The Home Herbalist » Medicinal Herbs

About Clary Sage Essential Oil

Belle — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:12:23 +0000

Do you know that Clary Sage essential oil has a particular affinity for the female cycle? Its scent, said to be the most euphoric of all essential oils, gives it calming and soothing qualities that relieve painful periods, premenstrual tension, and abdominal cramps. Other female problems it treats are irregular and absent menstruation.

This delightful oil, distilled from the flowers of the European herb, Salvia sclarea, has a sharp, nutty herbal uplifting aroma that makes it very useful for treating the mind and emotions. It promotes communication; helps with frigidity, depression, and stress-related problems. In fact, it helps to uplift the most despondent person and release depressed thoughts.

It soothes and eases tension in troubled times and is relaxing when faced with apprehension.

In skin care, Clary sage is helpful as an anti-wrinkle application, especially for older skins; promotes cell regeneration, and regulates sebum production providing treatment for premenstrual facial blemishes.

Use this essential oil as a massage blend, a vapourisation, therapeutic bath, diluted for direct application such as rubbing in to the temples to ease headache, and as a facial oil.

Warning: Do not use during pregnancy or combined with alcohol. It may cause drowsiness so do not use before driving. Always follow the directions on the label.

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil

Belle — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:09:13 +0000

This is a delightful essential oil that helps to calm and sooth the mind and body and ease irritability.

As a massage blend it’s very useful for balancing the female reproductive organs helping to regulate menstruation, ease premenstrual tension, and relieve painful menstruation.

Because Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) essential oil is anti-inflammatory it can be used in a massage oil blend to treat skin allergies such as eczema and to relieve skin irritations. It’s also deodorizing and helps to lighten fair hair.

Make a massage oil blend and rub in to the neck and shoulders to help relieve insomnia, migraine headache, stress and tension. It can also be massaged in to any part of the body to help relieve aches and pains and over the abdomen in a clockwise direction to help ease the discomfort of indigestion.

Add a few drops to a child’s bath to help relieve upset tummies, teething, and fretful moments.

Other conditions that benefit from applications of a massage oil blend made with this essential oil are flatulence, rheumatism, and gout.

Warning: Use with care if suffering from low blood pressure.

Basil Essential Oil

Belle — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:00:55 +0000

Not only one of the best essential oils for relieving mental fatigue basil (Ocimum basilicum) also has a wonderfully clarifying effect on the brain helping to focus thoughts and promote clear thinking. Other benefits of this uplifting oil include adding it to a vapouriser to help with decision making and improve concentration. It can also be used as an all-round nerve remedy and is very effective when applied as a compress to help relieve migraines.

Use basil essential oil for all manner of respiratory ailments by adding it to a vaporiser, as an inhalant or as a chest rub. This oil can also assist digestion, induce menstruation, and be used as an anti-spasmodic. Other conditions it treats are indigestion, whooping cough, colic, and scanty menstruation. Basil oil can also be used on wasp stings, as a mosquito repellent, and to add shine to hair.

For massage blends use 5 drops of essential oil to every 10ml carrier oil. To use in a vapouriser add 6 to 8 drops to the water, and for inhalation add 3 to 4 drops to a bowl of near boiling water or 1 to 2 drops on to a handkerchief.

Warning: Don’t use this oil for massage during the first three months of pregnancy.

What’s So Good About Tea?

Belle — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:02:24 +0000

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the highest sources of antioxidants, in fact it contains more of these health giving constituents than any vegetable or fruit. The antioxidants in tea appear to protect the body against heart disease by slowing the break down of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, improving blood vessel function and preventing blood clots. They also appear to have protective functions against strokes, cancer, and the type of DNA damage that causes cells to turn cancerous.

Drinking only one or two cups of tea a day may reduce the risk of artery blockage by forty-six percent. Antioxidants in tea belong to a group called flavonoids that are rich in catechins and these are responsible for giving the herb most of its health giving properties. Cell studies showed that one of the most important catechins, epigallocatechin gallate, blocked an enzyme that is needed for cancer cells to grow.

Black tea is made by crushing the leaves and allowing them to ‘ferment’ in the tea’s enzymes while green tea isn’t fermented; both come from the same plant. The most popular non-alcoholic beverage, tea can be purchased in various forms but the finest and most expensive is made from unopened leaf buds and leaves picked from the youngest shoots .

To gain maximum health benefits from tea allow it to brew for at least five minutes to extract the maximum amount of catechins. Tea can prevent the absorption of iron so try to drink it between meals rather than with them but if you enjoy a ‘cuppa’ with a meal eat a few apricots every day to keep your iron levels up. Drink two to five cups daily and keep tea leaves in airtight dark glass containers in a dry cool place; green tea has less caffeine than black tea.

Essential Oils for the Emotions

Belle — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:27:06 +0000

Essential oils are not only very beneficial for physical problems but also for the mind, emotions, and spirit. To know true health is to have the mind, body, and spirit nicely balanced or in harmony.

There is much focus these days on physical health yet the mind, and especially the emotions or spiritual aspects of our being are generally neglected. If there is a problem it’s usually shut away to be dealt with at a later date or when there is more time. There are some lovely essential oils that work on the emotional and spiritual level, which means any problems can be helped in a pleasurable and time saving way. Following is a list of emotional problems and corresponding essential oils that will help to dispel them.

Releasing Anger: Chamomile, Rose, Ylang Ylang

Calming Anxiety: Bergamot, Geranium, Lavender, Neroli, Basil

Relieving Boredom: Basil, Frankincense, Peppermint

Enhancing Confidence: Frankincense, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vetiver

Clarifying Confusion: Rose, Lemon, Cypress

Uplifting Depression: Bergamot, Clary Sage, Patchouli, Ylang Ylang

Calming Emotional Instability: Bergamot, Geranium, Neroli

Releasing Jealousy, Envy, and Resentment: Juniper, Thyme, Rose

Dispersing Fears: Frankincense, Lavender, Sandalwood

Releasing Frigidity: Chamomile, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang

Soothing Grief: Marjoram, Rose

Relieving Insomnia: Bergamot, Lavender, Marjoram, Neroli, Orange

Settling Impatience, Irritability: Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Ylang Ylang

Releasing Mental Fatigue/Helping Poor Memory: Basil, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Pine

Calming Nightmares: Bergamot, Frankincense, Sage

Releasing Stress: Bergamot, Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Sandalwood, Myrrh

Healing Emotional Wounds: Chamomile, Rose

To use these essential oils for their corresponding emotional problems apply them as a single remedy or a blend in a vaporiser, added to pure water as a room spray, or in a carrier oil for massage. They can also be applied to a tissue or handkerchief and sniffed as often as desired.

For massage oils always use the ratio of 5 drops of essential oil to 10 ml carrier oil; don’t use them directly on the skin and follow directions on the labels.

Comfrey, a Great Healer

Belle — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:38:41 +0000

Many years ago when I first started studying to be a medical herbalist my husband badly injured his little finger at our shop; it was almost cut right through and only had a small amount of flesh still holding it together. He phoned me at home and told me he’d hurt his finger. Not realizing how bad it was I told him to go across the road to the ambulance and I’d drive straight to our shop, which was only a minute or so away.

Back then the ambulance used to dress wounds and attend to minor injuries but they haven’t done that for quite some time now. When I got there the ambulance officer on duty had told my husband it was too bad an injury for him to do anything with it and to go to the hospital. When I realized that it wasn’t just a deep cut but a severed finger I felt terrible; I should have told him to go to the hospital not the ambulance!

I had to mind the shop so my husband drove himself to the hospital where he was admitted straight away and taken into surgery as soon as the surgeon could get there. Refusing to follow my husband’s wishes and amputate the finger, the surgeon pinned the severed half back on to the remaining stump.

Two weeks later my husband had to go for a check-up and have the pin removed. When the surgeon pulled the pin out the finger came apart! So he pushed it back together and sent my husband away telling him to give it another two weeks to heal.

When I was told what happened I suggested we rub the comfrey ointment I had made in to the finger. We did this for the two weeks and when the surgeon pulled the pin out the finger remained intact. He was totally amazed so my husband told him that we had applied comfrey ointment to the finger. At that stage comfrey had been banned for internal and external use in Australia. There was such an uproar over this that the ‘powers-that-be’ eventually allowed us to use the herb externally. Anyway, getting back to the surgeon, he couldn’t get over how well the comfrey ointment had healed the finger and said to my husband, “How were you able to get it?” To which my husband laughingly replied, “Can’t tell you that.” “Well anyway,” said the surgeon,” just keep using it – it’s a great healer.”

One of comfrey’s common names is Knit Bone and this story certainly adds credence to such a name. If any of you have stories about using comfrey we’d love you to share them with us.

Medicinal Herbs at the Markets

Belle — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:46:16 +0000

Thyme, Dogbane, Aloe vera, Soapwort

Once a month when the popular Nanango Markets are held it’s very difficult to find a parking space. People come from a widespread area to purchase all manner of items but one of the most popular stalls is the one selling medicinal herbs and garden plants. This stall is usually my first port of call, I just cannot resist buying more herbs and they are usually of very good quality.

This morning I bought Pet Grass for my little elderly feline and eight year old cockatiel; I have written about it in a separate article. I also bought some beautiful quartz crystals to use for making orgonite, which is a project for next week.

Other items of discovery were a couple of books about gardening and herbs (of course), and a beautiful enameled dress ring I bought from an Asian lady who ran after me when I left the stall; she gave me a complimentary CD of Buddhism chants. To receive such an unexpected gift really made my day.

Below are some more photos of the herbs for sale at the markets. Market stalls selling herbs like these give those interested in herbalism the chance to have a very useful herb garden.

Various Varieties of Basil

Mexican and French Tarragon

Lovage

Lamb's Ears

Tansy, a Garden Favourite

Belle — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:34:24 +0000

Other names for Tansy, Stinking Willie and Scented Fern, describe its strong aroma, which I think is rather pleasant in an antiseptic sort of way. I have the herb growing in my garden for its value as a delightful garden plant, its medicinal properties and its action as an insect repellent.

Tansy has fern-like leaves and pretty yellow flower heads that are long-lasting and look pretty in the garden or in vases either freshly cut or dried.

It may come as a surprise to some of you that in the past, Tansy leaves were used to flavour small cakes eaten during Lent because Christ’s suffering was symbolized by their bitter taste.

Because of Tansy’s insect repellent properties it’s an ingredient in commercially produced insecticide and has been used to repel moths and deter fleas from the home. However, Tansy’s insect repelling properties have been known for centuries; in the Middle Ages it was hung from rafters, rubbed on meat to deter flies and other vermin, and packed between bedsheets and mattresses.

Herbalists believe that the name, Tansy, comes from athanasia, the Greek word for immortality. Historically, a tea made from the leaves of the herb was commonly taken for intestinal worms, stomach ache, and colds. The leaves were also used to make poultices to treat cuts and bruises. Today the herb is still used as an emmenagogue (brings on menstruation), a vermifuge (expels worms), and as an antispasmodic.

Tansy is quite a tough herb resisting cold and frost – patches of it can survive for decades in the same spot. Although it’s a native of Europe and northern Asia it’s now widely cultivated and naturalized in other temperate regions of the world.

Amaranthus Species

Belle — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:48:26 +0000

Green Amaranth (A. Viridus)

Food and medicine can be found right under our noses in our gardens if we only take the time to identify some weeds.

Recently I had to relocate my vegetable and herb garden to make room to build our house. It was a huge task but thanks to my husband’s help everything was transplanted beautifully apart from several small rhubarb plants.

They failed to grow but in their place a very healthy crop of green amaranth (A. viridus) sprang up. My husband almost pulled them out because he thought they were weeds. Thankfully he checked with me first (as he has learned to do over the years!).

We may not have all of the rhubarb plants from the original garden but in their place we have a plentiful supply of a green pot herb that is also a medicinal herb.

Other edible amaranths include A. caudatus, a. cruentus, a. lividus, and A. powelli. The young stems of these amaranths can be boiled or steamed as a vegetable and while tender they lack fibre. Green amaranth leaves are an excellent substitute for spinach and can successfully replace it in most dishes. They can also be added to salads, stews, soups, and casseroles. Apart from the plant’s use as a vegetable or pot herb, the clusters of nutty edible seeds are certainly worth eating as a raw snack or added to biscuits to give them a mild flavour and crunch. The seeds can be easily harvested by scraping the ripe (reddish-brown) spikes and boiled in a little water to make a simple but healthy porridge.

As for green amaranth’s medicinal properties, the leaves are emollient and have traditionally been used to treat scorpion sting and snake bite, tumours, and to help rid the body of intestinal worms. Many cultures have different uses for the plant but they are not well documented. However, the leaves can be used as a poultice to treat bruises, boils, and wounds.

Weeds can be a nuisance but those I’ve identified have mostly been beneficial to man and animals and well worth allowing to grow in my garden, which isn’t difficult to do if they are kept in control.

A Rose and an Amaranth blossomed side by side in a garden,

and the Amaranth said to her neighbour,

“How I envy you your beauty and your sweet scent!

No wonder you are such a universal favourite.”

But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice,

“Ah, my dear friend, I bloom but for a time:

my petals soon wither and fall, and then I die.

But your flowers never fade, even if they are cut;

for they are everlasting.”

Aesop’s Fables

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Belle — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:12:16 +0000

In 1885 Baron Ferdinand von Mueller noted that the leaves and flowers of this popular garden plant could be eaten as a replacement for cress and considered it to be -anti-scorbutic (scurvy-curing). Although nasturtium is known more for its culinary uses Europeans use the essential oil made from the plant as an antiseptic. Unfortunately, its vitamin C content has never been assessed so the plant’s treatment of scurvy has never been substantiated.

A native of Peru, nasturtium was introduced to Europe in the sixteenth century by the Spanish conquistadors after their expeditions to South America. As long ago as 1837 the plant was growing as an ornamental in the gardens of Australian settlers who valued it not only for its hardiness and colourful blooms but also because it was good to eat.

The flower buds and young fruit of nasturtium were and still are pickled in vinegar and spices to make a substitute for capers and the leaves are used as cress, and served as a vegetable or added to salads to give them a peppery flavour.

Nasturtium tastes similar to cresses, capers and mustards because although it’s not related to them they all share identical oils. In Australia in the 1800s the plant was known as Indian cress, in fact, nasturtium is the old name for watercress, which has the botanical name Nasturtium officinale.

Herb and Nasturtium Blossom Salad

1 kg/2lb mignonette or cos lettuce leaves

¾ cup of chopped fresh parsley, chives, and basil

8 nasturtium blossoms

Wash and pat or spin dry the lettuce leaves, add herbs and salad dressing and toss together. Garnish with the blossoms. Serves 4.