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People everywhere are hungry for clear, practical, scientifically-validated information about how to make safe and simple use of herbs in their day to day lives. I too was once hungry for this kind of information. I discovered that working (and playing) with herbs did not need to be complex and confusing. It could be sheer pleasure. For me it was like walking down a path where a wonderful surprise is revealed at every turn. |
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The wise woman tradition of herbal use, which is closely connected with medical herbalism, has developed out of centuries of experiment and recorded observation. It relies on this long history of hands-on practice to determine what plants to use for what condition, how much, when and for whom. Herbalists, whether they be simple country people using local plants for healing or highly trained herbal doctors from the Western, ayurvedic or Chinese traditions, share a universal ethic of respect for the plants they use, for the people they use them on and for the earth from which they come. Herbalists understand that a plant's health-enhancing properties derive not from one or two active ingredients but from the complex living synergy between dozens of its chemical and energetic characteristics - and on the complex ways in which this particular herb interacts with our own biological systems when we take it.
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FEVERFEW According to both traditional practices and recent scientific experiments, the right plants can work wonders on the human body.
Feverfew banishes. Eccentric English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper sang the praises of this cheerful daisy-like plant with lacy leaves. It was, he claimed, ‘effectual for all pains in the head.’ Recent studies carried out in Britain confirm he knew what he was talking about. Feverfew can reduce both the frequency and the intensity of migraine. |
Make a friend of feverfewTry taking a couple of feverfew capsules each day. Chewing the fresh leaves is another way to reap the plant’s prophylactic properties. Feverfew’s leaves have anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. They don’t just relieve the symptoms; they actually inhibit the prostaglandins that are responsible for inflammation and pain. But eating the plant’s leaves can cause mouth ulcers. My friends who do this place 2 or 3 leaves between 2 slices of bread to make a sandwich (use 100% rye bread if you suspect you are sensitive to wheat) to prevent irritation to the mouth. |
To most of the one-in-ten people in the West who suffer from migraine, the only alternative to excruciating pain is the side-effects of anti-migraine drugs. Herbs - especially feverfew – provide a safe alternative.Feverfew is bright, irrepressible, little plant that packs a big anti-migraine punch. Studies show that it inhibits the effects of migraine-related chemicals produced by the body, including histamines. Feverfew’s vasodilatory effects also help ease the constricted blood flow associated with migraines. Meanwhile its relaxing properties help you let go during an attack. Feverfew works best as a preventative measure. |
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The classic definition of a herb is a non-woody plant which dies down to its roots each winter. This definition is far too limiting. It was probably made up by 19th Century European botanists who had never seen the rainforest in which, of course there is no winter to die back in. Neither had they ever heard of woody trees and shrubs such as hawthorn and ginko and elder which are some of the best selling herbs on the market these days. I define a herb as a medicinal plant. It can come from any climate and be a leaf, a bark, a flower or a root. It can be home-grown or wild, a weed, a spice, a plant which is used for its healing or culinary or beautifying properties. Once you discover the power of herbs it is easy to become so enthusiastic about them you go overboard trying to use them for everything. It is not wise to take lots of different plants all at the same time. Or you might start to think that since a small amount of something is good for you, taking twice or three times that amount will be even better. It isn’t. If you want safe and sane herbal help here are a few guidelines to follow:
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