The healing power of herbs
Posted By ISABEL GRIFFIN
Posted 2 months ago
HERBS CAN BE HELPFUL:Did you attend the Collingwood Horticultural Society meeting at which herbalist Heather Bakazias, R. N., of Rob Roy was the speaker?
If not, you missed an informative talk on the usefulness of herbs. Perhaps the most familiar one is sage. It is usually added to bread stuffings for flavour, but, medicinally, it has several anti-inflammatory compounds, and is said to be useful in treating Alzheimer's!
However, this is only one of many herbs nature provides.
We think of witches as scary Halloween creatures, but Heather said they were originally wise women who used herbs for medicinal purposes.
DANDELION:This herb is familiar to most people. It is said to be effective for blood pressure, liver, and pancreatic problems. If you break the stem, you find a milky substance that can be used to get rid of warts.
CHICKWEEDhas a reputation as a body slimmer. It can be eaten raw in salads, or steamed as a vegetable.
CALENDULAis for bruises and inflammation of insect stings, bruises, bunions, and itchy skin.
COMFREY,applied to the skin, can help relieve pain, swelling and inflammation; e. g. arthritic pain and gout. The leaves can be used for poultices, but not on open wounds.
ECHINACEA,also known as coneflower, strengthens the immune system against cold viruses and influenza. It should be taken only when you feel a cold coming on, or have been close to those who have a cold.
Many years ago, a Collingwood pharmacist told me she and her husband were about to leave on a holiday when she felt a cold coming on. She took echinacea, and they were able to enjoy their holiday.
Personally, I find it effective when taken as directed.
GINSENG(Siberian or Asian), is said to be an energy-boosting tonic. It should be taken regularly for a month before you may notice any benefit. It also increases general resistance to all kinds of stress.
MINTSare beneficial for dealing with indigestion.
LAVENDER OILis useful for treating inflammation and burns. It's also a relaxant, if you're not allergic to scents.
LEMON BALM,also known as melissa, acts as a sedative and is said to relieve headaches, including migraines, and insomnia.
NETTLEseems to be effective for allergies, such as hay fever, hives, and coughs.
ST. JOHN'S WORT OILhelps heal sports injuries, sunburn, eczema, and strained muscles.
THYMEis listed as a stomach-soothing compound that helps prevent blood clots which cause heart attacks.
YELLOW DOCKis an excellent iron tonic for anemia.
RED CLOVERcompost helps to improve the soil.
Heather brought samples of most of the herbs, as well as a number of books. Some were Edible Wild Plants, by Lee Allen Peterson; Healing Wise by Susan S. Weed;Medicinal Plants by Steven Foster and James A. Duke, Ph. D.
Eileen Smith conducted the meeting, and the door prize winner was Marie Cruickshank.
With herbs being promoted for health, I wondered if they were mentioned in the Bible. With the aid of Cruden's Complete Concordance, I started looking. Indeed they were!
In the book of Romans, Chapter 14, Verse 2 (1930s edition), it says: One (person) believeth he may eat all things; another, WHO IS WEAK, eateth HERBS.
Some other foods with which we're familiar date back to Bible days; e. g., beans, barley, corn, cucumbers, onions, garlick, apples, figs, olives, melons.
Have you ever wondered why wine was mentioned so often?
Water was scarce, and likely to be infected, so wine and milk were the common beverages. Goat's milk was the most popular.
