Santa Rosa Holistic Health

04/22/2024

04/22/2024

04/22/2024

04/22/2024

04/22/2024

04/11/2024

Meet your lungs 🫁

The lungs are a pair of spongy pinkish-grey organs. They are located in the chest cavity, one on each side, under the rib cage.

Your lungs receive the air you inhale, deliver oxygen to the blood stream, and remove carbon dioxide from your body.

The lungs are part of the respiratory system, which also includes the airways (nose and nasal cavities, mouth, larynx, trachea, broncheal tubes and their branches), muscles associated with breathing, and all of the involved blood vessels. All of these must be in good working order for the respiratory system to function well.

Your lungs are often the first part of your body to come into contact with environmental pollutants, which can enter the lungs and activate enzymes that irritate, inflame, and open up tight junctions between the epithelial cells. This can lead to toxins escaping the lungs and causing inflammation in other parts of the body. (Similar to leaky gut!)

Deficiency of vitamin D is associated with accelerated decline in lung function. Chronic respiratory diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency include cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Make sure to get adequate sunlight, and if there is lack of sunshine, supplement vitamin D (preferably with vitamin K).

You can support your lungs by not smoking, using an air filter in your home, exercising, yoga, and deep breathing.
Herbs that are beneficial to the lungs include: pleurisy root, thyme, ginger, yarrow, mullein, sage, anise, peppermint, lobelia, ma huang, licorice, oregano, schisandra, and oregon grape.

04/08/2024

Do you enjoy getting your ears candled? We are OBSESSED.

Some people think that the point of ear candling is to remove ear wax. And while it can - due to the vortex action of the smoke - the real reason ear candling has been used for centuries is because of its relaxing ability. It can shift your brain into a relaxed and calm state, activating your parasympathetic nervous system, commonly known as the “rest and digest” system.

We only buy the best ear candles made from double wrapped organic cotton, food grade wax, and a patented safety tip. 🩷

*Do not have your ears candled if you have a ruptured or perforated eardrum or if you have an acute ear infection.

04/08/2024

Herbal spotlight: Passion flower 💜💛

Passion flower, or Passiflora incarnata, is a member of the passifloracea family. The leaf, roots, and vines are used medicinally. It is a cooling and relaxing herb and is a useful antispasmodic, hypotensive, sedative, anti-inflammatory, cerebral vasorelaxant, and anticonvulsant.

Passion flower is a relaxing nervine that can be helpful in alleviating heart palpitations, muscle twitching, restless agitation, nervousness, and sleep disturbances. Passion flower brings a sense of calmness and acts as an antidepressant. It can be used for tremors, tics, and convulsions.

A double-blind randomized trial compared passion flower with the sedative oxazepam, showing it was just as effective as the big pharma drug, but with a lower incidence of impairment.

Long term studies show reduction in anxiety and also improvements in memory, with the apparent mechanism involving GABA receptors.

Passion flower is frequently used for epilepsy and studies show that it is effective against pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures, due to opioid and GABA receptor activity.

The constituents harmine and telepathine act as MAO inhibitors and thereby increase serotonin in the brain.

Passion flower is contraindicated in pregnancy because it can stimulate the uterus.

04/06/2024

Meet your kidneys!

The kidneys are two bean shaped organs. Each one is about the size of a fist. It is located just below the rib cage, one on each side of your spine.
Your kidneys’ job is to filter your blood, removing wastes, drugs, and extra water so they can be excreted from the body.

Heathy kidneys filter about a half a cup of blood every minute. The kidneys take waste and extra fluid from the blood and turn it into urine, which is then sent to the bladder for excretion.

The kidneys also remove extra acid that is produced by your cells, and help maintain the proper balance of minerals in the blood.

One common problem that people have with their kidneys is the formation of painful kidney stones. How do we avoid them? Stay hydrated! Not drinking enough water is one of the main reasons that people develop kidney stones. Make sure to eat a balanced diet, and limit alcohol as it can increase uric acid in the blood.

Some herbs that have been shown to support your kidneys are: dandelion root, astragalus, chamomile, ginkgo biloba, ginger, ginsing, hibiscus, milk thistle, nettle, rhubarb, and turmeric. These herbs have been shown to normalize creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels.

04/06/2024

Herbal spotlight: Stinging Nettle💚

Stinging Nettle, or Urtica dioica, is one of our most commonly used herbs. I () drink it in a tea almost every day, and I recently took several gallons of it to an event, where it was a huge hit.

Why stinging nettle, you ask?

Stinging nettle is an incredibly nutritive herb. It is high in many minerals, like calcium and magnesium, and vitamins, like C and K. It can help reduce inflammation, blood sugar levels, allergy symptoms, and blood pressure.

Stinging nettles are not contraindicated for too many people, that’s why it’s a great choice to take to an event. However, nettles may not be right for you if you have low blood pressure, or diabetes currently being managed by medication, or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding (due to lack of research).

04/06/2024

So excited about our new office!! Come see us in 5 Points in Pace (5646 Woodbine Road, Suite 3). Book an appointment on our website or through the link in our bio. Or you can always send us a DM! House calls and virtual appointments are still an option, but now we finally have a space to call home! ☺️☺️