Friday, May 28, 2010

GREETINGS!

HELLO ALL AGAIN! I HAVE BEEN AWAY DUE TO WORK AND KIDS BUT WILL START POSTING MORE AGAIN SOON WITH TONS OF GOODIES AND HELPFUL INFORMATION! HAS ANYONE STARTED A GARDEN THIS YEAR? IF YES, WHAT ARE YOUR GROWING? :)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

The Great Sunflower project

Great site! I actually signed up and indeed got a free packet of sunflower seeds! I am definitely planning on planting them when the spring comes. Definitely worth checking it out folks!

"The Great Sunflower Project, a study on bee pollination in Canada and the U.S., is looking for thousands of citizen scientists for its second year of data collection.

Scientists are seeking help to study sunflowers and bees.

Last year, 1,200 volunteers across the United States and Canada planted sunflowers and recorded the bee species and frequency of visits. This year, project organizers hope to involve 100,000 volunteers. Resulting data, which will be stored at San Francisco State University, will be used to analyze the health of bee populations in North America.

It is the first coast-to-coast study on bee populations. Data collection in 2008 involved public school classes, gardening clubs, civic groups, nature museums and gardeners from cities, rural areas and suburbs who planted a total of 25,000 sunflowers. Of 4,000 total bee sightings reported, 60 percent were honeybees and 30 percent bumblebees.

"We want to find out which populations are thriving and which are not,” said Dr. Gretchen LeBuhn, an associate professor of biology at San Francisco State and the Sunflower Project’s Queen Bee. "It would be helpful to know what environmental factors may affect native bee populations.”

The project welcomes two new partners. Discover Life, an online shared data site, will enable participants to submit photos of the bees and their sunflowers to create online digital vouchers and contribute to an online collection of images as well as the project’s database. A partnership with the National Phenology Network will help the researchers determine whether climate and environmental changes lead to disruptions of plant pollination.

Everyone who signs up for the project will receive a free kit containing data forms, a guide to gardening for pollinators, educational materials and a packet of sunflower seeds. The kits can be obtained from the Great Sunflower Project Web site, www.greatsunflower.org, or by calling (415) 405-2409."


http://newsok.com/bee-study-creating-a-buzz/article/3364252

Friday, August 21, 2009

Mountain Rose Herbs

Today I recieved my package of goodies from Mountain Rose Herbs.
It is such a treat when I am able to get anything from them. The following information is all taken from their website.

Shea Butter

I had run out of my raw/unrefined Shea Butter I always there. One 4 oz. container can last me almost a year and that's with me using it daily! A little goes a long way with their butters. It also has a distinct nut like scent which I love.

Benefits:
Shea Butter is naturally rich in Vitamins A, E, and F, as well as a number of other vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A and E help to soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin. They also provide skin collagen which assists with wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Vitamin F contains essential fatty acids, and helps protect and revitalize damaged skin and hair. Shea Butter is an intense moisturizer for dry skin, and is a wonderful product for revitalizing dull or dry skin on the body or scalp. It promotes skin renewal, increases the circulation, and accelerates wound healing. It is also beneficial for the treatment of many different conditions, such as:

* Dry skin
* Stretch marks
* Itchy skin, skin rashes, Eczema, and Dermatitis
* Sunburn
* Small skin wounds
* Damaged skin
* Rough skin (such as on feet)
* Insect bites
* Muscle aches, fatigue, and tension
* Wrinkles and signs of ageing
* Chapped skin from cold weather
* Dry or over processed hair
* Diaper rash
* Skin allergies
* Frost bite

In addition, Shea Butter offers a low level of UV protection (approximately SPF-6), and may be incorporated into natural sunscreen recipes. Because of its soothing nature, anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating effects, it is a perfect ingredient to incorporate into your bodycare recipes and skin care regime. It is also wonderful to use in the summer as a moisturizer before and after sun exposure to reduce possibility of the skin peeling or becoming dried out.

Cocoa Butter
I also got raw/unrefined Cocoa Butter. All I can say is WOW! I never got 100% cocoa butter before and it smelled so delicious. It is actually food grade quality and you can not only use it for the body but also incorparate it into food recipes.

Benefits

Cocoa Butter contains natural antioxidants that give it a long shelf life of over 3 years. It is naturally rich in Vitamin E as well as a number of other vitamins and minerals. Vitamin E helps to soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin and also provides the skin collagen which assists with wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Cocoa Butter also contains cocoa mass polyphenol (CMP), a substance that inhibits the production of the immuno globulin IgE. IgE is known to aggravate symptoms of both dermatitis and asthma. For centuries pregnant women have used to Cocoa Butter formulations to prevent and treat stretch marks, but this pleasant-smelling substance is added to countless other topical preparations. Lotions and oils containing Cocoa Butter are often used in aromatherapy massage to promote relaxation and the feeling well-being. Research indicates that massaging the skin with Cocoa Butter may help relieve stress, boost the immune system, and even prevent cancer. This is because Cocoa Butter, like chocolate, contains a lot of CMP and there is some evidence that the CMP in Cocoa Butter may also help prevent heart disease and ease arthritic symptoms. Cocoa Butter is mainly used is a thickening agent and is a common ingredient in lipsticks, soaps and emollient creams. It is also a folk remedy for burns, cough, dry lips, fever, malaria, rheumatism, snakebite and wounds. It is reported to be antiseptic and diuretic.

* Cocoa Butter is has a melting point at human body temperature, is edible and nutritious which presents many industrial uses.
* Cocoa Butter is a superb moisturizer which slows down moisture loss.
* Cocoa Butter is known for its hydrating effects,
* Cocoa Butter is also gentle on the skin and has a pleasing aroma.
* Cocoa Butter is excellent when used on dry skin or on wrinkles.
* Cocoa Butter's Emollient properties great in soap making and lotions.
* Cocoa Butter is hard at room temperature.
* Cocoa Butter is mainly used is a thickening agent and is a common ingredient in lipsticks, soaps and emollient creams.
* Cocoa Butter is easily absorbs into the skin and imparts sheen.

Mango Butter
I also decided to get Mango Butter. It seemed so different and exotic to lather myself with that!

Benefits:
Mango Butter has natural emollient properties, high oxidative ability, wound healing, and regenerative activity due to its high unsaponiable. Mango Butter has been traditionally used in the rainforests and tropics for its skin softening, soothing, moisturizing and protective properties and to restore flexibility and reduce degeneration of skin cells. It has a protective effect against UV radiation. Mango Butter will provide improvements and benefits in all the conditions listed below. As you use this butter you are likely to discover additional uses. Dermatologists often recommend Mango Butter for treatment of wrinkles, as most people who use it will notice decreased signs of aging and the disappearance of lines and wrinkles within 4 to 6 weeks of daily use. Reasons to use Mango Butter

* - Effectively treats dry skin
* - Heals skin rash
* - Heals skin peeling, after tanning
* - Clears blemishes and wrinkles
* - Relieves itching skin
* - Heals sunburn
* - Shaving cream for a smooth shave
* - Treats small skin wounds and skin cracks
* - Moisturizes and smoothes tough or rough skin
* - Fights frost bite
* - Prevents stretch marks during pregnancy
* - Relieves insect bites
* - Promotes healthy rejuvenated skin
* - Heals muscle fatigue, aches and tension
* - Relieves skin allergies such as poison ivy or poison oak
* - Treats eczema and dermatitis
* - Fights off fine lines and wrinkles

Other things I purchased was Sweet Almond Oil, Neem Oil (to make homemade bug repellent), Kukui Nut Oil (for extra dry skin and fine lines/wrinkles/sunburn), and Clary Sage, Lavender and Patchouli essential oil. To top it off, I also got Myrrh and Frankincense gum resin.

What I love about this company is they supply the finest quality herbs, oils etc. Everything is organic if possible. The company feels very strongly about Fair Trade and incorporate it even further by implementing something they call Good Trade which they "feel more fully protects the growers and harvesters financial interests."

They also donate each year for charitable giving, sponsorships, community functions, conservation work, and plant related projects.

"Mountain Rose Herbs became the first U.S. supplier of Fair Trade Certified medicinal herbs and we will continue to pursue our commitment to transparent and fair exchanges between growers and ourselves through the Transfair program. In addition to this we offer an enormous selection of Fair Trade teas thus securing a portion of the sale to agricultural communities that have been traditionally exploited for generations"

And the list goes on with recycling, zero waste, a chemical free facility to even a carpooling and bicycle program for its employees.

If you haven't been to their site, it is definitely worth checking out. They also have great prices!

They are one of my favorite places to shop online by far!

www.mountainroseherbs.com