The Greenridge Herbal Thymes

Daffodils

One of my favorite poems to welcome the new spring:

Daffodils
by Williams Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills.
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a boy:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company;
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Easter Blessings

The Easter Lily is just one of the spiritual springtime symbols of hope, life, and purity.

I hope your Easter brings joy, comfort, warmth, and the spirit of rebirth.

An Old Irish Blessing

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

Another Traditional Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

The Beauty of a Woman

March is Women's History Month. This gives us a chance to reflect on respect and admiration of women. Recently, a friend of mine shared this wonderful poem which I will gladly pass along:

The Beauty of a Woman

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.

The above poem was written by the late educator-humorist Sam Levinson for his grandchild and read by Audrey Hepburn on Christmas Eve, 1992. It was also used by Ms. Hepburn on occasion when she was asked for beauty tips. [From Audrey Hepburn by Barry Paris, 1996, Putnam]

Detoxing the Skin, Fiberizing the Body

The skin is our body's largest organ using up 15% of our body weight. You've heard that a million times, right? But what does it really mean? Here's a quick science experiment for you to try: take a piece of garlic and rub it on your feet. See how long it takes for you to taste the garlic, in your mouth! That's how fast our skin absorbs things that we put onto it. Can you believe that? Our skin absorbs more chemicals during a shower than by drinking non-filtered water.

Dry or Oily skin is caused by hormonal fluctuations in the body, which lead to a DHT (hormone) sensitivity. This sensitivity means that the skin begins to lose moisture and essential fatty acids (linoleic acid in particular), causing thousands of skin cells to die, so the skin compensates for this loss of moisture by producing higher or lower levels of oil. Hormonal fluctuations can be caused by environmental factors such as chemcials found in your bodycare products. The water you use, the skin products you use, the air you breathe, all contribute to the overall health of your skin cells.

The skin supports it own ecosystems of yeasts and bacteria. Chemicals can upset this natural balance and work against your skin, causing fluctations in oily and dryness. Using natural products with essential oils work together with your skin, and since they are food-grade the body can recognize them and use them.
Remember that our skin also acts like a water barrier, so what we absorb is not easily released. That is why toxins are able to penetrate through the skin, and stay in our bodies for long periods of time. Especially too since many of them are not very easily biodegradeable.

Tips on How to Detoxify Your Skin
Eating fresh, raw, organic, unprocessed food greatly helps to detoxify your skin and provide your skin with a natural glow. It's so true! Including more fiber in your diet such as leafy greens will help to release the toxins that may be already in your body. The fiber absorbs the excess chemicals and helps them move down the digestive tract and out of the body.

Foods high in fiber include:
Fruits
Bananas, Oranges, Apples, Berries, Avocados, Apricots, Prunes, Raisins, Dates

Veggies
Green leafy veggies such as spinach, collards, kale and lettuce, peas beans, lentils

Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, flaxseeds

So, pump up the fiber and pump out those toxins!

Footprints on the Beach, in the Sand, by the Ocean

The other day we were at the beach and I photographed these lovely footprints from my daughter. She is only 2-1/2 but I can't believe how big her feet are getting. What happened to my little baby I used to hold in my arms? Anyways, it reminded me of the famous poem, "Footprints in the Sand" which everyone knows. It's always nice to come across a poem every once in awhile and be reminded of the wonders of life and the many angels that guide and protect us as we are on this amazing journey. So, here it is:

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed of walking along the shores of different lands. I could tell that You were with me by the footprints in the sand. As I gazed upon the heavens, I saw pages of my life. It was then I realized that You remained there by my side. When the clouds began to gather and the rains came falling down, I looked to only find one set of footprints on the ground. I said, "Lord, why did You leave me in the troubled times of life? I believed that You would always walk beside me day and night." (Then I heard:) "My precious child, I'd never leave you. I have carved you on the hollow of My hand. It's then I carried you in My arms, When you see one set of footprints in the sand" Dear Lord, will You be with me as I travel through the years? Will You be there in the struggles? Will You wipe away the tears? As my eyes turn toward the ocean and the shores of distant lands, I'm still thinking of the single set of footprints in the sand. (I heard Him say:) "My precious child, I'd never leave you. I have carved you on the hollow of My hand. It's then I carried you in My arms, When you see one set of footprints in the sand." Will I hear the angels singing, as my life comes to an end. Oh Lord, I long to see You. Will You be there once again? My eyes turn toward the heavens, along the path of foreign lands, Once more, I'm thinking of the set of footprints in the sand. (Jesus said:) "My precious child, I'd never leave you. See your name carved on the hollow of My hand. I'm here to carry you to your home. You will see one set of footprints in the sand

My girls....

Thai Baby Coconuts

You know I always rave about Coconuts: in a smoothie, on the skin, they have so many uses! Have you ever tried a Thai Baby Coconut? If you haven't tried a Baby Coconut yet, now is the time. They are actually really easy to open, but it is very scary at first I admit!
Here's an awesome link on how to do it: How to Open a Baby Coconut

Coconuts are excellent for the skin. They are especially useful in fighting free radicals, those things that cause aging.

You can find Baby Coconuts are your local produce place, sometimes a farmer's market or grocery store. Usually all health food stores carry them if they carry produce.
After opening a Baby Coconut, use some of the water in your morning smoothie. Scrape out all the meat inside (it's so delicious and good for you!) and place the meat and water both in your blender.
Then add:
1 C. Frozen Mango
1/2 C. Frozen Pineapple
2 Bananas
1/2 C. Spinach

Blend everything together and pour back into your baby coconut to drink, or a favorite glass. Adorn with a tropical umbrella and a straw! This is a drink your skin will love and thank you for!

Get Your Beauty Sleep

Research shows the skin works the hardest to rejuvenate itself during the night while you are asleep. If you are giving up some sleep in lieu of working, or other activities, you might not be doing your skin some good.

Here are 5 beauty tips to help keep your skin well rested and looking beautiful:
1. Use a moisturizer after cleansing, right before bed. This helps seal in moisture, and allows it to really do it's job, without other things like environmental pollutants, makeup, or dirt getting in the way. Since you are going to bed you can wear a moisturizer that richer than what you would normally feel comfortable with wearing during the day. Serums are spectacular for this purpose.
2. Wash your bed linens at least once a week. This gives the mind comfort and serenity of sleeping in cleanliness, and also benefits the skin. Make sure you use a natural fragrance-free detergent for your linens like Seventh Generation. And never, ever use dryer sheets! These are chemically too sensitive for the skin. Did you know that researchers found that to kill moths in your sweaters, they would put a dryer sheet into a bag with the sweaters and zip it up? That's how potent these chemicals are. They kill insects, and they can kill beneficial skin cells, too.
3. Stay Hydrated. Not just by drinking lots of water throughout the day but really trying to incorporate fresh fruits and veggies in your day will help keep skin hydrated and glowing. If your skin is really dry, use a humidifier in your room at night.
4. Have a cup of Chamomile Tea, an hour before bed. Even if you are busy late at night, which I usually am, try to pour yourself a cup of warm tea, preferrably a relaxing blend such as Chamomile, and drink it an our before bed. This really helps me anytime I feel a little stressed late at night. Remember Peter Cottontail?
5. Incorporate Essential Oils into your Bedtime routine. Using a mist such as Sweet Dreams Pillow mist, you can easily incorporate aromatherapeutic essential oils like Chamomile and Lavender to help your mind and body sleep better, which in turn will help your skin look better in the morning. Lucky for you, we're giving them away for FREE the month of March, with all purchases over $50!