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Winter/Spring 2006
Herbal Potions
Many of you who are interested in health matters will have been inundated by complicated diets, detox programmes and keep fit regimes ad nausium. Good luck with these, BUT having listened to my patients, they have asked for some really effective and totally natural remedies that they can do for themselves - much more fun!
H= Hazel - or Wych Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Keyword is skin. Buy a bottle of it distilled to use on chilblains, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, itchy spots and insect bites. The usual application is to dampen a cotton pad with cold water, squeeze out and soak in the wych hazel (called witchazel on the bottle). It is wonderfully soothing for tired eyes and makes them sparkle after a 5-10 minute application. Lie down and put the soaked pads onto closed eyelids. It is astringent so for dry skin smooth on some moisture cream after using - but not on the eyes of course.
E = Elderflowers - (Sambucus nigra) Winter - for the onset of colds and flu’, make a hot infusion as follows:- Put 1 teaspoon of dried elderflowers plus a pinch each of dried mint and yarrow tops into a mug. Pour on boiling water and soak for 10-15 minutes. Strain and drink before bed. It should sweat out your cold by morning, but make up a pint in a flask and drink 3 to 4 times the next day.
Summer - A tea of fresh elderflowers, cooled and mixed with half the quantity of wych hazel makes a refreshing skin tonic in hot weather. In Autumn, don’t forget the elderberries - so rich in vitamins and minerals - to make preserves, wines and cordials. Take regularly for healthy eyes
R = Rosemary* - (Rosmarinus officinalis) My favourite herb to kick start a sluggish circulation and lift the spirits at the same time. Make an infusion with a teaspoonful of the fresh tops of this evergreen bush. Bruise the spikes for maximum benefit. Sprinkle the leaves on your carpets and leave for an hour or so. You can walk on them. Then vacuum them up for a fresh, herby aroma with the added bonus of being antiseptic without any nasty chemicals found in commercial products. They used to be used to strew on floors in the smelly old days! As a hair rinse for dark hair, make a stronger brew and pour it through the hair several times after shampooing. Bathing - put a bunch of rosemary in some old tights or a net bag and hang under the running hot tap for an invigorating bath to sooth tired muscles.
B = Burdock - (Arctium lappa) root is an excellent blood cleanser and was always used as a spring tonic, mixed with dandelion roots. Make a decoction by boiling 1 pint of water, add 2 teaspoons of shredded burdock root to 4 of dandelion root for 5-10 minutes. Cool, strain and drink half a cupful 3 x daily for 5 days. It will be very bitter, but well worth the effort.
To make up for this I’ll add another ‘B’ herb which everyone loves - Balm (Melissa officinalis), otherwise called Lemon Balm. Wonderful as a bedtime drink, it soothes, uplifts and “drives away melancholy” according to Culpeper. Taken in therapeutic doses long term, it will help to lower blood pressure. It also contains a chemical which kills the cold sore virus, herpes simplex. For this complaint, drink lots of the tea and put a bruised leaf over the cold sore, or dab with the tincture.
A = Angelica (Angelica archangelica) Remember the green bits of ’jelly’ on confectionary? These were angelica stalks crystallised in sugar. Herbalists use angelica as a warming agent in cough mixtures and ’cold’ stomach conditions. It is good for colic and flatulence and enhances a jaded appetite. The young leaves can be used in salads, and the stalks cooked with celery in a sauce are delicious.
L = Lavender* (Lavendula angustifolia) The scent of this beautiful herb has been eschewed in recent years, probably regarded as old fashioned in the light of today’s sharp new perfumes. A sister to Rosemary, it has many uses. Used internally as a tea, it is good for headaches, depression, nervous debility and insomnia. Stuffed into pillows and sachets, it will aid sleep. In the linen cupboard, its fragrance will keep sheets fresh and repel pests and fungus. For rheumatic aches and pains, make a cream or oil for rubbing on. For each 15ml of oil (a teaspoon is 5ml) - olive, almond, etc., or cream - add 4-5 drops of essential oil of lavender and mix thoroughly. Strength and quality vary, and care should be taken as it is a strong herb.
* These herbs should not be used in pregnancy
There are, of course, many other ways of using herbs. It can be a very satisfying hobby so if you are interested, find a herbal workshop near you - several of the main herb suppliers run courses. I also hold workshops in the summer for small groups, so look out for these on the notice board. Better still, email me as below:-
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Email:- bett.les@virgin.net