Healing Herbs
When we think of healing herbs, herbs like echinacea and ginseng come to mind. But common kitchen herbs can be just as healing as the more famous herbs. Simple Kitchen Healing Herbs The other evening I was listening to herbalist Christopher Hobbs being interviewed on Herb Mentor radio. Mr. Hobbs has been an herbalist for 30 years, is a consultant for the herb industry, and has written many wonderful books on herbs. He told a story about when he was in Austin, Tx to give an herbal presentation at a Whole Foods store. He had a cold the night before the lecture, So he went to the Whole Foods store to find an herbal remedy. Walking the aisles, feeling ill, Mr. Hobbs said he was overwhelmed. What to buy? echinacea tincture, elderberry syrup, or vitamin C and zinc? Then he thought--Why not buy fresh herbs? He went to the produce aisle and bought fresh garlic, ginger and bundles of fresh thyme. He then cooked with them, made teas, and ate them straight up. The next day, the cold was gone and the presentation went on as planned. Fresh and simple healing herbs do work. As Mr. Hobbs, says "herbs are the people's medicine". Supplements can get expensive and scientific, but we can always grow chamomile and parsley. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, as well as garlic, ginger, shiitake mushrooms and burdock root are healing herbs right from the produce department. Herbal Traditions All traditional cultures use herbs for food and healing. Many kitchen herbs are carminatives, herbs that stimulate digestion. Examples are fennel, basil, cumin, cardamom, garlic, ginger, and cinnamon. The book The Yoga of Herbs, says: "One to five grams of many of these spices taken with meals can cure many diseases, as most diseases arise from indigestion" (The yoga of herbs, by Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad.) In Ayurveda, the medicine of India, herbs like curry and turmeric are cooked with the food. Fennel seeds are chewed after meals to aid digestion. In Asia, tonic herbs are cooked into soups to prevent flu, build blood and chi, and strengthen the body. The warming herbs garlic, ginger and scallions stimulate the body's defenses and help you sweat out a cold or flu. Asians also like the goji berries as a healing berry in food or as a tea. These berries build the blood and "yin jing". Scientists have found that rosemary is high in antioxidants, cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar, and turmeric is anti-inflammatory. Kitchen healing herbs are full of history and mystery. I love them!
A Few Healing Herbs To make a tea from a leafy green herb, pour boiling water over 1 tsp dried herb or 1 tbsp fresh herb, and steep, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes. This is called an infusion. If using a root, make a decoction: simmer 1 Tbsp of the root in 1 cup water for 10- 20 minutes, strain and drink.
Dill: is spicy and warming and helps digestion. Dill is a carminative and good to relieve gas. Take the seeds of dill as a tea. Lightly simmer 2 tsp of seed in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes. Learn more about dill here. Caraway Seeds: are a digestive aid, spicy and warm. Caraway seeds ease colic, painful digestion, bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea. Caraway tea is safe for children and adults. Use an infusion and have 1 cup 2-3 times a day. Ginger: is spicy and warm, aids digestion and is helpful to settle your stomach. Ginger is good for poor circulation or feeling cold. You can made a strong ginger tea by simmering several slices of fresh ginger root or 1 tsp of the dried herb per cup of water. Drink 1 cup of tea around meal time. Or add ginger root to soups. Rosemary: helps the nervous system and is good for headaches, chronic fatigue, poor appetite, low blood pressure and weak circulation. It's also high in antioxidants. You may make an infusion of rosemary by steeping 1 tsp of the dried herb per cup of water for 20 minutes. Or add rosemary to soups and beans. Shiitake mushrooms: stimulates immunity, helps the cardiovascular system, and can lower cholesterol. The dried mushrooms are more potent than the fresh ones. Add mushrooms to soups, stir fry vegetables, and rice dishes. Where to Find Them You can find some fresh herbs in the produce department. For dried herbs, I like Frontier Herbs or Mountain Rose Herbs. Frontier Herbs are often found in health food stores. You can explore Mountain Rose Herbs by clicking on the graphic below.  At the health foods store, buy in bulk so you can open the jar of herbs and smell them. If they smell fragrant, they are still fresh. Look at the color, to see if the herbs or spices look vibrant. Herbs lose their power after a few months to a year. The fresher the better. You can also plant your own herbs. It's easy; you just need about 6 hours of direct sunlight. Because herbs are so fragrant, bugs don't usually bother them. Spring is here and I have planted a healing herbs garden of chamomile, lemon balm, yarrow, mint and borage, so I'll be creating my own teas. Yum! I have added the borage leaves to salads. My goal is to reduce the expensive supplements and use fresh simple herbs instead. Here's more herb articles you may like:
Herbal energetics, are your herbs warming or cooling? Here's some natural remedies for colds and immunity These herbs for menopause really work Turmeric is healing for you in many ways Herbs that support your digestion Dandelion greens and root are healing for your liver |
