LUPINS HAVE SO MANY POSSIBILITIES: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF LUPINS

LUPINS, LUPINUS GENUS

Lupins, like hollyhocks can be found in many quintessential English gardens. It is believed that the white lupin, Lupinus albus originated in Greece, and spread from there to ancient Egypt and Rome. Whatever the case, lupins, or lupines as they are spelled in American English, have been cultivated around the world for between 3 and 4 thousand years, both for animal fodder and human food. They usually grow to heights of 2 to 3 feet but can grow up to 6 feet tall. They belong to the Fabaceae or Leguminoceae family of plants so are related to the green bean, pea, indigo, the pongam tree and the Monkey Pod tree, carob and the Butterfly pea, to name but a few.

  The word lupin comes from the Latin meaning wolf (lupus) as it was believed that the lupins stole fertile land which could have been used for other crops just as a wolf stole sheep from a shepherd. We now know that they are nitrogen fixers and actually increase the fertility of poor soil. Frederick the Great of Prussia seemed aware of this fact when, in 1781 he took large quantities of lupins from the Mediterranean and transplanted them in northern Germany to improve the fertility of the soil. By the 1860s there were lupins along the Baltic coastal plains and the soil was much improved.

  The Germans have been proponents of the lupin for centuries and in 1917 a German scientist, Doctor Thomas held a Lupin Fest or banquet in Hamburg for those with an interest in botany. The feast consisted of Lupin soup, Lupin beefsteak cooked in lupin oil and seasoned with extract of lupin, with bread made from 20 % lupin flour, lupin margarine to put on the bread, lupin cheese made from lupin albumen and all this was washed down after the meal with a lupin liqueur, and lupin coffee. If someone who attended the feast felt like writing a letter, then there was paper and envelopes (with lupin adhesive) made from the fibre of lupin stems and the whole meal was served on a tablecloth which- you’ve guessed it- was made of lupin fibres. They could also wash their hands after the meal with lupin soap.                                                                                      

  After such a tour de force interest was renewed in the lupin’s possibilities, and a less bitter type of lupin was developed for human consumption during the 1920s.

  On 3^rd January, 2011, it was reported in news.softpedia that a German scientist, Dr. Peter Eisner of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising, Germany, had suggested that the lupin could be the answer to both the health of the environment and the Earth’s population, as it contained protein which was gluten-free and also lactose free so could be used in the preparation of ice-cream and cheese. He went even further when he pointed out that the protein content of lupin seeds or beans could be put to use as a meat substitute in the German wűrst (sausage). This would provide a low-fat cholesterol free sausage as the lupin bean or seed is full of healthy polyunsaturated fats and a source of Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.

  Writing in his Natural History in the first century BC Pliny the Elder wrote: - “No kind of food is more wholesome and light in digestion than the White lupin, (Lupinus albus) when eaten dry. If taken commonly at meals, it will contribute a fresh colour and a cheerful countenance.” Lupin seeds were sold on street corners in ancient Rome as snacks with sunflower seeds. They were also used as props in Roman tragedies and comedies, substituting for money, so were known as a mere trifle. This use was also known in Mediaeval England as they were, according to Dr. Fernie, writing in his Herbal Simples in 1897 called “tristis lupinus” meaning the sad lupins by Virgil. That being said this epithet attached to them by Virgil, probably had nothing to do with them being regarded as no money at all, but was more likely to have been a reference to the fact that in ancient Greece pilgrims visiting the Oracle of the Dead on the banks of the river Acheron ate copious amounts of lupin seeds as it was believed that they would facilitate communication with the departed whom they wished to contact. In the ancient world, lupins were thought to aid communication with spirits in the afterlife.                                            

  It has been found that lupin seeds provide one of the best sources of the amino acid, arginine, which is believed to help the health of blood vessels and to reduce high blood pressure. It should therefore help men with erectile dysfunctions. They are a useful source of β-carotene as their colour asserts. They have antioxidant properties too and so are under scrutiny by scientists.

  In the Mediterranean areas of Italy, Greece and Portugal, you can buy lupin seeds which have been pickled in brine like capers and olives, and these may be added to breakfast cereals for extra vitamins, minerals and protein. In the Andes, lupin flour is mixed with fresh papaya juice while in Australia and beans are sprouted like alfalfa and mung beans to produce bean sprouts.

  Lupin flour is gluten free and can be used in cooking and baking as it is in the med. It may be used to thicken sauces and soups and stews, or used as a face pack to rejuvenate tired skin. The seeds are roasted and used as a coffee substitute which is probably preferable to dandelion coffee, and you can also make them into a poultice (bruise and crack them) for ulcers. Taken internally the seeds have diuretic properties and have been used in traditional medicine systems to regulate a woman’s periods. They can also help regulate blood sugar levels and have a reputation for being able to rid the body of internal worms.

  Seeds from an Arctic lupin species (Lupinus articus) found in lemming burrows in the Yukon, Alaska, were dated to around 10,000 years old and were successfully germinated. They are not the oldest seeds to have done so, though as this record is held by the lotus seeds (Nelumbo nucifera) which germinated after lying dormant for 13,000 years.

  If you use lupin seeds fresh and pick them yourself you should soak them in several changes of water before using them in any way as they contain some toxic alkaloids and tannins which could react badly in the body. Leaching the beans and discarding the water will help. However, the pickled beans are cheap and delicious too. Roasted they can be combined with melon and watermelon seeds for a healthy snack.

MOONWORT, ONE OF THE FERNS: HISTORY, SUPERSTITIONS AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF MOONWORT

MOONWORT, BOTYRCHIUM LUNARIA

Moonwort or common moonwort is a fern which grows throughout Europe, North and South America, parts of Asia and Australia. Botyrchium lunaria is sometimes called the common moonwort to distinguish it from others in the same family of Botrychiaceae, in the order of the Ophioglossales or adder’s tongue order of plants.

 Moonwort has long been a plant associated with magic and it is said that witches used to gather it by moonlight (preferably during the full moon) and use it in their spells and during incantations. Superstition has it (in the UK and as mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper) that it could unlock locks and unshoe horses which trod on it unwittingly. This is what Culpeper has to say abut this tiny fern, which grows to a staggering 3 inches high, which is why it is so difficult to spot in long grass.                                                               

spores of moonwort

“Government and virtues. The Moon owns the herb. Moonwort is cold and drying more than adder's tongue, and is therefore held to be more available for all wounds both inward and outward. The leaves boiled in red wine, and drank, stay the immoderate flux of women's courses, and the whites. It also stays bleeding, vomiting, and other fluxes. It helps all blows and bruises, and to consolidate all fractures and dislocations. It is good for ruptures, but is chiefly used, by most with other herbs, to make oils or balsams to heal fresh or green wounds (as I said before) either inward or outward, for which it is excellently good.

Moonwort is a herb which (they say) will open locks, and unshoe such horses as tread upon it. This some laugh to scorn, and those no small fools neither; but country people, that I know, call it Unshoe the Horse. Besides I have heard commanders say, that on White Down in Devonshire, near Tiverton, there were found thirty horse shoes, pulled off from the feet of the Earl of Essex's horses, being there drawn up in a body, many of them being but newly shod, and no reason known, which caused much admiration: the herb described usually grows upon heaths.”

  In some states in North America, moonwort is an endangered species, particularly in New England, where it is on the critically endangered list in the state of Maine. It has the distinction of being the only moonwort which grows in Britain where as Culpeper reports (writing in the 17^th century) it was mainly used as a vulnerary or wound healer. John Parkinson (1567-1650), who was herbalist to King Charles I of Britain, says that the plant was used by alchemists who sought to change base materials into gold.   

  Because it is so small it is difficult to spot, but it has spores, which look a little like flowers, between the months of June and August, when you are more likely to detect it. It doesn’t have fronds like the maidenhair fern or bracken, but nevertheless it is a small fern.

HONEY AND ITS HEALTH BENEFITS

                                                        HONEY

Honey is very useful in the winter months as it can help protect us from coughs, colds and flu. In Pakistan children are given a spoonful of honey in hot milk for breakfast to keep them warm as honey has “hot” properties according to Eastern medicine systems. It also boosts the immune system and helps protect us from diseases. It is a natural antibiotic too which means that we can use it if our bodies and the invading viruses and bacteria have become immune to the effects of pharmaceutical antibiotics.                                               

  Raw honey is of course the best for our health. This is honey which has not been subjected to heating at 70 º C or more so still contains all the enzymes which the bees have in their honeycombs. This is difficult to obtain unless you happen to know a beekeeper or apiarist as they are known. The darker the honey, the stronger the flavour, the lighter, the less oomph it packs, although this is not to say that it doesn’t have health benefits.

  Commercially produced honey which you get from your supermarket shelves has been processed so that it has a longer shelf-life, which means that it doesn’t crystallize as quickly as raw honey. Crystallized honey can still be used to sweeten hot drinks and in cooking and baking, so don’t throw it away.

  When honey is heated for commercial use, it loses some of the nutrients such as yeast, bioflavonoids and minerals and vitamins. However, all of them are not lost. If you want to buy “pure” honey, then you should read the label on the jar or tin very carefully and choose honey that has not been adulterated with such ingredients as molasses, corn starch and so on. The best honey is that which has been produced from one source, lavender, or thyme flowers, orange flowers etc. If the honey is raw you should be able to get the aroma of the flowers when you open the jar or tin. Some people say that you can tell if honey is pure by rubbing a little of it on the palm of your hand, and if you have a slight burning sensation it is pure. The real test, it would seem, is to drop some honey into water and if it is difficult to get it to dissolve because it forms a solid mass at the bottom of the cup, then it is pure. Commercial honey will dissolve more quickly.

  Bees make a substance called propolis which means “defence of the city” in ancient Greek, and this is made by the bees chewing the resin which exudes from buds on trees, so mixing it with their saliva to make a natural antibiotic substance which they use to seal cracks in their hives so that the hive is protected against the elements and diseases and infections. It keeps the hive healthy and warm. Propolis is rich in nutrients and may contain bees’ wings and other flecks and is also used by its creators to seal and repair the honeycombs. It consists of 50 -70 % resins, 30% wax (beeswax), 10 % etheric oils and about 5% of pollen. The bees sting invaders of the insect world to death and then embalm them in this substance. Ancient Egyptians used the process for embalming in their mummification process. Propolis is rich in nutrients which include carotene (vitamin A), B-complex vitamins B1, B2, B3 and biotin and bioflavonoids (vitamin P). It has 500 times more bioflavonoids than an orange and also contains the minerals, calcium, potassium, phosphorous and magnesium. It promotes wound healing and the regeneration of tissue, and is a natural alternative to antibiotics such as penicillin.                                                                                                

  Raw honey also shares these properties as it contains propolis, and is a rich source of antioxidants, so having just a teaspoonful of honey a day will make you less susceptible to illnesses and honey does not increase the blood sugar levels as quickly as does sugar, making it comparatively good for diabetics. It also has anti-inflammatory properties as well as anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral ones and if that isn't enough to convince you that it is good for you, it also contains selenium, the trace element that produces the feel-good factor.                                                                                                    

  A teaspoonful of honey mixed with lemon juice and ginger root juice is an excellent remedy for coughs, colds and sore throats, etc. In the UK people also add blackcurrant juice to this for extra vitamin C and vitamins A and E.

  Our ancestors, the hunter-gatherers used honey and so did the people of ancient civilizations. They gave honey as offerings to their gods, as well as eating it themselves if they foraged for it. Otherwise, honey was only available to the wealthy as it was expensive. This was true until commercially produced honey became available with the mechanized honey extractor.

  If you can get raw honey from a beekeeper this is the best way of ensuring your honey is pure; if you can’t check the label carefully for adulterants. Some of the best honey I have eaten was from Crete, and that from Athens was very good too, believe it or not. In Greece, it is used in thick natural yoghurt topped with seasonal soft fruit such as strawberries, bananas and kiwi fruit, which makes a wonderful breakfast dish.

 

DOG ROSE - USE THE HIPS FOR HEALTH: HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF DOG ROSES

DOG ROSE, ROSA CANINA 

The dog rose can be found in hedgerows in Britain, mainland Europe, North Africa and south western Asia. It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries and as a beauty aid. Cleopatra is said to have soaked the sails of her barge with rose water to impress both Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.

  It is thought that this wild rose originated in the East and spread to Persia (now Iran) and Babylon, then was taken by Arab traders to Egypt, from where it was transported to ancient Greece and Rome, where it flourished along with the wild damask rose. Roses were worn as garlands around the necks of ancient Romans and figured in feasts, orgies and marriages. The rose, particularly the red rose, has been a symbol of love for centuries. Wild roses are closely related with the cultivated ones and belong in the same Rosaceae family as plums, loquats, apricots, almonds and a multitude of other plants which provide us with fruit and nuts.

  The wild rose or dog rose gets its name from the Old word “dag” for dagger which refers to its thorns and the tale of the Devil who was tormented by the thorns when he fell from grace into a wild rose bush. Some believe that the word ‘dog’ came about as Pliny says that the Romans used the roots of the wild rose to cure the bites of rabid dogs.

  Nicholas Culpeper writing his herbal in the 17^th century has this to say of the dog rose: -

   “Government and virtues. It is under the dominion of the moon. The flowers of the wild-briar are accounted more restringent than the garden-roses, and by some are reckoned as a specific for the excess of the catamenia. The pulp of the hips has a pleasant grateful acidity, strengthens the stomach, cools the heat of fevers, is pectoral, good for coughs and spitting of blood, and the scurvy. The seed has been known to do great things against the stone and gravel; and the same virtues are attributed to the spongy excresence which grows upon the stalk. The best way of preserving its virtues is, by keeping it conserved.”                                                                                           

  The German Commission E might agree with Culpeper’s last statement, as they have stated that the fruit loses a lot of its natural potency as regards health benefits soon after it is picked. This means that you should use freshly picked fruit – hips or dried powder. By “restringent,” Culpeper means astringent I believe and this is affirmed by modern science. The dog rose petals have more astringency as do the leaves than those of other roses. This means that they can be used to treat stomach upsets and can be applied to wounds. Usually this is done in the form of a wash.

  A tisane, syrup and rose water can be made with the parts of the dog rose, and rose petal jam is a good preserve. The fruit or hips can be eaten raw or cooked and this begins to appear in October but is sweeter and softer after a frost. The flowers are in bloom in June and July and decorate the hedges with their pink or pink and white, or more rarely white flowers. I used to be fascinated with these wild roses and was told that they were brought to Britain by the Romans. However this is made reference to so far as I have found on the Net. I liked to believe it was true, and of course, it may be. It can grow to 3 metres (9 feet) tall by the same dimensions wide.                                                                    

  The dried leaves of the dog rose can be powdered and made into a tisane, which is said to help with stomach upsets. The petals can be made into rose water, but it takes a long time. You can pick the flowers on a sunny day when they are at their most fragrant and put them into an enamel pan or a stainless steel one, and cover them with fresh spring water or distilled water. Cover the pan and put it on a low heat and bring it to a simmer. Turn the heat down as low as you can and heat it through for 10 minutes, lightly covered. Turn off the heat and allow the flowers to steep overnight, then, in the morning, strain the liquid and add a quarter of the volume of alcohol to preserve it. Bottle it in sterile glass jars or bottles and store in a cool dark place. This is a useful toner for the skin and can be used as a wash for acne and other skin blemishes. You can also use it in cooking and it is very good in milky puddings, such as rice pudding, or with fruit salads.

 Rose hip tisane has mild laxative properties, probably because of the malic and citric acids it contains along with pectin. You can make a jelly with rose hips as you can with crab apples.

  Rose hip oil is a good moisturizer and rejuvenates the skin. This is obtained from the seeds contained in the hips. These are rich in vitamin E and they can be ground and mixed with flour or added as a thickener to sweet dishes. However they are fiddly to deal with as you should really remove the tiny hairs that grow on the seeds. Boiled seeds have been used to treat the pains of rheumatism, arthritis and gout and should be boiled for at least an hour if you are thinking of using the remedy.

  In Anatolia the fruit is used in the treatment of diabetes, and a study by Orhan N. et al., published in 2009 in the Pharmacognosy Magazine Vol. 5 (20) pp 309-15 “Anti-diabetic Effect and Antioxidant Potential of Rosa Canina  Fruits” supported this traditional use. Other Turkish research has shown the anti-inflammatory effects of extracts of the fruit.                             

  Rose hips from the dog rose contain fatty acids, which is unusual for a fruit, and they have more vitamin C than oranges or any other citrus fruit (so was useful during the Second World War in Britain) as well as vitamins A, D, E and K, and the minerals, boron, sodium, calcium, copper, zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorous. There are also bioflavonoids, tannin, carotenoids including β-carotene and some of the B-complex vitamins. As it is red, as are strawberries, tomatoes and watermelons, it contains lycopene, which reduces the risk of prostate cancer in men.

  A Danish study conducted by R. Christenson published in 2008 has suggested that the extracts of the rose hips of this particular wild rose may indeed soothe the pain of inflamed joints, and osteoarthritis.

  The following recipe is to be used with freshly picked rosehips and is a syrup which can be given to people suffering from colds, flu etc as it will boost the immune system and reduce the number of days the symptoms stay. It can also be used in winter as can the infusion of the hips to boost the immune system and so lessen the risk of colds and so on. However, it takes ages to make, although you don’t have to look after it while it simmers.

ROSE HIP SYRUP

Ingredients                                          

2 pints water 

4 ozs fresh rose hips

1lb sugar

Method          

Put the hips and water in a pan and cover it. Bring the water to the boil and boil, covered for 20 to 30 minutes.

Strain the liquid and clean the pan, then pour the liquid back into it.

Leave it uncovered on a very low heat until only 7 fluid ounces are left. (This is what takes the time.)

Add the sugar and still on a very low heat, simmer until it dissolves.

Allow it to cool a little before bottling it.

Store in a cool dark place.

DWARF ELDER: USED FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES AROUND THE GLOBE: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF DWARF ELDER

DWARF ELDER, (EUROPEAN), SAMBUCUS EBULUS 

The dwarf elder is in the same genus as the elder or common elder tree and in the Adoxaceae family of plants, although formerly it was in the Caprifoliaceae family. The Himalayan viburnums belong in the same family as does the Guelder rose (Viburnum opulis), making them relations of the European dwarf elder, which is different altogether from the plant called by the same name in the US; Aralia hispida of the Araliaceae family. This dwarf elder is native to Britain and mainland Europe as well as to the Mediterranean and eastwards to the Himalayas. Its cooked fruit is edible, and so are the leaves as they can be made into a tisane or infusion and have been used as a tea substitute.

  The Dwarf elder is also known as Danewort, Danesblood, and Walwort and there are legends surrounding these names. “Wal” means slaughter, and it was thought (or perhaps hoped) that the plant grew where the blood of invading Danes had been spilled in Britain. There are places called the Slaughters (Upper and Lower) in the Cotswolds and there are quite a lot of dwarf elders there still. It is also called Blood Elder or Blood Hilder and it was thought to have been brought to Britain by the Danes to lay on their graves.

  The berries and leaves closely resemble those of the elder tree, but this is a plant which only grows to around three feet high and it dies back in winter. The stem of this plant is not woody and the white flowers are sometimes splashed with red and they have red anthers. They bloom in July and August, and like their relatives, the Himalayan viburnums, they don’t smell pleasant. In fact the whole plant when bruised, smells obnoxious, and does not have the musky smell of the elder. It is said that the plant repels moles and mice, so perhaps the leaves repel mice too.

  The plant has been found to have some anti-cancer properties, anti-inflammatory ones and have antioxidant properties; it is an anti-rheumatism plant and can be used as a remedy for piles according to some modern research. The flowers and berried contain essential oil. And the rest of the plant contains tannins, steroids, flavonoids, glycosides including sambunigrin and ebuloside and ebulin, along with caffeic acid derivatives and other substances. However, much more research needs to be done to find how this plant can be used effectively for human health.

  In Iranian traditional medicine the plant is used to treat sore throats, and bee and nettle stings as well as arthritis. Juice from the root is used to dye hair black, in some parts of the world, and a blue dye and ink may be obtained from the berries.

  In traditional medicine the root is used as a very effective and drastic purgative and this is not recommended! The leaves also can be used as a milder purgative. These have anti-inflammatory properties, can help to increase the flow of bile in the body and help remove it, act as an expectorant, and in fevers can promote sweat. They also have diuretic activities. The leaves can be placed on burns and scalds to help heal them and can also be made into a hot or warm poultice for sprains and swellings. It was thought that placing a bunch of dwarf elder leaves on the chest of someone who had just begun to get T.B. would help, and if a person had a fever, he or she might be laid on a sheet which had the leaves on it and then wrapped in a blanket to get rid of a fever. The physicians of Myddfai used it for fevers, as you can see from these ancient remedies of theirs: -

  “Fevers The mugwort, madder, meadow sweet, milfoil, hemp, red cabbage, and the tutsan, all these seven herbs enter into the composition of the medicine required. Whosoever obtains them all, will not languish long from a wounded lung, or need fear for his life. Any of the following herbs may be added thereto, butcher's broom, agrimony, tutsan, dwarf elder, amphibious persicaria, centaury, round birth wort, field scabious, pepper mint, daisy, knap weed, roots of the red nettle, crake berry, St. John's wort, privet, wood betony, the roots of the yellow goat's beard, heath, water avens, woodruff, leaves of the earth nut, agrimony, wormwood, the bastard balm, small burdock, and the orpine”

This was a treatment for an intermittent fever such as malaria is: -

  “Take the mugwort, dwarf elder, tutsan, amphibious persicaria, pimpernel, butcher's broom, elder bark, and the mallow, and boiling them together as well as possible in a pot, or cauldron. Then take the water and herbs, and add them to the bath.”

  Nicholas Culpeper writing his herbal in the 17^th century, much later than the old Welsh physicians, has this to say of the dwarf elder: -

  “The dwarf elder is more powerful than the common elder in opening and purging choler, phlegm, and water; in helping the gout, piles, and women's diseases, coloureth the hair black, helpeth the inflammations of the eyes, and pains in the ears, the biting of serpents, or mad dogs, burnings and scaldings, the wind cholic, cholic and stone, the difficulty of urine, the cure of old sores and fistulous ulcers. Either leaves or bark of elder, stripped upwards as you gather it, causeth vomiting. Also Dr. Butler, in a manuscript of his, commends dwarf elder to the sky for dropsies, viz to drink it, being boiled in white wine; to drink the decoction I mean, not the elder.”

  This plant has been used for centuries for various ailments, and it seems that it has far more benefits for our health than even the old herbalists gave it credit for.

  

FRENCH MERCURY NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE BY CULPEPER: HISTORY AND MEDICINAL USES OF FRENCH MERCURY

FRENCH, GARDEN OR ANNUAL MERCURY, MERCURIALIS ANNUA

This Mercury, like dog’smercury is a member of the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family of plants along with Ricinis communis or the castor oil plant, cassava or manioc, and Croton tiglium or jamalgota among others. It is sometimes confused with Good-King-Henry, which is often called English Mercury to distinguish it from this plant which is poisonous. Garden mercury or French mercury has been used dried as a decoction in injections by the French, possibly for STDs, this is unclear, but it is best to take the advice of Nicholas Culpeper, the 17^th century English herbalist and stay away from Mercuries. He had this to say of them: -

“This species of mercury has been confounded with others of the same name, with which it has been thought to agree in nature. But there is not a more fatal plant, native of our country, than this. The common herbals, as Gerard's and Parkinson's, instead of cautioning their readers against the use of this plant, after some trifling, idle observations upon the qualities of mercuries in general, dismiss the article without noticing its baneful effects. Other writers, more accurate, have done this; but they have written in Latin, a language not likely to inform those who stand most in need of this caution. This is one of the reasons for compiling of this work.”

  It is said that the young leaves can be used as a spinach substitute, as it would appear that they lose their poisonous principle if heat is applied to them. However to be on the safe side, don’t use this herb or dog’s mercury either. Raw leaves are poisonous. It is said that this herb was once used as a pot herb but I find this very hard to believe.

  The leaves have been chopped and boiled or fried in lard to make a moisturizing cream for dry skin, and the herb has been used for a number of purposes in ancient medicine. However it doesn’t smell at all pleasant, so why would anyone want to use it when sweeter smelling herbs can be employed for all the purposes it was used for. I guess it wasn’t terribly popular unless one was desperately in need of a purge, in which case it was less noxious to use than dog’s mercury.

  Best advice? Take that of Culpeper and stay away from the mercuries!

.

POINSETTIA - THE CHRISTMAS FLOWER: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF POINSETTIA

POINSETTA, EUPHORBIA PULCHERRIMA

December 12^th is National Poinsettia Day in the USA, and this seems a fitting time to write a post on this flower which has come to be associated with Christmas. It originated in Central America, and was introduced into the US in 1825 by Joel R. Poinsett for whom it was named in English.

  The red leaves attract pollinators to the insignificant flowers which reside in the centre of them. These upper leaves may be pink, white, pink and cream or white, and orange. There may be other colours too. The plant is not actually extremely toxic although if you eat enough of the foul-tasting leaves you might vomit. The sap from the plant has been used as a hair remover, and to stimulate lactation in nursing mothers. It is said that it was once used as an abortifacient too. It has antibacterial properties and has some reputation as a pain reliever particularly for toothache. The sap is also used to get rid of warts, pimples and other skin problems. As a member of the Euphorbiceae family it is related to Dog’s and French Mercury, as well as jamalgota, the castor oil plant, and cassava or manioc to name but a few of the plants in this spurge family.

  It is associated with Christmas due in part to a 16^th century Mexican legend which tells of a young girl, too poor to give a gift to Jesus on his birthday (Christmas Day). An angel told her to gather weeds from the roadside and place them on the church altar. She did this and the poinsettia flowered from them. In 17^th century Mexico the Franciscan friars also incorporated them into their Christmas decoration, claiming that the star-shape of the coloured leaves symbolized the Star of Bethlehem and the red leaves symbolized the blood of Christ, sacrificed for the human race.

  In the wild this shrub can grow to heights of 4 metres or 16 feet, but the kind we get in pots is rarely more than 2 feet high. In Spain it is called the Easter flower and it can be grown at this time as well as near Christmas. In Mexico it is “Noche Buenos” (Good Night) referring to Christmas Eve. In Greek it is papagallo or the parrot flower, while in Turkey it is the Ataturk flower.
  The Poinsettia cocktail is not made with the plant but with Prosecco a sparkling Italian wine (also used to make the peach cocktail, the Bellini), vodka and cranberries and sometimes an orange-flavour liqueuer such as Tripe Sec or cointreau.

DOG'S MERCURY - POISONOUS, BUT OK FOR CANINES! HISTORY, AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF DOG'S MERCURY

DOG’S MERCURY, MERCURIALIS PERENNIS

Dog’s Mercury is a common woodland plant in England and Wales as well as in mainland Europe and can also be found in South West Asia. It is poisonous and really should be avoided, although dogs seek it out their owners say and then vomit, so it is used by them as they use other grasses such as couch grass. Dog’s Mercury is a member of the spurge or Euphorbiaceae family of plants which includes Ricinis communis or the castor oil plant, cassava or manioc, and Croton tiglium or jamalgota among others.

  Nicholas Culpeper, writing in the 17^th century has this to say of it and certainly cautions against its use, chastising earlier herbalists for not doing the same: -

 “This species of mercury has been confounded with others of the same name, with which it has been thought to agree in nature. But there is not a more fatal plant, native of our country, than this. The common herbals, as Gerard's and Parkinson's, instead of cautioning their readers against the use of this plant, after some trifling, idle observations upon the qualities of mercuries in general, dismiss the article without noticing its baneful effects. Other writers, more accurate, have done this; but they have written in Latin, a language not likely to inform those who stand most in need of this caution. This is one of the reasons for compiling of this work.”                                                                         

  The Mercuries as Culpeper calls them got their name, so Pliny says because the Roman god Mercury discovered their medicinal virtues. This is a reference to the fact that Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine as he is known, used the plants for “female” complaints. The plant is also employed in homeopathy for rheumatism and gall bladder and liver complaints, but should not be administered without a physician’s approval.

  Traditionally Dog’s mercury has been used in an ointment applied to external dressings for wounds, and it is said to soften and moisturize the skin. It has also been used to get rid of sores in the ears and around the eyes, but that was in the dim and distant past when other forms of medication were unavailable. It was used in ancient Greece as an antiseptic and to get rid of warts.

  It smells rank and if you follow your nose, you will not be able to eat it, even if your body needs to be purged. This was its main use in the past, as it induces vomiting and diarrhoea.   

  It is even more noxious than French, annual or garden mercury, all names of the same plant, Mercurialis annua. For once it would be advisable to keep Culpeper’s advice in mind and stay clear of this plant.

   

GOOD KING HENRY - A MEMBER OF THE GOOSEFOOT GENUS: HISTORY, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF GOOD KING HENRY

GOOD KING HENRY, CHENOPODIUM BONUS-HENRICUS
Good King Henry is a member of the Chenopodiaceae family of goosefoots, and is related to stinking goosefoot, fat hen (Chenopodium album) quinoa and also spinach. Clearly the Latin name for the plant does not mention “King” – it is only ‘good Henry” which means that it is not named after Prince Hal, or Henry VIII or even Henri IV of France who promised every peasant a chicken or a fat hen in his pot. It is also sometimes called fat hen, but this name more properly belongs to C. album white goosefoot or lamb’s quarters. It is more likely to be called good Henry to distinguish it from Bad Henry (Böser Heinrich in German) who was a malevolent spirit described by the Brothers Grimm. It is also the name given to Mercurialis perennis, generally known as Dog's Mercury. This Good Henry is sometimes called English Mercury, to distinguish it from the French herb, Mercurialis annua or French Mercury, which is a member of the spurge family of plants but whose medicinal actions are similar to Good King Henry. The Good Henry of German folklore performed household and other domestic chores in return for a saucer of cream. Bad Henry, of course, would turn milk sour like Puck or Robin Goodfellow in English folklore.

  Until the end of the 19^th century and even in the early years of the twentieth century, Good King Henry was grown as a spring vegetable and the tender young leaves were a spinach substitute, as some people prefer its milder flavour. It was known as Lincoln asparagus as it was grown there as an alternative to asparagus with the young shoots being peeled and then steamed like asparagus can be. It was also grown as a vegetable in other part of Britain including in Suffolk. The young flower buds are regarded as a gourmet food item when they are steamed, but they are fiddly to harvest. Later in the season, in summer the older leaves are bitter so it is best to harvest this herb in spring and chop the leaves and mix them with Swiss chard or kale, sorrel and spinach for a green mixed vegetable dish. They also make a good flavouring herb for soups and stews as do dandelion and nettle leaves.

  The leaves are mildly diuretic and the seeds have gentle laxative properties making them a good remedy for children who are constipated. The leaves are rich in vitamin C and the minerals calcium and iron.

  The herb has been used traditionally to relieve indigestion and the leaves made into a poultice have been placed on chronic sores to heal them. The herb is native to Europe, including Britain, and was introduced to North America by the early settlers who used it as a pot herb.

  Gold or green dyes may be obtained from the whole plant, and at one time the roots were fed to sheep that had coughs. The seeds were used in preparing an untanned leather with a rough grainy surface, known as shagreen, so it has had many uses in the past, although it is little used these days.

  

HORSE CHESTNUT TREE - CONKER TREE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF HORSE CHESTNUT TREES

HORSE CHESTNUT TREE, AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM

The horse chestnut tree is native to Greece and Albania, and was first introduced into Britain as an ornamental in the 17^th century. Hippocastanum is Greek for horse chestnut, so we have its English name. Its nuts are quite different to those of the true chestnut (castanea), but these nuts, generally called conkers, are welcomed by children who brave the spiky cases of these inedible nuts and treat them with loving care, and a few other substances to make them hard, so that they can beat their friends’ conkers when they play with them. You thread string through the centre of these nuts and invite an opponent to smash your conker. The winner has his/her conker in tact when the other has broken. Since 1965 the World Conker Championships have been held in Oundle in Northamptonshire in the UK. In different parts of the UK conkers are also called “obblyonkers,” “cheggies” and “cheeses.”

  These trees grow to heights of 115 feet and have a huge spread and have large white candle-like blooms. Other varieties have pink flowers. Unfortunately the trees are under attack from the leaf miner caterpillar and suffer from a disease named Horse Chestnut Bleeding Canker (Pseudomonas syringae pathovar. aesculi) and trees in Britain are being decimated by this new disease which has its origins in the Himalayas.

  Medicinally conkers are used traditionally as a decongestant, expectorant and tonic for rheumatism, neuralgia and haemorrhoids. The tree bark has been used in a decoction to reduce fever, and applied in a lotion or ointment it has been used for skin problems and externally an oil from the seeds has been used to ease the pain of rheumatism and to help with varicose veins. Extracts from the horse chestnut have been combined with bromelian an enzyme extracted from gotu kola (Indian pennywort) and pineapple to help varicose vein sufferers. Horse chestnut tones the veins and strengthens the walls of these, so promoting better blood circulation, and stopping the seepage of fluid from the veins that causes swellings in the legs.

  A decoction of the leaves is said to be useful for whooping cough and for coughs and colds, and has antioxidant properties. Japanese scientists believe that extracts from the nuts can be used along with extracts from witch hazel, rosemary and sage to help prevent wrinkles and other signs of aging of the skin.

  The horse chestnut has astringent qualities and anti-inflammatory properties, so is not just a good toy for children in the autumn.