Plant of the Month - The Elder (Sambucus)

Plant of the Month - The Elder (Sambucus)

The elder is an extremely tenacious plant with an ancient history related to carpentry, witchcraft, catering, music, entertainment and healing.    As it is tenacious, we have been rather severe in pruning ours in the past but for the last couple of years,  have been more lenient and it is  now all around me and covered in the lovely black berries of Autumn. These berries are a known source of Vitamin C in the plant kingdom. It is such a versatile plant being famous as part of delicious jams, jellies, wines, beverages, puddings and cakes. Elder flowers have been used as a mildly astringent lotion for skin and eyes. They are also diuretic, anti-rheumatic and induce perspiration, so an infusion was traditionally recommended for catarrh, bronchitis, rheumatic gout and fevers. The berries have also been used to colour cheap port, which could explain why port has been useful for rheumatic sufferers. These graceful supple trees look well amongst the other herbs and I think I will encourage it to flourish for another year or so. The tree has such a colourful history that I am really warming towards it.

Monica Savage at The Nutri Centre -  15th October

Monica’s Yin Yang Clinic and teaching forum in the treatment room at The Nutri-Centre, 7,Park Crescent, London, W1B 1PF on Thursday, 15th October, 2009 is almost fully booked. There is just one remaining place, so if you are interested in taking part, having a skin assessment or treatment, during the day, please contact me on 01993 822 800.

The Blog

Once again I was prompted by The Daily Mail to write a BLOG in support of our British farming industry. This time about British Cheddar, which according to a crazy law can be labelled British if it is imported from any Country in the World and just packaged in the UK. Our Skin Science Reporter has done a great piece on the very useful Stinging Nettle this month.

Special Offer for the Month of October

We have a Party Season Special Offer at  www.yinyangskincare.com.

Yin Yang Rich Skin Food with a Skin Cleanser and Orange Flower Skin Tonic. £38-00 including delivery. This is a discount of £9.50 on the Yin Yang Rich Skin Food. £10.00 instead of the recommended retail of £19.50.