The Art of Natural Dressage

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:21 pm 
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PS: Don Jamie absulotley detested a certain fly reppelent and it was natural. It did not matter if it was gel or spray and he did not mind other sprays.
But he got completely berserk with that very spray.

Turns out that was the spray they used in Sevilla at the bullfighters stable where he lived and was abused severly for 12 years...

No wonder he did not like the scent of that spray, would anyone?

Anyway, now I make my own and add his favorite scent: orange.

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:33 pm 
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Quote:
If it is the spray they are scared of, put it on a sponge and whip it one and take your rime to teach them that the spray is fun.


You can also use treats :D Spray a little away from the horse (not at him), then give him a treat. Spray a little, give a treat. Spray a little, give a treat. As your horse relaxes, you can then pet him/her with the spray bottle (don't spray at him yet), then again aim away from the horse and spray (this will waste some fly spray, so maybe water in a bottle would be better!). Usually, within that first session, you could spray a little on your horse in an area he is least sensitive, then give a treat.

Lots of treats. Get a big pocket full.

The idea is to start to teach them that you will not harm them, and that you will not let something else harm them. You build the trust slowly. If it takes three days to do it, then it takes three days.

There are always some things that we cannot prepare the horse for, and then always we just think up the best solution on the spot...like for rasping teeth. For me, I simply prefer to sedate the horse. Then it is over and the horse has not been stressed.

But for almost everything, we can condition the horse to accept things calmly, even if htey don't really like it...if there is some reward for putting up with it, then they will put up with it. The key, I think, is not to try and confine the horse while you do this...if the horse is at liberty, he will tellyou exactly how far away you have to be the first time you spray the bottle (you could be two metres away or more). It would be a really great first exercise in teaching yourself what it may take to get your horse's trust. A great challenge![/quote]


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:42 pm 
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Glen Grobler wrote:
:lol: Josepha, what a fantastic answer with so much information! I've copied it onto my desktop so I can read it before every time I go to Freckles!

Wow... :oops:

Quote:
What I was trying to say was not that you must order me, but that I need you to guide me to "correct" my thinking.

Yes but still... who are we to tell you what is correct and what is not? Eben with all experience in the world, one could be wrong in your specific case... The only thing we can do is share our experiences and you than can try out what appeals to you and see what works for you and your horse :)


Quote:
:cry: With another person I would use English and I would know easily if they heard me and what was their answer.

Human speach is so overrated in my view.
Imagine this: what if a child was abused all her life by adults. Would telling her: 'I am not going to hurt you, you can trust me', make her trust you instantly?

It is not about what one says, it is about getting to know what one does...

Quote:
The only "conversation" I have had with horses so far is "wear this" and "do this" or "do that."

So that is what he has come to expect of you. And even if he spoke english better than an english professor, telling him that things are going to be different would not make him believe it instantly, would it?
He would probably say: 'we shall see'.
And he will... won't he?

However, horses seem far more clever than humans in this sort of thing. As soon as you have a change of heart, he will notice.

Quote:
so my question really was "I don't actually understand yet if he is hearing me or answering me - what can I look for?"

Look for change in his behaviour towards you which then shows that he has noticed change in your behaviour.

Quote:
Fantastic! Where can I find a recipe? I am using "Buzz Off" which is a veterinary product for keeping flies off horses. It is made by HealthTechLabs.

that does not sound very natural, having the word 'lab' in it :lol:
And I am not at all sure that this product is against animal testing. But to be quite honest, I do not know it so i can not judge it.

Since it seems very important to buzz off flies where you are and if it really works satisfactually, well then it would be prudent to continue using it.
Having said that, better check the ingredients for it is also prudent to keep your horses' immune system up as high as possible and certain chemicals keep the flies away, but attack the immunesysteem of the horse to soften it up for those flies that do come through (logic of regular vetarinarian treathemnnet... :roll: )

The recipe I use is a base of for instance herbal tea, lavender water or rosewater in which you add 15 drops of the following essentiel oils:
lemon, teatree, eucalyptus, lavender, (And I wish I knew what it was called in english or even if you have this flower over there...) Geranium.
Because Jamie likes it I ad 15 drops of orange as well. shake well before your spray or whipe on.

Quote:
:lol: Haha, I liked that answer! I meant how do I "project" what I am trying to do WITHOUT BEING "IN HIS FACE" so he can start to understand? I don't know why but I get the feeling he believes he must be only docile around people, that he "may not" express.

That probably is so, because that is what he has learned and has come to expect from people.

Quote:
I ask because I think there is little or no "dialogue" at the moment - it is only one-way!

So ask for nothing and reward any initiative he takes towards you. :)

Quote:
He responds when I touch, or talk, or move, but he does not yet initiate - that is what I wish to promote.

And that is what AND is all about. So, first you must silence all your noise and all back noise so you can here your horse speak :)

Seems to me your are already in the right path to achive what you desire.
What could work to inspire initiative from his side is a trick I saw Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling let one of his students do.
She played with a bal while alone with her horse in a paddock. She was absorb in the ball and acted as though her horses was not there.
After a while, the horse became very interested in the ball and in her and they started to play together :)

Quote:
Yes, exactly! So I need things to read to get that advantage and what I have found so far is many times contradicting each other. I need you to tell me what is truth and what is misunderstandings. Please. :?

Again I can not, for I am not the one who is native to the language. Western people who learn chinese will have the same problem, having different opinions on what an expression could mean for they have had different experiences to go with those expressions in the native country.
Only native chinese can give the right answer.

Second, I would have to stand next to you and your horse in order to translate with whatever knowledge I already have. It is impossible to translate your horses language without seeing it and especially if the one who brings the language does not understand it themselves.
How are you to write here what chinese people say so people who speak chinese can translate, when you do not know the language? It is impossible.

When you see a contradiction here; just look ar your horse when you come across it and see what it means to you.
The first answer that comes up is ussually the right one :)


Quote:
This is very clarifying and very helpful indeed! :D I'm not worried so much as in a a hurry to change my bad! :cry:

Who is to decide what is bad?
Well in our case the horse :lol: But if you let him decide from now on, all the bad has gone right then and there :)
You can not go wrong anymore, you can only learn.

But let me assure you this: Once your horse has found out that he can express himself with you, express himself he shall!
And if you do not hear his whispering, then he shall rais his voice untill you understand.
Easy enough ;)

Warm regards,

Josepha

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:50 am 
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Josepha,

Regarding the fly spray, you said:

Quote:

Quote:
Fantastic! Where can I find a recipe? I am using "Buzz Off" which is a veterinary product for keeping flies off horses. It is made by HealthTechLabs.

that does not sound very natural, having the word 'lab' in it
And I am not at all sure that this product is against animal testing. But to be quite honest, I do not know it so i can not judge it.

Since it seems very important to buzz off flies where you are and if it really works satisfactually, well then it would be prudent to continue using it.
Having said that, better check the ingredients for it is also prudent to keep your horses' immune system up as high as possible and certain chemicals keep the flies away, but attack the immunesysteem of the horse to soften it up for those flies that do come through (logic of regular vetarinarian treathemnnet... )


The "buzz Off" spray I am using lists the following composition:
"Cypermethrin: 0.3%m/v
Citronella Oil 0.6%m/v
Other essential herbal extracts"
which is not very specific. Would you please comment on the ingredients they have named and the effects on immune systems? If you can :twisted: ! Or direct me somewhere where I can do my own research? I have zero knowledge about chemicals and immune systems :(

I am going to use your recipe as soon as I can get the essential oils in your recipe. The bad thing about living in this beautiful little village is the lack of shops :lol: so I have to ask someone from a bigger town to get it and send it on to me!

Quote:
(And I wish I knew what it was called in english or even if you have this flower over there...) Geranium.


Yes, geranium is the same in English and yes, we have that flower here. I'm part way through an embroidery of geraniums and a butterfly!

Is any herbal tea suitable? We have a local herbal tea called "Rooibos" which means "Red Bush" which has many valuable properties ... and I can get many different herbal teas from "Health Shops" where they sell vitamins and supplements and pumpkin seeds and stuff like that for vegitarians. Is there one particulas tea which is "best effective?"

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:08 pm 
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Glen Grobler wrote:
The "buzz Off" spray I am using lists the following composition:
"Cypermethrin: 0.3%m/v
Citronella Oil 0.6%m/v
Other essential herbal extracts"
which is not very specific. Would you please comment on the ingredients they have named and the effects on immune systems? If you can :twisted: ! Or direct me somewhere where I can do my own research? I have zero knowledge about chemicals and immune systems :(


:shock: Cypermethrin is a pesticide not allowed for use on humans!
Very poisoness!
Citronella oil does sound really nice but is in in fact a chemical produces faux lemon scent which will probably be banned in Europe in several years.

I myseld would not spray it on my horses and certainly not let it touch my skin or inhale...

Glen Grobler wrote:
I am going to use your recipe as soon as I can get the essential oils in your recipe. The bad thing about living in this beautiful little village is the lack of shops :lol: so I have to ask someone from a bigger town to get it and send it on to me!

Well, we have it in our shop but I am afraid sending it over will cost more then the oils itself so I hope you can find it somewhat closer to you :)


Glen Grobler wrote:
Yes, geranium is the same in English and yes, we have that flower here.

Great!

Glen Grobler wrote:
I'm part way through an embroidery of geraniums and a butterfly!

I am not sure that will keep the flies away though :lol:

Glen Grobler wrote:
Is any herbal tea suitable? We have a local herbal tea called "Rooibos" which means "Red Bush" which has many valuable properties ...

Yes, that is very good to use for a fly repellent base and pore over your horses lunch while you drink a cup yourself watching them eating, add some biological honey hmmm!

Rooibos (which is actually old Dutch/Flemish for it comes from South Africa), is the opposite from cypermethrin, flies do not like rooiboos for one, and second it is a boost for your imune system which helps you protect yourself from the damage flies and other parasites can do.
Instead of attacking your imune system and make you vulnerable for parasite damage like cypermethrin does... :?

Humans and most human made products are so onlogical... :roll:

Hoping to be helpful to you,

Josepha
ps: that amount of pesticide does not even kill flies and you can imagine the horrible animal tests they will have done in the lab to ensure no direct damage is done to animals and humans to avoid lawsuits... :evil:

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:38 pm 
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Josepha,

Quote:
Cypermethrin is a pesticide not allowed for use on humans!
Very poisoness!
Citronella oil does sound really nice but is in in fact a chemical produces faux lemon scent which will probably be banned in Europe in several years.


Quote:
ps: that amount of pesticide does not even kill flies and you can imagine the horrible animal tests they will have done in the lab to ensure no direct damage is done to animals and humans to avoid lawsuits...


:shock: :shock: :shock: My poor horse!! :oops: :oops: :oops:

I burm citronella oil in a little lamp almost every night in my bedroom! My poor me!

Quote:
Well, we have it in our shop but I am afraid sending it over will cost more then the oils itself so I hope you can find it somewhat closer to you


:lol: I already have my niece searching Cape Town and my brother-in-law searching Johannesburg! I will get some asap!

Quote:
Yes, that is very good to use for a fly repellent base and pore over your horses lunch while you drink a cup yourself watching them eating, add some biological honey hmmm!


? Really. I never thought about feeding herbal tea to a horse! How much? How often? So many questions - I'm so sorry. I really appreciate the knowledge, and I'm sure Freckles will too!
Hahaha - next questions - how much tea-base do I add all the 15 drops to? How long can it be stored? Must I apply it to every little part of the horse or is a "general" spray OK? Can it go on his face? Near his eyes? Nostrils?
I don't like the taste of honey but if he does he can enjoy it.
:idea: Now I know what to use to "condition" him for de-worming!

I am very fond of rooibos tea - my baby was lactose-intolerant and he grew up on rooibos as a milk-replacement as soon as he started eating a balanced "solid" diet! He hardly ever dehydrated or had a runny tummy! Wonderful stuff!

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:53 pm 
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First of all, I am explaining to you about rooibos while you ARE from South Africa, duh!
I am so sorry... :roll:

Second, you can burn a few drops of real essentiel lemon oil in some water instead of citronella to keep the flies and musquitos away but, it tends to give energy, so for a bedroom I would suggest lavender, which is really soothing for humans but the pest for well, pests :lol:


Than the rest of your questions, well every horse, but especially horses are all about the herbal :)
Herbal thee is a good replacement for the actually herb and easy to digest for horses while being ill for instance.

Just make a strong tea, let it cool, and add the spray.
I'd keep it in the fridge and apply every time you go to Freckles, just spray over his entire body.
It will cool him down as well and it'll feel refreshing to him.
Then put some on a little cloth and apply on the face.
Ussually horses get clever, lower their heads and close their eyes so it's eaqsy for you to apply.

It can go around the eyes, but obviously not in the eye.
With the nostrils it depends per horse, so see what Freckles things of it.

Anyway, in my opinion he was very right not to let that poison willingly applied to hos body.
Animals do know what is healthy and what certainly is not.
I do not know why humans do not anymore.

But I have to say, once you ridd your house of chemicals and poison, soon your instinct will return, or mine did.

The roobos will help with the deworming for sure and so will rosemary and thyme and garlic :)

I am glad that you say all this is helpful for I am writing a book about this..
(I am writing two books at once ha ha ).

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:31 pm 
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I'm very interested in herbal solutions for horses and humans too! I bought all the episodes of heartland when I was younger, just to read about the bach remedies they used :) You will have to finish your books soon! I can't wait!!!


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:07 pm 
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Quote:
First of all, I am explaining to you about rooibos while you ARE from South Africa, duh!
I am so sorry...

You are right to explain because I might live here but I dont know any herbs except a little from cooking and other small experiences along the way ...

I can't wait for your herb books - as long as you make an English translation because it takes me sooo long to read Dutch! My South African Afrikaans helps but it's difficult - the forms and words are similar enough to make some sense of some of it. :lol:

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:01 pm 
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Josepha wrote:
First of all, I am explaining to you about rooibos while you ARE from South Africa, duh!
I am so sorry... :roll:


I want to know more about rooibos. I drink the tea from time to time when I'm feeling a bit under the weather, and it seems to help.


Josepha wrote:
Second, you can burn a few drops of real essentiel lemon oil in some water instead of citronella to keep the flies and musquitos away but, it tends to give energy, so for a bedroom I would suggest lavender, which is really soothing for humans but the pest for well, pests :lol:


Now there is an important item to note. I hate chemicals.

Josepha wrote:
Than the rest of your questions, well every horse, but especially horses are all about the herbal :)
Herbal thee is a good replacement for the actually herb and easy to digest for horses while being ill for instance.

Just make a strong tea, let it cool, and add the spray.
I'd keep it in the fridge and apply every time you go to Freckles, just spray over his entire body.
It will cool him down as well and it'll feel refreshing to him.
Then put some on a little cloth and apply on the face.
Ussually horses get clever, lower their heads and close their eyes so it's eaqsy for you to apply.

It can go around the eyes, but obviously not in the eye.
With the nostrils it depends per horse, so see what Freckles things of it.

Anyway, in my opinion he was very right not to let that poison willingly applied to hos body.
Animals do know what is healthy and what certainly is not.
I do not know why humans do not anymore.


His momma did not chemicalize him. Ours often did. If not mom, then those around us as we grew up.

I don't have the problem with it you point out though. I do notice it. Somewhat environmentally sensitive.

And citronella, or any petroleum distillate will make me ill.

And last Fall when I began riding again and everyone was spraying their horses I got bad hits from it.

I'm going to try out your essential lemon oil recipe on horses, and myself.

Josepha wrote:
But I have to say, once you ridd your house of chemicals and poison, soon your instinct will return, or mine did.

The roobos will help with the deworming for sure and so will rosemary and thyme and garlic :)

I am glad that you say all this is helpful for I am writing a book about this..
(I am writing two books at once ha ha ).


I will likely buy your books.

Donald Redux

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:11 pm 
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Donald,

All I know about Rooibos is that it rehydrates, stops upset tummies, rebalances many electrolytes and is a powerful anti-oxidant. Oh yes, it's also yummy!

Josepha gave me a recipe for a "natural" fly spray in an earlier posting:
Quote:
The recipe I use is a base of for instance herbal tea, lavender water or rosewater in which you add 15 drops of the following essentiel oils:
lemon, teatree, eucalyptus, lavender, (And I wish I knew what it was called in english or even if you have this flower over there...) Geranium.
Because Jamie likes it I ad 15 drops of orange as well. shake well before your spray or whipe on.


Did you see it? I can't wait to try it out! I have significantly reduced the amount of fly-spray I'm putting on Freckles in the meantime.

And I have to ask you one more question - is your chemical sensitivity inborn, or was it "learned" later like mine?

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Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled. Anon


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:05 am 
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Glen Grobler wrote:
Donald,

All I know about Rooibos is that it rehydrates, stops upset tummies, rebalances many electrolytes and is a powerful anti-oxidant. Oh yes, it's also yummy!

Josepha gave me a recipe for a "natural" fly spray in an earlier posting:
Quote:
The recipe I use is a base of for instance herbal tea, lavender water or rosewater in which you add 15 drops of the following essentiel oils:
lemon, teatree, eucalyptus, lavender, (And I wish I knew what it was called in english or even if you have this flower over there...) Geranium.


Well, the least I can do, since I'm going to interrogate you about rooibos much more, is give you the English translation of Geranium, though I had to go to great trouble to look it up.

It's, 'Geranium.'

I hated the smell when I was a child, but for some strange reason am intoxicated by the fragrance now.

Glen Grobler wrote:
Because Jamie likes it I ad 15 drops of orange as well. shake well before your spray or whipe on.


Did you see it? I can't wait to try it out! I have significantly reduced the amount of fly-spray I'm putting on Freckles in the meantime.

And I have to ask you one more question - is your chemical sensitivity inborn, or was it "learned" later like mine?


I suspect it was acquired. Though my natural diet type, according to some sources, is meat and fruit. The highly evolved by selective breeding plants seem to be the ones that get me most.

The "corns," that is wheat, rye, barley, oats, and of course, maize, really nail me badly. I won't list the symptoms, thank you very much.

How that relates to petroleum distolates I cannot say, but early in life I had a lot of chemical exposures, as most in my age range in the U.S. did. People painted with lead and applied arsenic all over the place.

I also had two massive exposures. One to PCBs, via someone gifting me with a wonderful oil for treating leather tack that I used for a couple of years before I found out what it really was: transformer oil.

And then a helpful spray around the outside of a hospital I worked in as the building super/sanitation/laundry/foodservice/steam and electric generator guy (it was a very little hospital).

Because it was in Hawaii, Kaunakakai, Molokai, in fact, we had lots of bugs. Some quite large and ferocious. The hospital admin decided that the local pineapple company could come down and spray for us around the outside.

I sealed everything up, but the back door to my shop/office. Didn't notice.

Busy writing I didn't notice until suddenly I was gasping for air. I ran out of the building up the hill about 100 ft to the 20,000 gal. watertank, and spun the release valve open and took the full blast in my face and then washed down right there. Naked on the hillside right over the town. Fortunately I had some coveralls in my locker and they apparently didn't get too messed up. My wife worked there as well, and brought me my clothes.

But it set me up for a permanent toxic reaction to many industrial solvents, etc.

Even rubber gets me.

I can walk into a building and know if they've sprayed with anything. Certain glues get me. Oddly enough, some used for binding books, or their inks. A book in the room with me while I sleep will give me huge headache in and hour or two.

I love fresh air, as you can imagine. I just spent most of this day, when not checking my messages here, out in my car port doing me heavy exercises, and then splitting firewood -- twice today.

And mostly I just worked and breathed, worked and breathed. I live in a wood house that had little finish over the wood, and apparently natural products, like linseed oil on the inside. It's good to me, and quite beautiful to look at. Cedar, pine, fir. Big beams holding it all up.

When I was in my teens I discovered a sensitivity to grasses, but I suspect it was lawn covered with herbicides for weed control. Nevertheless I think the two linked up in my system some way hence the corn plant relatives allergies.

I mowed a lawn and was swollen up like a balloon in about 5 minutes.

I live very naturally. Use bio-gradeable soaps, grow a lot of our food, and buy organic whatever I don't grow.

I think we've done similar to horses that were done to me. When I went to my first horseshow in 30 some years last fall I was absolutely stunned to see the horses all greased up and with EYESHADOW.

I mean it. They were putting darker color around the horses eyes to make them look pretty.

Gag!

Of course hooves and all the rest gobbed up with who knows what.

And the flyspray being used...yikes! I had to stay upwind of the horses.

Okay, now tell me more about rooibos. What form does it come in, and do they process it in any way, and how do you avoid it and get the pure product, etc.?

Could I grow it? I think I am likely near the reverse latitude to you folks in SA. Though I'm up a little in elevation.

Could you smuggle me a plant out? Or seeds? What is the penalty if you are caught? :wink:

Donald Redux

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Love is Trust, trust is All
~~~~~~~~~
So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:19 am 
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Quote:
Okay, now tell me more about rooibos. What form does it come in, and do they process it in any way, and how do you avoid it and get the pure product, etc.?

Could I grow it? I think I am likely near the reverse latitude to you folks in SA. Though I'm up a little in elevation.

Could you smuggle me a plant out? Or seeds? What is the penalty if you are caught?


What I normally buy is like an average, everyday box of tea. The stuff inside has been dried and a little bit milled or crushed and packaged into tea-bags. There are also "pre-flavoured" options like "Lemon Rooibos" and "Honey Rooibos" but I prefer the old-fashioned kind.

It is a reddish flakey substance - not fine enough to be called a powder but not as fine as normal tea. I suspect from looking at the flakes that the actual leaves are more like needles than leaves.

As far as I know it still grows wild in some areas - this needs confirmation.

Here's a Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos
And another: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeybush
This site is quite interesting: http://www.vancouveryoga.com/roiboostea.html

Take note that Rooibos and Honeybush are similar - not the same.

I don't know a hell of a lot about it beyond "I like it" and its healthy! :oops: Also, it helped my baby a lot when he was little.

It is a very unique tea - people either love it or hate it.

I'll happily mail some to you. I'll have to do some research to find out about the legalities of sending seeds, but assuming it's legal I won't have a problem with organising it! Only too glad to give something back!

So, about the chemical sensitivity - mine was aquired in 2004 when I had to have a stem-cell bone-marrow transplant. I had to "go more natural" after that because my body became "fussy" as all my physical systems were damaged in some way - usually a wierd way!

For example: and using the terminology my doctor used to explain it all to me:
My thermostat is broken so my response to ambient temperature changes is waaay slow and can be dangerous in extreme climates.
My digestive tract is only about 40% efficient so I need "too much" fat and sugar - YAY! I'm medically instructed to indulge every craving!
I have "localised" high-blood pressure (from the neck up) caused by scarring in both jugular veins so I'll faint if raise my heart-rate too much or hold my arms above my head for too long, but the only way to improve it is to push the envelope.
I was given a "maximum-recommended" dosage of a particular drug which has the side-effect of unexpectedly turning heart muscle to sponge without warning so I may not increase my heart-rate beyond a "mild pound" without professional supervision.
I get nauseated by certain food smells but if I can't smell it I can eat it with no bad effects.
I enjoy certain "dangerous" smells like hydrocarbons so could get inadvertantly poisoned.
My metabolic "boot up" got buggered up so I puke for no reason most mornings so I can't eat or brush my teeth for a few hours after waking.
Ordinary water stings to bathe in - I have to add a little salt. Yes, even "natural" water excluding the oceans.
I bruise if a pillow even thinks about bumping me.
I am sensitive to all the "para" analgesics and banned from taking most of the others because the reduce white-cell count. So I can have "paediatric metanamic acid" to handle pain which is frustrating as I now get cluster headaches from the funny blood-flow patterns.I have no stamina and am unlikely to significantly improve it.
I have unexpected reactions to things that used to be OK - like an adrenalin-rush = puke, even if I just get mildly startled - so I'm waiting for one of these bad types to try snatch my handbag or hijack my car! Also if I laugh too hard! Or cough! It's a bit of a party-trick!
One day a certain flower will smell good to me and the next day it'll make me ill!

At least I can't get bored!

_________________
Glen Grobler



Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled. Anon


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:33 am 
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Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:10 am
Posts: 3688
Location: Pacific Northwest U.S.
Glen Grobler wrote:
Quote:
Okay, now tell me more about rooibos. What form does it come in, and do they process it in any way, and how do you avoid it and get the pure product, etc.?

Could I grow it? I think I am likely near the reverse latitude to you folks in SA. Though I'm up a little in elevation.

Could you smuggle me a plant out? Or seeds? What is the penalty if you are caught?


What I normally buy is like an average, everyday box of tea. The stuff inside has been dried and a little bit milled or crushed and packaged into tea-bags. There are also "pre-flavoured" options like "Lemon Rooibos" and "Honey Rooibos" but I prefer the old-fashioned kind.

It is a reddish flakey substance - not fine enough to be called a powder but not as fine as normal tea. I suspect from looking at the flakes that the actual leaves are more like needles than leaves.


Ah, it seems I can get that here.

I asked because so often something wonderful in one place will be taken, overprocessed, mucked about with, and named as the original product when it is not.

I used to by some wonderful bark from a south american shrub that could stop a virus cold dead in it's tracks in a day. I bought it kind of freely packed in big big bags. Enough to pass out to my family and neighborhood if I wanted.

Suddenly the source disappeared, and I could find it only in little itsy bitsy teabags (which happen to be useless for the way one must boil the stuff for hours to get the essential product out of it...thus destroying the bag).

The price, being, of course, about 100 times by volume measure to what I'd paid before.

Just wondered if rooibos had been mucked about with.

Glen Grobler wrote:
As far as I know it still grows wild in some areas - this needs confirmation.

Here's a Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos
And another: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeybush
This site is quite interesting: http://www.vancouveryoga.com/roiboostea.html

Take note that Rooibos and Honeybush are similar - not the same.

I don't know a hell of a lot about it beyond "I like it" and its healthy! :oops: Also, it helped my baby a lot when he was little.



That's good enough for me. Old crocks like me have digestive systems gone back to infant operation. I think I'll give it a try.

Glen Grobler wrote:

It is a very unique tea - people either love it or hate it.

I'll happily mail some to you. I'll have to do some research to find out about the legalities of sending seeds, but assuming it's legal I won't have a problem with organising it! Only too glad to give something back!



No no, I was only playing. A tease for rooibos tea.

I'm a plant nut. I'd probably find it before you did. I'll bet someone is already growing it here that I could get starts from.


Glen Grobler wrote:
So, about the chemical sensitivity - mine was aquired in 2004 when I had to have a stem-cell bone-marrow transplant. I had to "go more natural" after that because my body became "fussy" as all my physical systems were damaged in some way - usually a wierd way!

For example: and using the terminology my doctor used to explain it all to me:
My thermostat is broken so my response to ambient temperature changes is waaay slow and can be dangerous in extreme climates.
My digestive tract is only about 40% efficient so I need "too much" fat and sugar - YAY! I'm medically instructed to indulge every craving!


I shall now pout. :cry:

Glen Grobler wrote:
I have "localised" high-blood pressure (from the neck up) caused by scarring in both jugular veins so I'll faint if raise my heart-rate too much or hold my arms above my head for too long, but the only way to improve it is to push the envelope.
I was given a "maximum-recommended" dosage of a particular drug which has the side-effect of unexpectedly turning heart muscle to sponge without warning so I may not increase my heart-rate beyond a "mild pound" without professional supervision.
I get nauseated by certain food smells but if I can't smell it I can eat it with no bad effects.
I enjoy certain "dangerous" smells like hydrocarbons so could get inadvertantly poisoned.
My metabolic "boot up" got buggered up so I puke for no reason most mornings so I can't eat or brush my teeth for a few hours after waking.
Ordinary water stings to bathe in - I have to add a little salt. Yes, even "natural" water excluding the oceans.
I bruise if a pillow even thinks about bumping me.
I am sensitive to all the "para" analgesics and banned from taking most of the others because the reduce white-cell count. So I can have "paediatric metanamic acid" to handle pain which is frustrating as I now get cluster headaches from the funny blood-flow patterns.I have no stamina and am unlikely to significantly improve it.
I have unexpected reactions to things that used to be OK - like an adrenalin-rush = puke, even if I just get mildly startled - so I'm waiting for one of these bad types to try snatch my handbag or hijack my car! Also if I laugh too hard! Or cough! It's a bit of a party-trick!
One day a certain flower will smell good to me and the next day it'll make me ill!

At least I can't get bored!


So, other than that, are you well?

(oooo, bad me, bad bad bad).

I shall rethink how sorry I've felt for myself for some plain old ordinary age related aches and pains, and quite minor sensitive reactions compared to yours.

Not that that is much comfort to you, of course.

Donald Redux

_________________
Love is Trust, trust is All
~~~~~~~~~
So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:45 am 
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:05 pm
Posts: 2888
Location: Natal, South Africa
Quote:
So, other than that, are you well?

(oooo, bad me, bad bad bad).

I shall rethink how sorry I've felt for myself for some plain old ordinary age related aches and pains, and quite minor sensitive reactions compared to yours.

Not that that is much comfort to you, of course.


No! NO! :x I was and am, obviously, unhappy about the whole illness "My body betrayed me, It's too hard, I can't do this, etc, etc, Waah, waah, waah!" BUT the benefits I've gained FAR outweigh the physical deficits I need to accomodate!

In many ways I am in better health than I ever used to be because now I have to be conscious of it! My quirky digestion requires me to cease and desist from throwing any old junk at it and then expecting significant "performance." This principle applies to most choices I need to make every day.

I am most certainly healthier from a mental and spiritual point of view because it's unlikely I'll ever have to face anything that scary again. So I've regained some of the "fearless invincibility" most teenagers feel - I especially enjoy the fearless part but my husband doesn't!

Also I learned who my REAL friends are and who ACTUALLY cares about us - that is incredibly valuable as I now know there are a select few whom I can trust to hold my life (or my family's lives) in their grubby liitle paws and they will not harm me/us!

THAT is freedom - not how far I can('t) walk, or how much stamina I have(n't), or what or when I can('t) eat, or whether or not I can('t) be in a toxic area!

Listen to your body. Give it what it asks for. "Pamper" those issues and they will start to minimise.

With regard to Rooibos:



Quote:
Ah, it seems I can get that here.

I asked because so often something wonderful in one place will be taken, overprocessed, mucked about with, and named as the original product when it is not.


There are brands with a better reputation than others ... The best one has pictures of ox-wagons on the front. What is available to you?

_________________
Glen Grobler



Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled. Anon


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