Winter Colds & Chills Stolen Away by the Robbers Clan

Winter is finally upon us here in New Jersey. After celebrating Yule and Christmas in short sleeves and sandals with temps in the mid 60's, the iciness of the season has hit home. With all of the temperature shifts and craziness of shopping, parties, dinners, and families, it's not surprising that many people find themselves fighting off colds.

There are certainly many things that can be done to help keep the nasty little buggies at bay. Washing your hands, obviously. Try desperately not to touch your face. Making sure to eat healthy and drink lots of fluids is extremely important. It's also imperative to make sure to clean the air and frequently touched surfaces. Viruses and bacteria can linger and wait until transferred to a new recipient - like you!

One of my favorites for winter is our Oil of the Robber Clan.  Not only is it wonderfully aromatic, the essential oil blend is created specifically to fight off the invisible fiends. There are many ways this concentrated blend can be used:

• Place a few drops in a diffuser to purify and cleanse the air.
  
• Fill a small spray bottle with white vinegar. Add 10 or so drops of Robbers oil. Shake well and use to clean and disinfect counters, sinks, doorknobs, etc.
  
• Put a quarter teaspoon in the dishwasher to help sanitize dishes.

The spiciness of clove essential oil encourages the immune system.  Red Thyme essential oil is a powerhouse anti-septic and disinfectant. Lavender is renown for it's  anti-bacterial properties. Lemon is - well lemon! Add in Rosemary, Lemongrass and several other essential oils and you've got a true legend - and an amazing way to scare away winter colds.

Put Out Cold Season with a litte Fire in Your Cider

Actually - it's a little fire in your apple cider vinegar.

For a number of years I've been studying about herbs and their power. About 15 years ago, I came across the well-known recipe from Rosemary Gladstar, a renown herbalist and healer, and in general a very cool lady. To tell you the truth, the recipe didn't sound very yummy, but it did sound mighty powerful to fight colds and sinus problems. So I gave it a shot. The original recipe for fire cider from Rosemary follows. 

• 1 part Garlic
  
• 1 part Horseradish
• 1 part Onions
• ½ part Fresh ginger
• Cayenne to taste (just a few grains will do)
• Honey to taste
• Apple Cider Vinegar.

Chop fresh garlic, onions, and grate the horseradish and fresh ginger. The amounts and proportions vary according to your particular taste. You can always adjust the flavors in future batches. Chop enough of the first four ingredients to fill a quart jar approximately half full. Put in wide mouth quart jar and cover with Apple Cider vinegar (keep vinegar about two to three inches above the herbs). Add cayenne to taste (just a small amount or will be too hot!). Let sit at least 4 weeks. Strain well, squishing out all the goodness, and discard spent herbs. Add honey to taste, 1/4 cup at a time (add the honey after you strain the rest of the herbs). Raw honey is best if you have it. Don't use store bought honey unless you are 100% sure it's real honey.

Fire cider should taste hot, spicy and sweet.

You can see Rosemary make her recipe here. Plus she explains the benefits of all the ingredients.

This is the way I first made my fire cider. There are lots of recipes available, and all have their own slight variation.

My recipe has changed over the course of time as well. I like to add a few cinnamon sticks, a handful of dried elderberries, a sliced orange &/or lemon, turmeric (I can never seem to find it fresh so I use a teaspoon of powdered), a dried thai dragon pepper or two, and extra ginger. Sometimes I'll add some astragalus root or licorice root.

Something else I do now - I store the infused fiery apple cider separately and add the honey as needed. One of the reasons I do that is to have the chance to use an assortment of infused honey's, depending on how I'm using my brew.

You'll find a number of ways to use fire cider in our newsletter. However, it's main use in our home is still to help battle those bugs of winter. I particularly use it when my sinuses are acting up.

This wonderful winter tonic is a remedy that was found in many kitchens in years past. With it's many uses, it's something that is easy, healthy and fun to make.

Protect That Fabulous Face

Winter is upon us - at least in a good portion of the country. Today there's a wonderfully fluffy snow storm going on. Looks so pretty, feels so icy when heading out to shovel or play. We all know the drill - bundle up, dress in layers, keep your hands and feet dry. If we're smart, we remember the lip balm to protect our delicate lips from moisture loss. Do we remember, though, to change up our face and skin moisturizers?


Here's a few tips to keep your skin safe and glowing throughout the winter:

• Keep it dry. Freezing temperatures will ice up moisture on your face, damaging and drying your skin. 
• But keep it moist...urized. Wear a moisturizer that's slightly heavier than you might normally, especially if you're going to be outside for any extended period of time. This will provide a buffer against the wind and cold. Our lotion bars are perfect for this kind of weather. They might be too heavy for your face, though. Try the Jazzy Lavender Body Butter. Thick, but whippy and refreshing. Whatever your choice, cover up before you go out. Then clean and remoisturize when you come in,
• When you wash your skin, use warm water, not hot. Hot water will actually dry your skin. I know, hot sounds lovely, but it will really damage more than help.
• Remember to exfoliate. You can use our sugar scrubs for your body, and our Honey Pumpkin Face Mask is wonderful for your face. It removes dead skin cells and opens up your skin to accepting good moisture.

Don't be afraid to get out there and ski, play or just walk the dog. But do it right and it will be easy to slip right into spring.

Flu Fighting

It seems to be a hot topic of conversation - how to prevent the flu, how to fight it if you've got it, who has it. Colds and flu are an inevitable part of winter. But there are ways to help keep the little beasties at bay. These are very simple, common sense things that we can all do with little effort.

• Wash your hands - often. It's a mantra you've heard over and over again, but it's a valid point. Wash you hands to be rid of germs and bacteria you pick up through out the day. If you're worried about over drying your hands, just keep a moisturizer like one of our Lotion Bars near by to keep hands clean - and soft.
  

• If you work in an office, wipe it down at least once a day. At my office, I wipe down my phone, keyboard, stapler, tape dispenser, mouse, desktop, pen, arm rest and anything else that not only I but others may have touched. I use a disinfectant wipe, or a little hand sanitizer on a napkin. I do this at least once a day - sometimes twice if it's been one of those hectic crazy days.
  

• Wipe it down at home too. At home, I have white distilled vinegar infused with mint and citrus. I use this to wipe down doorknobs, phones, keyboards, pens, cabinet handles, latches, remotes and other things we're all grabbing without thinking. Just be careful with electronics. I spray the dust cloth, not the keyboard.

• Use a tissue. Some people are handkerchief people. It has a certain convenience to it and is perfectly suitable for a single sneeze or a little wipe. But if you're fighting flu or flu season - go for tissues. And pitch them out as soon as they are used. There's nothing quite as yucky as a used tissue lying around on tables.

• Eat Right. Simple, and sensible. Adding beta-carotene rich foods (those orange colored goodies like orange-colored vegetables, including carrots, squash, pumpkins and sweet potatoes) have lots of vitamin C and help build your immune system.

• Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire - or in stew or salad. Chestnuts, those holiday gems fabled in song and story, are low fat and high fiber. They are and excellent source of potassium, folate, vitamins B6 and C, and bolster the immune system to fight infections and stave off the flu.

• Get your sleep. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night (8 is better) helps maintain your immune system and keeps your body working at it's best. After just 3 nights of reduced sleep, studies show your immune system function can drop as much as 60%. So go to bed.

And that's just what I'm going to do. After all, I don't want to catch the flu - I prefer to just talk about it.