WOOD BETONY- HEALTH BENEFITS OF WOOD BETONY, USES AND HISTORY: HOW TO MAKE WOOD BETONY TONIC WINE

WOOD BETONY, STACHYA BETONICA/ STACHYS OFFICINALIS

Wood Betony is native to the British Isles and Europe and is known as Betonica officinalis (LINN), Stachya betonica (BENTH) or Stachys officinalis. It is a woodland plant like the bluebell and is one of the betony plants that grow in Britain. The others are Marsh Stachys or Clown’s Wort (Stachya palustris), the true Woundwort (Stachya germanica) which is perhaps not native to Britain, although it has become naturalized, Field Stachys (Stachya avensis) and Hedge Stachys or Hedge Wort (Stachya sylvatica).Here we deal only with wood betony.

  This plant has been used in medicine for centuries, and was written about by Dioscorides in the first century AD and was mentioned by Pliny the Elder who called it Vettonica. The ancient Greeks praised its healing powers and used it for protection against evil too. In the Middle Ages it was commonly worn around the neck as an amulet, and the Renaissance Humanist, Erasmus, wrote that it protected “those that carried it about them.” He also said that it was good as protection against having “fearful visions.” He may have been quoting Apuleius Platonicus (c.550-625) who wrote the following lines about wood betony;

    “It is good whether for man’s soul or for his body, it shields him against visions and dreams, and the wort (plant) is very wholesome, and thus thou shalt gather it in the month of August without the use of iron; and when thou hast gathered it shake the mold till nought of it cleaves thereon, and then dry it in the shade very thoroughly and with its root altogether reduce it to dust; then use it and take of it when thou needest.”

   However now it is recommended that the flowering plant is gathered in July in the early flowering season after the dew has evaporated from it on a bright day. Having done that you should tie it in bundles of 6 stems with leaves and flowers and tie it in a fan-shape so that the air can penetrate and hang them in an airy hot room or outside until they are dry. If you dry them outside you should bring them in at night so that they don’t get wet because of the dew. After they are dried, pack them loosely in wooden boxes or tins carefully so that they don’t crumble.

   It was seen as a herbal panacea in ancient times and used to cure many illnesses. Apothecaries and herbalists planted it in their herb gardens so they could mix it with herbs such as yarrow (to stop a nosebleed) and coltsfoot for different remedies. It was so popular in Europe that the Italians had an old saying, “Sell your coat and buy betony” while in Spain it was said of a good man, “He has as many virtues as betony.” The chief physician of the Roman Emperor Augustus, Antonius Musa, claimed in a medical treatise that betony could cure 47 diseases which he listed.

   The following is a quotation from the book of the Physicians of Myddfai who were equally familiar with wood betony.

    If the juice “is boiled in white wine and drunk, it will cure the colic and the swelling of the stomach. Pounding it small, expressing the juice and apply it with a feather to the eye of a man will clear and strengthen his sight, and remove specks from his eye. The juice is a good thing to drop into the ears of those who are deaf.”

  They also wrote that the powder of the dried plant when mixed with honey could help get rid of coughs and “benefit many diseases of the lungs.”

  The word betony comes from the Celtic words bew meaning head and ton meaning good. This was one of the main uses for wood betony-curing all head problems be they physical or mental.

   One superstitious belief is that if snakes were put into a circle of betony they would fight to the death (of both). This was said to be because betony had the power to get rid off all evil and of course the snake was the symbol of evil in mediaeval Europe and it was the snake or serpent which gave Eve the apple to eat which led to Adam and Eve being ejected from Paradise and the Garden of Eden.

   Wood betony grows to between 1 and 2 feet tall and has purple-red flowers which bloom in the months of July and August. Previously all the plant was used by herbalists, but now the roots are not used. It was used in snuff because it makes you sneeze violently and so clears the nasal passages. It is claimed that the fresh leaves have an intoxicating effect, which is why the tisane is always prepared with the dried leaves and flowers.

   Gerard believed that it protected people from “the danger of epidemical diseases” such as the plague, and “It helpeth those that loathe and cannot digest their food.” He also says that it cures jaundice, epilepsy, gout, palsy, dropsy, as well as coughs, colds and flu and respiratory problems including consumption. He suggested that using it with mead and pennyroyal was “good for putrid agues” and made a good vermifuge for getting rid of internal parasites such as worms. Apart from these remedies he also believed that it was good for “obstructions of the spleen and liver.” The juice from the leaves was good for the bites “of mad dogs” he says and for the relief of toothache. As a wound healer the juice can be applied directly to the skin, or the tisane can be used for this purpose.

  Wood betony has tannins and so astringent qualities making it a good treatment for diarrhoea and also the tisane can be used as a mouthwash and gargle for sore throats. The whole plant contains flavonoids and glycosides which have a hypotensive action (they lower blood pressure) and so can be effective in reducing stress and anxiety, which was clearly recognized by our ancestors.

   The Chinese use one of the betonies, Stachys sieboldii to relieve colds and flu, and in European folk medicine the use of betony as a herbal tonic for the nerves has a long history. Very little modern medical research has been done on wood betony, although one Russian study showed that it increased women’s ability to produce milk when breast-feeding.

   Medical research suggests that wood betony can be helpful for neuralgia especially that caused by medical treatment or therapy, as well as shingles (a variant form of chicken pox). It has been traditionally used to treat urinary tract inflammation and is good for cystitis. The leaves contain a volatile oil and exude this when bruised and it is this which might give the plant its wound healing properties. The whole plant can also be used as a yellow hair dye, and this is especially good for giving grey hair a blonde tint.

  A tisane can be made with 1 or 2 tsps of the dried leaves and flowers and a cup of boiling water. Pour the water over them and leave to steep for 15 mins, then strain and drink. This is good for respiratory ailments, coughs, colds and flu (add a little honey), digestion, and to improve appetite, and if you mix 1 tsp dried wood betony with a tsp of dried chamomile flowers (or 2 tsps fresh) this will stop menstrual cramps. You can take two cups per day of the betony tisane for any of the above-mentioned cures, as well as using it as a gargle and mouthwash. It can also be used to clean wounds and staunch bleeding.

  A few of the fresh leaves can be added to salads, but they have a mildly bitter taste, so should be finely shredded. They help to stimulate the digestive system and boost the functioning of the liver. If you pound the leaves to a pulp they are good to apply to wounds and bruises as a poultice, and can be used as a temporary dressing instead of lint.

   The following recipe is a “nerve tonic” and relieves anxiety, nervous headaches and stress. Older herbalists prescribed it for “hysterics” and other nervous disorders.

 

WOOD BETONY TONIC WINE

Ingredients

1 bottle white wine

50 gr wood betony

25 gr vervain

25 gr hyssop

Method

Combine all the ingredients into a glass bottle and leave to stand in a sunny place such as on a windowsill for two weeks.

Take ¼ cup to relieve nervous headaches, stress etc.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

WHAT IS CHUKANDAR? BEETROOT: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF BEETROOT, USES AND HISTORY: HOW TO MAKE BEETROOT SOUP( BORSCHT)

BEETROOT, CHUKANDAR, BETA VULGARIS

Beetroot can be red, white, and orange or have red and white concentric circles, but here is information on the red, most common variety. All parts of the beetroot can be eaten and the green tops and stems make a delicious simple salad or side dish. It is a relative of the better known swede and turnip.

   All beetroots come from a single ancestor which is thought to be the sea beet or Beta maritima which grew and still grows along the coasts from Britain to India. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East and Southern Europe.

   Perhaps the first people to cultivate beetroot were the ancient Babylonians who were cultivating it at least 4,000 years ago. However then it was a long thin root rather like the carrot and was perhaps only used for medicine. The tops were eaten though, and are a tasty vegetable dish. The ancient Greeks used the beetroot in medicine and it was worth its weight in silver to them we are told. Apparently the priestesses of Apollo served it to him on a silver platter at his temple at Delphi.

   The Roman gourmand, Apicius used beetroot in broths and in salads with a dressing of mustard oil and vinegar, and this is a tasty way of serving either the tops or the root. Other Roman recipes include cooking the tops with honey and wine.

   The beetroot was used to cure anaemia, and modern medicine would support this use as the beetroot is rich in iron. They also used it for constipation, a rejuvenator, for wounds, skin problems and fevers. The use of it as a rejuvenator has been vindicated by modern research as the nitrates in beetroot enable the body to lower its intake of oxygen, which helps to reduce fatigue and so increases stamina.

  If you don’t like the texture of beetroot, then you can drink beetroot juice, as it is claimed that 1 glass a day improves energy levels, promotes hair growth and healthy skin (so once again the ancient Greeks got it right). The only problem you may have is that you get Beeturia which is having your urine turn pink due to the acidity levels in the stomach. However this is not really a problem although it may come as a bit of a surprise. The juice is also an appetite suppressor so it is helpful if you are trying to lose weight.

   Be careful when you peel beetroot as most of the nutrients are found just under the skin, so peel it thinly. You should drink the juice at room temperature for best results and benefits. It has 50% less calories than fruit juices, so is good as part of a calorie controlled diet. Beetroot juice improves the quality of the blood, and cleans the stomach and intestines, as well as improving the absorption of calcium as it contains silica. You can juice beetroots, carrots and celery and mix them for a really healthy drink.

  Modern research has shown that beetroots can help prevent cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease, so it is one of the Superfoods along with garlic (eat half a raw clove a day to prevent cancer); pomegranates (reduce harmful cholesterol) and apples which are useful to prevent osteoarthritis. However if you have kidney stones you shouldn’t eat beetroots as they contain high levels of oxalate.

  Beetroot tops are rich in Vitamins A and C and iron and calcium, while the beetroot has folic acid, fibre, manganese and potassium. Both parts contain phosphorous, manganese, iron and B-complex vitamins. The beetroot also contains Betacyanin which gives it its rich, ruby red colour and has potent antioxidant properties. Betaine which is also present in beetroot promotes healthy liver functioning which also helps in weight loss. They also contain bioflavonoids which have potent antioxidant properties.

 Culpepper recommended red beetroot “to help yellow jaundice,” “to stay the bloody flux” and wrote that the juice “…put into the nostrils, purgeth the head, helpeth the noise in the ears and toothache.” Modern medical research would not of course support such uses and they should not be attempted.

  The round beetroots were developed in the 16^th century and these helped the beetroot as we know it gain in popularity. In the 18^th century beetroot became popular in Central and Eastern Europe as a vegetable and the soup recipe given below is a traditional Russian one for beetroot. The Victorian used beetroot in desserts for the sweetness and colour, as well as adding them to salads to brighten them up. Somewhere along the line manufacturers began making pickled beetroot which can taste quite disgusting. If you’ve tried this and didn’t like it, be assured that freshly cooked beetroot tastes nothing like the manufactured pickle.

   You can now buy baby beets too for salads, but this recipe calls for large Beta vulgaris. You could also try panzaria salata a Greek recipe for the tops including the stems, which are boiled until tender but not mushy, left to cool and then dressed with olive oil and lemon juice or white wine vinegar and salt and pepper. You can also make a winter salad with freshly cooked beetroots grated, along with grated carrot and white cabbage, chopped walnuts dressed in olive oil and lemon juice and garnished with parsley. (This is also a recipe I have had in Greece.) Generally beetroots go well with carrots and celery in juice and salads, so experiment with them.

  

BORSCHT (BEETROOT SOUP)

Ingredients

400 gr beef, cubed, plus a beef bone

4 fresh beetroot, cooked and cut into thin 2 inch long strips

4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into strips

1 medium-sized carrot, roughly chopped

1 onion roughly chopped

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

8 sprigs fresh dill

3 tbsps olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

parsley to garnish

1 tbsp white (wine) vinegar

2 tbsps butter/ margarine

2 tbsps soured cream

  

Method

Put the beef, bone and onion and dill into a large pan with 3 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer on a low heat for 1½ hours.

Half an hour after the beef has been cooking, melt a tbsp butter and half the olive oil in a pan and add the beetroot, tomatoes and vinegar. Simmer over a low heat for an hour adding some of the beef stock if it gets dry.

Remove any scum from the top of the beef stock every so often.

15 minutes before the broth will have cooked, melt the rest of the butter and olive oil in a pan and lightly fry the carrots and garlic.

When the broth has cooked, remove any fat from the top and add the cabbage, carrots and garlic. Stir well and cook for 15 mins over a low heat.

Add the cooked beetroot mixture, stir well and cook for a further 5 mins.

Season well and add to bowls with parsley and a tbsp of soured cream for garnish.

Serve with crusty fresh bread.

N.B. You can sour cream by adding a few drops of lemon juice to single cream.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WOOD SORREL: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF WOOD SORREL: SUMMER WOOD SORREL SOUP RECIPE

WOOD SORREL, OXALIS ACETOSELLA

Wood sorrel goes by many names in Britain, including Cuckoo’s Meat, Surelle, Fairy Bells and Wood Sour. In France it’s known as Pain de Coucou or cuckoo’s bread. It could possibly the Irish shamrock too, although several plants are also likely contenders such as the white clover (Trefolium repens), and other plants which have three leaflets in one leaf. My grandfather always told me that wood sorrel was shamrock, and I have no reason to doubt him as he proved to be right about other plants. The confusion lies in the story that the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick demonstrated the nature of the Holy Trinity by using the leaf of the shamrock. As all other contenders are of the clover Trefolium species, it would seem to be that the peasants and Saint Patrick would have said so.

    The wood sorrel is a member of the Oxalis family of plants and so different to the clover. It is an appealing little plant because like Tickle Me (choi moi) and the violet, it has shy qualities. Perhaps for that reason it is said to be a favourite of fairies and other wood sprites. It likes shady places and grows well in woodland along with bluebells, wood anemones and others. Also it is sensitive to touch, but not quite as much as Tickle Me. It also closes its leaves and flowers, and they droop in the dark, and during storms.

   It is a cleistogamic plant, which means that it is self-pollinating and the flowers don’t need to open for it to pollinate. (A very shy plant indeed!) It is also small and only grows to a height of about 3 inches.

   Neither the flowers nor the leaves have a smell although the leaves taste pleasantly acidic. They and the flowers can be added to salads, although you shouldn’t add too many leaves as they contain oxalic acid, so people suffering from gout should avoid this plant. Despite its name it isn’t related to Common sorrel which is a member of the Rumex family of plants. Its name comes from the Greek, oxys meaning sour or acid and acetosella means vinegar salts. If you use it in a salad there is no need to add vinegar to a dressing, just use oil.

   The association with the cuckoo has been explained in the following way by one of the old herbalists: -

   “The Apothecaries and herbalist call it Alleluya and Paniscuculi (Latin for cuckoo bread) or Cuckowes meate, because either the Cuckoo feedeth thereon, or by reason when it springeth forth and flowereth the Cuckoo singeth most, at which time Alleluya was wont to be sung in Churches.”

   As it flowers between Easter and Whitsun this seems a likely explanation for both names.

  The leaves have been used in folk medicine in many countries either fresh or dried, and given as a diuretic, antiscorbutic (because of the vitamin C content as well as some B-complex vitamins) and a refrigerant as it helps reduce fevers and is good to quench thirst (chew on the leaves and find out).It was used in cooking before the introduction into Britain of French sorrel. The leaves also contain a high amount of the mineral, calcium. To make a decoction from the leaves for any of the above complaints, just gather the fresh leaves and boil them in water for 5 mins then strain and drink half a cupful. To make Conserva Ligulae, pound fresh leaves with three times their weight of sugar and the grated zest of an orange; this can be used as the base for a refreshing drink in summer or to cool the body if you have fever.

   The decoction is also good for stomach problems and catarrh, as well as a diuretic and inflammation of the urinary tract (e.g. cystitis). Wood sorrel is considered to be better than the true sorrels and others of the Rumex family (such as dock) as a blood purifier, but there is little medical evidence to support this claim. In fact little research seems to have been done on Oxalis acetosella.

  The juice from the leaves when boiled will turn red but when this clears you will be left with a fine clear syrup which is as effectual as the decoction or infusion for treating wounds and staunching the flow of blood from them. The red juice can be used as mouthwash or a gargle and is a good remedy for mouth ulcers. If you soak a cloth in the juice, it can be applied to swellings and bruises to reduce the inflammation.

   Seeds from the wood sorrel have been found in glacial beds near Edinburgh (Scotland) and in Neolithic sites there and in Essex (England). The plant grows in the Arctic, Europe, North Africa and North and West Asia to the Himalayas as well as in parts of North America. Other sorrels also grow in these regions and the commonest in North America is yellow. However as you can see from the pictures here, the Wood sorrel flower, Oxalis acetosella is white with faint purple veins.

SUMMER WOOD SORREL SOUP

Ingredients

1 cup wood sorrel leaves

1 onion or 4 spring onions finely chopped

3 or 4 tomatoes peeled and roughly chopped

2 pints water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small pot of cream

wood sorrel flowers to garnish

Method

Lightly fry the onions.

Put all the ingredients into a pan and boil for 10 mins.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to cool and then put it in the fridge to chill.

When you are ready to serve the soup add a swirl of cream to each bowl and garnish with the edible white flowers.

Serve chilled with fresh bread,

This has Taste and is a Treat.

 

  

DAFFODILS- HOW TO USE DAFFODILS FLOWERS AND BULB FOR HEALTH BENEFITS

DAFFODILS, NARCISSUS PSEUDO-NARCISSUS

The daffodil is native to the British Isles and Europe where it grows wild. It is also known affectionately as the Daffy-down-dilly, daffodilly, which are said to be corruptions of “Asphodel” as the daffodil is thought to be similar in appearance to the asphodel of the ancient Greeks which was planted on or around tombs. That is how it became a portent of death. However, in Wales it is a symbol of the patron saint, David, (Dewi Sant in Welsh) and of rebirth and faithfulness as it blooms after even the harshest winters.

 It gets the name Narcissus either from the myth of the youth Narcissus who was so enamoured with his own reflection that he ignored the poor nymph who loved him and died. The narcissus flower grew where he died. The daffodil is not the narcissus which is simply called that by most florists although they belong to the same family and are closely related, and so is the jonquil, Narcissus jonquilla, and Narcissus poeticus is another type of flower in that family. However Pliny says that the narcissus family gets the name from the Greek “narkao” which means to benumb. This is perfectly plausible as the plant is poisonous and contains atropine as does the snowdrop. It also has caused death by paralysis of the central nervous system to animals which have eaten the plant. It has also caused accidental death or poisoning when the bulb has been mistaken for an onion and in these cases it has been noted that the toxin is fast acting and the high temperature it was exposed to during cooking, did not lower the toxicity of the daffodil bulb and only a relatively small quantity of the bulb was eaten.

Welsh daffodil

   The daffodil was a principal ingredient of the ancient ointment called “Narcissum.” Despite its toxic properties it has been used as an emetic to cause vomiting and purge the body. This emetic has been given in the form of powdered flowers or bulb. An infusion used to be made of the root or flowers or sometimes they were included in a syrup for pulmonary catarrh.

  Culpeper says that the roots have hot and dry properties and when boiled produced vomiting. He also states that they “are used with good success at the appearance of approaching agues” especially in fevers contracted in spring when seasons change. He goes on to say “the juice when mingled with honey, frankincense wine and myrrh and dropt in the ears, the roots made hollow and boiled in oil help raw ribed heels.” So if shoes didn’t fit and rubbed your heels daffodil roots were a good remedy. Galen believed that the daffodil plant was useful for wounds as it has astringent properties.

Wild daffodils

   Today daffodils are cultivated on the slopes of the Black Mountains in Powys, in mid Wales as they contain higher amounts of galantamine than daffodils grown further down the mountain.  Galantamine has been found in snowdrops and these were mainly grown in Bulgaria and China for the pharmaceutical industry as this has been found to be effective in warding off symptoms of Alzheimer’s and poliomyelitis (see snowdrops). As galantamine has also been found in daffodils and the Welsh ones seem to have a particularly high yield of this, they are also being cultivated for pharmaceutical use.

  It is perhaps fitting that daffodils are being cultivated in Wales as they are the national flower. There is much debate about how this came to be the national flower of Wales, but this would seem to be a matter of commonsense. St David’s Day is on March 1^st and is celebrated in Wales every year.   Daffodils are usually blooming then and the daffodil’s name in Welsh means Saint Peter’s Leek or Cenhinen Pedr while the leek is the symbol of Wales and this is Cenhinen in Welsh. As they have such a close etymological relationship in Welsh it is hardly surprising that the daffodil, along with the leek became the national symbol. Also few other flowers bloom around March 1^st.  The ancient Celts would have used the daffodil for cures and it seems that they may have employed them in cancer treatments and used them as a sedative. When Christianity was forced upon the inhabitants of Wales they would have kept faith with their traditions, and the daffodil was probably a potent symbol for those early people.

Wild daffodils

   It is said that the only Welsh-born Prime minister of Britain (1916-22), Lloyd George popularized the daffodil as a symbol of Wales as he wore it to all public engagements in his lapel and wore it when Edward Albert was invested as Prince of Wales at Caernafon in North Wales in 1911. Edward was to become King Edward VIII but abdicated to marry Mrs. Wallace Simpson.

   Daffodils contain the bioflavonoid quercetin and others, and there are crystals of the mineral calcium in the plant’s sap. Daffodils, despite their toxicity were used in traditional medicine for many purposes for centuries. The bulbs were pounded and made into a paste to be applied to wounds and were effective due to their astringent properties. The poultices made with these were also place on parts affected by gout, burns, and joint pains to bring relief. The flowers and bulbs were also used for hysteria and even epilepsy and were said to be effective remedies. 

   Daffodils are also called the Lenten Lily (Blodyn mis Mawrth in Welsh) as they bloom early in the year and are usually past their prime by the time Easter comes. The wild daffodils in the Lake District in northern England delighted the Romantic poet, William Wordsworth who wrote the famous “Daffodils” poem after encountering them on one of his walks.

      “I wander’d lonely as a cloud

       O’er vales and hills,

       When all at once I saw a crowd

       A host of golden daffodils.”

Apart from these daffodils that so delighted Wordsworth there are daffodils which grow around the coastal town of Tenby in West Wales, named Narcissus obvallaris, which are orange, and quite rare.

  Wild daffodils are smaller than their cultivated relatives and can have the most amazing fragrance. However they are best left where they grow as they are a protected species.