A Herbal Boutique

11/16/2025

The genesis of the Lavender Labyrinth.

11/16/2025

Ok, time to ease into challenges?

11/14/2025

start hugging

A 20-second hug isn’t just “nice” — it’s a direct intervention on the gut-brain axis. Skin-to-skin contact triggers a surge of oxytocin (often called the “bonding hormone,” though it’s really a neuropeptide with powerful anti-inflammatory effects). Oxytocin tones the vagus nerve, drops cortisol, and shifts the nervous system into parasympathetic. That single physiological shift lowers systemic inflammation and improves gut barrier integrity within minutes. When the gut lining is less “leaky,” beneficial bacteria thrive, microbial diversity increases, and production of anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and serotonin precursors goes up. The microbiome, in turn, signals safety back to the brain via the vagus and immune pathways, creating a positive feedback loop that measurably reduces anxiety and improves mood resilience. Recent 2024–2025 reviews confirm this bidirectional oxytocin–microbiome relationship: more affectionate touch → higher oxytocin → richer, more resilient microbiome → lower markers of inflammation and anxiety. 
  
In my functional medicine telehealth practice, where I’ve run labs on thousands of people telehealth patients worldwide for the last 15+ years, I see the same pattern over and over: chronic anxiety, IBS, autoimmunity, and dysbiosis almost always coexist with low oxytocin tone and reported loneliness or touch deprivation. So I will prescribe “oxytocin homework” — schedule three 20-second hugs a day (partner, kids, friends, even pets count), or self-hug/weighted blanket if touch is hard right now. I pair it with simple somatic tools (physiological sighs, body scans, breathwork) and, when labs show it’s needed, targeted probiotics or SCFAs or magnesium to support the microbiome side of the loop. Telehealth patients who actually do the hug prescription (I check on follow-ups!) consistently show drops in hs-CRP, improvements in stool diversity markers, and — most importantly — they tell me “I just feel safer in my own skin.” It’s free, zero side effects, and often more powerful than another supplement. Sometimes the most advanced medicine is the oldest one: human connection. 
  
  

11/14/2025

Grandma's quilt Angel's. This is a great idea for family gifts.

11/14/2025

Yes, I raised one.

11/14/2025

Great time to shop the "Flea Market Gypsies" creations at local church. Stop in for gifts and goodies.

11/14/2025

With Prenda – I just got recognized as one of their rising fans! 🎉

11/14/2025

With Tiny Buddha – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

11/14/2025

With Preeti Sodhi Sharma – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

10/13/2022

start planting soon for great garlic

Growing garlic is easy if you follow these ten simple tips.

09/01/2022

We stopped using fabric softener and dryer sheets many years ago, because of toxic chemicals.

"Fragrance" really means acetone, phenol, toluene, benzyl acetate, limonene and formaldehyde (synthesized from petroleum or coal tar) which are known neurotoxins, carcinogens, hormone disruptors, DNA mutagens, and reproductive toxins:
https://returntonow.net/2018/06/17/fragrance-is-the-new-secondhand-smoke/

08/19/2022

A worthy goal

This man's forest garden produces tons of food, while practically tending itself!

https://returntonow.net/2020/10/12/forest-garden-with-500-kinds-of-food-requires-only-a-few-hours-of-work-per-month/?fbclid=IwAR0kwnwedDKgRH02cOtxYEeSMlxI6DsGw3cttlgSK1w7BiA7NTW7vmuJAKk&mibextid=2DNWWX&fs=e&s=cl