A convenient place to discover the medicinal value of herbs is the kitchen spice shelf. The common culinary herbs and spices so often added to foods for flavor also have considerable medicinal use and it is likely that they were originally added to foods for these reasons as well.
Most herbal spices are carminative (preventing and relieving gas), stimulants and aids to digestion. Many of them are also used to relieve nervousness, spasms and coldness. The kitchen shelf can be thought of as a safe and natural alterntive to the synthetic drugs found in the medicine cabinet.
Anise-very helpful for breaking up mucus and is used for hard dry coughs where expectoration is difficult. A tea is made by adding a cup of boiled water to three teaspoonsful of crushed seeds, steeping for twenty minutes, and sweetening with a little honey. The tea may be used to stimulate mother's milk.
Basil-sweet basil is good to use as a tea for indigestion, fevers, colds, flu, kidney and bladder troubles, headaches, cramps, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and nervous conditions. A tea made of one ounce basil leaves to a pint of water simmered for twenty minutes with three powdered black peppercorns per cup will be effective for most fevers.
Bay-the bay tree was dedicated by the ancient Greeks to Apollo and Aesculapius, the god of medicine. Bay was considered capable of increasing and maintaining health and happiness. One or two bay leaves added to soup and beans improves the flavor and also helps prevent gas and indigestion. Oil of bay, which is made by heating the leaves in a little olive oil, can be applied with great benefit to rheumatic and arthritic aches and pains as well as to swellings and sprains.
Black Pepper-is an excellent remedy one can take at the first sign of most diseases. Yogis consider black pepper to be one of nature's most perfect foods and useful not only to cure disease but also as a preventive, taking a dose of seven peppercorns ground (one-eighth teaspoon powder) and mixed with honey each morning.
Caraway-is an excellent aid to digestion. It is taken for indigestion, gas, colic and nervous conditions. An ounce of the crushed seeds is used in making a pint of the infusion, using boiled water and steeping twenty minutes. The tea is taken in frequent doses of two tablespoons until relief is obtained.
Cayenne-the genus Capsicum includes red and green chilies, cayenne, paprika, and bell peppers. Cayenne originated in Central and South America where it was extensively used by people for many diseases, including diarrhea and cramps.
Since cayenne is so hot, the idea that it will not be harmful is sometimes difficult for a beginning user to believe. The author has used it many times as often as one teaspoon every fifteen minutes during a crisis and there has never been a problem. It helped to effect a speedy recovery from whatever disease was occurring. Cayenne is not irritating when uncooked.
Taken as a daily tonic, one-quarter teaspoon three times daily, it is of benefit for the heart and circulation, preventing heart attack, strokes, colds, flu, diminished vitality, headaches, indigestion, depression and arthritis.
Cinnamon-warms the system and is useful to add to balance cooling foods such as fruits, milk, and desserts. Medicinally it is used to warm the organs to treat chronic diarrhea, cramps, heart and abdominal pain, coughing, wheezing and lower back pain. Simmered in milk and taken with a little honey, cinnamon is very effective for indigestion, gas, diarrhea and dysentery.
Cloves-are stimulating aromatic buds of the clove tree and are effective in warming the body, increasing circulation, improving digestion, and treating flatulence. Allspice has a very similar action and may be substituted. Oil of cloves gives quick relief for toothaches and cloves may simply be chewed for this purpose.
Cumin-is an essential ingredient in making curries. It is one of the best spices to use to prevent and relieve gas. It is particularly useful to cook beans and fried foods with cumin.
Fennel-is a very valuable seed spice combining several herbal properties. It is antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant and stimulant. A tea is made using one teaspoon of crushed seeds in a cup of boiled water, steeped twenty minutes. This is used to treat colic, cramps and gas and to expel mucus.
Garlic-is a world renowned cure-all highly espoused as a home remedy in practically every culture. It has the properties of being an alterative, stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, antispasmodic, antibiotic, nervine, carminative and vulnerary. Vulneraries are herbs that encourage the healing of wounds by promoting cell growth and repair. Nervines are herbs that calm nervous tension and nourish the nervous system. Diaphoretics are herbs used to induce sweating. Alteratives are also known as blood purifiers.
To preserve the benefits of garlic it should not be boiled. The fresh juice is the most effective preparation. For nervous spasms, cramps and seizures, crush one clove of garlic in a glass of hot milk. For high blood pressure, take one clove of garlic each morning.
Ginger-is one of the most versatile herbal stimulants. It is of great benefit to the stomach, intestines and circulation. Ginger may be taken alone or with other herbs to enhance their effectiveness. Ginger tea, made by grating one ounce of fresh ginger and simmering ten minutes in a pint of water, is used for indigestion, craps and nausea. Taken with honey and lemon it is an excellent treatment for colds and flu's and acts as a stimulating diaphoretic.
Nutmeg-a small amount, about the size of a pea, can be taken once daily over a long period to relieve chronic nervous disorders and heart problems. It may be added to milk, and baked fruits and desserts to help digestion and relieve nausea. Large doses can be poisonous and may cause miscarriage.
For much for information on herbs, consult 'The Way of herbs' by Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D.
Most herbal spices are carminative (preventing and relieving gas), stimulants and aids to digestion. Many of them are also used to relieve nervousness, spasms and coldness. The kitchen shelf can be thought of as a safe and natural alterntive to the synthetic drugs found in the medicine cabinet.
Anise-very helpful for breaking up mucus and is used for hard dry coughs where expectoration is difficult. A tea is made by adding a cup of boiled water to three teaspoonsful of crushed seeds, steeping for twenty minutes, and sweetening with a little honey. The tea may be used to stimulate mother's milk.
Basil-sweet basil is good to use as a tea for indigestion, fevers, colds, flu, kidney and bladder troubles, headaches, cramps, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and nervous conditions. A tea made of one ounce basil leaves to a pint of water simmered for twenty minutes with three powdered black peppercorns per cup will be effective for most fevers.
Bay-the bay tree was dedicated by the ancient Greeks to Apollo and Aesculapius, the god of medicine. Bay was considered capable of increasing and maintaining health and happiness. One or two bay leaves added to soup and beans improves the flavor and also helps prevent gas and indigestion. Oil of bay, which is made by heating the leaves in a little olive oil, can be applied with great benefit to rheumatic and arthritic aches and pains as well as to swellings and sprains.
Black Pepper-is an excellent remedy one can take at the first sign of most diseases. Yogis consider black pepper to be one of nature's most perfect foods and useful not only to cure disease but also as a preventive, taking a dose of seven peppercorns ground (one-eighth teaspoon powder) and mixed with honey each morning.
Caraway-is an excellent aid to digestion. It is taken for indigestion, gas, colic and nervous conditions. An ounce of the crushed seeds is used in making a pint of the infusion, using boiled water and steeping twenty minutes. The tea is taken in frequent doses of two tablespoons until relief is obtained.
Cayenne-the genus Capsicum includes red and green chilies, cayenne, paprika, and bell peppers. Cayenne originated in Central and South America where it was extensively used by people for many diseases, including diarrhea and cramps.
Since cayenne is so hot, the idea that it will not be harmful is sometimes difficult for a beginning user to believe. The author has used it many times as often as one teaspoon every fifteen minutes during a crisis and there has never been a problem. It helped to effect a speedy recovery from whatever disease was occurring. Cayenne is not irritating when uncooked.
Taken as a daily tonic, one-quarter teaspoon three times daily, it is of benefit for the heart and circulation, preventing heart attack, strokes, colds, flu, diminished vitality, headaches, indigestion, depression and arthritis.
Cinnamon-warms the system and is useful to add to balance cooling foods such as fruits, milk, and desserts. Medicinally it is used to warm the organs to treat chronic diarrhea, cramps, heart and abdominal pain, coughing, wheezing and lower back pain. Simmered in milk and taken with a little honey, cinnamon is very effective for indigestion, gas, diarrhea and dysentery.
Cloves-are stimulating aromatic buds of the clove tree and are effective in warming the body, increasing circulation, improving digestion, and treating flatulence. Allspice has a very similar action and may be substituted. Oil of cloves gives quick relief for toothaches and cloves may simply be chewed for this purpose.
Cumin-is an essential ingredient in making curries. It is one of the best spices to use to prevent and relieve gas. It is particularly useful to cook beans and fried foods with cumin.
Fennel-is a very valuable seed spice combining several herbal properties. It is antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant and stimulant. A tea is made using one teaspoon of crushed seeds in a cup of boiled water, steeped twenty minutes. This is used to treat colic, cramps and gas and to expel mucus.
Garlic-is a world renowned cure-all highly espoused as a home remedy in practically every culture. It has the properties of being an alterative, stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, antispasmodic, antibiotic, nervine, carminative and vulnerary. Vulneraries are herbs that encourage the healing of wounds by promoting cell growth and repair. Nervines are herbs that calm nervous tension and nourish the nervous system. Diaphoretics are herbs used to induce sweating. Alteratives are also known as blood purifiers.
To preserve the benefits of garlic it should not be boiled. The fresh juice is the most effective preparation. For nervous spasms, cramps and seizures, crush one clove of garlic in a glass of hot milk. For high blood pressure, take one clove of garlic each morning.
Ginger-is one of the most versatile herbal stimulants. It is of great benefit to the stomach, intestines and circulation. Ginger may be taken alone or with other herbs to enhance their effectiveness. Ginger tea, made by grating one ounce of fresh ginger and simmering ten minutes in a pint of water, is used for indigestion, craps and nausea. Taken with honey and lemon it is an excellent treatment for colds and flu's and acts as a stimulating diaphoretic.
Nutmeg-a small amount, about the size of a pea, can be taken once daily over a long period to relieve chronic nervous disorders and heart problems. It may be added to milk, and baked fruits and desserts to help digestion and relieve nausea. Large doses can be poisonous and may cause miscarriage.
For much for information on herbs, consult 'The Way of herbs' by Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D.
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