Herbalism

October 4, 2012

Blueberry Elixir

Blueberries and other berries from the Vaccinium family, such as Huckleberries, have many fantastic health benefits.Loaded with anti-oxidants, they are great for increasing circulation in the capillaries, especially in the eyes, as well as other veins and arteries. Blueberries have also been shown to be helpful, in studies, in treating cancer and slowing the growth of cervical, prostate, breast and colon cancers.

Living in the foothills of the Cascades, between Mt St Helens and Mt Rainier gives us the perfect environmental conditions for growing these delicious berries, so we love to take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity every year! One of the more difficult aspects is deciding what to do with the wonderful abundance of berries each summer!

This summer, I decided to try a new recipe – Blueberry Elixir! What a simple and delicious recipe:

Blueberries
Raw Honey
alcohol (brandy or vodka)
clean glass jar with tight fitting lid

Fill your jar with fresh berries. (You can add a few leaves too.)

Next, pour in enough honey to fill your jar 1/3 to 1/2 way.

Then fill the rest of the way with alcohol. I didn’t have brandy on hand, which would have been my first choice, so I used vodka.

Place the lid on tightly and label. Give your mixture a shake every now and then and your elixir will be ready to strain in 4-6 weeks!

What are your favorite blueberry recipes?

June 27, 2012

5 Medicine Making Mediums

Oil – Oils like olive, almond and jojoba (which is not technically an oil, but a liquid wax) extract fat soluble constituents of medicinal herbs.

Alcohol – Various kinds of alcohol such as vodka and brandy are used to create high quality medicinal tinctures.

Vinegar – Vinegar also creates medicinal tinctures, especially suitable to herbs with high mineral content.

Honey – Raw honey makes marvelous herbal medicine, especially when using aromatic herbs.

Water – Teas are a very common way to create and take herbal medicine. Water is a wonderful way to extract many of the medicinal constituents of herbs.

June 19, 2012

5 Benefits of Garlic

1. Garlic is a powerful broad spectrum antibiotic.

2. Garlic contains high levels of Manganese, Selenium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and is helpful in boosting the immune system.

3. Garlic boosts our natural supply of hydrogen sulfide, which acts as an antioxidant and may help protect against various cancers, including breast, prostate and colon cancer.

4. Research suggests that garlic consumption may actually help to regulate the number of fat cells that get formed in our body.

5. Garlic is able to lower blood triglycerides and total cholesterol.

May 16, 2012

5 Great Liver Herbs

Dandelion

Dandelion leaf, flower and root can all be used for strengthening and detoxing the liver.

Burdock

Burdock root is a traditional liver herb and commonly eaten in Japan under the name Gobo.

Yellow Dock

Yellow Dock root has been described through the ages as a “blood cleanser” and has an affinity for the liver and gallbladder.

Oregon Grape Root

Oregon Grape root has an affinity for hot, dry, feverish liver issues.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is probably one of the most well-known liver herbs. The seeds can be taken long term to protect and nourish the liver.

What are your favorite liver herbs?

March 31, 2012

5 to Thrive – 5 Great Herbs for Children

* Chamomile – Wonderful for soothing upset tummies and easing fevers.

* Lemon Balm – Soothing, calming and perfect for viral fevers.

* Cinnamon – Eases tummy troubles and tastes great too!

* Peppermint – Fevers, coughs, tummy-aches – peppermint can help just about anything…

*Elderberry – Makes a delicious syrup and supports the immune system at the same time.

What herbs do your children love the most?

March 31, 2012

5 to Thrive – 5 Great Spring Herbs

* Dandelion – The leaf, root and flower are all edible and a great herb for a spring detox.

* Chickweed – All above ground parts of the herb are a great addition to fresh spring salads.

* Nettles – Full of minerals and one of the best sources of plant protein – great for nourishing the body after a long winter.

* Cleavers – A great lymphatic cleanser – add immature aerial parts to salads or juice the plant.

*Oregon Grape Root – The rhizomes of this plant are a wonderful liver herb, making it a great plant for spring detoxing.

What herbs do you like to use in the spring?

August 8, 2011

A Rose is a Rose….

There is a long hedge of a wild rose variety called Rosa Rugosa along the back of my garden. I planted them there a few years ago, chosen because they supposedly have the biggest rose hips of all the roses. I have been collecting the luscious hips each fall since then, but this year I was inspired by a couple of herbalists I admire, namely Elise Krohn, Olympia community herbalist and Kiva Rose, traditional herbalist in the SW, to use other parts of this beautiful plant to make medicine.

Wild roses have been used in herbal medicine for centuries and have a wide range of uses and benefits. Here is a list of some of the major properties of wild rose:

Astringent
Anti-inflammatory
Relaxant Nervine
Aphrodisiac
Anti-microbial
Anti-Oxidant
Cooling
Mood elevator
Blood mover

The petals of wild rose are so deliciously aromatic, that I decided to collect them this summer to make several different remedies. The first one I made was a Rose Petal Elixir.

Here’s how I did it:

I gathered petals on a dry mid-morning after the dew had evaporated.

I filled a clean glass jar loosely with the petals.

I then poured vodka over the petals to fill the jar 3/4 of the way.

The next step is to fill the jar the rest of the way with raw local honey, leaving about 1/2 inch of headroom.

At this point I like to cover the top of the jar with a layer of plastic if the lid is metal, otherwise, rose has a tendency to react with it. Put the lid on tight. Let the jar sit in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks and shake it often. When it is done, the petals can be strained out (or not).

And that’s it! It’s that easy!

This simple elixir can be used topically for just about any type of wound, burn, rash or bite, as well as for sore muscles. Internally, it can be used in any situation where a calming influence is needed – trauma, mental shock, fear or stress.

Have you used wild rose petals for medicine? What is your favorite way to use them?

March 26, 2011April 27, 2011

Natural Health

For many decades now, our society has been a culture that discourages it’s people from taking responsibility for their own health. We are encouraged to enter into paid, contractual relationships with only those medical professionals who have a degree in medicine. We are convinced to think that only those who attend medical school can possibly know how to take care of our health. We are persuaded to believe that everything the doctor tells us is fact, and that if we disagree, it must only be because of our ignorance. We are taught to second guess our own intuition regarding what’s best for our health and that of our children.

This state of health care in industrialized nations like the US is actually quite new. We think of modern medicine as having a long history, but it has only been in the last 100 years that the vast array of drugs, such as antibiotics, anti-depressants, blood pressure medication, etc, that make up the trick of bags of most medical doctors these days, have been available. For hundreds, and even thousands of years before that, people relied on natural healing when they became ill.

In fact, most people had a basic, common knowledge of natural healing and kept and used many medicinal herbs, remedies and healing foods in their homes for those occasions when they might need them, or even for daily use to stay healthy in the first place. This common knowledge of wellness was passed down through the generations and provided the knowledge that most people needed to stay well and healthy. There were those times, of course, when a healer might need to be called in – whether it be a wise woman, medicine man, shaman or homeopath – but the common man and woman not only had a basic sense of how to heal common illnesses, but they were much more in touch with their intuition and innate sense of wellness.

Unfortunately, with the rise of the pharmaceutical industry, the AMA (which go hand in hand, in fact) as well as the processed food industry, much of our intuitive knowledge of healing has been suppressed. We have found ourselves in the position of not knowing how our own bodies work, not knowing how to keep them healthy and not knowing how to heal them.

However, natural healing, no matter how far it has been buried, is still with us, in all cultures, throughout the world. All we need to do is reconnect with our intuition, re-educate ourselves, school ourselves in the natural methods of healing that are available to each one of us. Natural healing is something that we can incorporate into our lives, everyday, every meal, every breath. It is not hard and it is not expensive. We need to re-lean what foods to eat (or in some cases, what food really is and is not!), what plants can heal and how to breath. We need to remember how to move our bodies and how we are all connected.

Modern medicine definitely has it’s place and it can be a life saver in emergency situations. However, the time has come for everyday healing to be placed back into the hands of everyday people. We all need to take responsibility for our own health and trust the innate wisdom inside each of us that knows how to heal our own body, mind and spirit.

February 23, 2010March 3, 2010

Herbal Home Medicine Kit

It wasn’t that long ago when every home had an herbal medicine kit to treat injuries or illnesses that family members might encounter. These days it is not so common and many people feel at a loss when they are faced with a feverish child at 2 am, the beginnings of a respiratory infection, or a finger burned from a kitchen mishap. Not only is it common sense to have an herbal medicine kit at home, but it is inexpensive to put together and quite empowering to realize that you have the ability to heal yourself and your family of just about any acute illness or injury that you may encounter.

Here is a brief summary of some of the items you may want to include in your herbal home medicine kit. They can be purchased ready made, but most of them you can make yourself very easily and inexpensively. A combination of any or all of the herbal items listed below would make a great addition to any home.

Aloe vera Photo by Peter Kratochvil

Aloe vera – Aloe has been used throughout a long portion of our history in treating and healing burns and other minor skin irritations. The best way to use aloe is directly from the plant itself. Break off a plump piece and slice it open. Apply the clear sap inside directly to the burned or irritated area. It is this sap that has been shown to have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.

Elderberry Elixir – This is an essential remedy to have on hand, especially during the cold and flu season. Here is my favorite recipe. Rich in vitamins A, B and C, elderberry supports immune system functioning and is one of the best remedies for viral infections. Useful for colds, flus, respiratory afflictions, fevers and upset stomachs.

Echinacea Tincture – Echinacea is a wonderful immune boosting herb – anti-viral as well as anti-bacterial. Topically useful for stings and bites (it is a Native American snakebite remedy), as well as skin infections, echinacea is a staple for the home medicine kit. Just a few of the various conditions that have historically been treated with echinacea include: poisonous insect and snake bites, toothaches, sore throat, wounds, mumps, smallpox, and measles, upper respiratory infections, the common cold, sinusitis, influenza, herpes, lymphatic swelling and skin ulcers.

Oregon Grape Root Tincture – Oregon grape is an excellent alternative to Goldenseal, which is endangered, and can be used for many of the same ailments, including bacterial diarrhea, bladder infections, sinusitis, intestinal parasites, sore throat/laryngitis, and eye infections. It is also useful in chronic skin affections, such as psoriasis, and supporting the liver. It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, as well as anti-fungal properties and recent studies have shown it may have anti-cancer properties as well.

Calendula cream or ointment – This is one of the most used items in our home medicine kit. It is the first thing we reach for whenever one of the children has a cut, scratch, scrape or rash. Historically, Calendula has been used in reducing inflammation, promoting wound healing, and as an antiseptic. It has been used to treat a variety of skin diseases including skin ulcerations and eczema.

Image: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

St John’s Wort salve – While many people these days are aware of St John’s Wort for it’s anti-depressant benefits, they may not be aware that it is one of the best topical anti-inflammatory and wound healing herbs to be found. It’s use in wound healing dates back to Hippocrates. Some of the ailments that can be helped by the topical use of St John’s Wort include bruises, wounds, burns, hemorrhoids, sunburn, herpes sores, varicose veins, sciatica, nerve pain, rheumatism and arthritis.

Plantain/Comfrey/Self-Heal/Chickweed salve – All of these herbs have excellent wound healing properties and one or all of them alone, or in combination with the above mentioned Calendula and St John’s Wort, would make a great salve or ointment for most skin ailments you may encounter.

Essential oils – Essential oils are of great benefit in treating minor ailments at home. If you are unfamiliar with Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, please read my article before purchasing and using them. DO NOT use essential oils internally or undiluted or in the eye area. Some of the essential oils I find most useful are: Lavender, Chamomile, Tea Tree, Oregano, and Peppermint. Lavender is very relaxing, calming and can be employed for easing headaches, muscle strain and stress. Chamomile is anti-inflammatory as well as calming and analgesic. iIt is especially well suited for use with children’s complaints, such as colic and teething pain. Tea Tree is a very popular essential oil because of it’s strong antiseptic properties, useful in deep wound cleaning and treating infections. Oregano oil is getting a lot of press lately, mainly because of it’s virtually unmatched germicidal properties. It can be used when dealing with just about any kind of microbial infection. Peppermint is useful for a great many conditions; colds, flus and respiratory illnesses as well as digestive upsets and headaches are just a few of them.

Witch Hazel – This multi-purpose remedy is essential for treating blisters, burns, swelling, inflammation, bleeding, skin injuries, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and eczema. It is astringent and disinfectant as well as hemostatic.

Garlic Photo by Petr Kratochvil

Garlic – I have heard many people say that if they were stranded on a desert island and could have only one medicine with them – it would be garlic! It is a powerful broad spectrum antibiotic and has been used to ward off everything from the common cold to the Plague. Some of the ailments it has been used to treat include wounds, ulcers, skin infections, flu, athlete’s foot, some viruses, strep, worms, respiratory ailments, high blood pressure, blood thinning, cancer of the stomach, colic, colds, kidney problems, bladder problems, and ear aches. Incorporating garlic, especially raw, into your daily diet is a key part of keeping your body healthy and your immune system functioning at optimal levels.

Ginger – Ginger is an excellent anti-inflammatory herb as well as an important digestive remedy. It is useful for a broad range of ailments such as: nausea, motion sickness, diarrhea, colic, arthritis, rheumatism, colds flus, headaches, poor circulation and heart conditions. In Asia is it considered a longevity herb.

Yarrow – Yarrow is considered a common weed, but is an extremely useful one (as most weeds are). It is an antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, stimulant, tonic, vasodilator and vulnerary. It can be used for colds and flu, stomach ulcers, amenorrhea, abdominal cramps, abscesses, trauma and bleeding, and to reduce inflammation.

January 11, 2010February 22, 2010

Herbal medicine has been the dominant form of “health care” since the beginning of human culture. Even today, 75% of the world’s population depends on some form of herbal medicine as their primary source of health care.

Herbs are considered nutrient-rich foods and, as such, can be utilized as dietary supplements benefiting anyone regardless of their level of health, as well as complementing and supporting conventional therapy.

Herbal formulations work in a subtle manner that is harmonious and synergistic with the body’s healing processes. The body’s natural defenses are strengthened, allowing it to heal itself. Herbal remedies don’t just alleviate the symptoms of illness, but actually work towards fixing the underlying cause of the problem.

There are many different ways to incorporate herbs into daily life. One of the best and most meaningful is to grow them yourself. When you work with plants on a daily basis, you get to know them, their “personalities”, their energies. You begin to get an intuitive feeling for their affinities, what they can offer to you, how they can help you flourish, while, in return, you offer them a healthy place to grow and flourish.

Some of the myriad methods of utilizing herbal medicine include tea blends, glycerine or alcohol tinctures, capsules, oil or vinegar infusions, salves, ointments, liniments, compresses and poultices.