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Whitehorse (PasseportSanté.net) August 29, 2007 - IN Whitehorse in the Yukon, the nature is never very far. The inhabitants and the hikers only have to make some steps so that their view and their smell are solicited by the wild plants.

At the north of the 60th parallel Whitehorse the capital of the Yukon is, a Canadian territory situated to the north of the 60th parallel. The Yukon is limited at the south by the province of the Colombia-British, to the East by the Territories of the Northwest, to the west by the state of Alaska and to the north by the sea of Beaufort.

And the products of natural health to basis of local plants are not a rare commodity in this community moved away of 24 000 inhabitants. The residents and the visitors can obtain some at Aroma Borealis, the floret of Whitehorse and the Yukon in herboristerie and in aromatherapy.

It is at a time about a shop of manufacture of natural products and a store where one finds the essential oils and supplements. The owner, Bev Gray, aromathérapeute and graduate herbalist, opened the store in 1998 after having worked from her home, during several years.

To recognize the wild plants

During the summer, Aroma Borealis offers once per week a mini-hike permitting to identify several local wild plants. Regina Wright, who is responsible for the shop of manufacture of the products for skin, also play the guides during these educational escapades.

During the hike, information gushes of the mouth of this passionate of the plants and the aromatherapy. She/it indicates two plants that can be useful to the hikers and that push almost everywhere to the Yukon. and elsewhere to the country:  the yarrow millefeuille (Achillea millefolium) and the soft artemisia (Artemisia frigida). Ground and rubbed on skin, these flowers will move away the bugs piqueurs, because they don’t appreciate their odor. ” I use these two plants in the manufacture of a balm antimoustiques”, specify Regina Wright.

To Canada The products of Borealis Aroma are distributed almost everywhere in several stores, notably in Colombia-British, but also in Alberta and in Ontario. The owner takes care of the culture and the picking of the plants, but makes as business with local pickers who come to sell him their harvest:  roots of dandelions, leaves of nettle, cranberries, petals of roses, wild églantiers, prêle, etc.

The yarrow millefeuille can also prove to be useful when one gets injured, it adds. One can masticate the leaf then and can apply it on the wound to stop the bleeding. The petals of wild rose, a plant also very widespread in the north, can also be applied on an injury, after have been humidified. She/it also has soothing virtues. ” I picked some yesterday with a group of moms accompanied by their young children and we made a calming and fragrant” infusion of it, specify Regina Wright.

She/it has, in his/her/its bag, a lot of others small easy things to put in application. For example, to rub the peel of an aspen to use the pale yellow powder that clears itself of it like a solar screen. ” It is not as efficient as a sun lotion, but that can fix in case of oblivion”, she/it varies.

Of the earth to the mouth

Some plants seen at the time of this escapade also have their place at table. It is the case of the épilobe (Epilobium angustifolium) of which the vernal shoots, rich in C vitamin and TO can be eaten in salad. One can also use the flower to add a key of color in the plate, suggest Regina Wright.

She/it also sees the fruit of a wild rosebush that is not even mature. ” They are harvested to the fall, after first frost and serve, dried once, to make some infusions rich in minerals and in C vitamin, she/it adds.

All these plants play a role in the shop of Borealis Aroma that manufactures 200 different products:  lotions, balms, creams, infusions, dyes,. The owner, Bev Gray, even concocted a cream to take care of the paws of the sleigh dogs, to basis of yarrow millefeuille, of pimpernel of the birds, plantain and consoude.

She/it also thought about the amateurs of beer. Aroma Borealis prepares bouquets of four plants that contain, among others, of the nettle and the rose. The local microbrasserie pulls a fragrant beer baptized the Herbal cream ale of it.

And when the sun doesn’t lie down during the months of summer, the infusion Midnight Sun Insomniac is an inescapable.

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