CHICKWEED-A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND HOW TO USE CHICKWEED

CHICKWEED, STELLARIA MEDIA

Chickweed is known by a variety of other names including Starweed, Passerina, and Winterweed. In Welsh it is A Gwylydd y Dom (the sentinel or watchman). It grows almost everywhere in temperate regions, in the North Arctic, and the Indian subcontinent. It has star-like white flowers which droop their heads in heavy rain, and whose leaves move closer to each other at night to protect the new leaf buds and shoots. It isn’t sensitive to the touch however as is Tickle Me.

  It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, and there is an old wives tale that says that it controls obesity. It does have mildly laxative effects and is a diuretic, so stops water retention, but somehow it seems a little over-optimistic to claim that it can control obesity.

   Like chamomile and marigolds it is useful for skin problems when applied to the affected areas in a poultice and it has a cooling effect and stops itching. The bruised leaves can be applied directly to the skin to relieve inflammation etc. It can be found in skin care products and the tisane is also useful for applying to irritated skin. To make this you need 2 tbsps of the fresh plant to 1 cup of boiling water, and pour this over the herb. Leave the herb to steep for 15-20 minutes then strain and drink. If you drink this regularly for a period of 6 weeks you should notice an improvement in your general health as it clears the body of toxins. It is rich in vitamin C so helps if you are susceptible to colds and coughs. Don’t drink too much though as it has a mild laxative effect and could cause diarrhoea.

  It might have got its name, chickweed because birds love it as Gerard notes writing in the 16^th century. “Little birds in cadges (especially Linnets*) are refreshed with the lesser Chickweed when they loath their meat whereupon it was called by some ‘Passerine’”

*Linnets are song birds that were often kept in cages during the Renaissance.

 All birds love to eat its seeds and the young tops and leaves. It is good for people too being full of minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, selenium silica, magnesium and sodium. Chickweed is a good source of Gamma-Linoleic Acid (GLA) which is an Omega-6 fatty acid derivative. GLA is recommended for skin problems and hormone imbalance such as occurs during PMT/PMS and for arthritis. It is also responsible for clearing congested lungs and it has anti-inflammatory actions. Apart from being helpful for these things, GLA also reduces the negative effects of drinking too much alcohol, and is good to stop water retention.

  Chickweed also contains the flavonoid rutin the B-complex vitamins and beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A.

  The tisane will clam the stomach, and in the Indian subcontinent it is used for indigestion. When applied externally it will relieve pain very quickly and is good for rheumatic pains in the joints. It is best collected from May-July and can be laid out flat to dry in the sun, or hung in a warm sunny place. It can be boiled and used with young dandelion leaves in a salad or even made into pesto (see pine nuts). It flowers from March through to autumn when the seeds form in a capsule. These are shaken out of their pod by the wind and scatter so that the plant reseeds itself.

   Gerard says “the leaves of Chickweed boyled in water very soft, adding thereto some hog’s grease, the powder of Fenugreek and Linseed and a few roots of Marsh Mallow …” and made into a poultice, “ taketh away the swelling of the legs or any other part, in a word it comforteth, digesteth and suppurateth very notably.”

   The chopped plant may be boiled in ghee or lard to make an ointment for cooling piles and sores and other skin problems, used externally.

Chickweed seeds

    Culpeper writing in his Herbal in the 17^th century says that Chickweed is a “fine, soft, pleasing herb.” And recommends the juice or distilled water “for all heat and redness of the eyes…as also into the ears…It helpeth the sinews when they are shrunk by cramps or otherwise…” he also recommends the juice for “wheals, itch or scabs” and suggests that the bruised leaves made into a poultice should be placed on the liver region to “temper the heat of the liver.”

    Little research has been done into Chickweed’s properties yet, but it seems as though this is another common weed that we could use to our benefit.

 

MILK THISTLE- A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF MILK THISTLE

MILK THISTLE, SILYBUM MARIANUM/ CARDUUS MARIANUM

Milk thistles are a common weed in the British Isles, although they are probably not native as they would appear to come from the Mediterranean region. They have been used for more than 2000 years in traditional medicine in Europe and are thought to be good for treating the effects of alcoholism as combined with dandelion they seem to reduce the craving for alcohol and also help regenerate liver cells and help build new ones, so reducing the cirrhosis of the liver which is caused by alcohol.

  The ancient Greeks used milk thistle for liver complaints and for a number of other ailments.  Pliny (23 AD-79 AD) believed that milk thistle could purify the blood and clear it of toxins. Also in the first century AD Dioscorides believed that it would help infants who had palsied limbs as Gerard, writing his Herball in 1597, tells us:-

   “Dioscorides affirmed that the seeds being drunke are a remedy for infants that have their sinews drawn together; and for those bitten by serpents.”

   Milk thistle was used to prevent snake bites by the Anglo Saxons, who believed that if the plant was worn around the neck they would be protected, “the wort if hung about a man’s neck it setteth snakes to flight.” This may have been because of a tradition which has it that the milk of the Virgin Mary dropped onto the leaves of the Milk Thistle, giving them their white veins. This is why the plant’s Latin name is marianum and why it is sometimes called Our Lady’s Thistle, although the Holy Thistle is also called by the same name, which tends to confuse the issue.

  Milk Thistles are related to Globe artichokes and can be eaten like them if boiled with all the spines removed. The stalk can be stripped of its spines, boiled and eaten as a salad vegetable, as can the stem of the globe artichoke and the closely related cardoon. They are also related to burdock.                                                             

    Gerard also believed as did others of his time that the liver was the seat of melancholy and wrote “the root if borne about one doth expel melancholy and remove all diseases connected therewith…my opinion is that this is the best remedy that grows against all melancholy diseases” which would have included those of the liver and spleen.

  John Evelyn (1620-1706) believed, as did the Physicians of Myddfai, from whom he may have got his information, that milk thistle promoted the milk supply of breast-feeding mothers. However it is recommended that pregnant and breast-feeding women avoid milk thistle today.

  In 1694, William Westmacott wrote this in his “sive historica vegetablium sacra or a scripture herbal” bemoaning the fact that much of the old ways were being lost, overtaken by modern imports. It sounds a lot like the things people say today regarding those “Good Old Days.”

   “It (the milk thistle) is a Friend to the Liver and Blood, the prickles cut off, they were formerly used to be boiled in the Spring and eaten with other herbs; but as the World decays, so doth the Use of the good old things and others more delicate and less virtuous brought in.”

  Culpeper believed that the milk thistle could cure fevers and guard against the plague, as well as removing obstructions from the liver and spleen. He recommended an infusion made from the seeds and fresh root for jaundice and to disperse gravel and stones from the kidneys and other organs. He also recommended that the young milk thistle plant be boiled when young and tender in spring and used to purify the blood from toxins. Today a tisane is made from the herb to clear congested lungs. However this is made from the seeds and is better if mint is added to the tisane as the seeds are not too palatable alone.

  The milk thistle is arguably the most important medicinal thistle growing in Britain, and it can grow to heights of between 4 and 10 feet. It is loved by donkeys and the seeds are delicacies for charms of goldfinches. People now cultivate it as it makes a pretty ornamental plant. It now grows throughout Europe and in California and Australia. The flower heads may be gathered when in full bloom but the seeds, which are brown, spotted and glossy, are best gathered in late summer.

Milk thistle seeds

   Modern medical research has found that the milk thistle is indeed good for the liver and also the kidneys and pancreas. It contains bioflavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol among others and the most important discovery as regards medical science is of silymarin which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This is actually a group of flavonoids, namely, silibinin, silidianin and silicristin. Silymarin is the active ingredient which in vitro and animal studies have shown to protect against certain damage to the kidneys, liver and pancreas. It is currently being investigated for its possible anti-cancer properties, particularly against prostate, breast, skin, colon, tongue and bladder cancers.

   Milk Thistle is also a known antidote to the poisonous effects of eating “death cap” mushrooms or Amanita phalloides.

  Please note that people with a history of hormone related cancers (e.g. breast, uterine and prostate) should not take any milk thistle or products containing it and neither should breast-feeding and pregnant women.

  

PUERARIA OR KUDZU ROOT: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF PUERARIA ROOT

Pueraria root

PUERARIA OR KUDZU ROOT, PUERARIA LOBATA OR RADIX PUERARIA

The pueraria root has been used since at least the 6^th century BC in China to relieve various ailments. It is a vine and a member of the bean and pea family, Leguminosae, and is native to China, Japan and Fiji. In China the flowers are used as a tisane to prevent inebriation from alcohol, but although there was one study in 1993 on rats which showed that kudzu root could reduce the cravings for alcohol and so might help alcoholics, subsequent studies in humans have so far shown that it does not have this effect. A better natural treatment for alcoholism would be dandelions combined with milk thistle (Silybum marianum), a remedy which has been used for liver-related problems for centuries could be more effective in stopping cravings for alcohol.

Pueraria root field

  Analyses of kudzu root have shown that it contains many amino acids including lysine and methionine and isoflavones and bioflavonoids such as genisten and daidzein which have been shown to have various benefits to the human body. It also contains minerals including zinc, manganese and selenium.

  Isoflavones are found in soybeans and are a family of Phytoestrogens currently under investigation for their preventive uses for heart disease, cancer, lowering cholesterol levels, relieving symptoms of the menopause and osteoporosis. Apart from being found in soybeans and pueraria root they are also found in red clover. They are known to have potent antioxidant properties and may help in the treatment of a number of diseases.

  Genisten and daidzein are rich in antioxidant properties and in estrogens and are being investigated for their efficacy as protective agents as it is believed that they may reduce the risk of heart diseases and prostate and breast cancer in particular.

Pueraria flowers

  The kudzu root can grow as big as the human body and in china it is harvested in spring and autumn, then sliced and dried in the sun. In traditional medicine a tisane of the flower is given to bring out the spots which are associated with the measles virus, as well as to stop diarrhoea, while the root is used for relief of migraines, as well as to relieve muscle pains, dizziness, to regulate high blood pressure. The root can also be eaten, raw or roasted. The Chinese also believe the root is beneficial to the stomach and spleen and tisanes of the flower are said to improve appetite and aid digestion.

  Studies have also shown that pueraria root could increase the flow of blood to the brain which is needed in cases of arteriosclerosis.

Pueraria vine

  It was introduced into the States in the 19^th century and planted to stop soil erosion. Since then it has become and invasive weed in southern parts of the US. However this is another weed which has potentially great benefits.

HOW TO MAKE GAJAR KA HALWA ( CARROT HALVA): EASY AND TASTY RECIPE

CARROT HALVA OR GAJAR KA HALWA

This is a delicious dessert which is very healthy too; it is good for the eyesight and to strengthen the body and immune system. Traditionally in Pakistan it is given to strengthen the heart and its functions. You should use tender young carrots though, not old woody ones.

CARROT HALVA

Ingredients

1 kg carrots, cleaned and grated

2 green cardamom seeds, crushed

2 tbsps butter

100 gr dried dates, stoned and cut into small pieces

50 gr sultanas

2 tbsps honey

1 glass sugar

2 tbsps rose water

1 litre milk

Method

Steep the dried date pieces and sultanas in hot water for ½ an hour.

Melt the butter in a pan and put in the cardamom seeds for a minute. Add the carrots and cook for 5 – 7 mins.

Now add the milk and stir well then when the milk begins to boil, add the sugar and honey. Stir well to mix, cover and cook for 10 mins.

Remove the lid and add the dried fruit and rose water, stirring well to mix.

Turn the heat down to low and stirring continually; cook until the carrots are tender (about 20 mins).

Remove from the heat and serve hot or cold.

You can garnish this with coconut and cut it into wedges if you like.

Desiccated coconut and chopped peanuts can also be added to this with the dried fruit for a more interesting flavour.

If you drink hot milk with this carrot halva it is very good for the stomach and the digestive system.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS KAMPILLAKA OR KAMALA? THE MONKEY FACE TREE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF MALLOTUS PHILIPPINENSIS

MALLOTUS PHILIPPINENSIS, KAMALA, MONKEY FACE TREE

Mallotus means ‘fleecy’ and this name was given this tree because of the hairs on its fruit. It is sometimes erroneously called the Monkey Puzzle tree, but this is the usual name of the genus Araucaria araucana, which is unrelated to Mallotus philippinensis. As its name suggests it is a native of the Philippines, and also of India, Pakistan, Myanmar, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Australia. In some parts of the world for example in India it grows to a height of 10 metres, but in other parts of the world, it grows to a height of 20 metres.  

   It has been used in traditional medicine since at least 1000 BC and is mentioned in the ancient Indian medical texts. Traditionally it is used to get rid of intestinal worms and is one of the best herbal remedies for this. This has been shown to be the case by modern medical research which has also vindicated other traditional uses of this tree. All parts are used and in recent years the stems and flowers, as well as the fruit have been tested for their medicinal properties.

  The leaves are pounded into a paste and applied to wounds and they have maturant properties, this means that they draw pus out of wounds. It would seem that the fruit is used most, in traditional medicine, although research has shown that the flowers and bark have useful properties too.

  The tree is an evergreen which flowers in February and March, and the white flowers die to turn into fruit covered with a layer of crimson hairs. One study conducted by K Moorthy et al and published in 2007 concluded “Test results would tend to corroborate the folk belief that the flowers of this plant are efficacious against respiratory infections and would justify its further investigation.” The same study also stated that the bark “may be used for treatment of several infectious diseases.” (“Phytochemical screening and antibacterial evaluation of the stem bark of M. philippinensis var.Tomentosus” 2007)

  The fruit has undergone numerous studies and it has been found to contain many acids which are listed below with their properties.

·        Gallic acid: this has anti-inflammatory properties as well as being antibacterial.

·        Caffeic acid: has the same properties as gallic acid and is also an anti-fungal agent.

·        Ferulic acid: this has anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties.

·        Cinnamic acid: is an antifungal and anthelmintic and also gives protection against infections by pathogenic micro-organisms.

·        Salicylic acid: this is an antipyretic and can be used externally as an antiseptic and antifungal for a variety of skin problems.

It also contains chlorogenic, vanillic and o-coumaric acids.

  In Ayurvedic medicine the leaves are used for their bitter, cooling properties and to increase the appetite. The fruit is used as a purgative (too much of it causes vomiting and nausea) for its wound healing qualities, as a maturant, a carminative (it gets rid of the problems of flatulence) an alexitic (a substance which resists poison and a preservative agent used against infectious and contagious diseases) and is used in cases of bronchitis and other respiratory diseases and for stomach problems which includes enlarged spleens. It is also believed that it gets rid of stones in the kidneys and other organs.  The powdered fruit is also used to cure eye diseases and to remove tapeworms from the intestines.

  The oil from the seeds and fruit is used as a hair-fixer and added to ointment, while the remains or seed cake after the oil has been extracted is used as fertilizer. As the roots can also yield a dye for wool and silk (orange-brown) no part of the tree is wasted. Even the trunk or stem can be made into paper and this is the required quality for writing and printing paper.

  The tree and its parts contain bioflavonoids, saponins which are glycosides that have anti-inflammatory properties, and all the parts especially the fruit have potent antioxidant properties, which might be why it is used as an aphrodisiac in some cultures.

  The Monkey Face Tree, Mallotus philippinensis, clearly has many health benefits for us as modern medical research has borne out.

YELLOW HIMALAYAN RASPBERRY: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF YELLOW HIMALAYAN RASPBERRY

YELLOW HIMALAYAN RASPBERRY, RUBUS ELLIPTICUS

The Yellow Himalayan raspberry is a shrub which is native to the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Vietnam, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and the Philippines. It has become naturalized in Australia, Hawaii, the West Indies, tropical Africa and tropical South America. In Hawaii it is an invasive species. It grows in a straggly way to reach about 3 metres tall and has toothed, wide leaves with hairs on them and the stem has prickles. It is, as the name suggests, a yellow raspberry, and a close relative of the red raspberry and the blackberry or bramble (all of which are members of the rose family of plants), so it will come as no surprise to know that it tastes very like a red raspberry. It has white flowers which having been pollinated, produce yellow berries. In Pakistan it is used as a living hedge and goats feed from the leaves and fruit if they get to it before people do.

    The fruit has laxative properties, and is used in traditional medicine in Tibet for a number of purposes. The whole plant has astringent properties and has been used to reduce fevers, especially typhoid. The inner bark of the Yellow Himalayan Raspberry is used as a kidney tonic and an anti-diuretic. The juice extracted from the root has also been used for fevers, gastric problems (including infant colic when the young shoots are used too), diarrhoea and dysentery and the root paste, applied to wounds promotes healing. The fruit juice is also used to bring down the temperature of a fever and for colic, but is good for sore throats and colds too. The inner bark is said to help when the senses are weakening and when people have seminal or vaginal discharge. In summer it is used to promote sweating as a diaphoretic, and as a diuretic, and as the fruit is fibrous it aids the digestive processes.

  Modern scientific studies have found that an alcoholic extract of the root of the Yellow Himalayan Raspberry has antioxidant properties and antimicrobial ones. It was also shown to have anti-inflammatory properties when tested on rats in the lab. Ten new triterpenoid saponins have been found and research is continuing into this plant.

   Triterpenoids seem to decrease anxiety and improve the mental functions of mice when tested in a lab, and they help heal wounds by boosting the antioxidant activities in the wounded area.

AUTUMN OLIVE: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF AUTUMN OLIVE

AUTUMN OLIVE, ELAEAGNUS UMBELLATA

The autumn olive tree is a member of the Oleaster family of plants, and is native to Asia including the Himalayan region, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, northern China and Japan. It is also known by many names including ghain, barnmerwa, kenoli and kancoli. In English it is also known as Japanese Silverberry, Umbellate Oleaster, and Autumnberry which it was named as by the US Department of Agriculture. In the States it is mostly viewed as an invasive species which is threatening native flora, and is classed as a “severe threat” in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was introduced into North America as an ornamental plant sometime around 1830, and its seeds, which are contained inside its red fruits or drupes, have been widely distributed by birds and foxes.

    It can grow to a height of between 3 to 5 metres, and have leaves that have silvery scales on the undersides. It has silvery white flowers which are funnel-shaped and fragrant, then, in the autumn the red berries make it a good food tree for birds. The fruit and seeds are edible and can be used in jam, jellies and preserves as well as eaten raw. The have a sour-sweet taste and are a little like pomegranate seeds, or perhaps like morello cherries. The fruit contains vitamins A, C and E, minerals, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron as well as the essential fatty acids and bioflavonoids. It is also rich in the carotenoids, lycopene, which is currently of interest to medical researchers as it has exhibited possibilities as a deterrent to heart disease and cancers of the prostate, cervix, the gastrointestinal tract, and possibly ovarian cancer. (The lycopene content in the autumn olive fruit is 17 times higher than that in a tomato.) Other carotenoids the berries contain are B-carotene, phytoene, and a- and b-cryptoxanthin. The fruit also contains malic acid like the crab apple and when fully ripe has glucose and fructose present.

   When under-ripe the fruit has astringent qualities, and in traditional medicine the flowers are used as a cardiac tonic, for their astringent qualities and as a stimulant. The seeds are said to be good for coughs, and the oil from the seeds is used to treat afflictions of the lungs.

   The berries can be dried and stored to use in fruit teas or tisanes, and the flowers can also be made into a tisane with the leaves. However as little research has been done on this tree yet, it is advised that women do not take it when pregnant, as there is insufficient data on it as yet.

   The tree itself can be used as a hedge as it has thorns on its spurs and deters animals from trespassing. It also fixes the nitrogen content in the soil and is good as a nursemaid for less hardy plants such as young walnut trees until they become established. You can make a jelly with the fruit if you follow that given for Rowan berry jelly, although you do not need to use pectin.

WHAT IS HYSSOP OR HYSSOPUS OFFICINALIS? ZUFA: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF HYSSOP: HYSSOP DRESSING RECIPE

HYSSOP, ZUFA, HYSSOPUS OFFICINALIS

Hyssop is a member of the mint family of herbs and is related to oregano, rosemary, lavender and thyme. In the past it was used as a culinary herb, although it is not often used in this way now, probably because people have grown away from nature and don’t know what to do with it. Hyssop is not a relation of Water Hyssop, despite the names, and neither is it believed to be the hyssop of the Bible as it is native to the Mediterranean regions rather than Israel and Palestine.

   It was known to Hippocrates who believed it to be beneficial for all respiratory ailments, especially bronchitis and it is still used for coughs, nasal congestion and as an expectorant. It is still used in these ways in the Indian subcontinent and is called Zufa in Urdu. The word Hyssop comes from the Greek isoppos. The Romans used it to make a herbal wine, but this is not considered palatable nowadays, so is not used in this way today. The flowers smell of camphor-mothballs- so are distinctive enough to be recognized in the wild, and they have become naturalized in North America and Britain, so you can distinguish them by this fragrance. It came into its own in the Middle Ages and was grown by monks to spice up soups and sauces and add to meat dishes. Later in the 16^th and 17^th centuries the hot infusion was used for the vapours that came off it to cure ear problems. The old herbalists used it to cure many things and the tisane from the flowers was given for urinary tract disorders, as an emmenogogue for menstrual problems, to aid digestion and to stop spasms. Mixed with honey it was for sore throats, coughs and colds as well as to promote sweat during fevers. It should not be taken during pregnancy.

   The bruised leaves were rubbed on rheumatic joints to relieve pain and in poultices they helped reduce swellings caused by sprains. The crushed leaves were also used to heal wounds (it is the leaves that produce the essential oil of the plant) and the ancients used the herb as an insect repellant, especially to get rid of lice. The juice from the leaves has been used apparently to great effect, to get rid of intestinal worms. Hyssop baths were recommended for rheumatism, and they can relieve stress if you soak in a bath of hyssop leaves and flowers. These are best gathered in late July or August when they are in full bloom.

  The tisane, or infusion can be made with a teaspoon of the dried herb (leaves and flowering tops) and used externally on wounds, bruises and as a skin tonic, as it is said that it helps smooth wrinkles. You can take it to relieve flatulence, aid digestion, clear the bronchial and nasal passages, as a diuretic, expectorant (with honey) , if you lose your voice (again with honey) and for stress and nervous problems. It’s best mixed with mint or lemon balm as a tisane as a refreshing drink, and you need 1tsp of the dried leaves and flowers, with a few leaves of mint or lemon balm to 1 pint of boiling water. Leave it to steep for 15- 20 minutes and drink hot with honey or sugar to taste. The tisane can regulate blood pressure and is good for asthma.

   Modern medical research is ongoing but there are hopes that it could help to fight HIV because of its antimicrobial and antiviral action. It contains ursolic and oleanolic acids which have anti-inflammatory properties, and ursolic acid has been found to inhibit cell growth in human leukaemia cells and in a mouse melanoma cell line. It also contains bioflavonoids which have potent antioxidant activities. Marrubiin found in the plant has expectorant properties, so the old herbalists got that use right. The diterpine, marrubiin is similar to taxol, which has anti-cancer effects, and has been found to have antibiotic and antiviral properties. Another flavonoid Diosmin has been used to treat acute nasal allergies and can help in the treatment of varicose veins and piles. It is also being investigated for its anti-cancer activities, and for the treatment of PMS/PMT, colitis and diabetes.

   Hyssop also contains triterpenoids which in lab tests have been shown to decrease anxiety in mice as well as increasing their mental functions and to heal wounds and strengthen the skin.

   The fresh and dried flowers can be used decoratively as a garnish but they lose their smell when dries so can’t be used in pot pourris. Hyssop has been used by French monks for centuries to make the liqueurs, Benedictine and Chartreuse and it was used in the original absinthe as well as in the one on sale today. It has also been used to make soap and can be found in spicy perfumes. You can also make a grey-green dye with the plant. It can be used in sugar syrups to pour over fruit and the fresh leaves may be used as a salad green. Below is a dressing for salads and especially for salmon steaks. Try it and see if you like it.

HYSSOP DRESSING

Ingredients

1 tbsp hyssop leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp Dijon mustard or green peppercorn mustard

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsps soured cream

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Method

Put all the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake well.

Leave the dressing to stand for at least an hour at room temperature and then shake well once again before pouring.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS WOLFBERRY? GOJI BERRY: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF WOLFBERRY

WOLFBERRY, GOJI BERRY, LYCIUM BARBARUM

Perhaps this berry is best known as the goji berry, a red berry that has been hailed as one of nature’s superfruits along with the cranberry and pomegranate, among others. The Latin name, Lycium barbarum, means the thorn from Lycia which was an ancient city in what is now the southern Anatolian region of modern Turkey. It gets its name “wolfberry” from the fact that lycos in Greek means wolf (although it is lupus in Latin), so wolfberry is a misnomer. The plant originated in southeastern Europe and Asia, notably in Tibet and China, around the Himalayan region. Whether or not it comes from the Himalayan region or Tibet, it is often sold under the name, Himalayan or Tibetan goji berry.

   It was introduced into Britain by the Duke of Argyll sometime during the 1730s and is known as The Duke of Argyll’s Tea Tree. Now it grows wild in southern counties of England and is sold legally in Britain as it has been eaten for almost 300 years there.

    You usually buy it in the dried form and it is good in a tisane combined with the root bark. It is usually cooked before eating and is a useful addition to sweet rice dishes instead or as well as sultanas. It is rather like a raisin in texture, and has that kind of chewy consistency.

  At the beginning of the 21^st century the Himalayan goji berry was hailed as a superfruit and has since been sold as a health food and as a dietary supplement. It contains vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin of the B-complex group), E, minerals including iron, potassium, zinc, phosphorous, calcium and selenium as well as bioflavonoids and carotenoids such as zeaxanthin. It contains more vitamin C than an orange per serving and so helps to strengthen the immune system. It also has the essential amino acids and fatty acids, and the polysaccharides it contains help to maintain normal blood pressure levels. Both beta-carotene and zeaxanthin which help to protect the retina in the eye by absorbing blue light, and this may decrease the risk of macular degeneration, in much the same way as wimberries do.

Wolfberry flower

   The bioflavonoid Betaine calms nervousness, enhances muscular growth and helps the liver function. Physalin is active against all types of leukaemia and this is also in goji or wolfberries. It is also used in the treatment of Hepatitis B. Solavetivane is a powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound while Beta-Sitoserol is an anti-inflammatory used to treat impotence and prostate enlargement, and it is this combined with the potent antioxidant activities of the berry that has given it the reputation for enhancing the libido and being an aphrodisiac. Cyperone, a sesquiterpene is good for the heart, normalizes blood pressure and may help in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Dried Wolfberry

   It is claimed that the ripe fruit is a tonic, boosts sperm production and benefits the complexion, as well as helping the liver and kidneys to function well. It also demonstrates some anti-cancer activity and improves blood circulation. The Beta-carotene helps to prevent the skin from becoming sun damaged and it has been touted as a great way to keep a young-looking skin and slow the aging process.

   This fruit has been used for 6,000 years in the Indian subcontinent, China and Tibet to protect the liver, improve sexual performance and health, improve vision strengthen the legs and to increase longevity.

   The root bark is used to lower the body’s temperature in fevers, regulate high blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels. It has the reputation of being good for coughs and colds as well as being used as a diuretic and purgative. A tonic tisane is made from the leaves and is used also to stop genital itching.

Wolfberry plant

    Goji berries are expensive though, but if you live where they grow wild, you could do worse than to go and forage for the berries and then dry them during the autumn months.

LILY OF THE VALLEY: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF LILY OF THE VALLEY

LILY OF THE VALLEY, MAY LILY, CONVALLARIA MAJALIS

Lily of the valley is known by many names including Jacob’s Ladder, as the bell shaped flowers form a ladder shape at the top of the stem. They normally flower in May, in the UK which is why they are sometimes called May Lilies, although they have been known to flower earlier than this. Some people rather fancifully, call them Fairy Cups, as the delicate flowers could be used by fairies as cups, and some people call them Our Lady’s Tears. Their red berries are poisonous and should not be ingested. Modern medical science also warns about this plant and it should only be used under the direction of a qualified homoeopathist as an overdose can cause cardiac failure.

   Stems grow to a height of between 15 and 30 centimetres and the leaves can be 10 to 25 centimetres long. There are between 5 and 15 flowers on the stem, and these are pollinated by bees and then develop into red berries. It is native to Europe, North Asia and the eastern US.

  The most potent part of the plant is the leaf, but the flower and root are the parts mostly used especially in tisanes, to relieve fevers, and as a diuretic, a sedative and as an emetic. A root ointment has traditionally been used on burns to prevent scarring. It was used in mediaeval times instead of foxglove as it is less likely to cause poisoning, and has similar properties to digitalis found in those flowers. It is safer for the elderly with heart problems than foxglove remedies, and it has been used for cardiac problems for centuries.

   In aromatherapy the essential oil is used to lift depression and create a feeling of well-being; it is also believed to improve the cognitive processes and can, it is claimed, help counter the effects of ageing of the brain. The substance which is similar to digitalis in its effects is convallamarin, and the asparagin in the plant is responsible for its diuretic action. The bioflavonoids in the plant stimulate the arteries, and are good to lower blood pressure.

   In Culpeper’s time lilies of the valley grew on Hampstead Heath, but I doubt they can be found there now. There is a legend that comes from southern England which states that lilies of the valley grew from the blood of St. Leonard who fought a long, hard battle with a dragon in the woods at Horsham, Surrey. Another legend says that the fragrance of the flowers attracts the nightingale which finds its mate in groves and woods where the flowers bloom.

   Lilies of the valley were known to Apuleius in the 4^th century AD and a Greek myth states that Apollo found the plant and gave it to the physician Aesculapius. The whole plant is gathered when the flowers are blooming and dried together with the flowers on the stalk. The plant was used for soldiers of the First World War who had come into contact with poisonous gas.

   A decoction of the flowers (½ an ounce boiled for 20 mins in a pint water) has been used for obstructions in the urinary tract and is said to be effective. The British herbalists, such as Gerard and Culpeper believed that the distilled water of the flowers, called Aqua aurea (golden water) was a cure all. Coles, writing in 1657 recommended that the flowers be steeped in new wine for a month and then distilled three times, as the ensuing water was “more precious then gold” especially for apoplexy especially if mixed with six “grains of Pepper and a little Lavender water”; this was supposed to be effective for a month.

   Prior to that in 1560 Dodoens said that this same water “doth strengthen the Memorie and comforteth the Harte.” Gerard had yet another way of making lily of the valley water: “a glasse being filled with the flowers of May Lilies and set in an Ant Hill with the mouth close stopped for a month’s space and then taken out, ye shall find a liquor in the glass which being outwardly applied, helps the gout very much.” This was also used externally for rheumatism and sprains. The bruised root was boiled in wine and used in cases of fever.

  Culpeper of course, had something to say about these flowers, and the last word goes to him.

“It without doubt strengthens the brain and renovates a weak memory. The distilled water dropped into the eyes helps inflammation thereof. The spirit of the flowers distilled in wine, restoreth lost speech. Helps the palsy, is extremely good in the apoplexy, comforteth the heart and vital spirits.”

WHAT IS COMMON BARBERRY? RASOUT: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF COMMON BARBERRY

COMMON BARBERRY, EUROPEAN BARBERRY BERBERIS VULGARIS

The common barberry is native to the British Isles, most of Europe and North Africa and temperate Asia, and grows in Pakistan along with Berberis lycicum and has similar properties to it and Berberis aristata. However it has red, not blue black berries, which are oblong and slightly rounded. In Urdu it is called Rasout and Kwarai in Pashto. The Common Barberry grows to a height of about 8 to10 feet, and has a woody stem the colour of ash, the outer covering of which is shaved off and dried, either on trays in the sun outdoors or threaded and strung across a room which is airy and gets direct sunlight.

   It is a sensitive plant, though not in the same way as Tickle Me or Wood Sorrel, its stamens move away from the petals and close to the pistil. When bees try to get their nectar, they trigger the mechanism and the anther strikes the stigma which releases pollen. In the UK it was common to see the Common Barberry in copses and hedges, but farmers didn’t like it because it is sometimes host to the rust fungus, and they believed that it would infect their crops, particularly wheat. It used to be cultivated for its fruit, which has a pleasant, acidic taste, and in the 16^th century, Gerard tells is that its leaves were used “to season meat with and instead of salad.” Birds, pigs and horses tend to avoid it because of its acidity, but it’s a bee and butterfly plant. In this respect it is rather like tamarind or imli.

  The fruit was used in sweet dishes and Rouen in France was renowned for its Confiture d’ epine vinette. The Victorian cook, Mrs. Beeton recommends the berries as garnishes “The berries arranged on bunches of nice curled parsley, make an exceedingly pretty garnish for supper dishes particularly for white meats…”

   The roots, when boiled with lye make a yellow dye used in Poland for colouring leather and elsewhere for dying wool. If you chew the stem bark it will turn your saliva yellow, as does turmeric. In fact it has similar medicinal properties to turmeric (haldi). In Italy it is called Holy Thorn as it is believed that it was the Crown of thorns worn by Jesus during his crucifixion. Other trees also have the same thorns on their branches and have been given similar names, for example, the hawthorn.

   It has been used in medicine for at least 2,500 years in all countries where it grows, and the leaves are used to treat jaundice, and in Iran it is valued for its effects on the gallbladder. The berries contain malic acid and vitamin C and so far 22 alkaloids have been identified in these plants which are thought to be of medical importance, but they are still being investigated. So far it has been suggested that it may help with erectile dysfunctions as it has potent antioxidant properties because of the flavonoids it contains, and it is beneficial to the veins and arteries in general.

   You can make a jelly with the fruit using the same quantity of sugar as fruit and as it contains pectin it doesn’t need any to be added. (See recipe for plum jam and when it has cooled a little, strain through muslin or cheesecloth into sterile glass jars.) This aids digestion and helps relieve sore throats, although a gargle made from a syrup made from the berries can be diluted and also used in this way. It contains berbamine, which has positive effects on the cardio-vascular system, and is deemed to be good for arrhythmia, angina pectoris and other heart problems. Berberine is also found in this plant and this is has anti-bacterial properties and may be helpful in boosting the functions of the immune system and could aid digestion and prevent epileptic fits and convulsions. It may also be effective against candida and inflammation in the urinary tract.

  The Common barberry also regulates blood pressure and is used in Pakistan for morning sickness during pregnancy. In traditional medicine it is used on the skin to treat skin diseases such as psoriasis, and it is believed that it can help reduce the effects of aging on the brain. In homeopathy it is sometimes used for gall stones and other gall bladder problems. Like the Indian Barberry and the berberry it is also known to assist the liver and is given in cases of jaundice. The infusion of the leaves is used to relieve bronchial problems including asthma and coughs, and a tincture made from them has been used for snake bites, rheumatism and sciatica.

    In Europe the powdered root bark has traditionally been used to cure dyspepsia and aid digestion, as well as to stop sickness and diarrhoea. It is thought that the daily dose for jaundice and general debility and sickness is ¼ tsp of powdered bark taken 3 or 4 times a day. The tisane from the bark or leaves may be used as an antiseptic, as can the fruit as it has astringent properties.

   It can also be used in the same ways as the Indian Berberry.