Alchemica

Can anyone confirm that this wild find in fields of mallow is what I'm after? Edible: The crystal ice plant can be used steamed, stir-fried or blanched and is a great complement to seafood dishes. Medicinal: Aside from the above findings: May be a "promising functional food for the prevention of diabetes" [1,2] and have anti-obesity effects [3] It also has beneficial dermatological effects [4] [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31089648 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24374864 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26390196 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25592948 If so, happy to offer dried research material etc

How is your attunement to the spirits of the skies going? I've been exploring this, more as feather finding. It's a really nice (and 100% free) flow state searching for feathers and you really attune and connect to the environment around you - I feel you can interpret your 'feather findings' psycho-spiritually, in a more spirited way than reading tea leaves... I find I often find feathers that are in some way deeply relatable to life. I like to make little objects out of them. For example, yesterday's feathers to me are a reflection of my current struggle between lower and higher energies, learning to re-integrate shadow aspects, embrace dark and light and coming to a greater peaceful unity between the opposing duality to a greater whole Today, this one found me: To me, this is the feather of 'spirit triumphing over darkness'. Even when life is beating you down, there's a glimmer in the spirit to overcome the darkness.

For reference: From a reputable source, the seeds of M. crystallinum gave seedlings with expected glistening bladder cells

This is a new start for me. I got a mandala mindfulness mug started by a woman and finished it. It's simple art for me but it's a personally big step I used to gaze at women with the eyes of fear, now I'm finding I can gaze into theirs with eyes of love and healing. They are my mystery angels and medicine women. How can I love them better? Having a bit of trouble sleeping as for once, I have those divine beings called women running wild in my mind

Inspired by something my sister gave to me to give to my mum... Yep, it would succ without you, friends, family, caring kind people and supportive people I've met through SAB. So I've been sowing succulent seeds and got some free spares - Delosperma bosseranum x 2 significant quantities - Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (50 seeds) x 2 I've checked viability for both and they've germinated fine on the heat mat for me If you want a pack of each sent to sow, the first two people to tell me what their life would succ without in this thread get free seeds Sow with intent to manifest a kinder, more loving world Soon I'll hopefully have "life would succ without you starter packs of plants" to give to people of succulents I've known and loved In case no one has said it to you today and you're feeling down:

Thanks @HillLily. Hard to hear about your isolation, without knowing the reason could you try to form some connections in your community that might break that via your front yard? Ie. over here we have "Grow Free" carts where it's give what you can, take what you need but a simple something even a box that could form connection? A shared simple herb bed etc. Wish you brighter days, best wishes

As spring starts to come around, trying to get back some creativity as it was nicely therapeutic. Not 'good' at it but better than no creative stimulation. Also brings back 'the moment'. Trying to draw plants as I garden, or think about them... Particularly trying to draw all the plants as I wait for them to germinate on the heat mat. Coming up with a wall of plants... art with a heart I like to call it

I'm interested in getting Mesembryanthemum crystallinum growing. I've got some seeds to germinate and in the picture of that one, the plant is covered in glistening bubbles. Is that a defining feature of M. crystallinum? From Wikipedia: "The plant is covered with large, glistening bladder cells or water vesicles..." Today I spotted this plant sold as "Mesembryanthemum crystallinum "Rainbow" deep pink flowers" This doesn't have the glistening bladder cells? Could it still be M. crystallinum? Or wrong ID? In a study, the alkaloid content obtained from the leaves of M. crystallinum was found to be 4.2%, compared to Sceletium which had 1-1.5% http://dspace.univ-tlemcen.dz/bitstream/112/6936/1/REBIAHI-RAHMOUN-Malika.pdf It's also got culinary use

Thanks for the kind words. Still keeping this up. I find it really healing - try things like 'meditative foraging' The Spiritual Life of Plants Plants are bringing about social change by developing people's attitude and behaviour towards nature and as a result to people Having a more harmonious relationship with what we consume makes a big difference: if you aren’t connected to the land where you are, now is the time to start. The surrounding environment holds a central role and is inseparable from the psychological and therapeutic experience of the plant diets: it is a means of bridging individuals' separation from nature and finding and feeling one's place in it. People benefit more from this method if the plant they are dieting grows nearby, and the ecological connection to it assists with the spiritual connection: through the active and embedded connection to the plant spirit, diets may lead to the recognition of nature as an inspirited space. https://www.tea-assembly.com/issues/2019/6/11/french-plant-spirits

I started re-introducing a few less weedy plants and noticed that I felt worse and worse the further I drifted from the wild plants. I feel such are a connection to Source, to our Ancestors - to Healing. The more we've cultivated the plants for food, the less healing connection they've come to offer: the further I drifted in food, the more degrees of separation, the more I started losing something really personally Divine: a greater than self connection that brought me a feeling of mental stability, nourishment and self-transcendence: a radical feeling of nourishing, inclusive Oneness. A feeling of Divine connection that I used to seek in unhealing ways There's something magical about directly interacting with Nature for your sustenance without the intervention of man, in the simplicity of Nature's abundance, something that takes you closer to 'source', to a feeling of Oneness and Love. As this author puts it in The Wild Healing solution, healing “wild plant deficiency syndrome” - that is, adding wild plants back into our diets - is vital not only to our health but also to our spiritual development. Are drugs/supplements that are primarily made from combinations of isolated chemicals really the key to enriching our lives? Can they truly correct the deficit that is making us feel tired, unfocused, sad, empty? "Taking up our wild weeds, let us walk into the field and forest together, mindful that, when we return to our homes and communities, we will be changed, more entangled, more infused with the green blood of our botanical companions. What this will do to our culture I cannot predict, but I hold great hope that the benefits far outweigh the risks." "Throughout history, human beings (and animals, too) have supplemented their diet with a range of substances to prevent illness, treat disease, and feel vibrant, inspired, and connected. As people moved into cities and suburbs and embraced modern medicine and industrialised food, they lost their connection to nature, in particular to the plants with which humanity coevolved. These plants are essential components of our physiologies - tangible reminders of cross-kingdom signaling - and key not only to vibrant physical health and prevention of illness but also to soothing and awakening the troubled spirit." I think it's really important to recognise that our food connection is vital to our sustenance We haven't really left Eden, all of us have this banished from Eden mentality, we have to cleanse ourselves from that... Foraging is rekindling the fire within us that recognises I am nature, I am one with it, this is my home, this is my source...

Lived off the weeds for awhile - how would I describe 'weed medicine?' 'Weeds' are a great leveler medicine to embrace "otherness" that teach us to learn to accept, even appreciate not just Nature differently but at a deeper level, to see, hold and accept ourselves and 'others' in a more positive light. When you're feeling like a waste of space, like you don't belong, feelings of being useless, low self-worth, lacking acceptance etc relating to weeds as healing food and medicine is particularly nice plant medicine. When you start to see this otherwise unappreciated life force like a weed in a positive light through compassionately relating to it for your day to day healing sustenance, you kindle a new kind of compassion towards yourself and others. You start to relate to the aspects in yourself or others you typically denigrate much differently. When you feel like you don't belong, or are lacking acceptance of self or others, the weeds teach you to find that again compassionately and gently, starting small in the world around you and bringing that back into your core to nourish the aspects of yourself that are hurt and hurting and out solidify a new compassionate embrace in the world. You connect deeply with a heartier attitude towards Nature and others in the world around you. "Wouldn’t it be great if we all started to change our attitudes and broaden our ideas of belonging and accepting, of embracing our differences and trusting that wherever we (and others) are is the right place to be right now? Maybe if we do this, we’ll all gravitate to our natural heart-space..." [1] [1] https://wildflowerwalker.com/2015/09/21/weeds-maybe-nature-knows-best/ Re-wilding ourselves It's been interesting comparing gardening, where you're exerting will and control over the environment and striving for productivity, forcing your will on the Earth, to foraging where you're surrendering and becoming at one with it and it's abundant gifts. There's that power dynamic of gardening/life in general 'control' that gets super softened by living off the land for a bit and you start to embrace a nourishing oneness. I think we have way too many control freaks these days and being able to soften that is often needed... In healing, I feel giving up that need to control the Mother Earth is particularly special. Our relationship with the Earth is mirrored in our other relationships too. In foraging, you're returning to a primal state of being Mothered by the energies of the Earth which is particularly nourishing and special when you're energies are out of alignment It's been a pleasure getting to know common weeds as food, medicine and friends/allies. That said, trying to keep some balance so decreasing my reliance on the open source food which was a fun adventure and limiting it to healing allies that pop up in my garden.

Today an urban forage for my weeds A recent study highlights the food in urban areas that gets overlooked, and that wealth comes in the form of weeds. In a study of chickweed, dandelion, dock, mallow and nasturtium each of the wild edibles had more "dietary fibre, protein, vitamin A, sodium, calcium, iron and vitamin K, and provided more energy" than kale and even in heavily populated areas, "tests suggest that rinsed greens of the tested species are safe to eat." https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0202450 Today trying a little bit of Rumex, not my preferred one as I want to keep oxalates low Foraging for weeds...

Depends if you like the pungency - the name does mean nose-twist for a good reason. I like the good bite of peppery goodness, had a big bowl of leaves for breakfast. Nibble a bit and see what you think

Checked with the foraging professionals, it's a common weed here Sisymbrium has many uses in folk medicine with high nutritional value Taste is a pleasant good strength mustard flavour - the plant is rich in glucosinolates/isothiocyanates and polyphenols I'm just personally cautious not to have too much (or flowering tops) as there have been concerns but the literature says the cardiac glycosides are at too low a level to pose issues https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/sisymbrium/ https://www.thewildfoodhuntress.com.au/brassicas I've eaten Nasturtiums but never really thought of them as plants for mental health. I count them as weeds around here Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) is "believed to act in the ascension of emotional energy expressed in different forms as manifestations of anguish, frustration, anxiety and depression; and, in recent years, this plant has been popularly used as antidepressant agent". In animal models, it has anxiolytic effects [1] It is widely used due its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-hypertensive and anti-depressive properties. It contains high concentrations of benzylglucosinolate (1000 mg/100 g fresh matter). The hydrolysis products isothiocyanates (ITCs), are potent inducers of phase II detoxifying enzymes and subsequently confer protection against oxidative stress and chronic inflammation It has outstanding antioxidant activity due to its rich phenolic content and a good source of carotenoids

Went urban foraging today and was surprised how much seemingly Brassica there was Am I right assuming this is a weedy (hopefully edible) Brassicaceae? @bardo Sisymbrium something? Been finding it a nicely spiritual activity The art of foraging for food/medicine is a spiritual practice: Connecting with the plants and their medicine is what draws you closer to nature and Spirit itself. Urban foraging helped people establish connections to place/belonging [1] and foraging embodies spiritual aspects like cultivating stillness and cultivating focus. It is a meditation, a communing with the plants, a way of seeing and self-education "To touch them, to give an exchange, to commune with them. This is really valuable–and the plants love giving of themselves to those who revere them. And we take that bounty within and it sustains us; it allows us to further build our connection to them. The power and importance of this act of communion cannot be understated." [2] It is a way of developing a sacred relationship with food/medicine and it brings one closer to the seasons, aligning with the energies of the land and the foods/medicine that grow here "When you interact on this level, when it becomes part of your pantry, when it’s part of what you eat, now you have a relationship. You’re not an outsider observer. It’s not this ‘other’ thing. It’s part of you and you are part of it." "Foragers developed individual relationships with specific plants; they described listening to these beings in order to learn how best to receive their gifts. The relational acts of giving, receiving, and interacting between foragers and more-than-human others produced a sense of belonging in place" We are extensions of nature, so it makes sense that eating seasonally imbues the body with the energy of what nature’s actually doing in its cycle. As the food we eat thrives and grows at this time, so then will we. [1] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14649365.2014.908232 [2] https://druidgarden.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/building-sacred-relationships-with-food-seasonal-food-rituals-agricultural-blessings-prayers-and-honoring-our-food/ Dandelions are "one of the healthiest foods on the planet" The dandelion greens are nicely medicinal Dandelion is an entirely edible plant and its leaves, roots, and flowers are incorporated into different food products. The whole plant is recognized as safe and well tolerated by humans, with no reported adverse effects. It is used in herbal medicine to treat various disorders such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, gallbladder disorders, digestive complaints, and rheumatic diseases and exhibits several biological activities, including anti-cancer, hepatoprotective effect, anti-inflammatory effects, anti-obesity, neuroprotective and antidepressant effects. It is of interest in metabolic conditions [1] Aerial parts and root have been found to be rich sources of polyphenols, including cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids, sesquiterpene lactones and triterpenoids [2] "The most biologically relevant components of dandelion are the sesquiterpene lactones (suggested to exert anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects), the plant also contains several phenylpropanoids (shown to exert inflammation-modulating effects), terpenoids, polysaccharides (shown to play a role in immune regulation and to exert platelet antiaggregation activity, hepatoprotective effects, and antitumoral activity), and inulin (currently under investigation for its immunostimulatory functions). It contains high amounts of minerals, proteins, fiber, and vitamins and a balanced combination of trace elements and compared to spinach, dandelion has a higher content of dietary fiber and proteins and a greater variety of amino acids and of most vitamins and minerals and one of the richest green-vegetable sources of β-carotene" Young leaves are habitually consumed fresh as salads, either alone or in combination with other plants such as lettuce, shallot tops, or chives They may also be boiled and drained, sprinkled with pepper and salt, and moistened with soup or butter. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5553762/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22946853

Thanks for the pics of different plants @bardo Unfortunately I just get a little tiny symbol as the picture Hadn't got around to my Lactucas but glad you mentioned them. Did some Backyard Weed Medicine Crafting with mine Lactuca virosa and serriola Virosa & serriola should ideally be harvested for their sap whilst in flower, I'm got them before they take over the backyard because I can't deliberately let the garden go too weedy. " Both Serriola and Virosa have similar effects and are very edible but are quite bitter, I found Virosa was just easier to milk because it didn't have spines but overall id say they are on par with each other in terms of strength " - Marty64 "...even with those young tender plants I try to limit how much I eat so I dont get too drowsy. Its sedating but not all that distinctly anxiolytic" - Auxin Wild lettuce was “highly esteemed to quiet coughing and allay nervous irritation, a good safe remedy to produce sleep, to be used when opium and other narcotics are objectionable” "...wild lettuce and especially the the desiccated lactescent juice obtained from it, lactucarium, were considered to be an intoxicant, and were used as a sedative and an analgesic. The action of the substance was weaker than that of opium but free of the side-effects, and medical practice showed that in some cases lactucarium produced better curative effects than opium." [2] The natural compound lactucopicrin may be a promising neurotrophin-mediated neuroprotective candidate for neurodegenerative diseases and is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor while lactucin is an adenosine receptor agonist with analgesic and sedative properties [3,4]. That said, toxicity has been reported [5] https://www.medicinenet.com/wild_lettuce/supplements-vitamins.htm [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16621374 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17153150 [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactucopicrin [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactucin [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3031874/

I've tried Purslane and Dandelion before, a bit of Mallow and seen plenty of Tribulus but never got deeper than that on weeds as food or medicine until recently. What ones make it onto your plate? This weed was one that I've developed a liking for: "...although it is widely considered to be a weed, the potential nutritional and medicinal quality of Sonchus species is much more than any other leafy vegetables" Their nutritional value was higher than those of cultivated vegetables like spinach and cabbage. Their consumption could help in alleviating the problem of malnutrition at a negligible cost. They are a good source of carotenoids, phenolics and other active constituents [1] First time I boiled a couple of min in water before cooking which does take away the bitterness (and made something similar to this) but I feel that means part of the medicinal goodness so just been cooking it up to keep that medicinal quality... not too bad and you feel good after a meal of it. Just cooked up with some onion, garlic, chili, oil and few diced tomatoes it's not too bad S. oleraceus has been used as a general tonic in Brazilian folk medicine showing anti-inflammatory [2], pain-relieving [3], antidepressant [4] and anxiolytic [5] effects. It has been used to relieve headaches, general pain, hepatitis, infections and inflammation Native Americans used it as a cure for opium habits [6] https://www.ediblewildfood.com/common-sow-thistle.aspx https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/sow-thistle/ Also Nettles made a nice pesto Urtica dioica or Stinging nettle has long been known worldwide as a medicinal plant. Nettles are a very nutritious food easier digested and high in minerals (especially iron), vitamin C and pro-vitamin A. Nettle is an adaptogenic herb, it acts in the central nervous system and it is an alternative plant that detoxifies, enhances and stimulates the metabolism. Nettle has beneficial anti-diabetic and the cardiovascular effects [1]. The leaf of Urtica dioica has been reported to improve glucose homeostasis in vivo, acting via insulin signaling and improve anxiety and depressive like behaviour [2] and may improve memory functions [3]. Traditionally Urtica dioica has been used for cognitive dysfunction. It might prove to be effective for stress mediated neurological disorders [4]. Some words on the energetics

This is the first human data I've seen for oregano: In humans "a single dose of this extract induced a state of wakeful relaxation, enhanced vigilance and improved concentration in addition to increased mental capacity but did not affect sleep structure"' A single dose increases calmness, vigilance, mental information processing capacity, with an increase in processing speed With the conclusion it "is safe and does not exhibit any adverse side effects at the dosages providing the functional benefits, a result that was also confirmed by behavioural studies" Coupled with experience with the oil in severe mental illness Carvacrol also exerts several actions on the neuronal system including acetylcholinesterase inhibition as well as having anxiolytic and antidepressant properties having the ability to likely modulate mood and cognitive processes. It also modulates central neurotransmitter pathways, such as dopaminergic, serotonergic and GABAergic systems, a terpene rich oregano extract acting as a triple reuptake inhibitor [1]. It also improves aspects of Parkinson's in animal models [2] It seems to cause a specific increase of DA levels in PFC and "ingested in low concentrations, it might determine feelings of well-being and could possibly have positive reinforcer effects." [1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49728029_Monoamine_reuptake_inhibition_and_mood-enhancing_potential_of_a_specified_oregano_extract [2] http://www.scielo.br/pdf/anp/v76n2/0004-282X-anp-76-02-0071.pdf

Yeah I have done a little bit with aspirin a long time ago. Thanks for the tip Results are in. Using a foliar and feed solution of 2.5g/L K2SO4 was really seemingly beneficial for getting good growth and yields of Brassica like the purple cauliflower. I didn't have a control for this one but they grew really well, strongly and quickly and nicely anthocyan-y With the melatonin, there seems to be tight constraints on how much enhances growth, and a point where it instead drastically inhibits it. Initially, there was a nice improvement on the growth of Kale seedlings, then I kept going with foliar feeding them and it turned into rapid growth suppression. Melatonin's poor water solubility also poses issues. Most notably, initially there were improvements in promoting initial rapid brightly green new growth... then a fine cut off where application drastically inhibited growth. control vs melatonin (1 μM) foliar feed initial growth improvements

Also experimented with dermal administration, sure you smell floral but does it work well? In depression "aromatherapy massage showed to have more beneficial effects than inhalation aromatherapy." [1] and it is suggested to apply aromatherapy massage treatment once or twice per week. For aromatherapy massage, 1–5% essential oil is used "Application of aromatherapy on both hands in addition to the effect of inhalation aromatherapy showed a significant improvement in depressive symptoms which was superior to the improvement observed when using inhalation aromatherapy" Terpenes possess good transdermal permeation and are readily absorbed due to their liphophilic nature Application to the skin resulted in a fast increase of plasma levels, with maximal plasma levels in 10 min for things like cineole and pinene Cutaneous application of lavender essential oil allowed the penetration of the active molecules especially linalool and linalyl acetate by inhalation and transdermally. The lipophilicity of aromatic compounds facilitates the transfer from blood to brain Pharmacokinetics of linalool in plasma displayed a peak 20 min after lavender essential oil application, this period corresponds to the main behavioural infuence on lavender essential oil [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241490/ Pharmacokinetics of linalool content in human plasma after the application of 1 g of lavender essential oil (2%) in oil. The dermal administration mode of 1,8-cineole or linalool has a major influence on CNS activity: There was significant activation after dermal application, whereas after inhalation no such changes were detected in one study. In an earlier study, dermal 1,8-cineole in comparison to linalool and a placebo enhanced cognitive performance in a sustained attention task as well as physiological arousal, particularly respiration rate, but did not alter affective state. In another study, performance on cognitive tasks was significantly related to concentration of absorbed 1,8-cineole following exposure to rosemary aroma There was a significant performance enhancing effect of dermal linalool, particularly in males with activation of subcortical limbic brain areas and increased activity of the DMN suggesting a relaxing effect. Linalool enhanced cognitive performance by inducing a more relaxed state. After dermal 1,8-cineole, significant functional activation of the frontal cortex was noted which has been reported frequently during tasks requiring attention. 1,8-cineole possesses a stimulating effect after dermal application. [1] [1] http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ffj.3436

Aromatherapy vs oral oils Orally essential oils seem to be reliant on pharmacological effect but aromatherapy seems to be more overlapped with socio-emotional states of consciousness and a way to ingrain some mindfulness: Olfaction is intimately related to social communication and emotions Scent playlists have been proposed It's like a very gentle, non-threatening catalyst for stuck and stagnant negative thought patterns and emotions. The longer you sit with the fragrant stream aligning your body-mind-spirit, the more there is a gentle unwinding of rigid patterns, deeper embrace of yourself and a gentle positive merger with the world around you It gives you: - a sense of control over your environment - you choose what's diffusing - even when you feel life's out of control. A safe "grounding" base - a sense of connection: to the moment and to the world around you. Deepens your connection to yourself (and nature) - ingrains simple breathing as a positive mindful experience/makes you more aware of it, attunes you to deeper layers of yourself -particularly emotions - and to a connection in the world beyond you - a spiritual element - environmental enrichment with ability to tap into socio-emotional-spiritual aspects - ability to shift the valence of the emotional landscape to more positive experiences along with emotional exploration and reminiscence. Ability to shift thoughts in line with the emotions - As studies have noted, nocturnal olfactory stimulation leads to better sleep quality and a higher level of vigor in the morning "Odour can colour perceptions about the world both positively or negatively through emotion processes and thus can modulate mood and behaviour" Effects of inhaled essential oils cannot be explained by pharmacological mechanisms alone. "Olfaction is intimately linked to emotional processes, sharing some same neural bases and thus constitutes a valuable emotion-inducer" [1]. Expectancies play an important role in the subjective effects of inhaled EOs [2]. Odour pleasantness selectively shifts human attention in the surrounding space [3] and modulates the hedonic value of rewards [4] In monotonous situations it improved mood and other measures [5] Odours that evoke positive autobiographical memories being able to increase positive emotions, decrease negative mood states, disrupt cravings, and reduce physiological indices of stress, including systemic markers of inflammation [6] Odour may serve as a powerful cue for the recovery of autobiographical memories, inducing subjective reliving and more positive memories after odour exposure [7] producing a number of and more specific memories after odour exposure than without odour [8]. Beneficial effects of same nature to odour and music exposure were observed for autobiographical characteristics (i.e., specificity, emotional experience, and mental time travel) [9] [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27633559 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25183507 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28872341 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25543090 [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27633559 [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27447673 [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31185649 [8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30890017 [9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29040475

Been getting the aromatherapy into me, rather than ingesting. I was in the past fixated on oral ingestion being 'the way to go therapeutically' for things like lavender but I've often wondered if it really is... More and more people seem to be using the Silexan oral oils, particularly now they are widespread at Australian chemists, have you had any experience, good or bad with them, particularly compared to lavender as aromatherapy? Aroma via a diffuser has lately been a important aspect to enrich my environment with day-to-day, without those it becomes too easy to get lost in the void of your own inner world without things like that stimulating you via the environment in isolation as some form of modulating connection to the world around you, in the moment, with a degree of impermanence and day-to-day flux "Aromatherapy seems to drive autonomic nervous activity toward a balanced state." In anxiety and stress, sympathetic activity is often increased, together with decreased parasympathetic activity. It has been noted there are higher sympathetic activities for depressed and anxious subjects than for normal subjects:"Positive emotions result in altered autonomic nervous system activity, characterized by increased parasympathetic nervous system activity, whereas negative emotions (e.g., anger) result in parasympathetic withdrawal and sympathetic activity" It is said there are parasympathetic-stimulating oils like lavender and the sympathetic-stimulating oils like rosemary but a study has noted that short inhalation of essential oils suppresses parasympathetic nervous activation while continuous inhalation suppresses sympathetic nervous activation [1] Oils that cause parasympathetic stimulation of the autonomic nervous system in turn are associated with decreased anxiety, improved mood, and increased sedation whereas the sympathetic-stimulating oils have been associated with increased arousal, improved cognition and memory, and enhanced performance on cognitive assessment tests [2] Essential oil inhalation is often effective in reducing the stress index, and that it effectively regulated the activity of the hypothalamus to provide stable and relaxing conditions by creating balance and harmony in the sympathetic nervous system "A clinical study with depressed patients revealed that it was possible to reduce the needed antidepressants' doses by inhaling a mixture of citrus oils; moreover, inhalation of the oil by itself was antidepressive and normalized neuroendocrine hormone levels" [3] With regard to agitation and anxiety, in a clinical mental health population, there were significant reductions in needed medications for anxiety or agitation With regard to depression, significantly more improvement in scores on depression, anxiety, and severity of emotional symptoms, studies finding effects independent of personality traits, psychological status, and psychotherapeutic medication [1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288053919_Effects_of_essential_oils_used_in_aromatherapy_on_the_autonomic_nervous_system_A_study_using_three_different_methods [2] https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/M_Shattell_HealingScents_2008.pdf [3] https://www.mitchmedical.us/essential-oils/psychopharmacology-of-essential-oils.html Lavender is rising through the ranks of anti-anxiety medications Lavender oil and its active component, linalool, has anxiolytic, mood stabiliser, sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsive and neuroprotective properties with antidepressant, prosocial and anticonflict effects in animal models It shows efficacy in anxiety disorders and the treatment of agitated behaviour as a neuropsychiatric symptom [1] Simple olfactory stimulation in healthy subjects has been shown to induce changes in brain including the frontopolar, orbitofrontal, and temporal cortex. Olfactory processing depends on dopamine metabolism and orbitofrontal cortex functioning and altering cortical olfactory processing has been associated with improved hyperactivity and impulsivity in some conditions [2] and essential oils may rehabilitate brain dopamine function [3]. There is sensory input-dependent regulation of dopamine and GABA [4] The effect on the nervous system is summarised in [5]: Inhaled it showed anxiolytic properties, increased social interaction, and decreased aggressive behaviour and exposure to lavender effectively improved anticholinergic-induced memory deficits It has potent anxiolytic effects via VDCCs and while linalool does not act directly on GABAA receptors it appears to activate them via olfactory neurons in the nose in order to produce its relaxing effects [6]. While opioidergic neurotransmission and cholinergic neurotransmers appears to play a role, the essential oil and its main components exert affinity for the glutamate NMDA-receptor in a dose-dependent manner and also bind to the serotonin transporter. After 8 weeks of administering the essential oil, a reduced binding potential at the 5HT1A receptor in the hippocampus and the anterior cingulate cortex has been observed It affects autonomic neurotransmission and reduces the stress response in the CNS. In one study the concentration of oxytocin in serum, 2-3 days after the treatment was upregulated with effects on improved neurogenesis and dendritic complexity [7]. It also acts on microglial populations with anti-inflammatory actions "...stress-altered genes involved in synaptic transmission via GABA, dopamine, acetylcholine, and glutamate may potentially recover to normal levels due to a reduction in stress in response to linalool inhalation". It was capable of reversing stress-induced social aversion in animal models, acting as an antidepressant agent [8]. Application of 10% lavender in humans activated the primary olfactory cortex, entorhinal cortex, hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, orbitofrontal cortex, and insular cortex and its extension into the inferior lateral frontal region [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11994882 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21178380 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26295793 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28411275 [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23573142 [6] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181023085648.htm [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30825591 [8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30347669 Tried things like Lemon and Rosemary as a stimulating option Terpenes seem to work as a symphony with seemingly synergistic effects to me when you really inhale a good stream of them. A bit of a linalool oil is good but... it's better with a bit of limonene in there... even better with α-pinene rich oils etc The polytherapeutic effects of natural compounds are a "are a real alternative for nervous system therapy" [1] Rosemary essential oil is a "powerful tool in helping to clear the mind and for increasing mental awareness. It has also been shown to possess excellent brain-stimulating properties as well as an aid for memory improvement". It made humans more attentive, more alert, vigorous and cheerful [2] and people "felt fresher, became more active, and less drowsy after exposure to the rosemary oil". It also produces a significant enhancement in memory performance and mood [3. 4]. Inhaling lemon essential oil causes antidepressant and anti-stress effects through modulating monoamines and significantly enhanced attention level, concentration, cognitive performance, mood, and memory during the learning process [5] The chemistry: α-Pinene and 1,8-cineole generally dominate the Rosemary essential oil compositions, but camphor, verbenone, camphene, and myrcene may also appear in high concentrations [6] Pharmacology: α-pinene [(+)-α-Pinene was the predominant enantiomer] and 1,8-cineole are potent therapeutics. Performance on cognitive tasks is significantly related to concentration of absorbed 1,8-cineole following exposure to rosemary aroma, with improved performance at higher concentrations [7] 1,8-cineole offers NMDA antagonism, with a weaker AChE inhibitory effect [8] and psychostimulatory effects, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects [9] α-Pinene brings along effects on learning and memory [10] with anti-stress effects, also modulating NGF and dopamine [11] Monoterpenes such as α-pinene and 1,8-cineole exert neuroprotective effects by regulating gene expression and α-pinene was observed to initiate soothing physiological and behavioural responses with a significant impact on physiological and psychological relaxation [12]. Citrus oils have their pharmacology well sumarised in [5] [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30378477 [2] https://www.mdpi.com/2218-0532/77/2/375 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3700080/ [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12690999 [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29976894 [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5368539/ [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23983963 [8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28088901 [9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27771935 [10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29234406 [11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29273038 [12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5402865/ Spanish sage: Spanish sage is proposed to be an "excellent essential oil to diffuse when concentrating" and "For soothing anxiety, tension and stress" Salvia lavandulaefolia aroma inhalation produced a significant enhancement effect for memory [1] and orally at 50 µL of the essential oil, improvement in mood and cognition was observed [2] - therapeutic effect for cognitive disorders attributed to its anti-cholinesterase, estrogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties - potential natural antioxidant activity to prevent oxidative stress accompanying degenerative diseases Enjoying a blend of Spanish Sage, Lavender and Lemon (all on the "blends well with..." list on one site) like the Rosemary blends, similarly to which it brings along 1,8-cineole and α-pinene. I also notice that having scent as an enriching environmental stimulus stops the desire to generally snack on anything and there is a role for scent in modulating blood glucose [3] [1] http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/aces.2014.43037 [2] https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881110385594 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5820856/

Got any science going on in the garden? Gardens can be many things for people. For me, they're also a healthy science experiment. I've found I need to get experimental on the world around me safely, rather than making myself the continuous experiment... This year the veggie gardening has become not just an attempt at self-sufficiency (and therapy) but also in part, a science project I'm growing lots of Brassicaceae but I don't want piss weak produce. I want maximal health benefits and ways to keep the gardening experience novel. This year I'm keeping it simple on the ones for food and going to try using some potassium sulfate (in addition to normal plant nutrition) on the plants [1] Increasing secondary metabolites by using agricultural sustainable practices an important target for maximising health benefits Something as simple as potassium sulfate, applied via the nutrient solution or as a foliar spray, stimulated the secondary metabolites, increasing the contents of glucosinolates and phenolic compounds, in mustards, kale and broccoli Sulfur content is a critical determinant of Brassicaceae plant growth, these plants have higher requirements for this element and aerial and root biomass were maximal after K2SO4 supplementation [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31177025 Another one intrigues me as a pure experiment - melatonin - proposed as a plant master regulator which can interact with the functions of other plant growth regulators or hormones Alongside my experiments with simple potassium sulfate, I'm going to try some kale plants on melatonin. Plant melatonin not only acts as an antioxidant, but also induces substantial changes in gene expression in many physiological aspects. Melatonin is a pleiotropic molecule that influences many diverse actions to enhance plant growth and has a positive role in biomass accumulation. Exogenous melatonin boosted the growth, photosynthetic, and antioxidant activities in plants Melatonin acts as a biostimulator in situations of abiotic stress, regulating key elements expressed against stressors It is a regulator in the expression of enzymes and regulatory elements of plant hormones Melatonin is also involved in inducing secondary metabolites, including polyphenols and carotenoids Even pre-soaking seeds with 100 μM MEL enhanced per-plant yield by up to 23% and application of 1 μM significantly improved seedling growth in one experiment. I'm more interested in potential for increasing secondary metabolites in plants What happens when veggie growing meets science 1 kale seedling has 1 μM melatonin foliar fed @ height 40mm Control is also 40mm and both will get same lighting and fertiliser regime The race is on... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30446305 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30256447

Got leftovers of seed if anyone else wants some (No WA/Tas) send me a PM.

[Done - thanks for interest - will send to the two interested people] It is said to be "helpful where there is fixed and unyielding mental perspectives, helping the person to make shifts and changes from a calm and centred point, relieved of agitation with space for new thoughts and ideas to emerge." Traditionally used for several disorders “Reactive, agitated and masked depressions, melancholy, neurasthenia, neuropathy, organic neurosis, vegetative-dystonic disturbances, imbalances, constitutional lability of the nervous system”, as well as a sleep-inducer and sedative tea. A too high dose has been reported to make people feel too sedated, too heavy and cumbersome. Again, the best dose is the amount that the person can palpably feel relaxing them and making them feel more comfortable." [1] Both aerial parts and roots contain alkaloids, the latter being much richer (1.6-2.7%). Six flavonol 3-O-glycosides were isolated from the aerial parts [2] Relative safety is evidenced by traditional use of the plant, which can be found in the European market for more than 30 years without any safety concern. - Affinity for the benzodiazepine receptors and alkaloids increase the binding of GABA to GABA receptors - Binding to 5-HT1A and 5-HT7 receptors Typical pharmacy preparations (i.e., 300 mg of dry plant material per capsule, twice daily) theoretically contain insufficient quantities of these alkaloids required to induce desired biological effects. It is evident from HPLC analysis that protopine and a-allocryptopine levels in the aerial parts of this herb are too low to modulate significantly the chloride-ion flow across the GABAA receptors at traditional doses. In order to achieve important medicinal effects (regarding relatively low alkaloid levels determined in aerial parts of this plant), one would need to increase the dried plant dosage above 1 g [3] The aqueous extract of the plant at 25mg/kg in mice exerted an anxiolytic action, as proved by changes in behavioural parameters; at higher levels, the effect became more sedative. The anxiolytic and sedative effects of E. californica are caused by affinity for GABA receptors, as evidenced by suppression of anxiolytic and sedative effects following pre-treatment with flumazenil. While it has potential of causing interactions with drugs that are metabolized by cytochrome P450s, the tea seems to be safer [4]. [1] https://www.rjwhelan.co.nz/herbs A-Z/californian_poppy.html [2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314151657_ESCHSCHOLZIA_CALIFORNICA_A_PHYTOCHEMICAL_AND_PHARMACOLOGICAL_-REVIEW [3] https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bri/2015/617620/ [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27054913