Flowers, Friends and Fix ups

So many lovers find each other through friends or a fix up. Well, what happens when your love is a flower? Okay, well, I have a lot of loves, but my love for flowers and creating remedies with them has often come when a friend introduced me to their favorite remedy or helped me through a tough time.

I was first introduced to Calendula by my friend Fay, who had been managing severe psoriasis. She found Calendula helped with the pain, inflammation, and hastened skin recovery. I turned to Calendula many times to help me with allergic and damaged skin for myself and my family. I am so grateful I found the gift of Calendula. It helped me care for my Mom's very delicate, aging skin and even helped her paper-thin skin regenerate, becoming healthier and more resilient, even in her 80’s.

My love for Calendula has just grown, and so has my relationship to the many ways I can bring it into my life. I find myself using the Calendula flowers fresh or dried in teas, sprinkling it in salads, and baking Calendula cookies. It is gentle, soulful, and nourishing for skin and body. The crazy thing is, I often found it to be a scarcely known but a wonderful and loving friend.

Arnica and I have a long history. When I needed surgery, my dear friend D.B. showed up with a handful of Arnica pills. Insisting I take Arnica before and after my procedure to reduce bruising, inflammation, and overall healing time. I kept finding different formulas, with my favorite being Arnica oil. Wanting to share how well Arnica has accompanied me and supported me through many challenging twists and falls, I have insisted on sharing this amazing floral remedy with everyone in my life circle. (A small caution do not use Arnica directly in open skin wounds.)

Studying herbalism was my natural progression to finding these Floral Allies. My dear friend, Judith encouraged me after introducing me to Ginger and Turmeric as powerful anti-inflammatories to aid my daughter's recovery from an autoimmune condition. As foods, these herbal powerhouses aid many of my body's maladies. I love finding the many recipes that are possible to add ginger and turmeric to, pairing them with coconut milk and black pepper for better absorption. They are truly some of the best supoorters of wellness, and I incorporate them into cooking and smoothies to feel my best. In top;ical formulas I feel the embrace of their anti-inflammatory properties as calming to the body‘s aches and pains.

Foraging with friends has taught me to incorporate my love for Dandelion, Wild Rose, Violet, and Elder Flowers just some of my favorite floral loves. More to follow on how to bring these wonderful, nurturing flowers into my life and yours.

Recipes to follow of my favorite and most loved floral wellness combinations for body, beauty, and life.