dandelion . burdock . yellow dock :: the sacred herbal triad of spring + giveaway !

dandelion burdock + yellow dock are known to be super beneficial for spring detoxification . i love to combined these three and make a root tincture to take daily before meals . but they offer us so much beyond this capstone remedy ...as the roots give us there deep healing gifts , their leaves give us rich amazing food . in this short blurb ill give u guys the low down on impressing ur hipster friends...

all about the roots ::

i like to harvest the roots either in the fall of the first year of their cycle or in very early spring of their second year cycle . all these plants are biennials, meaning they live for two years . i personally like to wait for the spring harvest to obtain the meatier second year roots . in order to do this, u have to in a sense remember where these magical beauties grow, so u can go back and harvest the roots before they start producing leaves . once the plants start producing leaves, the energy of the medicine tends to go upward . i like to harvest the roots at the full moon in pisces in march . here the energy is all the way up in the roots and not so much towards the ground . but honestly, if u get the roots before they start producing leaves, u are golden (just like color of yellow dock roots,  lol) . each one of these plants offers us amazing medicine . yellow dock root specifically is excellent for detoxifying the liver . the best way to intake the plant in this fashion is through a tincture . obtain the fresh yellow dock root or dried if u can't find it fresh . fill a pint size of quart size mason jar up to almost the tipity top with the roots . pour any type of alcohol u'd like over it . if u like vodka ... then go for that . rum or anything that u like to enjoy on those wild nights . as long as the alcohol percentage is 40% to 50%, u are fine . fill all the way to the top of the jar with alcohol . shake everyday + strain in two weeks or when the plant material looks like all of it has been absorbed in the alcohol . yellow dock root will yield an amazing yellow color . you can do the same with burdock + dandelion root or combined all three to make the magical herbal bitters triad tincture ! dandelion root is specifically excellent for the liver as well . burdock is amazing for purifying the blood . these three roots together make an excellent bitter tonic . i like to take a dropper full of the triad 15 minutes before meals to help with digestion ! it is amazing amazing stuff . 

(above :: dandelion flower fritters with dandelion leaf pesto)

all about the leaves + flowers ::

as far as the magical leaves go , i love harvesting the leaves of dandelion to make all sorts of creations . my favorite thus far is herbal pesto . just replace the basil in ur pesto recipe with dandelion leaves and u are good to go ! i love using yellow dock leaves to make food that requires cooking a little longer . yellow dock is a little less tender than dandelion leaves - so i like to add yellow dock leaves to recipes like lasagna, omelets, etc . all these greens can be used in recipes that require greens like kale, etc . creativity goes a super long way . definitely be confident about yellow dock leaf identification because there are a few toxic look a likes !  i also enjoy using dandelion flowers to make fritters ! play around with the consistency to from a paste and walla ! u can impress ur hipster friends for ages to come . don't forget in the fall u can harvest yellow dock + those velcro like burdock seeds to grow some in ur back yard for years to come . btw, did u know velcro was inspired to be invented by burdock seeds ? nature is the greatest gift giver 

(above :: yellow dock leaf egg scramble)

find these plant gifts in my etsy shop ::

with these three amazing plant friends of mine i have created a few products for my herbal co. judge not tea is my blood purification spring tonic . it features dandelion leaf + root, burdock root and yellow dock root . i also offer the amazing bitters tincture i mentioned above as well as a DIY tincture kit to make ur own at home . happy harvesting + creating !

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WIN A FREE HERBAL BITTERS TINCTURE :: to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like more entries, please join my Facebook, twitter and/or tumblr (please post again here for each one after joining) . you can have up to 4 chances to win !! contest ends may 15th, where one winner will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a herbal bitters tincture ! please check back mid may to see if you're a winner ! please claim your prize by emailing me at good4youherbals at gmail . com . if you have any questions, ideas or just want to drop a line... my email is good4youherbals @ gmail.com . much ♥ jes

ps. a secret coupon code to my etsy shop : use HERBALBITTERS for 15% off ur entire order till 5.15.13 ! 

the ultimate green drink GIVEAWAY

time for a giveaway !

the ultimate green drink

awaken the spring and your body with the ultimate green drink . i create two kinds ... one being gluten free

the nettle version... ingredients :: nettle leaves powder, alfalfa leaves powder, beet root powder, acai berry powder powder, chlorella powder & 

klamath blue green algae

the wheatgrass version... ingredients :: wheat grass powder, barley grass powder, beet root powder, acai berry powder, chlorella powder & klamath blue green algae
i love adding these micro green powders to a tall glass of water in the morning . u can also add about a teaspoon to smoothies too !

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to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like more entries, please join my Facebook, twitter and/or tumblr (please post again here for each one after joining) . you can have up to 4 chances to win !! contest ends march 27th, where one winner will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a jar of the ultimate green drink with nettles ! please check back at the beginning of april to see if you're a winner ! please claim your prize by emailing me at good4youherbals at gmail . com . if you have any questions, ideas or just want to drop a line... my email is good4youherbals @ gmail.com . much ♥ yes

ps. a secret coupon code to my etsy shop : use DANDELIONLEAF for 20% off ur entire order till 3.18.13 ! 

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fire mountain cocoa GIVEAWAY

it's time to get through the winter with a fire mountain cocoa giveaway ! this unique organic + fair trade cocoa mix has a spicy pop with a zing of energy from guarana . guarana (Paulinia cupana) is a south american seed that has a comparable caffeine level to coffee . it is also known as Brazilian cocoa . this amazing cocoa blend also has maca root . maca is the ginseng of south america . it is also known as peruvian ginseng (Lepidium mayenil) . maca adds a boost of vitality to this mix to help get you through the day . i finish this blend off with cinnamon and cayenne ... a well rounded unique mix indeed which can transport one directly to a amazonian high ! add some milk or honey to bring it to another level . a great thing about this mix is ... it's great on its own ! fire mountain cocoa is available here on my etsy shop or here in my poppyswap shop .

to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like more entries, please join my Facebook, twitter and/or tumblr (please post again here for each one after joining) . you can have up to 4 chances to win !! contest ends february 28th, where one winner will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a tin of fire mountain cocoa ! please check back at the beginning of march to see if you're a winner ! please claim your prize by emailing me at good4youherbals at gmail . com . if you have any questions, ideas or just want to drop a line... my email is good4youherbals @ gmail.com . much ♥ geko

matcha green glow

some of my favorite g4u creations : matcha mask . nettle + horsetail lf infusion + glow stick (a special edition in 2011)

good4you herbal salve GIVEAWAY

a rainbow collection of good4you salves !

hibiscus shimmer lip tint
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simple lip tint
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not feelin' hot salve 

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ginger shimmer salve
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chickweed salve
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matcha tea lip balm

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coconut shimmer salve

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i make a variety of salves now ! from make up to some meggaaa skin lovin' . time to treat u all to a giveaway !

to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like more entries, please join my Facebook, twitter and/or tumblr (please post again here for each one after joining) . you can have up to 4 chances to win !! contest ends november 11th, where one winner will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a good4you salve of ur choice ! please check back near mid november to see if you're a winner ! please claim your prize by emailing me at good4youherbals at gmail . com . if you have any questions, ideas or just want to drop a line... my email is good4youherbals @ gmail.com . much ♥♥♥ geko

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4 year etsy birthday special !

hello everyone !! ♥ counting down to my 4 year etsy birthday, i offer u guys two specials in great thanks : type ROSEHIPS in the 'coupon code' box when checking out to receive 30% off ur entire order till aug 21st ! u can also receive a free rose.rhodiola.root.honey.tonic with every 20.oo purchase while supplies last... please type ROSEROOT in the 'message to seller' box when checking out ...please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery on all orders . happy summer ♥♥

(pictured above is staghorn sumac flowers, wild grapes, echinacea flowers and rosehips all gathered here on cape cod)

all about queen anne's lace

authored by geko

queen anne's lace (Daucus carota), also known as wild carrot, is one of my favorite plants that grow wild . she is currently in her flowering stage right now, abundantly lacing the fields . her amazing little blossoms are so eye catching, that she seduces us with her flowering stage purpose ... 

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when identifying queen anne's lace, she is not to be confused with one of her look alikes, poison hemlock . the way to tell the different is first by the stems . queen anne's lace has hairy legs, poison hemlock does not . queen anne's lace also has a distinctive carrot smell to her . i am most familiar with using her roots, flowers and seeds . that is what i will tell u all about in this post . 

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in the springtime and fall, u can totally dig up the roots and eat them, just like a carrot ! the carrots themselves are white, and a little tougher than the regular orange carrots we grow . i like to call them survival food . it is best to harvest them when the energy of the plant goes back to the earth ... hence the spring and fall . i like to chop up the roots and have them in stir fry ... 

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now on to the flowers and seeds , my favorite part . the mature seeds themselves are known for being used as a natural contraceptive . i have also found that the flowers and fresh green seeds are also wonderful for this purpose as well . a folk remedy for a 'morning after pill' was chewing up about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of the seeds and swallowing, about 8hrs after intimacy . this is totally still true today ! but u don't want to wait more than 24 hrs to do this . with the modern times today, we can use a tincture form of this remedy for the same purpose ! wild carrot seed tincture is starting to become popular as a natural contraceptive . i am so excited to be a part of this movement

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how to make queen anne's lace tincture : it's pretty simple ... i like to use a 80 proof vodka (40% alcohol) ... some might argue to go for a higher proof, but for the flowers and seeds, i think a 80 proof is fine . i just pick the entire flower head, or flower head of seeds for use . there are two methods i will describe . one for the flowers and seeds, or the easier, for the seeds only... first, go out into the wild and pick the flowers, then a a week or two later the fresh green seeds, and then a week later the mature seeds . the second method is to make it easier on urself and just pick the amazing seeds when the flower goes into a 'cup like' form. i feel it resembles a woman's uterus, and the seeds themselves are a spindly labyrinth for fertilization not to occur . if u choose to do all three stages of the blossoms (flowers, fresh green seeds, mature brown seeds), then u can constantly add them to ur jar of vodka . with the blossoms in the first week, i fill a big huge mason jar with as much of them as i can ... i then submerge them in alcohol, fill all the way to the top . when the fresh green seeds are ready to be picked, i strain out the flowers and add the fresh green seeds to that same alcohol . i do the repeat the process in another week or so for the mature seeds . i let the mature seeds do the longest tincturing, because they are the toughest and have potentially the most goodness we are after for the purpose described .

 if u are just going to use the mature seeds , fill a jar with the freshly picked plant material to the top, then pour in ur vodka (or any alcohol of ur choice) all the way to the top and seal . i like to let the mature seeds tincture for about 3 weeks +, but i also just check to see if all the plant material has lost its color (being extracted into the liquid fully) .... when u believe it's ready, strain it out and there u go ! i'd say about a pint size mason jar is all u need for a personal year supply . the way to tell if u made an effective wild carrot seed tincture, is if the tincture smells like carrots !

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how to use queen anne's lace as a natural contraceptive : i have been using queen anne's lace tincture for over 5 years and have had great success, no babies yet ! (i am not ready in this stage of my life) ... the key is to become ur own herbalist and really get to know ur moon cycle . there are specific times of the month, we as women, are more fertile than other times . usually two weeks before we get our period, is the most fertile time , remembering to use this tincture becomes more important here . but anytime of the month, i like to use about a dropper full of this tincture around 8hrs after intimacy . the 16th and 24th hour marks, are also ok, but this is incase of mega pleasure on the man's side ;) ... i also caution not to use this tincture more than about 2 to 3 times a week, i believe it looses potency and therefore can increase the risk of not being effective i.e. pregnancy . 

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using queen anne's lace is recommended to be ur only form of a contraceptive . mixing it with the pill is a no no . there has been cases that women experience changes due to some hormonal effects from this plant . if u experience mega shifts in ur mood, or it disrupts ur moon cycle ... queen anne's lace might not be for u . but this is usually for only a small percentage of the woman who have tried it . what this amazing plant does for women, is make the uterus slippery so fertilized eggs can't stick ♥♥ . a few hours after taking the tincture, u might notice a discharge from ur sacred area ! it means queen anne's lace is doing her job . u can learn more about ur moon cycle by charting it . here is an amazing herbal moon chart for sale by thyme herbal ... 

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as far as full release ♥♥ during intimacy, personally, i am not sure . although the wild carrot seed study is based off of this information and some in my close circle, have backed up its effectiveness in this respect . i am personally extra cautious in this stage of my life, but when i get closer to wanting to start a family, i think i will experiment using queen anne's lace and allow my partner to go nuts ♥♥ . this study by robin rose bennet, has some truly amazing information on using this plant as a natural contraceptive and i always recommend cross referencing material when studying herbal medicine . here is even further notes on her study . i also took an amazing class with mischa schuler, of wild carrot herbs! , who co-lead the wild carrot seed study . both mischa and robin, i believe, are two of the main wise women who have the latest and greatest information on using wild carrot seed as a natural contraceptive

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 i believe queen anne's lace tincture has the ability to empower women, and is a gateway for taking one's health into their own hands . the sister zeus blog has an amazing introduction to queen anne's lace, as well as some other amazing plants we can utilize on our womanly journey 

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if u have any questions, don't hesitate to email me ... this is one of the main plants i will work for and help others with in this lifetime : good4youherbals (a) gmail.com

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new GIVEAWAY ! herbal shimmers salves

it's time for another giveaway ! so excited to be giving away some of my new herbal shimmers ! i magically made them as the sun set . the colors of the sky touched each salve as the sun sunk beneath the trees . with the shimmers of the water, the sparkle could not be forgotten... 

with the clearness and crispness of the day, i wanted to capture it in an all white salve . coconut and the ultra freshness of mint, sang to me as i infused them in vegan wax . i created a coconut shimmer salve in a 2oz large tin form without peppermint, for a clear splash of sparkle for the skin, anywhere on the body . it also has amazing organic meadowfoam seed oil for an extra umph of skin loving . i also made a smaller version of it (without the peppermint), i have yet to release . however, the magic of mint could not escape this recipe . i created a mini 1/4oz tin of coconut mint shimmer for the lips . either one captures the morning dew and the sea mints of clear shimmery dreams 

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as the afternoon settled in, the warm comfort of ginger entered my visions . this was one of my favorite creations of this bunch . i used golden hues of mica to sparkle the magic softness of organic unrefined shea butter and organic meadowfoam seed oil . i created both a large 2oz size (i have yet to release) and a mini 1/4oz tin of this creation, ginger lip and body shimmer . with this salve of the heavens, i transport to a dream of being on an ancient egyptian papyrus boat sailing down the nile river ! ginger shimmer reawakens queen cleopatra and her golden chamomile dunes

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to capture a calendula sunbeam, i created an apricot shimmer salve with calendula flowers, late in the day . with loads of organic apricot kernel oil and a splash of peachy mica ... this shimmer salve complements the peachiest of people . it makes an amazing face highlighter to bring the summer day into the night . i created it in both the cute 1/4oz lip size and the larger 2oz blush size

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the happy pink roses dance in the windy conclusion of the day . organic rosehips oil and rosey mica make rose lip shimmer one of my muses . this creation will also be available in a blush size ... an amazing addition to anywhere u'd like some rosey sparkle . rosey salve is reminiscent of the beach rose petals i picked all june, which sadly, its season is coming to a close .

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how could summer exist without the bronzing hues of the sunset ? i created this bronzing shimmer salve to capture the golden copper rings of the sun . in both a large 2oz tin size and a mini 1/4oz tin size, you can highlight your summer tan in the sunset hours . 

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the sun has set, and the beautiful rays of the sky become a painting ... i had to manifest one of my favorite creations of the bunch ! hibiscus shimmer is an amazing herbal lip tint and blush for the summer ! i tried to create an all natural neon-ish tint that is super eye catching and totally herbal . this creation features luxurious organic unrefined jojoba oil for extra skin loving ! i added super glittery mica, as if the sparkling waters made their way into these tins ! hibiscus shimmer captures red wade .
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these herbal shimmer salves are sure to bring the hues of the sunset, the hues of the day, to makeup life !

to enter the giveaway :: please join this blog and leave a comment on this post . if you would like more entries, please join my Facebook, twitter and/or tumblr (please post again here for each one after joining) . you can have up to 4 chances to win !! contest ends july 23th, where three winners will be randomly selected out of a hat to win a 1/4oz tin size of anyone of these shimmers ! please check back near the end of july to see if you're a winner ! please claim your prize by emailing me at good4youtea at gmail . com . if you have any questions, ideas or just want to drop a line... my email is good4youtea @ gmail.com . much ♥♥♥ 

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