Backroads to Your Health and Wellness

06/23/2025

🌿 𝙃𝙊𝙇𝙔 𝘽𝘼𝙎𝙄𝙇 - 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨-𝙎𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙗 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬 🌿

Also known as 𝙏𝙪𝙡𝙨𝙞, Holy Basil is one of the most powerful adaptogenic herbs in Ayurvedic medicine and it’s finally getting the research it deserves.

🧪 A recent study found it can lower cortisol by up to 36% in just 40 minutes.
(PMID: 36185698)

✨ 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨:

• Calms the HPA axis (your stress command center)
• Helps reduce anxiety, irritability, and brain fog
• Supports adrenal recovery and hormone balance
• Reduces the effects of chronic stress on the immune system, gut, and metabolism
• Improves sleep and emotional resilience

🍵 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩:

✔️ 𝟐–𝟑 𝙘𝙪𝙥𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙚𝙖 𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙮
(especially in the afternoon or early evening to lower cortisol)

✔️ Choose loose leaf tea or tea bags from trusted organic brands like Pukka, Organic India, or Gaia Herbs

✔️ Can also be taken as a liquid tincture or capsule - look for high-quality, full-spectrum extracts

⚠️ 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙚:
Avoid if pregnant unless supervised by a professional. Check with your physician if you have hypothyroidism . Always choose organic, non-irradiated sources.

🧠 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡 = 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥, 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢.

Let Holy Basil work its magic 🌿

11/28/2024

12/11/2023

Make sports drink to rehydrate after a workout - https://thelittleshine.com/electrolyte-sports-drink/

12/11/2023

The Pine Tree Fairy

A tall, tall tree is the Pine tree,
With its trunk of bright red-brown—
The red of the merry squirrels
Who go scampering up and down.

There are cones on the tall, tall Pine tree,
With its needles sharp and green;
Small seeds in the cones are hidden,
And they ripen there unseen.

The elves play games with the squirrels
At the top of the tall, tall tree,
Throwing cones for the squirrels to nibble—
I wish I were there to see!

Cecily Mary Barker - Artist and Poet

04/28/2023

How much do you love Calendula 🧡

Calendula is easy to fall in love with.

For one, it’s absolutely beautiful and it’s easy to grow.

Calendula is also really versatile - there are so many gifts to this plant!

I was thrilled when this week’s podcast guest, Alex Crofoot, Black Locust Gardens , chose calendula as her plant for her interview. I loved hearing both new and familiar ways of working with this favorite (and very versatile!) plant.

This episode is full of tips to help you:
► Make infused oil with fresh calendula flowers (without spoilage due to moisture content)
► Make a full-spectrum calendula tincture (and why you might want to take the extra steps)
► Avoid problems with mold on your harvested calendula

For those of you who don’t already know Alex, she is the co-owner of Black Locust Gardens herb farm and plant nursery, and a coordinator for the Great Lakes Herb Faire.

This episode also shares a delectable recipe from Colleen Codekas - Grow Forage Cook Ferment !

Click the following link to listen in and get your free recipe download for Calendula Shortbread Cookies: https://bit.ly/42OBPt3

Botanical illustrations by Tatiana Rusakova