Newsletter-April-2020

Greetings,

Welcome to April! We're into the fourth month of 2020. I was going to talk about Easter, or Ostera, which ever you celebrate, however I feel with the Corona Virus lurking about I need to talk about what you can use as an Anti-Viral. I have been posting all of March the different herbs you can use, I will list them here, and remind you we have Thieves oil, that you can use in your infuser to keep your air clean of bacteria and viral bugs.

Here is a list of a few Anti-Viral herbs;

Just to name a few. You can also use Colloidal Silver. That's all for this month.

Sincerely
The Editor

Also known as- Mentha spicata and seldom, Mentha spicata var. crispa, Common Mint, Garden Mint, and Silver Mint.

Overview

A hardy perennial mint with bright green serrated leaves, spearmint has served as an important medicinal herb for millennia. Originally native to the Mediterranean countries, it is now common in many parts of the world. The Bible records that the ancient Pharisees paid tithes to their Temple in anise, cumin and spearmint. The sixteenth century English herbalist Gerard quotes the Roman historian Pliny, "The smell of Mint does stir up the minde and the taste to a greedy desire of meate." Beginning in about the fourteenth century, spearmint was used for whitening teeth, and its distilled oil is still used to flavor toothpaste and chewing gum, although it is not as commonly used as peppermint.

Introduction

Spearmint has served as an important medicinal herb for millennia. The Bible records that the ancient Pharisees paid tithes to their Temple in anise, cumin and spearmint. The sixteenth century English herbalist Gerard quotes the Roman historian Pliny, "'The smell of Mint does stir up the minde and the taste to a greedy desire of meate." Beginning in about the fourteenth century, spearmint was used for whitening teeth, and its distilled oil is still used to flavor toothpaste and chewing gum.

Constituents

Very small amounts of essential oil containing about 50% carvone.

Parts Used

The leaf, dried and cut.

Typical Preparations
Taken as a tea and added to other herbal mixtures for flavor. Also used in some culinary creations.

The essential oil and hydrosol have also been used for both culinary and flavoring purposes.

Summary
Spearmint, like peppermint, is a digestive remedy. It relieves gas and stops gastrointestinal spasms. Unlike peppermint, spearmint is also diuretic.
Health Benefits of Spearmint

        Antibacterial Property
        Respiratory Health
        Aids in Digestion
        Hormonal Balance
        Improves Circulation
        Heart Health
        Stress Relief
        Antioxidant Properties

Precautions
Use peppermint, not spearmint, for gallbladder complaints.

Health benefits of Spearmint

1. Good for Digestive Upsets

Spearmint is commonly used to help relieve symptoms of indigestion, nausea, vomiting and gas. The compound (-)-carvone, which is naturally found in spearmint, has been shown to strongly inhibit muscle contractions in the digestive tract, which may explain how this herb helps relieve digestive upsets . This herb may also relieve nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.

2. High in Antioxidants Antioxidants are natural chemical compounds found in plants that help protect against and repair damage caused by free radicals, which are harmful molecules that can lead to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been linked to several chronic conditions, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes . Spearmint contains a large number of antioxidant compounds, including rosmarinic acid, flavones and flavanones like limonene and menthol.

3. May Aid Women With Hormone Imbalances For women with hormone imbalances, spearmint tea may provide relief.

Studies in women have shown that it can decrease male hormones like testosterone while increasing female hormones necessary for ovulation, such as luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol.

4. May Reduce Facial Hair in Women Drinking spearmint tea may help reduce hirsutism, or growth of dark, coarse hair on the face, chest and abdomen of women. In fact, it's a common herbal remedy for unwanted hair growth in Middle Eastern countries

High levels of male hormones, or androgens, are linked to an overgrowth of facial hair in women .

5. May Improve Memory There's some evidence that this herb may help improve memory.

6. Fights Bacterial Infections Spearmint is a popular flavoring agent in toothpaste, breath mints and chewing gums. However, it does more than freshen your breath -- it also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which may help kill the bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath.

7. May Lower Blood Sugar Spearmint tea may help lower blood sugar in people with diabetes.

8. May Help Reduce Stress Spearmint tea may help promote relaxation and reduce stress.

9. May Improve Arthritis Pain Spearmint may help relieve joint pain caused by arthritis.

10. May Help Lower Blood Pressure Spearmint may help lower high blood pressure.

11. Easy to Incorporate Into Your Diet Spearmint is easy to add to your diet. You can purchase spearmint in tea bags or as loose-leaf tea, or grow your own for brewing.

To make the tea at home:

Boil two cups (473 ml) of water.
Remove from heat and add a handful of torn spearmint leaves to the water.
Cover and steep for five minutes.
Strain and drink.

This herbal tea is delicious hot or cold. It's also caffeine- and calorie-free, making it a naturally sweet treat you can enjoy at any time of the day. While spearmint and its oil are likely safe to ingest in the amounts commonly found in food or tea, it's unknown whether pure spearmint oil taken by mouth is safe Undiluted use of spearmint oil may be irritating to the skin and mucous membranes.

Mint Ice Cubes

These are super easy to make and look so pretty in summertime beverages!

To make:

Pour a small amount of water in each section of an ice tray and place a mint leaf in each one.
Freeze until almost solid to hold the leaf in place, then pour more water in until the tray is filled.
Freeze again until solid then remove the cubes and add as a decorative accent to drinks.
Store in freezer bags until ready to use.

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Mint Sugar

Mint sugar can be used to sprinkle on cookies, muffins or sweet breads. You can use it to sweeten tea or roll grapes and other fruit in it, for an extra sweet snack. My favorite way though, is as a topping for buttery toast, instead of cinnamon and sugar. It's so yummy!

To make mint sugar you'll need:
1/3 cup of sugar
about 8 fresh mint leaves
Blend the sugar and mint together in a mini-food processor.

Use right away, or for longer storage, spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and let air dry overnight. Store in a small jar out of sunlight.

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Mint Iced Tea

This is so refreshing on a hot summer day! You can use any type of mint that you have on hand, but my favorite is spearmint.

To make mint iced tea:

Fill a jar with fresh mint leaves.
Pour simmering hot water over them, cover with a saucer and let steep until cool enough to handle.
Place the unstrained tea in the refrigerator and let it steep further for several hours or overnight. (This gives a really strong infusion.)
Strain, sweeten to taste and pour over ice cubes.

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Mint Tincture

Mint tincture can be used for upset stomach, motion sickness and is said to be an excellent cure for the hiccups!

To make:

Fill a mason jar with fresh mint leaves (jar size depends on how many leaves you've gathered up), then cover with an 80 proof or higher alcohol like vodka or brandy.
If you don't have fresh mint, use dried instead -- keeping a roughly 1 part dried herb to 5 parts alcohol ratio in mind. (My favorite place to buy dried herbs is CaerandDeesPlace.com.)
If the lid is metallic, place a layer of plastic wrap between the jar and the lid, to prevent corrosion.
Cap and store in a cool, dark place for 2 to 3 weeks before straining, shaking every day or two, as you remember.
Start with a dose of a few drops, increasing a bit, if needed. To treat my family, I mix with a spoonful of raw honey.

Aries: A Venus-Saturn trine on April 4 brings a steady vibe to your love life and financial affairs. Anything you start now will be focused on the long term. As a fire sign, you still get distracted by shiny things, but, overall, you're committed to doing what it takes to make things work.

Taurus: Your home planet Venus joins forces with intelligent Gemini on April 3, helping you take a logical approach to love and money. You get into trouble in both categories when you get too emotionally involved, and this pairing helps you take a step back and look at things from a slightly different (and more detached) perspective.

Gemini: Loving Venus enters your flexible sign on April 3, giving you lots of options regarding how you live your life. It*s nice to have choices, but are they getting in the way of you fully committing to just one thing? Long-term planning really isn't your strength, but the future will be here before you know it.

Cancer: You can strengthen your personal relationships during the Venus-Saturn trine on April 4. This transit gives you the opportunity to work through difficulties you might be having with a friend, partner, or extended family member and emerge with a stronger bond than you had before.

Leo: The Mars-Uranus square on April 7 gives you a strong urge to break free from whatever limitations you feel you've had lately and do something really wild. However, the Libra full moon at the same time helps you stay balanced and keeps you from doing something too far over the top. Whew!

Virgo: Your leader Mercury conjoins imaginative Neptune on April 3, allowing your thoughts to drift in and out of reality. At its worst, this transit twists your words, resulting in a lot of misunderstandings.

Libra: The duo of desirable Venus and diverse Gemini on April 3 offers you a world of possibilities. When it comes to love and finances now, expect to have more options than you've had recently. You could tend to get distracted easily during this transit, but variety can lead to good fortune..

Scorpio: The Venus-Saturn trine on April 4 is ideal for making long-term commitments both at work and in your personal life. This is a good time to sign contracts and do paperwork, but read the fine print very, very carefully. The last thing you want to do is put your name on something you didn't mean to agree to.

Sagittarius: The month starts out with a fortunate Jupiter-Pluto conjunction on April 4, giving you the drive you need to succeed with your current goals. The combination of intense effort and good luck works in your favor now, giving you the feeling that you can conquer just about anything that*s put in front of you.

Capricorn: A lot is possible as loving Venus trines your motivated power planet Saturn on April 4. It's an excellent time to make long-term investments in both money and romance, as well as recommit to any current assignments or items on your to-do list. You're determined to get things done, and it shows.

Aquarius: Love and money are just abstract ideas when Venus moves into versatile Gemini on April 3, or at least you'd like them to be. Your thoughts on these topics are all over the place, making it hard for you to focus on just one perspective. If anyone is expecting you to show up to an event, warn them in advance that you might be late!

Pisces: You start with your head high in the clouds as Mercury forms a conjunction to your power planet Neptune on April 3. Quite frankly, your dreams, visions, and imaginings range from whimsical to dark and intense now, but that*s okay because you don't have to tell anyone what you*re thinking about if you don't want to.

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