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Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Calendula is a wonder herb that produces a beautiful flower that exudes sunshine and joy. To harvest this highly resinous flower, pick it at its peak on a warm summer day. When making medicine with calendula, it’s almost always dried first. Drying calendula for oils decreases the water content, making a more stable oil, and it also concentrates the resins in the plant. When making a tincture of calendula, a higher-proof alcohol will extract more of the resins. Calendula will grow readily in your garden, often self-seeding after the first year of planting. By snipping the flowers regularly, you promote its growth.
Calendula has an affinity to encourage connective tissue to regenerate, therefore it can be made into oils and salves and used for a variety of skin conditions including:
- Rashes
- Burns
- Scars
- Scrapes
- Varicose veins
- Broken capillaries
- Chicken Pox
- Fungal infections like athlete’s foot
- Internally it can be used to treat swollen lymph glands and soothe ulcers
- You can also spread the fresh petals over your salads for added color and beauty
This is a must have herb for any budding herbalist (pun intended). Shortly I will be posting a how-to for making calendula-infused oils and salves, which are like nature’s Neosporin! Smooth on some calendula salve and your skin problems will be solved in no time!
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Garlic is a tremendously powerful herb that most of us have a steady access to. It is always found at the local grocery store and, with the increasing popularity of farmer’s markets, heirloom varieties can often be bought locally, which results in even more medicinal qualities. Today it is one of the most researched and most used herbs in our kitchens and herbal apothecary. It has a variety of actions, making it a great ally for a variety of health disturbances.
Raw garlic can be taken liberally at the first sign of a cold or flu to ward off the illness or to lessen the symptoms. I like to do this by dipping bread in olive oil with lots of minced garlic! Raw garlic is an emetic, so it’s a good idea to approach it slowly and back off if nausea occurs.
Herbalist Stephen Buhner reports in his book Herbal Antibiotics that garlic is effective against Staphyloccus aureas, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp., Salmonella spp., herpes simplex, and more. He recommends eating the fresh juice for best results. To do this without immediately experiencing its strong emetic qualities, Buhner recommends starting with a 1⁄4 teaspoon in a glass of tomato juice and slowly working up your tolerance.
For fungal infections garlic can be used externally as well as internally. It is quite strong and could burn sensitive areas, so it can be diluted by soaking it in oil for a 1⁄2 hour to several hours, straining and then applying to the area. An old time folk remedy that works wonders for congestion associated with colds and the flu is to take this same oil, spread it on the feet, cover with a pair of old socks, and then retire to bed for the evening.
Now, I’m sure you know this, but there is no herb, pill, shake, or whatever that is magically going to make you lose weight! You have to eat healthy and exercise to achieve the results you want. However, there are a few helpful herbs for increasing your metabolism/curbing appetite that you can add to your weight loss routine.
- Ginseng - Ginseng is a root that brings balance to the body, and that can mean a boost in energy and vitality, as well as a decreased appetite. It can also elevate your mood and improve your sleep, which are helpful for weight loss.
- Spirulina - This is technically a freshwater algae, but it’s also loaded with more antioxidants than any other food on Earth! Spirulina is a dense protein source, which can help you feel fuller and stronger.
- Green tea - Green tea has been clinically proven to curb appetite and increase metabolic rate, not to mention it’s chock-full of antioxidants!
- Reishi mushrooms - Again, not an herb, but it’s often used in Chinese medicine. It increases metabolism, reduces blood sugar levels and boosts stamina while helping to detox the body and strengthen immunity.
- Cinnamon - Another herb that has been clinically shown to regulate blood sugar levels, which can contribute to a healthy body weight and reduce cravings for sweets.
- Cayenne - Cayenne is a super-spicy pepper that can increase your metabolic rate safely, helping you slim down. The heat from the pepper also naturally makes us moderate our food intake, which helps us to recognize we’re full before overeating.
Make sure to stay away from ephedra and guarana, which are linked to numerous health risks, from heart attacks to death. :(
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Calendula is a wonder herb that produces a beautiful flower that exudes sunshine and joy. To harvest this highly resinous flower, pick it at its peak on a warm summer day. When making medicine with calendula, it’s almost always dried first. Drying calendula for oils decreases the water content, making a more stable oil, and it also concentrates the resins in the plant. When making a tincture of calendula, a higher-proof alcohol will extract more of the resins. Calendula will grow readily in your garden, often self-seeding after the first year of planting. By snipping the flowers regularly, you promote its growth.
Calendula has an affinity to encourage connective tissue to regenerate, therefore it can be made into oils and salves and used for a variety of skin conditions including:
- Rashes
- Burns
- Scars
- Scrapes
- Varicose veins
- Broken capillaries
- Chicken Pox
- Fungal infections like athlete’s foot
- Internally it can be used to treat swollen lymph glands and soothe ulcers
- You can also spread the fresh petals over your salads for added color and beauty
This is a must have herb for any budding herbalist (pun intended). Shortly I will be posting a how-to for making calendula-infused oils and salves, which are like nature’s Neosporin! Smooth on some calendula salve and your skin problems will be solved in no time!
