Saturday, March 12, 2011

Challenge #9: Review and Vinegars Part 2



Although my Ally is considered to be toxic by most, I decided to test this theory and jump in the deep end so to speak. It has been an interesting week and I would like to share my findings with you via my journal pages...... (four weeks after making the vinegar)......



7.3.11  (morning) The Vinegar is now a warm golden colour. There is a distinct smell of Tansy mixed with the strong vinegar smell and it is quite pleasant.  Dipped my finger in to taste and it tastes quite nice too! Not as strong or bitter as an infusion. The vinegar mix seems to compliment the Tansy giving it a golden smooth taste. Once gone from the mouth there is a slight drying feeling that leaves the mouth feeling clean and fresh. I will take some with water tonight. I am feeling quite "aware" for sense of a better word, but that is not unsual for me lately. You could say CLEAR feeling. I learned this week that Tansy is also good for cleansing the kidneys so feel vinegar might be a good way to attempt this if you had a kidney problem.

(evening) Tonight I strained the vinegar and bottled it. I don't think it would be a good herb to keep in the vinegar as it would get too strong. Indeed I found this when I again tasted the vinegar around the actual leaves by swirling it around in my mouth. It was far stronger than my initial taste and no so pleasant after all.  Much stronger than I initially thought.  Kind of sour. I added 1 tablespoon to a small glass of water and it is much more palatable. Still drying but less so than on its own. I still don't mind the taste. I was feeling a little sleepy but now feel wide "awake" and aware.

8.3.11 Took vinegar in water before dinner. My appetite was not so great but I found myself quite hungry later and snacking on a chocolate biscuit. Not something I would usually do at night.  I also had trouble sleeping as I was once again feeling wide awake and more aware maybe. Had some soreness in the tummy which alleviated later. Then some very slight spotting.



9.3.11 Tummy a bit sore and uncomfortable this morning. Was awoken early so not much in the way of sleep last night. Thought I'd weigh myself as ACV is said to aid digetstion etc.........Took vinegar a little late today. Forgot probably as I was so tired. I was worried that I would not be able to sleep but did not want to miss my dose so took it anyway. It did not keep me awake, exhaustion won out and I was asleep by 9.30pm (early for me). I awoke early the next day and noted that I must have had a nose bleed during the night, just in the left nostril. Congealed blood so could not have been drastic but it did remind me that it had happened a couple of days before as well and I had not noted it down.  Not sure if its related to the Tansy or not.

10. 3.11  Took my vinegar before dinner again and felt quite energetic but again developed a tummy ache.

11.3.11 Menstruation started this morning, still sore in the tummy. Lost a little weight. Very uncomfortable feeling all day. Felt compelled to take vinegar earlier in the day. Not sure why, maybe I thought subconsciously it would help. It did not. While it did make me feel more awake it did not help with pain at all which by now felt more like kidney pain than period pain. Although I feel really heavy in the lower back so it could just be that.  Ended up caving and taking pain killers (also unusual for me but I have quite had enough).

12.3.11 This morning I still feel uncomfortable. Today I am changing over to morning doses of the vinegar to see if it makes any difference. I will continue on with this experiment till Tuesday if I can giving me four days on mornings. Although if this pain gets any worse I may consider stopping.

Something I realised this morning too was that when I take the vinegar or infusion my face tingles a bit just after. Not for long but its a distinct tingling feeling right up into my scalp. Followed by the still feeling or coming "awake" .



Since writing in my journal this morning, I actually feel a bit better. I have not taken any pain meds today and am wondering if I do have a chill in the kidneys as I do tend to walk around with bare feet all the time, indoors and out and it is getting cooler here. My floor is tiles downstairs and I remember my mother in law always telling me off for walking bare foot, especially around "that time of the month" she swore it caused all sorts of problems in the nether regions! Who knows? So see I am not entirely ruling that theory out and blaming my beloved Tansy for my woes.

Another note of interest. My flow is quite normal, not too heavy considering I have been taking the Tansy everyday. I thought it would cause a heavier flow. Interesting!

Also..after rereading what I have written over the week about feeling awake and aware, I am reminded of the stillness and the absolute calmness that comes with it. You may remember my thoughts on drinking the strong infusion that made me feel a very horrible "nothing" .....again I strongly feel that this herb would make a distinctive difference to someone who is feeling hysterical or suffering from depression. It definitely has a calming effect to it immediately after drinking. Having said that, I do wonder how one would administer it to an hysterical person though. Perhaps with a few drops of tincture under the tongue? NO I won't be testing that one on myself! LOL I have been known to be excitable at times but hardly hysterical!

I have been enjoying watching my Tansy seeds sprout daily. This was taken a couple of days back and now the seedlings in the back (seed raising mix) are bigger than those in the front (dirt from my chickens coop).  One has to wonder what is in that particular mix? The seeds in the cotton wool have also sprouted and are a darker green than the others. Some in the chicken dirt are now beginning to grow some newer leaves which are a little more triangular in shape!





Will try and take some more pics as they grown out! I have to take my boys away overnight during the week and I find myself dreading to leave my babies! Our weather is so unpredictable I am scared they will dry out! 

Now at the risk of boring you all with my wandering thoughts, I shall leave you in peace! My daughter wants me to make her some soup! Have a lovely weekend all! Keep safe and may your days be filled with Herbal Blessings! 

Hugs and smoochies xoxoxoxoxoxox 

PS.....For anyone who enjoys art, pop over to my other blog Karisma and Kids and check out my daugthers Mother Earth picture. Mother is on my mind a lot this week with all her grumbling and weeping! Praying that she finds it in her soul to settle!

8 comments:

  1. Oh Karisma, you have done just a wonderful job of documenting your thoughts, feeling, impressions, and other things:) thank you so much for sharing with us:) Interesting that you wonder about tansy being beneficial in case of hysteria etc! Nice sharing of your thoughts xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Leslie, I actually read about Tansy being used for Hysteria in Culpepers writings. I had previously thought it would work for depression due to the numbing effect it had on me the first time I tried a dried herb infusion. Most of the modern herbals do not go into much detail at all for Tansy as its not a recommended herb to take.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am finding all this just fascinating about tansy. It will be so interesting to continue following your experiences, Karisma. Yes, I have read much about tansy in the older herbals and have always wished someone in our modern time would write about it. Guess that is you:) lol big hugs and much love to you and yours xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. haha! Hugs back at you lovely! So I should share some of my recipes too then? I am planning on trying some cooking very soon! You know with all this getting Tansy back into the world I am now wondering for the life of me what will that lovely Wormwood come in handy for? I seriously started my garden by walking past the plants and asking yes or no? Brought home a lot of interesting herbs that year. Not to mention the ones the birds keep leaving much to my husbands and my neighbours horror! xoxoxox

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, please do share any recipes also! Yea!I also have wormwood and others that I found here and there. Funny when I first started growing herbals the ones I found first were rue, wormwood, horehound and such. Ones that aren't talked about as much these days, but of so easy to grow and thrive:) And oh yea, the birds have done their share of planting here also;-) lol xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. ooooh, please do be careful! i would hate to think you got sick from your herbal ally. you know your body better than anyone though...

    but yes, beautiful work documenting your thoughts and experiments! your journal pages look lovely! <3 it sounds like you are really working with your ally, that's great to hear!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you! I have been quite well with taking the morning dose instead. I may have even become a little in balance with the daily dose as the "wake up" feeling has waned. Mind you my body has been busy "vibrating" which is normal for me the past year or so. And with the earths grumbling I have been a different state of mind.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Karisma ~ You're doing a great job at recording your experiences with the vinegar. I haven't started that challenge yet , hopefully next week.
    I visited your other blog and I'm in awe of " Mother Earth " , it's a wonderful piece and definitely shows the critical stresses that our Mother must be feeling at this time. Your daughter is wonderful artist , you have so much to be proud of.

    ~ Tansy Blessings ~

    ReplyDelete