Online Resources
HerbMentor.com : An online herbal learning community.
LearningHerbs.com : The place to get you started in using and learning herbs for family use.
Family Herbal Remedies : Another sister website from the Gallagher’s!
Henriette’s Herbal Homepage : A good website to have bookmarked for looking up different herbs.
Southwest School of Botanical Medicine : A wealth of information, for the person really wanting to study herbs.
Vidoes
HerbTV YouTube channel
HerbMentor YouTube channel
Helpful Books
Naturally Healthy Babies by, Aviva Jill Romm
The Natural Pregnancy Book by, Aviva Jill Romm
Healing Wise by, Susun S. Weed
Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal by, Rosemary Gladstar
Well Known Herbalists
Susun S. Weed David Hoffman
Gail Faith Edwards Rosemary Gladstar
Linda Runyon Richo Cech
Dinah Falconi Lesley Tierra
Handouts from Class: we are working on how to put these as word document downloads!
The Herbal Primer
Here are 4 ways to classify herbs- Nourishing, Tonifying, Stimulating/Sedating, Potentially Poisonous
Nourishing- Contain few or no alkaloids, glycosides, resins, or essential oils (plant poisons).
- Eaten as food
- High levels of vitamins, minerals, proteins and essential fatty acids (EFA)
Examples- Burdock root, Chickweed, Nettle, Oatstraw, Seaweeds
Tip- Water bases, such as infusions or teas, may generally be taken in any quantity.
Tonifying- May contain alkaloids, glycosides, or essential oils, but rarely in quantities to harm.
- Cumaltive effect rather than immediate effects
- Used regularly by not daily
- Alcohol and water bases common
- Side effects from overuse and misuse of tonics are not common but quite possible.
- Examples- Dandelion, Chasteberry, Burdock seeds, Echinacea, Ginseng
Tip- The more bitter tasting a tonic is, the less you need. The more bland the taste, the more you can use.
Stimulating/Sedating- Frequently containing essential oils, alkaloids, glycosides, or resins.
- Cause is rapid and pronounced effects
- Mostly prepared in tinctures, vinegars, teas, or infusions
- Long term use can lead to dependency so dose and duration should be watched.
Examples- Mints (catnip, lavender, lemon balm, sage, skullcap), Tobacco, Valerian, Uva Ursi
Potentially Posionous- Always contain alkaloids, glycosides, resins, or essential oils in large amounts or in very potent forms.
- Usually extracted in tinctures
- Minute doses
- Use as infrequently as possible.
- In general, it is NOT considered safe to take while taking prescription drugs, or other potentially poisonous herbs or stimulating/sedating herbs. It is generally safe with nourishing and tonifying herbs.
Examples- Belladonna, Golden seal, Cayenne, Poke root
Different Ways to Take Herbs:
Tea- Most basic herbal preperation (nourishing)
Infusion- Medicinal strength teas (nourishing)
Decoction- Concentrated Infusions cooked down (mineral dense)
Syrup- Sweetened decoction (mineral dense)
Tincture- Alcohol based, fast acting and concentrated (alkaloids)
Vinegar- Herbs steeped in vinegars (mineral rich)
Honey- Steeped in honey, very long lasting
Capsule- in a gelatin capsule (least effective)
Oil- Herbs steeped in vegetable oils
Salve- Herbal oil with melted wax ( for the skin)
Essential Oil
Buying Herbs
When buying bulk dried herbs look to see that they hold some of their color and l have a very strong smell (if you buy dried sage, it should still smell like sage). Completely avoid plant matter that is some indeterminate shade of yellow-brown and a distinct musty smell.
Nature’s Supply: 211 N. Perkins Rd.# 24 in Stillwater. 405-762-6240, http://www.natures-supply.com/
Mountain Rose Herbs: mountainroseherbs.com
Heartsong Farm and Healing Herbs: herbsandapples.com
Storing Herbs
Herbs are vulnerable to all of the elements including air, light, humidity, and temperature. Storing your herbs in colored glass, kraft bags, or foil sacks out of direct contact with light. Herbs have a relatively fixed shelf life, and only purchasing what you are going to use is ideal. The best container for storing your herbs is a glass container, in a cabinet.
Using Herbs for Nutrition and Healing
Herbs can be as strong as allopathic medicines. When you are faced with a health discomfort you can take the step approach to healing. Here is Susun S. Weed’s 6 Rivers of Healing
Step 0 Do nothing; observe
Step 1 Gather information; books, dr. intuition
Step 2 Work with the energy; Brighten a room, bundle up
Step 3 Nourish and tonify; herbs used gently as food, massage, bath
Step 4 Stimulate or Sedate: Stronger herbs and medicines
Step 5 Supplements or Pharmacy Drugs; antibiotics
Step 6 Physically invade; Ultrasounds, X-rays, surgery
Pregnancy
Nourishing Infusions are high in minerals including much needed calcium and iron, plus they are very bio-available and could potentially replace your prenatal vitamins.
You can try using
-Nettle
-Red raspberry
-Oat straw
-Alfalfa
Common Pregnancy Discomforts
Morning Sickness: Ginger, Peppermint, Increasing you B vitamins (especially B6) and iron, Herbal tea with honey, Increasing your protein.
Heartburn: Raw almonds, alfalfa, yogurt, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), Baking soda
Anemia: Vitamin C aids in assimilation, Nettle, dried apricot, Kale, beans, red meat, yellow dock syrup
Low energy: Red raspberry, peppermint/spearmint, also the anemia herbs
Cold and Flu: Garlic, Ginger, Elderberry, Keep warm, Increase Fluids, Rest (ask for help!)
Breastfeeding Issues
Engorgement: Peppermint, Sage, Parsley, Rosemary
Low Supply: Frequency, Skin to skin, Massage breast (while Breastfeeding), Grains: barley, whole grain rice, oats (can be an infusion or oatmeal), alfalfa (some have allergies with it), Nettle.
NOTE: Stay away from hormonal herbs, such as soy, blue cohosh, chaste berry, etc. Because it can affect your milk supply.
Children and Herbs
If you start your kids out with infusions they can learn to be accustomed to the taste. Also, you can cook with many of the herbs that you use in infusions.
Hyper activity: Chamomile, oat straw
Colds and Flus: Ginger, Garlic, Elderberry, Miso soup
Fever: Elderflower
Scrapes and Cuts: Plantain. Calendula
Upset Stomach: Peppermint, Chamomile, Ginger,
These are just suggestions for further research, and not intended to be medical advice. Seek the advice of your doctor, pharmacist, or Naturopathic doctor before taking any herbs.
RECIPES- Elderberry Anti-viral Syrup, Cough Suppressant Honey, Easy to Assimilate Iron tonic, Bonus Immune Boosting Herbal Chai
Elderberry Anti-viral Syrup
This syrup is such a good one to make during the cold and flu seasons!!! You can take it to help fight your cold or to keep from getting a cold or flu. Take up to a Tablespoon every two hours to fight a nasty virus, or as a preventative a Tablespoon a day. If your kids are younger than two, you should use Grade B maple syrup instead, honey has been known to have botulism spores in them, and go ahead and pour some over your pancakes, it tastes delicious!!!
to make;
First put 1/2 cup of dried elderberries into the small saucepan.
Add the 5 cloves, cinnamon stick, 1 Tablespoon grated ginger, and 2 cups of water
Cover and bring the water to a boil
Turn down the heat, leave covered, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by 1/2
This usually takes 20-30 minutes
Strain into a bowl and add 1 cup of honey
store in a closed jar in the refrigerator. Syrups have a relatively short shelf life. We generally make these in small batches and store them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
How to make this remedy with fresh herbs:
You can also make this syrup using fresh or frozen elderberries. Just use one full cup of berries instead of the 1/2 cup.
Recipe taken from HerbMentor.com
Cough Suppressant Honey
Elecampane is such a great herb to get if you are prone to upper respiratory infections. This root is not only a cough suppressant, but also a natural expectorant! The honey is an added expectorant and also a throat soother! Remember kids under 2 should not be given honey. You can take a Tablespoon of this as needed.
1) Fill half a jar with dried or fresh elecampane root.
2) Fill the entire jar with honey.
3) Turn over the jar a few times a day for a few days.
4) In a few days, it’s ready!
5) Keep it in the fridge.
When you have a cough, simply eat the honey. Honey also feels good on the throat as well. Also, eat the pieces of root. They are candied. You can chew on them for a while, and then spit them out. Honey in itself can be a home remedy for cough.
Recipe taken from HerbMentor.com
Easy to Assimilate Iron tonic
This tonic is made with both yellow dock (high in iron) and dandelion roots (liver stimulator). It is created to not only supply your body with more iron, but to also stimulate your liver to liberate some of its stored iron. Take 1 to 2 tablespoons daily. Take each dose with 250 mg of Vitamin C for enhanced absorption.
1) Place ½ ounce each of yellow dock and dandelion roots into a quart jar and fill with boiling water.
2) Cover the jar and steep for 4 to 8 hours.
3) Strain the liquid into a small stainless steel or glass pot and simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. (Takes from 30 minutes to an hour, start checking it at 30 minutes)
4) Add ¼ cup of blackstrap molasses (also high in iron), stir well, and turn off the heat.
5) Pour into a jar, cool to room temperature, label the jar, and store it in the refrigerator.
This syrup will keep for many months in the refrigerator!
This recipe taken from The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Romm
Bonus Immune Boosting Herbal Chai
|
|
Directions:
Simmer the spices in the water for about 15 minutes. (If you’d like to add black tea, add 1/8 cup after removing from the heat and steep for not more than 3 minutes.)
Strain out the herbs, add warmed milk (I suggest at least 1/4 cup) and honey to taste. Enjoy this delicious fall tonic, and the wonderful feeling of giving your kids a tasty, nourishing treat!
This recipe is taken from HerbMentor.com
