MEDICINAL PLANTS
&
HERBS

For centuries, the practice of using herbs and plants to make medicines was mainly practiced by the eastern world and aboriginal tribes of the world as well in many European countries. It has become more popular today as many or wanting to get back to the simple forms of life. People are now incorporating using herbs with modern medicine. Even the pharmacy companies have realized this and proof is that you can now buy these herbs in capsule and pill form in many stores.

Whether you want to grow your own herbal garden, it's nice to know the uses of many of the common herbs and plants you have growing outside or have in your kitchen cabinet. (and you thought all those spices were just for cooking with). Besides, nothing beats the flavor of fresh spices in your cooking.

If you are wanting to start your own herbal garden, whether you plan on using it for cooking spices or simple herbal remedies; I would suggest starting off with just a few and then expand as you learn more and get comfortable with growing them and harvesting them.  I've included some simple ones you can grow either inside or outside plus links to sites with more information and some excellent books that I have found very helpful.

Take a look around your yard and see what is growing. Look up the plant or flower in a herbal book and you might be pleasantly surprised to see what else it is used for.
 

Rosemary is a wonderful herb to grow all yr round. In late fall, bring it indoors and still enjoy the aroma besides using it for cooking and other uses. Did you know it is a great skin softening agent? Take a bath with a few leaves mixed with chamoille and enjoy the fragrance. Rio Vista Co makes many products using rosemary that was originally intended for horses but has proven very beneficial for humans. You can write them at Rio Vista Inc, P.O. Box 60806, Santa Barbara, CA., 93160 for more information on their products.

There are many forms of Sage so I will discuss just a few of them and their uses with you.
 

 White Sage- This particular sage is grown for primarily for its use as a cleansing during ceremony by Native Americans. I use it during meditation and when I am "cleansing" an area or room. This sage is known as Salivia Apiana. The only place I have been able to buy it for growing is through Crimson Sage Nursery. The leaves are used in sweatlodge ceremonies also and are a great way for purification.

Sage- This plant is known as Salvia Officinalis and is used for cookign with and other herbal uses. For releif of sore throats, loss of voice, steep 2 tsp. dried or fresh leaves in 1 1/4 cups of boiling water for 35 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey if desired and take every 1/2  every few hrs as needed. Did you know you can make your own Grecian Formula with sage to darken gray hair? In a heavy ceramic bowl, put 2 heaping tbsps. of dried sage and the same amount of either orange pekoe or black tea. Then fill the bowl half full of boiling water. Cover with aluminum foil and place in warm over of 275 degrees for a couple of hours. Rub a small quantity of this into your roots 4-5 times a week. Pretty soon the gray will start fading. Afterwards, you can use this infusion just once or twice a week for maintanence.
 
 

Besides the great fragrance this plant has and using it's dried leaves and flowers for potpourri and sachets; this plant has other uses. Did you know it is as great cough suppressant? Just add 1/2 cup of dried flowers to 2 cups of boiling water. Cover and remove from heat. Let steep for 30 minutes and then strain. Just sip this every 3 hours and you will find relief.

This is an annual herb with beautiful flowers that not only are fragrant but the plant is beneficial also. It's a great tea that can help with migraines and hyperactivity. Just steep 2 tbsps. of fresh or dried flowers in a pint of boiling water for 40 minutes. Then strain and if you like you can add a touch of syrup or honey to sweeten. Just drink 1-2 cups at a time to help relieve migraines and hyperactivity. This same tea when used as a hair conditioner makes your hair more manageable and shinier. The tea is also great for those suffering from allergies when you drink 3-4 cups a day for adults and 1-2 for children.

Most everyone knows this plant is beneficial to have in the kitchen for treating burns, but did you know it also can used in treating warts? Soak a small piece of cotton on the aloe gel and tape over wart. Every 3 hours, addmore aloe gel to cotton with eye dropper. Next day repeat process using clean cotton. By the 4th day, you may notice the wart starting to dry up. Two weeks later when the cotton is removed, what remains of the wart will fall off and no scar.
 

Bet you never realized the potential this tree has in medicinal purposes. Neither did I till I started reading about it. The bark of this tree was used by Native Americans in the treatment of wounds and sores. Bring 1 qt of water to a boil, reducing the heat and adding 3 tbsps of dried bark. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and steep for an additional hour. Use clean muslin material soaked in the strained solution, lightly wrung out and then place on afflicted skin area.  The bark of the white birch is also being studied by  researchers in the treatment of skin cancer. Research was to begin in 1996, but I haven't heard the results yet. They had previously tested birch tea on animals and found it very successful. They were to begin testing in 1996 on humans. If anyone knows the results, please feel free to share with us.
 

This plant is a member of the chrysanthemum family and is a definite one to have if you suffer from migraines, frequent headaches, and arthritis. Medical studies have shown that taking a few small leaves a day over a few months brings relief to migraine sufferers and the only side effect is that it also helps relieve arthritis. The leaf is bitter, so just take it and wrap it  in a small piece of bread to ingest. You only need about 3 small leaves. You can also find this plant in capsule form at many stores if you don't grow your own.
 
 
 
 

There are many more plants that are beneficial and have a variety of uses besides their fragrance and beauty. Take the time to find out about some of your favorite plants, flowers, and trees. There are many good books about herbs and plants and their uses.  I've included links to sites that have more information for you and books that I have found are very informative.