Abigails Herbs

My daughter called me at work yesterday, crying, saying that our dog of 13 years was unable to walk.  we have  to carry her upstairs and down. We have to hold up her hind legs so that she can go to the bathroom outdoors. She is approximately 92 years old in human years.

I have been up most of the past few nights with the dog, who can’t even keep her food down. She always loved to eat. Learning to “let go” and put her out of her misery is very difficult. My eyes are tired and sore from the sadness and from the stress of this whole situation.

 My daughter and I will miss our dog terribly. It was my daughter’s first dog and she was also my first. She was so faithful and loving. I will miss her. She followed me all over the house. Even now, she does not want to be alone.

I have been burning incense and candles to soothe my grief. I also use an herbal eye comforter which helps me to relax. It is filled with organic buckwheat and lavender and infused with Ayurvedic herbs. When I close my eyes to rest them with the comforter on my eyelids, I breathe in the soothing scents of the herbs which fill my senses with peace as I relax, meditate and pray for the serenity and resolution to let my beloved canine friend be free go to a better place.

This is my worst time of year for allergies. Between the end of August and the middle of  November, I suffer from symptoms of ragweed allergies. It is worse than pollen for me. I get intense sinus clogging and headaches, with heavy pressure behind my eyes and the top of my forhead.

Well, a new study from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology shows that the B vitamin may keep allergic reactions in check and ease the severity of symptoms. When reviewing the records of 8000 people , the researchers discovered that those with highter levels of folate, a form of Vitamin B, had fewer allergy symptoms and had a lower risk of asthma and wheezing.

The study also conveyed that folic acid may dampen airway inflammation as well as regulating the allergic response to such allergens. To get the recommended balance (400mcg per day), increase your folate intake by making folate-rich food choices found in broccoli, asparagus, black-eyed peas, oranges, kidney beans, collard greens, spinach, avocado and lentils. Eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acid foods also, like walnuts, fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. All these nutritious foods help ease up on allergies.

Black pepper stimulates the appetite and it signals the gastric juices in the stomach to start flowing. The essential oil and oleoresin in black pepper extracted from the black peppercorns are both used in the food industry and in alcoholic drinks.

Both white and black peppers have been used for over 4000 years in the East for medicinal purposes and in the culinary arts. Black pepper is native to the Malabar Coast of India. The black peppers are the berries that grow on the pepper plant which do not ripen to full maturity.

Below is a recipe for mulled cider from Martha Stewart.com, (printed in the October 2009 issue of  Living magazine),  which calls for black peppercorns as a spicy part of the ingredients:

Combine 3 cups fresh apple cider, 2 cups dry red wine, one-half cup pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 1 orange or 2 tangerines (sliced), and 1 medium apple or 4 Lady apples (sliced one quarter inch thick) in a medium pot. Gently simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Serve warm, in mugs. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy! It will warm you inside and out on a chilly autumn night.

I remember getting sudden, painful “charlie horses” in my leg muscles when I was a kid. The adults called these cramps “growing pains.”  My daughter gets sharp and abrupt muscle cramps every so often and guess what the teachers at school tell her? You guessed it…that they are merely “growing pains.”

Well, anytime frequent muscle cramps occur, it is usually because the person is not getting enough balanced vitamins and minerals. One should be getting at least 1,500 mg. of daily calcium and 750 mgs. of magnesium per day. Potassium is also important; we should be consuming at least 99 mg. of potassium daily. A banana or potato provides potassium. Vitamin C and B complex with a minimum of 50 mg. of zinc daily is also essential for proper muscle functioning. It is best to get these through consumption of fresh food, however, if you lead a busy lifestyle and must take supplements, then by all means, do so. This healthy regimen must be adhered to diligently, on a daily, regular, ongoing basis! 

Horsetail, meadowsweet, valerian and skullcap help to relieve muscle cramps also. Taking  valerian root at bedtime helps to relax the muscles too. So, eat right and take herbs wisely for proper muscle maintenance.

Endometriosis is a painful condition in which tissue lining of the uterus grows in other areas in or beyond the pelvis. It has been found that Chinese herbal medicine may ease symptoms as effectively as hormonal drugs but with fewer side effects.

Hormonal therapy, such as birth control pills, lessens endometriosis pain by lightening menstrual flow. However, many females report that the pill just does not work well for their bodies. Juliette Alyana, an herbalist and acupuncturist in N.Y.C. reports that “rather than suppressing menstruation, traditional Chinese medicine  uses herbs that help soothe and rebalance the reproductive system.”

Herbal treatment of endometriosis typically takes three to six months to eliminate pain and regulate menstrual flow, according to Alyana. Chinese herbs commonly used for endometriosis include dan shen, dong quai, and red peony root. Alyana suggests performing self massage on your abdomen once daily. Herbal treatments usually take much longer than traditional means of treatment.

This information was obtained from Body+Soul magazine, November,2009; a Martha Stewart publication from www.Wholeliving.com. Always consult your doctor before taking any kind of herb.

Canker sores are painful spots of the inside of the mouth. Canker sores errupt more often on some people more than on others. There has been some anecdotal evidence that licorice can soothe and ease the pain of these uncomfortable sores.

Be careful to make sure that you use deglycyrrhizinated  licorice, abbreviated as DGL, which appears to soothe muscle membranes. The licorice leaves can be grinded into a very fine form. Mix with a little water and apply it to the sore as needed to provide relief.

You can ease occasional indigestion by sipping a cup of peppermint tea after your meal. Peppermint improves the flow of bile, which moves food through the digestive tract more quickly.

Use peppermint with caution if you have acid reflux problems as peppermint could possibly make this condition worse. Spearmint works the same way.

I grow peppermint and spearmint plants in my garden. I use the fresh mint leaves in summer salads and to give a fresh, brisk taste to iced tea and middle eastern dishes. At this time of year, I pick bunches of the stalks and mint leaves. I don’t want the autmn frost to destroy the plants. Then I allow the leaves to dry so that I can flavor my own food throughout the winter and the early spring.

Well, it’s cold and flu season again. I hate getting a cold. The reason I hate it is because I do not like getting sick in the first place. Secondly, I am prone to bronchitis and once the cold travels into my chest I hack and cough and can’t sleep at night. I had pneumonia over twenty years ago and that was scary enough! I almost ended up in the hospital during a ski trip in Vermont.

Ever since I have been eating right (fresh fruits and vegetables, mainly), I get two colds per year and thank goodness, they are little ones which don’t last long. I have not had bronchitis in 17 years and I stay away from anti biotics, only taking them when absolutely necessary. Suffice to say, my immune system is much stronger than it was twenty years ago when I was much younger.

I love fresh ginger root. I cook with it in my stir fry dishes and I love it in Asian food. The volatile oils in ginger have long made it a useful herbal remedy for nasal and chest congestion.

Pour two cups of boiling water over a one-inch piece of peeled, grated ginger, steep for 10 minutes, and strain. Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the water and drink as needed. If you can’t find fresh ginger, you can always use powdered ginger and sprinkle over your food  and season it to taste. Some people don’t care for the tanginess of ginger, as it does have a rather strong flavor. I have grown to love the taste of it over the years. It has really grown on me.

It is that time of year again. In a couple of weeks, we will need to turn back our clocks back one hour and there goes daylight savings time until next spring. I don’t know about you, but I feel so “blue” when it starts to get dark around 5:00 p.m. (and even earlier) in the evening. I don’t think that I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), however, I prefer to experience  the light of day for as long as possible. I commute to work in Philadelphia and the bright lights of the city really cheer me up while I am driving home in the dark evenings.

Research suggests that Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, may help manage levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Tulsi is an Ayurvedic herb which resembles our western basil plant. The stress hormone, cortisol, helps to lift our moods. You can drink holy basil in tea form or take it as a supplement. You can also use it as an herb for cooking. Take your choice. It gives me a hedge around the seasonal “blues”.