Have you ever wondered what came first – a combination of food with herb because of complimenting flavours, or a combination of food with herb for health benefits?

I have been thinking about this one a bit recently.  We associate a rich pork roast with sage, Eastern Europeans wouldnt dream of eating their cabbage without carraway, winter savoury is linked to beans and if you are a fan of goose then adding mugwort is a must. We associate those flavours but the herbs in question each help with the digestion of the foods involved. Sage and mugwort cut through the fattiness and richness, carraway and winter savoury combat the “windy” consequences of eating cabbage and beans.  So which came first?

Did our ancestors somewhere down the track realise that sage made them feel better after eating rich, fatty meat dishes? Or was that a side effect of pairing the foods purely based on taste?  Oh, and wasnt Mother Nature wonderful for designing it this way?

BTW, I have decided that the pairing was based on their health benefits and because they have always been paired we are so used to the taste and find it appealing.  Herbal conditioning if you will.  Oh, I like that – herbal conditioning.  Hmm maybe not, makes me think of hair care products.

Anyway….

At a time when there were no health food stores and online herb suppliers not everyone had access to medicinal herbs.  Or did they?  People distinguish between medicinal and culinary herbs but really, culinary herbs ARE medicinal as well.  So what do you do when you cant get what you want? You make do with what you do have.

Shops and markets are full of herbs meant for the kitchen and these herbs can be used to stock your home pharmacy.
I wont go through all the commonly used culinary herbs, their uses and healing properties, but here are a few to spark your interest.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) –  Favoured by the Italians, basil quickly loses it volatile oils and flavour so it is best added at the end of the cooking process.  There are so many culinary uses for Basil and it is great combined with tomato.  Medicinally, basil is used to combat stress, tension and nervous indigestion.  It is cooling to the body and a natural mood enhancer.

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) – Cloves are often associated with Mexican and Indian cuisine and old recipes that grandma used to make.  Medicinally, clove oil is a well known (if pungent) remedy for toothache. It is an analgesic with powerful germicidal properties.  Cloves have been known to reduce fever. Often prepared as a decoction or infusion it can be made more palatable by adding cinnamon and apple peel.

Sage (Salvia officinalis)—Sage is a stable in many European kitchens. It’s flavour make it a perfect pairing with  meats and cheeses. Of course, what could be better that a sage flavoured stuffing for your chicken roast? Medicinally, it is a virtual cure all. Sage can be used as an astringent and has antibiotic properties. It improves sluggish digestion and sage tea is excellent for a chronic cough.   For centuries sage has been used by lactating mothers to dry up the milk supply when weaning a baby.  The smoke from burning sage is used to cleanse and purify spaces.

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)—Very little nutmeg is needed to lend it’s slightly sweet, spicy flavour to milk based sauces, or in brewed drinks like eggnog, mulled wine, and mulled cider.  Medicinally, it is used to treat nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. Large doses of nutmeg can be toxic.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)—Rosemary is a woody, evergreen with a wonderful smell. Its flavour is often associated with many dishes from the Mediterranean. It enhances the flavours of meats, gravies, risotto dishes, and stocks beautifully.  Medicinally, Rosemary is a great herb for the mind. Rosemary has been used to improve mental faculties for many hundreds of years . It contains a compound (carnosic acid) which may be of use in the treatment of neuro-degenerative diseases.  Rosemary in food and as an essential oil can be used to ease headaches and it is often used to combat depression.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)—Thyme is is found widely in culinary dishes all over the world, found in many  meat, tomato, and egg dishes. It is a natural expectorant which makes it an excellent remedy for throat or bronchial problems. Being a natural antiseptic, you can use the infusion to make a gargle which reduces the inflammation associated with a sore throat.

The medicinal uses of kitchen herbs seems to have been largely forgotten. Have a look around your kitchen and see what herbs and spices you use.  Why not research their healing properties and find out what else you could be using them for?

Stay herbal

Yesterday I read a friend’s status update on Facebook where she mentioned that cinnamon was a good treatment for keeping ants out of your house.  This advice comes in handy for the battle I have been waging with ants of all shapes and sizes at my house, but it also reminded me that I have been meaning to share with you the good stuff about cinnamon that is being researched as we speak.

Everyone knows cinnamon, at the very least from the sprinkles on their buns and that it is one of the essential smells of Christmas. It has been around since ancient times – 2500 year old Chinese writings and even the Bible make mention of it. The Egyptians imported cinnamon from China and used it as an embalming agent. The Romans burned it at funerals. Cinnamon was one of the first spices to be traded between Asia and Europe and for awhile Venetian merchants controlled the entire cinnamon trade in Europe. This motivated other European explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries to travel the globe in search of this precious spice. By the early 19th century plantation had sprung up around the world, making it a far more accessible commodity.

There are two types of cinnamon commonly used. In the West we generally use Cinnamon zeylanicum which is the tan coloured stick you will no doubt be familiar with. In China the native Cinnamon cassia is used.

The bark is the most commonly used part of the cinnamon tree, although the Chinese do like using the twigs as well.  You can also use the essential oil, which is distilled from the bark.

Both members of the cinnamon family share carminative, astringent, aromatic and stimulant properties and contain volatile oils (cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, cinnamic acid, weitherhin), mucilage, diterpenes, proanthocyanidins.

What that means is that cinnamon is warming, will promote sweating and aids digestion. It is also a uterine stimulant so pregnant women are advised to avoid therapeutic doses.  The essential oil is a strong antibacterial and antifungal treatment.

Now, the world of diabetes (if there is such a thing) has been abuzz for some time now with some very promising research being done in Pakistan. There researchers have been studying the effects of cinnamon cassia on blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes.  The evidence strongly suggests that by including cinnamon in your diet (say about 1/2 teasp a day) you could reduce your blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. Very exciting stuff, especially since Type 2 diabetes is on such a steep rise around the world.

Oh, as a side note. I thought I would just point out that eating enough cinnamon buns to make up 1/2 teasp of ground cinnamon is unlikely to drop your blood sugar levels seeing just how much carbs and sugar you will be consuming at the same time.

Cinnamon is great added to milk drinks, sprinkled on desserts and fabulous in stews and curries.  Of course it is also available in capsules.

It was a really exciting contest to watch, votes coming in from all sorts of places and for the most part it was a very tight race between cover #2 and cover #6.  Now, for those of you who are of the impatient kind, I shall waffle on no more….

THE WINNING COVER IS…….

**drum roll please**

and I am very happy to announce the winner of an autographed copy of “Herbology At Home: Making Herbal Remedies”.

Congratulations Leslie Postin from Comfrey Cottages!

I will contact you for your mailing details

Thank you all so much for helping me select the best book cover.  Here is how you voted:

#1 – 1 vote

#2- 14 votes

#3 – 4 votes

#4 – 1 vote

#5 – 0 votes

#6 – 17 votes

Thank you everyone, for taking part in this contest and allowing me to see what YOU, a sample of my potential readership look for in a cover.

At this stage “Herbology At Home: Making Herbal Remedies” will be available as of April.  If anyone is interested in getting pre-sales order copies, or additional copies of I will be taking pre sale orders until mid March.

Product Details:
Paperback: 62 full colour pages
Publisher: Natator Publishing (March, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9807668-0-6
Dimensions: 8.5″ x 5.5″

PRICE IN AU$ INCLUDING POSTAGE

AUSTRALIAN ORDERS $17.75 US ORDERS $22.45 UK/EUROPEAN ORDERS $22.45

 
 
If you would rather pay by cheque please include  a note, with your name shipping address and  send to:

Natator Publishing
PO Box 37
Sumner Park, QLD 4074

(Please email me and let me know either way so I can order the correct number of books)
 
 

Well my wonderful Herb Lovers I have very exciting news.

I am officially an author!

Herbology At Home is the quintessential guide to all the herbal remedy formulas you’ll ever need. There is no unnecessary padding, just the important stuff and nothing but the important stuff. Written with the home user in mind, in a language that is easy to follow.

I would like to involve YOU in the process and have decided to put up a contest for the front cover. There will be 6 cover choices – I like all of them and am finding it hard to pick one.

So here is how it works – Post a comment below as to which cover you like the best. Feel free to leave  a short reason why you picked it. I’ll count the votes next week. As a thanks for your participation I will put everyone’s name in a hat and the first name I draw gets a free autographed copy of the book! If I get 50 votes or more I’ll throw a second free book in the draw

You wont be able to count the votes here, because I’ll have votes coming in via Twitter and email as well.

Here is the back cover text to tell you what Herbology At Home is about.

“Do you want to learn more about the traditions and lore we used before pharmaceuticals ran the world?

Learn age old methods of making herbal tea, tinctures, ointments, oils and much more.

Herbology at Home is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide to making every herbal remedy you will ever need.  Mastering these formulas is easy, so you too can learn to safely make herbal preparations for natural health and healing for the whole family.”

It’s up to you now Herb Lovers – I cant wait to see your choice!

It’s very exciting to not know the front cover that will grace your first book.

Stay herbal

Caveat emptor – “Let the Buyer Beware” – not usually a principle applied to herbal medicine, but it should be.

Recently in the news there has been much talk about toxic herbal cures and herbal remedies having devastating effects. And while these headlines are attention getting and sensational, they may also have a detrimental effect on herbal medicine and how it is perceived by the public at large.

I have always made a big point about safety, educating yourself about the properties of the herbs you take, learning about possible interactions with other drugs and assuring that the products you buy come from reputable sources which offer a consistently high quality. To me this is totally common sense.  But it would seem that there are people out there who believe any old advertisement, buy exotic cure alls which may end up doing more harm than good.

Last week The Australian reported some details of herbal interactions and considerations that people may not be aware of :

“St John’s wort, commonly taken for depression, anxiety and sleep disorders, was known to interfere with medication prescribed for irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, he said.

Ginkgo biloba, which is said to improve circulation, raises the risk of excessive bleeding in those taking warfarin or aspirin. Garlic, taken in high concentrations in pills, could also interfere with warfarin.”

If you have a serious health issue, you must always tell your health professional.  They SHOULD have information about interactions with your present medication. If they do not, ASK them to find out for you.

A few days ago, again in The Australian,  health editor Adam Cresswell warns readers of herbal products that are not as they appear. He cites several cases where children were treated with remedies from far away places that were contaminated with seriously dangerous substances like arsenic and heavy metals. In this article Roger Byard, a forensic pathologist at the University of Adelaide warns of the dangers of herbal medicines whereas “Marc Cohen, professor of complementary medicine at RMIT, backed the call for patients to tell their doctors about their herbal treatments, but rejected Professor Byard’s warnings as “alarmist”. “If you looked at the number of food poisoning cases, and the number of toxins in food, you wouldn’t go near it,” Professor Cohen said. “Everyone needs to be careful with anything they put in their mouth . . . Herbal medicines are safe, and are relatively well-regulated in Australia.”

Marc Cohen is co-author of a  fantastic book that I refer to frequently.  Herbs & Natural Supplements: An evidence-based guide

It lists 120 of the most popular herbs, nutrients and food supplements used across Australia and New Zealand, giving details on daily intake, main actions/interactions, adverse reactions and drug interactions.  A must have if you are serious about SAFE natural health for your loved ones.

As usual it’s all about education and moderation. Dont try to treat a family member’s cancer with an exotic wonder drug that you havent first researched and run by the appropriate medicos.  It’s insane to think that just because it is natural it is always safe.

As a side note, but and IMPORTANT side note: If you wild craft, i.e. gather your herbs in the wild, make sure that you correctly identify the plants you are picking and be aware of the environment they grew in.  There is no point picking at the side of a major highway or in an area of heavy industry. Chances are that the plants have absorbed a lot of nasties from the air and could possibly be very dangerous to your health.

If you buy over the internet from unknown sources – do your research before you risk your health and that of your family.

Caveat emptor – “Let the Buyer Beware” – not usually a principle applied to herbal medicine, but it should be.

Stay herbal

GOOD NEWS!

The new site is definitely taking shape.

Of course the existing site has been delivering great content since it started and this blog has been super busy this year already. The Herbology FaceBook page now has over 500 fans as well.  We are growing incredibly fast.

So it is time to catch up with these increasing numbers and become a Social Herb Community in which members can interact and be a lot more involved in what’s going on. In order to do that and to meet all of your individual needs I need your help.

This  is your chance to build your perfect Social Herb Community!!
Please take part in this survey I have put together for all you herb lovers out there. The new Herbology site will be a place to learn, share and connect people with a common interest or passion. Click here to take survey

For those of you who are a natural health professional or related business the new herb community site offers great social network marketing potential.  Here is a survey just for you.  Click here to take survey

But that doesnt mean you can’t share your input in both surveys.

I am so excited about seeing all your answers and suggestions.  It will be a joy putting it all together for you.
Soon I will be able to tell you what it is you have requested and how it will shape the new Herbology – Herb Community.
Until then,

Stay herbal

AnkeB

Do you suspect something is missing from modern society?

Do you wish you could give your child a free and natural childhood and reconnect with the traditional women’s wisdom that was once passed down through the generations?

Do you want to take control of the health of those you love the most while creating new traditions and connections with your children that they can then pass on to theirs?

A brand new Herbology is on its way!

With her grandmother AnkeB explored the fields and forests of Germany and climbed the foothills of the Austrian alps where women hand down from mother to daughter the secrets of herb lore. She now brings this Herbology lore to women in Australia who want to learn more about the traditions and lore we used before pharmaceuticals ran the world.

Learn how to make herbal teas, infusions, decoctions, tinctures, oils, ointments, creams and much, much more.
Find your way to natural health and save yourself a fortune in medical and chemist bills.

Stay Herbal and Register Now

to be a part of Australia’s ONLY herb community that caters to the home user – YOU!

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Hello Herb Lovers,

My black chilli bush is bursting with fruit so I thought I would put my mind as to what to do with it all.  It’s only a little bush but it more than covers our use of chilli.  This particular bush is a “Black Pearl”.  The chillies are not as long and slim as Serano but short and fat. This is a very pretty short bush – all black with black/green leaves & purple flowers.

Fruit starts out black, never green…..when ripe turns a fiery red. Seriously hot when red. I like them black as they are still hot but have a fruitier taste.  This is the reason I picked both red and black and am now going to turn my hand at braiding them.  I found this site on the net which gives instructions – of course I opted for the easy version since my chillies are only little. It wont be a very impressive braid but I will be proud nonetheless (uhm, if it works).

Yay, it worked Little Trouble (aged3) helped with the threading. I put my lovely braid on some basil for effect as it really looked a bit sad on its own on the table top.  It’s only little but it looks rather fetching, dont you think?

So now some information about chilli also called chili, chile and hot peppers. The plants are from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Of course Capsicum covers a whole range of fruit from the fiercest little firebombs to the very mild bell pepper. But I am just concentrating on the hotter varieties in this post.

Where chillies originated seems to a bit vague, but it is most widely accepted that Columbus found them on his journey through the Americas and named them peppers due to the similar taste of what we know as black pepper.  He then spread them across Spain and Portugal from where the Portuguese introduced them to India and the Phillipines. This all took place during the 1500’s but some point out that chillies were in use in the Americas for thousands of years BC.  I guess it all depends on where you start counting. I usually go from the European perspective as my point of reference since I rely on a lot of old European texts for my information.

Medicinally, the bitter alkaloid capsaicin is responsible for the hot taste and modern science found this to be a great painkiller. Everyone who has ever eaten hot chillies will be able to attest to the sweat inducing properties which combined with the antibacterial properties of chillies makes it ideal for colds and chills. Other benefits include increased blood flow, increased appetite, relieves indigestion and aids in the treatment of sore throats and laryngitis.  Topically it can be added to massage oil to improve circulation and help with rheumatism, arthritis, aching joints and muscles.

In the kitchen there are so many uses for this fiery ingredient.  A little goes a long way and rarely does a recipe call for quantities that blow off the roof of your mouth. There are so many recipes for chillies I am not going to go into detail.

But here are some other ideas for your next chilli crop.

Apart from drying your chillies, the next best way to preserve your hard earned harvest is to make a Sambal. I use the term a bit loosely and it may not strictly be the Indonesian or Malay version of the same name.  Traditionally you would blend up your chillies with some garlic, sugar, salt, rice wine vinegar and oil. But I just blend the chillies with the oil and that way I am not guided by the Asian combination of hot, sweet, salty and sour. It lasts forever and makes pretty gifts for your cook friends.

Then you could make chilli pastes – spice pastes to match your favourite cuisines.  You can flavour oils, make dressings which look great when you can see the chilli in the bottle. Or if you have way too much you can just hang braids of dried fruit up in the kitchen for a rustic look.

Even if you dont grow your own chillies, quite often you will find a glut of them at the markets so you can buy up big for little money.

Stay herbal

Hello Herb Lovers,

So you are interested in the wonderful health benefits of herbs and want to include them in your health regime.  But it is all a bit iffy, scary and maybe it’s only for the more “green extreme” members of society and not for everyday, normal you.  I am here to tell you that there is nothing scary about making your own herbal remedies.  Actually, herbal remedies have become very mainstream.  You dont believe me?  Well I can prove it to you!

Here is a recent episode of Better Homes and Gardens – how much more mainstream can you get? -  showing you how to make three different herbal remedies at home.  All three are great, but I would add to the first one that if you leave your infused oil on the stove for an hour, turn the heat off every now and them because you do not want to FRY the calendula flowers.

I already use the calendula ointment (although I add a few other herbs to mine) and the steambath but I will definitely try the lozenges once the winter colds threaten.  Will you give making your own herbal remedies a go?  It’s so easy it’s even on mainstream TV

If you are looking for more ideas there are some great, easy to follow step-by-step instructions right here

Stay herbal