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Archive for August 2013

Tides of Tedium have finally paid off…

By wahidk | August 17, 2013

Sailing Samara for the first time…

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Sugar-free Elderflower Syrup
Dog Rose Elixir to calm anxiety
Nettle Syrup and other Sweet Delights
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Belle Benfield

Contemporary Visual Artist

[email protected]

UK 44 7818 430 241

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A couple years ago, I noticed an elder had arrived in one of the pots in my garden. I was delighted it had chosen me! I recognized it by the distinctive nobbled spots on its bark. I transplated two elder sticks into the earth at the end of my garden. It turns out that they’re American elder – Sambucus Canadensis, a bigger version of our European elder – Sambucus nigra. In just two years, those sticks have grown into trees. The elder is one of our most potent anti-viral plants. These trees have flourished in my garden in time for our current health crisis. Yesterday, I went to pick the new leaves to make an elder leaf tincture using Stephen Buhner’s recipe ( below ). Usually we use the berries and flowers to make anti-viral medicine, but since neither of these are out now, I thought I would experiment with the unconventional route since these are unconventional times. Elder leaf has an emetic action on the body – it can make you vomit. Which is why its not traditionally used for internal medicine. Buhner’s protocol is to boil the leaves first, so that the compounds that cause vomiting are deactivated.
To make a decocted elder leaf tincture:

Boil four ounces ( 110g) of dried elder leaf (two ounces/60g if fresh) in two quarts water until it is reduced by half. Cool, strain, then measure the amount of liquid left. After you cool and strain the liquid, put it in the pot again and reduce it once more by half. Let it cool again and then measure and add to it the same amount of 40% to 50% vodka, 50% is preferable.

I will be making up immune tonic and respitory tonic a later this week, which will be blends of herbs. In the meantime, I wanted to share this beauty as a reminder we are supported by the plants around us. 💚🌿💚🌿💚 #elder #elderberry #sambucus #antiviral #covid_19 #herbalmedicine #herbalistsofinstagram #gardener #plantwisdom #plantmedicine #medicine #natureisthebestteacher #natureisthebestmedicine #keepcalm #herbalistincornwall #herbalists #immunetonic #immunesupport #immuneboost

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I will have more specific info for you all this week about how to look after yourselves and your families, but for now, there is so much you can do for your immune system through what you eat and through looking after your nervous system. Spring is bursting with green. Wild greens are high in vitamins and minerals and are all around us. I put them in smoothies or juices. You can chop em in your salad or make an infusion to drink with hot water. Pictured here cleavers, dandelion leaves, herb robert. Nettles, Alexanders and plantain are also great too and are growing all over at the moment, young and tender which means extra tasty. Going outside (while safely distancing yourself from others) and seeing all this life carrying on as normal is very calming for the nerves which is a great immune boost! 👌🌿🐛💚 #earthmedicine #eatyourgreens #herbalmedicine #immuneboost #

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Here’s a picture of me straining a birch polypore decoction. To make medicine, I first cut the fungus into strips when it is fresh. Once it dries, it is so tough that one of its folk names is “razor strop” because you can sharpen your knife on the dried fungus. I dry these strips and then when it comes to make medicine, I make a double extraction.

I grind the dried fungus up in a coffee grinder and macerate it in high strength alcohol for a lunar cycle. The first maceration is in alcohol to extract the triterpenes and other secondary metabolites, which are alcohol soluble. Then I strain the alcohol off and simmer the polypore in water for a few hours so that it reduces down into a concentrated decoction. The water extraction means that you are also getting the water-soluble polysaccharides in your medicine. These include the all important immuno-modulating glucans. Then I combine these two extractions for a fuller spectrum birch polypore medicine.
#medicinewoman #makingmedicine #growyourown #selfsufficient #kitchenmedicine #herbalist #herbalism #herbalmedicine #cornishherbalist #birchpolypore #birchtree #tree #woodland #anticancer #herbalistincornwall #studyherbs #medicine #plantmedicine #wildfood #wildmedicine #forager #immunetonic #studyherbs #medicinalmushrooms #deepdecoction

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Lovely lemon balm is a relaxing nervine that can be a great addition to your night time routine. A whiff of her leaves and you can feel your shoulders drop and your spirit smile. I'll be talking about lemon balm and a host of other herb friends that are useful in helping us unwind from our busy lives and make the most of restful sleep.

Herbs To Help You Sleep... TONIGHT at The Poly, Falmouth. 730pm £6

@polyfalmouth #herbalmedicine #lemonbalm #insomniacure #insomniac #sleepwell #sleep #eventsincornwall #thepolyfalmouth #medicine #plantmedicine #plantwisdom #healthcoach #holistic #wellbeing #falmouth #cornishgarden #cornwall #kernow

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Another of my favorite medicinal mushrooms is Birch Polypore ( Pitptoporus. betulinus). Mostly because it is a fungus that grows abundantly here in the UK and foraging and making medicines that are local and sustainable is something I’m really passionate about.

This bitter fungus is named after the many pores which fill its underside and produce its spores and the birch trees on which it grows.

Its glucan content, an immune enhancing polysacharride, make it a valuable immune tonic to have in your apothecary. Like many of the medicinal mushrooms, birch polypore has been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. Interestingly, its host birch trees produce betulinic acid which has been shown to kill cancer cells, so its thought part of the fungus’ anti-cancer action comes from it potentiating this specific acid from the trees.

#medicinalmushrooms #funghi #mycelium #mycelia #herbalmedicine #immuneboost #natureisthebestmedicine #immuneboost #cancertreatment #holisticmedicine #birchpolypore #birchtree #tree #woodland #anticancer #herbalistincornwall #studyherbs #medicine #plantmedicine #wildfood #wildmedicine #forager #immunetonic

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ID Turkey Tail:

These are the ID tips I’ve been given over the years:

Topside: - radiating bands of strongly contrasting varied colour – darker grey, brown or reddish tones out to white edge. - Velvety/very slightly fuzzy to touch. Semi-sheen when catching the light.

Underside: - White underneath with pores. - Pores are many and tiny ( approx 3 per mm )
#medicinalmushrooms #funghi #mycelium #mycelia #herbalmedicine #immuneboost #natureisthebestmedicine #immuneboost #cancertreatment #holisticmedicine #turkeytail #trametesversicolor #herbalistincornwall #studyherbs #medicine #plantmedicine #wildfood #wildmedicine #forager #immunetonic

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All illustrations and photography by Belle Benfield © 2018 Belle Benfield. All Rights Reserved.

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