Herbalism

Herbalism is believed to have originated about 5,000 years ago in the Far East. It was the mainstay of Roman medicine until the Middle Ages when it lost its original nature-cure character by an infiltration of astrology and magic, though the monks continued to cultivate gardens for the benefit of the sick. The use of herbs continued, too, as the basis of country cures and recipes were handed down from generation to generation. An invaluable guide - still on sale today - although it might be difficult to find - was Culpeper's Complete Herbal, a translation from the Latin of the herbalists' pharmacopoeia.

   Herbalists have never claimed that herbs cure in the same sense as antibiotic treatments. All that the herb or its distilled essence can do is assist the body, stimulate its reactions and strengthen the life force so it may heal itself.

   There are about 400 herbs classified into groups which singularly or jointly bring about body fortification. A herbalist diagnoses symptoms and uses botanicals directly to influence the function of a particular ailing organ or of organs in need of attention. There are herbs to help every area of the body and they need not necessarily be distilled into medicine to be healing. They can be eaten raw as in the case of vegetables and cooking herbs, they can be applied externally as poultices or emollients to help inflammations and eruptions.

   Herbs embrace all botanical matters that can be used for the therapeutic purposes - plants, vegetables, fruits and flowers. Herbalists often treat patients whom orthodox doctors have dismissed and many of their cases centre around arthritic and rheumatic conditions, heart ailments, skin complaints, headaches and digestive troubles.

HERBS
Our ancestors profited from the secrets of herbal medicine, and now we are simply rediscovering the healing teas, infusions, gargles and poultices that were used to treat minor illnesses in the family. Certain herbs have certain curative effects, and there are many of them. However, it is not necessary, nor is there usually the time, to become an expert on the subject before you start. Do it gradually, build up your botanical knowledge slowly and surely.

   Begin by limiting your selection to familiar herbs, to the garden and field varieties that flourish locally. Garden herbs are aromatic and can be used in cooking as well as for medicine. Field and floral herbs are almost always purely for medicinal purposes.

   Herb gathering is an art, not only do you have to know what part of the plant to gather, but the time of day and the time of year for the best results. The best hours are usually in the early morning or late afternoon, as the foliage should be dry but not scorched by the sun. It is useless to gather wet plants, for instead of drying out they are apt to mildew. Roots should be pulled in the spring or autumn when they are most juicy. Stalks are particularly full of goodness in the autumn when the rest of the plant has dried out or become inactive. Leaves are generally picked before the flowers appear, exceptions being the aromatic garden herbs, as their active essences do not diminish during flowering. Flowers are better gathered immediately they appear and certainly before pollination. 

   When drying herbs, be absolutely sure that they are put in a dry and airy place, the top of a cupboard, a shelf, a table in a room. Clean them carefully first, usually leaves and flowers are dirt free, but roots need washing and patting dry. Put the herbs on paper, separate the varieties and turn them from time to time.  

   If not used in cooking or applied externally in natural form, herbs give off their active elements in water or in alcohol. For healing purposes, water is usually used, alcohol compounds being for external use only.

There are two techniques, known as infusion and decoction.

• INFUSION - made as tea. Basic recipe, 30 g of the essential ingredient to 500 ml of boiling water. Leaves and flowers should not be boiled, so pour the boiling water over them. The herb should be steeped for a minimum of half an hour and a maximum of 3 hours. For simple tea, leave the pot or cup covered with a cosy for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the strength you prefer. Use only china, glass or ceramic pots, stainless steel or unchipped enamel pans - never aluminium or copper.
  
  The container must be kept covered during steeping, afterwards strain the liquid into a jar or bottle. A herb can also be infused with milk, cold milk absorbs the essences of most herbs without heat. The general recipe is one tablespoon of the herb to every cup of milk, steep for several hours.
   
• DECOCTION - simply boiling and usually necessary with seeds, wood, bark or root of a herb. Put 30 g into a saucepan with 1 litre of cold water. Bring to the boil slowly, then simmer until the water has been reduced by about half - this usually takes about half an hour. Keep the lid on during boiling, and use only stainless steel, earthenware or glass containers. Remove from heat, stir well and allow to cool before straining.

GARDEN HERBS  

• BASIL - Soothing, helps calm the nerves. An infusion of basil taken hot at night encourages perspiration and stops a cold in its early stages. It will help relieve period pains and fend off intestinal infections. The leaves can be effective when applied to insect stings.
   
• BAY LEAF - Antiseptic qualities, hence its wide use in marination and pickling of food, also stimulates the digestion.
   
• MARJORAM (or OREGANO) - An excellent tranquilliser. Good as a tonic and particularly recommended for loss of appetite. Helps cure a headache and hepatitis. People with rheumatism should apply marjoram compresses to the painful areas. For a cold, boil marjoram in water and inhale the vapours. For toothache, drop oil of marjoram on the tooth.
   
• MINT - A very strong antiseptic - even the smell of mint keeps away flies and mosquitoes. Beneficial for the entire digestive system, liver, gall bladder and intestines. Mint can stimulate the heart and the nervous system - it can revive the mind and counteract the enervation of hot weather. Its antiseptic properties make it a good respiratory medicine. At the start of a cold, inhale the vapours from a boiling infusion.
  
     For asthma sufferers and other diseases where shortness of breathe is involved, put a few drops of essence of mint in a cup of warm water, mix thoroughly then bottle and tightly cork. When breath becomes strained, a few drops sprinkled on a handkerchief and held to the mouth and nose, will give relief. Mint is a marvellous remedy for headaches - just placing freshly gathered leaves on the forehead can help. Mint tea can help to cure a headache, and if accompanied by stomach aches, as during a period, add half a teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda before pouring on the water. Also for the head - a warm compress of mint infusion placed on the brow. A drop of essence of mint on the sensitive spot can soothe toothache.
   
• PARSLEY - One of the easiest herbs to grow and should be used liberally. Apart from being rich in vitamin C, it has stimulating properties and is valuable in all liver ailments, particularly jaundice. It makes a pleasant tea, and is good steeped in warm milk. An infusion helps eye ailments. It is known to relieve gout and rheumatism and this recipe for parsley jelly will help those aches and also purify the blood, wash a large bunch of parsley, press it down firmly in a stainless steel or earthenware pot, cover with water. Bring to the boil then simmer with the lid on for two hours. Strain. To each 500 ml of the liquid add 500 g of sugar and the rind of a lemon. Bring to the boil and simmer until it sets.
   
• ROSEMARY - Can alleviate nervous conditions, quicken the senses, clear the vision and help a weak memory. It is helpful in cases of malfunction of the liver and gall bladder, an infusion is a good mouth wash for gums, bad breath, and a sore throat. A hot tea morning and night is recommended for rheumatism and arthritis and a handful of rosemary boiled for 15 minutes in 500 ml of water, makes a good poultice for rheumatism. Rosemary wine is a marvellous tonic for the entire system. Steep 50 g in any Bordeaux for a few days - have a glass with every meal.
   
• SAGE - Strong antiseptic properties. Wounds heal rapidly when washed with sage tea and an infusion can be used as a gargle. Effective for fevers as it reduces night sweating and will help prevent flu developing. It has a regulating effect on the hormones, so it is considered important for pregnant women and during the menopause. A mild tea is useful for girls during puberty. Above all sage will enrich the blood and tone up the system. An after-dinner drink can be made by steeping 50 g of sage in 500 ml of wine, leave for a week, take a small glass after meals - it is great for digestion. Sage is well known for its anti-flatulent properties and can counteract any ill effects foods might have, particularly rich and fatty ones. A cup of sage tea is as effective as any pill, and if you are inclined to feel a little sick, add a quarter of a teaspoon of ground ginger, drink boiling hot. Sage wine is particularly good for those suffering from anaemia and other blood disorders. Make it this way, take half a peck of freshly picked sage leaves, 1,5 kgs seedless raisins, finely chopped, 1,5 kgs brown sugar, put these ingredients into a large earthenware pot and cover with 4 litres warm water, stir until sugar is dissolved then add 7 g of yeast. Let it stand for a week, stirring each day. Strain and, when fermentation is completed, bottle.
   
• THYME - Very strong antibacterial qualities and is a protection against catching colds and flu. Its tonic properties are considerable and it is recommended to sufferers from catarrh or a sore throat. Here's a recipe for a cough medicine, boil 1 tablespoon whole linseed in 1 litre of water, while boiling pour this over 30 g thyme and a finely sliced lemon, sweeten with honey, stir well and strain when cold. The dose is a tablespoonful 5 or 6 times a day. Externally it is a dependable disinfectant, cuts and gashes don't fester if washed with an infusion of thyme. It helps rheumatism and arthritis, particularly as an oil essence in a warm bath. Chopped thyme makes a good poultice for rheumatism, warm a mash of it and apply.