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Example of Synesthesia?

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012

When I watch this video, it is obvious to me that this guy doesn’t sense things normally. He is using more than one sense certainly, and perhaps even has a sixth or seventh sense of innate balance and gravity and ability to find the center of things.

http://www.wimp.com/rockbalancing/

Synesthesia is that ability to combine senses, with often extraordinary results. I’m have synesthesia, and used to think I was a freak of some sort. But it si pretty simple really. I see what I feel, and feel what I see. Makes it handy to teach a class – form across the room I can tell what sort of touch a person is using and make suggestions. And of course working on clients doing bodywork it makes me work more dimensional and intuitive. It;s a great shortcut. If I look at someone I can mostly tell how they feel.

So I liked this video as it comes across strongly that something else is going on.

Synesthesia is a possible explanation.

Posted in holistic health, nature, personal, teaching, Uncategorized | No Comments »

MSG reactions

Tuesday, December 4th, 2012

I’m not very fond of Chinese food, but wanted something different this last Sunday. I had the Vegetarian’s Paradise at a nearby restaurant, with dumplings, and spring rolls. I shared it with Tom. I used the sauces and also hot sauce on the side.
The next morning I slept in, and when I finally got out of bed my heart felt full and lumpy, my blood sugar was off, and when someone stopped by to pick up a tincture I found I was slurring my words and had a hard time speaking smoothly. A bit of protein and other food and I was much better.
I didn’t ask for no MSG. I forgot you have to do that. I usually avoid it as I’ve gotten some bad headaches.
It was the most extreme reaction I’ve had to MSG ever, and a bit frightening. Why is that stuff still being used? I don’t like feeling that anything I eat has affected my brain.

Posted in behavior, food, holistic health | 3 Comments »

Not Happy with Macy’s

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

It has been awhile, but Macy’s has resumed perfume ads in the newspaper. Which is only twice a week. Thankfully they fell out before I brought the paper in, but that little exposure brings on instant headache, an elevation of anxiety, and brain confusion. Add a slight bit of dizziness as well, and I’m pissed.

The perfume can’t possibly smell that bad in real life – why is this a good advertising strategy?

An email to Macy’s and AnnArbor.com is next. When the paper was The Ann Arbor News we had an agreement that they would deliver a “clean” non perfumed paper when Macy’s did this. Many years later, I’ll see what can be done.

Posted in consumer, environment, holistic health, Uncategorized | No Comments »

And now I’m caught up on back tweets…

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Follow my tips and ideas on foraging and medicinal foods twitter.com/wildcrafting
And with this post, I’m caught up – next post will be the current tweets.

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Harvested about 30 pounds of Jerusalem Artichokes. They are kind of wild – they grow where I don’t want them and come back every year. 5:15 PM Nov 5th, 2009
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If you have greens that are tasty but bedraggled make them into herbal vinegars. http://www.holisticwisdom.org/hwpages/herbalvinegars.htm 12:33 AM Nov 4th, 2009 *****
Found what I believe is garlic mustard. Right place, right shape, more mustard than garlic taste, didn’t know it would grow 3 times in 1 yr. 5:00 PM Nov 3rd, 2009
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On my walk I found bee balm just beginning to regrow. It was very fragrant so easy to ID. Picked some to season dinner. Similar to oregano. 4:59 PM Nov 3rd, 2009
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Hickory nuts. Plenty of trees in and around Ann Arbor. Gather, crack with a hammer of shoe, pick out the meat, enjoy. They also freeze well. 9:03 PM Nov 2nd, 2009
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Also made it through my first frozen gallon of maple tree SAP. That worked really well. Took freezer space but otherwise very easy. 8:08 PM Nov 1st, 2009
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I label things with date, name, and place so I can remember picking. Today black rasp. July 7, from The Big Playground. So long ago now… 7:41 PM Nov 1st, 2009
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Already enjoying frozen black raspberries in oatmeal each morning. I add them right at the end of the cooking. Add raisins almonds earlier. 7:38 PM Nov 1st, 2009
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Comfrey leaves help heal cuts, general wounds, AKA “knitbone”. Applied externally or as a homeopathic remedy. Midwives often use for tears. 8:52 AM Oct 31st, 2009
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I’ll want comfrey in a few weeks after surgery. Pick leaves now before frost, infuse for a day, discard leaves, freeze infusion. Healing. 8:32 AM Oct 31st, 2009
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One option for misc. wild roots, leaves, and other is kim chi. Burdock and dandelion root with carrots, greens, wild onion is my best yet. 8:30 AM Oct 31st, 2009
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When the sap runs, maple trees will drip sap. So it is never too late to find a tree to tap. Just have to wait until Feb. or March! 9:44 PM Oct 30th, 2009
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ID those maple trees now – the leaves will soon be gone. I have a hard time figuring out trees in winter. 9:36 PM Oct 30th, 2009
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Ground Cherries seem to be ripening in the window, even in this dark wet weather. 9:33 PM Oct 30th, 2009
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I’m attending Ignite Ann Arbor 2 — http://bit.ly/iquTY and presenting about why I tweet. 15 speakers 5 min each 8:47 AM Oct 29th, 2009
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Tasted some rosehips and they were very bland, Needs more frost. 2:50 AM Oct 29th, 2009
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No dew berries this year so far. They are a pale blue raspberry like fruit that ripens in October. Found them along a creek last year. 2:48 AM Oct 29th, 2009
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Lunch of fried sweet potato, wild garlic greens, found onions, dandelion greens, with tahini and balsamic vinegar on pasta. Lovely. Yummy. 2:46 AM Oct 29th, 2009
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Picked ground cherries, not all of them are ripe. They are considered poisonous until they ripen, so I’ll try a windowsill and hope. 2:45 AM Oct 29th, 2009
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Yellow dock roots can be harvested now, made into oil, used for bruises, scrapes, bone bruises, and more. Oil takes 6 wks to make. 10:07 PM Oct 24th, 2009
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Yellow dock is still hanging in there, so you can make pesto from the leaves. It is OK that there are rusty looking spots. That’s normal. 10:05 PM Oct 24th, 2009
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I have been gifted with quinces. I don’t know yet what I will do to them other than cook and sweeten. Quince paste looks interesting. 10:32 PM Oct 23rd, 2009
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Made chamomile and calendula salves with my med school class. They had fun, enjoyed the hands-on part. Open minded positive group. 3:52 PM Oct 23rd, 2009
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The new issue of the people’s food co-op newsletter has my article on herbs used with cancer and heart disease 2:18 PM Oct 22nd, 2009
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Valerian grows very easily, spreads like crazy, root is used in the tincture for insomnia, muscle spasms, relaxation. It affects me strongly 10:23 PM Oct 21st, 2009
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Having back spasms, will take a little valerian tincture in water and sleep. We made it this week, too soon, so I’ll use last years. 10:22 PM Oct 21st, 2009
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Still time to sign up for Free class on Menopause – Thursday 7 pm Crazy Wisdom thanks to People’s Food Co-op 10:20 PM Oct 21st, 2009
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The last free event I’ll be doing this year is Nov 6 Ignite Ann Arbor on twittering about wild foods. http://igniteannarbor.eventbrite.com/ 1:01 AM Oct 21st, 2009
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Another free class Saturday at the Reskilling Festival, I’ll be helping people brainstorm about building a root cellar. 12:59 AM Oct 21st, 2009
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Free class Thursday on Menopause and Herbal Allies – the good news. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, 7-8:30, sponsored by The People’s Food Co-op 12:58 AM Oct 21st, 2009
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Dug up Echinacea and Valerian roots, my med school class turned that into tincture, 103 proof vodka. In 6 weeks it will be ready for use. 12:56 AM Oct 21st, 2009
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2nd year wild carrot has turned into Queen Ann’s Lace, tall flower, the root is woody, and beginning to deteriorate. No use at that stage. 11:09 AM Oct 20th, 2009
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It is a great time to harvest wild carrot roots. The first year plants will have a nice solid, pure white root. Smells like carrot. 11:08 AM Oct 20th, 2009
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Was invited to pick buckwheat. A little late, many seeds had fallen, but it was different. Now, to remove the hulls and have flour. 10:16 PM Oct 19th, 2009
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Found a few goldenrod flowers still, picked a few and missed the yellow jacket also enjoying them. She stung me, oww. Apis and baking soda. 10:15 PM Oct 19th, 2009

Posted in community, environment, food, gardening, herbs, holistic health, nature, twitter, wildcrafting | No Comments »

More Tweets – Just Two more to catch up

Monday, January 18th, 2010

This and another 40 or so will put me up to date on my missing tweets. Follow me on twitter.com/wildcrafting for daily updates.

Harvesting gets more and more scant – but roots are still a great feast. Burdock (look for leaves with no flower stalks), dandelion are 2 9:27 PM Nov 27th, 2009
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When you harvest for bark, take vertical strips. If you gird the tree (go around) it dies. Except cork trees. But that is not a local tree! 6:39 AM Nov 25th, 2009
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we have slippery elms around here, but I’ve never harvested from them. Bark is powdered and used to stop colds, sooth colon, nutritious. 6:38 AM Nov 25th, 2009
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Just sniffed oil drops on surgical gauze. A bit formal – but some concessions can be made for the setting. Totally completely effective. 8:36 PM Nov 22nd, 2009
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Used peppermint oil to control post-surgery nausea. Read studies that said it worked, 1st and only chance to try. Amazing. Would wild mint? 8:31 PM Nov 22nd, 2009
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Using st. john’s wort oil topically to keep shingles at bay. Made from flowering tops gathered in June, farmer’s field. In Olive oil. Works. 8:29 PM Nov 22nd, 2009
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witch hazel grows in clumps of small trees. This must be ornamental var. as friend says he saw only one tree. And it fruits b4 it flowers. 11:40 PM Nov 21st, 2009
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friend walking my dog came back with witch hazel flower. blooms in Nov. fringy thin yellow petals. not edible but tinctured for astringent. 11:36 PM Nov 21st, 2009
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home from hosp day early – oatmeal made with maple sap – not syrup frozen from last season. And black rasp. No hosp. food at all. 12:50 PM Nov 21st, 2009
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No more tweets until Sunday at the earliest. Combining the best of conventional and alternative therapies, to be nourished and heal fast. 9:44 PM Nov 18th, 2009
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Woods today filled with young garlic mustard. Bad. And young strawberry plants – promise of good things in the spring. Good. 9:42 PM Nov 18th, 2009
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catnip is making a go of growing in this warm weather. Herbal tea, dry for cats, add to cooking greens for flavor change. Soothes stomach. 1:24 PM Nov 18th, 2009
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It took about 2 weeks for my root cellar to stop smelling like dead mice. The down side to food storage. Those mice are amazing. Destroyers. 9:50 AM Nov 18th, 2009
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I think I will miss the woods more than anything. Good motivation to get well soon. I just can’t be inside too long.. lots grows in the cold 9:46 PM Nov 17th, 2009
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Hope to be back next week, posting ideas, recipes, philosophy, info on medicinal herbs, and herbs I’m using to nourish and heal. 9:44 PM Nov 17th, 2009
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I will be indoors for a week or two recovering from major abdominal surgery. It may be hard to twitter about wild things for a bit. 9:42 PM Nov 17th, 2009
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Lots of dandelions. Craving tahini. Combines well – recipe http://moonfieldpress.com/pages/samplerecipes.html from my cookbook. 9:41 PM Nov 17th, 2009
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Burdock root infused overnight, strained and used in baths for soothing skin care, for itching and luxurious sensations. Freeze 4 later use 11:30 PM Nov 15th, 2009
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tomorrow – final comfrey leaf harvest. For herbal vinegar 4 minerals, and decoction to preserve by freezing. Wound healing used externally. 11:27 PM Nov 15th, 2009
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Soup made from Jerusalem artichokes, chestnuts, garlic and brussel sprouts. Pureed artichokes, 40 cloves garlic for 3 gallons. Tasty. 11:06 PM Nov 15th, 2009
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Long walk but not much to eat. Comfrey still growing strong. My bees are a bit troubled, warm weather but no flowers. That’s hard for them. 5:00 PM Nov 14th, 2009
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Still avail. roots of dandelion, burdock, chicory, wild carrot; yellow dock leaves (think pesto); apples, crabapples; acorns, black walnuts 9:05 PM Nov 13th, 2009
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Did more talking about wildcrafting than doing it today. Encouraging urban maple syruping, listing wild plants still harvestable. 9:02 PM Nov 13th, 2009
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Tincture of St. John’s Wort oil is ruby red, just beautiful. Used for shingles, nerve pain, anti-viral, and Seasonal Affective Disorder more 9:32 PM Nov 12th, 2009
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Productive day dealing with previous preparations. Decanted St. John’s Wort oil and tincture, vinegars of pine and comfrey, echinacea tinct. 9:30 PM Nov 12th, 2009
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Evidence for Echinacea in small doses all anecdotal. My published article http://www.holisticwisdom.org/hwpages/echinacea.html 8:33 AM Nov 11th, 2009
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Taking home made Echinacea purpurea tincture daily – 10 drops in water – as prevention against misc. viruses. Made from roots, 3 YO plants 8:31 AM Nov 11th, 2009
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Drinking nettle leaf infusion – eating dandelion leaves – enjoying yellow dock leaf pesto – wild pears – ground cherries not ripening 8:29 AM Nov 11th, 2009
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And, sometimes conventional medicine is necessary and profoundly helpful. Best solution? Combine the two. Alt. and Conv. 8:28 AM Nov 11th, 2009
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Health Insurance nightmares interfere with life & happiness, including posting on wild food. Sorry! Do it yourself medicine is more peaceful 8:26 AM Nov 11th, 2009
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Use dried rosehips with other herbs for tea, infuse with lid 20 minutes or a couple hours. Nice color, taste, and vit. C. 9:00 AM Nov 8th, 2009
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Found some rosehips? You can dry them. Dry the flesh, not the seeds, on a tray in any airy warm place. Store in jars with lid. 8:59 AM Nov 8th, 2009
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The Nov. Herbal Wisdom class has been postponed. It will be January 28th, on using herbs for cancer and heart disease. 8:57 AM Nov 8th, 2009
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Rosehips – nibble on the red flesh, avoid the barbed seeds inside. Great source of Vit. C 3:24 PM Nov 7th, 2009
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Canoeing – found a few rosehips to nibble. Not much else, so just enjoyed the warm sunny weather and being on the water. 3:23 PM Nov 7th, 2009
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If they’ve been frosted, it will be too late. Not the right flavor to spend time preserving. 11:42 PM Nov 6th, 2009
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I will be looking for unfrozen garlic greens and chives tomorrow. Forget to dry some for the winter. 200 degree oven, into well sealed jar. 11:41 PM Nov 6th, 2009
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Ignite2 went well, love to talk about wildcrafting with people who never considered it, or who remember their g-mother doing it. 11:40 PM Nov 6th, 2009
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As of this moment, just 32 free tickets left for ignite2 http://igniteannarbor.eventbrite.com/ So about 500 people will be there. Cool. 12:08 AM Nov 6th, 2009
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I am explaining my motivation and passion for this twitter experiment at Ingite2, Friday night, 7 pm. 5 minutes, 20 slides, auto advance 12:06 AM Nov 6th, 2009
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Eat ‘chokes raw like water chestnuts, baked and mashed with potatoes, boiled in soups, stir fried is awesome, very versatile. Nutritious 2 5:18 PM Nov 5th, 2009
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I’ll put some in sand in the root cellar. Last year the mice got to them, this year taking measures against mice so there is hope. 5:17 PM Nov 5th, 2009
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To store Jer. Art. don’t remove the dirt, put in plastic bags in the produce drawer of your refrig, I’ve had some last almost a year. 5:16 PM Nov 5th, 2009 *****
Harvested about 30 pounds of Jerusalem Artichokes. They are kind of wild – they grow where I don’t want them and come back every year. 5:15 PM Nov 5th, 2009

Posted in behavior, community, environment, food, gardening, herbs, holistic health, recipes, soups, twitter, wildcrafting | No Comments »

More Tweets Repeated Here

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Follow me on twitter.com/wildcrafting or read here every few days. I’m still catching up form not posting since mid-October.

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white pine needles harvested all year. In winter, white pine infusion good source of Vit. C. Tastes like turpentine though. And diuretic! 9:36 PM Dec 21st, 2009
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reminder – white pine needles in jar, apple cider vinegar to top, non metal lid, wait 6 weeks = white pine flavored vinegar with + minerals. 9:35 PM Dec 21st, 2009
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Comparing balsamic vinegar and homemade white pine needle vinegar. B. is more “oaky” WP the apple cider taste comes thru. WP is surprising. 9:21 PM Dec 21st, 2009
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OK things are covered with snow. U can still ID wild carrot, chicory, burdock, mullein, and so many others, ready for early spring finds. 6:40 PM Dec 19th, 2009
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Foraging is walk outside when something wonderful could happen any moment. Even this time of year. Like High Bush Cranberries! 3:34 PM Dec 19th, 2009
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From “Why Animals Make us Human” by Temple Grandon. Anticipation = pleasure. Being outside and expecting “treats” is reinforcing. And basic. 3:32 PM Dec 19th, 2009
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Temple Grandon writes of primitive “seeking behavior” creating pleasure. My point exactly, why foraging is deeply rooted and makes us happy. 3:31 PM Dec 19th, 2009
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I think the only place that sells SJW oil locally is The People’s Food Co-op. Many people are unfamiliar with the oil, just know tincture. 8:05 AM Dec 17th, 2009
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Made from local flowering tops of Hypericum Perforatum. Look for it in mid June. Cautions with internal use of tincture or pills. Not ext. 8:03 AM Dec 17th, 2009
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Huge difference in pain relief and nerve sensitivity. I love this oil. Fantastic for shingles outbreaks as well. Topical use only… 8:01 AM Dec 17th, 2009
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2 days w/out topical St. John’s Wort oil on incision and discomfort increases. Last 12 hours with, clear improvement. A small experiment. 7:59 AM Dec 17th, 2009
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Still processing tasks to complete from summer and fall. Frozen cattail pollen to sift, acorns to process, buckwheat to hull. Winter work. 11:38 PM Dec 16th, 2009
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Because it is in our nature to gather wild foods. We evolved that way too. When you give in to that deep need, foraging is deeply satisfying 7:27 PM Dec 15th, 2009
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How you feel when you add wild foods to your diet may be a first indicator. My body says YES! A deep primitive response is also satisfied. 7:26 PM Dec 15th, 2009
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If we evolved with certain foods, do we deal with them differently than recently adapted and “improved” foods? May take a while to know. 7:21 PM Dec 15th, 2009
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One theory is that wild foods are more digestible and with better nutrient uptake. Because cells respond slowly to change and hybrid foods. 7:20 PM Dec 15th, 2009
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My foraging friend ground the wild “pepper” with wild mustard seeds, homemade vinegar, made an interesting condiment. Flavorful! 4:17 PM Dec 14th, 2009
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Saw some “Poor Man’s Pepper” seed pods dried by a path. Still has that peppery great flavor, but bit wet tasting as well. A treat on a walk 4:15 PM Dec 14th, 2009
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On hand now I have jams of black raspberry, quince, red raspberry, strawberry, blueberry. Also pear butter, apple butter. All gifts. Yum. 6:34 PM Dec 13th, 2009
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Jam is also an unusual treat stirred into hot tea, herbal or most others. Use it in lots of places you might use honey , sugar, etc. 6:32 PM Dec 13th, 2009
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With all the jam I’ve been gifted with it is time to make thumb print cookies. Buttery nut cookie, make hole with thumb, fill w/ jam, bake 6:30 PM Dec 13th, 2009
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Friends have had freezer failures and are making more jam from berries that thawed. Next year consider drying as another option. Low tech. 6:27 PM Dec 13th, 2009
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Found a confused pussy willow on my walk. Soft fuzzy buds . Even pussy willow has salicin, used for headaches and pain. Extracted from bark 2:40 PM Dec 12th, 2009
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If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his or her wages? … The rare leafy green joke… I collect them no matter how bad. 9:20 AM Dec 12th, 2009
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Interested in hands on learning? Location in Ann Arbor and Chelsea MI, no$$, work exchange only. DM with your e-mail. 2 apprentices needed 9:06 AM Dec 12th, 2009
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Thinking of spring: two gardens to plant, and the wild harvest starts with maple sugaring Feb or March. Seeking 2 people 4 apprenticeship. 9:03 AM Dec 12th, 2009
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Started the day with buckwheat pancakes with black raspberries, picked June 28, and my own maple syrup from last Feb. Memories & great food 9:01 AM Dec 12th, 2009
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Continuing to use St. John’s Wort oil on my incision , numb areas beginning to itch and have more feeling. Facilitates nerve regeneration. 7:04 PM Dec 11th, 2009
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Chenopodium, Lamb’s Quarters, is one plant to save seed to cook as grain or grind for flour. But huge work in preparation. Small return. 3:49 PM Dec 9th, 2009
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Wind is helpful to separate the wheat from the chaff – or any other seed with husks you saved foraging. But 50 MPH today – too much. 3:47 PM Dec 9th, 2009
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This will be my rare plug. Buy directly from me – http://bit.ly/852ANW and I can personally autograph. I’ll twitter recipes this winter. 9:17 AM Dec 8th, 2009
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My cookbook “Spinach and Beyond: Loving Life and Dark Green Leafy Vegetables” includes wild greens and how to use them. http://bit.ly/8x3tvT 9:14 AM Dec 8th, 2009
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My foraging friend stashed his for wine making, mine will mostly go on top of oatmeal. Added at end of cooking. Or cornbread, or pancakes. 7:36 PM Dec 7th, 2009
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Unearthed the large stash of black raspberries from the back of freezer. The color, taste, and even smell at this time of year is heaven. 7:34 PM Dec 7th, 2009
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The job of controlling and eliminating invasives is overwhelming. Eating them is a reasonable part of a needed larger strategy. cooperate 4:57 PM Dec 6th, 2009
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I would hate to see many of them be totally eliminated. For now, we are all working to stop the spread and that is important. Next – ? 4:55 PM Dec 6th, 2009
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Invasives are often powerful herbal healers and good food. Is there a conflict? Mostly I just find where they are trouble and harvest them. 4:53 PM Dec 6th, 2009
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Just now found my direct tweets- so apologies for not responding b4. Not sure what I wasn’t seeing, my other account they showed up. OK now 4:52 PM Dec 6th, 2009
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The hard frost this am knocked out a lot of greens, but even wilted you can eat for a few days. Cook first. Some taste better after a chill. 9:02 PM Dec 5th, 2009
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http://bit.ly/4tQ6g4 links to article on wildcrafting in Sweden. 9:00 PM Dec 5th, 2009
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Cold frames, hoop houses, greenhouses, are good for weeds and wild food not just intentionally planted plants. Extend the season! 8:47 PM Dec 4th, 2009
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You can place ground cover fabric, AKA reemay, over your more tender weeds and extend the season. Also easier to find greens in the snow. 8:46 PM Dec 4th, 2009
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In Dec. any fresh edible green is a great thing. A little added to a recipe goes a long way. Esp. with a strong wonderful garlic taste! 11:15 PM Dec 3rd, 2009
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Saute in oil, mix with sour cream, add to baked potato. Sliver into butter, use garlic butter on bread and bake. Add chopped to marinade. 11:13 PM Dec 3rd, 2009
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Garlic mustard recipes: tear into small pieces, add to salad greens. Add to stir fry. Add to other greens boiled or steamed. …to be cont.. 11:11 PM Dec 3rd, 2009
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If you can pull up the roots with the garlic mustard &discard them, you’ve done a good deed. They create soil environment that hurts trees. 6:12 PM Dec 2nd, 2009
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I was munching on garlic mustard today. Expect it to be around most of the winter, it is a green you can uncover from snow and ice and eat. 6:11 PM Dec 2nd, 2009
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With the ground not yet frozen, you could still ID Echinacea from the stalks with cone like flowers, dig the root, clean, chop. 8:27 PM Dec 1st, 2009
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My Echinacea root was put into 100 proof vodka. 6 weeks later now ready to decant. 10 drops a day in water to stave off flu, colds, and crud 8:25 PM Dec 1st, 2009
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Picked more comfrey leaves today, topical healing for friend – recent childbirth. Soothing and healing for tears, make liquid extract. 10:18 PM Nov 30th, 2009
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Ever made pesto in December? Find a few sheltered leaves from dandelions yellow dock (especially), plantain, and treat like basil. In Dec.! 10:15 PM Nov 30th, 2009
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So happy to be out walking, even if short. Dandelion greens stay edible nearly all winter – I’ve found and eaten in Feb. Flowers even. 11:20 PM Nov 29th, 2009
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A gallon of maple sap makes about 8-9 bowls of oatmeal. So I had a months worth of oatmeal breakfasts frozen in plastic milk jugs. Sweet. 10:10 PM Nov 28th, 2009
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buckwheat pancakes made with maple syrup from the tree next door last Feb. was great way to start the morning. 10:07 PM Nov 28th, 2009

Posted in community, environment, food, gardening, herbs, holistic health, nature, rivers, lakes and water, twitter, wildcrafting | No Comments »

Warning: Problem with Charlie’s Laundry Soap

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Just because it says natural, there is still no real protection. Just because it is “hypoallergenic” doesn’t mean it can’t cause horrible skin reactions. And just because I had a problem, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a safe and great product for other people.

And, because I had a stunningly bad experience with this product I want to put that out onto the net so that if someone else does happen to have a similar problem they can have some validation. I don’t think it has to be removed, reformulated, or discontinued. But for a few of us who are super sensitive – don’t use it.

The symptoms came on slowly, and at a time when there were a lot of changes and stresses. So I suspected a lot of reasons for the blisters, itching, rash, and sores that I developed. But through the process of elimination, the only thing that caused immediate (within a day) improvement was rewashing all my clothes in another detergent. I chose Allen’s, known for being gentle and safe, and a product I had used before.

Night and day difference. In, ahem, the places where it really matters.

On the web, I found a lot of testimonials to how great this cleaner is, and I was actually very happy with what it did to my clothes. But I found a few scattered references to similar problems, and the company suggesting additional washings would solve the problem. The logic was that this cleaner brings out the old detergents in a way that can be irritating, and two more washings would flush that residue away. The garments that caused trouble had been washed multiple times, and I have never used harsh detergents in this washing machine or for the clothes I was washing, or for that matter not in the last 30 some years.

It took about a week for symptoms to nearly fully recede, but wearing something that didn’t get the rewash caused an immediate and painful flare up. So I’m convinced.

I will stick with Allen’s Laundry products now. And for body washing, my home made soaps – yes they are made with lye, and high quality olive oil thanks. Much less skin dryness since using them for the last 20 years. I’m not sure what I’m allergic to/reactive to now but it would be nice to know. I’ve also developed a recent latex allergy, so a change in body chemistry isn’t out of the question.

I hope that this account can help at least one suffering person. It is a complex world of dealing with chemicals and products natural or not. There sure is a lot out there that makes me suffer. Add Charlie’s Laundry Soap to the list.

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Posted in consumer, environment, holistic health, reviews | 1 Comment »

Apparently I like my life

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

In a walk downtown yesterday I was comparing the moment to how life is about to change. I won’t be walking to the bank to deposit checks, enjoying the people at Downtown Home and Garden and watching Nala try and wrangle bread from the guy at the counter. (It is one of her more excited passionate sits). I probably won’t be back to Downtown home and Garden until next year. Same with Crazy Wisdom. I may shop at the Co-op once or twice again, and because of weight restrictions post surgery, not again then until next year.

I felt like I was stocking up for a siege today. First time buying a night gown (only similar purchase in that category was a negligee almost 20 years ago…) I had a couple as a kid, gifts or supplied by my mother. I got 96 roles of recycled toilet paper from the BGreen store. Made from Sugar Cane. New sheets and underwear.

I still need to stock up on dog food, ketchup, agave sweetener, just a peculiar list of what I don’t want to have to buy again for two or three months. I was just really sad the other night at the Co-op thinking I would only shop there once or twice more this year. Of course the MOD said I could come in and a staff person would shop for me, carry everything, even out to my car. See that is why I love Ann Arbor and also why I keep bursting into tears these days.

I have also touched into a frenzy of hollowing out my house just as I am about to hollow out my belly. I feel compelled to inventory and remove vast quantities of “stuff”. and once it has been chosen I want it out and gone immediately. Today I had to get rid of old sheets for my bodywork table. And indeed they have been e-cycled. Nala ripped up a basket I had removed from the top of the china cabinet (also now gone) and I thought great, one less thing to keep around.

Anyone who knows me (and my stuff) would endorse this impulse and activity. I am constrained by not being able to lift and carry much or it triggers pretty bad low back pain. A theory I have tested a bit too much, and finally get. So now I need help moving a file cabinet down two flights and my TV onto my desk – the TV I wouldn’t take on myself anyway. This large screen behemoth is astonishingly heavy. it has begun to squash the filing cabinets it is on,one of the reasons to move it, but also to get rid of the damaged filing cabinet which I no longer really need. Remove excess. It must be done.

I am also still sitting with the MRI info which is mostly good, everything looks as expected. The fibroids are the same ones that have plagued me for over a decade, the same ones successfully embolized, until they weren’t. And they are larger than before, just doesn’t feel that way since I weight 60 pounds less. But I was rather shocked and confused to discover there are now 10-15 MORE fibroids tucked away.

Do I need to know why? The body mind spirit connection? It is something to ponder, this uterus gone wrong, but I also don’t need to know all the connections to know that healing is through surgical removal (and accompanied healing work in many realms) and since there are no other options I can embrace that and keep moving forward.

A few people seem to expect me to pull off some miracle “down there” and seem disappointed that I have “given up”. You know, I have had these fibroids since at least 1985 or ’86. That is more than 20 years. They brought me to near death once even. Such heavy bleeding that my hemoglobin hit a low of 3.6 No typo, it was 3.6 See, I’ve done anemia.

It was a good go, battling mostly on my own, and now I have had to ask for very large and significant help. And that, I believe, is the largest part of what is being healed even as I write this. Asking for and receiving help. And now I start to cry again.

And mostly I have tears because I really like my life and my work and my habits and the daily interactions with people and groups and walking my dog and lifting and carrying and creating space and walking for an hour or two or hopping on my bike to go even further and so so much more. And I am going to miss that a lot while I recover. A whole lot.

It is only a couple of months, but it is the rest of 2009 and I didn’t imagine that this is how I would end the year. A bit prematurely at least as far as activity levels and routines and engaging with people. I’m used to meeting a couple dozen strangers a month, or more. And I really enjoy that as well. Pulling inward, no dating, no teaching, no meeting new people for a while.

I like my life. And because I value the quality as well, I will do this surgery, and expect to feel better stronger and more able than I have in a very long time. But different from a vacation, I will not be removed from the ordinary doing something extraordinary somewhere else. I’ll be here, interacting in a pretty profoundly different way, looking to extract meaning and healing and learning as best I can from a much more limited capacity. It has begun, and the next few months will be different.

I hope in the end I really appreciate them as well.

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The latest tweets on Wildcrafting

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Follow me for daily wildcrafting updates via Twitter. Here are the last few twitters, most recent first. Look for an expanded edition of these posts on Ann Arbor.com either later tonight or tomorrow morning.
*****
Prickly pear fruit. A friend had some from south. Tasty, a bit slimy, and then there are the seeds. Sure are a lot of fruits in this world!

Autumn olive berries still tasty, if you can get there before the birds. Easy to freeze as well.

Tried to harvest or at least see cattail roots, but the stalks are too rotted to pull. Saw only dead parts, so not sure if anything edible.

Went through at least two grocery bags of apples, 1/2 again that much in pears. Over a quart of crabapples from last week, juiced whole.

My Champion juicer got a workout, did great with lots of fruit. Lots to compost and some pulp will go to making alcohol/vinegar.

Major processing in 2 hours over 2 gallons of cider and pear juice, also crabapple juice which needs some additives. But overall wow.

Picked a lot of comfrey leaves to make herbal vinegar. The med student class helped make it. They also tasted ginger and stinging nettles.

Danger! Danger! annarbor.com blog posting on wildcrafting http://bit.ly/117zAs

Picking up acorns. Picking up acorns. More acorns. I thought they were done, I was very very wrong. Lots more work still to do!

Pure sap (full strength straight from the tree) frozen for later use instead of water when cooking oatmeal, in bread recipes, or just drink.

Every maple tree in color makes me think of maple sugaring to come. Enjoying the syrup I made last year, and about to use the sap I froze.

Went for a walk and was tasting and picking up acorns etc. and the person I was walking with seemed uncomfortable. Wouldn’t try anything. Hm

I normally try to always use plant common name and Latin so there is no confusion. Hard to do with twitter I would run out of space so easil

My foraging friend shared acorn flour “acornbread” with me earlier. Dark, richer than normal, very nice and different. Interesting.

These are large tasty crabapples. I’d like to try juicing them. I like juice more than jam, and so many of these fruits jam is suggested.

Canoe trip on the Huron today. Harvested crabapples, pickerel weed seeds, cattail root tips, found watercress, still no wapato.

The recent rain washed away a lot of the flavor from the staghorn sumac fruit. Still a hint, but not the explode in your mouth tartness.

The pears are softening but the root cellar is too warm at 60 degrees. They are in the spare refrigerator, but they don’t seem happy there.

Recipe for layered polenta, SELMA Breakfast part two annarbor.com blogging http://bit.ly/4zYfk3

Photos & more from recent tweets http://bit.ly/AE5s1

Posted in behavior, environment, food, gardening, herbs, holistic health, nature, rivers, lakes and water, twitter, wildcrafting | No Comments »

Dating Update – Protocol for Revealing the Obvious?

Friday, October 9th, 2009

I’m in a very awkward position of not really wanting to put dating on hold for the rest of the year, but there is this awkward and kind of weird issue that can’t be hidden. As in, yeah, it isn’t that I’m really fat, I just have this basketball sized tumor in my belly.

There isn’t a really easy, light, let’s not get too personal too fast sort of way to do that. Oh yeah, and then there is the part about I may need to take a break for 4-6 weeks to recover from major abdominal surgery. But we can have fun in the meantime, right?

Sure, even as I become rather self absorbed and given to bouts of crying for no apparent reason, obsessing over who will take care of my dog, how to pay bills while not working, concern over abandoning my clients, and having some real feelings over being rather dependent and not so much independent for a rather long (and totally unprecedented) period of time.

Yeah, so I’m kind of in a vulnerable awkward place where the fun and comfort of dating and physical closeness and hope is still really important. And it is hard to relax about in person meetings when I’m feeling rather physically disfigured. The tumor is growing, and it has become more and more obvious.

My usual style – transparent, up front, generally works kind of well but not all strangers want to hear about huge tumors and blood loss. And I don’t think contemplating 12-16 inch scars on your potential love interest is a huge turn on. But I could be wrong about that. You never know.

So here is my plan.
** Find as much humor in as much of it as I possibly can.
** Provide the info/warning before any in person date.
** Don’t indulge in the temptation to answer everyone who asks “how are you” by making them imagine how a basketball can fit into someone’s belly and what that might feel like.
** Try and believe it when a guy says I’m attractive. Attraction is more than not looking pregnant, after all. I am looking much more slim and fit and yeah nice smile nice hair — not bad except for this bizarre lump in my belly that turns out to be larger than a basketball.
** Look for other descriptors other than basketball. That’s even getting old for me. The surgeon even promised not to start dribbling it in the OR. See humer, above, are there funny ways to describe large tumors? What is wrong with soccer balls?
** Try and expand my comfort zones. I’m comfortable about the surgery. I’m pretty OK with being in pain. Being fed for a week or two has a lot to say for it. Can I get more comfortable feeling disfigured and bizarrely shaped? Just for a few more weeks. I did it before. Well, that part seems to bring on the previously mentioned tears. Needs work.
** Explore this impulse to tell people about the surgery/tumor/medical details so they know it isn’t just being fat. Does it really help, or make things worse and really uncomfortable? At least we are all wearing more clothes since it is fall, is it less obvious?
** Give up on MDs who are condescending and clueless. They have started to emerge, there will certainly be more, no energy need go there.
** If there is an educational component I’m happier. Work that angle. Much much much much better than self absorption and soliciting pity and scaring people.
** If I start to freakout, it is almost always because I don’t understand something, information is missing, or someone is not listening or acknowledging or validating me. I know that, so I also know the solutions. And they are pretty quick and easy, really.
** Keep writing. It helps. And more of that potential for greater education/sharing/helping others.
** I am in a vulnerable spot, so it makes sense that I feel really vulnerable. I can explore that, I can learn more, and it is a good point of contact with people who care. Oh, but it is uncomfortable.

It is going to be a weird couple of months. Maybe I’ll just refer all potential dates to this blog. If they can deal, great, if not, I have yet another screening tool. The other side – meaning somewhere around Jan 1 – is bound to be interesting as well. Much potential. One known fact – I will be feeling much more healthy and happy to have my body back and no future tumors. Yeah. That is something to focus on. Outcome.

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Posted in behavior, community, holistic health, humor | No Comments »

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