Herb Spotlight: Red Raspberry Leaf

One of quintessential herbs for women’s health, Red Raspberry Leaf, Rubus idaeus, has been used by since ancient Greece. This astringent herb is combined in Lady’s Herb tea with other herbs beneficial for a woman’s well-being. With the upcoming new moon and the moon relating to a woman’s cycle, it seems appropriate to talk about this herb.

Red Raspberry Leaf comes from a deciduous shrub that is found in the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, and Asia. (1) The young new teas are the ones selected for herbal infusions and tisanes. (2) The leaves are lobed and sharp-toothedwith smooth surfaces on top along with white hairs on the bottom. (1)

People tend to turn to this herb for situations where a woman experiences excessive menstrual bleeding as well as menstrual cramps. Even though it is most commonly thought about for these situations, this herb is also used for gastrointestinal relief (Balch, 2012, p.120), lowering blood sugar (Balch, 2012, p.120), respiratory disorders (Medscape, 2016, Suggested Uses), and diarrhea (Johnson, Foster, Low Dog, & Kiefer, 2010, p.303). (3, 4, 5, 1) Some of the traditional uses for the herb are as a gargle for sore throats, using the boiled leaves to apply to wounds and skin ulcers, and the berries have been used as a laxative. (1)

Most commonly used as a uterine tonic, the herb’s fragarine and tannins tone and relax the pelvic and uterine muscles. (3) Several studies have been conducted in terms of women and labor with results showing consumption of red raspberry leaf can shorten labor. (6, 7) Check in with your doctor, midwife, doula, or herbal practitioner if you are pregnant as it can stimulate the uterus.

Resources:

1. Johnson, Rebecca; Foster, Steven; Low Dog, Tieraona, M.D.; and Kiefer, David, M.D. National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs. National Geographic. 2010. p.301-303
2. Liversidge, Cassie. Homegrown Tea. St. Martin’s Griffin, New York. 2014. p.82-87
3. Gladstar, Rosemary. Herbal Healing for Women. Simon & Schuster. 1993. p.177, 253-254
4. Balch, Phyllis, CNC. Prescription for Herbal Healing. 2nd edition. Avery. 2012. p.120-121
5. Raspberry Leaf. Medscape. (Retrieved on March 20, 2016) Retrieved from: http://reference.medscape.com/drug/red-raspberry-rubus-idaeus-raspberry-leaf-344515#0
6. Parsons, M., Simpson, M., Ponton, T. Raspberry Leaf and its Effect on Labour: Safety and Efficacy. Originally published in Aust Coll Midwives Inc Journal, 1999 Sept; 12(3):20-5. (Retrieved on March 16, 2016.) Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10754818
7. Assessment Report on Rubus idaeus L., folium. European Medicines Agency. Published on January 28, 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Herbal_-_HMPC_assessment_report/2014/03/WC500163552.pdf

Behind the Scenes: Herbal Oils

Herbs are beautiful. I love blending them for my teas and tisanes. This winter I have been using them in oils. It is the easiest thing to make herbed oils. I wrote about how to make oils and what to use in a guest post recently. You can read it here.

My herbal oils are a way for me to play. Many of the herbs we enjoy in teas make great skin healing herbs as well. Lavender, chamomile, and calendula are the three I discuss in my guest post. I am also using Rose Buds and Lemon Balm.

It is so easy to get started! Purchase canning jars, the organic dried herbs of your choice, and oil. I use cold-pressed olive oil but many other oils are great to use too. How I prepare my oils: the dried herbs go into a canning jar with the oil and are sealed to sit on my sunny southern-facing windowsill to blend together. They set for anywhere from 4-8 weeks. This makes it easy as it takes five minutes to put it all together and then you do not have to do anything until it is time to strain the herbs from the oil.

I generally try to start my oils on either a new moon or a full moon. New moons are great times for going inward and resting. Full moons are a time of activity and bringing things to fruition. I base what benefits I want and the herbs themselves to determine if I start on a new or a full moon. Lavender, Chamomile, and Rose are great relaxing and rejuvenating herbs and I generally start my oils on the new moon when I use them.

Once I have my oils ready, I will use them as they are or turn them into lotions and salves. Oils make a great touch for after a hot shower or bath. You will want to use a small amount and really work it into your skin so you do not stain your clothes or slip as you walk.

Making lotions and salves are easy too and require a little extra time. The one I have pictured is calendula and lavender infused olive oils with shea butter and beeswax. It’s a gentle lotion I use on both my face and body to combat the winter dryness.

What are your favorite herbal oils to make? What do you enjoy about using herbal oils?

Herb Spotlight: Elderberry

Have you noticed how many people are feeling poorly this winter? It seems that every week this winter someone I know is getting sick. This makes it the perfect time of year for Winter Comfort, an immune supporting tisane. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is one of the herbs in the blend.

Elderberry is commonly used for respiratory illnesses, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections.(1) In England, this large shrub was often called “nature’s medicine chest” (2) as the flowers and berries were taken internally and the leaves and branches used for external applications. It is commonly grown in North America and is native to Europe. You will also find Elder (as it is also called) in Western Asia and North Africa.

The elder was seen as a protective plant. (3) It grows up to 25’ tall and can be found on stream and river banks and open spaces. The white-cream flowers are star-shaped and grow in clusters. Both the flowers and the berries are used in teas and tinctures with the berries also used for jam, wine, syrup, and pie. (4)

Part of this herb’s effectiveness is that it helps to reduce congestion, stimulates sweating, is mildly laxative, and diuretic. Research has shown that elderberry can block cell recognition of the H1N1 virus which prevents it from entering the cell. Elderberry can help lessen the amount of time not feeling well. (5)

Because of the compounds found in elderberries, you want to make this tea hot in order to cook the berries to enhance both the benefits of the berries and their taste. The leaves and branches are poisonous and should not be taken internally. (6) Avoid if pregnant. Be aware that the effects of elderberry may affect medications for diabetes and lupus as well as laxatives and diuretics.

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Resources

(1)http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-elderberry.html

(2)Balch, Phyllis, CNC. Prescription for Herbal Healing. 2nd edition. Avery. 2012. p.63

(3)Johnson, Rebecca; Foster, Steven; Low Dog, Tieraona, M.D.; and Kiefer, David, M.D. National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs. National Geographic. 2010. p.71-72

(4)Common Elderberry. Retrieved on January 10, 2017. Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_sanic4.pdf 

(5)Elderberry. Retrieved on January 10, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/elderberry-01

(6)Fetrow, Charles W., Pharm. D. and Avila, Juan R., Pharm. D. The Complete Guide to Herbal Medicines. Pocket Books. 2000. p.192

Herb Spotlight: Hawthorn

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)  is a fabulous herb and not just because one of its names is “Faery thorns.”  The Celts considered Hawthorn as protective, as guardians of sacred springs and wells, along with embodying the three aspects of the feminine- Maiden, Mother, and Crone. (1) This herb is really a shrub or small tree as it can grow 15-30’ and is part of the rose family. (1) Serenity Meadows uses the leaves and flowers from this herb but you can also use the berries.

A well-known cardiac herb, it has been used in North America since 1896 (2) to support health in a number of heart-related conditions. (3) Hawthornhas been taken to reduce blood pressure (4), increase blood flow, and enhance heart muscle cells’ nutrition, energy reserves, and energy release. (3) It has been found helpful for anxiety and menopause as well. (1)

Hawthorn has been shown to dilate the arteries and veins to enhance blood flow and remove blockages. (5) It also has the benefit of stabilizing collagen, supporting ligament, tendon, or muscle tears, and strengthening capillaries. (5) With virtually unknown to have cardiac side effects, Hawthorn is not habit forming. (3)

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References:

(1) Forest, Danu. Celtic Tree Magic. Llewellyn Worldwide. 2014. p. 87-97

(2) Engels, Gale & Brinckmann, Josef. Hawthorn. Herb Profile. HerbalGram. The Journal of theAmerican Botanical Council Issue Number 96. November 2012-January 2013. P. 1-5

(3) Weiss, Rudolf Fritz, M.D. Weiss’s Herbal Medicine Classic Edition. Thieme. 1985. p.162-168

(4) Strauss, Paul. The Big Herbs. XOXOX Press. 2014. p.102-103

(5) Gladstar, Rosemary. Medicinal Herbs A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing. 2012. p. 144-146

Herb Spotlight: Tulsi

The Queen of Herbs is just one of the names for Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum L). This perennial herb is native to the Indian subcontinent and also grows well in my southwestern PA garden. It grows up to 1 meter (or over 3 feet) tall. The plant is purplish in color with narrow oval leaves. The leaves are green and purple and are in opposite pairs on a slightly hairy stem. The flowers bloom in mid-summer.

This pungent and bitter herb (1) has both warming and cooling effects. Often Tulsi is used for its anti-inflammatory as well as adaptogenic properties. (2,3)

It is included in both Serenity Meadows and Morning Harmony because it is an adaptogen, meaning it helps to balance the body especially in terms of the effects of stress. (3) Tulsi does this by lowering levels of oxidative stress and free radicals from chronic stress conditions (4), supporting mild blood thinning to help the liver’s metabolic functions, and eases mild indigestion. (5,1)

In India, Tulsi has been used to balance chakra energy, specifically the third eye chakra. The plant is believed to provide protection for homes around which it is planted and is regarded as a sacred plant. Malas can be made from the woody stems and worn around the neck or wrist. (5)

There are no known contraindications though as always, consult with a trained professional on your specific situation if you have any questions about the herb.

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References:

1. Holy Basil- Medicinal Uses (Posted on May 20, 2010) Herbalpedia. Retrieved from http://www.herbalpedia.com/blog/?p=22

2. Holy Basil (Last reviewed April 21, 2015) University of Michigan Health System. Retrieved from http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-4597000

3. Unravelling the genome of Holy basil: an “incomparable” “elixir of life” of traditional Indian medicine. Shubhra Rastogi, Alok Kalra, Vikrant Gupta, Feroz Khan, Raj Kishori Lal, Anil Kumar, Tripathi, Sriram Parameswaran, Chellappa Gopalakrishnan, Gopalakrishna Ramaswamy, Ajit Kumar Shasany. Published BMC Genomics 2015, 16:413. Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/16/413

4. Holy basil – a key herb for stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue. Joanna Sochan. Published September 2014 (Retrieved on October 17, 2015) Retrieved fromhttp://naturimedica.com/holy-basil-key-herb-stress-anxiety-depression-fatigue/

5. Maimes Report on Holy Basil. Steven Maimes. Version 1 November 2004 SALAM Research. (Retrieved on October 23, 2015) Retrieved from http://www.researchgate.net/publication/230634694_Maimes_Report_on_Holy_Basil

Three Ways to Overcome the Mid-Afternoon Slump

It is shortly after lunch and you are ready for a nap. The mid-afternoon slump is the downfall of many people’s determination to eat well. It is a time when reaching for caffeine, something sweet, or both is almost unconscious as we strive to make it through the afternoon. It does not have to be this way. It takes some time to create a shift to not having a mid-day slump and these three suggestions can help. As you change your habits, you will be able to use the feelings of tiredness, sluggishness, and poor concentration as gauges on your quality of sleep, food, and health rather than it being a constant state.

Reach for a rejuvenating herbal tisane and nix the caffeine

For many people, caffeine in the afternoon can cause poor or interrupted sleep that night. There are many herbs that can give you a boost without the caffeine. Serenity Meadows, Leaf & Twig’s newest tisane, has herbs that can calm and center you while increasing your alertness. I will be talking more about the herbs this month.

Get up and move

This is a very common reason why so many of us feel sluggish in the afternoon. We’ve been sitting all day! Try to take a walk at lunch to curb the tiredness later. Or instead of going for food in the middle of the afternoon, spend some time stretching and walking. Ergonomics is so important and there are easily found stretching series to help you maintain a good posture while working. In fact, changing your posture can make you more alert too!

Look at what you are eating for lunch

This is something I had to do myself. I kept a food diary regularly and found that I was the most tired in the afternoon after I ate certain foods. I also saw that if I did not eat enough protein at this meal I felt tired and unmotivated in the afternoons. Take two weeks to record your meals and rate your afternoon. Review and adjust, continuing to keep track. Once you discover what works for you have fun creating variations of it to keep you focused each day.

There are several other ways to lessen the effects of the mid-afternoon slump. What is your favorite solution?