The Self-Sustainer’s Herbal Garden:

Surviving the Middle Class CrashJune 1, 2010
The Self-Sustainer’s Herbal Garden: Important Corrections and Updates
Posted by tempestodimare under Cooking, Food Localization, Growing Your Own, Survival, health | Tags: Herbs, bee colony collapse disorder, garden, spring, medicinal herbs |
Leave a Comment
Revised and Updated 6-1–2010 (originally written March 5, 2010)

It is hereby requested that websites which posted the original article, please reprint this revised version, but only by linking in (please do not copy and paste). Thank you.

Dear Reader: For important updates about drug-herb interactions, allergens, use in pregnancy or lactation, and potential toxicity in a few plants (or in those closely resembling the beneficial variety, which could be confused with the healthy plant), please read this newly updated article. Some prior-mentioned drug-herb interaction and toxicity information was already included in the original version: Plants (cautioned in the original article and updated here, each alike) with special instructions such as use in pregnancy and drug-herb interactions, will be marked with a ! Plants with potential toxicity, or perfectly safe and beneficial ones having plants resembling them which are toxic, will be marked below with !! prior to their names. Please particularly see Elderberry (toxicity and safe preparation update), Milk Thistle (for drug-herb interactions with cancer patients) and Wintergreen (toxicity and safe use update), as well as a few other updates for pregnancy use information. Never harvest plants in the wild without someone who is really an expert in botany and in herbal use (both together—and don’t forget that even experts can make mistakes), because you could confuse the beneficial plant for a toxic one which closely resembles it, could be injured, get bad nausea/vomiting or even die from a few plants. Use only the cultivated varieties, and use them knowledgeably, which implies intensive research as a matter of responsibility to yourself. It is your own responsibility to use the herbs herein mentioned in a safe and beneficial way: The author does not assume responsibility for the well-being which is in your own hands. I always strive for accuracy and solely use very authoritarian sources (only the major phytotherapists and physicians world-wide). There is a different chemistry involved in growing your own plants than in buying them in processed form, with unwanted matter ( in many cases) removed by manufacturers. Please take note. This is why it is vitally important to research further prior to growing, harvesting and processing your own herbs. It is requested that readers forward this revised and updated article to anyone, or to any sources, you previously forwarded it to.


Please see important information in the disclaimer at the end of this article. Nothing written here is ever to substitute for a physician’s professional and individually-oriented advice. Make sure you are under a licensed physician’s care and always ask your doctor prior to taking any herbs or nutrient supplements, because they can interact with medication and affect body systems. While drug-herb interactions are briefly mentioned here, this never substitutes for your physician’s advice, is a growing science and new discoveries are being logged all the time. Check with your doctor. Most of the statements in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is solely for your education and entertainment, and does not diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Thank you.—Drina Brooke



By Drina Brooke,

Certified community herbalist and professional musician

March 2010

“Spring has sprung, and the bird is on the wing.

Why that’s absurd, the wing is on the bird!”

And while the birds, bees and butterflies are winging it over to your garden, perhaps you might enjoy cultivating an herbal garden to sustain yourself, the birds, the bees and the butterflies alike. What a lovely project! Just imagine coming home to those fragrant scents, with butterflies atop the plants and singing birds in the air. Hooray for spring!

Herbs can be so fun just for home crafts projects, like herbal vinegars as holiday gifts, adding beautiful flavors to your favored dishes, making pesto, or for medicinal purposes (herein defined as cleansing and strengthening your body, thus helping it to cope with stress and heal itself. Never substitute herbs for medications without your doctor’s advice, and never wean yourself from any medication without professional supervision, as this can be dangerous. Note that drug-herb interactions may occur: Check with your doctor or pharmacist, who may also consult this website for interactions: www.herbmed.org. If you want to know more about the efficacy of herbs in comparison with mainstream medications, see the excellent pocket-sized book “Pocket Guide to Herbal Medicine” by Karin Kraft, MD and Christopher Hobbs, LAc published by Thieme. This book offers full-disclosure comparisons of the efficacy of both modalities, instructs the reader how to administer herbs in methods such as herbal body wraps, baths, steaming and teas, mentions drug-herb interactions, and is excellent. Authors: Dr. Karin Kraft spearheads the Commission E in Germany, the equivalent of the FDA, while the world-renowned phytotherapy authority Christopher Hobbs is a consultant to the health industry world-wide ).

home.howstuffworks.com/enlarge-image.htm?term… check this out, it’s gorgeous and very creative

You can plan a formal herb garden with contrasting textures and colors, in elegant European-style geometric shapes with a fountain or waterfall at the center, with garden benches, a meditative gazebo, you name it. Mix herbs with flowers as a border along the entryway to your doorstep, and combine herbs such as rue with garlic and marigold for aphid or other pest control. Or, you can just have a simple herb patch, and the only limit is in your imagination. Even gardening space takes a back seat where container and hanging herbal baskets are concerned. Urban residents might consider using the vertical space—on poles, trellises, along a well-lit wall, you name it—-alongside vertical produce gardening.

Before you begin to cultivate your herb garden, it’s helpful to know something about the soil conditions. As with almost any garden plant, herbs want soil that drains well, has good organic matter like compost and other materials, and a correct PH balance suited to each plant. To over-fertilize also may mean a loss of essential oils, those fragrant constituents of the herbs which are secreted as anti-microbials and protect the plants from invading bugs, viruses and pests. These essential oils are also what impart the plant’s unique fragrance and flavors. As if the plant was trying to compensate for the loss of these essential oils, it begins to make too many leaves and become too shrubby, if the soil is over-loaded with too much compost or too many fertilizers. So as they say, too much of a good thing is not a good thing. It’s all about balance, isn’t it.

Clay soils should be amended with sand for drainage, adding plenty of compost and organic matter for plant food. It may be hard work initially, but to spend a bit of time digging the soil two feet deep, fertilizing and amending it with sand or whatever else may be needed, will be time well-spent. Your plants will thrive and thank you for it later. The deeper the soil is dug, the greater the encouragement of healthy root growth, which seek water and draw in nutrients from the soil. Healthy and long, strong roots mean healthier and more lush plants. Incidentally, healthy plants also tend to be more disease and bug-resistant. Win-win!

If gophers are a problem in your area, these may or may not be attracted to most herbs but to lay down heavy gauge gopher wire, nailed to a board to assure that the gopher cannot get in, then to pile the well-rotted compost-imbued soil on top of the mesh, is to seal any wannabe munchers out of the garden area. (Please note that chicken wire will rust more quickly and that gophers can chew through it: It must be triple layered to be effective, and gopher wire will last longer). Let them enjoy their grass and ivy leaves and whatever else you have to offer them: After all, gophers deserve to live and eat too! In fact, their role in nature is to aerate heavy clay soil, so to reject them as pests is only hurting the environment. Give them space, carve out your own, and we all can co-exist in friendly agreement on this planet which will be all the healthier and happier for it. Remember that if gophers are aerating the heavy soil, they are your friends and your helpers, and you can thank them for it!

Before planning your garden, make sure you get your soil tested for heavy metals in a laboratory recommended by your local plant nursery. Contrary to popular belief, mercury can contaminate the soil even in absence of industrial causes, simply because of natural geological processes such as volcanic activity et al. That is why the recognized American herbal companies are really very good, by the way, about testing their herbal batches on a routine basis for heavy metals and other matters of concern. In your own backyard, you should do the same. Consider too that pesticides pollute the ground water, and that the bee colony collapse disorder is most noted where heavy pesticide spraying is practiced. To cultivate an organic herb or produce garden is important to survival at this point, and not just an ideal.

Here is a site which links many others containing herb growing information, harvesting, planting, starting from seed, crafts projects, cooking, you name it, all with herbs as the focus:

http://www.dmoz.org/Home/Gardening/Plants/Herbs/

Here is a site with a quick-glance reference chart for herbs: Sun requirements, watering, etc and culinary uses:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8110.html

Below, I am organizing any herbs I recommend for your herbal garden according to their known and scientifically tested medicinal functions, herein defined as cleansing and strengthening your body, thus enabling it to regenerate itself (but no “cure” is hereby ever claimed). You can read this entire article or just skim through it by scrolling down and reading the categories (in caps and bold font) of greatest interest to you. Note that the Latin botanical names used here are the medicinal variety of the herb, and that there may be additional varieties of a lesser medicinal value or even toxic ones: Be sure to order the plants by their Latin names. Both Latin words must match in order to be the correct medicinal variety of the herb. However I myself ordered one plant from a nursery by its medicinal name, and still ended up with the wrong plant! Be careful.

Keep in mind that some herbs are great for tea, but others will need to be tinctured for effectiveness. Tinctures will usually (though not in all cases) pack a greater therapeutic punch, so take note. You can learn about tincturing, making your own essential oils, herbal powders, and more from James Green’s book, “The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook, A Home Manual”.

Read further about some of your homegrown herbs here: “Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs”, a Peterson Field Guide Book, co-authored by world-renowned herbalists Christopher Hobbs and Steven Foster. Foster has also written the “Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America” and “Peterson Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants”.

HERBS FOR DIGESTION, LIVER CLEANSING AND STOMACH FLU:

! ! (Several toxic look-alike plants, don’t confuse them with chamomile) German Chamomile matricaria recutita contains the constituent bisabolol, which is anti-inflammatory and thus useful in easing stomach pains, nausea and stomach flu symptoms. May be made into a strong tea and used as a compress on the abdomen, as well as drunk internally, in stomach ache and flu infections. Also may be used for steaming to soothe the lining of the lungs and bronchial tubes in colds, flus, bronchitis and even pneumonia (though additional herbs or physician-prescribed antibiotics would be very necessary alongside this, to help clear up the infection. The chamomile would be merely a supportive adjunct, as steam. Drape a towel over your head and over the pot of tea to trap the steam, and inhale but make sure the steam is not hot enough to burn your skin, or it could burn the linings of the nose, lungs and bronchial airways. A tolerably warm steam with chamomile can be quite soothing and mildly antimicrobial, however and should be repeated several times daily. While herbs can be quite helpful, never treat bronchitis or pneumonia on your own, be sure to visit your physician). The cooled tea may be sponged on the body to reduce fevers, and to aid the healing of burns and sunburn (though aloe vera and calendula would be even better for the latter two functions). Chamomile tea rinses will bring blond highlights out of lighter-colored hair (not a hair dye though), can be made as a strong concentrate to add to a relaxing bath, and may be drunk for relaxing stress or winding down for sleep. Combines beautifully with linden flowers as a sleep aid and nervine sedative. May also be used for infant teething and colic. (Roman Chamomile lacks the mildly antimicrobial qualities of the German variety, but is otherwise a very similar plant). CAUTION: Occasional individuals may be allergic to this plant as a member of the aster family, with skin rashes and mouth blisters as allergic response. Revered herbalist Rosemary Gladstar writes that she has only seen two cases in her many years of herbal practicing, but it can occur. Gladstar writes about several plants which closely resembles the chamomile in appearance, and which are toxic. Only harvest this plant if it was ordered from a nursery and is known with certainty to be the right one. Some (not all) toxic counterparts may have a rank smell, but this can vary seasonally so only harvest the known and special-ordered variety (never harvest from the wild). Parts used: Flowers. See Rosemary Gladstar’s information here: Herbal healing for women: simple home remedies for women of all ages – Google Books Result

!! Peppermint mentha peperita is so common that it bears no description. It grows near streams in damp soil, so it will need lots of water. The very cooling tea is extremely refreshing on a hot summer’s day. It helps to break up digestive gas, thereby easing out flatulence or stomach complaints such as indigestion or stomach flu (alongside the even more-indicated chamomile in the latter case). Pairs very nicely with chamomile for stomach pains, and is safe to use for children (but don’t give to infants, see caution below). Ethnopharmacist Elizabeth Williamson writes in her Potter’s Herbal Cyclopaedia that the extract of peppermint was sucessfully used to check histamine secretions in laboratory rats. (Nettles are very popular in histamine and other allergic reactions, so the combination of nettles with peppermint extract might be very effective). Mix the extract of peppermint with that of the oregano plant, and you have got a very good anti-microbial useful for earaches and stomach pains alike. Tastes delicious with lemon balm in a hot or iced tea combination. Mint leaves are a nice surprise twist in salads, too and so yummy in many Middle Eastern dishes! Parts used: Leaves. CAUTION: “Oil is toxic if taken internally; externally, may cause dermatitis. Infants should never be exposed to menthol-containing products, which can cause lung collapse. Do not use peppermint oil in cases of gallbladder or bile duct obstruction. Menthol may cause allergic reactions.” –Foster, Steven and Hobbs, Christopher, “Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, a Peterson Field Guides book. (NOTE: Oil and water constituents in any plant usually are different from each other. Do not give the tea to infants, but it’s safe for adults and children in when using the watery constituents, or the tea. It’s the essential oils you want to be careful with). Further safety information, handy uses for peppermint in colds, flu and irritable bowel syndrome: http://christopherhobbs.com/database/?details&type=herbs&name=Peppermint

! Ginger Zingiber officinalis is a commonly-used kitchen spice which aids digestive uptake of nutrients and herbal constituents. Therefore, it is often used in combination with other herbs to aid absorption of the formula. Popularly known as an anti-nauseant, the tea is drunk by pregnant women to stave off morning sickness complaints, as well as by all in stomach flus for its anti-nauseant effect, especially if mixed with honey. Ginger helps to break up stomach gas, therefore is nicely paired with mint tea in this capacity (a tasty combination to boot). The fresh and dried root both inhibit gastric acid secretion, making it a useful herb in hyperacidic conditions. The freshly-grated root with hot water to release the constituents, may be wrapped with cheesecloth around arthritic joints. This dilates the capillaries and brings blood flow to the area, thereby stimulating healing and releasing toxic matter, and easing out arthritic pains. (This may be done with powdered mustard or cayenne as well). CAUTION #1: The skin can burn with all of the above spices, so leave on for no more than ten or fifteen minutes and be sure to remove it as the skin turns a healthy pink, but do not leave it on or the skin can actually blister. Never leave a spice-wrapped patient unattended to be sure no accidental sleep and severe burning occurs. Always follow up a spice wrap or compress with olive oil to soothe the skin. Further detailed instructions for spice wraps: “Pocket Guide to Herbal Medicine” by Karin Kraft, MD and Christopher Hobbs, LAc published by Thieme. CAUTION #2: Ginger prevents blood platelet aggregation, and thus thins the blood (as do garlic, ginseng and gingko, with ginger as “The Four G’s which thin the blood”). Do not supplement ginger on a routine basis with blood-thinning medications, and watch for easy bruising if used frequently but when used alone, it probably is not a problem. Part used: Root (not to be confused with wild ginger, a different herb with toxic constituents and which also bears no resemblance or relationship to the spice we are talking about here).

!! Yarrow achillea milefolium is a beautifully decorative plant which can be dried and used in dried arrangements. It attracts butterflies and is a very supportive liver herb. Its bitter flavor stimulates bile production from the liver, thereby aiding the break-down of fats and cholesterols. It may be combined with chamomile as a tea and made into a compress, to be applied to the affected area in stomach aches. Useful for inhibiting edema, can be diaphoretic (capable of inducing a sweat which helps the body to literally burn out any viruses or bacterial infections), has natural diuretic properties, and is useful in arthritis and hypertension. Part used: Herb. CAUTION: May cause contact dermatitis in some individuals. Avoid in pregnancy or nursing. Can be toxic if taken in large doses over long periods of time, and some strains contain the toxic constituent thujone, write Christopher Hobbs and Steven Foster in their Peterson Field Guide book, “Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs”.

! Dandelion taraxacum officinale “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered” was a quote I once saw on a teabag (Ralf Waldo Emerson). The root is an important liver herb, stimulating bile flow to aid the breakdown of fats and cholesterols and other foods, and is a gentle liver cleanser. Very neutral taste. The leaf has a bitter flavor which also stimulates bile, but is diuretic and replaces any potassium excreted through the urine (sodium-potassium balance is one important factor among others, for protecting the heart). A plant with its own innate wisdom, eh? The flower and bitter leaves may be eaten in salads (combine with salad greens and apples to cut the bitter taste). The roots are often roasted as a coffee-flavored substitute, though they contain zero caffeine and will not ease out withdrawal symptoms. But supporting the liver with the root makes sense in withdrawal none-the-less. Parts used: Leaf, root, flower. Caution: Can cause contact dermatitis, due to the latex in the plant (Hobbs, Foster “Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs“).

!! (Drug-herb interaction) Milk Thistle sylibum marianum is an extremely important liver herb. The following statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration: Studies indicate that milk thistle generates the growth of new liver tissue, stimulates bile flow, and has a neutral thermal nature making it suitable for use in over-stimulated or sluggish conditions alike. A very powerful detoxifier. The silymarin constituent has been fed to laboratory rats prior to administering the poison aminita mushroom, and the animals showed 100% protection from the fatal toxin. Humans injected with the silymarin constituent of the herb (which is very different than using the whole herb, much more concentrated as a separate chemical, plus injections are different than eating any substance) show greatly reduced fatalities up to 48 hours after accidental eating of the aminita mushroom. It is believed that the protective mechanism arises from the binding of silymarin to cellular receptor sites, thereby blocking the entry of the fatal aminita mushroom toxin. Used by nursing mothers to increase milk flow, and virtually non-toxic. A recent study on Pubmed.gov, the US government medical database, indicated that milk thistle potentiates the uptake of radiation and chemotherapy in cancer patients (be sure to ask your doctor about taking this herb, as this could change the required medical dosage to reduce the chances of drug toxicity. May not be compatible: Ask for your doctor’s advice). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17548794 (this Medline summary is from 2007, but the supportive research came in 2008 or 2009). As a tea it has a very neutral flavor, which may be mixed with mint or fruit juice for pleasing taste. Part used: Seeds. CAUTION: See drug-herb interaction, above. May potentiate the uptake of chemotherapy and radiation, causing drug toxicity. Talk to your doctor and do not mix this herb with the above medical regimens without your physician’s guidance.

Blackberries the leaf and root contain tannins, which contract and firm tissue and squeeze water out. This makes it useful in diarrhea and swollen throat or gum tissues. Part used: Root and leaf but the fruits bear no description and are well-loved!

HERBS FOR HEADACHES AND OTHER PAIN RELIEF:

Meadowsweet filipendula ulmaria is a herb which beautifully illustrates the principle of constituents acting together, and why using the whole herb may often be more desirable than extracting isolated constituents. The salycins in the herb are in enough abundance that aspirin was once made out of the herb. Yet, even while the anti-inflammatory aspirin-like compounds are present in this herb, an innate plant wisdom also protects the stomach from bleeding as happens with the mainstream drug: Mucilage, a gel-like component, coats the digestive lining and soothes it so well that meadowsweet not only does not cause digestive bleeding or irritation as aspirin would, but in fact it was specifically used for stomach ulcers. Nature is wise, eh? Useful as anti-inflammatory and stomach remedy. Alongside other salycin-containing herbs such as white willow bark (from which aspirin is currently made) and lavender essential oil, it makes a good headache remedy. (Another point of nature’s wisdom: Some headache complaints may be related to digestive stagnation). “American Indian groups used tea of leafy stems to relieve menstrual pain and heavy bleeding, colds, abdominal pain, and kidney weakness” —Hobbs, Foster “Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs”. Tincture for best results. Part used: Herb.

White willow salix alba: The bark contains the glycosides which convert in the body to salycins, the chemical constituent from which aspirin is made. Interestingly enough, the plant almost yields itself for man’s harvesting because the bark naturally occurs with channels about 2 cm wide and 2 mm thick. It almost asks to be peeled off and tinctured! (Must be tinctured for best results, but Native Americans also made tea out of it or chewed the bark). Use similarly to a mild aspirin for headaches, muscle and joint pains, and to lower fevers. Most effective when tinctured and paired up together with other salycin-containing herbs (such as meadowsweet). Will not hurt the stomach, thanks to the fact that (according to Elizabeth Williamson, ethnopharmacologist in her excellent book “Potter’s Herbal Cyclopedia”) the glycosides in the plant which are synthesized to salycins, are lower in concentration than would be expected considering the glycoside content, thereby protecting the stomach. Part used: Bark.

!! Wintergreen gaultheria procumbens has a distinctive fragrance like a combination of mint, camphor, pepper and who knows what…something just very distinctively wintergreen in flavor. Commonly used to flavor commercial candies. The plant has many great pros and cons, and I have found the information available about uses for this plant is conflicting. Henriette’s Herbal Homepage reports the good part of the news about wintergreen (note that the word “infusion” hereby refers to the herbal tea): “Wintergreen possesses stimulant, aromatic, and astringent properties. It is used in infusion as an astringent in chronic mucous discharges, as a diuretic in dysuria, as an emmenagogue, as a stimulant in cases of debility, and is said to augment the flow from the lactiferous vessels of nursing women, but this is doubtful. It is also recommended as a valuable remedy for articular and muscular rheumatism. The infusion and the essence both relieve irritation of the urethra and bladder, and are adapted to the incipient stages of renal inflammation. Tubal nephritis is alleged to have been arrested by it even when examination has revealed in the urine the presence of blood corpuscles and tube casts (Webster). Scudder recommends it in spermatorrhoea with increased sexual excitement, and as a sedative in irritation and inflammation of the urethra, prostate gland and bladder.” Pros and cons: Wintergreen contains an abundant supply of methyl salicyllates, similar to the active chemical in aspirin, which block inflammatory markers and very effectively relieve pain (headaches, joint pains, toothache, etc) but which also are toxic. The oil of wintergreen can even be fatal in small doses, and is not for internal use. Use oil sparingly externally, can cause skin peeling and toxicity if absorbed by the capillaries. Water and oil constituents in any plant are different from each other: Wintergreen tea (watery constituents) can be drunk for pain relief of neuralgia, nephritis and headaches even in children, according to phytotherapy authority Christopher Hobbs, but he specifies that the oil is “too toxic for internal use”. This herb can be very effective and helfpul in certain forms and dosages but requires knowledgeable use, and for that reason is no longer being recommended by me for home use or for growing. Use with a naturopathic doctor’s supervision. Commercial formulas (by reputable companies) use this herb in small d0sages. See Christopher Hobbs’s information here: http://christopherhobbs.com/database/?details&type=herbs&name=Wintergreen

Please note that birch leaves also contain a certain amount of toxic methyl salicyllates.

! Feverfew tanacetum parthenium is in the aster family (and a small number of people are allergic to this plant family) and is commonly used for migraine relief, alongside other salycin-containing herbs. Feverfew lacks the salycin constituent but has sesquiterpene lactones which inhibit arachidonic acid (inflammatory acid obtained largely from dietary animal products) and prostaglandin synthesis (hormone-like chemical messengers which can be either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory in nature). It also inhibits serotonin secretion, and serotonin is involved in the causes of migraine, hence its action writes ethnopharmacist Elizabeth Williamson in her “Potters Herbal Cyclopedia”. Also useful in rheumatoid arthritis, to cool down fevers, and as vermifuge (to expel worms). Part used: Leaf (which tastes nauseating, so use it dried in capsules). CAUTION: A few people allergic to members of the aster family may occasionally react to this plant with skin rashes. A few reports of mouth ulcerations have been reported by allergic people eating the leaves. Do not use in pregnancy or lactation.

HERBS FOR SLEEP AND RELAXATION:

NOTE: Light and dark help the serotonin-melatonin cycle, the hormones involved in sleep (among other things). At night, use a dimmer switch on your lights if you can, avoid using the computer or sitting in front of the TV or other bright light exposure, use candles (safely and contained, never unattended) instead of lights if you can. Get some daily early morning sunlight and exercise during the day to increase melatonin production for night time sleep.

If you wake up during the night and have difficulty falling back asleep: There is a slight possibility that blood sugar could be out of balance, although this should by no means be considered a diagnostic symptom (only let your doctor diagnose you!) Check with your doctor for diagnosis and make dietary adjustments as necessary. If you have difficulty falling asleep initially, but then can sleep through the night: Consider a calcium-magenesium supplement plus adaptogenic herbs to help your body to cope with stress. Tulsi or Holy Basil may be particularly considered. Homeopathic nerve remedies such as avena sativa, derived from wild oats, or the Hyland’s brand “Calms Forte” product, can be helpful to calming and strengthening stressed-out nerves. If you wake up at the same hour every night on a routine basis: Google the Chinese Body Clock, see which hour you wake up, to determine which organ system in your body could use an acupuncture tune-up to increase energy flow through the meridian channels. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, energy flow is believed to go to specific organs at certain hours every day and night: Sleep patterns may vary according to the need to optimize energy flow through a particular organ system. This does not necessarily mean that there is any malaise per se, and may be just a need for fine-tuning but check with your acupuncturist for an accurate, personalized assessment. You could read further about self-acupressure too, but note that some energy meridians can be over-stimulated (use caution) and that acupuncture is usually more effective than acupressure.

See German Chamomile, above. My favorite relaxing combination: Chamomile, linden, and orange blossom water. Really tasty and effective! Chamomile also mixes beautifully with linden flowers, below.

Linden or “Lime Flowers” Tilia platyphylla This fast-growing tree grows in Europe, and it is said that one can hear a linden tree from half a mile away, because it sings with so many bees. So this tree is great for sustaining the bees as well as people. The heady aroma from the delicate flowers, which hang down in fine feather-like clusters of creamy yellow color, is strong and lovely yet not sickeningly sweet as some other heady perfumes are. Its leaves are delicately heart-shaped, making this a pretty tree to have around, great for shade on account of its very tall height, yet it yields itself to container gardening too. The flowers contain digestive-soothing mucilage but also are high in flavonoids, which are anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial (used in colds and flu, though I would use it as a background supportive herb and not as the main ingredient for this purpose). Experiments have indicated that the extracted watery constituents bind to GABA receptors in the brain, which accounts for the herb’s sedative action. Pairs beautifully with chamomile for a soothing good-night drink. The flavor of the flowers is similar to chamomile, with a very subtle orange-like background flavor, only as a hint. This is one of my favorite herbs! Mix linden with chamomile and orange blossom water for flavor (available in Middle Eastern specialty food stores). Not only will the flavor be divine, but the anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory flavonoid content would be boosted by the combination of the orange blossom water and tilia flowers acting together. Yummy! (Orange blossom water itself is also sedative, sometimes even in agitated conditions, great for helping sleep along). Linden is helpful for indigestion, headaches including migraine, colds and flu, and as soothing nervine. Part used: Flower.

See image here: http://www.naturehills.com/images/ProductImages/linden_american_big.jpg growing info here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2079819_grow-littleleaf-linden-tree.html

!! Passionflower passiflora incarnata: This climbing vine has a beautiful flower resembling a sunburst, if such a thing could occur in vivid purple with a dark center as is common to this exotic-looking plant. Attracts butterflies which also lay their eggs on the vine. Commonly well-known as herbal sedative, useful for bringing on a relaxing sleep, as tea but especially as tincture. Christopher Hobbs mentions its use being especially indicated in nightmares, excessive thinking or imaginations, anxiety and hysteria. Also has some antispasmodic effects. Excellent nervine for long-term use, as are chamomile and linden above. Parts used: Leaf, whole plant. CAUTION: “Use only P. incarnata and P. edulis; other species can contain toxic amounts of cyanide-like compounds” . http://christopherhobbs.com/database/?details&type=herbs&name=Passion Flower

!! Hops or humulus lupulus is used for making beer, but also has superb sedative action, helpful to ease anxiety, is useful for insomnia, eases nervous tension, and is helpful to inducing sleep. Use sparingly, see instructions in caution notes. Phytotherapy authority David Hoffmann writes on his Herbal Materia Medica, found on the healthy.net website http://www.healthy.net/scr/MMList.aspx?MTId=1: “Ellingwood considered it specific for “marked cases of nerve irritation and wakefulness where anxiety and worry are the cause.” He recommends it for the following pathologies: hysteria, insomnia, acute local inflammations, facial neuralgia, delirium tremens, sexual excitement.

Preparations & Dosage: Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto l teaspoonful of the dried flowers and let infuse for l0-l5 minutes. A cup should be drunk at night to induce sleep. This dose may be strengthened if needed. Tincture: take l-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.”

CAUTION: “Handling plant often causes dermatitis and can cause fatigue. Hop-picker fatigue is best believed to result from release of the essential oil during harvest. Dislodged hairs may irritate the eyes. Crystalline resin in fruits causes rare allergic reactions” (Hobbs, Foster “Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs”, Peterson Field Guides). Excess long-term use may exacerbate depression. Use in moderation if you are not a depressed individual, and when used intelligently, it is excellent for calming down the stressed body and helping to bring on a peaceful sleep. Exercise caution when picking. For extra precaution, consider possibly wearing gloves plus a scarf over your mouth and nose to filter out some of the essential oils, and wear goggles. Do not pick for long periods of time, but it is probably not a problem if picked for shorter periods of time. If you are experiencing the beginning signs of fatigue during picking, stop immediately and wash off oils. Part used: Strobiles.

Lavender lavendula angustifolia is the richest-known plant source of linalool, which has a calming effect. Make a very strong concentrated tea and add it to your bath for relaxing sleep. Christopher Hobbs LAc and Karin Kraft MD write in their book “A Pocket Guide to Herbal Medicine” that to raise the body temperature at night with a warm bath, and then to cool down, is to assist the body in falling asleep. The essential oil may also be useful in headaches, especially when combined with other herbs that contain salycins or other pain-relieving constituents. Essential oils make a lovely dream pillow added to seeds enclosed in a soft cloth, draped over the eyes to relax the psyche. Has some antiseptic properties, useful in digestive issues and intestinal spasms.

HERBS FOR BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE:

!! Diabetes is an epidemic in our country, and no wonder. With chemicals lacing our food, Leaky Gut Syndrome (see my article about this) may be an unrecognized epidemic of its own, and can be an underpinning for pancreatic insufficiency, according to Leo Galland, MD (see his article about Leaky Gut Syndrome www.mdheal.org/leakygut.htm . This article requires prior knowledge of physiology and medical terminology). Not to mention the sugar and corn syrup-laced foods in everything from ketchup to icecream to canned foods. To assist with balancing blood sugar, I recommend exercise, dietary measures with high fiber (which absorbs some of the excess sugar and insulin in the blood, according to naturopathic doctor Linda Rector Page in her book Healthy Healing), using the herbs below, and also strengthening and detoxifying the liver which screens the blood, breaking down some of the excess blood sugar. The liver also stores and releases metabolized sugar called glycogen. Keeping the liver clear and strong is one important aid in balancing blood sugar and hormones too, alongside the indicated herbs for balancing the blood sugar, below. Adrenal-supporting herbs are key as well, because the adrenals “tell” the liver when to release glycogen. Note that the herbs below must never be substituted for diabetic medication, which is required for sustaining life. Always ask your doctor prior to taking herbs or supplements, because they may interact with medications, favorably or unfavorably. Use herbs as adjunct support, with your doctor’s approval, and make sure your doctor watches the lab numbers and symptoms carefully. You could also work with a licensed naturopathic doctor or osteopath if you want to go the naturopathic route, or combine it with mainstream medication (osteopaths and naturopaths are also authorized to prescribe medications in many states, and are trained in drug-herb interactions). Note that herbs work best in combinations instead of when standing alone: The combination of all the herbs below will be best than using them singly. See world renowned herbalist Christopher Hobbs’s recommendations for insulin-dependent diabetes here: http://christopherhobbs.com/database/?details&type=ailments&name=Diabetes, insulin dependent

Blueberry leaves may assist with lowering blood sugar! Mixed with bananas (not for diabetics), the fruit can reduce helicobacter infections which cause ulcers (as backup to other herbs which are much more effective in this situation. I would recommend deglycerinated licorice and marshmallow root among other herbs for ulcers). A fun way to eat your way into feelings of well-being, and to feed the birds while you are at it! Blueberry bushes require acidic soil, are prone to root rot so be sure to mulch them well with evergreen bark for acidity, use appropriate fertilizers and to protect from excess water. They can eventually grow as tall as six feet and about four feet around at the top, but will take a long time to do this, a number of years. Plant a second bush for cross-fertilization, to assure better fruit bearing and be sure to select a self-fertilizing bush if you only plant one. Two will still be better for fruit bearing. Planting two feeds you and the birds too (time for us all to start thinking that way, eh? Sharing is caring, after all). Part used: Leaves (for diabetes).

! Fenugreek trigonella foenum-graecum was tested on guinea pigs in a laboratory which were fed glucose syrup in order to produce experimental diabetes, and divided into two groups. Group 1 was fed only the syrup. Group 2 was fed the syrup and fenugreek fiber. Both groups were observed and compared. It was found that the group fed the fenugreek fiber gained much less weight around their abdomen (implicated in blood sugar disorders) and that when eating fenugreek fiber, blood sugar was much lower than with the group fed the glucose syrup. These findings, logged on to the US Government’s own medical database www.pubmed.gov, have not been evaluated by the FDA and suggest that fenugreek is of useful support in diabetes. Used as a kitchen spice. Contra-indicated in hypoglycemia. Grind to a powder and use capsules for best results and use daily. Part used: Seed. CAUTION: Do not use in pregnancy. Studies herein referenced on the US Government medical database: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17313713 , http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17392143 , http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9421250

! Bitter melon may be of useful assistance in blood sugar balancing, especially in diabetic situations by stimulating insulin secretion from the islets of langerhans, cells on the pancreas, the organ which secretes insulin. Caution: Contra-indicated in hypoglycemia, pregnancy.

Stevia stevia rebaudiana may aid the body’s insulin receptivity mechanism, thereby lowering high blood sugar or raising it when it is low. Countries such as Peru that use stevia show very few diabetes and hypoglycemia rates, according to naturopathic doctor Linda Rector-Page in her “Healthy Healing” book. This is a naturally sweet herb which may bypass sugar without the carcinogenic, fibromyalgia-linked chemicals in aspartame or nutrasweet. Its licorice-like taste is admittedly an acquired one, but so is the saccharin flavor of its synthetic, fibromyalgia and (according to studies in Italy and other countries) brain tumor-associated counterpart, aspartame. The latter has been approved by the FDA, implying that it probably is ”generally recognized as safe” by the organization. Part used: Leaf. Use as powder (stronger) or tea (weaker).

WOMEN’S HERBS:

! Vitex or “Chaste Berry” Vitex agnus castus watch out! Here comes one of my favorite herbs, because it’s just gorgeous. This very fast-growing shrub will jump from a five-gallon potted plant to eight feet high in no time flat, usually over one or at most two seasons. It has a fairly wide-spreading umbel, sort of a rounded shape, so plan extra space around it (not a skinny plant). Prune back each year to encourage new wood growth. Tolerates some frost but not snow or heavy frost. The flowers resemble tall and skinny lilacs, with a beautiful silvery-lavender hue. The leaves resemble marijuana foliage except that they lack any serrated edge, are lighter in color than the marijuana plant, and also are not consistently 5-pronged but may vary with as many as six or seven “fingers” to each leaf. So be sure to cue in any curious police to these facts! The tree-like trunk on this shrub sets it apart from the marijuana plant too, it’s not even possible to confuse the two plants except for the leaves. There is no hallucinogenic or other drug-like effect from the vitex plant. The leaves drape very gracefully in a vase, and the fragrance is somewhat peppery-sweet. The berry tea tastes like a cross-over between mint and pepper. Studies indicate that this herb “talks to” the pituitary-hypothalamic axis, which governs (among other things) the release of sex hormones. In so doing, the herb may balance female hormones, though be aware that there may be a tendency for progesterone levels to rise somewhat. But it does not directly stimulate progesterone, per se. Useful in menopause transition (always work with your doctor. Hormone balancing is a delicate mechanism, and hormones are inter-dependent: An imbalance in one hormone can cause imbalance in other hormone systems). In his book titled “Medical Herbalism“, master herbalist David Hoffmann writes that long-term use of vitex may ease the symptoms of PMS and endometriosis (use for one year or longer, writes Hoffmann), and other female complaints. May also be used to clear up male and female acne. Just display those lovely and long-lasting flowers in a vase! Beautiful. Part used: Berry, as tea or tincture Drug-herb interaction: Birth control pills. Avoid use of this herb during pregnancy.

Please see phytotherapy authority David Hoffmann’s excellent and very interesting information about uses for this herb here: http://www.healthy.net/scr/mmedica.aspx?MTId=1&Id=185

Pictured here in very accurate color, though lacking in the silvery overtones mentioned: http://www.oranjerievereniging.nl/fotos/Vitex_agnus-castus_1.jpg

This photo shows the alba white-flowered variety and the leaves: http://www.henriettesherbal.com/files/images/photos/v/vi/d05_9049_vitex-agnus-castus-f-alba.jpg

Good vitex gardening and soil condition comments here: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbal/msg0916194527867.html

Master herbalist/botanist Christopher Hobbs’s detailed and long history of the vitex plant http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=430

! Black Cohosh cimicifuga racimosa is a popular woman’s herb on account of its relaxing of the uterus in menstrual cramps, and in assisting the normalizing of hormone fluctuations. Useful in menstural cramps, hormone changes like menopause and for easing out emotional distress during this phase. Master herbalist David Hoffmann writes in his book Medical Herbalism that this herb may be useful to balance hormones where the ovaries have been removed or hysterectomy has occurred. He also emphasizes that while popularly known as a woman’s herb, it is very valuable in rheumatic conditions including osteoarthritis and other arthritic conditions. As a relaxant, it is helpful in easing out nerve pains such as in neuralgia and sciatica, writes Hoffmann. Often paired with Vitex for hormone-balancing effect. NOTE: This plant is not to be confused with blue cohosh, also a woman’s herb but which has just the opposite effect of the black plant. The blue cohosh stimulates uterine contractions and is quite powerful in this regard. Used carefully with a very experienced herbalist-midwife/physician, it may facilitate labor contractions but there is a risk, if over-used, that it can even rupture the uterus and kill the infant because its contracting power is that strong. Used carefully it can be very effective, in highly competent hands. Not for layperson’s use. Use the black cohosh instead. Part used: Dried root and rhizome. CAUTION: Avoid use during pregnancy or lactation. May occasionally cause dizziness or nausea, to minimize the chances start at a low dose and increase gradually.

Meadowsweet: See Herbs for Headaches, above. Used by Native Americans (tea prepared from stems) for menstrual pain and heavy bleeding.

!! Pennyroyal mentha pulegium is related to mint, grows near streams and in damp soil, so it will need plenty of water. Use this herb carefully. It may induce a menstrual period if absent, which can be helpful, but also can cause a woman to abort her fetus. Definitely not for use during pregnancy. The pulegone constituent is toxic to the kidneys and liver in not-too-large doses, so completely avoid use of the unsafe essential oil and drink this only as a tea to be sure it is mild enough to minimize any toxicity. Water and oil constituents may vary in safety levels, tea is safer than oil with this plant. May be safely drunk only as a tea, but only in small quantities (not for long-term use), to induce a menstrual period and to relieve any abdominal gas. For use instructions, see David Hoffmann’s “Medical Herbalism” book or log on to Christopher Hobbs’s website, www.christopherhobbs.com CAUTION: Avoid use even as tea if liver or kidney disease are present. One ounce of pulegone essential oil can kill. The required amount of pulegone to induce abortion is close to this toxic, lethal-level dose, and deaths have been reported when used as abortifacient. Keep the essential oil out of reach of children or any suicidally-inclined people and don’t keep it around at all! Do not administer this herb to children. Part used: Dried herb CAUTION: See above, abortifacient, very toxic oil constituents. Use watery constituents (only as tea) in small quantities, and not for long-term use.

!! Castor oil plant ricinus communis The oil may at times ease out even sharp pains from ovarian cysts and endometriosis if applied as a hot compress to the abdomen, with a hot water bottle or electric heating pad to keep the compress warm. Keep the compress on for about an hour. (Note that hormone imbalance and candida albicans infections can cause these symptoms, as can many other things: See your doctor and try using the Vitex Agnus Castus above for hormone balance, along with liver-cleansing teas. The liver breaks down excess hormones in the blood, therefore to cleanse and strengthen it is one adjunct in any holistic hormone-balancing therapy). CAUTION: Seeds are highly toxic, do not grow if children are around. Prolonged internal use of the castor oil can be toxic, causing a lack of fluid absorption in the intestine yet excess gastrointestinal secretions at the same time. This creates an imbalance in intestinal fluids and an exessively damp condition. Not healthy. Part used: oil expressed from leaves, seeds.

Red Raspberry Leaves Rubus Idaeus Traditionally used to facilitate uterine contractions during labor and tone the uterus. The tannins in the leaves can be useful for diarrhea or as gargle for sore throats, may reduce tissue swelling. Part used: Leaves but the fruit are delicious for eating and the birds will be fed by them too! Grow enough for yourself and to feed the birds, and you both will be happy campers.

HERBS FOR COLDS, FLUS AND ASTHMA:

!! Black Elder sambuccus nigra This very valuable tree has multiple purposes. The berries are popularly used for wine-making, but clinical studies have shown that the fruit may be effective against ten strains of influenza (flu) virus. A 2009 study at the University of Gainesville, Florida lauded by the mainstream, studied and discussed the efficacy of the extract in preventing the entry of the H1N1 swine flu virus from penetrating the human cells, thus blocking the infection. The herb may inhibit the neuraminidase enzyme which the viruses use to break down cell walls, thus disabling their action. In addition, studies suggest that the berry extract strengthens cell membranes, thereby making viral penetration more difficult and enhancing immunity. Also may enhance cytokine activity, chemical messengers which alert immune cells to swing into action. The berry is used as supportive aid for colds and flu. The flowers are considered diaphoretic (may induce a sweat or fever, thereby helping the body to burn out any bacterial or viral infections. Diaphoretics are also useful as adjunct support in detoxifying the body). The leaves may be applied topically as a compress for arthritic inflammation and joint pain, for sprains and bruises, but are somewhat toxic and not for internal use. Do not apply to broken, abraded or burned skin, to avoid capillary absorbtion of constituents. See cautionary notes directly below. I have found information about this plant to be conflicting.

CAUTION: Master herbalists Christopher Hobbs and Steven Foster write in their Peterson Field Guide book, titled “Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs“: “Most parts of the plant are mildly to moderately toxic, especially the inner bark and root. Only cooked fruits and heated flowers are considered safe for moderate use. Bark, root, leaves, and unripe berries are toxic, said to cause cyanide poisoning, severe diarrhea and vomiting. Children are especially sensitive, even to slightly unripe berries.”

About the various varieties of the elder plant and varying toxicity/safety levels, Henriette’s Herbal Home Page reports: http://www.henriettesherbal.com/blog/elder-toxicity.html

“You’ll find the mildly toxic cyanoglycoside sambunigrin in the leaves and unripe fruits of Sambucus species.
The red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) is the most toxic of the three species…
The annual dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus) is considered completely nontoxic.
The seeds of all Sambucus species contain a resin which is nauseant and diuretic; this resin is destroyed by cooking.
(That’s from Buff + v.d.Dunck: Giftpflanzen in Natur und Garten, 1988.)”

Use the pain-relieving leaves externally only for joint pains and sprains, but the flowers and berries of the black elder plant (with ivory-colored flowers, not pink and make sure your nursery orders the correct plant for you) can be used internally if a) ripe and b) cooked first (please research further for detailed cooking instructions), with seeds carefully strained out of the cooked and milled berry and c) make sure there are no leaves or stems accidentally cooked, crushed or pressed into the fruit or flowers. Henriette says to skim off any foam during cooking too, but the remaining fully ripe, cooked and foam-skimmed fruit should not be problematic in moderate doses, according to herbal authority Christopher Hobbs www.christopherhobbs.com . Tincture would be most effective for cold and flu administration. Do not let infants crawl or children play near an elder tree unattended. Babies can choke on swallowed berries, and are lacking in detoxifying enzymes which would make them more prone to toxicity from seeds and leaves or from unripe fruit. Toxicity in children has been reported from shooting leaf stems through pea shooters.

Used intelligently, the elder plant can be extremely beneficial, is thought to be an effective anti-viral plant especially in respiratory conditions, and its leaves can be helpful for arthritis, sprains and pains when applied topically .

Growing info for elder http://www.elderberries.com/elderberry-sambucus-info/elderberry-planting-growing-tips/

! Echinacea e. Angustifolia, purpurea or pallida Any of the above varieties are beneficial, but each is slightly different from each other. Studies suggest that this herb inhibits the production of hyoluronidase, an enzyme which breaks down hyaluronic acid, the cement which binds cellular material together and which strengthens membranes. As the enzyme breaks this cellular material down, the membranes are weakened, thereby allowing viruses and bacteria to pass through, becoming leaky as it were. Echinacea can be useful to inhibit the production of this enzyme, thereby maintaining the body’s defenses against colds and flus, writes master herbalist David Hoffmann in his book titled “Medical Herbalism”. Studies suggest that the polysaccharides in echinacea signal the immune system’s macrophage cells to swing into action. In addition, echinacea is an excellent lymphatic cleanser, indicated when skin eruptions such as boils and rashes appear, when tonsils or throat tissue are swollen, and in female infections. Used by Native Americans for snake and spider bites, but Christopher Hobbs and Steven Foster write that “this should be researched”. One clinical trial indicated that the immune system’s T cells were at first stimulated by echinacea, but then they dropped after ten days, suggesting that the immune system tired out by over-stimulation. This however was using echinacin, a particular isolated constituent of the herb, and not when using the herb in its entirety with its buffering constituents intact. It’s very different to concentrate and isolate a chemical constituent, than it is to use an herb in its entirety with many other counter-balancing constituents intact. As a precaution, use safely for ten days and then take a one-week break before starting use again. The purpurea variety has less of the immune-stimulating constituents than the other two plants. May be safely used by children and adults alike. Butterfly-friendly herb. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Auto-immune disease such as but not limited to lupus, MS and some forms of arthritis. Parts used: Root . CAUTION: Occasional, rare allergic reactions have been reported.
Extensive information about echinacea here, by internationally renowned phytotherapy authority David Hoffmann: http://www.healthy.net/scr/mmedica.aspx?MTId=1&Id=200

! Goldenseal hydrastis canadensis the yellow alkaloid called berberine is the active constituent in this herb, possessing anti-microbial properties, and also soothing to the digestive mucosa or gut lining. Use alongside echinacea for colds, flus and as mild antibiotic. Berberine also has anti-cancer activity, is anti-diarrheal, anti-fungal (Effective against candida albicans infections, especially when paired with other berberine-containing herbs such as coptis), may promote bile and other liver secretions. Extremely bitter taste, use as capsule or tincture alongside echinacea for colds and flu. Parts used: Rhizome. CAUTION: Christopher Hobbs writes on his website www.christopherhobbs.com “Contraindicated in pregnancy. Because it is a cold, bitter herb, it can weaken digestion and assimilation in people with internal damp and cold constitutions or conditions. In this case, always add warming herbs such as osha to counteract this tendency.”

Grindelia grindelia squarrosa was once used to make asthma medication, but please note that in this situation it is highly concentrated: Do not use the herb as asthma medication substitute. Use for supportive adjunct. Has antibacterial action, studies indicate that it relaxes and dilates the bronchial tubes and airways, and can be useful in chest colds such as bronchitis. May relax the heartbeat and thereby reduce high blood pressure. A sticky, shiny, low-growing orangy-yellow flower in the aster family (the occasional person may be allergic and develop skin rashes or mouth sores). Use in conjunction with bronchial airway-dilating lobelia inflata and coleus forshkolii for asthmatic conditions. Part used: Dried flower and aerial parts. NOTE: All plants for asthma must of necessity be tinctured or they will not be strong enough. Never substitute herbs for prescribed medication. Make sure you are under a physician’s care.

!! Sage salvia officinalis contains soothing essential oils that are beneficial to the gums, throat and tonsils. It is very helpful as gargle for sore throats and laryngitis, while taking down tissue swelling in the gums, throat and tonsils alike. (Always spit out the gargled matter, never swallow it because it will contain toxins). Sage leaf tea is used for nursing mothers to decrease the flow of breast milk when weaning their infants. It also may stimulate the uterus so avoid during pregnancy. A strong tea as hair rinse will bring out auburn and brown highlights in the hair. Sage when drunk as a tea will induce a sweat, helping the body to burn out cold and flu infections via fever, the body’s immune defense against infections. (Contra-indicated in high fevers, use aspirin or chamomile sponge baths to reduce a high fever and keep a close watch on the situation, stay in very close touch with your physician. High fevers can produce brain damage so don’t kid around. Go to the emergency room if symptoms are of concern). CAUTION: Master herbalist David Hoffmann writes in his Medical Herbalism book that “adverse reactions are likely only with overdoses (more than 15 g of sage leaf per dose) or prolonged use of red sage. The toxic constituent of the essential oil, thujone, causes symptoms such as tachycardia, hot flashes, convulsions and dizziness.” Again this is only in high doses or when using the essential oil. The leaf is very tasty when pan-fried in a combination of butter and olive oil, and poured over steamed or stir-fried vegetables such as zucchini. Really yummy. Part used: Leaf.

Roses can be grown not only for their gorgeous flowers, but also for the vitamin C-yielding rosehips. Simply don’t deadhead or prune at the end of the season, to allow the hips to grow, then pick and dry. Done! Use for tea or grind into a powder for capsules. A friend of mine used to make rosehip soup with honey, and it was really surprisingly tasty. She would boil up the whole and washed rosehips, then press them through a foodmill with a sieve, to strain out the hairs in the center of the hips. The resulting puree was sweetened with honey and served as a cold soup at the dinner table. Really surprisingly yummy, as said! Rose water syrup is divinely tasty and has a deeply calming effect, making your insides glow as it goes down. Same can be said of rose petal jam. Try candied rose petals on your cakes. The variations are endless, and the experience divine! Enjoy, enjoy. The Rosa Rugosa variety will yield the largest hips (but not the most beautiful bush or flowers), but I do not know which variety has the highest vitamin C content, per se (though my suspicion is with the Rugosa rose on account of its smaller, less developed flowers which would mean that more energy goes to the rosehips than to the flower). If anybody has any further information about this, please post below! We’d love to hear from you. Note too that Vitamin C supports the adrenal glands, alongside B complex and pantothenic acid (royal bee jelly is a hugely rich source of the latter, but I never favor disturbing the bees). Edible flower. CAUTION: Do not eat flowers or rosehips if they have been sprayed with pesticides. Pesticides have been implicated in asthma disorders, nervous system malaise and even convulsions in children. Children lack certain detoxifying enzymes and are more vulnerable than adults to chemical toxicity. Use only pesticide-free herbs. Wear leather gloves when cutting roses or rosehips, preferably elb0w-length, to avoid scratching from the thorns.

ANTI-VIRAL HERBS:

Note that all below must be tinctured if anti-viral effects are desired!

Osha ligusticum porteri This may be anti-viral for colds of the chest, as adjunct support for bronchitis and pneumonia so long as you are under a physician’s care. Tincture for best effects, and combine with all of the herbs above. Very attractive, low-growing, fern-like plant. Part used: Root. !! Do not substitute herbs for doctor-prescribed medication, especially for concerns such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

Olive Leaf olea europea the fruit and olive oil are too well-known to merit any introduction. The leaf extract (must be tinctured) is an exceptionally good natural anti-viral, effective against AIDS and sexually transmitted disease infections (according to naturopathic physician Linda Rector-Page in her Healthy Healing book), colds and flus. However, noted authority Christopher Hobbs is more under-stated about the plant, writing on his website that it promises antiviral effects against herpes and is a good cardiovascular tonic. Part used: Leaf. !! For serious illnesses, you must have medical supervision. Never use herbs on your own for serious matters such as AIDS or STD’s requiring a physician’s guidance.

! St. Johnswort hypericum perforatum is a low-growing plant with yellow flowers boasting a burst of yellow stamens that brush the air with their feathery texture. Very attractive. Traditionally known as an anti-depressant, the flower also has mild anti-viral properties on account of its flavonoid content. Tincture is effective as background supportive herb in cold and flu formulas. The flowers soaked in oil yield strongly anti-inflammatory hypericins, which are excellent topical nervous system anti-inflammatories. The oil should be a rich, earthone red color for active constituent content. To be effective as anti-depressant, the tincture needs to have 0.3% hypericins, and 2-3% hyperforins present, a standardizing process which is difficult for the layperson to do. CAUTION: St Johnswort raises the P450 and CYP3A4 liver enzyme series, and therefore will interact with a long list of pharmaceutical medications, reducing their effectiveness. Because St Johnswort is a MAO inhibitor, do not mix St Johnswort with SSRI drugs or MAO inhibitors, to minimize the chances of “serotonin syndrome” which causes agitation and shakes as the body produces too much serotonin. Used on its own and apart from mainstream medications, St Johnswort should almost never cause this syndrome but it has been noted to occasionally induce hypomania in bipolar individuals. Avoid in bipolar conditions. Occasional cases of light sensitivity and skin rash/burns on light exposure have been reported with use of the herb, but this is more rare than common. The skin burns/rashes with sun exposure have been noted more often in cattle than in humans, but they can occur in a few sensitive people. Part used: Flower.

! Lemon Balm Melissa Officinalis is much-loved by bees, possibly because of its anti-viral effects (and bees have been shown to have certain amounts of viruses and fungi in their intestines, accounting partially for the bee colony die-off concern, though pesticide use ranks as the number one killer). This herb relieves flatulence and spasming in the digestive tract, is very pleasant-tasting, and offers anti-viral action due to the presence of rosmarinic acid. It inhibits the binding of thyroid hormones to receptor cells, thereby lowering thyroid hormones. Lemon balm will likely not be strong enough for moderate or severe hyperthyroidism, medication will most likely be necessary. Hyperthyroidism can potentially be dangerous once advanced, do not self-treat and make sure you are under a physician’s care, no matter how mild or severe your case. I recommend a naturopathic physician, who is qualified to prescribe mainstream medications alongside naturopathic ones, and specially trained in their interactions. Be sure to ask for your doctor’s opinion about the possibly very dangerous side-effects (leukemia) in one of the hyperthyroid medications, and what other safer mainstream alternatives are available. I recommend asking a licensed naturopathic doctor or osteopath for their advice. Lemon balm is a very good nervine (calmer and nerve strengthener over a period of time), blends nicely with chamomile for a good night’s sleep. Allow to flower for the bees’ sake, but traditionally the flowers are cut back in order to encourage better leaf growth. Part used: Leaf.

ADAPTOGENIC HERBS TO HELP YOUR BODY COPE WITH STRESS:

Ligustrum Ligustrum Lucidum this is a fast-growing tree in the olive family, with characteristically shiny leaves and purplish-black berries born in clusters. The berries are superb adrenal gland tonics, meaning that they strengthen these glands. The adrenals play a role in blood sugar regulation, in balancing male and female sex hormones, regulating heartbeat, play a role in immunity and regulate the body’s response to stress. If you have that “Tired and wired” feeling, an adrenal gland tonic may possibly be what you need (note that many things may cause these symptoms, check with your doctor for a proper diagnosis). This plant tonifies the deep qi, meaning that it strengthens the body’s immunity on a deep level without fatiguing or over-stimulating it. Part used: Berries, tinctured.

! Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) eleutherococcus senticosus is an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it partially balances adrenal hormones and aids your body’s ability to cope with stress. Eleuthero is fairly energizing without being overly stimulating either, but can be mildly stimulating to some people. Master phytotherapist David Hoffmann writes that eleuthero ginseng increases the resistance of the heart to oxygen deprivation, thus aiding angina, hypertension and hypotension alike. May be used to recover from the trauma of surgery and other traumas, or just for adapting to stress and keeping the body even-keeled. (NOTE: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration). CAUTION: Do not use with heart medications or diabetic drugs. May possibly raise blood pressure. Part used: Root.

Holy Basil, “Tulsi” or ocimum sanctum has excellent adaptogenic effects, strengthening the body’s ability to cope with stress. It imparts a sense of calm and balance, even in some agitated conditions.Helpful to some individuals for getting a good night’s sleep. Inhibits the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme and the stress-producing cortisol hormones. See Dr. Andrew Weil’s review of the plant here: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA346157/holy-basil-to-combat-stress.html and chemistry/scientific details here: http://vitanetonline.com/forums/1/Thread/394

HERBS FOR THE HEART AND MIND:

For further herbal heart information, see noted phytotherapy authority David Hoffmann’s book, “Medical Herbalism”, chapter 14.

See Eleuthero Ginseng, above

! Ginkgo ginkgo biloba a tall and skinny tree with beautiful, fan-shaped leaves that flutter in the slightest breeze, creating a beautiful texture and imbued with a golden hue in the fall. Studies indicate that the extract from the leaves assist transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the brain, and to almost every cell in the body. Ginkgo dilates the capillaries and veins, increasing the efficiency of circulation to the brain and almost every tissue in the body. By strengthening the capillaries and veins, it prevents edema (fluid collection in parts of the body due to weakened or leaking capillaries). Also elasticizes the veins. Studies indicate that it prevents blood platelet aggregation, in which red blood cells stick together in little clumps and thereby can cause strokes, or risk thereof (CAUTION: Be sure to use ginkgo for this purpose only with a licensed physician’s supervision, never on your own, because self-treatment in these serious conditions could be risky. Make sure your doctor oversees your blood platelet aggregation rates). Dilating the capillaries and veins means that circulation is increased, while excessively high blood pressure may be decreased. This action may account for ginkgo’s shielding the brain from oxygen deprivation at key moments (this statement, and others here, have not been evaluated by the FDA). Studies indicate that ginkgo boosts memory, aiding with balance and hearing issues. It counteracts free radical formation which lead to tissue oxidation. Clinical studies indicate that the herb may be quite useful in alzheimer’s cases, arresting the progression of the disease in some studies while even reversing it in some patients (though not in all cases. Further information: See reference sources, below). It may be useful with some cases of dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and hearing loss, and thins the blood (do not take with other blood-thinning medications). Everything must be taken in balance: Too much blood thinning can carry some risks. I recommend taking ginkgo for two to three months at a time, then taking a one month break prior to continuing if necessary. Make sure your doctor oversees your blood aggregation rates, but it probably is not a problem unless mixed with other blood-thinning drugs. See caution below. Combines very well with hawthorn as a heart remedy. Part used: Leaf, tinctured.

Caution: The nuts or fruit of the ginkgo have many benefits to the kidneys and bladder but are toxic, especially to children (according to Christopher Hobbs’s “Ginkgo” book, one fatality was reported), and must be cooked prior to use. In modern herbalism, it is the leaf which is used, not the nuts or fruit. Do not take ginkgo leaf prior to operations, because it thins the blood and could cause risk of excess bleeding. Ginkgo potentiates the uptake of aspirin and blood-thinning drugs: Do not combine ginkgo with these drugs or your blood could be too thin. Reference books for further reading: a) “Ginkgo” by Christopher Hobbs, LAc. b) “Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions” by Mitchell Bebel Stargrove ND LAc, Jonathan Treasure MA MNIMH RH (AHG) MCPP , Dwight L. McKee MD ) (this book requires prior knowledge of medical terminology and physiology, but is absolutely excellently detailed) c) “Pocket Guide to Herbal Medicine” by Karin Kraft MD and Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac. Physician Karin Kraft is on the Commission E panel, the equivalent of the FDA in Germany and Christopher Hobbs is a consultant to the health industry world-wide.

! Hawthorn crataegus oxycanthoides is a European shrub whose berry is a popular heart tonic. The herb strengthens the heart muscle yet renders it more flexible, thus increasing its pumping efficiency. It dilates the veins, and the coronary artery (according to noted phytotherapy authority David Hoffmann in his book, “Medical Herbalism”). In so doing it increases the efficiency of blood pumping, adjusting blood pressure and reducing angina, increasing heart nutrients and circulation, and is helpful for recouperating from myocardial infarction (heart attack), writes Hoffmann. Hoffmann writes about a four-year European study which popularized the herb, noting that it should be used in its entirety rather than extracting its constituents. It stabilizes heart arrhythmias by blocking the ACE enzyme and the repolarizing potassium current, writes Elizabeth Williamson in the Potters Herbal Cyclopaedia. Combines very well with gingko as heart remedy. (The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA). CAUTION: Thorns poked into eyes can cause blindness. Heart disease, one of the major killers in the USA, requires a physician’s care, write world-wide health industry consultant Christopher Hobbs and Karin Kraft, MD who is head of Commission E, the German equivalent of the FDA.

! Motherwort Leonorus Cardiaca the “Cardiaca” word or course refers to the heart, indicating this herb’s specific usefulness in this area. It is usefully supportive with tachycardia, or irregular rapid heartbeat, especially when caused by anxiety. Often paired up with hawthorn in heart formulas. It is also a female herb, bringing on menstrual flow if absent especially from emotional causes, and may generally be used to ease out anxiety. Horribly bitter taste, so be very prepared. Best used in capsules to avoid the taste. CAUTION: May interfere with other cardiovascular treatments. Part used: Aerial parts. Caution: Do not use in pregnancy or lactation. Can cause dermatitis in allergic individuals.

Gotu Kola Centella asiatica, Hydrocotyle asiatica is a brain tonic aiding memory, used in senility alongside ginkgo, and enhances mental clarity and focus (good for students).

HERBS FOR ARTHRITIS AND JOINT PAIN:

This needs to be approached metabolically, starting with the digestive tract and kidneys first. Eat many vegetables and brown rice to keep your system clear, minimize chemical exposure all-around (foods, household cleansers, etc). Tonify and strengthen the adrenal glands for anti-inflammatory support, and the thyroid for proper assimilation/metabolism. Detoxify gently (very important to go slowly) and routinely. Check with your doctor for Leaky Gut Syndrome if auto-immune arthritis plus digestive symptoms are present. Check for food allergies by doing an elimination/reintroduction diet. Minimize inflammation by limiting vegetable oils, saturated fats and animal products in the diet, as these give rise to inflammatory prostaglandins. Make sure there is plenty of fiber and water in the diet. There can be many additional causes, not limited to but including Leaky Gut Syndrome, Lyme Disease and heavy metal toxicity in auto-immune-type arthritis, check with your doctor. Take routine anti-oxidant supplements. Nettle leaves are helpful too, internally as tea and rubbed on externally as sting therapy, but the latter is not for the faint of heart. Kidney health is pivotal to minimize uric acid content in the blood. Make sure bowel elimination is regular (twice daily) and dry-brush skin prior to showering daily to facilitate toxin release. Work with your doctor, testing for underlying causes and hormone balance. Use herbs as adjunct support for cleansing and anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory therapy. The healthfood store reference manual “Alternative Health, A Definitive Guide” has excellent chapters about auto-immunity and biological dentistry, as well as arthritis: Read all of these chapters.

See above: Black cohosh, ginger, black elderberry. Nettle leaves as sting therapy rubbed onto the area, if tolerated.

Nettle leaf tea, uva ursi berries mixed with dandelion leaf tea and mint for flavor, for kidney health. Liver-supporting herbs as above. (Note: ! Nettle leaves can sting and cause temporary itchy blisters which usually pass within several hours or one day. The dried leaf and stem will not sting. Wear gloves plus long sleeves and long pantlegs when harvesting or handling the fresh herb).

Sea greens for thyroid support, along with any necessary thyroid medication administered by your doctor based on testing. See herbs for coping with stress, above for adrenal support (Eleuthero in particular, reishi mushroom too).

Commercially available supplements (important): Use MSM, chondroitin and Glucosamine Sulfate supplements. KAL makes shellfish-free glucosamine sulfate. Zyflamend by New Chapter Organics is an exellent herbal joint anti-inflammatory. BCQ, or boswellia, bromelain, quercitin and curcumin is an excellent herbal combination which works for many people. Fish oils with high standards of purity such as Nordic Naturals, can be helpful.

HERBS FOR THE BEES:

Linden Tree Flowers, see above attract lots of bees.

Oregano flowers are much loved by the bees, possibly on account of the plant’s carvacrol constituent, which is anti-viral and anti-fungal. Go figure that recent scientific research has been confirming the presence of viruses and fungi in the bees’ digestive tracts! (The greatest killers by far, however, are pesticides and truck transportation of beehives for commercial purposes, as well as feeding them sugar syrup). Interestingly enough, though thyme contains carvacrol and the bees like it, they seem to prefer the oregano which has a higher concentration of this constituent. Even urban residents can set out pots of oregano to help sustain the bees. Allow it to go to flower instead of practicing the old tradition of pinching them back, to attract and feed the bees.

Bottlebrush is a favorite of the bees.

Ivy flowers when our 60-year-old ivy hedge is covered with blooms, the hedge sings from across the yard, and is practically a hive full of bees. So many hundreds, maybe thousands of bees are on it. However keep in mind that our ivy hedge frames our large yard and is about ten feet high.

Lavender flowers seem to be a great favorite.

Citrus plants are high in anti-microbial essential oils which would help to kill off infections in the bees’ systems.

Pelargonium and geranium flowers are also high in anti-microbial essential oils.

HERBS FOR FIRST AID:

For beestings: Be sure the stinger has been removed. If there is an allergic reaction such as anaphylactic shock, get to the nearest emergency room immediately!

Rub garlic or onion on the bite, leave on for as long as tolerated without undue heat or burning sensations on the skin. Plantain leaf can be effective too, crush the leaf to get as much of the juice as possible on the bite.

For head lice and microbial infections: Tea tree oil mixed with shampoo to kill headlice. Mix one or two drops with water to apply to infected cuts and sores.

For infected gums: Grapefruit seed extract or tea tree oil as disinfectant, myrrh (contracts and firms gum tissue), clove oil for pain

Echinacea and goldenseal tincture for cuts and wounds, infections

Aloe vera and/or calendula flowers as tea for burns, sunburn, skin rashes, diaper rash

For sun poisoning: Sponge down with room-temperature chamomile tea (do not use cold to avoid shock), drink electrolyte-replacing drinks such as diluted orange juice with a pinch of salt, and get to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible if faintness, confusion or any other symptoms are present. Take aspirin to reduce any fever that does not respond to a cool sponge bath, and go to the emergency room.

Here’s a really beautifully-designed formal herb garden, European castle-style just to inspire viewers: http://www.cookingisfun.ie/admin/uploads/herbgarden.jpg

Happy Spring, happy gardening and peace to all! —Drina

DISCLAIMER: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and do not diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Never substitute information for a doctor’s individualized advice. Drugs and herbs may interact, and herbs affect specific body systems: Be sure to let your doctor know of any herbs or nutrient supplements you are taking. Never substitute herbs for prescribed medications, never reduce drug dosages without a doctor’s advice, and never self-diagnose or self-treat. If you have any known medical condition, minor or major, and if you have no medical condition at all, check with your doctor before proceding with any information herein. Professional opinions may vary about herbs and studies, depending on the school of thought in which they are trained. This article does not substitute for a doctor’s advice, and your doctor is the sole voice of authority in your well-being.