Forget New Year’s resolutions…

This is the ideal time of year to take stock and to plan. I don’t mean making New Year’s resolutions, which most of us abandon before the month is out. I mean putting in place some rough guidelines for the way you want to live your life over the next 12 months. For most of us, this will involve a simpler and more back-to-basics approach, given the current economic uncertainty. There will be an increasing emphasis on need, rather than want, which can’t be a bad thing.Â

We will inevitably be a bit more conscious about protecting our health too. There are so many ways we can use plants to support and heal our bodies. It’s fun, too, to experiment with making cosmetics from scratch. Turn your kitchen into a preparation area for beauty potions for a day!Â

I can’t recommend Rosemary Gladstar’s ‘Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health’ too highly. Subtitled ‘175 teas, tonics, oils, salves, tinctures and other natural remedies for the entire family’, this book is a must-have reference for those interested in a healthy, herbal approach to daily life. It is choc-a-bloc full of ideas and recipes and is wonderfully illustrated. Just the job if, like me, you like a combination of text and pictures!

James Wong’s ‘Grow your own Drugs’ established itself as a bestseller in 2009, following the BBC series of the same name. Another beautifully illustrated book, it is full of easy to make remedies and beauty aids. Many of the ingredients are stock items in the kitchen cupboard and fridge, while others can be found in health stores.Â

I should also mention Jill Davies’ ‘A Garden of Miracles – herbal drinks’. This is a treasure trove of information on herbs as natural healers. A hardback that is out of print, it can be picked up for as little as £0.64 on www.amazon.co.uk.

If you fancy having a stab at growing your own herbs from seed, The Organic Centre’s seed catalogue has just been published, which includes a list of courses run by the centre in Leitrim. Pick up a free copy at The Hopsack.

And so to one of the most useful and easy-to-prepare recipes for this time of year, which will cleanse your system, reduce bad cholesterol and ward off winter viruses. It’s also great for sinusitis. To prepare SUPER TONIC, grate equal quantities of horseradish root and ginger root. Crush an equal quantity of garlic. Approximately 1/3 fill a large glass jar with this mix (a kilner jar is idea). Add 2-3 tablespoons of Cayenne pepper. Fill jar with organic apple cider vinegar. Seal. Leave for 2 weeks or more, shaking vigorously several times a day. Strain liquid into another jar, using muslin or an old linen teacloth. The tonic can either be taken straight off the spoon (up to 2 teaspoons 3 times daily), or be used as a dressing to which you can add olive oil if you wish. Delicious, cheap and a wonderful ‘flu buster!

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