Nature’s Remedies with Common Herbs #1: Kitchen Ingredients

Nature’s Remedies with Common Herbs: Kitchen Ingredients

this information was available from a class put on perviously by the Giving Earth in Ashland.

**This information and class is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

**For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Lavender Flowers

Chamomile Flowers: 

The traditional use of chamomile tea is to induce a deep sleep, an effect confirmed in a study of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Chamomile stops spasms in the smooth muscles lining the stomach and intestines, and contains chemicals that are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic. One hint for best results: Always brew chamomile tea in a closed container, especially if you live at a high altitude.

Folklore:  The Chamomile used in olden days to be looked upon as the 'Plant's Physician,' and it has been stated that nothing contributes so much to the health of a garden as a number of Chamomile herbs dispersed about it, and that if another plant is drooping and sickly, in nine cases out of ten, it will recover if you place a herb of Chamomile near it.

Precautions ~ Chamomile is in the Ragweed family and may react with those who have extreme sensitivities to the Ragweed family.

Spearmint Leaves:

Spearmint, like peppermint, is a digestive remedy. It relieves gas and indigestion, is anti-inflammatory, and stops gastrointestinal spasms. Unlike peppermint, spearmint is also diuretic. It may also be helpful in reducing fevers and easing respiratory problems and chronic bronchitis. In aromatherapy, inhaling the essential oil can help relieve stress and lift the mood. In Ayurvedic medicine spearmint is considered a cold, pungent herb that increases mental alertness and is more effective than peppermint in relieving stress.

Fun Fact about Spearmint Leaves:  The Ancients used mint to scent their bath water and as a restorative, as we use smelling salts to-day. In Athens where every part of the body was perfumed with a different scent mint was specially designated to the arms.

Precautions ~ Use peppermint, not spearmint, for gallbladder complaints.

Lavender Flowers:

Lavender has been thought for centuries to enflame passions as an aphrodisiac, and is still one of the most recognized scents in the world. The German Commission E commended lavender for treating insomnia, nervous stomach, and anxiety. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia lists lavender as a treatment for flatulence, colic, and depressive headaches, and many modern herbal practitioners use the herb to treat migraines in menopause. In Spain, lavender is added to teas to treat diabetes and insulin resistance.

Folklore:  A distilled water made from Lavender has been used as a gargle and for hoarseness and loss of voice.

Precautions ~ For best results, avoid heating the herb directly with boiling water, although a simmer is fine.