Herb of the Week: Angelica and a book review of Girls Gone Mild

Herb Of The Week: Angelica (Angelica Archangelica)

Parts Used: Leaves, roots, seeds, stems

Properties: Anti-inflammatory, aromatic, culinary, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, sedative, tonic

About: Angelica is a plant rich in lore and traditions dating back far before the Christian world. Angelica’s ‘angelic’ powers were supposed to protect against witches and demons. I don’t know about that though . . . it hasn’t worked on my kids yet. o_O
Angelica has mostly been used for it’s effects on the respiratory tract. Coughs with excess phlegm are particularly helped, especially when noting the mild sedative and relaxing effect Angelica has on the body.

The upper section of the Angelica root is used primarily for building blood and is therefore an excellent treatment for anemics. Angelica has often been considered as the female ginseng due to it’s helpfulness with female reproductive problems of all sorts.

In cooking, Angelica lends a licorice flavor to whatever you are making, using usually the stems or leaves. Candied Angelica stems are a historical favorite and would make a unique treat for your friends and family.

Warnings: Angelica is not an herb to mess around with if you don’t know what you are doing. Not only is it easy to mistake it in the wild for the most certainly deadly Water Hemlock, but it also has been found to contain carcinogens.

The safety of Angelica has been compared by some botanists to the safety of coffee. However, a single 8oz cup of coffee has recently been found to contain as many carcinogens as an entire year’s worth of conventionally grown produce. Obviously if you buy organic coffee the amount of carcinogens will be less, but it isn’t just the pesticides that create this risk to your body: it is the roasting process.

Angelica is still considered safe by the FDA, but how much do we really trust those bozos, eh? So like drinking coffee, I advise using Angelica in moderation and for mostly medicinal purposes. Angelica won’t hurt you unless you take too much. I really don't think it's any more dangerous than comfrey (another maligned herb), but you need to know what you are doing and be 100% confident that you are wildcrafting the correct herb and using it in the correct dosages.

Dye Colors: Angelica stems and leaves produce a deep green dye if you use iron as the mordant.


Also, I want to remind everyone that Herbal Roots Magazine is a great resource for more herb knowledge, especially for children since that's who it's created for, but just fun herb knowledge in general. :)


Book Review: Girls Gone Mild - young women reclaim self-respect and find it's not bad to be good

I actually found this book by accident on Google Books. Wendy Shalit seems to be a woman after my own heart. She breaks down what the breakdown is in young women's lives. She also made me realize that more women feel as I do than I previously thought.

Wendy Shalit highlights the issue of young girls having sex and 'sexiness' shoved in their faces, as well as parents not understanding the line between adult and child. "Two women I interviewed had friends who photographed their baby daughters in bikinis, spread out on the hood of their car. They imagined that the adult pose was 'cute,' and they had brought the photos to work." 

I notice more and more little girls dressing provacatively. The parents not only allow this, but seem to encourage it as well by purchasing inappropriate toys and slinky clothes that would be out of place on a full grown woman in public.

Mrs. Shalit encourages modesty of dress in women in a time where I thought I was the only one. Through recent research I have found that there are MANY women who are taking back their bodies and their self-respect. There is an entire counter-movement against feminism and all it has destroyed. This book is a shining example; a beacon in the darkness of human repression through overt sexualization. "There is no longer any mystery or power to sex--it is just expected that everything will be sexual, and so nothing is. There is nothing to wait for, or to look forward to."

I liked this book because it helped me focus my thoughts on the matter of modesty and sexuality a bit more. People used to look forward to going on dates, stealing a kiss, getting married. I thought I was the only one who never went out on a date until I met my husband, but most apparently don't for a different reason. According to interviews Rolling Stone did with young college age women, a lot of young people don't date anymore, they just bed-hop. And many girls make themselves do it anyway because they think there's something wrong with them if they don't. I know I thought there was something wrong with me for years and years because I couldn't just kiss someone I didn't know, much less anything else!

Over the past few months, I've worried to myself about what sort of world my children are going into when they grow up. What kind of mate can my son expect to find? What sort of man will my daughter marry? Will my son be able to find a woman worthy of making his wife? Will my daughter ever find a real man out in the social jungle? Will everything I do for them be in vain? Will they still turn out just like everyone else?

The fact that there is an entire movement back to basic family values and a return to modesty relieves a lot of my worries. It helps me know that we aren't alone a single candle in the dark. If anyone who reads this is curious to read more or wants to know where they can join up with other people of a like mind, I have a couple of links below.

Peas and love,
Mrs. Yoder

http://blogs.modestlyyours.net/
http://www.avirtuouswoman.org/
http://ladiesagainstfeminism.com/

Herb of the Week: Aloe

Herb of the Week: Aloe (Aloe Spp.)


                      

Parts Used: Leaves (fresh sap)

Properties: Adaptogenic, anti-bacterial, anti-biotic, anti-helmintic, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, astringent, anti-ulcer, culinary, demulcent, emollient, emmenagogue, mucilaginous, purgative, vulnerary

About:  Aloe has been known as a medicinal plant for thousands of years across the middle east and Africa. The thick, fleshy, alien leaves are instantly recognized by almost anyone. Recently, there has been debates by the scientific community about what families to which Aloe belongs. I don't think it's important, frankly, but I thought I would let those who do think it important to know that as of 2003 Aloe belongs to the Asphodelaceae family officially. The name has also changed from Aloe Barbadensis to Aloe Vera for the time being.

Most people, especially if they live in sunny regions, know that Aloe is useful for sunburns. Aloe is also one of the single best things to apply to open wounds, scrapes, or burns of any kind (the other best thing being raw honey).

If you want to have Aloe available in a first aid kit, I learned a trick from my old mentor that keeps much of the plants finer qualities intact:

- Take the whole leaves and wash them thoroughly
- Clip off the ends and the spiny sides of the leaf
- Chop it into pieces and put it in your blender until it is thoroughly pureed.
- Spread the mixture over a clean, ultra-fine screen and set it out in the sun to dry for a few days.

You can rig a set up for this easily by stretching the screen over a wooden frame so it is off of the ground. Make sure it doesn’t get rained on. Use the resultant dried Aloe in tinctures or capsules. I recommend storing it in the whole sheets if possible, and perhaps grinding some into powder to store in a small bottle in any first aid kit you may prepare. The dried Aloe can be reconstituted in water for use on burns or wounds.

When using Aloe (or honey) for wounds, however, please take two very serious precautions:

- clean the skin first with either soap and water or a mild anti-bacterial wash such as sage tea before applying the gel. I also suggest lightly debriding scrapes or cuts as well. If you don’t clean the wound first, the ‘seal and heal’ properties of Aloe will trap bacteria inside of the wound, abrasion, or burn and cause an infection. Aloe is naturally sterile, like coconut water, but it can also be a natural petri dish.

- always use fresh Aloe gel in medicinal products. Anything without color or with added stabilizers will not work for your medical preparations due to the fragile nature of the active constituents. Shelf stable Aloe Vera gel with natural preservative solutions added such as citric acid or GSE are ideal for personal products because it won’t cause lotions, creams, and soaps to spoil.

Aloe Vera is one of the top 15 anti-biotic herbs and it rapidly speeds the healing process. Aloe’s most ideal application for wounds is due to several factors, including:

- keeps tissues moist and pliable
- restores fluids through the skin
- has a soothing, cooling action
- reduces inflammation to swollen tissue

Internal use should be extremely limited, and only when other remedies have failed. Usually this plant is only used by vets for horses when they are constipated. It’s generally recognized as far too strong for humans in most cases.

However, Sergei Boutenko of the Raw Family fame does mention in his new book Fresh that you can make a fabulous smoothie that is especially good for diabetics. Aloe is also good for reducing blood sugar when used in small amounts. Below is his recipe:

Blue-Green Aloe Smoothie

2 cups water
1 head romaine lettuce
1 medium Fuji apple
¼ a lime
¼ cup blueberries
1 small aloe leaf

Blend all ingredients until smooth and enjoy.

Aloe contains aloin, which absorbs approximately 30% of UV rays, so it is an excellent addition to homemade sunscreen preparations. You can look for this in concentration just under the skin of the leaf. Rosemary Gladstar recommends that you remove this part anyway for internal preparations because it irritates the mucous membrane, so it’s great to keep the leaf skin with the brown gel just beneath for formulae which require UV protection.

The fresh juice can also be used as eye drops to protect the fundus of the eye from additional UV damage and age spots. Burns or wounds of the eye can be healed in the same way as the skin with fresh, naturally sterile juice straight from the leaf.

Warnings:  Can cause internal cramping when used internally. Don’t use internally when pregnant or nursing as Aloe can stimulate uterine muscles. Some people may experience light burning or stinging sensation if put directly on an open wound or abrasion. This usually subsides within a few minutes. Again, this is a rare complication.

Dye Colors:  Purple Aloes, like Socotrine, can be used to make a violet color dye that requires no fixative.

Habitat:  Aloes prefer a lot of sun and a warm climate that is closer to tropical than temperate. However, it’s a very forgiving plant to grow. In fact, when we were moving a couple of years ago, my father-in-law stuck an aloe plant in a box, taped it up, and gave it to us for our move from Florida to Kentucky. We forgot about it for a few weeks and then when we took it out of the box, it was still fine! So we planted it and it looks just as good as when he put it in the box. Aloe could probably subsist on thin air for an extended period of time. I know that ours did. So this is a great plant for people with ‘black thumbs’ to try for their first plant.

Herb of the Week: Alfalfa

Herb of the Week: Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa)

Parts Used: Above ground portions of the plant

Properties: Alterative, anti-pyretic, anti-thrombotic, anti-spasmodic (smooth muscles), culinary, diuretic, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, nutritive, stomachic, thermogenic, tonic

About: When most people think of Alfalfa, they think of either animal feed or Alfalfa sprouts depending on where they grew up. It has been known as an animal food for thousands of years and Mark Pederson, author of Nutritional Herbology, states that the origin of the word was traced back to an Iranian word that means horse fodder. But is this herb good for human health as well?

Alfalfa has long been regarded as a blood purifier due to its detoxifying effects, and is correspondingly high in chlorophyll. It is considered a bitter and soothes digestion with the betaine enzyme it contains to help properly digest your food. Ulcers are also healed due to the high levels of vitamin A (b-carotene) this herb contains, especially when mixed with plantain, marshmallow, or slippery elm to form a mucilaginous coating.

Cholesterol and blood sugar levels are reduced when adding Alfalfa to your daily tonic tea, and it makes a great addition to any tonic taken for raising iron levels in those who are temporarily deficient (like during menstruation and after giving or losing blood) or anemic. Correspondingly, Alfalfa raises energy levels. Since the flavonoids Alfalfa contains relaxes smooth muscles, this is also wonderful to take during menstruation to ease cramping. Alfalfa is a double hitter like many herbs!

Speaking on a purely nutritional standpoint, you can’t go wrong by drinking Alfalfa tea or consuming Alfalfa sprouts and I heartily recommend this herb as a base along with Nettles for vitamin tonics for all ages, especially infants or anyone with a weak immune system. Alfalfa also helps to regulate the natural flora contained in your intestinal tract, so consume this to enhance the effects of any probiotic yogurt, cheese, kefir, whey, or OTC supplement you may be taking.

I do, however, advise that you grow sprouts yourself as they are usually the most contaminated of any vegetable available and many people get sick from eating commercially grown Alfalfa sprouts. Buy organically harvested seeds if at all possible and grow them in a sprout jar. Mountain Rose Herbs sells sprouting seeds of all sorts that are either completely organic or cultivated without chemicals. If you are interested in sprouting Alfalfa, you can go to their site and pick up some seeds to start yourself on the path to vibrant health.

Alfalfa contains sufficient or high levels of the following vital nutrients:

· Calcium
· Chlorophyll
· Fiber
· Folic acid
· Iron
· Magnesium
· Niacin
· Phosphorus
· Potassium
· Protein
· Riboflavin
· Vitamin A
· Vitamin C
· Vitamin B-1
· Vitamin B-6
· Vitamin B-12
· Vitamin E
· Vitamin K
· Zinc

Warnings:  None known for moderate use, however, do exercise caution if you are allergic to grass pollen since there is usually some grass that gets into Alfalfa.

Herbs2000.com does have this to say though regarding the over-use of Alfalfa:

“However, some disturbing results from the use of alfalfa herbal remedies has come from animal test subjects, indeed when animals ingested large amounts of the seeds or the alfalfa sprouts, it was seen that the test animals were more likely to be affected by the sudden onset of systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. The condition known as SLE can affect humans and animals, this disorder is a dangerous autoimmune illness marked by symptoms such as the sudden development of inflammation in the joints and the probability of suffering long term damage to the kidneys. A chemical compound called canavanine is believed to be the agent that induces these deleterious effects within the body. For this reason, it is suggested that alfalfa products must be avoided by all individuals affected by SLE and such products must also not be used by those with a known history of SLE in the family.”

Dye Colors: I’m sure that grass stains don’t count unless you’re very creative.

Habitat: Open fields, meadows, pastures . . . Wherever the seeds fall pretty much. It’s not a picky plant. It likes sunshine, fresh air, and room to grow.