Go Food Gardening

Immune Boosting Recipe #2

Here's another immune boosting recipe that's so good that it's hard to believe it is 'medicine'. Served with whole wheat bread it makes a satisfying light lunch.

In the 12th century the great physician and philosopher Maimonides prescribed herbal baths and chicken soup as remedies for the common cold. More than 800 years later, the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that Maimonides was right. Researches found that chicken soup was a mild antibiotic and decongestant. Chinese healers to this day also use chicken soup to treat colds, though they do add some herbs, like ginseng, to their brew.

Here's one of our favourite chicken noodle soup recipes. To boost its cold fighting properties add 1 tablespoon grated ginger and 3 cloves crushed garlic.

Serves 4
1,5 liters chicken stock
2 carrots, peeled, diced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
5 ml salt
2 ml pepper
150 g mushrooms, thinly sliced
50 g raw egg noodles
150 g cooked chicken, diced

Bring stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the carrots, celery, spring onions, salt, pepper and optional ginger and garlic. Simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and noodles. Add the cooked chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve at once.

Immune Boosting Recipe #1

When treating acute illnesses herbalists will often recommend a cleansing diet. This usually entails taking freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices or vegetable broths (soups.)

The recipe below was inspired by Vicki Pitman (author of Herbal Medicine). She named it "Potassium Broth" and claimed that it wreaks havoc on colds, infectious and feverish illnesses.

Since we believe in prevention we've tweaked the recipe slightly to help boost our immune systems. It really works and with a slight modification we also use it with great effect whenever we catch a cold. The recipe is loaded with potassium and therapeutic quantities of immune boosting nutrients and vitamins.

Use unpeeled and preferably organic vegetables from your own food garden. If you have to buy from the supermarket, scrub them thoroughly. Don't overcook the vegetables; you are aiming to extract the maximum amount of nutrients and phytochemicals. The same goes for the herbs and spices, aim for 10 minutes infusion time at the most. If you are used to chillies (cayenne) and garlic you can increase the amounts to suit your taste.

1 lt water
2 potatoes, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 big handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 Tbs fresh ginger root, mashed; or 1 tsp dried ginger powder
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp cumin seed, whole

Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and half of the flat-leaf parsley to the water. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer until nearly cooked. Add the remaining parsley, ginger, garlic, cayenne and cumin and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables are done. If you have an acute cold, strain the vegetables and herbs and serve.

If you are taking this as part of your immune boosting (prevention) program, puree the strained vegetables in small batches and return to the broth before serving.

For a thicker soup add 1 cup of oats, brown rice or millet that has been soaked overnight then cooked. Puree the whole before serving.

Insect/Tick Repellent Spray

This spray is made with essential oils which does make it a bit expensive initially as good quality essential oils are not cheap. Since you only use a few drops of most of the oils your initial purchase will last a long time. Or share it with your neighbours. In all probability, if you are battling with these problems they are too. Do not use adulterated pot-pourri oils for this recipe.

The recipe is not cast in stone. If you cannot get one of the oils simply omit it. In the absence of the tinctures I've often made it with 2 tablespoons of vodka and it seemed to work just as well. You can get bay rum at a barber shop.

If your pet is pregnant, omit the basil oil. Also remember that cats often do not tolerate essential oils.
The rose geranium will help repel ticks, citronella repels mosquitoes, basil and black walnut repels flies and fleas and rosemary, like lavender and clove, is an all-purpose insect repellent.

20 drops rose geranium oil
3 drops citronella oil
3 drops of rosemary or lavender oil
3 drops clove oil
3 drops basil oil
1 tbsp bay rum or bay tincture (alcohol base)
1 tbsp black walnut tincture (alcohol base)

Mix together, and then add to 1 cup water, aloe vera gel or a combination of water and aloe vera.

Reclaim Your Birthright

Despite what some conventional minds believe, natural medicine is not off-the-wall alternative weirdness or untested, unproven, anecdotal nonsense. It isn't even new. Health has been our birthright from the day our Creator created us. Herbal medicine has been used without interruption for thousands of years.

The only thing new is that we've lost our birthright, or should I rather say that for some bizarre reason we've chosen to entrust our health to the medical fraternity. Making someone else responsible for something that we've 'lost' does seem like a clever thing to do. Or is it?

To reclaim your birthright you only need to take one simple step, and that is to accept responsibility for your own health, for the health of your family and for the health of your pets. If you need some guidance take a look at www.holistichealthquest.com and at www.masterherbremedies.com

Home-Grown Rheumatism Remedies

There are more than 100 conditions that are technically classified as rheumatic diseases. These conditions share many common symptoms, including pain, stiffness, and the swelling of joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles.

In classic Nature Cure, one of the proposed causes of rheumatism and arthritis is the accumulation of toxins or waste products in the affected tissue. Herbologists therefore follow a holistic approach that focus on lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise.

There are dozens of herbs that have a reputation for preventing, relieving, or curing rheumatic problems. Some of them such as cayenne, horseradish, parsley, rosemary, turmeric, yarrow, and ginger, are very versatile herbs that make a great addition to our food gardens.

Yarrow for instance is a good diuretic herb that helps to eliminate toxins; it is also a useful bitter tonic that helps ensure that the digestive system is in good working order. But that's not all, it is also one of the best first aid remedies to stop bleeding from cuts and small wounds and it also helpful with women's health concerns.

In the food garden it is a wonderful compost activator and it makes a good compost tea as well. An added bonus is the lovely cut flowers to brighten up the home.

For rheumatic problems one can take up to three cups of yarrow tea a day, drinking it as hot as you possibly can and taking care to sip it slowly.

Go Food Gardening Get Together and Workshops

Don't miss out on these great opportunities. Time is running out. Booking is essential. See www.MasterHerbGardening.com/workshops.html for more details.

A Little Known Acne Remedy

Acne is a common condition in teens and adults alike. From a modern Western medicine perspective acne appears to be caused by an increase in androgens (male hormones) which in turn produce an increase in sebum. The sebum in turn can block pores and lead to acne. Common treatments by modern medicine include topical skin ointments and antibiotics.

From a traditional healers perspective acne is the result of overly acidic blood, brought about by a wide variety of lifestyle factors, of which the modern diet is often the main culprit. Other factors that lead to acne are poor elimination, especially from the large intestine, and weak blood-cleansing organs, especially the kidneys.

Any traditional approach to acne will first address these causes. The treatment protocol is focused on helping the body heal itself. Putting it another way, acne is seen as the manifestation of an internal problem and not as local phenomena, and the body is assisted to cope with the internal problem.

In practice this means that for most the remedies used will be taken internally. Not to say that external or topical remedies won't be used. Most treatment protocols will include topical remedies such as Marigold and Chickweed.

A little know internal remedy believed to aid in the healing of acne is green tea.

While many teas are fermented, green tea instead, is steamed soon after being picked so as to prevent the oxidation of its leaves. This helps to retain the active substances the leaves contain. Camellia sinensis, or as we know it, green tea, contains a high content of polyphenols, along with other important antioxidants.

Green tea can serve many purposes, and it is recommended for a number of reasons. It acts as an anti-bacterial substance, and it decreases hormonal activity. Since acne is often caused by hormones, which produce excess oil and clog pores, thereby causing blemishes, green tea could be a good remedy for this problem.

The antioxidants contained in green tea have been shown as very beneficial to acne prevention because they help the body fight against free radicals that cause cell and tissue damage. Green tea also has very few potential side effects, especially when compared to other acne products and medications.

Because of its advantages, green tea is also used in various creams and other topical products used to treat acne. When compared with other commonly used acne treatments, it ranked high, because of its natural anti-bacterial properties. It also helps your body rid itself of toxins, which helps prevent acne.

Green tea is readily available. It can be purchased in most stores that carry herbal and other natural remedies, and can also be bought through many on-line sources. Simply follow the manufacturer's directions for making the tea.

To learn how to make your own topical herbal remedies including lotions, creams and salves see Herbal Medicine Making.

Cauliflower: Anti-Cancer Fast Food

Cauliflower, the aristocrat of the vegetable world, is number five on the list of the Big Ten vegetables. These ten vegetables contain the macronutrients needed for fuel, the micronutrients needed for daily chemistry, and the phytochemicals needed for long term health and vitality. (Souce: Vegetables for Vitality by Readers Digest). The Big Ten are the vegetables to include first and foremost in your daily eating plan.

Cauliflower is not as nutritionally dense as broccoli and Brussels sprouts (numbers 1 and 2 on the Big Ten list), but it is still power packed with nutrition.

Packed into 1 serving (about 140g) cooked cauliflower is:

• More than five times the daily requirement of bone building and anti clotting vitamin K.
• More than double the daily requirement of vitamin C.
• About a third of the daily requirement) of folate to protect your heart and reduces chances of cancer.
• Potassium which is associated with lower blood pressure.
• B-vitamins to maintain your nervous system and brain function.
• Fibre to keep your digestive system healthy.

For those on the Great Apartheid Diet (a food combining diet) it is an alkali forming neutral food. Which means that it goes with both starch and protein meals and that it is great for the alkalinity of the body tissues, which results in a good state of health and a strong resistance to disease. And it is a low GI (glycemic index) food as well.

Here's the great thing...

Cauliflower isn't just nutritious, it's healthy too. Michael Murray N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno N.D, authors of The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods say that: "One of the daily recommendations to reduce the risk of cancer is to include cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower in the diet on a daily basis. The cabbage family of vegetables contains more phytochemicals with demonstratable anticancer properties than any other vegetable family." (My emphasis)

What I like most about cauliflower is that it is a proper fast food. It takes only about four minutes to cook - that's less than the time you'd spend in the queue at your local fast food outlet. On top of that, its mild mannered nature makes it an extraordinary accompaniment fit for a king. I'll be sharing some outstanding recipes with you. So be on the lookout for them.

Cauliflower is plentiful for most of the year but it is at its best in the cooler months. Look for heads (known as curds) with the leaves curling around the florets. The leaves should be bright green and crispy. Florets should be firm, compact and creamy white. Yellow is fine. White turning yellow is not as it may indicate that it is over-mature.

 It is relatively easy to grow (more on that in a future post) making it a useful and productive addition to the vegetable garden.

SAFETY

Michael Murray N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno N.D, authors of The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods warn that members of the cabbage family contain goitrogens, naturally occurring substance that can interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland. They say that dietary goitrogens are usually of no clinical importance unless they are consumed in large amounts or there is coexisting iodine deficiency. Cooking helps to inactivate the goitrogenic compounds.

2010 Herbology Wishlist

Don't You Just Wish That…

New year's resolutions. You either love them or hate them. But they are a fact of life for most of us. Especially the fact that by this time of the year we've forgotten most of them.

I do trust however that one of the resolutions that's still fresh on your mind is to do something constructive about your interest in herbology - or something to that effect.

To help you succeed my herbology wish for 2010 is that I can help you learn more about the herbology topics that interest you.

I'm sure that you have lots of specifics that you just wish someone will tell you how to do. Things like how to grow a specific herb that tickles your fancy. Or how to use it to do this or that. Or how to make a specific recipe. Or what herbs to use in this or that dish. Maybe you wish someone could tell you how to cure a cold with natural remedies.

Or maybe you have dreams. Wishing that you could start a food garden, or take a course or maybe even start a herb related business.

What if your wishes came true?

Think about it for a moment. What will happen to you, and all those near and dear to you, if a few of your herbology wishes came true?

Now obviously, with nearly 5000 people reading this, I'll be hard pressed to answer to each and every wish. But here's the thing. At least we both will be working towards making our dreams come true. You by sharing them with me, and I by answering as many of them as I can.

Can you spare a few moments to share?

Please take a few moments to share your 2010 herbology wishes with me. And please be as specific as possible.

May 2010 be our best herbology year ever.

Cleopatra's Beauty Secret

Cleopatra was renowned for her beautiful skin. One of her secrets was to massage aloe gel into her skin to nourish it and to make it shine. But she was not the only one to believe in the restorative powers of aloe.

Her fellow Egyptians was also very fond of the plant and drawings of aloe have been found in Egyptian temples dating to 3000 B.C. Egyptian medical writings from 1500 B.C. recommended it for infections and skin problems and as a laxative, uses that are supported by modern herbologists.

The Bible mentions aloe several times, in passages such as "I have perfumed my bed with myrhh, aloes, and cinnamon" (Proverbs 7:17). But it is unlikely that biblical aloe was one that we know today. In the ancient world, many bitter, resinous plants were called aloe.

The word 'aloe' comes from the Arabic 'alloeh' meaning 'bitter and shiny' - an apt description of the plant's wound-healing inner leaf gel.

Michael Castleman, author of The New Healing Herbs reports that Aloe is one of the few non-narcotic plants to cause a war. When Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 B.C., he heard of a plant with amazing wound-healing powers on an island off Somalia. Intent on healing his soldiers' wounds - and on denying this healer to his enemies - Alexander sent an army to seize the island and the plant, which turned out to be aloe.

To prepare fresh aloe gel to help soothe superficial (not needing stitches) wounds, including burns, scrapes, sunburn, and to help prevent infection, select a lower (older) leaf and cut off a few centimeters. Then slice it lengthwise and scoop the gel onto the cleaned wound, and let it dry. As for the injured leaf, it quickly closes its own wound.

This fresh aloe gel is also wonderful for enhancing the beauty of your skin. (It is worth noting that the 'stabilized' (preserved) gel found in commercial skin care products and shampoos may not provide the fresh herbs skin-enhancing benefits.)

If you don't mind the bitterness and resulting stomach cramps you can also take the fresh gel internally as a laxative. Cut a 15cm piece of lower leaf. Wash it to remove any dirt, make a few lengthwise cuts, and put it with cut end down in a glass of water. Refrigerate for an hour or so. Remove the aloe leaf and take mouthful doses.

Can't find an Aloe vera plant?

Then use our own indigenous Bulbine frutescens. For external use some claim that it even surpasses Aloe vera.

Please note that if you are pregnant or trying to conceive you should not take aloe internally as its cathartic nature may stimulate uterine contractions and trigger miscarriage. Nor should it be used by nursing mothers. It may cause stomach cramps and violent catharsis in infants.

The Biblical Antiseptic

I trust that your planning for your spring herb and veggie garden is just about done. If you need some help tweaking your plan, or if you don't know how to start, visit www.gofoodgardening.com.

The Book of Psalms (51:9) says, "Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean." But hyssop does more than cleanse. Contemporary herbalists recommend hyssop compresses and poultices for bruises, burns and wounds, and suggest infusions for colds, coughs, bronchitis, flatulence, indigestion, menstruation promotion, and even epileptic seizures.

In 17th-century Europe, hyssop was a popular air freshener or 'strewing herb.' At a time when people rarely bathed and farm animals often shared human living quarters, crushed leaves and flowers were scattered around homes to mask odours. When bathing became popular and strewing ceased, hyssop was placed in scent baskets in sickrooms.

With its spikes of intense blue flowers (you can also get white and pink varieties) and bushy, compact growth, Hyssop is an attractive herb worth growing for its looks alone, although it's also an important tool in your defence against colds and flu. It likes a sunny position and light well-drained soil and will grow equally well in pots. It grows between 60 and 90cm high, making it a good border plant in a mixed flowerbed or as a low growing hedge. A strong infusion made with the leaves is useful for controlling bacterial plant disease.

As a medicinal herb Hyssop is particularly effective for treating bronchitis and respiratory infections, because of its expectorant action. Both the leaves and flowers can be used, either dried or fresh, in an infusion. The herb's tonic action also encourages recovery - it supports the liver with its detoxifying duties. It is often combined with thyme for bronchial congestion, with peppermint and yarrow for the common cold and with lemon balm for cold sores. It inhibits the growth of the herpes simplex virus, which causes cold sores. I never get cold sores, but an infusion used as a compress, is quite effective for my wife when she's plagued by cold sores. You have to be snappy though. At the first sign of a tinkling, apply the compress. She gets better results when she combines it with lemon balm, and she takes the infusion internally as well. Even add the leftovers to the bath. Quite nice.

Hyssop has a strong camphor-like smell and tastes bitter. When drinking my infusion (when I was still smoking it helped to relieve my smokers cough) I add some honey and/or lemon (both also good cough remedies), or I'll mix it with a herb such as lemon balm to smooth out its bitterness. I also make homemade tincture with Hyssop. I would rather stomach one teaspoon of bitter stuff to a whole cup full.

Don't plant hyssop just because it is such an outstanding garden plant and medicinal herb. It is also a worthy culinary herb. I love the peppery taste, which makes a good addition to thick soups, chunky pasta sauces and casseroles. If you want bees in your garden to help pollinate the food garden, hyssop is a must. It also has the reputation for enhancing the flavour of grapes and increasing the yield of cabbages planted nearby.

I pinch my young plants quite regularly to stimulate a bushy habit. Once I have a nice bush I cut it down to about 10cm once or twice a year. Usually just before flowering time (about September in Pretoria) and then again after flowering time. I usually have to decide on the hyssop's behalf when flowering should stop, as it just carries on. Normally I would cut back again in March. I use the freshly cut hyssop to make tincture (1:2 w/v). It also dries exceptionally well. Remember to store your dried herbs in airtight containers.

A word of Caution: Hyssop in medicinal doses is not recommended during pregnancy or for children. Always consult your health care practitioner when taking herbs in medicinal doses.