Herbs: Dandelion, Yellow Dock, or Burdock Root in teas or as a tincture. Red Clover, Chicory, or Milk Thistle as teas. Plantain leaves in salad, or infused in vinegar.
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Aromatherapy:
Folk Remedies:
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Recipes:
Useful For: Liver and bone health. Longevity
Herbal Sources: Alfalfa, Oatstraw, Green Tea, Kelp, Nettle, Shepherd’s Purse
Food Sources:
Name: Hawthorn
Latin: Cratageus oxacantha
Other Common Names: Whitethorn, Ladies’ Meat, Quickthorn, Maytree, Mayblossom
Family: Rosaceae
Parts Used: Leaves, flowers, and fruit
Vitamins/Minerals: Antioxidants
Used for: Due to the antioxidants found in this herb, the medicinal uses for it are fairly expansive. It is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, supports the immune system and the liver. However, hawthorn’s particular strength is in what it does for the heart. It has both a strengthening and a regulatory action, making it useful for a wide variety of heart conditions: aging, weakened, damaged, angina, hypertension, arrhythmia, heart valve disease, arterial spasms, etc… It can also be used to regulate blood pressure, aiding with both high and low. It can help to prevent miscarriage. It can also lessen the chance of strokes. If used as a poultice, it has good drawing out properties. The broad range of benefits and the fact that there is no overdose of it for practical use, when combined with the tasty flavour, makes this one of my favorite ingredients for teas. Historically, hawthorn is an herb thought to increase longevity, and that is quite understandable, given the conditions it fights and the systems it supports.
Use in tandem with: Oatstraw, Rose
Directions & Warnings:
Name: Licorice
Latin: Glycyrrhiza glabra
Other Common Names:
Family:
Parts Used: Root
Vitamins/Minerals:
Used for: Licorice acts as a stimulant for the immune system. It also decreases inflammation. It can be used for Laryngitis, and will help to clear the throat of mucous. It can be used as a mild laxative. As it is more soluble in water than milk thistle, it is sometimes more useful as a liver aid. Due to its innate sweetness, it can be useful in combination with bitter herbs, as it lends a natural sweetness beyond that of sugar.
Use in tandem with:
Directions & Warnings: Due to the way in which licorice effects the liver, it should be used with care, or avoided entirely, by dabetics.
Name: Agrimony
Latin: Agrimonia Eupatoria
Other Common Names:
Family: Rose
Parts Used:
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Used for: Flowering tops can be brewed into a tea to assist with spleen, liver, or kidney stress. It can also be used to ease indigestion or the pain of gallstones. Salve or oil is said to relieve varicose veins.
Use in tandem with:
Directions & Warnings:
Name: Yellow Dock
Latin:
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Parts Used:
Vitamins/Minerals: Iron
Used for: Liver strengthener, blood builder. A daily tablespoon of yellow dock vinegar or 5-20 drops of tincture can actually increase iron levels in the blood as fast as taking supplements, and it is far easier for your body to absorb and deal with than pills.
Use in tandem with:
Directions & Warnings:
Name: Plantain
Latin: Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata
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Used for: Plantain is a liver strengthener and blood builder. Holding the hot tea in your mouth can assist with tooth pain caused by infection. Used as a poultice, it can help a variety of skin conditions, including the rashes caused by stinging nettle, poison ivy/oak, bug bites, and burns.
Use in tandem with:
Directions & Warnings:
Name: Cardamom
Latin: Eelettaria cardamomum
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Family:
Parts Used: Seeds
Vitamins/Minerals:
Used for: Cardamom seeds can be used to freshen the breath, improve digestion, and improve appetite. They are known to help tonify and condition the stomach, liver, and intestines. They can relieve coughs, mitigate bronchitis, assist against fevers, and ease inflammation of the mouth and throat. Cardamom also helps to strengthen the immune system. It is a useful aid during pregnancy for nausea, as it is a pregnancy-safe digestive aid. There is evidence that cardamom may also be an anti-viral.
Use in tandem with:
Directions & Warnings:
Name: Blessed Thistle
Latin: Cnicus Benedictus
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Used for: This herb is good for most urinary, pulmonary, and liver disorders. It can also be used to enrich and increase milk in nursing mothers. As a tonic, just prior to puberty, it can be used to help ease initial cramping. Also tonifies the stomach and the digestive system generally.
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Directions & Warnings: Large doses can cause nausea, so use care with amounts.
Name: Red Clover
Latin:
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Parts Used:
Vitamins & Minerals: Most, in good quantity
Used for: This is a lovely tonic and nutritive herb, containing a long list of vitamins and minerals in good quantity. Due to the flavour it adds to teas, it also helps to mitigate or cover that of some of the more bitter medicinals. Mixed with mint, it makes a good cold remedy. It ranks neat the top of herbal fertility promoters. It is a liver and blood strengthener. Because of the intense nutritive quality, it is also anti-cancer. It can assist with calming nerves, and alleviating nervous disorders. As with the products of the bees who love it so much, it can be used for a variety of skin issues.
Use in tandem with: