The Healing Power of Plants is something that you can’t doubt since most modern pharmaceuticals have their origin in plants. FYI, my Grandmother’s Grandmother was the village healer and was the person that an ailing person would visit in the 19th Century when professional clinicians were too expensive for the common person.
Better known as an astrologer; healing using plants and the mind, is my first love and somewhat encompasses areas that I have studied throughout all of my life.
I was convinced as a child that my mother’s eponymous witch “Hazel” remedy was her own tincture, and her eclectic knowledge of old English remedies was a source of fascination to me.
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Although I live almost 200 years after this time, my inclination remains towards prevent before cure, and reliance upon the healing power of plants is a focus in my home, with my collection of Bach flower remedies, numerous essential oils, exotic teas, and home-grown herbs spilling from my windows.
The Healing Power of Plants
Here are some remedies that are easily accessible to us all, and their magical powers.
1. Yarrow
Quite a powerful herb, but very easy to grow, yarrow increases blood flow and circulation so can be very effectively used as a blood tonic cleanser. It will help to balance high blood pressure and has a very powerful antioxidant effect.
As an inhalant, it can help stall viruses and is good to inhale or drink as tea at the first sign of an infection or the flu. It has an excellent effect on congestion and helps set off the body’s natural immunity.
It is also said to help with urinary infections, due to its overall cleansing effect on the body.
2. Chervil
Similar in look to parsley, chervil has a milder flavor and different medicinal properties. It has a calming and astringent effect on the body, which can help to soothe outbreaks of eczema and psoriasis.
It can help to prevent inflammation and supports healthy joints and also can be a good treatment for gout, which is caused by a toxic build-up of uric acid in the joints.
It is a natural digestive, with a slight diuretic effect, and helps flush out the system more efficiently.
3. Oregano
Whilst we all love the taste of oregano in our Italian meals, the health benefits of this small herb are often overlooked. Used as an essential oil, it is one of the most powerful antibiotics I have come across.
I’ve used it as an inhalant (in facial hot steam) to zap away a sore throat, as an applied oil to quickly heal a gum abscess, and as a way to quickly kill wound bacteria. Be careful though, this oil is incredibly strong and it will burn the skin also.
Some say the oil can be added to drinks, but oil and water don’t mix and I would recommend that if you use this herb for stomach or urinary infections, that you infuse the leaves in hot water.
Oregano is also said to improve asthma when inhaled, help regulate the heart and help to cure influenza very quickly also.
4. Sage
Commonly used as a smudging herb that is burned in a small bundle, to cleanse and uplift the energy in the home, sage has a calming and uplifting smell which is said to boost mood and improve depression also.
Although white sage (more prevalent in the US) is commonly used to burn, regular green sage can be dried out and used just as effectively. It can be used to improve oral health and so it can be good to add the sage pulp to your regular toothpaste or use in hot water as a daily mouthwash.
Sage is also a good herb to include in one’s daily diet to help with regular blood sugar. It also assists in regulating the hormones associated with menopause, helping to alleviate hot flushes and mood swings, eaten/supplemented on a daily basis.
5. Dandelion
This is my favorite flower, not only does it have beautiful vivid yellow sunshine-like petals, but these flower heads can also be boiled up in water and sugar and reduced to create a sweet honey substitute.
Dandelions have often been killed and dug up by gardeners, but no true plant lover would discourage a plant whose roots can be dried and used as a healthier alternative to coffee and whose leaves can be added to salad adding a great calcium and vitamin boost.
The leaves also can help cleanse the liver and kidneys and be used to create a very effective detox.
Dandelion leaves are good at regulating blood sugar, improving the metabolism to enhance weight loss, and reducing cholesterol and any cell depletion, which may help halt the degeneration caused by Alzheimer’s, and, most important, dandelion helps to prevent and slow down cancers in many cases!
It amazes me that people dig up these beautiful, magical little plants, which have more efficacy than most over-the-counter drugs put together!
6. Nettles
Many people are now making nettle soup, realizing that the young leaves (when picked with gloves) lose their sting as soon as they are boiled. Nettle tea is also widely available but is easy to make by boiling the young leaves in water for a while, before straining and serving.
Nettles are said to help with bleeding issues, and to slow down blood loss, they are also supposed to support strong bones and tissue growth and so can be very helpful in the healing of wounds and injuries.
Overall, they can improve energy, as they are so nutritionally rich, they can help to mitigate any deficiencies and boost overall vitamin intake. It used to be said that being stung by nettles would cure the pain of arthritis and it seems that the properties in the leaves can have a similar effect, without incurring the pain!
They are also good for improving lung health, and balancing hormones hence having a great effect on the prostate and easing menstrual issues. If you don’t have any decent gloves, it is definitely worth investing in a box of nettle tea to improve overall health and soothe aches and pains.
7. Shiitake Mushrooms
This is another readily available food that has shown to be very effective in some cancer treatments. Studies show that the polysaccharides in shiitake mushrooms have an anti-cancer effect.
Shiitake mushrooms also contain a compound called lentinan which has been shown to slow down the spread of some types of cancer. I would say this makes it worth including shiitake mushrooms in your regular cooking, as a preventative measure.
These mushrooms also help to reduce inflammation; an imbalance in the body that is now said to be connected with many degenerative and autoimmune illnesses.
Due to the amazing health benefits of these mushrooms and the fact that they slow down aging and overall cell degeneration, there are high-potency supplements available on the market. These could be a good idea for some ailments, but the contraindication with some illnesses means that research should be done before taking these.
Shiitake mushrooms included in meals on a regular basis are a healthy and easier way to use these genuinely ‘magical’ mushrooms.
8. Hawthorn
For years hawthorn has been made into a tincture to use to improve heart health. Nowadays with pharmaceutical drugs being given to most, then one should be careful not to mix hawthorn with other medications.
Overall hawthorn berries, steeped in vodka or another spirit for a couple of months, will create a tincture that can be taken daily once diluted in water.
This has been shown to have a mild, positive effect on heart health and circulation and could be a good remedy for those whose families have a history of heart disease.
This tincture is said to dilate the blood vessels and can improve overall circulation hence improving memory and brain health also.
One of the safest ways to use hawthorn, however, is to steep the flowers in boiling water, strain, and mix 50/50 with brandy, so creating the equivalent of a Bach flower remedy. This then can be used to help with anxiety and to help with heartbreak and fear of love.
In this method hawthorn is used in a purely homeopathic way, allowing the body’s cells to emulate the energy of heart health, shown by hawthorn, without interfering with the beating of the heart itself.
9. Nigella Seeds
These are lovely, tasty little seeds, sometimes referred to as ‘black cumin’ and regularly used as an Ayurvedic remedy for weight loss.
It is said that if you soak a teaspoon of these seeds overnight and in the morning, drink the water, then you will have an overall boosting effect on your metabolism over time. To add more efficacy, a pinch of cinnamon can add help too. The wet seeds can be ground up and used in food, or even eaten, but they are bitter and difficult to swallow on their own.
I grind up nigella seeds with black pepper to add a deeper flavor overall to my seasoning and as a good health accompaniment to turmeric, as these three spices work very well together.
Alongside turmeric, nigella seeds are said to have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. They are also said to be anti-cancerous and assist the balance of glucose levels and hormones.
As with all spices, they should be taken in moderation, and no more than a teaspoon a day is recommended, as the body may find them difficult to process in higher doses.
Note: please do be cautious when using herbs for the first time, some people are sensitive, and allergens may be present. This knowledge is herbal wisdom, however, which should not be lost or forgotten, as herbs provide the BEST preventative cures. We should always try to prevent ill health and do our best to stay in balance to create the best possible circumstances to enjoy life in the human body and whenever in doubt, please search for help from a health professional.
Wishing you all; peace, love, faith, and joy. Shalom and blessings~~~~~
