Comfrey – Grow your own treatment for back pain, sprains and strains
Comfrey is known for its unparalleled healing properties. Traditionally used to aid in the healing of wounds, fractures, as well as ulcers.
Lemon Balm – Not just good for the bees
There is evidence that lemon balm has been in use for over 200 years with the Swiss physician Paracelsus calling it the “elixir of life”. Many old herbalists refer to it as a comforter to the heart and that it will drive away melancholy and sadness. In other words, even in the old days it was well known for its antidepressant properties.
Herbal Shampoo – Natural health starts at the top
Making your own hair products from scratch is not as big a job as you might think. Treating your tresses with Mother Nature’s bounty is a great way to pamper yourself and to let your hair recover from the rigors of modern life.
Can you afford to get sick? Boost Your Health with Herbs
You work, run a family, you have a myriad of commitments – if you are like the average person today then you just can not afford to get sick. Our immune system is negatively affected by physical and emotional stress, as well as poor diet or lifestyle choices. Mother Nature has thought way ahead of
No friends of people’s medicine
January 27, 2012 
anke 
I apologise in advance if this is a tad too political for your liking. For the record, it is for mine too, but I just couldnt stand by and let this ridiculous matter go without having brought it to your attention.
You see, here in Australia there is this group that call themselves ‘Friends of Science in Medicine’, a bunch of more than 400 doctors, medical researchers and scientists who have taken it upon themselves to bully our universities into closing down all alternative medicine degrees. The many disciplines that this covers, such as traditional Chinese herbal medicine, chiropractics, homeopathy, naturopathy, reflexology and aromatherapy, have been called “quackery” and the vice chancellors of the universities that teach these courses have been told that their reputations are trashed by failing to support only evidence-based medicine and science.
How nice of these people to be so concerned for the reputation of our universities and how lucky we have them to save us from our ignorant ways….NOT!
The group, which names world-renowned biologist Sir Gustav Nossal and the creator of the cervical cancer vaccine Professor Ian Frazer among its members, is also campaigning for private health insurance providers to stop providing rebates for alternative medical treatments.
A co-founder of the group, Emeritus Professor John Dwyer, of the University of NSW, who is also a government adviser on consumer health fraud, said it was distressing that 19 universities were now offering “degrees in pseudo science”.
“It’s deplorable, but we didn’t realise how much concern there was out there for universities’ reputations until we tapped into it,” Professor Dwyer said. “We’re saying enough is enough. Taxpayers’ money should not be wasted on funding [these courses] … nor should government health insurance rebates be wasted on this nonsense.” Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/tertiary-education/scientists-urge-unis-to-axe-alternative-medicine-courses-20120125-1qhtm.html#ixzz1kdNpBzZW
Demand for courses in complementary medicine continues to grow throughout the country, surely this has to be a sign that the population WANT these studies to continue. I’m not sure where Prof Dwyer thinks his REAL science started out but I think that perhaps his education is not as complete as he might think.
Please people, as much as you can, support this matter. Let your voices be heard. Education is a right and let popularity dictate what is being taught and what is not. It is not a political matter and as such people like ‘Friends of Science in Medicine’ should keep their narrow little minds out of what they do not understand.
Take this arsenic and see me in the morning
In Victorian times (1837-1901) there was a radical change in healthcare available to the average person on the street. At a time when it was too expensive to seek ‘professional’ medical help, there was a sudden influx of chemist stores offering medicines and wonder cures amongst their wares. Many of these remedies were age old folk medicine and others we now know to be horrible toxins that were sold under the guise of science.
These days some of us feel similarly about mordern pharmaceuticals even though the science behind it has come a long, long way. Where it used to be common to find medicines containing heroin, cocaine, asbestos, lead and arsenic, today we know that those substances did not cure anything at all and in fact made many people much more ill (and often a lot less alive in general). The picture I used above is for a Soothing Syrup, which is an innocuous name for opium drops given to infants and children to keep them quiet.
What is old is new again and just as fashion trends keep coming back around, so do a lot of other things that were once deemed outdated. Yes of course, I am talking about old folk remedies and natural “cures”.
As it seems to be once again the time of year for horrid coughs, regardless of whether you are in the northern or southern hemisphere, I consulted my copy of Victorian Pharmacy to see if I could find some interesting recipes to share with you.
Marshmallow Milk – to relieve a hoarse cough
1 oz freshly grated marshmallow root
1 pint milk
1-2 tablespoons honey (or to taste)
- Put the marshmallow root and milk in apan and bring gently to the boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Strain and add honey, mix well.
- Take one teaspoon three times a day.
- This mixture does not keep for more than a couple of days.
Horseradish Syrup – for a persistent cough
1 1/2 oz chopped horseradish root
1 1/2 pints water
1 lb golden granulated sugar (or jar of honey)
- Put horseradish and water in a pan, bring gently to the boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Strain and discard root.
- Return liquid to the heat and simmer until reduced to 7 fl oz.
- Add sugar or honey.
- Simmer gently, stirring continuously until everything is dissolved.
I really wanted to make these two recipes before writing this post, because I dont like telling you about things I havent even tried myself.
Try as I might I can not get my hands on fresh horseradish or marshmallow root (but I havent stopped trying), so for now I am passing on the recipes for information and entertainment. If you do want to make these, let me know of the result please 
Herbal Bath Cookies
Forgive me for stealing this post from my other blog, but I think you guys will love the idea and herbal possibilities of this recipe too.
Bath cookies! This one tickled my fancy as it combines cooking (well baking), herbs (which I love) and natural skin care (which I also love). I think these would make a love gift too – think birthdays, Mother’s Day, anniversaries etc. Just wrap them in cellophane, tie with a pretty ribbon, hey presto boutique skin care present.
Ingredients
500g fine sea salt
60g cornflour, with more for rolling
140g bicarbonate of soda
3 teaspoons dried, chopped lavender or sage (optional)
2 eggs
30 ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil (you can break open several 500IU capsules)
8 drops essential oil of your choosing
Method
- Preheat oven to 180° C.
- In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and stir until you form a dough.
- Pick walnut sized pieces of dough, roll into balls.
- Place balls on ungreased baking paper, 2 – 3cm apart, squish down to make flat rounds about 5mm to 1cm thick.
- Bake for 10 – 12 minutes. Cool. Store in airtight container.
- Place 1 or 2 cookies into the bath while the water runs.
My observations
Easy to make, easy to bake.
I made half the batch which resulted in 7 decent sized cookies. I used dried, chopped rose petals instead of lavender or sage, because I had them at home from another project, and 2 drops of rosemary essential oil, 2 drops of lemon essential oil.
When I washed the mix off my hands it left them beautifully smooth with a delicate fragrance.
There are so many herbal combinations you could try with this one, I will happily make this one again for myself and as a present idea for friends.
Stay herbal
AnkeB
Moon Tea – Making an infusion by the light of the full moon
Last night the first full moon for the new year rose in all her glory. It was my intention to make a Moon infusion (also known as Moon Tea) with fresh comfrey leaves and flowering stalks from the garden. The reason I chose comfrey was that, apart from its incredible healing powers, it is associated with prosperity and protection. The idea was that at this time of year, where new goals and ambitions are at the forefront of the mind, it would be a good idea to back up all the good intentions and dreams with a bit of help from Mother Nature.
Apparently I needed something comepletely different because Mother Nature intervened in my plans.
Yesterday we had the hottest day in several years. The original plan was to pick my comfrey first thing in the morning before the heat of the day could zap all its active compounds. When I got up it was already too hot. During the day temperatures reached over 40° C/105F so there was no hope of picking any comfrey or any other fresh herb for that matter.
Looking at my dried herb stores I wondered what to substitute and was drawn to lemon balm. So I filled my jar with a handful of dried lemon balm and purified water, closed it and placed it out into the light of the moon for the night.
This morning I looked deeper into the symbolism of my lemon balm moon infusion to see what message Nature sent me with this choice.
As it turns out, lemon balm shares many lunar female properties. It is beneficial for the inner work of examining suppressed feelings and emotions. In folklore, lemon balm was used to ward off evil, and to promote good health, love, and good cheer. The calming effects of this herb allow you to look deeply without getting carried away with the emotions examined. In meditation lemon balm can help you identify trouble and find ways to adapt, overcome and even thrive because of it, or maybe in spite of it.
Interesting? You bet!
Stay herbal
AnkeB
Have you ever made a Moon infusion?
Did you know you can do the same in the light of the Sun?
New Herb Group in Derby UK
If you are in the East Midlands of the UK, Derby to be specifically, then you are a very lucky herb lover indeed. The Herbal Haven Herb Group is being launched in April 2012 and I so wish I was local so I could attend. The programme for the year looks awesome. Thanks to Debs Cook, a former council member of the Herb Society (UK), for once again being an active herb campaigner and getting the knowledge to the people.
Go check out Herbal Haven Herb Group for details of talks, demonstrations, workshops, outings and so much more
Memories that shape us
This year my end of year message was going to be a deep and meaningful account of the kind of Christmases I grew up with and how those memories come back every year to make me ‘homesick’. Many of the traditions I remember I now know to be of ancient, pre-christian origins, of course at the time I had no idea. I was going to talk about rituals and traditions whether they be cultural, religious or just family and how they shape us. There was to be some more about tolerance and acceptance, about being true to yourself and those around you. Instead, I have spent my time in the kitchen and with the children, oh ok and a fair amount of time on the computer doing things other than writing the above post of course.
So here is my message….short and sweet…..and from the heart.
Fancy a cup of NOT tea?
Q:When is a cup of tea not a cup of tea?
A: When there is no tea in it.
As much as we like to call it herbal tea, it is actually incorrect. The method of brewing a hot drink is called an infusion. You infuse the properties of the plant material into near boiling water. This plant material can be many things, be it tea, herbs or fruit. So, tea is an infusion, but not all infusions are tea.
So we can call it a herbal infusion, which would be entirely correct or we can call it a tisane (tee-zahn), a name that was first used in the 14th century and is popular again in teahouses around the world.
“Great love affairs start with Champagne and end with tisane.”
— Honore de Balzac.
Tea (Camellia sinensis), comes in many guises. You may be familiar with black, green, white and oolong but there is much more to tea. Now I am not the person to tell you about tea because I am the herb nut, but I met a very knowledgeable tea nut recently, so if you would like to know more about tea, it’s benefits and everything you could ever possibly want to know about tea – please see May King at Mayking Tea
Stay herbal
AnkeB
On my mind …. Sweet Woodruff
This is a Friday photo feature that anyone with a blog can join. To take part, post a photo on your own blog, write a short caption explaining it, and link it back to here from your blog by saying you’re part of “On my mind”. Please write a new post, don’t link to an older one. When you’ve done that, come back here and add a comment below, with a link to your blog. (Thanks to Rhonda from Down to Earth for this idea)
While growing up in Germany we would often have bright green syrups or jellies which I later learned were flavoured with Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum). Two days ago, while on a Christmas Foodie Tour (hosted by Taste Trekkers) I found a carbonated softdrink which is also flavoured with the same herb. Of course I had to buy it and see if the taste is that of my childhood and it is. Not overly sweet, it has a flavour that is difficult to describe. Maybe floral is another word for it, very pleasant that’s for sure. I always wondered if the bright colour was natural or added artificially.
So today sweet woodruff is on my mind. I’d like to find some, fresh of course, to play with and see if I can recreate recipes of old. Oh, that reminds me, one of the quirky ways of using the sweet, green syrup is to add it to a light wheat beer and turn it into a Berliner Weiße, a drink popular in Berlin dating back to the 16th century.
Herbal Christmas Projects – Brighten your holidays with herbs
The silliness of the season is well and truly upon us here at Herbology HQ. There is some manic gift making and the decorations are all finally up – better late than never.
For those of you who are still in need of some herbaceous holiday ideas, never fear – I have searched the Net for some lovely herbal projects for you.
How about making a Herbal Holiday Kissing Ball?
“Rosemary, sage, lavender, anise hyssop, lemon geranium, oregano thyme and boxwood make this Victorian kissing ball an eye-catching touch for any room.”
A Scented Candle Ring will make your table extra festive.
“Fill the room with the aromatic scent of cinnamon, orange, cloves, nutmeg and anise. With a few easy-to-find potpourri ingredients you can make a scented candle ring that will give your home a wonderful fragrance.”
Pamper that special someone with a Lavender Eye Pillow.
“Beautifully made dream pillows and eye pillows are the epitome of pampering!”
And if you need to include even more herbal goodness in your holiday season you might be surprised at the hidden herbal benefits that are already part of your festive cheer.
Cranberries: “A landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (October 6, 1998) found that condensed tannins, also known as proanthocyanidins, are the compounds in cranberry responsible for preventing and treating urinary tract infections. The Rutgers University team of scientists confirmed that these compounds, also present in blueberries, work by preventing E. coli bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract. The researchers used a process called bioassay-directed fractionation to isolate the compound, a process that took almost five years to complete. The Rutgers Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension Center has been conducting research and developing new cultivars of these two fruits since 1962.” (BW Healthwire, October 6, 1998.)
Red Wine – (not strictly a herb but it’s a plant with health benefits so it counts 
) “The “French paradox” is a term that refers to the apparent contradiction observed in European populations who consume high fat diets, yet enjoy a reduced mortality from coronary artery disease. This surprising fact has been attributed to the beneficial effects of red wine, which contains antioxidant compounds such as resveratrol, catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidins. Results from this laboratory study suggest that the polyphenolic compounds present in red wine also may confer protection against ischemic reperfusion injury (damage that occurs when blood flow is restored to the heart). These benefits are believed to be related to the peroxyl radical scavenging abilities of compounds such as resveratrol and proanthocyanidins.” (Das D, Sato M, Ray P, et al. Cardioprotection of red wine: role of polyphenolic antioxidants. Drugs Exptl Clin Res 1999; 25(2/3): 115-120.)
Basically – EAT AND BE MERRY - it may even be good for you!!!
Stay herbal
