Donna’s Blog

Mango Scrub

On October 31, 2009   /   Recipes   /   Comments Off on Mango Scrub

58gms mango butter 25mls coconut oil (liquid) 2 tsp walnut shell powder or jojoba beads or pumice powder 8 drops may chang essential oil Melt mango butter and coconut oil together gently in double boiler until combined and melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool until just starting to thicken. Add walnut shell powder and mix until thickened to desired texture. Add may chang essential oil and place in containers. NOTE: the texture of this scrub may be altered by adding more of the walnut shell powder, or less – depending on how much exfoliation is required. May chang […]

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Coconut Lip Balm

On October 31, 2009   /   Recipes   /   Comments Off on Coconut Lip Balm

1 part aloe vera butter 1 part beeswax 1 part coconut oil (liquid) 10 drops coconut natural flavour Powdered stevia (to taste) In the top of a double boiler, gently heat aloe vera butter, beeswax and coconut oil until melted and well combined. Remove from heat, allow to cool, but not thicken – stir in enough stevia powder to taste (remember stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar – 1 pinch= 1 tsp of sugar). Then add your coconut flavour and pour into pots or lip balm tubes. These make great gifts. You could make them in chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch, […]

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Recipes For Incorporating Vegetable Butters

On October 31, 2009   /   Recipes   /   Comments Off on Recipes For Incorporating Vegetable Butters

LAVENDER BASIC BODY BUTTER ½ part beeswax 1 part shea butter ½ part cocoa butter 1 part sweet almond oil Essential oil of lavender Very gently melt beeswax, shea and cocoa butters together in top of a double boiler. Add sweet almond oil and heat all ingredients gently until well combined. Turn off heat and remove top boiler from water. Allow to cool slightly and pour into prepared pots. Add essential oil of lavender and stir until well combined. (do not cover pots until body butter is set.) BELLY BUTTER Good for stretch marks, pregnancy – to help prevent stretch […]

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Body Butter Ingredient Information

On October 31, 2009   /   Natural Skincare and Beauty   /   Comments Off on Body Butter Ingredient Information

The following butters may be added to almost any skin or body care product to improve moisturising, slip, texture, nourishment and for a soft, smooth buttery feel in certain products COCOA BUTTER Is one of the most commonly used butters, being relatively inexpensive overall, providing silken softness, lots of slip (so excellent in massage waxes.) cocoa butter softens and lubricates the skin, being most beneficial in eye balms, lip balms, lipsticks, eyelash creams, lubricating products, emollient creams and soaps. Cocoa butter is a solid fat, expressed from the seeds of the cocoa plant. A vegetable product suitable for vegan products. […]

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Cost Saving Healthy Recipes

On October 31, 2009   /   Recipes   /   Comments Off on Cost Saving Healthy Recipes

COUGH MIXTURE: 1 large tsp of organic linseed 30gm liquorice root – dried 115gm organic raisins Up to 115gm honey or brown sugar 1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar or lemon juice Put the linseed, liquorice and raisins into 9 litres of water and simmer until liquid is reduced by ½. Keep the lid on the pot and simmer gently. Then add, (after straining), although this is not necessary, the honey or brown sugar and the vinegar or lemon juice. Simmer just until well combined. Bottle and keep refrigerated. Drink when going to bed or whenever coughing starts. MACARONI PIE: […]

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Handy Hints

On October 31, 2009   /   Herbal Medicine and Health   /   Comments Off on Handy Hints

Ingrown Toenails If you suffer from ingrown toenails, cut a notch V – a v inwards, in the centre of the nail. This draws the nail up and inwards toward the centre, helping to prevent the nail growing inwards. To clean drains, sinks and pipes Pour ½ cup baking soda down drain or plug hole, then add ½ cup white vinegar and let the chemical reaction occur. Leave for awhile, and then pour some boiling water in. No nasty chemicals, cheap and good for the waterways. Seaweed Fertiliser Collect kelp from the beach, rinse and then place in a sack […]

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Minerals found in these dried herbs

On January 4, 2009   /   Herbal Medicine and Health   /   Comments Off on Minerals found in these dried herbs

Chickweed 400mg Calcium, 178mg Magnesium, 280mg Potassium, 140mcg Selenium, 8.5mg Iron, 40mcg Chromium Confrey Leaf 600mg Calcium, 24mg Calcium, 565mg Potassium, 40mcg Selenium, 0.4mg Iron, 60mcg Chromium Nettle Leaf 966mg Calcium, 286mg Magnesium, 583mg potassium, 70mcg Selenium, 1.4mg Iron, 130mcg Chromium Horsetail 630mg Calcium, 145mg Magnesium, 520mg Potassium, 40mcg Selenium, 4.1mg Iron, 10mcg Chromium MARSHMALLOW Marshmallow 272mg Calcium, 172mg Magnesium, 403mg Potassium, 110mcg Selenium, 3.8mg Iron, 50mcg Chromium (Pedersen 1994) As you will see from this list of just a few common herbs – their content is amazing. I have only listed some of the minerals here and have not […]

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Celery Seed For Pain

On December 18, 2008   /   Recipes   /   Comments Off on Celery Seed For Pain

This is a very old, inexpensive and simple remedy, suitable for many differing types of pain; celery is a rich source of potassium and magnesium, with the added benefits of keeping calcium in suspension in body fluids – minimizing deposition on and into soft tissue. Celery seed is also rich in sodium. When we can achieve optimum balance of sodium and potassium, rock like muscles can relax, ligaments can move fluids through more effectively and relaxation of both muscle and ligaments becomes more balanced. The result is simply – LESS PAIN! The herb lowers the bloodstream’s concentration of uric acid […]

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A few useful recipes

On October 14, 2008   /   Recipes   /   Comments Off on A few useful recipes

  Lemon Verbena Liquer 1/2 cup tightly packed lemon verbena leaves 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 2 cups sugar 4 cups vodka or brandy Place lemon rind and lemon verbena in a large jar with vodka or brandy and steep for 2 days, then add sugar and steep 3 more weeks, shaking daily. Then strain and filter and transfer to bottles. Age an additional 3 weeks. A Lovely Christmas gift! Sinusitis Tea 1 part Echinacea 1 part Lime/Linden 1 part Marshmallow 1 part Golden Rod Take 2 teaspoons to 1 cup water and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes keeping the […]

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Vegan Lip Balm

On October 14, 2008   /   Recipes   /   Comments Off on Vegan Lip Balm

5-6gm Macadamia Wax 20gm Cocoa Butter 10ml Jojoba Oil 25ml Castor Oil (not supermarket type, only cosmetic grade) 120ml Calendula Oil Flavour of choice or essential oil. Gently heat all ingredients, except flavour or essential oil in a double boiler until melted and well combined. Pour into hot, clean jug, then into tubes or pots then add flavour or essential oil.

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Some Hair Herbs…

On October 9, 2008   /   Natural Skincare and Beauty   /   Comments Off on Some Hair Herbs…

Stinging Nettle Vitamin and mineral rich herb that stimulates scalp circulation and promotes hair growth. Make a tea and use into natural shampoo base. Rosemary A powerful scalp conditioner and circulatory herb that is highly recommended for thinning and falling hair. Also useful for dandruff and dry scalp (some dandruff and dry scalp problems are the result of using the wrong shampoo). Cider Vinegar Although not a herb, herbs may be tinctured into this amazing substance. Organic Cider Vinegar extracts all the vitamins and minerals from the herbs and when used as a final hair rinse after shampooing and conditioning […]

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Herbal Cheese

On May 7, 2008   /   Recipes   /   Leave a comment

1 cup ricotta cheese 2 tblsp parmesan cheese 1 tblsp white wine 1 tsp tamari or increase white wine by same 1 tblsp chopped chives 1 tsp minced savoury (fresh or dried) 2 tsps minced herbs of choice (Basil, Thyme, Sage, Coriander) or a combination of. Mix ingredients together until well blended scrape into serving bowl – cover and chill at least one hour. Garnish with fresh herbs or chopped chives. This is a great spread for crackers or small sandwiches. For a dip, add extra wine.

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