Be Your Own Herbal Expert - Pt 8

Posted on May 8, 2008 in Health by admin

Herbal
medicine is the medicine of the people. It is simple, safe, effective, and
free. Our ancestors used - and our neighbors around the world still use - plant
medicines for healing and health maintenance. It’s easy. You can do it too, and
you don’t need a degree or any special training.

Ancient
memories arise in you when you begin to use herbal medicine. These lessons are
designed to nourish and activate those memories and your inner herbalist so you
can be your own herbal expert.

 

In our first
lesson, we learned how to “listen” to the plants by focusing on how
they taste. In lesson two, we explored simples and water-based herbal remedies.
In the third lesson, we learned how to tell safe (nourishing and tonifying)
herbs from more dangerous (stimulating and sedating) herbs. Our fourth lesson
dealt with poisons; we learned how to make a tincture and we put together our
Herbal Medicine Chest. The fifth lesson found us making herbal vinegars, and
the sixth, making herbal oils.

 

In our last
lesson together, we looked at our thoughts about healing; we discussed the
Scientific goal of fixing the broken machine, the Heroic intention to cleanse
the toxins from our polluted bodies, and the Wise Woman desire to nourish the
wholeness of the unique individual.

 

In this, the
eighth lesson, we return to the herbal pharmacy, to make healing sweets: herbal
honeys, syrups, and cough drops.

 

In our next
lesson, the ninth and last of this series, we will continue our exploration of
the ideas behind healing with a tour of the Seven Medicines.

 

HONEY

Honey has
been regarded as a healing substance for thousands of years. Greek healers
relied on honey water, vinegar water, and honey/vinegar water as their primary
cures. An Egyptian medical text dated to about 2600 BCE mentions honey 500
times in 900 remedies. What makes honey so special?

 

First, honey
is antibacterial. It counters infections on the skin, in the intestines, in the
respiratory system, or throughout the body.

 

Second,
honey is hydroscopic, a long word meaning “water loving”. Honey holds
moisture in the place where it is put; it can even draw moisture out of the
air. A honey facial leaves skin smooth and deliciously moist. These two
qualities - anti-infective and hydroscopic - make honey an ideal healer of
wounds of all kinds, including burns, bruises and decubita (skin ulcers), an
amazing soother for sore throats, a powerful ally against bacterial diarrhea,
and a counter to asthma.

 

Third, honey
may be as high as 35 percent protein. This, along with the readily-available
carbohydrate (sugar) content, provides a substantial surge of energy and a
counter to depression. Some sources claim that honey is equal, or superior, to
ginseng in restoring vitality. Honey’s proteins also promote healing, both
internally and externally.

 

And honey is
a source of vitamins B, C, D and E, as well as some minerals. It appears to
strengthen the immune system and help prevent (some authors claim to cure)
cancer.

 

Honey is
gathered from flowers, and individual honeys from specific flowers may be more
beneficial than a blended honey. Tupelo honey, from tupelo tree
blossoms, is high in levulose, which slows the digestion of the honey making it
more appropriate for diabetics. Manuka honey, from New Zealand, is certified as
antibacterial. My “house brand” is a rich, black, locally-produced
autumn honey gathered by the bees from golden rod, buckwheat, chicory, and
other wild flowers.

 

Raw honey also
contains pollen and propolis, bee and flower products that have special healing
powers.

 

Bee pollen, like
honey, is a concentrated source of protein and vitamins; unlike honey, it is a
good source of minerals, hormonal precursors, and fatty acids. Bee pollen has a
reputation for relieving, and with consistent use, curing allergies and asthma.
The pollens that cause allergic reactions are from plants that are
wind-pollinated, not bee-pollinated, so any bee pollen, or any honey containing
pollen, ought to be helpful. One researcher found an 84 percent reduction in
symptoms among allergy sufferers who consumed a spoonful of honey a day during
the spring, summer, and fall plus three times a week in the winter.

 

Propolis is made by
the bees from resinous tree saps and is a powerful antimicrobial substance.
Propolis can be tinctured in pure grain alcohol (resins do not dissolve well in
100 proof vodka, my first choice for tinctures) and used to counter infections
such as bronchitis, sinusitis, colds, flus, gum disease, and tooth decay.

 

WARNING: All honey,
but especially raw honey, contains the spores of botulinus. While this is not a problem for adults, children under
the age of one year may not have enough stomach acid to prevent these spores
from developing into botulism, a deadly poison.

HERBAL HONEYS

Herbal
honeys are made by pouring honey over fresh herbs and allowing them to merge
over a period of several days to several months. When herbs are infused into
honey, the water-loving honey absorbs all the water-soluble components of the
herb, and all the volatile oils too, most of which are anti-infective. Herbal
honeys are medicinal and they taste great. When I look at my shelf of herbal
honeys I feel like the richest person in the world.

 

Using Your Herbal Honeys

 

Place a
tablespoonful of your herbal honey (include herb as well as honey) into a mug;
add boiling water; stir and drink. Or, eat herbal honeys by the spoonful right
from the jar to soothe and heal sore, infected throats and tonsils. Smear the
honey (no herb please) onto wounds and burns.

 

Make an Herbal Honey

 

• Coarsely
  chop the fresh herb of your choice (leave garlic whole).
• Put chopped
  herb into a wide-mouthed jar, filling almost to the top.
• Pour honey
  into the jar, working it into the herb with a chopstick if needed.
• Add a little
  more honey to fill the jar to the very top.
• Cover
  tightly. Label.

 

Your herbal
honey is ready to use in as little as a day or two, but will be more medicinal
if allowed to sit for six weeks.

 

Herbal
honeys made from aromatic herbs make wonderful gifts.

 

Make a Russian Cold Remedy

 

• Fill a small
  jar with unpeeled cloves of garlic.
• If desired,
  add one very small onion, cut in quarters, but not peeled.
• Fill the jar
  with honey.
• Label and
  cover.

 

This remedy
is ready to use the next day. It is taken by the spoonful to ward off both
colds and flus. It is sovereign against sore throats, too. And it tastes yummy!

 

(Garlic may
also carry botulinus spores, but no
adult has ever gotten botulism from this remedy. A local restaurant poisoned
patrons by keeping garlic in olive oil near a hot stove for months before using
it, though.)

 

Make an Egyptian Wound Salve

 

“I
thought at first this would be dreadful stuff to put on an open wound . . .
Instead, the bacteria in the fat disappeared and when pathogenic bacteria were
added . . . they were killed just as fast,” commented scientists who
tested this formula found in the ancient Smith Papyrus.

 

• Mix one
  tablespoonful of honey with two tablespoonsful of organic animal fat.
• Put in a
  small jar and label.

 

Increase the
wound-healing ability of this salve by using an herbally-infused fat.

 

Make a Remedy to Counter Diarrhea

 

• Fill one
  glass with eight ounces of orange juice.
• Add a pinch
  of salt and a teaspoonful of honey.
• Fill another
  glass with eight ounces of distilled water.
• Add ¼ teaspoonful
  of baking soda.
• Drink
  alternately from both glasses until empty.

 

Make Dr. Christopher’s Burn Healer

 

He
recommends this for burns covering large areas. Keep the burn constantly wet
with this healer for best results.

 

• Place
  chopped fresh comfrey leaves in a blender.
• Add aloe
  vera gel to half cover.
• Add honey to
  cover.
• Blend and
  apply.

 

Best to make
only as much as you can use in a day; store extra in refrigerator.

 

Fresh Plants That I Use to Make Herbal Honeys

 

Anise hyssop
(Agastache foeniculum)

Comfrey leaf
(Symphytum off.)

Cronewort/mugwort
(Artemisia vulgaris)

Fennel seeds
(Foeniculum vulgare)

Garlic (Allium
sativum)

Ginger root
(Zingiber officinalis)

Horseradish
(Armoracia rusticana)

Lavender (Lavendula
off.)

Lemon Balm (Melissa
off.)

Lemon verbena
(Aloysia triphylla)

Marjoram (Origanum
majorana)

Oregano (Origanum
vulgare)

Osha root (Ligusticum
porterii)

Peppermint (Mentha
pipperata)

Rose petals
(Rosa canina and others)

Rose hips (Rosa)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus
off.)

Sage (Salvia
off.)

Shiso (Perilla
frutescens)

Spearmint (Mentha
spicata)

Thyme (Thymus
species)

Yarrow
blossoms (Achillea millefolium)

 

HERBAL
SYRUPS

Herbal
syrups are sweetened, condensed herbal infusions. Cough drops are concentrated
syrups. Alcohol is frequently added to syrups to help prevent fermentation and
stabilize the remedy. Cough drops and lozenges, having less water, keep well
without the addition of alcohol.

 

Bitter
herbs, especially when effective in a fairly small dose, are often made into
syrups: horehound, yellow dock, dandelion, chicory, and motherwort spring to
mind in this regard.

 

Herbs that
are especially effective in relieving throat infections and breathing problems
are also frequently made into syrups, especially when honey is used as the
sweetener: coltsfoot flowers (not leaves), comfrey leaves (not roots),
horehound, elder berries, mullein, osha root, pine, sage, and wild cherry bark
are favorites for “cough” syrups.

 

Using Herbal Syrups

 

A dose of
most herbal syrup is 1-3 teaspoonfuls, taken as needed. Take a spoonful of
bitter syrup just before meals for best results. Take cough syrups as often as
every hour.

 

Make an Herbal Syrup

 

To make an
herbal syrup you will need the following supplies:

 

• One ounce of
  dried herb (weight, not volume)
• A clean dry
  quart/liter jar with a tight lid
• Boiling
  water
• Measuring
  cup
• A
  heavy-bottomed medium-sized saucepan
• 2 cups sugar
  or 1½ cups honey
• A sterilized
  jar with a small neck and a good lid (a cork stopper is ideal)
• A little
  vodka (optional)
• A label and
  pen

 

Place the
full ounce of dried herb into the quart jar and fill it to the top with boiling
water. Cap tightly. After 4-10 hours, decant your infusion, saving the liquid
and squeezing the herb to get the last of the goodness out of it.

 

Measure the
amount of liquid you have (usually about 3½ cups). Pour this into the saucepan
and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat until the infusion is just barely
simmering. Continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half (pour it out
of the pan and into the measuring cup now and then to check). This step can
take several hours; the decoction is not spoiled if it is reduced to less than
half, but it is ruined if it boils hard or if it burns. Keep a close eye on it.

 

When you
have reduced the infusion to less then two cups, add the sugar or honey (or
sweetener of your choice) and bring to a rolling boil. Pour, boiling hot, into
your jar. (Sterilize the jar by boiling it in plain water for a few minutes
just before filling it.) If desired, add some vodka to preserve the syrup.

 

Allow the
bottle of syrup to come to room temperature. Label it. Store it in the
refrigerator or keep it in a cool place.

 

Make Herbal Cough Drops

 

You must
make a syrup with sugar, not honey to make cough drops, but you can use raw
sugar or brown sugar instead of white sugar and it will work just as well.

 

Instead of
pouring your boiling hot syrup into a bottle, keep boiling it. Every minute or
so, drop a bit into cold water. When it forms a hard ball in the cold water,
immediately turn off the fire. Pour your very thick syrup into a buttered flat
dish. Cool, then cut into small squares.

 

A dusting of
powdered sugar will keep them from sticking. Store airtight in a cool place.

 

Make Throat-Soothing Lozenges

 

• Put an ounce
  of marshmallow root powder or slippery elm bark powder in a bowl.
• Slowly add
  honey, stirring constantly, until you have a thick paste
• Roll your
  slippery elm paste into small balls
• Roll the
  balls in more slippery elm powder

 

Store in a
tightly-closed tin. These will keep for up to ten years.

 

Plants That I Use to Make Herbal Syrups

 

Comfrey
leaves (Symphytum uplandica x)

Chicory
roots (Cichorium intybus)

Dandelion
flowers or roots (Taraxacum off.)

Elder
berries (Sambucus canadensis)

Horehound
leaves and stems (Marrubium vulgare)

Motherwort leaves
(Leonurus cardiaca) pick before flowering

Plantain
leaves or roots (Plantago majus)

Osha root (Ligusticum
porterii)

Pine needles
or inner bark (Pinus)

Sage (Salvia
off.)

Wild cherry
bark (Prunus serotina)

Yellow dock
roots (Rumex crispus)

 

Coming up

In our last
lesson of this series, we will examine the Seven Medicines: Serenity Medicine,
Story Medicine, Energy Medicine, LifeStyle Medicine, Herbal and Alternative
Medicine, Pharmaceutical Medicine, and Hi-Tech Medicine.

Experiment
Number One

Make a
simple syrup, using only one plant. Make it once with honey, once with white
sugar, and once with a sweetener of your choice, such as barley malt, agave
syrup, molasses, sorghum syrup, or maple syrup. (See list for suggestions of
plants to use.)

Experiment
Number Two

Make a syrup
with three or more plants. Choose plants that are local to your area, or ones
that you can most easily buy.

Experiment
Number Three

Make three
or more simple herbal honeys using different parts of plants, such as flowers,
leaves, roots, or seeds. (See list for suggestions of plants to use.) 

Experiment
Number Four

Make an
herbal honey with a plant rich in essential oils (such as sage, rosemary,
lavender, or mint). Try it as a wound treatment. Try it on minor burns. Try it
as a facial masque. Record your observations.

Experiment
Number Five

Make one or
more of the recipes in this lesson.

Further
study

1.     
Make a yellow dock iron tonic syrup following the
recipe in my book Wise Woman Herbal for  the Childbearing Year.

 

2.       
Make “Peel Power” following the recipe in my
book New Menopausal Years the Wise
Woman Way.

Advanced
work

Compare the
effects of honey from the supermarket, organic honey, raw honey, and herbal
honey by using each one to treat the same problems and carefully recording your
observations.

 

 

Susun WeedPO Box 64Woodstock , NY 12498Fax:  1-845-246-8081

About the author

Tags: ancient memories, bce, cough drops, eighth lesson, health maintenance, herbal medicine chest, herbal oils, herbal pharmacy, herbal remedies, herbal vinegars, herbalist, honey honey, honey water, how to make a tincture, medical text, plant medicines, syrups, those memories, wholeness, wise woman

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