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The Beauty of Plants
(by Alexandra Heath - November 16, 2009)
Autumn is a lovely time of year--the vibrant reds, oranges and golds of the changing leaves, the bright orange squat pumpkins, the tans and creams and browns of drying foliage. What a feast for the eyes! What is even more exciting is that many of the vegetables, herbs and flowers harvested during the year can also make us beautiful.
Perhaps many of you know about placing cucumber slices on closed eyelids to ease the discomfort of tired, irritated eyes. Of course, lying down for five minutes or so is part of the “cure.” Many of us don’t get enough rest and taking care of ourselves is a good excuse to put our feet up and let out a big sigh. As part of your “end-of-the-year” pampering toolkit, you might try some of the following recipes.
If you’re out in the garden, gather up a bunch of plain ol’ garden sage. Sage does wonders for your hair, especially if you are a brunette. It darkens hair and covers gray—all without harsh chemicals or a trip to the salon. Just place a handful or so of sage in a glass jar (use a canning jar since it won’t crack from thermal stress) and fill the jar with hot water. Cap it and let it stand for 3-4 hours. Strain out the plant material and use the liquid as a hair rinse. The change to your hair is gradual and natural. And it costs a lot less than chemical treatments.
If you’re a blonde, use rosemary, another plain ol’ garden herb. You can prepare it in the same way as sage. It will brighten and lighten your hair and bring out the highlights.
Another herb that helps thicken and smooth hair is burdock. Although gathering the seeds from the plant is a bit of an adventure (burdock is similar to milk thistle and just as prickly), if you can collect a good handful, toss them in a glass jar, fill the jar with oil, olive oil is a good choice, but any light oil will do, and let it sit for two or three weeks. There is no need to keep it in the dark, but it does help to shake the jar occasionally to mix the ingredients. Then, strain out the seeds and bottle the oil. Rub a scant handful of the oil into your scalp. (I find that using a squeeze bottle with a pointed tip makes it easier to get the oil onto the scalp rather than throughout the hair.) Cover your hair with a hot towel and leave on for one hour. Then, wash and rinse your hair. Use this treatment weekly and you will gradually notice that your hair is becoming thicker and shinier.
Perhaps the best herb for overall nourishing and toning is stinging nettle. Fortunately, nettle only stings in the green stage; once dried it’s safe to handle without gardening gloves. Nettle is loaded with vitamins and minerals as well as a significant amount of protein. Use this herb inside and out for glowing health and good looks. Used internally, nettle is best prepared as an infusion. Take one ounce of dried nettle and place in a glass jar (a canning jar or one that won’t shatter), cover with boiling water, cap and set aside for three to four hours. Strain out the plant material and keep refrigerated until used. It will keep for up to a week in the frig. Drink several cups a day or, better yet, a quart a day!
Any leftover infusion can be used as a hair rinse. I use this myself and it is amazing how thick and full my hair feels after using a nettle rinse. You will want to leave it on your hair rather than rinsing it off. Your houseplants will love it as well, so feel free to use up any remaining infusion to water them.
These simple recipes using common garden herbs will help you make time for yourself during this busy holiday season—perhaps the best gift you can give yourself. And they will help you feel—and look—your best!
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