Testimonials

I am 78 years old. I tripped and fell face down. I caught myself with my arm, cracked my ribs, and injured my shoulder.

I used Caridwen for inflammation. What relief! The Caridwen took care of the inflammation so my shoulder healed much quicker.

Thank you Dee!

~ Beth Sherlock ~

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"For the last 6 weeks or so, I have been using Dianna's Iduna salve. In the last few weeks I have actually gotten more than one complement on how I look. The reason? My skin on my face is ever so much tighter and younger looking, well, rejuvenated. The crater between my yes, on the bridge of my nose is slowly erasing. The creases around my mouth and nose are not as severe, and incredibly, my turkey neck is almost gone! I highly recommend this stuff. Smells so exotic. You rule Dianna!"

~ Kati Breeding ~

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Chaparral Flower

Medicinal Properties of Chaparral
Article by James Sloane

If I made a list of my top 10 favorite herbs, chaparral (Larrea tridentata) would definitely be on that list. This hardy plant, comprising over 20 species, cannot only survive the extremes of desert life, but can also live to be well over 10,000 years old. In fact, I have read that one of the oldest living plants on earth is a massive chaparral plant in California believed to be over 25,000 years old.Natural habitats for chaparral include the Southwestern US, Mexico, South America, South Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean.

Medicinally, chaparral is hard to beat. The plant has strong Antiviral, AntiBacterial, Antifungal, and antiTumor properties. Chaparral is also a great Anti-inflammatory, and raises vitamin C levels in the Adrenal Glands. By strengthening the Adrenals, inflammatory conditions are reduced in the body, Stress responses are improved, Immune function is strengthened, Depression can be alleviated, Blood Sugar can be stabilized, Allergies/Asthma reduced, etc. Chaparral is an extremely strong Blood Purifier, which is probably in part due to its high sulfur content. Its sulfur content could also help explain its historical use as a Hair growth agent.

In addition, chaparral is the strongest Antioxidant I have seen. The Antioxidants in chaparral include flavonoids, and a very powerful Antioxidant known as nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (NDGA). NDGA is such a strong and effective Antioxidant that it was actually used for decades as an Antioxidant preserservative for oils and foods,with full approval of the USDA.

Chaparral is best known for its ability to treat Cancer effectively. The antiTumor effects of chaparral have been verified in studies conducted by the universities of both Nevada and Utah.One of the things that makes chaparral unique in its ability to treat Cancer is the fact that it 'attacks' the Cancer through multiple mechanisms. Since the majority of Cancers have a microbial origin, the first mechanism is through the destruction of Viruses, Bacteria and Fungi. Chronic Inflammation has also been linked to the formation of Cancers, meaning that chaparral's Anti-inflammatory properties can inhibit some Cancers. Chaparral can inhibit Cancers triggered, or aggravated, by free radicals and Toxins due to its Antioxidant and cleansing properties. Chaparral's Liver cleansing properties makes it helpful for Hormone induced Cancers since the Liver is responsible for the breakdown of excess Hormones. And finally, chaparral inhibits mitochondrial Enzymes, which in turn inhibits the cellular division of Cancer cells. In short, this means it inhibits Cancer growth.

Chaparral's ability to kill microbes makes it useful for a number of diseases linked to microbial Infections. These include Cancers (viral, Bacterial, and fungal forms), Heart disease (chlamydia Bacteria), Hepatitis (viral, Bacterial, and fungal forms), rheumatoid (chlamydia Bacteria) and other forms of infectious Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis (human Herpes Virus type 6), ulcerative Colitis (mycoavian complex bacterium), Crohns disease (mycoavian complex bacterium), type 1 Diabetes (viral), Pneumonia (viral, Bacterial, and fungal forms), Bronchitis (viral, Bacterial, and fungal forms), etc. One of the most interesting areas of study for the use of chaparral is in the treatment of Herpes Infections, where studies are looking very promising.

Chaparral is very resinous, and so is not easy to prepare as a tea. Resins and water do not mix, and the resin will separate out and stick to the pan wall when trying to make the tea. Therefore, I recommend not using this herb as a tea. I personally prefer the powder mixed with other herbs. By combining the powder with other powdered herbs, the other powdered herbs will help prevent the resins in the chaparral from clumping the powder in to a big 'gumball' when it comes in to contact with water. This helps maintain a larger surface area, thereby increasing the absorption and effectiveness of the herb. In addition, the addition of other herbs can increase the effectiveness of each herb. For instance, chaparral combined with red clover blossom increases the antiTumor activity of both herbs. Combining chaparral with pau d' arco (lapacho, taheebo, ipe roxo) increases the Antiviral, AntiBacterial, and Antifungal activities of both herbs.

Again, the FDA tried to claim that chaparral was linked to 13 cases of Hepatitis, though medical reviews subsequently found no evidence that the chaparral was linked to the cases. In fact, it was shown that many of the patients were found to have pre-existing Liver failure, or were taking pharmaceutical drugs well known for causing Liver damage. On the other hand, fresh chaparral does contain unstable alkaloids that may damage the Liver if ingested for a length of time. Therefore, chaparral should be dried and aged for at least a month before use to destroy these alkaloids.

The Health Benefits of Chaparral
1) It's used as a mouthwash, regardless of the disagreeable flavor and odor. It may completely get rid of the Bacteria leading to Tooth decay.
2) Chaparral has strong Antifungal and Antimicrobial properties, and is a treatment frequently utilized to kill Parasites that are living in our bodies.
3) For a treatment for Burns the resin that resides in the chaparral leaf is used from time to time.
4) Chaparral tea is typically used to alleviate Respiratory difficulties, for example Colds and Bronchitis. It's an all-natural Expectorant and will help keep the airways clear of excessive Mucus.
5) The herb has Anti-inflammatory properties and can alleviate conditions, for example Arthritis. It has already been utilized to sooth the itchiness of Chicken Pox.
6) Externally, the herb was used to soothe Skin Rashes and heal Bruises, prevent disease, and heal Wounds. It's especially advantageous for sufferers of Eczema and Psoriasis.
7) An infusion of the herb may be utilized to help ward off Dandruff.
8) Using chaparral in tea form or capsules is advantageous for problems with the body's Digestive system.
9) It's believed to be a good herb in combating the signs of Cancer and is regularly suggested by natural medicine practitioners when Cancer is identified in the belly, Liver, or Kidneys. This is because of the strong Antioxidant properties that the herb contains. There has been certain research done that proposes that the herb might have the ability to inhibit the development of Tumors.
10) The Antioxidant qualities of chaparral may be advantageous as a Blood Purifier and helping reduce the effects of aging Skin. The Antioxidant properties may be advantageous for Gout sufferers, as well.
11) Lastly, chaparral supplements might have a favorable impact on the body's Circulation.

Chaparral Side Effects
The power of the herb makes it something for very young kids to avoid. Older kids or even the elderly should be able to make use of the herb without issue, but they should start with a mild dose to see how their body handles it. As high dosages and prolonged use could end up causing
one to experience an adverse effect, it's not recommended for people that have Kidney problems. Because of the strong effects of chaparral, it's important to seek advice from your health care provider before making use of the herb.