Like thyme, sage is a powerful herb.  It is native to the Mediterranean.  The Latin name for sage is “salvia” which means to save, but it is derived from salvere, which means “to be well”…  Sage saves many a dinner with it’s culinary flavors and throughout history -and makes many sore throats well with it’s antibacterial and healing properties, particularly for respiratory health.  Sage is marvelously simple to grow from seed or cuttings, and tolerates warm sunny climates very well, but cool ones too.  It prefers dry soil.  In our garden, sage has done well even into winter, but the leaves will get frost bite in extreme cold and shrivel up.   It is also deer resistant, unless the deer are very very hungry.

Sage has a pleasant earthy scent that pairs well with Thanksgiving but the uses of sage far outweigh it’s popularity as a flavor for stuffing ingredient at Thanksgiving, just look!

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Healthy Benefits of Sage

• Soothes and Relieves Sore Throats Research has shown that throat sprays made of sage and echinacea are as effective at relieving sore throats as commercial medication with anesthetic ingredients.
• Relieves hot flashes Associated with Menopausal Symptoms  Sage has been used since ancient times to effectively treat hot flashes.  It has been licensed in Germany, and has also been used effectively in England, to treat night sweats.  A Scottish survey showed that sage tea or sage tincture reduced these symptoms by 85%, over a three month period.  A study was conducted of 71 women in Switzerland found that in women experiencing 5 or more hot flashes a day.  The treatment consisted of a daily sage capsule over a period of 8 weeks.   There was a 50% decrease in hot flashes in 4 weeks and a 64% reduction in symptoms by the eighth week.
• May Benefit Asthma Sufferers  Sage has antispasmodic properties that can help relieve spasms in the respiratory tract.  In Greece wild sage is brewed into a respiratory tea.
• Sage is a Food Preservative Ancient Romans and Greeks used sage to preserve meats, a tradition practiced until the beginning of refrigeration.  Sage has many powerful antioxidants which lends itself well to food preservation.  The ability of sage to protect oils from oxidation is why some companies are experimenting with sage as a natural antioxidant additive to extend the  shelf life of cooking oils and help avoid rancidity.
• Sage is a Memory Enhancer  Similar to rosemary, sage improves brain function.   Sage has been used in cerebrovascular disease for over one thousand years and research has shown that certain varieties of sage contain active compounds similar to those developed into modern drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s Disease.

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There are many applications in the home for sage, from the soothing to the savory.  A few years ago, I was at the Weston A Price Conference in San Fransisco and I met an olive oil merchant who sold me dried wild Greek sage leaves, collected from the country side, with the anecdote that they are very good steeped in a tea sipped for respiratory issues and sore throats – and this before we ever began to research the qualities of sage!

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Herbal Cough Syrup*

• 3-4 teaspoons fresh or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried echinacea leaf, flower or root
• 1-1/2-2 teaspoons fresh or 3/4 teaspoon dried licorice root
• 2 heaping teaspoons fresh or  1 teaspoon dried marshmallow root
• 3-4 teaspoons fresh or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried orange peel
• 1-1/2 -2 teaspoons fresh or 3/4 teaspoons dried sage leaf
• 3-4 teaspoons fresh or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme herb
• 5 cups purified water
• 1/2 cup raw honey or more to taste
• vitamin C powder

Dried herbs will work fine, but I prefer to work with fresh ones whenever possible.   Pulse herbs in a blender to crush them and release the essential oils.  Simmer echinacea, marshmallow licorice and orange peel in the water (uncovered) for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat, add sage and thyme.  Steep for an additional 20 minutes.  Drain the herbs.  They are great for the compost pile.

Return liquid to sauce pan and simmer until it is reduced to approximately one cup.

Let the temperature cool until it is warm and add honey and one half teaspoon vitamin C powder – the vitamin C will help it store.  Stir it.  Taste it.  You may add more but you don’t want it to be too sweet.

Place in dark colored bottle.  Store in refrigerator.

This syrup coats the throat and is helpful for persistent coughs.  Take one teaspoon two to three times daily as needed.

*The recipe has been adapted from the book Grow It, Heal It by Christopher Hobbs and Leslie Gardner

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The following is an excerpt from Dr. Mindy A Curry’s blog, which offers the following remedy for oral disorders such as absecess and ulcers.  It is based on a based on a sage infusion.  You can find out more on sage from her blog post Saved By Sage.

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Oral Care Tea

“Sage is a well-known, old-fashioned antiseptic remedy for disorders affecting the mouth and throat including dental abscesses, infected gums, mouth ulcers, sore/bleeding gums, loose teeth, cold sores, sore throat, and tonsil/larynx infections. Sage tea can be used as a mouthwash or gargle due to its antiseptic and astringent properties.   It is known to provide great relief for raw, painful and irritating conditions of the mouth and throat.”

• 8 tsp. of dry or fresh sage leaves
• 1 qt. of filtered water

Boil water.  Adde sage leaves.  Soak and let steep covered for 45 minutes.  Strain the infusion, add raw honey if desired and drink in 8 oz servings, repeating every few hours as needed.

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Sage is versatile -from perking up your meals, to fighting forgetfulness and reducing the discomfort of an irritated throat.  There are more ways to use it than can be listed in one blog post.  Europeans love sage, check out 45 Things To Do With Fresh Sage from Chocolate and Zucchini.  If you’re a purist, then you may just wish to fry up a batch of sage leaves and eat it las a snack (or sprinkle it on homemade popcorn).  To have fresh sage continuously on hand continuously, you can simply grow it in your own backyard victory garden.

Resources

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-sage.html

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=76

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/sage.html

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266480.php

http://www.healthy.net/Health/Essay/Natural_Solutions_To_Your_Hot_Flashes/631/2

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21630133

Thyme is an aromatic low growing perennial that can spread out and act like a ground cover.  It is beautifully fragrant and in the spring it blooms pretty white or purplish flowers, depending on the variety.

Bees are very attracted to thyme flowers.  Not lost on this beekeeper is that beekeepers are becoming more familiar with this herb.  One of the active ingredients in thyme is the essential oil thymol which  has shown to be a remarkably effective treatment against the varroa mite that has decimated many bee populations in recent years.

Like sage, rosemary and lavender,thyme is very easy to grow and cultivate in the garden. Common thyme has been a garden staple for centuries.  Ancient Greeks even used it as incense.  Thyme likes sun and well drained soil, but other than that, it requires little work, other than fertilizing and even then, it tends to do well if neglected.

Thyme comes in many varieties, from traditional to lemon thyme.

One of my favorite recipes with thyme is a thyme mushroom pasta, which is a favorite for fasting nights…

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Healthy Benefits of Thyme

Powerful Disinfectant Thyme can be used internally or externally – as a wash – for infection.  Thyme oil demonstrated a good efficacy against antibiotic resistant strains of the following bacteria, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia and Pseudomonas genera.

Promotes Healing in Upper Respiratory Infections Thyme is antispasmodic and an expectorant.  It calms coughs and helps clear mucous.  In uncomplicated cases thyme has been used in healing drinks to treat upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, colds, and flu.  It can be used as a rinse to treat sore throats and clear out mucous.  The essential oil thymol is one of the ingredients in Vick’s Vapor Rub.

Rich in Antioxidants Studies show that thyme is a good source of antioxidants.

Anti fungal   Thyme essential oil possesses a wide range spectrum of fungicidal activity.  Studies have shown that thymol is potent against Candida, a common yeast implicated in many fungal infections including those of the toenail.  Research suggests that thyme can be effective against household mold.  Think organic natural cleaning products!

Bug Repellant  Hard to imagine something that tastes so good on sautéed mushrooms can also double as an insect repellent, but it’s true.  Thyme has shown to be undesirable to mosquitos…. move over citronella!

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This tea is a celebration of thymes expectorant qualities as well as it’s excellent mucous clearing capabilities.

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Tea Thyme For Colds

This employs a basic decoction method for making the tea.  Making a decoction extracts all of the goodness from flowers or plant material.  To extract all of the properties of the plants, you want to bring the water to a boil.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces thyme flowers or plant parts
• 10 ounces purified water

Add all ingredients to sauce pot.  Stir to incorporate.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the temperature, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and let it continue to cool in pot for another 15 to 20 minutes.  Strain and place in storage jar.

Refrigerate.  Drink 1/2 cup one to three times a day.  You may add raw honey, minimally.  Also, you may squeeze fresh lemon into the brew for additional vitamin C which is vital during colds and flu as it escorts viruses out of the body.

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Another method for storing the decoction is to make homemade ice cubes out of the decoction.  This will allow to make a larger batch and store longer.

The following vapor tea is prepared so that the steamy vapors may be inhaled, not taken from a tea cup.  This traditionally based herbal steam will open your sinuses as well as discourage bacterial and fungal growth.

When I was younger, my mom had me do a similar steam to help my sinuses.

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Herbal Steam Treatment for Sinuses and Decongestion

One of the best methods to do this is place the tea in a crock pot, so that there is a continuous steam action and you need not be over the stove!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage
• 5-drops eucalyptus essential oil, peppermint oil, thyme oil (optional)
• 3 cups purified water
• 1 towel large enough to drape over your head.

 

Place all ingredients except essential oil, in large sauce pot and bring to a boil.  Transfer to crockpot and place on highest setting.  Let sit for about 10 minutes.

Place crockpot on counter if you are going to stand or on a table if you are sitting.  Add essential oil   You may leave the crock pot on, or turn it off.  If you do not have a crockpot, you will want to place your sauce pot on some towels so as not to ruin your table.  Also be careful of the hot sides. .

Drape towel over your head and the saucepan.  This allows the steam to be captured so that you may inhale it.  Inhale the steam deeply and do this for about 5 to 10 minutes.

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and last but not least, I have this around for my girls during cold and allergy season… mostly because I like the coconut oil on their skin rather than petroleum jelly.

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Victoria’s Vapor Rub

 Ingredients

• 5 TB coconut oil (where to buy)
• 30 drops eucalyptus essential oil (for children use Eucaylptus Radiata or Eucaplytus Citriodora) (where to buy)
• 12 drops each of essential oils: peppermint, lavender, and rosemary

Over low heat melt the coconut oil.  Take off heat and let cool, it should still be clear.   Add essential oils. Stir.   Place in small jelly jar.  You can refrgerate, but it is not necessary.  All of the ingredients have antibacterial properties, including the coconut oil.

Rub on stuffy noses like regular VapoRub.  Inhale!

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There are endless ways to incorporate thyme into your cooking… Potatoes with lemon thyme, or for something completely different, try this Apple Omelette with Cheddar and Thyme,  Pizza with Lemon Thyme and Basil, and last but not least… with enough thyme, even dessert can add a little twist.  Check out this Blood Orange and Thyme Sorbet…

Resources:

Gladstar, Rosemary (2012). Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use (p. 93). Storey Publishing, LLC.

Althea Press (2014). The Practical Herbal Medicine Handbook: Your Quick Reference Guide to Healing Herbs & Remedies (Kindle Location 2553). Althea Press.

Bratianu, Patricia; Schwontkowski, Dr. Donna (2014). How to Benefit from Everyday Herbs – A Beginner’s Guide to Homemade Natural Herbal Remedies for Common Ailments & Good Health (Kindle Location 1551). Simple Media Works.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17209812

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713506002866

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22313307

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember…

William Shakespeare

Rosemary is a most versatile hearty evergreen herb, which is deer resistant, resinous, aromatic and woody.  It is one of nature’s best antioxidants and preservatives and it’s safety is well established.  It serves multiple culinary purposes, and doubles as a beautiful shrub that can grow quite large.  It blooms the prettiest little purple flowers when mature (which of course, the bees love!).  The best tasting rosemary is that which is fresh, snipped from your garden.  It has a delicious piney fragrance and a pungent flavor that is delicious with root vegetables and lamb dishes.

Rosemary is tolerant in most climates, though it does like drier soils.  As we learned the past two winters, it does not do well when the weather stays in the 20’s for weeks at a time!

As William Shakespeare says, rosemary is for remembrance and that is a long held tradition.  Rosemary is best known throughout history as a brain tonic for it’s ability to invigorate the memory and brain function, as well as stimulate the nervous system.   Rosemary has been touted to improve test scores and it’s reputation hails back thousands of years…. the Ancient Greeks would place rosemary sprigs in their hair when studying for exams.

Rosemary is native to the mediterranean and it grows wild and freely in that region and most of southern europe.

As a healing herb, rosemary has a long history of use which is now being backed by science.  There are few reports of toxicity or side effects.  It should be noted however that the oil of rosemary may cause a rash in individuals with sensitive skin.  Pregnant women should not take medicinal doses of rosemary.  Rosemary essential oil should never be ingested orally.

The many health applications of rosemary:

• Antioxidant Protection Rosemary has one of the highest antioxidant abilities of all spices.  It contains high levels of flavonoids and the phenolic compounds rosmanol, and rosmarinic acid.  Carnosol and carnosic acid account for over 90% of the antioxidant properties of rosemary extract.
• Anti-Inflammatory Protection In mice, the rosmarinic acid was shown to be effective in reducing the progression of arthritis in mice.  Rosemary oil applied topically stimulates the circulation of blood and in as approved treatment for arthritic pain in Germany.
• Antifungal Protection Rosemary has shown to have anti fungal effects against candida albicans (think yeast infection, and thrush)
• Remove Food Born Pathogens  Studies have shown rosemary to be an effective inhibitor of Listeria monocytogenes, B. cereus, and S. aureus
• Relieves Indigestion The use of rosemary has been approved to treat dyspepsia  (indigestion) by the German Commission E, which examines the safety and efficacy of herbs.
• Relieves Menstrual Symptoms  Rosemary has a long history of use to regulate menstrual flow and ease cramping pain.  For it’s role in menstruation regularity, therapeutic doses of rosemary should not be used by pregnant women.
• Detoxification Support The phytonutrients -particularly carnosol, in rosemary enhance the action of liver enzymes responsible for metabolizing and detoxifying chemicals.  It also has the promise to protect the liver and stomach from carcinogenic or toxic agents.
• Rosemary is a Legendary Brain Tonic Historically rosemary has been known to enhance memory.  It stimulates the flow of oxygen rich blood to the brain and has been valued for it’s ability to ease headaches and relieve mild to moderate depression.  Research has now shown that aromatherapy with rosemary essential oils aides recall and increase alertness.  The use of rosemary and lavender oils have been shown to reduce stress related to test taking in graduate nursing students.
• Applications Against Skin Cancer Research has shown that that carnosic and ursolic acids effectively prevent skin cancer in “a validated model of human skin cancer carcinogenesis.”  In particular, ursolic acid inhibits the replication of cancerous melanoma cells.  Furthermore, it also “inhibits reactive oxygen species in skin cells and prevents damage from the skin-aging effects of UV-A light”.
• Stimulates Hair Growth  Rosemary has a history as a hair tonic.  In a study of 84 people suffering from lopecia areata (a disease where hair falls out in patches) rosemary essential oil was shown to increase hair regrowth.    Scientists have also shown that applying an extract made of rosemary leaves improves hair regrowth in animals affected by excess testosterone

The best way to prepare rosemary for nutrient retention is to wash under cold water and pat dry.  Pull the leaves from the stem and chop just prior to adding to meals.

Roasted Root Vegetables and Rosemary

This is an easy side dish for any weeknight meal.  The vegetables can roast while you prepare the rest of dinner.  You can vary the vegetables as you like, such as adding a potato or butternut squash.

• 5 large carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, rough chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced thick
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
• fresh ground pepper

Place all ingredients in large baking dish, toss to coat.  Place in 425 degree oven, stir occasionally and roast until tender.  (about 45 minutes to an hour).

salt to taste

Rosemary can easily be added to homemade teas for an herbal decoction.

Zesty Memory Tea

• 1 part ginkgo
• 1 part peppermint leaves
• 1 part red clover tops
• 1 part rosemary leaves
• 1 part dried lemon peel
• 1 part ginger root

Use 1 teaspoon of herbs per cup of water in a tea ball or bag, and put in your nicest or most favorite cup or mug , and cover with boiling water . Steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea ball or bag, and add raw honey to taste.

You can also use rosemary to rinse your hair or even scent your bath with it!

Fragrant Rosemary Hair Rinse

• 1 quart water
• 6 sprigs organic rosemary

This works well for all hair types.  Bring water to boil in medium pot  Turn off heat and add the rosemary springs.  Let steep for 20 minutes and allow to cool.

Pour into bottle or container for stage.  You can spritz this in your hair as a leave in tonic, or pour over your scalp, leave for 5-10 minutes and rinse.

The hair rinse keeps in the refrigerator for one week.

Rosemary Infused Oil makes a beautiful gift.  If you are gluten free, you might want to try these savory Rosemary Crackers.  Truly one of the most wonderful ways to eat rosemary, is with lamb or chicken.

Resources:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/rosemary-plants-offer-many-benefits-zbcz1504.aspx

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/rosemary

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jf0715323

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12784390

http://www.naturalhealthresearch.org/detoxification-supplements/

Huang MT, Ho CT, Wang ZY, et al. Inhibition of skin tumorigenesis by rosemary and its constituents carnosol and ursolic acid. Cancer Res. 1994 Feb 1;54(3):701-8.

Harmand PO, Duval R, Delage C, Simon A. Ursolic acid induces apoptosis through mitochondrial intrinsic pathway and caspase-3 activation in M4Beu melanoma cells. Int J Cancer. 2005 Mar 10;114(1):1-11

http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2006/6/report_sunscreen/Page-02?checked=1

Gladstar, Rosemary (2012). Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use (p. 85). Storey Publishing, LLC.

Echinacea, also known as coneflower, is a down to earth all american wildflower.  It’s natural habitat is the midwest plains, the open meadows and prairies of the United States, but now it’s such a popular perennial you can find it dotting the landscape in many gardens.

My own family has grown it for years, not for it’s medicinal qualities, but because it is hardy, drought resistant, comes back every year and most importantly, the deer that bed down in our yard won’t eat it.  In fact most of the herbs featured in this series are deer resistant, unless of course the deer are very very hungry.  We have also found (through sheer laziness-from not pruning back the dead summer growth) that the dried out summer flowers are a delight for the winter birds which are marvelously thankful for these pods of seeds left for them during the scarcity of winter.

There are several different colors of echinacea cultivated today, but the traditional coneflower is a beautiful pinkish purple petaled flower with cone shaped spiny seed podded head in the center.

The root, flowers and leaves of echinacea were introduced to European settlers by the American Indians, who used it to treat more illnesses than any other plant.  Today, it is one of the most common herbs for immune system health and has been widely researched in that capacity, in more than 300 studies.

Echinacea is best known for the following qualities:

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• Treatment of the common cold.  This is one of the most popular uses of echinacea. Studies have shown that treatment with echinacea at the on set of a cold results in a significant reduction of symptoms.  In trials, the length of time between infections was 60% greater for those receiving echinacea than those given a placebo.  When infections did occur, the symptoms were less severe for those receiving the echinacea.  Patients having a weakened immune system benefitted the most from the echinacea.

• Echinacea not only shortens the duration and lessens the severity of colds, but it can actually stop a cold that is just starting.  That is because echinacea has antibacterial and antiviral qualities, and in this way resists infections.

• It is very supportive of lymphatic health.  The lymphatic system is part of your immune system consisting of a series of fluids and glands that sweep away toxins and byproducts of inflammation in order to keep you healthy.  In this way, echinacea aids in reducing congestion, swelling and also keeping your lymph moving.

• In tincture form, the juice of the aerial portion has been shown to possess antiviral activity.[/box]

 

If you grow echinacea and want to harvest it, here are a few tips:

• The leaves can be harvested the spring, when they are still growing.
• The flowers can be harvested when they start to open but for maximum potency, harvest the cone whenit is mounding.
• Dig up the root in the fall of the third or fourth year.

Echinacea is excellent in tinctures designed to boost both the immune and lymphatic health.  Herbalists favor tinctures because the most potent active compounds are likely more stable and preserved in an alcoholic solution.  Tinctures generally have a shelf life of at least 2-3 years, provided they are stored in a dark container our of direct sunlight or heat.

You can buy tinctures at most health food stores, or online.  Or you can venture to make your own.  Here  are some simple recipes from normal folks, like you and me : Making Echinacea Tincture from Fresh Root,  Homemade Tinctures 101 and How to Make Echinacea Tincture.  If you are using fresh echinacea, you’ll want to make sure that you have all of the plant is submerged below the alcohol.

Mother Earth News recommends the following recipe for fresh echinacea tincture.

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Echinacea Tincture

1 cup fresh echinacea buds, flowers, leaves and stems rinsed chopped and pounded

1 cup 190 proof ethanol alcohol – that’s Everclear

1 cup distilled water.

Place herb in clean jar and cover with the alcohol and distilled water.  Store in a cool dark place and shake twice daily for 48 hours.  Filter the tincture through a food grade screen and pour tincture into a brown glass bottle and label with contents and date.  As an immune stimulant at the onset of a cold and during infection, take two dropperfuls of tincture three to four times daily in cycles of two weeks on and off.[/box]

 

Dried echinacea works well in teas, a great recipe can be found at How to Make Your Own Echinacea Tea.  Quality echinacea can be found here.  And ready made echinacea teas abound in the market, but Traditional Medicinals is a quality product and many stores carry it.

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Anti-Inflammatory & Vitamin C Echinacea Tea

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon dried echinacea fresh edible flower (or roots)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey (or more to taste)

1. In a teapot, pour the boiling water over the echinacea and chopped ginger.
2. Cover and steep for 10-15 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice and honey and stir to mix. Strain and pour into 2 mugs.
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Resources:

Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray : Textbook of Natural Medicine