Abigails Herbs

Ajwain or Bishop’s Weed is rich in calcium and iron. It grows in the rich soil on the riverbanks of  Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan. The seeds of the ajwain plant are crushed and then oil is extracted through a steam distillation process. Thymol is the active medicinal property found in ajwain. The oil has a sharp, hot and pungent taste.

Thyme, sage and parsely are essential oils which blend well with Ajwain oil. It is a natural cleanser, especially for eyes and ears. Ajwain is used to treat the following conditions:

• flatulence
• cough
• common colds
• hayfever,
• diarrhea
• toothache
• fever
• ringworm
• indigestion
• colic
• bronchitis

As a powerful antiseptic, it kills germs and contains the following important ingredients:

• moisture protein
• fat
• minerals
• protein
• carbohydrates
• calcium
• phosphorous
• carbohydrates
• iron
• carotene
• thiamine
• riboflavin
• niacin

Warning:  Pregnant women should not use ajwain.

Ayurvedic doctors have used the bark of the arjun tree (Terminalia Arjuna), centuries to improve the condition of the heart.  Used as a tea, small doses of arjun per day, taken over a long period of time, steadily improves the condition of the heart. The arjun bark should be steeped in very hot water for 10 minutes and can be mixed with ghee and sugar.

The arjun bark contains compounds called saponin glycosides to enhance your heart’s pumping action. The magnesium and calcium in the bark improve muscle functions and the antioxidants in the bark strengthens veins and may even prevent heart disease.

A study in the 1997 India Heart Journal found the 18% of subjects who took arjun with heart medications over a period of several months, experienced greater improvement in heart pumping action. In another study  found in the International Journal of Cardiology in 1995 revealed that 12 study subjects who took 500 mg. of arjun every eight hours for two years experienced a decrease in blood pressure, less fatigue and improvement in frequent heart contractions.

Research studies are small but hold promise. Anecdotal evidence over centuries of use in India reveal that arjun does indeed support and improves heart functions. Arjun appears to be safe. If pregnant or already taking heart medications, always consult your doctor first before using this wonderful herb. Arjun is starting to become known as a healing herb but it is difficult to find in the United States.

If you’re interested in natural products, there is little doubt that you’ve been introduced to a powerful little agent known as aloe vera. It has many different forms and uses, but what many people don’t realize is just how long people have been utilizing the benefits of this desert lily. Aloe vera has been recorded as a natural salve for around 3,500 years. And for the duration of that time, aloe has been used for a number of conditions and problems. The most common use is as a burn relief. These burns can be everything from burns incurred in the kitchen to sunburns.

Aloe has also found its way into numerous cosmetics because it is also a general moisturizer. Just open your cosmetics cupboard and check out the ingredient lists on some of your products. You’d be surprised at how many lotions, moisturizers, and makeup products have aloe as an active ingredient. Aloe is certainly rich in vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, and other anti-inflammatory agents. The benefits of aloe vera range from cut and burn relief to increased healing of both internal and external wounds. So the next time you’re packing your beach bag or restocking your first aid kit, don’t forget to throw in a tube of aloe vera.

Burdock root is in the thistle plant family. It is prickly and it produces a lavender colored flower twice per year.  It was used by the native Americans for many years to soothe the gastrointestinal tract and as a diuretic and blood purifier. It resembles an artichoke.

Burdock root is also used in Ayurvedic cultures and in China and Japan. Lactone is the active anti-bacterial agent found in the burdock root.  This wonderful plant has recently become popular as a tea to treat cancer.  It is also a diuretic. In the United Kingdom, dandelion and burdock are combined as a healthy soft drink which is becoming more and more popularized.

Burdock root is also a very popular dish in Japan. The root is chopped and julienned and cooked with sesame oil and eaten with sake. Burdock is put into miso soup (tonjiru) and put into  Japanese style pilaf. It contains fiber, calcium, potassium, essential amino acids and is very low in calories. It is good for acne, psoriasis, eczema and rheumatoid arthritis.

As a well known blood purifier, it is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids. Often combined with nettle oils, the oil of the burdock root is massaged into the scalp to promote healthy hair growth and to effectively treat dandruff. It stimulates the hair follicles and the sebaceous glands in order to have a healthy scalp and a full head of hair.

The taste of the soft burdock root is sweet  with high concentrations of  inulin and mucilage. Tolstoy, the great Russian author, wrote about the burdock  plant with great admiration. In the the 1940’s, burdock was the impetus for the invention of velcro. The fuzzy, prickly burrs of the plant would stick to the fur of cats and dogs; thus the inspiration for velcro was brought into the world by the Swiss inventor, George de Mestral.

Ashwagandha has been used in Ayurvedic meidicine in India for over 4000 years. The root of the Aswagandha plant contains withanolides, which have steroidal properties, similar to ginseng’s ginsenosides.

Several clinical research studies done with animal experimentation have concluded that Ashwagandha root has the following health properties:

1. combats stress
2. facilitates cognitive functions
3. is a natural anti-oxidant
4. has anti-aging agents
5. anti-inflammatory properties

A  research study in 2000 reveals that aswagandha has anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects.  Another research study done in 2001 concluded that ashwagandha has significant memory boosting qualities. Yet, another study from 2002, showed that ashwagandha actually stimulates axons and dendrites because it increases acetylcholine receptor capacity in the brain. All this improves memory and makes our minds more sharp and alert.

Ashwagandha is not used all that much in the USA. It has been a mainstay of Ayurvedic medicine. It is becoming more well-known in the United States and the western hemisphere as its’ health benefits are becoming better known. Ashwagandha would be well-worth taking; this magnificent plant has anti-tumor properties and it aids in memory and inhibits swelling in the body.

Frigidity is defined as the inability to experience pleasure from sexual intercourse. It is characterized by a lack of sexual desire and  a general lack of responsiveness during sex. Frigidity is a term used most often to describe sexual dysfunction in women. Frigidity is often a result of psychological origins; rampant with anxiety , fear, guilt and depression about sex. Chronic illness, certain medications, low testosterone levels and specific medical conditions can also greatly diminish sexual desire.  The following herbs can help restore sexual function:

• Wild yam conatins a natural steroid known as DHEA that rejuvenates and brings excitement to love making. It should be taken for two weeks, then stopped for two weeks, with repetition of this pattern.
• Chives contain minerals necessary for the manufacturing of sex hormones.
• Kava Kava has a deeply mellowing effect and can be effective for decreasing anxiety and symptoms of nervousness.
• Damiana is one of the most popular of plant aphrodisiacs. It is known as the women’s sexual herb. It’s scientific name is Turnera aphrodisiaca. It contains important alkoloids that directly stimulate the nerves and organs and it acts almost like testosterone. Damiana is excellent for enhancing sexual pleasure because it supports the sexual organs and their functions. To use damiana properly, place a dropful of damiana extract under your tongue an hour or two before sexual activity. It can take several days until one feels the difference.
• Some other herbs which are great for promoting increased sexual energy include fo-ti, gotu kola, sarsaparilla, saw palmetto and Siberian ginseng. Take caution never to use Siberian ginseng if you have hypertension, hypoglycemia or a heart condition. *Pregnant and nursing mothers should avoid damiana and all other herbs.

Vervain treats mild headaches, arthritis pain and other body aches. It can be drank as a tea, however, due to its bitter taste, one must add some form of sweetener, such as Stevia.

The vervain plant grows as a three foot tall perennial with wispy blue flowers, hence, it is sometimes called blue vervain. It is a member of the hyssop family of botanicals. It is native to Canada, the northern USA and England.

Vervain is known as a natural tranquilizer which is taken for insomnia and other nervous conditions. In tea form, it is recommended for treatment of fevers and colds and especially for relief of congestion of the throat and chest.

Taken internally, vervain is helpful for healing intestinal worms. Taken externally, it is effective for healing wounds and sores.  Pregnant women should avoid taking vervain because it has a stimulating effect on the  uterus.

Asthmatics and people with congestive heart failure or heart disease should stay away from vervain because it decreases heart rate and constricts bronchial passages.

Thyme ( Thymus Vulgaris) is an herb commonly used for cooking and for seasoning foods. It is very healthy and it can be consumed as a tea also.

Thyme has many health benefits:

• it clears congestion
• it soothes sore throats
• it has valuable anti microbial properties which are very powerful

To heal a sore throat, make a tea from mixing sage and thyme. You can gargle with this mixture three to four times per day for sore throat relief.

For help with congestion, boil water and place the hot water in a bowl or a pan. Take a handful of thyme sprigs or one tablespoon of dried sprigs, and drop into the hot water. Place a towel over your head and breathe in the vapors of the thyme for a few minutes. You will feel the congestion lift.

Caution: Pregnant women should avoid using thyme at all.

My dog woke me up this morning at 6:15 a.m. this morning. I always want to sleep a little later on Saturday mornings, but I stayed up. I wokeup my daughter at 8:00 a.m. and headed down to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the famous statue of Rocky Balboa stands. We were invited to a boot camp of a workout called Body Rock.

The fitness trainers were not kidding. We ran up and down all the steps of the art museum about 20 times, not to mention crab crawling, bear crawling, crunches, lunges, military push ups, Indian runs and more. I thought I was fit, but I felt like I was going to die. It was a 2.5 hour workout with no breaks, and my legs and arms were sore as soon as I got back to my car.

To make matters worse, when I got home I had to mow my lawn and trim several bushes. I drank tons of water along with three, 8-oz. glasses of  a mixture of  cucumber, lemon, asparagus and jalapeno pepper juice (that I concocted in my Jack LaLane juicer).  At 8 p.m. I took a bath in peppermint-oil bath water and then I rubbed peppermint oil all over my aching muscles. I could feel the peppermint oil permeating through the pores of my skin.

The peppermint oil immediately made the soreness ease up and I felt more mentally alert and physically renewed. Then I had my friend massage my aching muscles with the luscious peppermint body oil and it felt like I was in seventh heaven.  It was so soothing. I think I will be up to the challenge of another brutal Body Rock boot camp next time it comes around. I know the peppermint will not let me down.