Wax and Bubbles

Rosemary contains about a dozen antioxidants, which makes scientist believe it could be an effective cancer fighter. Initial studies have show some promise in the cancer fight. When researchers at the University of Illinois fed rosemary extract to rats exposed to dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA), a carcinogen known to cause breast cancer, both tumors and DNA damage decreased. In another study, Penn State experts fed rats a two-week diet with 1 percent rosemary (the same powdered rosemary you can find at any grocery store or health food store), the rats were then exposed to DMBA. Compared with a control group, the rosemary rats saw a 76 percent reduction in the number of instance where DMBA bound to mammary cells, the first step in tumor formation.

Rosemary may even help limit your exposure to some forms of cancer. There is a result of testing that found that cancer causing heterocyclic acid (HCA) levels could be reduced by adding rosemaryinis acid and carnosic acid, two rosemary antioxidants, to ground-beef before cooking it. HCAs can form when beef, pork, poultry, and fish are barbecued, broiled or fried at high temperatures.

Every garden should include a rosemary bush. Rosemary is more than just a random plant growing in your garden, it has beneficial pleasures for your mind and soul.

Grow your own to add to your cooking or to add to your own beauty products, here’s what you need to do:

1. Rosemary is a perennial evergreen that grows to 4 to 5 feet. It thrives in full sun and very well-drained soil.

2. Since rosemary seeds are slow to germinate, begin in a pot first and once they are well-grown, transplant to a permanent place within your own garden area.

3. You can take a two-inch cutting, remove the leaves from the bottom inch, and plant in a container of dampened, sterile seed starting mix such as peat moss or perlite. Place in a warm spot with indirect sunlight and mist daily, making sure the soil doesn’t dry out at all. In about two to three weeks, test for root growth by gently tugging on the cutting. Once they have the roots, transplant into individual pots about three to four inches in diameter until full growth has happened.

• Make your own Rosemary Salve:

4 oz. sweet almond oil
1 oz. beeswax
2 oz. water
10 drops Vitamin E oil
10 drops rosemary essential oil

Melt the oil and the wax in a double boiler, Remove from heat, add water, and stir thoroughly.
Add your Vitamin E, essential oil and stir continuously until cool. The mixture should be creamy but pour able. Pour immediately into a container with a lid. Use on rough, dry or even callused skin when necessary.

You can easily grow sage and use it’s benefits within your own home everyday. Some of the most common sage varieties are:

Purple Hybrid Sage (Salvia xsuperba): one of the best member of the genus thrives as a hardy perennial (up to Zone 4) and actually performs better in cooler climates. Has an abundant of colorful flowers, a compact growth habit and a reasonable adaptability to varying growing conditions.

Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans): Its leaves smell exactly like pineapple when gently rubbed with the fingers. In its native habitat of central Mexico, pineapple sage grows at altitudes of 6,000 to 9,000 feet, but you don’t need to line on a mountaintop to grow it easily in your own garden or flowerbed.

Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha): Is a standout in any garden. Every part of the plant seems designed for maximum beauty. The velvety, intensely purple flower spikes; the white, softly hairy stems; and the dark grayish-green leaves with white undersides.

Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea): A tall, impressive plant that grows its violet, blue and pinkish-white flowers on large, multi-branched stems. In early summer, when clary sage blooms, it is the dominant plant in any garden or flower bed.

Sages essential oil is more popular among body products is used in a lot of every day products we all commonly use everyday. Clary Sage is the most popular used and has antidepressant, anticonvulsive, antispasmodic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, digestive, emmenagogue, euphoric, hypotensive, nervine, sedative, stomachic, uterine and nerve cleansing properties.

Make these body products today and take advantage of sages great benefits.

• Clary Sage Sea Salt Body Scrub:

½ cup Sea Salt
4 Tbsp Grape seed Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Baking Soda
5-6 drops of Clary Sage Essential Oil

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Standing in bath tub, wet hands and apply mixture, (using small circular motion) starting with feet and work upwards towards the neck. Fill bath tub with warm water and add essential oils.
Relax for at least 15 minutes allowing skin to absorb ingredients.

• Clary Sage Body Salve:

4 tbs. carrier oil Jojoba, Apricot, or even Shea butter
3 to 4 tsp. of dried Clary Sage
1 tbsp Beeswax pellets
1 tsp Vitamin E oil
20 drops of Clary Sage Essential Oil

Gently heat oil on low heat until warm. Stirring constantly, do not allow to boil, Remove from heat and add herbs to oil, and stir with a wire whisk very quickly. Cover and allow to cool completely. Strain oil from herbs. Add the essential oil now and stir quickly again with the wire whisk.

Combine infused oils and beeswax together in a *double boiler until wax melts. Remove from heat when melted. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Pour into containers, allow to cool completely before use.

Lavender has a soothing property to it in oil, or dried bud form. Just one smell and you immediately feel more relaxed with the world and what’s going on around you. Making a lotion to use during these occasions or just having a salve for when your hands are dry. It is a great way to cure the blues and heal those happed hands.

What you will need:
• 10-15 drops lavender essential oil

• 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers (either grow your own or pick them up at any health food store or herb specially shop)

• 4 tbs. grated beeswax or beads

• 1 cup light olive oil

• Double boiler

• Glass measuring cup

• Cheesecloth

• Storage container with a tight fitting lid

Pour 1 cup olive oil into the top of a double boiler. Add 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers. Gently heat olive oil and lavender flowers over simmering water for about 15 minutes. While you are waiting, cover the measuring cup with a piece of the cheesecloth and secure it with a thick rubber band.

Remove the olive oil mixture from the heat. Carefully strain through the cheesecloth into the measuring cup. When most of the oil has been filtered through the cheesecloth, remove the rubber band and gather the cheesecloth up and squeeze as much of the oil out of the lavender flowers as possible. Using latex gloves or kitchen cleaning gloves will help control the oil on your hands. If you do the squeezing with no gloves on your will need plenty of paper towels around because your hands will be covered in oil.

Place the measuring cup in the double boiler. Using a glass or plastic dropper, carefully add 10-15 drops of the lavender essential oil. Add 4 tbs. of the grated beeswax beads. Stir over simmering water until melted. After it has been completely combined with the oil and lavender mixture pour your finished oil mixture into your containers. Place in the refrigerator for several minutes. If it is too hard add more olive oil, if it is too soft add more beeswax. Let it harden for about 2 hours.

This recipe makes about 1 cup of salve

This salve is an excellent treatment when applied to bruises, superficial skin irritations, and even minor inflammation. Do not apply this salve to open wounds or skin areas that have become infected.

You need:

• 4 small sterilized jars. Placing the jars and the lids, with the rubber seal removed into boiling water for 5 minutes will sterilize the jars and lids completely.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil-any brand will do, but try to look for 100%, or organically grown olive oil.

• Ground Ivy-this can be found at a specialty herb shop or a health food store in the spice aisle. Look for organic and 100%. Do not buy ground ivy that has been added to something else. You won’t get the same effect.

• Elderflowers-Same as above, can be found at a health food stores or specialty herb shop. Even online.

• Plantain Leaves-Learn more about plantain leaves and their great benefits to the body here.

• Chickweed Stems, leaves and flowers-Buy chickweed steam, leaves and flowers here or at any specialty herb shop or health food store nationwide.

• Beeswax

Fill each of the jars with one of the herbs above halfway to the top of the jar. Completely cover the herb with virgin olive oil, leaving about a 1/2 to 1-inch at the top. Cover with a piece of wax paper and cap the jar tightly. Let each herb sit for about 4 to 6 weeks while they ferment. (Your final product will be more effective if you have a separate herbal oil for each herb, rather than one infusion with all four combined together in the same jar.)

When the olive oils are fully infused, pour them into a double boiled over low heat and let it heat thoroughly, do not boil this liquid or it will scorch. Slowly mix in the beeswax, use 2 tbs. of the beeswax for each cup of oil used. Mix until thoroughly combines. To test your salve for the desired thickness, spoon out a small amount, let it cool down slightly, and rub it with your fingers. If you are wanting a thicker salve, add more of the beeswax, if your salve is too thick, simply add more olive oil.

Pour your salve into the small, sterilized container and let them cool completely. If you add the lids to them while they are hot, the heat will seal the jar lids so you can give them as gifts. If it is for your personal first aid kit, let the salve cool completely before placing the jar lids on. Store ins a cool spot out of the direct sunlight, for it will melt the beeswax within the salve.