For educational purposes only. This information contained on this website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information presented should not be used as a substitute for medical counseling with a health professional.
Basil
Also known as Ocimum basilicum. Fresh basil leaves have a unique aroma not even approximated by any other herb, making them an essential ingredient in cuisines of countries all over the world. While most of us are familiar with basil as a culinary herb, the applications of basil in natural health are not as well known. It relieves upper digfestive discomfort, indigestion and bloating and can be applied topically to acne and insect bites. The leaves or juice can be rubbed on skin to repel insects.
Calendula
Also known as Calendula officinalis, pot marigold, Garden Marigold, Gold-Bloom, Holligold, Marigold, Marybud, Zergul. The calendula was originally used as food rather than as an herb. It adds flavor and color to cereals, rice, and soups. The petals can be added to salads. In herbalism, it is best known as a cream or ointment that makes a soothing and healing application to sore, angry or inflamed skin. The herb’s bright orange flower heads can also be prepared as an infusion that, once cooled, makes a soothing wash or lotion. Whether applied topically on the skin or taken internally, calendula has antiseptic, cleansing and detoxifying properties, and a wealth of potential uses. As a lotion, cream or ointment, it will speed healing and counter the effects of minor burns and sunburn, insect bites, and stings and cuts and abrasions.
Catnip
Catnip (Nepeta) is a genus of about 250 species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The members of this group are known as catnips or catmints due to its famed liking by cats, nepeta pleasantly stimulates cats' pheromonic receptor. It has been used medicinally for over 2,000 years to treat coughs and colds, menstrual cramps, colic, and even flatulence. Catnip is a slightly sedative and relaxing herb. It can soothe digestion and heartburn. It has some antibiotic qualities and can be used to help fight infection.
Chamomile
German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is an annual plant of the sunflower family Asteraceae. Known more as a pleasant-tasting tea than as a medicine, chamomile provides effective treatment for health problems as diverse as indigestion and acidity, travel sickness, cramps, inflamed skin and poor sleep. Chamomile can be used to treat muscle tension. As a mild sedative and relaxant, it can help to ease anxiety and nervous stress. Chamomile is an excellent anti-inflammatory when applied topically as a lotion on sore and itchy rashes, grazes and insect bites and stings. Apply a warm teabag to sore or irritated eyes. It can be taken as an herbal tea, two teaspoons of dried flower per cup of tea. For a sore stomach, some recommend taking a cup every morning without food for two to three months. Chamomile is also used cosmetically, primarily to make a rinse for blonde hair.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) comes from a tropical evergreen tree with thick bark. One of the world’s most familiar spices, is an up and coming treatment for diabetes, weight control, and hypoglycemia. That modern medicine would finally be finding applications for cinnamon isn’t surprising. Cinnamon has been used as a herbal medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. Traditional Chinese Medicine still uses cinnamon as a "warming" agent to fight infections occurring when there is cold or fatigue and to increase the activity of the digestive tract. Cinnamon is used for treating loss of appetite and stomach upset, and cinnamon teas have been used for centuries to prevent bloating and flatulence and to treat heartburn and nausea. Cinnamon's beneficial effects on the digestive tract are attributed to its antioxidant catechins, chemical compounds that are also found in tea.
Cloves
The aromatic flowers and oil of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum and Eugenia aromaticum) have been used for culinary and medicinal uses for centuries. What we know as cloves are actually the dried buds of an evergreen native to the tropics. Over the course of centuries, cloves have been used to alleviate pain, prevent and treat bacterial infection, ease toothaches, treat worms and relieve congestion. Long before they were used to flavor apple pie, cloves were used to sweeten bad breath and settle upset stomachs. Clove is the active ingredient in many over the counter toothache remedies because it has both anesthetic and antiseptic properties. Typical uses include essential oil, teas, chai, baked goods and other food items, and sometimes the extract.
Oil of cloves has been pronounced the safest and most effective ingredient in most over the counter toothache remedies. It is also a strong germicide, and has been used for its antiseptic properties to treat wounds and infections.
Eucalyptus
The eucalyptus is an evergreen tree native to Australia but naturalized to California and the Mediterranean countries. Its leathery blue-green leaves are studded with glands containing fragrant, volatile oil. There are many species of eucalyptus trees, but the most pleasant-smelling oil is produced by Eucalyptus globulus. In the early nineteenth century, the crew of an Australian freighter developed intractable fevers they were able to cure with eucalyptus tree. Eucalyptus became well known in Europe as the Australian fever tree. American physicians used eucalyptus oil to sterilize surgical instruments and incisions, and also as a steam inhalation for asthma, bronchitis, colds and flu, emphysema, and whooping cough. Eucalyptus is typically used in facial or hydro-steams, aromatherapy, and teas. Eucalyptus oil acts on nerve receptors in the mucosa of the nose and sinuses in a way that causes release of mucus. A combination of eucalyptus and mint may help relieve snoring.
Hops or Sweet Hops
Hops (Humulus Lupulus) is a green cone around the female flower of the hop plant. Hops have been used for centuries to flavor beer, but they have been used even longer to aid sleep. Typical preparations include teas, infusions, tinctures, or encapsulations. It is also popularly used in dream and sleep pillows and many other cosmetic formulations. In folk medicine, washes made with hops and waters are often used to treat sores and skin injuries. The hops used in beer are used "fresher," so drinking beer does not have the same effect as taking hops as an herb.
Lavender
The Lavenders, "Lavandula," are a genus of about 25-30 species of flowering plants in the mint family. Lavender is widely grown in gardens. Lavender combines beauty and function, delicate aroma with great therapeutic use, and an exceptional safety record. Its dried flowers and essential oil revive the spirits and at the same time earn a place in every home’s first aid kit. The fragrant, pale purple flowers and flower buds are used in potpourris. Dried and sealed in pouches, they are placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and as a deterrent to moths. The plant is also grown commercially for extraction of lavender oil from the flowers.
Lavender has been used extensively in herbalism. It sooths nervousness and is also known to have mood-enhancing properties. This combination of mild sedative and antidepressant activity makes it particularly suitable where lowered mood and vitality follow long-term worry or overactivity. An infusion of lavender is claimed to soothe and heal insect bites. If applied to the temples or the back of the neck, lavender oil can bring quick relief for headaches and neck and shoulder tension. Lavender is frequently used as an aid to sleep and relaxation: Seeds and flowers of the plant are added to pillows, and an infusion of three flower heads added to a cup of boiling water are recommended as a soothing and relaxing bedtime drink.
Lemon Verbena
Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora syn. Aloysia triphylla) is a deciduous perennial shrub native to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and Peru. It exudes a powerful lemony scent and is best used as a refreshing tea. It has sedative and relaxant properties, and can be used as an insect repellent. The gentle-acting infusion of lemon verbena leaves makes a pleasant after-dinner and late-evening drink, aiding relaxation and helping to prevent insomnia and restlessness. The herb has a mild tonic effect on the nervous system, which lifts the spirits and helps counter depression. The lemon-scented volatile oil in the infusion improves digestion and soothes discomfort in the stomach, calming gas and bloating. Lemon verbena leaves may be used to add a lemony flavor to fish and poultry dishes, vegetable marinades, salad dressings, jams, puddings, and beverages. It also is used to make herbal teas.
Marjoram
Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is also called Sweet Marjoram or Knotted Marjoram is a culinary and medicinal herb in the mint family. It needs a hot climate to develop its full aroma, but it loses some of its flavor when it is dried. Marjoram goes well with thyme, bay leaves, black pepper, and juniper berries. According to a review in the journal Evidence-Based Alternative and Complementary Medicine published in June 2005, the essential oil of marjoram is known to reduce anxiety and fatigue. Contemporary scientific research, however, has not examined the traditional uses of marjoram in herbal healing. The traditional uses of marjoram include preventing spasms in the digestive tract, relieving dry cough, relieving pain on bruises, lumbago, and sprains, and breaking up congestion caused by coughs and colds.
Mugwort
Mugwort, also known as Artemisia vulgaris, is a common plant in the British isles, its angular, purple stalks growing 3 feet (90 cm) or more in height and bearing dark green leaves with a cottony down underneath. Mugwort is said to have derived its name from having been used to flavor drinks. It was, in common with other herbs, such as ground ivy, used for flavoring beer before the introduction of hops. Mugwort is traditionally used as a tea, may also be encapsulated or taken as an extract. Popularly mixed with other botanicals to create dream and sleep pillows for the invocation of dreams. Bitter mugwort teas stimulate the secretion of gastric juices to speed up digestion and relieve flatulence and bloating.
Peppermint
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) contains an essential oil that is unique to other mints for its quality and flavor. A mint hybrid first grown in England in the 17th century, peppermint is known around the world for its cool and flavorful taste. Tea is the most common and best employed use of this ingredient. The oil is used as flavoring in toothpaste, dental creams, mouthwash, cough candies, chewing gum, and baked goods. Peppermint, like many spices and herbs, is believed to have medicinal properties when consumed. It may be used as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, mild analgesic, mild sedative and to relieve gas. It is said that it helps against upset stomachs, inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, and can help soothe and relax muscles when inhaled or applied to the skin. Hot peppermint tea encourages sweating and cools fever. The application of 1-2 drops of peppermint oil to the forehead may relieve headache and migraine. Topically, peppermint oil is soothing for itchy skin.
Rose Petals
Rose Petals (Rosa sp) have been valued for its beauty and its perfume for thousands of years. Typical preparations are rose oil, rose water, ointments, and potpourri. Uses are very numerous and can be administered as a tea, poultice, bath herb, pillow mix, body spray, etc. Roses create a feeling of loving thoughts and warmth in dreams. The American Botanical Council reports that rose petals have sedative, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, cholesterol-lowering, and heart-supportive properties. It also showed benefits for cancer patients receiving radiation therapy. Psychological studies indicate that rose oil can induce "sweeter dreams" and increase concentration and rate of work capacity.
Rosemary
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an aromatic evergreen mint. Traditionally used to strengthen memory and recall, it is frequently taken to aid study and exam performance, and to ward off mental exhaustion. Rosemary in folklore is used to ensure sleep and keep away bad dreams. The young tops, leaves and flowers can be made into an infusion, called Rosemary Tea, which, taken warm, is a good remedy for relief of headaches caused by overwork and nervous tension. It can also prove useful for migraines, colic and colds. Rosemary tea or diluted essential oil makes an excellent rub for sore and aching muscles and joints.
Sage
The common garden sage (Salvia officinalis) has been known and used for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. The low-growing evergreen shrub is popular in nearly every European cuisine and is used variously to flavor meats, poultry, soups, puddings, cheeses and vegetables. The ancient Greeks considered sage to be a valuable healing herb, and used it to treat consumption, ulcers and other digestive problems. It has been used to lower fevers and treat snake bite. Used as a tea, sage can either stop sweating when drunk cold, or produce sweating when taken hot. It has been used to treat headache, and is believed in various cultures to aid memory and thinking.
Shavegrass
Shavegrass's botanical name, Equisetum, is derived from two Latin words, equus, meaning "horse" and setum, meaning "bristle," an obvious reference to the plant's brush-like appearance. It contains the highest amount of silica, which is an important nutrient for healthy hair, skin, nails, and connective tissues. The folk names, Scouring Rush, Bottle Brush and Shave Grass, allude to this plant's utility as a very fine grade of sandpaper. Since it was first recommended by the ancient physician, Galen, several cultures have employed Shavegrass as a folk remedy for kidney and bladder troubles, arthritis, bleeding ulcers and tuberculosis. Shavegrass has been used for centuries in both Chinese and European herbology to treat external wounds.
Spearmint
Spearmint (Mentha spicata) has served as an important medicinal herb for millennia. The Bible records that the ancient Pharisees paid tithes to their Temple in anise, cumin and spearmint. The sixteenth century English herbalist Gerard quotes the Roman historian Pliny, "The smell of Mint does stir up the minde and the taste to a greedy desire of meate." Beginning in about the fourteenth century, spearmint was used for whitening teeth, and its distilled oil is still used to flavor toothpaste and chewing gum. Spearmint is used in tea and added to other herbal mixtures for flavor. Also used in some culinary creations. The essential oil and hydrosol have also been used for both culinary and flavoring purposes. Spearmint, like peppermint, is a digestive remedy. It relieves gas and stops gastrointestinal spasms. Unlike peppermint, spearmint is also diuretic.
Thyme
Thymus vulgaris (Common Thyme or Garden Thyme) is a commonly used culinary herb. It also has medicinal uses. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing that thyme was a source of courage. In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares. In this period, women would also often give knights and warriors gifts that included thyme leaves as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins during funerals as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life. Thyme makes a refreshing tea that counters infection and tones the respiratory system. It is useful in almost any problem affecting the ear, nose, throat and chest. It disinfects the air passages, sooths coughing and stimulates clearance of phlegm. In arthritic and rheumatic conditions, it makes an invigorating addition to a bath.
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