I love the taste of coffee. I love it with milk and sugar. I love dark coffee from freshly ground Organic beans, and I LOVE the smell of coffee. Do I drink it? No- not really ever. I may have had maybe 50-100 cups ever in my life. I never was able to handle coffee well, and if you look at some of the things I am going to share, you may find that you are not able to either. 

​Coffee is a plant- (we drink the beans). The beans are seeds. The fruit contains caffeine as do the beans. The fruits contain 2 seeds typically. (The beans). The fruit is often called "coffee cherry," but this is no regular cherry or any type of cherry. Coffea grows as a large bush or small tree in the tropics. (You can read more on this unique plant here: ​Coffea - Wikipedia

I believe God, the Universe, Spirit- whatever you want to call our Supreme Intelligence, CREATED all plants with a specific and definite purpose. Coffea arabica is one such plant. It is not evil. It is not bad. Coffee is not bad, but the application of it can be used in a "bad" way. 

I believe and would consider saying I KNOW that coffee is a sacred plant and sacred drink. It is meant to be used for specific reasons or limited reasons. Coffee is stimulating, it is invigorating, it is focusing and it has amazing properties. It can even save lives. It is a money making machine that circulates the earth, providing many millions of jobs. However, an herb, as a plant for medicinal or nutritional benefits- it is used with too much frequency. 

When you drink coffee on a regular basis, it is very drying to the body. It is acidic. It will deplete mineral reserves in the body as the body tries to balance the acidic condition by leaching minerals from bone calcium. UGGGHH! That sounds horrible and scary. It is actually pretty amazing that the body does this. If you have a lot of body aches, and creaks, you may be drinking too much coffee.

When you drink coffee daily, or multiple times a day, you put a lot of stress on the kidneys. These little organs like water and herbal tea the best. I should say, clean water, fresh water, and pure water. The kidneys can be delicate even though they process waste all day long. When you drink coffee, you will urinate more frequently because the coffee is an irritant and the body will want to excrete it quickly. This is irritating in general, plus you will find your body needing more water. 

The adrenal glands also become very tired from the up and down of the caffeine surge in the body, not to mention the disruption to sleep patterns that occurs when drinking coffee daily. (Now that I have sufficiently ruined your coffee desires).... now what?

I do not mean to dismiss the pleasure of a nice cup of coffee. However, there are drinks that are excellent and delicious that do not have the drawbacks of coffee. I love to drink DANDELION root and Burdock root in combination as a coffee substitute. To make a drink with these two delicious herbal roots, continue to follow along. Both roots are very nourishing to the body and help build up strength in the body. They also cleanse and get rid of toxins. They are designed for that purpose. It is important to know each plant is designed with specific purposes. 

Dandelion and Burdock Root Decoction (Buy your roots here: Mountain Rose Herbs) 
4 Tablespoons Dandelion roots
4 Tablespoons Burdock roots
6 cups of water
-Pot for simmering
-Sprinkling of cinnamon
Milk of choice and Honey for taste

I usually buy a pound of both of these roots. They are heavy. If you buy 4 ounces, you may be dismayed at how little you have received. I would highly suggest ordering a pound at a time, and I have the link for Mountain Rose Herbs one of my favorite places to buy high quality herbs. 

In your simmering pot, add all your water and your roots. Turn the heat to a low-medium temperature. You want to get the pot to be slightly simmering, but not boiling. So depending on the type of stove you have, you may have to play with the heat a little. Keep your eye on your pot until you have a good temperature. Then just let the roots simmer for 12 minutes. The water will turn a nice brown shade. (Not as dark as coffee). If you want a really dark cup you will want to add 4 more cups of water and simmer for an hour and then let the herbs sit covered for a few more hours. Who wants to take that long to make your faux coffee drink. 😊

After 12 minutes, strain into coffee mugs and add your milk and honey. This is a delicious and preferable beverage to traditional coffee. If you actually give this a try- comment down below. What do you think?

Also I am putting my Coffee video down below called "8 Signs You Should Stop Drinking Coffee and Switch to Herbal Tea...." I also have a few more related videos on coffee and the herbs you can use to help the switch. You can see them when you head over to my Channel- Sheep Hill Herbs on YouTube. 

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I literally enjoy better looking skin now in my early 40's than I did as a teenager. Maybe that is not so novel, the teenage years can be very difficult for naturally beautiful skin. I knew nothing about herbal remedies, and taking care of my body naturally through my teens, but thankfully I know now for my own children. I know I can help save them a lot of agony. 

Skin eruptions can be downright terrible, and embarrassing and can literally leave a person scarred for life. Like every thing in this world, there is an answer, and a solution to literally every single problem. Typically we look to fix the outside every time there is a problem. I repeatedly hear even celebrities' talking about this or that skin care for beautiful skin. I am not opposed to proper cleansing and caring for the skin, but it really does not cost hundreds or thousands of dollars on topical products for beautiful skin.

It is work though. It is dedication. It is some difficult, and maybe even very hard decision to make lasting and permanent change for your inner beauty to see that change in the outer body. Most of us though do not want to do the hard work. We want a pill, a magic bullet, or are even willing to spend thousands of dollars on beauty procedures and treatments, rather than look inside. Oh if more people were willing to look at their insides. We would have a much different world. 

The remedy I am suggesting for clearer skin, and I say clearer because this is part of a lifestyle and a way of living. For some people drinking dandelion and burdock root tea will be enough. However, for others, you may need to make more changes, including dietary to see excellent results, but the results are very possible for each person who is willing to do them. 

Dandelions are fabulous, friendly plants. Their proximity to our living environments tells us so much about this plant, as well as its abundance. It is like the dandelion is begging to be picked. How terrible that so many people kill their dandelions, when this plant (all parts included) could be their bodies best friend. All parts of a dandelion are edible (as long as they are grown in healthy soil). The leaves make an excellent salad, and the roots are fabulous for cleansing the liver, toning and flushing stored emotions that are held in the liver. 

Burdock too is another one of the plants that grows in abundance, but not so close. I find burdock closer to the edge of things or a field. They are bigger, much bigger than dandelions and can be a great friend to help rebuild a body. The leaves can be eaten (young are better), and the root is a vegetable in many cultures. I use the dried root, mixed with dried dandelion root because both are liver friendly herbs that through their joint abilities will cleanse and nourish and create  healthier, lovelier skin. 

To understand more, and to see my actual HOW TO- watch my full video below. Don't forget to share a comment after the video. Do you eat dandelions? Comment down below, or on YouTube. Thanks!

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 Horseradish seems like a fall and spring food, but we enjoy it all year round! Every spring when the green leaves come back to life, and we are busy picking dandelions, it is time to make fresh horseradish. My children love to eat Lamb at Passover, with horseradish and dandelion salad. It is not only traditional, but also a cleansing and uplifting start to the new season. 

I usually make a quart of horseradish early in the spring, and it carries us through the summer. Now it is fall, and before the leaves die back and the roots freeze. I make another batch of horseradish to carry us through the winter months until Spring comes again. Horseradish is useful for more than just roast beef. I love it on potatoes, eggs, and roasted vegetables. It makes a great condiment for sandwiches, and I even scoop a spoonful on to my soups. 

If I experience congestion, I may just open a jar and take a deep breath. Be careful if you are not use to this, it can really give you a "start" if you have little experience with this plant. Like all the plants, I have found that small, and slow introductions are best. When you are comfortable, you may find yourself really immersing yourself in a particular plant. That may also be for a season. This particular year, I spent a lot of time with horseradish. I even soaked horseradish in white wine, to make a tincture of sorts, but when you do this, the result is not as medicinal and a much lighter extract. However, the plant energy has still been extracted and makes a very pungent, strong tasting wine. I would sip a few thimblefuls in the evening to help open my head. 

The last thing I want to caution you about, but not scare in anyway is in regards to the sensation that horseradish can cause in your head if you take a big bite. You may be familiar with this if you have ever eaten Wasabi. These particular roots can send a semi-painful, yet delightful sensation through your head upon the moment of eating. This area can be different for every person, and I think coincides with places of congestion. Once you have taken a delicious bite, and the sensation passes, you will find a whole new openness in your head and breathing, well worth the heat!

Wasabi or Japanese horseradish is a plant of the family Brassicaceae, which also includes horseradish and mustard in other genera. A paste made from its ground rhizomes is used as a pungent condiment for sushi and other foods. 
-(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasabi)

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My instructions for making Horseradish: 

Start with a few good sized roots, freshly dug. If you do not grow your own, you can actually order roots, or buy at a local market. Wash thoroughly and slice off the skin; or peel off the brown skin. When that has been completed, cut the root into 1 inch sized pieces and place in a good blender. I use a Ninja and it works well. Place all your cut up pieces in the blender. I personally would not blend more than a cup at a time, because it can be hard on the machine. After putting a cup of cut up pieces in the blender, you will pour Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother just to cover the roots. Then pulse. Pulse. Pulse. Then blend until creamy and smoothish. You want chopped up little pieces, and almost a paste.

WARNING! When you take the lid off the blender, you may be tempted to take a deep breath. If you have really good roots, it may feel like a punch in the face. Take the lid off, and step back a minute before taking a deep breath. But you will want to breathe in your fresh horseradish; it is part of the ritual of making your own. Hope you enjoy! 😊