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Post by mnjrutherford on Mar 10, 2011 4:40:56 GMT -5
LOL ok... You sure got me on that one! ;o) I have no idea what you are talking about. I've never heard of it before. Give me some time to poke around and see what I come up with.
My basic philosophy is that you medicate yourself with what you eat. Foods with lots of spices and herbs are better for you than "plain" meat and taters. Curry powder for example has turmeric which is valuable against arthritis among other things. I have very mild arthritis so I try to eat something with turmeric several times a week. Does it truly help? Well, the best I can tell you is that my condition is so mild that it is barely noticeable. Other family sufferers have debilitating pain and they don't eat like I do at all. So, no real science here unfortunately. More like "probability". Still it is less likely to irritate a delicate organ than the pharmahoaxicals! (VERY cool word!)
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Post by scottyboy on Jul 25, 2011 10:28:48 GMT -5
I used to work in a natural health store so was able to pick the brains of many practitioners, and am studying to be one myself. There are many plants that can be grown for medicinal use.
Tumeric- Its roots are a strong anti-inflammatory (a favorite of mine after a long work day) India has been experiencing crop failures and the demand(esp in North America) for high quality tumeric is increasing This would be an excellent crop for a greenhouse farmer.
For any body aches, pains or headaches, I would try magnesium and tumeric first before any chemical painkillers.
Astragalus- Is a chinese herb which is used to boost the Immune system. Caution it will raise the body temperature so its not to be used when one has a fever. Also boosts white blood cell production but is not to be used in people with auto immune disease.
Garlic- A great anti-biotic and immune booster. One of my favorites
Oregano- Is a Potent anti-bacterial plant . Its oils can be used topically, internally or as a natural disinfectant. Warning it is very strong it will kill the harmful and beneficial bacteria in your stomach(which is the base of your immune system)
I personally use garlic for its natural anti-biotic properties as it only kills the harmful bacteria.
Calendula- Can be made into salves or tinctures for the releif of (shallow)cuts , and burns. Amazing!
Parsley- Is Extremely high in vitamin K which aids in bone development.
Ditto on whats been said about the milk thistle, also red clover is a great blood cleanser as well.
Thats All I can think of right now. If these are helpful let me know and il post more.
Blessings
Scott
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Post by mnjrutherford on Feb 21, 2012 12:41:00 GMT -5
THYME - I've been using this herb alone and with other herbs for a variety of purposes over the last couple of years. However, one use is standing out and that is topical for skin issues.
The 2 conditions I've treated (both with GREAT success) are eczema and poison oak/ivy. The eczema sufferer is my daughter, the poison oak/ivy, my husband. With both cases there is severe itching which has been soothed almost instantly when "washed" with thyme tea. In the case of the poison oak/ivy; healing took 3 to 4 days rather than 2 weeks.
The solution formula hasn't changed:
Bring 2 cups cold water to a boil.
Remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons dried thyme.
Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Strain and cool.
Pour over wounds or use to wet clean cloth or cotton balls and then wash area.
I'd love to hear if anyone else tries this.
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Post by traab on Feb 21, 2012 18:50:21 GMT -5
Thanks for this topical. I often have poison ivy to deal with.
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Post by mnjrutherford on Feb 22, 2012 5:00:16 GMT -5
My pleasure. We deal with it on a regular basis here, so we know when we are working with it and take extra precautions to start with. Strip into the washing machine, straight to a COOL water shower, wash with "environmentally safe" dish soap. Why ES dish soap? It has more surfactants so it lifts and removes more of the oils. Why cool water? It doesn't open the pores of the skin so the oils don't penetrate the skin as readily.
If you get a opportunity to try this, I would really love to hear what your results are.
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Post by circumspice on May 16, 2012 1:53:44 GMT -5
I am somewhat prone to urinary tract infections... When I was working overseas, I twice got severe kidney infections. The first one, I had to endure painful injections or be airlifted to Germany... I chose the injections. The second time, I was in a different area & there was virtually no on site medical care. I was knocked down by the kidney infection, virtually unable to do anything. My co-workers were a multi-national bunch of guys. While we were pondering what to do with me, one of my Bosnian co-workers brought me 8 teabags of an herbal tea that is made in Macedonia. It is called Koro Uvae Plus. He told me to drink the tea 3 times a day for as long as I had tea bags. I can attest that I was feeling a great deal of relief within 24 hours & feeling completely well within about 10 days. I did receive antibiotic injections, but not till after the 3rd day of using that tea. Oddly enough, that tea has a fairly pleasant taste. I saved the box & here are the ingredients that are listed:
Koro Uvae Plus:
Uvae Ursi folium 40%
Herniariae herba 20%
Betulae folium 15%
Equiseti herba 15%
Urticae folium 10%
I have a Macedonian friend & he had his wife wipe out their local grocery store shelves for this type of tea. In fact, I got 2 different formulas of essentially the same herbal tea. It differs somewhat in the proportions of the herbs & one of them has more herbs than the one listed above. I can't attest to the effectiveness of this blend because I got it from my friend long after I recovered from the last infection. It is simply called Uve-Mix No. 27.
Uve-Mix No. 27:
Uva Ursi 25%
Rupturewort 20%
Horsetail herb 20%
Birch leaves 15%
Restharrow root 10%
Dogrose berry 10%
Koro Uvae states: Tea for disinfection of the urinary organs.
Uve-Mix No. 27 states: Tea for alleviation of disturbances in the inflammation of the urinary tract.
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 16, 2012 3:20:15 GMT -5
I Googled the first herb (didn't have time for the rest) and it's a pretty interesting page of results. Most of the stuff comes from northern Europe. There are a lot of medicinals in that part of the world that I have never EVER been aware of. Anyhow, World Health Organization has this to say about Uvae Ursi folium: apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4927e/32.htmlThis should be on our "want" list. |
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Post by blueadzuki on May 16, 2012 7:04:49 GMT -5
here's the next one down en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth_Rupturewortas for the rest Beulae Folium is presumaby birch leaf, Equisii Herbum is Horsetail, and Urticae folium would be nettle leaf. In the second list Dogrose berry would be rosehips of a Dog rose. Restharrow is a low growing legume of the genus Ononis. I have some seed for that, if you need it (I got it from Richters when I was trying to guess the mystery legumes) |
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Post by circumspice on May 16, 2012 7:20:57 GMT -5
I Googled the first herb (didn't have time for the rest) and it's a pretty interesting page of results. Most of the stuff comes from northern Europe. There are a lot of medicinals in that part of the world that I have never EVER been aware of. Anyhow, World Health Organization has this to say about Uvae Ursi folium: apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4927e/32.htmlThis should be on our "want" list. One of the reasons why I listed the ingredients is because I felt like some of the folks in this forum would be interested in the benefits of medicinal teas. The two teas I have are both Eastern European in origin. I would never have thought to use it when I was so sick. I'm just lucky that many of my co-workers were Eastern Europeans, who have a long tradition of using medicinal herbs. However, there are many caveats... Read the article from the WHO website for the Uvae Ursi folium... There are several contraindications, as well as a few studies that support the traditional use for urinary tract infections because of its antibacterial properties. But heck, you see even more contraindications in the use of modern pharmaceuticals. |
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Post by circumspice on May 26, 2012 1:49:57 GMT -5
An interesting medicinal plant: (from Wiki article) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunella_%28plant%29Prunella is a genus of seven species of herbaceous plants in the family Lamiaceae, also known as self-heals, heal-all, or "allheal" Traditional medicine Prunella is reported to have an antiseptic and antibacterial effect,[citation needed] and to be particularly good in cases of food poisoning.[citation needed] In the Pacific Northwest, its juice was used by the Quinault and the Quileute on boils. They also used the whole plant to treat cuts and inflammations. Ointments can be made by fixing the plant with grease [disambiguation needed]. Dried Prunella Dried Prunella is used to make a herbal drink to help restore the body to a natural state after eating too many fried foods. It is also used in the treatment of high blood pressure.[citation needed] Scientific study While most of the traditional uses are clinically untested and of unknown efficacy, Prunella vulgaris has been shown to have pharmacological effects in vitro and in some animal models as an antioxidant, immune stimulant, viral replication inhibitor and an anti-inflammatory agent.[1][2][3][4][5][6] P. vulgaris and P. asiatica have shown some anti-(lung)cancer activity in vitro.[7] |
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Post by potter on May 26, 2012 2:52:50 GMT -5
Good one for that is lingonberry or cranberry products, such as juice or crushed berries or even in their dried form.
There is something in those berries..memory fails me at this moment..that will prevent the growth of the bacteria in the bladder.
I used to eat lingonberries regularly when living back in Finland..but since moving to UK..the supply wasn't there as in past and other year, first time in my life, I could feel 'trouble' starting. I resulted to by just ordinary cranberry juice from supermarket..diluted with water and drank small glassfull 3 times a day. After first day symptoms cleared and I carried on drinking for it another few days..and there wasn't 'trouble' no more ;D
Looking at the list of the Uve-mix..Betula (birch) is to increase the 'water flow'..thus keeping flushing the bladder.
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Post by circumspice on May 26, 2012 14:10:31 GMT -5
Curry powder for example has turmeric which is valuable against arthritis among other things. I have very mild arthritis so I try to eat something with turmeric several times a week. Does it truly help? It appears that tumeric has other medicinal properties: www.sci-news.com/othersciences/biochemistry/article00344.htmlNew Study Shows Some Curry Dishes Boost Immune System An international team of researchers has identified why some curry dishes, made with spices humans have used for thousands of years, might be good for your health. A new study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, suggests that curcumin, a compound found in the cooking spice turmeric, can cause a modest but measurable increase in levels of a protein that’s known to be important in the “innate” immune system, helping to prevent infection in humans and other animals. This cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) is part of what helps our immune system fight off various bacteria, viruses or fungi even though they hadn’t been encountered before. Prior to this, it was known that CAMP levels were increased by vitamin D. Discovery of an alternative mechanism to influence or raise CAMP levels is of scientific interest and could open new research avenues in nutrition and pharmacology. |
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Post by mountaindweller on Jun 1, 2012 2:24:24 GMT -5
There's another good book about Herbs: Maria Treben "Gesundheit aus der Apotheke Gottes" I forgot the English title but it is not Health from god's garden. In Autralia There is "How can I use herbs in my Daily life? Isabel Shipard.
Yarrow is great in lettuce, but only some springs and it is a part of Steiners compost preparation, it speeds up the compost. Some small dandelion leaves are good in the salad too. Burnet is a salad herb too and borage both very easy to grow. Nasturium leaves can be used in lettuce too, but the flowers look nicer as well as other edible flowers, but violets I use more for cake decoration. And there is lebanese cress it is VERY easy to grow. And watercress which you best grow with a cutting from your greengrocer. Sorrel goes in the salad too and upland cress (barbera). You must have Lemon balm is very easy to grow. I have a big bush of vietnamese mint but I don't use that herb.
Pineapple sage is delightful.
Sage thyme basil oregano are all healthy and how can you cook without it? I use as well savoury /sariette / Bohnenkraut.
I have alexanders and Angelica, the latter is a bit of an erratic germinator.
If you can grow Aloe vera, then the sap is the best mosquito repellant, but it stains clothes.
Coriander is always good and I use the seeds from the spice rack.
I might have forgotten some of my herbs.
Nettle is a great herb and can be used for spinach, but I tried to sow it from seed and it did NOT come up!!!!
I love basil but how can you save basil seeds??
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Post by Drahkk on Jun 1, 2012 2:44:06 GMT -5
I love basil but how can you save basil seeds?? Let the flowers dry on the plant, then tap them over a white paper plate, paper towel, or something else that will make it easier to spot the little black seeds. They should just roll out. If you still aren't getting many, you can pluck the flowers and bring them inside to dry further for a few days. As long as the flowers were mostly dry on the plant the seeds should be mature. MB |
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 1, 2012 5:13:55 GMT -5
Yep, Drahkk is spot on with his recommendations. That's how I do it as well. I've sent seed to a few other members of the board and they have reported good germination results. Also, the stuff will reseed depending on where you are located. I'm a zone 8 and it reseeds beautifully for me so I haven't been as keen to save the seed the last few years. It also keeps for several years as I just threw out the last of my basil seed hoard and I've got wee sprouts everywhere.
A word about bee balm. We started this one from seed but this is a plant that really establishes itself from the roots. After about 4 years we have a fair sized patch of the stuff going strong on the far side of the property. The fragrance of the leaves is just amazing. I want to establish this patch as an official "bed". Surround it with a grass killing layer of mulch that will both increase the available space for spreading next year and create an area where we might add some bulbs for a touch of color as well. Maybe spread some thyme and rosemary to the area as well?
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