Back to Eden Natural Health and Wellness

Back to Eden Natural Health and Wellness Welcome to Back to Eden Health Coaching! We are Doug and Jennifer Boude, certified health coaches with over 15 years of experience in natural health. Join us!

We guide you in holistic wellness through natural remedies, nutrition, and lifestyle changes.

🌿 Another “w**d” becomes medicine...If you've driven Missouri backroads in summer, you've almost certainly seen chicory....
09/06/2026

🌿 Another “w**d” becomes medicine...

If you've driven Missouri backroads in summer, you've almost certainly seen chicory. Those beautiful blue flowers grow along roadsides, fields and forgotten places everywhere.

We've talked about chicory before, but this week we harvested a big batch of the leaves, stems and flowers and started something new: chicory tincture!
Chicory has a very long history as a medicinal plant. Its aerial portions have traditionally been used to support the liver, gallbladder and digestive system, including as a bitter digestive tonic and to encourage healthy bile activity. Modern research has begun finding some interesting support for those old uses as well.

But here's something we found particularly fascinating.

Researchers studying the aerial portion of chicory isolated a naturally occurring compound called 28β-hydroxytaraxasterol and discovered that it had moderate binding activity at the body's CB1 cannabinoid receptor.

Yes, cannabinoid receptor. And no, that doesn't mean chicory is ma*****na. 😄

Your body has its own endocannabinoid system, and CB1 receptors are part of it. This system helps regulate things like mood, stress response, appetite, pain, memory and sleep. Our bodies actually produce their own molecules that communicate through this system.

Here's where things get really interesting.
Some herbalists also report using tincture of chicory's aerial portions as a gentle mood-lifting herb. That particular use hasn't been established in human clinical trials, so we're not going to tell you science has proven something it hasn't. But discovering that a compound in the plant interacts with CB1 certainly gives us an intriguing biological clue worth paying attention to.

And THAT is one of the things we love about herbalism. Sometimes traditional and experiential knowledge points toward something interesting long before science gets around to explaining why.
The plants in these pictures are now chopped and beginning their transformation into tincture. 🌿
It'll be a while before it's ready, but when it is, Back to Eden chicory tincture will be joining our offerings.

Stay tuned. 😊

Something new is brewing at Back to Eden. 😊If you followed our recent posts about water kefir, meet one of its fermented...
08/20/2026

Something new is brewing at Back to Eden. 😊

If you followed our recent posts about water kefir, meet one of its fermented cousins: **kombucha**.

Kombucha is typically made from sweetened black or green tea and a living culture of bacteria and yeast. Most people call the rubbery-looking layer floating on top the **SCOBY**, although more precisely that layer is called the **pellicle**. The living culture itself is also throughout the tea.

And yes, the pellicle looks a little strange. 😂 Thankfully, the finished drink is much more attractive!

The bacteria and yeasts work together to ferment the sweet tea, transforming it into a pleasantly tart drink containing organic acids, tea compounds, living microorganisms, and other fermentation products. Like water kefir, it is another easy and delicious way to bring naturally fermented foods into the diet and support a healthy, diverse gut environment.

I especially love making kombucha as a **continuous brew**. I keep mine in a gallon jar with a spout, like the one in the photo, and can simply pour myself a glass whenever I want one. When the jar gets about halfway down, I brew another batch of sweet black tea, let it cool, and pour it in. Within a day or two, it is usually back to the tanginess I like.

The culture keeps growing, too. Eventually there will be more pellicles than I need. At that point I can keep extras in what kombucha makers affectionately call a “SCOBY hotel,” share one with a friend so they can start their own batch, or even give extras to our chickens as a treat.

Kombucha can also go through a **second fermentation** after bottling. Add fruit, juice, herbs, ginger, spices, or other flavors, seal it in a pressure-safe bottle, and the continuing fermentation can naturally carbonate it into a wonderfully fizzy drink.

I have actually always loved my kombucha plain and have never bothered with a second ferment. But now that we are going to begin **bottling kombucha for the farmers market and for direct purchase from Back to Eden**, I want to start experimenting!

So, kombucha drinkers, I need your help:

**What flavors do you love?**

I am already thinking about peach and maybe even chai, but there are SO many possibilities. Ginger? Berry? Cherry? Pineapple? Apple spice?

Tell me what you would buy!

And one day we may have to talk about **Jun**, another fermented tea drink I used to make years ago and absolutely loved, traditionally made with green tea and honey instead of black tea and cane sugar.

God created some extraordinary partnerships between tiny living organisms, plants, and the foods we make from them. Fermentation is one of my favorite ways to watch that design at work.

Our little water kefir family has officially multiplied enough to split into TWO jars! 🎉That may not sound terribly exci...
08/19/2026

Our little water kefir family has officially multiplied enough to split into TWO jars! 🎉

That may not sound terribly exciting unless you have been following along, but for us it means something very practical: we can now make twice as much water kefir at a time.

If you missed our earlier post explaining what water kefir is, what those strange little crystal-like grains actually are, how fermentation works, and why we are so excited about it, scroll back and give it a read:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GtjdajjdG/

The short version is that these living colonies of beneficial bacteria and yeasts ferment sugar water, then we use that fermented kefir water to start a second ferment with fruit juice. After a couple of days, we end up with a naturally fizzy, fruity drink that makes a mighty fine alternative to ordinary soda.

And the best part is that the grains keep growing. What started as one little dehydrated starter packet has now multiplied enough for us to divide the colony and keep two quart jars working at once. God designed some pretty incredible little partnerships in creation, and this one is especially fun to watch.

Now we need your help.

What water kefir flavors would you like us to make?

We usually work with whatever good organic juice we can get our hands on. So far we have made grape, tart cherry, pineapple, fresh-juiced pineapple, and fresh Pink Lady apple juice from our Nama juicer.

But there are LOTS of possibilities.

Peach? Blueberry? Mango? Pear? Blackberry? Pomegranate? Something totally different?

Drop your ideas in the comments. If we can find the fruit or juice, we may just give it a try! 🍎🍍🍒🍇

Okay, remember those hand pies we teased you with a couple weeks ago?Well... IT'S OFFICIAL. They're coming to the Farmer...
08/18/2026

Okay, remember those hand pies we teased you with a couple weeks ago?

Well... IT'S OFFICIAL. They're coming to the Farmer's Market this Saturday! 🥧

We've been experimenting, tweaking, baking, tasting, and perhaps most importantly, recruiting willing friends and family as test subjects. 😂 After several batches and some very enthusiastic reviews, we think these beauties are ready to leave our kitchen.

We're starting with two classics:

🍎 Apple
🍑 Peach

Both fillings are handmade, tucked inside our homemade sourdough pie crust, brushed with egg wash, and air fried until beautifully golden and flaky.

Why air fried? Because if we can make a delicious, crispy hand pie without dropping it into a vat of extra oil, that's exactly what we're going to do.

We've also been working out the process behind the scenes so we can make these consistently without cutting corners. Every crust is made, portioned, pressed, filled, sealed, and cooked by hand.

And yes... we already have ideas for more flavors. 😁

But apple and peach get the honor of going first.

Come see us at the Farmer's Market this Saturday and be among the first to try a Back to Eden sourdough hand pie!

We have a feeling these may not last long. 🥧❤️

“Those are elderberries? They’re so small!”That was one of our neighbors’ reactions when they saw me stripping berries f...
08/07/2026

“Those are elderberries? They’re so small!”

That was one of our neighbors’ reactions when they saw me stripping berries from the stems this week.

Jen and I have been harvesting our York and Nova American elderberries, and this bowl is exactly what they look like fresh from the patch. Elderberries grow in broad fruiting clusters called cymes. We cut the whole cluster, freeze it solid, then remove the berries from the tiny stems. Freezing makes the job much easier.

Those little dark berries pack a lot into a very small package.

Their deep purple-black color comes largely from anthocyanins, plant compounds known for strong antioxidant activity. Elderberry has also been used traditionally for generations during cold and flu season, and modern research has found antiviral and immune-supporting activity that helps explain why it has such a long-standing reputation.

Our patch started with only four plants. Since then, we’ve propagated new plants from cuttings, added more to the patch, sold some, and watched the original plants spread on their own.

And yes, occasionally a chicken gets buried nearby.

Apparently elderberries love chickens. 😂

This harvest will soon become our homemade Back to Eden Elderberry Syrup. Jen makes it simply with our elderberries, ginger, and honey. A typical batch uses about two cups of berries to make four 8-ounce bottles, meaning each bottle starts with roughly half a cup of elderberries grown and harvested right here at home.

We’ll begin offering it this fall, just in time for cold and flu season.

Sometimes some of the best things for us really do grow right outside the door. 🌿

Ooh boy, there is the distinct possibility that we may be adding hand pies to our market offerings. :) This is our first...
08/05/2026

Ooh boy, there is the distinct possibility that we may be adding hand pies to our market offerings. :) This is our first experiment. Sourdough pie crust with handmade apple pie filling, basted in egg wash and air fried. Smells SOOOO good!! Waiting quite impatiently for them to cool....

From Fuzzy Leaves to Winter Tea: Harvesting MulleinMost people have seen mullein growing without ever realizing what it ...
07/16/2026

From Fuzzy Leaves to Winter Tea: Harvesting Mullein

Most people have seen mullein growing without ever realizing what it was.

It often begins as a low rosette of large, soft, fuzzy leaves. In its second year, it sends up a tall stalk crowned with little yellow flowers, sometimes standing head-high or taller. Once you learn to recognize it, you will begin seeing it everywhere!

Recently, my son and I went walking and gathered a generous supply of mullein from an area where we had permission to harvest and knew the plants had not been sprayed.

When we brought it home, the real work began.

We washed every leaf individually, then spread them across screens with a fan blowing continuously to help them air-dry. Mullein leaves are thick and hold considerable moisture, so they must be thoroughly dried before storage. Any remaining moisture could spoil an entire jar.

About a week later, once the leaves were completely dry and crisp, we removed the heavier portions of the stems. Then our oldest son, Joshy, joined me in crushing the leaves by hand and packing them into mason jars.

Joshy is autistic, and I love that work like this gives every member of the family a meaningful way to participate. There is something deeply satisfying about gathering around a tote of herbs, working with our hands, and preparing something together that will serve the family months from now.

Mullein is one of those gentle old herbal friends that seems almost made for the lungs. Herbalists have long reached for its soft, fuzzy leaves when the throat feels dry and scratchy, the chest feels irritated, or a stubborn cough needs soothing. It is not a harsh or forceful herb, but a comforting one, well suited to winter tea blends and family use. The leaves may look rough and woolly, yet when properly prepared they make a mild, pleasant tea that has earned mullein a beloved place in traditional respiratory herbalism.

During fall and winter, we like to add mullein to herbal tea blends along with plantain, nettle, red or white clover, and whatever else seems fitting that day.

For preparing such teas, we prefer to use a large French Press. Fill the press about 1/5 of the way full with the dried herbs, then pour boiling water over it, stir a little, and let it steep for at least ten minutes before straining into a cup and sweetening with a little raw honey.

And so, another plant most people walk past has now become several jars of winter provision.

Sometimes God’s pharmacy is not hidden at all.

It is growing quietly beside us, waiting for someone to recognize it.

This post shares our family’s experience and traditional herbal practices. Correct plant identification, clean harvesting locations, proper preparation, and individual health considerations all matter.

Water Kefir: The Fermented Food for People Who Don’t Like Fermented FoodsMost people have heard that probiotics are “goo...
07/14/2026

Water Kefir: The Fermented Food for People Who Don’t Like Fermented Foods

Most people have heard that probiotics are “good for the gut,” but the gut does far more than digest food. It helps us absorb nutrients, communicates with the immune system, produces useful compounds, and even sends signals back and forth with the brain. God designed an entire living ecosystem inside us, and that ecosystem thrives when we nourish it well.

That is one reason naturally fermented foods can be so valuable.

But what about people who cannot stand sauerkraut, kimchi, vinegar, or other strong fermented flavors?

We know someone who wanted to add more natural probiotics to her wellness plan, but she is extremely particular about taste. Water kefir may be the answer for people just like her because, after a second fermentation with fruit juice, it tastes much more like a delicious, naturally fizzy fruit soda than a “health food.”

Water kefir begins with those strange little translucent crystals in our photos. They are called water-kefir grains, although they are not grains like wheat or oats. They are a living community of beneficial bacteria and yeasts held together in a natural sugary structure. They are somewhat like the SCOBY used to make kombucha, jun, or vinegar, but instead of forming a rubbery disk, they grow as little crystal-like granules.

For our first ferment, we place the grains in a quart jar with filtered water, Âź cup organic cane sugar, one raisin, and a tiny pinch of baking soda. We let them work for three to five days. The microbes consume much of the sugar while transforming the water and multiplying the culture.

We then strain out the grains to begin another batch.

Next comes the fun part. We put roughly four ounces of the fermented kefir water into a 12-ounce bottle and fill the remainder with organic fruit juice. Sometimes we use store-bought cherry, grape, or pineapple juice. Other times, we juice fresh pineapple or apples ourselves.

The sealed bottles sit on the counter for another two or three days while natural carbonation develops. Pineapple and freshly pressed juices usually become fizzy the fastest. Once our plastic bottles feel firm from the pressure, we refrigerate them to greatly slow the fermentation.

The result is fruity, refreshing, naturally carbonated, and filled with the living cultures and fermentation compounds created through this remarkable process.

Water kefir is a wonderful option for anyone wanting to nourish the gut but struggling with the taste of traditional fermented foods. It is also a mighty tasty way to begin stepping away from ordinary soda, or “cancer water,” as I not-so-affectionately call it.

We now make several flavors of water kefir to bring to our local markets. Come try one from Back to Eden, or purchase some grains and begin making it at home. Once again, God has shown us that some of His most extraordinary work is being done by the smallest parts of creation.

Home fermenters should always use pressure-safe bottles, monitor carbonation carefully, refrigerate finished bottles, and open them slowly.

06/27/2026

Prepping for the market tomorrow! Sneak peek of some new offerings.

Chicory: the roadside flower nobody seesOne of the prettiest “w**ds” growing all over west central Missouri right now is...
06/25/2026

Chicory: the roadside flower nobody sees

One of the prettiest “w**ds” growing all over west central Missouri right now is chicory.

And I’m just going to say it: the flowers are not light blue, pale purple, lavender, or anything else.

They are chicory blue.

That color deserves its own name.

Once you learn to recognize chicory, you’ll start seeing it everywhere. Along roadsides. Fence rows. Field edges. Gravel drives. Places most folks pass without a second thought. It has those wiry stems, dandelion-like leaves near the base, and those stunning blue flowers that seem to open with the morning sun.

My son and I recently stopped along a quiet backroad, got out the spade shovel I keep with me almost everywhere, and dug up a dozen or so chicory plants. We brought them home, tucked them into one of our tire garden beds, and watered them in real good with old duck pool water.

And wouldn’t you know it, those plants started blooming again the very next day.

That made me smile.

Most people who have heard of chicory know the root as a coffee substitute. During harder times, including the Civil War era, chicory root was roasted, ground, and used to stretch coffee. And honestly, it does more than stretch it. It gives coffee a deeper, richer flavor.

But chicory is much more than “fake coffee.”

In traditional home herbalism, chicory root belongs in the family of bitter herbs. Bitters have long been used to gently wake up digestion. That bitter taste signals the body to get ready for food, which is why herbs like chicory have traditionally been used to support the liver, gallbladder, bile flow, and digestive process.

And the stem and leaves are valuable too.

When made into a tincture, chicory aerial parts have traditionally been used as a nervine. That’s an old herbal word for plants that help support the nervous system. Not in a knock-you-out kind of way, but in a steadying, nourishing, “help the body settle” kind of way.

That is one of the things I love about learning these plants.

God has placed useful, beautiful things all around us, but most of us were trained to see them as w**ds, nuisances, or background noise. Chicory is growing along nearly every road in sight, waving those blue flowers at us like little flags, and most people never even notice.

But once you see it, you see it.

And once you understand it, you don’t look at the roadside the same way anymore.

You start realizing that creation is not random.

It is full of provision, beauty, order, and purpose.

So the next time you’re driving a country road and see those tough, wiry stems covered in those unmistakable chicory blue flowers, slow your mind down for a second.

That’s not just a w**d.

That’s chicory.

And it’s worth knowing.

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15137 E Quail Road
Nevada, MO
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