I feel like the title naturopath does not fully encompass the work we are doing here at Continuum Healing.…
Somewhere around 2,500 years ago, a fermented beverage of tea, sugar and a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast was first brewed in a place we now call Manchuria. In 414 A.D., Dr. Kombu from Korea brought kombucha to Japan as treatment for the Japanese emperor Inkyo. The word for tea in Japanese is cha, so the literal translation is Dr. Kombu’s Tea.
Kombucha has survived and spread across the planet, handed down from one brewer to the next for over two millennia, enduring droughts, famines, wars, migrating families, sugar rations, tea shortages, thousands of years of civil and industrial revolutions, and, presently, our own American Food and Drug Administration. This beverage has gained in popularity in the United States since the early 2000s and is a household name for health food aficionados and beyond nowadays. But its true setting for over 2,000 years was in the closets and pantries of homes all over Eurasia, not in the drink coolers at the grocery store. …
As warm weather fades and autumn brings in the cool air, immune systems are on many parents’ radars. I keep hearing, “How can I boost my kids’ immune systems?” So I compiled a few things that are helpful for any sized human being.…
I was floating in a cloud of energetic bliss after a session with Erica. It’s a lovely feeling to be in that space. Afterward, sometimes I need to rest, sometimes I need to process and journal, other times I need to just go outside.
On this particular day, I grabbed my jacket and welcomed the fresh air onto my skin and into my lungs. My feet carried the rest of me down the sidewalk, heading nowhere in particular. As I moseyed along, the scent of spring’s blooms swirled into my nose grabbing my attention.…
There is no better time than now to give thanks to the beautiful elder (Sambucus nigra).
All parts of the elder can be used in different ways although most tend to use the berries and flowers. The flowers are amazing in teas as this can have a slightly sedative effect and opens the pores to reduce heat which can be comforting to those who have dry irritable skin. The flower is also beneficial for colds, flu and inflammation in the lungs. The berries are very similar to the flowers, but they also build the blood and can be used for anemia. The berries are also useful for sore throats and nasal congestion.
Because elder is both stimulating and sedative it is said to have a normalizing action. Because it has this normalizing action it can be helpful for most conditions that are hot or cold, dry or damp. Mathew Woods writes, “Elder opens all tubes of the body (skin, lungs, colon, kidneys, blood vessels), improving oxygenation, blood flow, perspiration and elimination by colon and kidneys.
Elder is a wonderful herb to use with children. As a relaxant, it calms the spasmodic cough, and can be helpful with croup or intestinal …
It had been 90 minutes since my neighbor shared her criticism about the way I choose to live, when suddenly it clicked. This squabble would have been the perfect opportunity to practice bringing myself back into center after the intimidating situation sent my body swirling into a frenzy of fight, flight or freeze mode.
Earlier, I’d spent the day in self-awareness mode with the Life 2.0 program, where I experienced “The Grab,” a practice that emerged from Aikido and, more specifically, Richard Strozzi Heckler’s Strozzi Institute.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this exercise named with a word that carries a generally negative connotation. Michael Jackson was all that came to mind. But it turned out to be pretty innocent. I was to spend a moment centering myself, speak my commitment statement, then wait for my partner to touch my shoulder while saying “Kara.” After “the grab,” I was to re-center and again speak my commitment statement.
Simple. But I was in awe at what I discovered with my reaction. …
Have you ever suffered from a cough, cold symptoms, sinus pressure, fevers or general not-feeling-so-hot for weeks? Maybe you’ve found relief from antibiotics, over-the-counter meds, or herbal supplements only to find yourself back in the same spot a few weeks later. You’ve probably asked in frustration, “WHY AM I ALWAYS GETTING SICK?!”
I often hear about illnesses hanging on throughout the winter months, re-occurring and sometimes even showing up into to spring and summer. I find that there are two different ways to help the body fight off illness. …
Lavender has been one of my favorite plants to use therapeutically for the past few years. I love the smell and even the taste when mixed harmoniously with other plants and foods. I recently moved into a house that has a handful of large lavender plants in the front yard and they are just starting to bloom. Lavender has wonderful healing properties, some of which I will share here. …
Herbal tinctures from Walker Farms line the shelves of Continuum Healing’s Remedy Room. Their remedies are based on the formulas handed down from generation-to-generation in documented folklore from a variety of cultures. These cultures, out of necessity, developed a very close relationship with their environment and learned a great deal about the medicinal value of plants.
Susan Yerigan, owner, grower and medicine maker, shared a little bit about herself and how Walker Farms came to be. Here’s her interview with naturopath Micah McLaughlin.…
