Tis the Season for Elder Berry Syrup and Extract

The bulk herbs are 5% off in December. I tend to stock up on a few each time. This time of year a great one to get is Elder Berry!  Elder Berry has a history of fighting infections including influenza, herpes, viral infections and bacterial infections. Use it to make a great tasting extract that everyone in your family will love. Extracts are easy to make and alcohol extracts last years if stored in a cool dark place. Elder Berry is also available in bulk, extract and capsules, scroll down a bit to see the choices on the link.

Make a kid-friendly Elder Berry Syrup

• 1/2 cup dried Elder Berries
• 3 cups distilled water
• 1 cup honey

Instructions

1. Place the berries in a saucepan and cover with water.
2. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat.Smash the elderberries using a potato masher.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.
5. Stir in 1 cup of honey (or more or less to your taste).
6. Bottle the syrup in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator, keeps for 3 months.

    I would purchase a full pound of the Elder Berry and make a batch of syrup and use the rest to make an alcohol extract. The alcohol can always be simmered off later and add honey or glycerine to sweeten. The extract will last years if stored in a cool dark place.

Now is the time to stock up on your winter needs. Order online at Herbs First or call 801-228-1901 to place your order today!

Have a great month!
Kathryn

Essential Oils for Christmas

The Holiday Season from Thanksgiving and Christmas and on through the New Year (if not longer) is diffusing season! Most families have people coming and going, and if you have kids in school or work a job, or go out shopping - you are exposed to sick people! The best way to keep from getting the illnesses that are rampant are to wash your hands often and keep your immune system high! No one likes to hear that sugar suppresses your immune system, but it does! Be wise with your sugar intake this time of year and if you have symptoms coming on stop eating it altogether!

            Everyone loves the smell of a live Christmas tree and the scents of the foods cooking with spices. You can diffuse these scents into the air and help your family be protected from the germs that spread in the air and around them. I like to use Advanced Aromatherapy Diffuser which is a nebulizer type diffuser that uses the oils straight from the bottle. They put very small particles of healing essential oils into the air and all around the room – I like using oils that are anti-viral anti-bacterial and antiseptic.

            Christmas Joy contains orange, cinnamon, and spruce essential oils.  These three oils are anti-viral anti-bacterial and antiseptic and also relieve anxiety and lifts the emotions. Such a great blend to use during the Christmas season and any time of the year!

            X-Plague has been my main go to oil any time I feel anything coming on. It contains Cloves, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus radiata and Rosemary. This blend is highly anti-viral and antiseptic to help protect the body from the onset of flu, E-coli, colds, sore throats and more. A great one to diffuse for the scent and protection!

            Many single oils such as Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Clove, Fir, Orange, Pine, Peppermint and Spruce are great oils to diffuse for the scent as well as health benefits.

Now is the time to stock up on your winter needs. Order online at Herbs First or call 801-228-1901 to place your order today!

Have a great month!
Kathryn

What do you do for diarrhea and cramping?

My husband Don and I had an interesting night this week. We went to bed feeling fine, but soon enough we weren’t feeling well. Don got up several times cramping and then finally had diarrhea, and I had been feeling the cramping in my gut and was unable to sleep. I finally decided we must have eaten something that didn’t sit right with us and had Don take the Dr. Christopher’s Soothing Digestion which is Slippery Elm and Licorice. This formula aids the body in normalizing the gastrointestinal tract and has always been a great one for us to take for those sudden bouts of diarrhea that crop up from time to time. It is one of the formulas to help people overcome candida and leaky gut syndrome.

I was feeling pain throughout my gut and decided to use Garden Essence Oils Digestion Oil on my entire abdomen. We both likely ate the same thing that caused the problem and since I didn’t have diarrhea I decided to use the oil because it has worked well for me in the past.  Amazingly just one dose for both of us did the trick and we were able to settle down and sleep through the night.

Another good choice for stomach discomfort from slightly off food is Bentonite Clay. Mix a tablespoon of the clay in water and drink it down. I know it sounds weird to eat clay or dirt, but it helps pull out the bad stuff and replenishes minerals too! Had we used the Bentonite Clay I know it would have done the job as well. We keep the clay in dry form and wet form. Learn more about how to use Benyonite Clay on our blog. 

It’s nice to have a few natural remedies on hand to choose from for a diarrhea and stomach problems. In the past I would have been in distress all night and gotten no sleep. One dose did the trick and that is affordable medicine to have on hand for a time of need!

We carry the full line of Dr. Christopher, Western Botanicals and Garden Essence Oils product lines. These are the best that I have ever found. There are a lot of products out on the market and when you go to other sites and they carry so many brands that it is confusing to know what to use and you know that  they are just in it for the money. 

We use and love the products at Herbs First, and know what they are used for! Please call me if you need any help and would like to place an order. We love talking to our customers! 

You can order online at Herbs First or call in your order at 801-228-1901.

Have a great month!
Kathryn

Cold and Flu Season IS HERE!

Flu and colds  seem to be getting more and more rampant. From the first day of school back in August we began hearing about droves of children being sick. When the kids get sick at school they bring it home to the parents and the rest of the family. This is becoming a never-ending cycle. The best line of defense is adding more fruits and vegetables, and eliminating processed foods from your diet. Processed foods are what brings about a low immune system and the cycle of sickness. Fruits and vegetables bring healing!

Herbs aid in helping to build the immune system up so that our own body will easily be able to fight off the invaders We keep a variety of herbs and essential oils on hand so that in the event we feel some symptoms coming on we can treat it quickly and avoid getting sick. 

A favorite to put on the kids in the morning as they are getting ready for school is Dr. Christopher's Glandular Massage Oil with Garden Essence Oils X-Plague mixed in. To one bottle of Glandular Massage Oil add 40 drops of X-Plague into the bottle. Put a few drops on your hands and rub it into the bottom of feet and into the glands at the top of the neck. This is an easy and affordable way to help keep people from succumbing to illness, and has aromatherapy benefits as well! Diffuse X-Plague during the winter months too!

Other great oil blends that help the immune system that are antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal are Cleansing, Immuboost, Immune and 3 in 1.  

We have many herbal formulas available to help keep you and your family healthy during the year. Choose several to have on hand, as the body gets immune to using the same formula all the time.

Kid-e-Mune- Dr. Christopher’s formula was designed to enhance the body’s ability to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses. Give at the first sign of a sniffle and for a few days, along with using the Glandular/X-Plague blend above.

 
Kid-e-Well – aids the body with seasonal changes & helps support immune health.

Super Garlic Immune Formula – Dr. Christopher’s formulated the Anti-Plague formula and it is available only in liquid. It tastes oh so bad, but is oh so good for the boosting immune system and killing off all the yuk that is going on.

Immu-Defense – Western Botanicals version of Anti-Plague available in syrup and capsules! The capsules are so great, because there are lots of people that can't handle the taste and can now have the benefits of this amazing formula!

Echinacea and Goldenseal - Formulated to lend support to the body's immune system through its antiviral and antibacterial actions. Available in Dr. Christopher’s capsules and extract, and Western Botanicals extract and syrup.

 
Elderberry - is especially valued for its enhancement if immune function and ability to inhibit disease.

Immune System Formula – the herbs in the Immune System Formula have been used for thousands of years as tonics for preventative health care. Used on a daily basis it helps to strengthen the immune system and guard against invaders.

Immune Boost – Western Botanicals formula that strengthens your immune system to better fight off viruses, and infections, and increases the number of immune cells in your body. Available in capsules, extract and syrup.

Immune Tea – for people who prefer to take their herbs in tea form, used to prevent or to fight the effects of viral infections including colds and flu.

INF Formula – formerly Infection/Lymphatic Formula. Dr. Christopher's time tested INF formula supports the body's lymphatic system which is helpful to promote overall health.

Lung and Bronchial Formula – especially helpful to people susceptible to lung problems. Take with INF if infection is present. Available in capsules and extract.

Nature's 'C' Complex: Western Botanicals blended a combination of herbs and fruits known to be high in vitamin C content. This is not a compressed extract powder pill, but vitamin C in a whole food, as nature intended.

Respiratory Massage Oil and Respiratory Syrup – especially helpful for asthma, colds and flu, and is very useful in expelling mucus from the respiratory system.

Goldenseal Combination – formerly Flu & Virus formula, contains four of the most common herbs used for combating the ills brought on by winter weather. Available in capsules and syrup.

Herbal Throat Soothe - will help settle a cough and soothe a sore throat while facilitating a faster recovery. Available in syrup and spray.

Very Berry Tea – a wonderful blend of Red Raspberry, Hibiscus, Elder berry, and Cranberries is a delicious immune building tea.

Chest Formula - Dr. Christopher's Chest Formula is full of herbs that supports the body's immune system & is great for the cold season.

Cold Season Formula - Dr. Christopher's Cold Season formula aids the body with seasonal changes and helps support immune health.

Now is the time to stock up on your winter needs. Order online at Herbs First or call 801-228-1901 to place your order today!

Have a great month!
Kathryn

Remember Lavender Essential Oil

    My husband and I went to Mexico last month for our 40th Anniversary trip and I try to pack small amounts of herbs and oils that we might need just in case. We ended up going to Xel Ha which is an amazing outdoor park. We rode bikes and floated down a river, hiked and swam all day. This place is on the Mexican Rivera which is a rain forest area. We were wet all day and the bugs decided that we tasted pretty good!
    We got back to our resort and I got into my bag of herbs and oils and found that I had no Lavender oil, yikes! It didn't surprise me, but I was oh so sad. You see, I just can't stand the smell of Lavender. I refused to use it for years because I just didn't like it. Knowing what a good oil it is I finally started using it about two years ago, and am becoming accustomed to the smell.
    Sad day for us, but we only had one day left before we headed home. The bites were itchy but we survived. First thing getting home we both went for the Lavender oil and oh sweet relief! By morning the bites were about gone!
    Lavender is great for so many things and I'm so happy that I was brave enough to start using it! Not only is is good for bug bites and stings, but is also a repellent to bugs! It is great for burns including sunburns! It is a great sleep aid, rub it on your feet at night, or put a few drops on your pillow, or rub across your brow and the insides of your wrists.
    Lavender is calming and is helpful for nerves and anxiety issues. It is helpful for acne and helps heal the scarring from it. Lavender is a pain reliever, use on sore muscles, and arthritic joints. Good for respiratory problems, rub on the chest front and back, diffuse into the room, or inhale from the bottle!
    Best of all, Lavender is a very affordable oil! Lavender is a must have oil for every household! If you don't know what oil to use for something, try Lavender! 
    Order online or by phone 801-228-1901!

Have a great month!
Kathryn

Comparing Western Botanicals formulas to Dr. Schulze Formulas

Many people have been very pleased with the Western Botanicals Formulas that we have been selling for the last twelve years. Here is a customer comment:

"I was obviously delighted when you added Western Botanicals to your line. I instantly recognized them to be similar/same to the Schulze products I have taken for years. Also, I appreciate that they are more economical. So I just wanted you to know that I am very happy you have added them and wish you great success with this line."

We get phone calls often exclaiming how much they love this line of products.
Both Dr. Schulze and the owners of Western Botanicals learned from The School of Natural Healing.  If you have bought Dr. Schulze's products in the past but find them to be too expensive, then please compare the Western Botanicals Formulas. You will find them to be the same high quality at a more affordable price. We invite you to enjoy these great formulas.  Please be sure to compare the ingredients as the formulas may not be exactly the same.

Blood Detox Formula - Detox Formula
Brain Circulation Formula - Brain Formula
Colon Cleanse - Intestinal Cleanse #1
Colon Detox - Intestinal Cleanse #2
Colon Cleanse Syrup - Intestinal Cleanse #3
Deep Heat Oil - Deep Tissue Oil
Earth's Nutrition - Superfood
Essential Aircare (Eucalyptus Blend) - Air Detox
Female Balance Formula - Female Formula
Ginseng Plus - Super Ginseng Formula
Heart Formula - Heart Formula
Herbal Anti-Septic - Anti-Infection Formula
Herbal Mouthwash Concentrate = Tooth & Gum
Herbal Super Tonic - Super Tonic
Kidney/Bladder Formula - KB Formula
Kidney/Bladder Tea - KB Tea
Liver/Gallbladder Formula - LG-AP
Liver Detox Tea - Detox Tea
Nerve Calm Formula - Nerve Formula
Sensual Enhancement Formula - Male Formula

Most links above are the 2 oz alcohol extracts. Most formulas are available in capsules, syrup and alcohol extract 2 oz and 4 oz. Click on the related items link on the item page you are on to bring up the other sizes.

Order online or call 801-228-1901 to order. 

Have a healthy and happy month,
Kathryn Mechling