The election of 2016 has been an extreme roller coaster ride over the past year and a half.  As a country we have witnessed events and behaviors that have been unprecedented.  We have seen some of the best but more of the worst sides of human nature.. We have witnessed deep divides.  We have seemed to have lost our way in being civil toward one another. Or are we only being exposed to a marginal voice of the overall amount of people who live here?

It has been a week filled with deep emotions for millions of Americans as a result of the election.. I am not one to share my political thoughts on social media but I do read what others have written. And I feel I need to assert my voice here.

I believe in the goodness and kindness of humanity, I feel most people strive to be respectful and dignified toward others. But the less angry may not be sharing their points of view in a mature and responsible way to the degree that those who are feeling outraged are. Therefore, if they are not putting a voice to their thoughts, it may appear as if this perspective is close to silent. 
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This week emotional wounds have been rubbed raw. It has been disturbing to me to read what has been written from both sides...the anger and nastiness that has come through saddens me on the innermost level.. I worry about the examples we are setting for the youngest among us. Children look to adults to learn and then model behaviors and attitudes.  We need to recognize our responsibility in this process., and do our best to be the best.

So I have written my 8 point plan to not make America great again- but ourselves first- then as goes the microcosm, the macrocosm follows,  Please give it some thought!

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The different types of Aromatherapy are cosmetic, massage and olfactory. Regardless of which type of Aromatherapy you choose, essential oils should always be diluted in a carrier oil. 

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    Aromatherapy for Massage combines
   the healing touch of massage therapy with
   the aromatic benefits of essential oils..

   Olfactory Aromatherapy releases essential oils into the environment around you either by inhaling or diffusion. For inhalation, you can either dispense the essential oil into a handkerchief or spray a mixture of essential oils and distilled water into the air and breathe in. Diffusion is the evaporation of the aromatic components of an oil into the atmosphere using Aromatherapy equipment. 

​Several different devises are used to fill the air space of a room. Some use heat as a means of "evaporating" the essential oils; this spreads the essential oil vapor throughout the room. Candle diffusers and ceramic or brass rings placed on light bulbs are commonly used. Other diffusers consist of an electrical air pump and glass nebulizer, which micro-ionizes the volatile oil, thus allowing for the most efficient form of inhalation treatment. 

  
When inhaled, essential oils affect our bodies in  several ways. The essential oil component molecules enter the nasal passages where they stimulate the olfactory nerve. This sends messages directly into the limbic system. The limbic system, located in the brain, is the seat of memory, learning and emotion. The inhalation of the essential oils triggers changes within the limbic system which in turn can stimulate physiological responses within the body via the nervous, endocrine or immune systems. Either stimulation or sedation of body systems or organs may occur. 

Certain essential oils may have certain effects. For example, due to their effect on the brain and the subsequent sedating or stimulating of the nervous system, essential oils can also indirectly raise and lower blood pressure and possibly aid in normalization of hormonal secretion. The inhalation method can be useful for respiratory symptoms. Local application of diluted oils on various points (i.e. spinal nerves, chakras, and meridians) is effective for certain conditions. Massage Aromatherapy provides relaxation as well as a physiological action through the nervous system. In addition, when applied topically, essential oils can exhibit anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-fungal, or anti-inflammatory properties. Although essential oils produce certain effects that can be counted on, they also adapt to the needs of different people

  















When learning something new, the amount of  information can be very overwhelming.  So to help those who want to dive in and learn more, Seeds for Change Wellness has published a beginners guide to help you get started with the basics- laying the foundation for safe use.  This guide focuses on 5 starter essential oils that are helpful for personal and home care use.:  Lavender, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Tea Tree and Peppermeint Essential Oils.

This guide is available on Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback format.

Be sure to take a peek!

WHAT IS KITCHEN SINK WISDOM?
Kitchen Sink Wisdom is about using natural remedies, easily done from home, with supplies and materials that you most likey have around the house..Some remedies and advice have a long family history, being handed down  from generation to generation.   

CASTOR OIL
Castor oil is a pale yellow vegetable oil, extracted through the pressing of the castor oil beans from the castor plant.  It is commonly available in stores and online.  When using the castor oil pack remedy, it is best to purchase a high quality product that has been cold pressed and free from chemical additives and pesticides. 


Castor oil may be administered externally or internally.  Internally, it has been used mainly as a cathartic (i.e. powerful laxative) and in induction of labor. The constituent ricin, in castor oil is acutely toxic, and for this reason castor oil should never be taken internally except
under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor or other qualified health care professional. Used externally, it is applied as a heated compress over the affected area

THE GENTLE WARRIOR
Castor oil has many benefits and uses for improving health, the skin and our hair. 

• Helps boost the lymphatic system to improve immunity. Lympathic congestion is one of the major factors that contributes to inflammation
• Helps boost circulation
• Helps detox the liver
• Assists in wound healing
• Helps relieve constipation
• Conditions the skin and hair

Several years ago I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and was told this was a degenerative disease that would continue to get worse over time.  Upon leaving the doctor’s office, I remember a thought that entered my mind which said- "I don`t do Rheumatoid Arthritis!"  

A day or two later, a health newsletter, called Alternatives, which I received  monthly arrived.  In that issue was an article on the use of castor oil packs for the treatment of arthritis.  I was in so much pain, pretty much confined to bed, with every joint in my body inflamed.  So, I figured,  why not give it a try.  I began the treatments as described, continuing daily for one week.  

With each treatment, the pain began subsiding, the areas of inflammation reduced, and finally after a week, I was up and resuming my normal day-to-day activities.  Since that time, I may have an occasional flare-up, localized to one spot, upon which I promptly 
give myself a treatment, within a day or two, the pain disappears and I am off and running again.  

I am not saying others will see the results I had.  Everyone's situation is different, but I know it will help.  The reason II suggest this treatment to many is because of the personal results both I and others have experienced from its use.  Having used it in a variety of situations, it has been helpful.  The cost is cheap, and it is not a risky treatemnt, but it does involve committing to the time to follow the treatment protocols. 

BRUCE  BAAR, MS ND
“Castor Oil has been used through out the ages as a natural therapy. Castor oil applied externally in the form of "packs" is very popular with natural health practitioners. The Edgar Cayce Readings inform us that castor oil packs are to be used to improve assimilations, eliminations and circulation; especially of the lymphatic system. 

A castor oil pack is made with layers of flannel like material, enough to absorb and hold the castor oil during application. The flannel material is wool, cotton or the newly designed disposable pack, each of which you will need to saturate with cold-pressed castor oil before using..

A common area to apply the castor oil pack is on the right side of the abdomen, between the upper part of the rib cage and the upper edge of the hipbone. Another common area is across the abdomen from the right to the left side of the body, covering from the sternum to the pubic or groin area. Application is usually for 1 to 2 hours. A heating pad is placed on top of the castor oil pack to keep it very warm during application. It is best to consult your health care practitioner to determine frequency of application.”
                                                                           -
CASTOR OIL PACKS
Applying a castor oil pack is  easy.  It is the go to remedy in our household when we are dealing with inflammation and muscle aches and pains.

This is how we apply a castor oil pack.  Instead of using the wool flannel, we use those disposable blue bed sheets and cut a piece to size.  Sometimes we add in a pinch of tumeric or ginger which have  inflammation fighting properites, to give it an additional boost.

• Cut a sections of the disposable sheet to a size large enough to cover your abdomen and place enough castor oil onto the sheet so that  it is  saturated but not dripping.
• Place this over the abdomen area.
• Cover the disposable sheet with  plastic wrap. 
• Place a heating pad over the disposable sheet. Turn the setting up to high.
• Leave on for 1 hour.  If this becomes too hot, turn it down a bit until you can return it back to the higher temperature.
• After one hour, turn off the heating pad, and clean off the area where the castor oil was.  The sheet can be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge, and reused several times
• Repeat this procedure 3 days in a row. 
• Day four: take the day off from giving yourself a treatment, Return to castor oil treatments on day 5 & 6. 
• Do not use the castor oil treatment packs if pregnant.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A good reference source is the book: The Oil That Heals: A Physician’s Successes with Castor Oil Treatments . Author: William A McGarey, M.D. .Publisher: A.R.E. Press, 215 67th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451-2061

See Video on how to apply a Cold Pressed Castor oil pack

      
    One of my favorite vegetables from the garden is
    butternut squash.  And it's a good thing, because
    my hubby definitely overplants!

    Besides the yummy taste of butternut, a big plus is
    that when you plant enough of it, like in our garden,
    it can be stored in a cool garage and your harvest
    will last until the next season.

Storage:  We live in the northeast, with cold winters, so I have a space in our garage when I can store the butternut on an old bookcase.  I stand them up, next to each other on the shelve.and that's it!  When I want butternut for dinner, throughout the year, I just go out and get one.  They stay wonderfully!

I think the best way to make this squash is to bake it.  It is so quick and easy.  Often when it is just my husband and me looking for a quick meal, we will each have a whole butternut squash and small salad as our dinner. What could be simplier than that?

MY BAKED BUTTERNUT RECIPE

1 butternut squash
2 TBS melted butter
real maple syrup
brown sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Wash off the outside of your butternut.  
• Split in half as shown in the picture.
• Scoop out the seeds.  Save them to dry if you want for next years garden.
• I leave the skin on, but pierce the outside several times with a fork to create holes to help the baking process
• Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, grease lightly.
• Place your butternut squash face down and cook for about 45 minutes
• When it is almost done, melt about 1 tablespoon of butter for each half of the butternut squash- then mix in the rest of the ingredients- I don't use measurements- but mix the rest together to the taste desired.  The maple syrup and brown sugar can be eliminated if you want a healthier version.
• Mash the butternut with a fork like you would a baked potato, then add your butter mix, and blend throughly.. 
• Bake an additional 10 minutes.

  
    Strawberry Breakfast Parfait
 
    Indredients:
     Low fat plain yogurt
     Cut up frozen strawberries
     Brown Rice Syrup
     Wheat & Barley Cereal
     Flaxseed meal and wheat germ



​Grab a glass, and cover the bottom with yogurt. Add some cut up frozen fruit.
Put on another layer of yogurt. Mix in a little bit of sweetener. Top with cereal, wheat germ and flaxseed. Mix up and eat.

Mix up your parfait the night before in a mason jar, Cover, and put in the fridge for a really easy grab and go breakfast!

          
      Mango Lassie Smoothie

      Ingredients:
      1 cup low fat plain yogurt
      1 mango- cut up
      2/3  cup  water
      Handful of ice
      Flaxseed meal and wheat germ
      Dash of cinnamon
      Dash of cardamom





The best way to make the perfect smoothie is to forget the measuring cups and rely on a little trial and error.  The ripeness of your fruit, whether it is frozen or not, and how good your blender is, all factor into the amount of time you will need to blend your smoothie. 

A good smoothie will be just liquidly enough that you can suck it up through a straw without having to strain your lungs to the point of bursting.

Toss your ingredients into your blender, liquids first, then buzz away!

If your smoothie is too thick, add more liquid, if it is too watery, thicken it up with more ice, yogurt or frozen banana.

       
      No Cook Breakfast Bars
      Ingredients
      Kashi cereal
      Dates
      Nuts: Sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds
      Optional ingredients:
      Unsweetened coconut
      Unsweetened coco powder
                                                                        Cinnamon
                                                                        Brown sugar

A great grab and go breakfast!  Make a big batch and freeze what you will not use within a few days.  You are only limited by your imagination- no specific measurements needed.  Use what you have in the pantry at the time.

Place all ingredients into a food processor to blend.  Form into bars, place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet overnight to dry. Cut into bars, wrap and freeze the extras

   
   If you are a gardener growing basil, this time of year    is when the plant begins to really fill out and provide   you with a lot of aromatic abundance.

   So what are   some of the ways to use this garden        delight?. Let's see... how can I count the ways?
   How about 10 great ways to use up those beautiful       basil leaves?


1. BASIL INFUSED OIL
 This has so many uses- for your salad dressing, to make  your pesto with, or to use
 when when cooking.  At Preserving Your Harvest, they take you through two easy                  methods to make your own.

2.  INFUSED BASIL VINEGAR
 If you are making an infused oil, why not also try making a companion vinegar?  Red            Fern Farm gives a great pictorial, taking you through the entire process..

3.  SHARE THE WEALTH
 Still have more basil coming in- give it away to family and friends ,Unlike zucchini, no            one says no! Then they will come back asking for more.

4. WINTER FRESH LEAVES
 Want to save some basil for the winter? Freeze the leaves- Here is a trick I learned a few     years ago. Clean and dry the basil leaves, then place in a small jar with good quality             olive oil, just enough to keep the leaves wet. Place in the freezer. When you pull out your     basil in the dead of the winter, it will be fresh and green. If you just freeze your leaves           they will  retain their flavor but not their color.

5.  STOP THE ITCH
Crush a few fresh basil leaves to use as a herbal rub and topical treatment for insect           bites to reduce the itching and inflammation.

6.  MAKE A HERBAL TINCTURE
Make a herbal tincture with basil leaves to help relieve nervous conditions and induce         relaxation. Follow the steps at the Herbal Information Center to learn how to make a             herbal tincture..

7.  MAKE A HERBAL TEA
Make a herbal tea with fresh basil leaves and a few of the seeds. Basil is known as a             herbal aid in digestive issues. Studies show that basil contain anti-inflammatory and             anti-bacterial properties.

8.  RELAXING BATH
Need a relaxing bath?  Fill the tub with warm water than add a large handful of fresh           leaves to the tub.  The fresh aroma will awaken you senses and make you feel refrshed.

9. BASIL SALT
 At Birds & Bloom they show you how to make a basil flaovred salt, how wonderful it that!

10. BASIL PESTO
No list is complete without the addition of the yummy Basil Pesto.  This is how I make         mine. I don't measure, just create!  In the food processor I put a bunch of cleaned and         dried fresh basil leaves, the add a handful of pine nuts, a few pieces of peeled garlic and   a good sprinkling of parmasean cheese. Give it a few good pulses to roughly chop                 everything up. Then using a good quality olive oil, begin to drizzle it into the food                   processor, a little at a time.  Keep adding oil until you get it to the consistency you want.. 

​Either use it right away or store some for the rest of the year.  I lay out wax paper, then         drop a large tablespoon full of pesto down, leave a space and repeat.  When I have 3           tablespoons full I wrap it up and start another row.  After using up all my pesto, I then           wrap the wax paper in plastic wrap and put it into a baggie for the freezer. Don't forget to     date and label it.  Then later in the year when you want fresh pesto for whatever you are     cooking up, just take out the amount you need.