‘Grounding’, in some circles and descriptions, refers to the mental, spiritual, and emotional effect of having direct contact with the Earth, such as by walking barefoot or lying on the ground. Research has shown that such grounding can reduce inflammation in the body and repair free radical damage. When a person becomes properly ‘grounded’ as a regular part of their lives, they can expect improvement in blood pressure numbers, sleep quality, pain and stress levels, and wound healing. Improved mental acuity and overall emotional balance are part of their lives.

However, it is believed—I would call it known—that there are many other ways to achieve the positive effects of “grounding” to the earth than walking around barefoot. As you probably know, there are many types of ‘grounding mats’ on the market today. Although I have a couple of these mats, they are not the topic of this article today.

In my opinion—and in the opinions of many people who use various alternative methods of wellness every day—many other ways to feel emotionally and physically centered and balanced were built right into this earth’s creation and in the things created and made available to us. Many of the products produced and sold at Butterfly Express are useful in ways that improve the ‘grounding’ of the individuals who make use of them on a regular (daily) basis. The following products, with accompanying special pricing, are the focus of this newsletter.

Of course, the things mentioned here are only a few of the wonderful things available to us in God’s Pharmacy.

See the full list of topics.

In This Issue

Featured Items
April Essential Oils
Featured Herbs
Gem Essence Blessed Waters
Blend – ^LeMeditation
Blend – Blue Cypress
Tamanu Carrier Oil
Featured Kits

Multi+ Vitamins

Women’s Multi+ Vitamin

Multivitamins are an important part of a healthy lifestyle for all women, regardless of age or activity level. The Multi+ Women’s Vitamins carried by Butterfly Express, LLC, are specially formulated with higher doses of iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins. Each of these is vital in meeting the needs of a woman’s body throughout her various life stages.

The presence of antioxidants helps combat oxidative stress and supports healthy aging. These easy-to-swallow softgels also contain some herbal extracts that are particularly important for women. Let’s take a quick look at them.

CoQ10 has many benefits, including improving heart health and reducing depression symptoms. It is also known to reduce muscle pain.

Dong Quai is often used for reducing hot flashes in women and balancing estrogen.

Cranberry is an amazing herb for kidney health and helps prevent urinary tract infections.

Evening Primrose helps manage and balance female hormones. It is used for issues like PMS and menopause.

Horsetail is a great kidney herb, and it speeds the repair of damaged connective tissue, improving its strength and elasticity.

Red Clover has many positive effects on women’s health, including enhancing fertility and improving menstruation and menopause, by relieving symptoms of hot flashes and moodiness.

Men’s Multi+ Vitamin

This multivitamin contains ingredients meant to provide additional support, along with eating well and intentionally, for the nutritional requirements for good health in men.

In addition to the everyday dosage of vitamins like A, B, and C, this men’s multivitamin features several other nutrients and hormonal aids, as well as herbs that are particularly important for men. Let’s take a quick look at them.

Saw Palmetto is widely known for supporting prostate health and is often used to help with urinary tract concerns. It has also been associated with increased libido and improved sperm production. In one interesting study, men who took Saw Palmetto for only a short period reported greater contentment and overall satisfaction with their lives.

Lycopene has been shown to reduce free radicals, particularly in the prostate. It can significantly improve testosterone levels. Increased lycopene intake can reduce the odds of erectile dysfunction.

Alpha Lipoic Acid helps improve testosterone levels and reduces DNA damage.

CoQ10 has many benefits, including improving heart health and reducing depression symptoms. It is also known to reduce muscle pain and improve performance.

Grapeseed Extract is a great herb for vascular and vein health. It has been suggested that it may help with hypertension and blood pressure.

Glycerin

Glycerin has the capacity to break down and remove certain chemicals and preservatives from the body when ingested. It is an excellent medium, instead of alcohol, for making herbal tinctures. The sweet flavor makes it especially appropriate for children. The glycerin makes it sweet enough that children who have experienced it once will often ask for it the next time.

When diluted, glycerin is demulcent, emollient, soothing, and healing. Undiluted, it is an irritant and a stimulant, and difficult to use because it is so thick. In almost all glycerin tinctures, you will need to dilute the glycerin to a 60% glycerin/40% water solution. In other words, if you need 20 ounces of liquid for your tincture, you would mix 12 ounces of glycerin (60% of the total) with 8 ounces of water (40% of the total). One simple way to figure this out is to take your total amount of menstruum (the liquid you are using for your tincture) needed and times it by 0.6; this will give you 60% of your total, which will be your glycerin amount. To get your water amount, do the same thing, but times the total by 0.4 to get 40% of your total. Distilled or filtered water is absolutely essential.

However, it should be noted that glycerin tinctures do not have the indefinite shelf life that alcohol tinctures do. A few drops of the essential oil benzoin, added to the finished and strained glycerite at a ratio of 4 drops to every 8 cups of tincture as a preservative, is helpful. The benzoin does not interfere with the medicinal properties and greatly improves the length of time the tincture can be stored. In fact, benzoin has some good medicinal qualities of its own. A glycerite without alcohol or benzoin has a shelf life of 1 to 3 years. Benzoin adds at least an additional 2 or 3 years to the time the tincture can be stored and still be an effective remedy.

Butterfly’s vegetable glycerin is a natural product derived from vegetable oils. This refined oil is colorless and odorless with a slightly sweet taste. Never use a glycerin made from animal by-products as the basis of your herbal remedies.

Ionic Multi Mineral

This already quite inexpensive multi-mineral supplement is very unique! It is made from fossilized kelp harvested from ancient seabeds. Kelp is one of the most nutritious plants known! And harvested where there is little chance of contamination from weed sprays or anything else, makes the kelp utilized in the production of this mineral supplement very beneficial!

This mineral supplement contains at least 10 essential minerals as well as other trace elements. They act in support of multiple body systems— endocrine, immune, cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, and more. Users report benefits such as increased energy, improved mental focus, balanced mood, better digestion, and enhanced immune function.

Because it’s in ionic form, the minerals are absorbed efficiently without straining the digestive system. This is a convenient way to support foundational wellness with a comprehensive spectrum of bioavailable minerals.

Featured Herbs for Grounding

MIN

MIN contains the same three herbs—Dulse, Nettles, and Alfalfa—as KNA, along with herbs for hormone balance, calming the nerves, strengthening the pancreas, and supporting the kidneys. MIN makes an excellent daily mineral supplement and is safe to use when pregnant or nursing.
I like to make MIN as a glycerite and take it every time I think about it. I have so much more energy and better health whenever I do. It also makes a reasonably pleasant tea for use when pregnant or nursing.

Passion Flower

When I think of Passion Flower, I am reminded of the many women who have found relief from the sometimes less than pleasant symptoms they were experiencing as they went into menopause.

For myself, I sometimes enjoy a cup of warm Passion Flower tea, sipped at bedtime. It can be counted on to improve the depth and quality of sleep, with less waking up from time to time.

Passion Flower is effective for stomach upsets and conditions that are tied to stress or nervous tension (like not sleeping well). Passion Flower is considered a mild cardiovascular tonic, and is believed to lower systolic blood pressure numbers, gradually and without side effects, while, at the same time, reducing anxiety and tension overall.

Passion Flower enhances the nervine and anti-depression effects of the better-known St. John’s Wort when the two herbs are combined.

Passion Flower mixed with Motherwort makes an excellent substitute for the endangered and difficult to obtain herb, Lady Slipper. In some ways, Passion Flower is similar to Valerian, but much milder and more pleasant.

Motherwort

Motherwort is a mild nervine and tonic herb with pronounced hormonal properties. Motherwort is used for painful, delayed, or suppressed periods. It is often used to encourage rhythmic, effective contractions during labor. This stimulating property is offset by strong sedative and relaxing properties, and the ability to relieve anxiety and tension. Motherwort is also used in formulas for the prevention of miscarriage. The hormonal properties of this wonderful herb also seem to calm and balance the hormonal issues that some women experience as they go through menopause.

It has been found that equal parts of Motherwort and Passion Flower make a very good substitute for the expensive and hard-to-get—impossible at this time—Lady Slipper. (Yes, I know, I have said this already, but it is important!)

Motherwort is an excellent cardiovascular tonic. It is used for arrhythmias and palpitations that are brought on by stress, anxiety, and tension. Motherwort will temporarily lower blood pressure, giving a person time to adjust diet and lifestyle to eliminate the problem altogether.

Motherwort is considered to be an antilithic herb. For many of us, that distinction is important! What does ‘antilithic’ mean? It means that an herb is effective at preventing the formation of gravel and stones in the kidneys and in the gallbladder!

Valerian

This herb is usually thought of as a sedative herb by most people, and a very strong sedative herb at that! Valerian’s main impact is on the nerves, with a specific impact on the nerves (and tissues) of the brain, liver, and heart. Valerian is one of the best I know of for helping people sleep and helping them cope with high levels of stress.

Valerian contains large amounts of calcium and comes with its own supply of magnesium, so the calcium is readily absorbed and made available to build bones, strengthen nerves, and relax the smooth muscles.

It is probably advisable to use Valerian in a small quantity the first time with each person. Valerian is one of the few herbs that I have seen people react negatively to.

In a few people, Valerian—whether fresh, dried, or tinctured—produces exactly the opposite of the usual calming effect. In fact, for these people, Valerian is an irritating sort of stimulant, similar to but stronger than caffeine. These people become nervous, irritable, and restless until the herb is metabolized and passed from their system. Occasionally, the reaction will be extreme fatigue and lethargy. Some herbal references tell you that this effect is more pronounced when using the dried form of the herb. I must tell you, however, that the only really uncomfortable reaction I have ever seen to Valerian was with a friend when we were harvesting it in the wild. A short soak in a warm tub with a little bit of Lavender essential oil was all it took to return this generally very calm woman to normal.

Occasionally, I have seen diarrhea and a bit of kidney stress (peeing an extra lot for a few hours) that I suspected was brought about by a bit too heavy consumption of the NV or PN tinctures which contain Valerian. Valerian contains large amounts of calcium (which toxins love to hook onto in order to leave the body). If a person is quite toxic (from poor eating habits or environmental causes), these symptoms may appear as the body cleanses a bit too rapidly for comfort. Even when attached to calcium, toxins moving through the intestinal tract and through the kidneys can get a bit much!

Valerian, because of my past (long past) history of heart troubles, was very important and useful to me. Valerian influences the circulation by slowing the action of the heart while increasing its force. This makes it a leading component of remedies dealing with erratic heartbeats, palpitations, and heart muscle weakness. It is also very useful for children during illnesses when their little hearts are racing, and the pulse is abnormally rapid. Remember to use appropriately small quantities with children.

Valerian, when wild-crafting, looks very similar to many other members of the Umbelliferae family, but it is easily identified by the obnoxious odor of its roots and stems. The best way I can think to describe it is as a mixture of a smelly sock and a dead mouse!

Gem Essence Blessed Waters

The use of stones and gems in healing practices goes back almost as far as a person can find records and information about such things. The healing power of stones and the healing power of any substance prepared by BlessedWater/Homeopathic principles is astonishing, even to me after these many years of use and gratitude for these remedies.

Homeopathic remedies derived from gems and crystals are a specialized area of homeopathy, designed to work on deep-seated emotional, mental, and physical levels by utilizing the vibrational energy of gemstones. Pioneered heavily by practitioners like Peter Tumminello, they are discussed and described in his book Psyche and Structure—Crystals and minerals in homeopathy. This is an incredible book, and the remedies derived from gemstones and crystals are powerful healers, in my opinion.

How does a person learn about and know which of these remedies might benefit them? The best I can tell you is to be willing to spend some time and effort to know yourself and then search for answers. If you type gem into the search bar of the butterflyexpress.shop site a list of these remedies will pop up. Please note the ‘see all results’ at the bottom of the list. Click on it. The 48 different gem essence remedies will pop right up! By clicking on each one, you can read about and learn about the particular emotional imbalances that the remedy is designed to alleviate.

Another suggestion—the one I personally use—is to type an emotion or two into the search bar on the butterflyexpress.shop site, along with the word gem, and see what comes up. For example: type insecurity and gem. A list of possible remedies will appear. The Blessed Water Gem Essences of Diamond and Emerald will appear. Another example: type discouraged and gem. The Blessed Water Gem Essence of Brazilian Quartz will pop up.

I am still learning about these remedies myself, but what I know has been shared on the websites to which I contribute.

^LeMeditation Essential Oil Blend

The name of this blend reflects very closely what I was trying for (and succeeding at) when I created this blend. As a young homeschool mother, I had found that the ability to stay focused when meditating, pondering, or attempting to read my scriptures and reflect on the spiritual guidance and assistance in living that could be found there had become elusive. Interruptions, fatigue, and undone tasks (that I probably perceived as far more important than they deserved to be) were occupying far too much of my attention and focus!

I felt that I needed a blend that could bring me, not just to a state where I could better study and ponder, but to a place where I would be more receptive to divine promptings and inspiration. It took more than one attempt (many not-quite-right compositions of single oils, in other words) to come up with what I felt was just right.

The resulting blend helped me walk away from negative thought patterns that were affecting my life on many levels! I felt a renewed sense of Heaven’s input in decisions that needed to be made. I felt calmer, better able to teach and instruct my children, even in basic schoolwork tasks. I didn’t even realize until the feelings lifted, that the intensity of my life and the feelings that I rarely was able to get everything done that was keeping me from pondering was also beginning to lead to depression and a bit of hopelessness.

When diffusing this blend (or wearing it), I once again felt the delight in teaching and interacting with my children that I had felt in the early days of our homeschool. I also felt more compassion and love for my neighbors, many of whom, in at least my perception, seemed to be judging us harshly for our choices of homeschooling and alternative healing practices. I love this oil and am on my way to retrieve a bottle and diffuse it right here and now!

Blue Cypress Essential Oil

Australian Blue Cypress is an excellent choice for working with the root, sacral, and solar plexus chakras. If you are unfamiliar with these terms and what understanding the concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can do for you, I would highly recommend that you undertake a study of these ideas. Such a study changed my life and improved my husband’s health immeasurably. In fact, there is little doubt in my mind that he would have left me to live a large measure of the last 50 years without him! (I promise you that TCM is a healing tradition and not a ‘foreign religion’ as I was once accused of teaching, preaching, and practicing.)

Because blue cypress is both grounding and balancing, it is useful when illness or stress has brought on scattered thinking and forgetfulness. This oil is helpful when experiencing emotions such as pessimism and a lack of concern for the welfare of others. I depend on Cypress oils to bring me bits of wisdom and provide me with strength for the day.

Australian Blue Cypress is an excellent respiratory oil. It is very effective at clearing the lungs and supports normal breathing patterns. It would be an excellent choice for pleurisy. (My, how I wish I had known that many years ago. Someone opening the living room door while I was in the room was a sure-fire recipe for an attack of pleurisy during my 20s and a little beyond!)

Tamanu Carrier Oil

Tamanu is a nutrient-rich, dark green, cold-pressed oil that is renowned for skin-healing, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. It is used to treat acne and acne scars, sunburns, and skin conditions such as eczema. Studies show that tamanu rapidly penetrates all three layers of the skin to boost cell regeneration, thus reducing scars, stretch marks, and the dark spots of liver issues and aging.

Anti-microbial properties make it effective against acne and athlete’s foot. The irritation of bites and stings also responds well to the application of tamanu carrier oil. Tamanu promotes the formation of new cell growth and the elimination of dead cells, thus accelerating wound healing.

Tamanu can be applied by itself, much like a lotion. Or it can be utilized as a carrier oil when applying essential oils for almost any purpose. Although dark in color and quite thick, when tamanu is applied to the skin, it absorbs quickly and leaves no oily residue. Claims are made, and backed by experience, for tamanu’s effectiveness with everything from dry, scaly skin, diaper rash, and even for the healing of the ulcerous sores of diabetes.

Grab N’ Go Blessed Water Kit

Nearly every person who has ever taken a class from me has likely heard me say that if I could only have one healing modality in my house (Heaven forbid!), it would have to be Blessed Waters (Homeopathic) remedies. Why? There are several reasons.

First, Blessed Water/Homeopathic remedies are renewable. Once you have acquired one, with the proper knowledge, you can keep ‘renewing it’ (making more of it) forever.

Second, they are the fastest and most reliable of ‘healers’ that I know about. They work very quickly, and they always get the job done if used properly.

Thirds, Blessed Water/Homeopathic remedies have no side effects! Healing reactions, if not used properly, YES. Side effects? Absolutely not!

Fourth, this healing modality is common and relied upon in a great many countries.

My years-long study of homeopathy and blessed water remedies has been very rewarding and life-saving on more than one occasion!

This kit contains 18 of the most common and most useful remedies from among the over 1100 remedies I have acquired over the years. There is room in the lovely case in which this kit comes for 12 more of your own choice of favorite remedies.

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