And the winners are.....

We'll be sending emails to the winners over the weekend, and letting the donors know where to send the prizes, but in the meantime I'm listing the winner along with their order number below... Here we go!

Bracelet from Torchsong Studio
#2301 Julie H
Cheeseplate from Herbal Pottery
#2281 Rena M
Eco-tubes from The Soap Dish
#2275 Lynn P
Hydrosol Sampler from SunRose Aromatics
#2191 Roxane K
Faux Joe brewable herbal coffee substitute from Farm at Coventry
#2220 Lisa B
God's Wild Herbs book from Cladach Publishing (6)
#2140 Tara A
offline order Pat D
#2216 Pat M
#2251 Amy M
#2211 Rebecca M
#2207 Linda L
Soap and lip balm from Brushwood Farm
#2160 Diane R
Lavender Lovers Gift Set from Colorado Aromatics and Sagescript
#2295 Nanette D
Incense Kit from The Essential Herbal
#2269 Sabine W
3 Soaps from Lancaster County Soapworks
#2204 Sherry E
Gingerbread Man soap ornament from Aquarian Bath
#2248 JoAnn F
Bathing Herbs kit from The Soap Dish
#2315 Nancy G
Gift Set from All Goode Gifts
#2139 Maveh V
Glass Teapot Pendant from Torchsong Studio
#2139 Lydia G
Soaps of the Seasons from Herbal Nature Organics
#2192 Sue S
1-year subscription to The Essential Herbal (3)
#2288 Stacy D
#2206 Dionea S
#2309 Pat B
ounce of Holy Basil
#2298 Kathy K
ounce of Elderberries
#2175 Sarah V
Extra Essential lip balm (3)
#2285 Ashley C
#2229 Kim H
#2181 Brenda S

Thanks to everyone for making this book release such a great success! The book is a prize in itself :-)

Early Arrival of Santa's Reindeer?

Fortunately this is the same one.  There aren't two of them!  The Herbal Husband has been seeing browsing in the back of our garden toward the end of the season.  They must be getting ready for their big night coming in December.  Another great day in the 'Burgh!  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later. 

quote

"In winter when the dismal rain
Came down in slanting lines,
And Wind, that great old harper, smote
His thunder-harp of pines."
- Alexander Smith

Afternoon Tea in the Morning in Chester, NJ!

Sally Lunn Restaurant & Tearoom, Chester, NJ

Tea Sandwiches & Strawberry Scone

A Pot of Blue Eyes Tea

I dropped The Herbal Husband at his toy show in Allentown and headed east to New Jersey.  After a wonderful visit to Well Sweep Herb Farm (a post to follow), I drove on to Chester, New Jersey in northern New Jersey to have afternoon tea at Sally Lunn Restaurant & Tearoom.  I was just a little early and ordered it in the morning.  Soo technically, it was afternoon tea in the morning!  It was very good and fed my addiction for afternoon tea!  So if you are in the Chester, NJ vicinity, check out Sally Lunn's.  It is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon with your girlfriends.

Beautiful day in the 'Burgh.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

quote

"The leaves which in the autumn of the year
Fall auburn-tinted, leaving reft and bare
Their parent trees, in many a sheltered lair
Where winter waits and watches,
cold, austere."
- Old Year Leaves by Mackenzie Bell

The Lymphatic System

This is a concise view of the lymphatic system as viewed by western medicine. I wrote this article as part of the Anatomy and Physiology series on HerbMentor.com.

The lymphatic system was not understood in the western world until as little as two decades ago, yet this system is responsible for keeping us healthy and vibrant on a daily basis. Problems from the simple cold to complex cancer are tied to the lymphatic system.

This article will focus entirely on the lymph system anatomy and then next Anatomy and Physiology article will focus more on the immune system function.

What is the Lymphatic System?

The lymphatic system is considered to be a part of the circulatory system. Like the cardiovascular system it is made up of various organs, vessels, and fluids.

 The lymphatic system has four functions:

1. The removal of interstitial fluid from tissue spaces and then the circulation of this fluid (lymph) back into the blood stream
2. The circulation of fatty acids to the blood stream
3. The transportation of immune cells to and from the lymph nodes.
4. The creation and circulation of lymphocytes, an important part of immune system function.

Problems in the lymphatic system can lead to swelling and even cancer. An impaired lymphatic system can also lead to an overall poor immune system and leave someone susceptible to various illnesses.

The lymphatic system is made up of the following organs, vessels and substances:

Interstitial fluid

As blood plasma is forced from the blood capillaries it gathers in the tissue spaces. Once the plasma is no longer within the venous system it is called the interstitial fluid. It is a watery-like substance that bathes the cells of the tissues.

Lymphatic capillaries

Lymphatic capillaries are completely immersed in the interstitial fluid. They have thin membranes that allow the interstitial fluid to flow in. Once the interstitial fluid is in these lymphatic capillaries we refer to it as lymph.  Like the venous system, the lymphatic system has a series of valves that only allow the lymph to move in one direction. The lymphatic capillaries are continuously draining the interstitial fluid from the tissue spaces. This prevents lymphatic stagnation or edema.

Lymphatic vessels

Lymphatic vessels are formed by the merging of the lymphatic capillaries. There are about the same amount of lymphatic vessels in the body as there are veins. Lymph continues to flow in one direction through these vessels. Eventually these lymphatic vessels merge to form larger structures called lymphatic trunks.

Lymphatic trunks

Lymphatic trunks are the largest lymphatic vessel in the body. They drain directly into two different lymphatic collecting ducts.

 Right lymphatic duct

The right lymphatic duct drains the lymphatic trunks from the right side of the head and neck, the right arm and shoulder and the ride side of the trunk or thorax. This duct is short and empties directly into the right subclavian vein.

Thoracic duct

The thoracic duct is responsible for collecting the lymph from the rest of the body including the legs, left arm and most of the trunk including the abdominals. It empties into the left subclavian vein.

As the lymph enters either the right or left subclavian vein it has been returned back to the blood stream where it can be either reused or filtered further by the liver, spleen and kidneys.

Organs of the Lymph System

 Lymph nodes

Also called lymph glands these organs are solely responsible for cleansing and filtering the lymph. They are located along the larger lymphatic vessels throughout the whole body. They tend to accumulate more heavily in the groin, arm pits, abdominals, and neck regions. Lymph nodes are somewhat bean shaped and are around 2mm in length. Lymph enters the node through the afferent lymphatic vessels. It continues to flow to the lymphatic sinus cavities. It is collected from there to continue its movement through the efferent lymphatic vessel. Through this process the lymph is filtered of cells that have been damaged, cancerous cells, cellular debris, and pathogens like bacteria and viruses.

The nodules located in the lymph nodes are the location of lymphocyte production. Lymphocytes along with macrophages destroy the waste materials that have been filtered in the lymph nodes. We will discuss more of this process when we look at the immune system function.

Tonsils

Many of us are probably familiar with the tonsils. These are important lymphatic organs that act as the guards to our internal body. Located near the throat or the back of the mouth and nasal cavities, these clumps of lymphatic tissue intercept and kill pathogens that enter through the nose or mouth. As little as twenty years ago these organs were routinely removed in children who repeatedly had problems with them swelling. Now, we have more understanding of the important function of these tissues and they are seldom removed.

Spleen

The spleen is the largest organ of the lymphatic system. It can be found behind the stomach and just underneath the diaphragm. It is about 5-6 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. It, like all lymphatic organs, produces lymphocytes.

The spleen plays a role in both the lymphatic system and the cardiovascular system. It cleanses and filters the blood. The spleen can destroy harmful pathogens in the body and it is also the main site for red blood cell production. It stores a large supply of blood and platelets, which are released when needed, such as a hemorrhage.

It is not that uncommon to have a spleen removed. Those people without a spleen can live full lives, but they may be more susceptible to illness and hemorrhage.

Thymus gland

The thymus gland is a soft structure located in the mediastinum just above the heart. This gland plays a big role in the immune system development of infants and children. As we age, the gland begins to shrink and is actually quite small in adults. The major role of this gland is the production of a particular type of lymphocyte called T-cells. These important immune system cells can attack and destroy foreign antigens. We will look at T-cells more closely when we study the immune system.

I’ve heard it suggested that we can help to stimulate our thymus gland by pounding on our chests like gorillas or tarzan. This article explains further and gives 10 Ways to Jump Start Your Day.

How lymph moves

There are a lot of parallels between the lymphatic system and the cardiovascular system. Both of these involve circulating fluids throughout our body using very similar structures such as vessels. The lymphatic system differs in a major way in that it does not have a heart pumping fluid through its vessels. Instead lymph moves only with the help of outside forces.

These forces include:

Contraction of muscles

Respiration or the act of breathing

Gravity

Just looking at this list and you can see how important movement and exercise are to maintaining a healthy lymphatic system. Some people suggest jumping on a trampoline or skipping jubilantly is one of the best ways to get lymph flowing.

Further Reading:

7Song’s pdf on An Herbalists View of the Lymph System

Fantastic article by Suzanne Sky explaining the lymphatic system and then giving detailed suggestions on personal lymphatic massage.

Paul Bergner has an excerpt from his fabulous book, The Healing Power of Echinacea and Goldenseal, that discusses several lymphatic herbs. Besides reading this short excerpt  I also highly recommend this book. Besides giving an incredible indepth view on two very important western herbs, it is also has a really thorough description of the immune system and how it functions.

This Love your Lymph article briefly looks at some lymphatic herbs and has great suggestions in how to keep your lymph healthy.

An article looking at exercise and lymphedema.

Kiva Rose discusses using alder trees as a lymphatic.

An article about Lymphatic Massage

Finally the Spleen Gets Some Respect, an interesting NYT articles highlighting a new understanding of the spleen and it’s functions.

Works Consulted

The anatomy and physiology in this article was extracted mainly from The Principles of Anatomy & Physiology, Tortora, Grabowski. I also used Anatomy and Physiology by Stanley E. Gunstream 4^th ed.

The second half of this article giving us an herbal perspective on the nervous system would not have been possible without jim mcdonald’s Article Index. Thanks a thousand times to jim for putting this together. 

Bringing up the rear....

This is the caboose of the prize train. The pre-release sale of By the Hearth will end sometime late on Thursday the 11th, and this event has been so much fun! If I had planned it, the timing couldn't have been better, as we'll get the books into the mail and dig right into our Jan/Feb deadline for the magazine on the 15th.
*I'm tossing 3 1-year subscriptions to The Essential Herbal into the pot. Current subscribers who win will have it added onto the length of that subscription, and otherwise they will begin with the Nov/Dec issue.*Someone will win an ounce of my homegrown holy basil.
*Someone will win an ounce of our dried elderberries.
*Three people will win a tube of Extra Essential Lip Balm.
Everyone in the pre-sale will be getting a cup of herbal tea included with their book (fruity holy basil blend).
I know that you are all going to enjoy the book immensely, as it is filled with the hopes, dreams, and joy of those early years. Putting the book together reminded me how wonderfully sharing herbies are, and how much we all want to express how empowering it is to learn these things and pass them along.
Thanks again, all... and good luck!
Prizes will be announced here on Friday night and published in the Jan/Feb issue along with links to all the AWESOME gift donors!

We Have Returned and Guest Blogging for The Herb Companion Magazine!

Front Gate of Fulham Palace, London, England

Cafe at Fulham Palace

Nibbles for Lunch at Fulham Palace

We are back from our little trip to the east!  I'm exhausted from driving!  It's for your safety and mine that I do the driving.  I think I have explained that before.  Has something to do with being Latin!  We put on almost 900 miles on The Herbal Husband's Honda!  Better than average mileage with that car and it's 16 years old!  Will share some travel highlights in the coming days!

The photos above are from my trip to England in September and that is my latest guest post for The Herb Companion magazine entitled The Herb Gardens of Fulham Palace.  Hope you enjoy it.  I think I have another award from my friend, Julie at Laughing Horse Art.  I'll get to that later in the week.  Thanks, Julie!  Beautiful weather outside.  Must get to the leaves on the ground and the ivy on the roof is still an issue!  Got to find someone to tackle that before the weather gets really bad!  Talk to you later!

It's all goode!

Only another day or two to go here in the wild and crazy parade of prizes for the pre-release of By the Hearth. I've been having a ball posting these things, and I really hope that those of you reading along have also found some great new sources and ideas for wonderful handmade goodies in these posts for future reference.
Today's addition to the list of prizes comes from Karen at All Goode Gifts.These are cute little bags that contain a 4.5 oz bar of soap, an aromatherapy diffuser with the subject scent, and a sample of vitamin rich cream. The winner gets their choice of Patchouli,(black) Sandalwood, (blue) Amber, (red) or Lavender (gold).

Back at the ranch, we've already started work on the Jan/Feb '11 issue of The Essential Herbal Magazine. No rest for the wicked, as they say... We are accepting articles, recipes, crafts, and ads until Nov. 15th. It's already shaping up into another great issue! If you've never read a copy, visit our website to download a free issue - we're a print magazine, but you can see an on-line sample there. Click on the starburst at the top of the home page :-).

the year-long prize :-)

There are so many great prizes for this drawing that I'm getting pretty jealous that I'm not in it myself!
I'm sure many of The Essential Herbal readers will be familiar with Marci Tsohonis from Herbal Nature Organics, as she has contributed several wonderful articles. Recently we've been treated to recipes and instructions for 2 of her lovely soaps - Zazen and Pumpkin Pie.Marci is going to send one of our winners a year of luscious soaps from her "4 Seasons of Herbal Nature Soap" program, which includes 2 (4.5 oz) bars of soaps selected to match the seasons of the year (pretty great way to coincide with the seasons of the books). Right after the drawing, the winner gets a bar each of the two pictured above, and the others mail out Feb 5, May 5, and Aug 5! How cool is that?
All purchases of "By the Hearth" during the pre-release 20% off special are automatically entered into the drawing. There are a couple more days (probably through the 11th), but don't delay. When the books arrive here, we start shipping, the price goes up to the cover price of $24.95, and the prizes will be awarded.