By Shelley Headley and Tristan Carbery We have learned a lot about “fats” over the years – what’s healthy for us, what’s not – and many have come to understand that heavily processed and refined oils, such as corn, canola, soybean, and sunflower, should be avoided. At the same time, there has been a wave…
By Caitlin Rothermel The Vashon Health Care District hasn’t talked to us in a while, and people have definitely been asking questions. But that ended this November when they met to present and pass their 2024 budget. It’s important to talk about the VHCD now because their proposed plans substantially change their original mandate, with the…
By Kathy Abascal I often mention the Eclectic physicians in my articles because of their deep knowledge about medicinal plants. The Eclectics were licensed medical doctors who primarily used herbs and natural principles of healing to treat their patients. They were a strong force in American medicine from the 1830s to the early 1900s, but…
By Kathy Abascal Lobelia is a lovely plant with a gorgeous flower. There are many lobelia species, ranging from the blue L. sylphatica, to the widely used, white-flowered L. inflata, to my favorite L. cardinalis with its dark red flowers. All lobelias (except nursery hybrids) are medicinal. Although it took me quite some time to get over my fear of using…
By Dr. Leigh Siergiewicz Hawthorn, or Crataegus spathulata, is a small-tree member of the rose family, native throughout the northern hemisphere. Hawthorn has smooth, gray bark, and most but not all varieties have sharp thorns on the stems. The flowers can be white or pink in springtime; they have berry-like “haws” that range from red to…
By Jane Valencia Note: Links within the article are to articles and recipes previously published in the Vashon Loop. As we enter Autumn and the flu season, a responsible thing we can do for ourselves, our loved ones, and our community is to ensure that we ourselves are in excellent health. Here are three avenues…
By Caitlin Rothermel Last month, the Loop Editorial Board reviewed and updated the “Health Disclaimer” run in every issue. We made changes based on input from a writer who pointed out that its language – applied to be legally protective, and typical of what you would see in a health disclaimer – was actually off-putting…
By Kathy Abascal As I write, goldenrod is blooming in various spots along Vashon roads. There are hundreds of goldenrod species across the world; the one most frequently found in the northwest is Solidago canadensis, but there are a few other varieties. John Trelawny, author of “Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest,” notes that it is…
By Kathy Abascal I am told that you can measure when summer will end by watching fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) bloom. Here on Vashon, its purple flowers began to open at the base of its stem in early July. They then work their way up until finally the tips of the plant are in bloom. When…