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10 Home Remedies for Congestion – Natural Decongestants That Work

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Sinus pain and nasal congestion are common symptoms during cold and flu season. I've gathered together several home remedies for congestion to help relieve your stuffy nose and sinus pressure. I don't like the side effects of over the counter decongestants (they either make me jittery, knock me out or make my head feel like it's going to shrivel up like a raisin), so natural decongestants are my option of choice.

natural decongestant tea

[Read more…] about 10 Home Remedies for Congestion – Natural Decongestants That Work

How to Make Elderberry Syrup with Fresh or Dried Berries

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In this post we'll share how to make elderberry syrup  with fresh or dried berries or juice. Making your own is a great way to save money on this wonderful immune supporting tonic. It's great for kids and adults during cold and flu season.

To use elderberry syrup as a preventative, give a tablespoon per day to adults or a teaspoon per day to children. At the first sign of illness, give adults a tablespoon full every 2-3 hours. For children, give a teaspoonful every 2-3 hours.

Ladling homemade elderberry syrup into a mason jar [Read more…] about How to Make Elderberry Syrup with Fresh or Dried Berries

Common Plantain – Weekly Weeder #14

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Common plantain - Range and identification of plantain. Plantain as food and habitat for wildlife. Medicinal uses of common plantain. Plantain folklore.

Today's featured plant is Common Plantain, Plantago major.

Common Plantain is also known as broadleaf plantain, plantain, dooryard plantain, Ripple Grass, Waybread, Slan-lus, Waybroad, Snakeweed, Cuckoo's Bread, soldier's herb, Englishman's Foot and white man's foot. [Read more…] about Common Plantain – Weekly Weeder #14

Common Mullein – Weekly Weeder #13

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Common Mullein - Weekly Weeder #13 - Verbascum thapsus, range and identification, Food and Habitat for Wildlife, Medicinal Uses of Common Mullein

Today's featured plant is Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus.

Common Mullein is also known as Great Mullein, Aaron's Rod, candlewick plant, flannel plant, flannel leaf, lungwort, feltwort, cowboy toilet paper, shepherd's staff, velvet dock, woolly mullein, torch plant, torches, miner's candle, big taper, blanket mullein, “Hig candlewick”, “Bullicks lungwort”, “Hare's-beard”, “Ice-leaf”.”Beggar's blanket”, “Moses' blanket”, “Poor Man's blanket”, “Our Lady's blanket” or “Old Man's Blanket”.

(There are more names, but this list is getting pretty long already. Do you get the impression this thing is pretty widespread?)  Note:  This is not the same plant as Lambs Ears (Stachys byzantina), which also has fuzzy leaves and grows low to the ground.) [Read more…] about Common Mullein – Weekly Weeder #13

New England Aster – Weekly Weeder #12

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Weekly Weeder #12 - New England Aster - Fever reducer and decongestant, and food for migrating monarch butterflies.

Today's featured plant is New England Aster, Aster novae-angliae or Symphyotrichum novae-angliae.

New England Aster is also known as starwort, blue chamomile, blue daisy, New England aster, fall-rose and frostweed.

Range and Identification of New England Aster [Read more…] about New England Aster – Weekly Weeder #12

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