Herbs to Boost the Circulation - Part 2

In part 1 of this article, we looked at what the circulatory system was, in part 2 we look at how we can give our circulatory systems a boost in winter and all year round. Eating a healthy diet, ditching junk food, stopping smoking and taking regular exercise will all have a marked impact on our circulatory health. We can also add herbs that have a vasodilatory action to our diets, or use them to make rubs and salves to use externally.

Vasodilator herbs help to expand blood vessels and lower blood pressure, herbs with anticoagulant properties are also useful as are herbs with external stimulant properties and those with rubefacient properties. A rubefacient helps to increase the circulation to the skin by dilating the skin's capillaries; the action reddens the skin, dilates the vessels, and increases blood supply locally. Below are 4 of my favourite herbs to use to help boost circulation.

Cayenne Pepper – This herb ticks the rubefacient box, it makes an ideal addition to massage oils and salves to rub on to the skin to help bring encourage better circulation, it can also help with pain as a side effect of chilblains and for arthritis and aching joints, the benefit comes from the capsaicin that the herb contains which help to stimulate blood flow and can be beneficial for reducing clotting. Do not use on broken skin and make sure you don’t get any cayenne pepper or its derivative products in to the eyes.

Adding cayenne pepper to your everyday diet can also help to stimulate the heart, it can also have a positive effect on regulating blood flow and in strengthening blood vessels, add the powder to meals or take in capsule form or as a tincture, it’s worth noting that cayenne pepper is rather pungent so may cause a burning sensation especially if you don’t like spicy food. Capsaicin is a natural rubefacient, a compound that upon topical application produces a reddening off the skin which causes dilation in the skin capillaries which increases blood circulation.

Garlic – Has anti-coagulant, vasodilator, rubefacient and stimulant properties, it is also classed as a cardiovascular tonic and may help to dilate the blood vessels, garlic can also have a warming effect on the skin when used externally. Garlic contains many useful volatile oils including allinin, which converts from allicin which is a sulphur rich organic compound found in garlic that is currently undergoing studies for its potential anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties, it is also one of nature’s richest sources of potassium which can help the body to control blood pressure and ensure that blood flows freely around the circulatory system.

Garlic also contains iron, calcium, magnesium which has vasodilating properties which helps the body to improve the circulation of the blood, manganese, zinc, and selenium it also contains vitamin C which is a natural blood thinner that can help the body to reduce high blood pressure. A paper published in 1993 following a clinical study at the University of Saarland in Germany demonstrated that taking 800mg (0.8 grams) of garlic powder, which is the equivalent of eating half a garlic clove every day for a month, helped to increase the micro-circulation in the veins, capillaries and arteries beneath the skin by an amazing 47.6%.

Ginger – Like garlic, ginger ticks all the boxes we’ve mentioned required for circulatory health it contains an oleoresin known as gingerol which is being studied for its ability to reduce pain and inflammation in suffers of rheumatoid arthritis. Internally eating ginger can help to boost circulation and gives a warming feeling to the skin. Used externally is muscle rubs and hand creams ginger can relax the capillaries in the skin which helps to bring a feeling of warmth so rubbing a massage oil containing ginger can help to warm the hands and feet.

In 2004 a study led by Dr Ann Walker at Reading University where she worked as a senior lecturer, was held to discover whether ginger root had the potential to increase the body’s metabolic rate and also improve circulation in the hands and feet. The study concluded that taking about 1000mg (1 gram) of dried ginger per day can improve the circulation of blood to the hands and feet by expanding the blood vessels and warming the tissues.

Ginkgo Biloba – Is mostly famed for its ability to help improve the memory, it does this by increasing the circulation of blood to the brain, because gingko is a rather useful all-round circulation booster. Ginkgo has been used by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners for over 5,000 years. In western herbal medicine it has been used to treat memory loss in the elderly and to increase and improve the circulation in patients who suffer from hardening of the arteries.

German herbalists prescribe the use of gingko to treat varicose veins, gingko contains an extract known as tebonin which has been shown to be helpful in bringing relief to people who suffer from unsightly and painful varicose veins. Gingko can help to improve the flow of blood through the blood vessels and it can also help to strengthen them, it also improves the flow of blood to the heart which helps to lessen the demand for oxygen which can help in cases of asthma and where shortness of breath is suffered. Sufferers of Raynaud’s Disease have also found gingko to be of benefit, it helps to dilate the blood vessels which helps to relieve pain and restore he normal colour to the skin, and it has also been shown to alleviate painful leg cramps caused by narrowing of the arteries in the legs.

Warning: The capsaicin in cayenne pepper may increase the risk of bleeding associated with certain blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, compounds in ginkgo, ginger, and garlic can also have the same effect.

Winter Warming Unguent

An unguent sounds terribly old fashioned, it was in fact the name that was given to preparations that we call salves today. I wanted to give this recipe a sense of the past, imagining that my great, great grand-mother would have applied something like this to warm her cold and aching muscles. Externally when an unguent is applied that is full of oils with rubefacient properties it has a warming, and stimulating effect on the skin, this can also help to alleviate pain in the extremities are painful due to cold aches and pains.

Ingredients:

10 Drops Juniper Essential Oil
10 Drops Clove Bud Essential Oil
10 Drops Ginger Essential Oil
10 Drops Rosemary Essential Oil
10 Drops Black Pepper Essential Oil
15 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
15 Drops Capsicum Tincture
30 Drops Gingko Biloba Tincture
30 Drops Cinnamon Tincture
120ml Sweet Almond Oil
15g Beeswax

Method: First put all the essential oils and the tinctures into a small glass container so you can quickly poor them in when required. Next heat the sweet almond oil and the beeswax in a double- boiler (or a glass bowl sitting over a pan of water) over low heat. Stir until the beeswax has melted.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in the essential oils and tinctures, making sure everything is evenly combined and then pour the unguent into a clean amber glass jar and allow to cool. Label, date and store in the fridge. Rub a little of the unguent on to the hands, feet, knees that have been chilled and need to be warmed up.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding or suffer from any known illness which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.

Herbs To Boost the Circulation - Part 1

The winter is a time when many of us suffer from problems derived from poor circulation, our extremities feel the cold when the temperatures plummet, but if you suffer from poor circulation the effects can be much worse for the legs, feet, toes, hands and fingers. The increasingly sedentary lifestyles and junk food diets which contribute to nutrient deficiencies and a lack of fibre that many of now have also have an effect on our circulation. To explain it plainly, the body’s circulatory system is comprised of the blood and the lymphatic system – a complex series of lymphatic vessels whose purpose is to carry a clear watery fluid called lymph to the heart. The entire system has over 20,000km of blood vessels that are comprised of major arteries, the veins and the capillaries. When working as nature intended, the circulatory system carries oxygen and essential nutrients to all the cells in our bodies and helps to remove waste products and carbon dioxide. When the blood is being freely circulated around the body without restriction then all is well, but if there is a circulatory problem, a fatty substance known has plaque can build up along the walls of the arteries consequently narrowing them and restricting the free flow of blood around the body.

When this occurs hypertension is a result, hypertension is caused by the build-up of plaque deposits along the walls of the arteries, this occurs commonly in the elderly and middle aged, making them harden and narrow. This hardening and narrowing constricts the flow of blood and this in turn puts extra pressure on to the walls of the blood vessels which makes the blood pressure rise. Eventually the blood vessels become less elastic and cannot function in the way they should, they cannot give you sudden ‘blood spurts’ energy rushes that allow you to get additional energy to do simple everyday things like walk upstairs, everything becomes harder to do and causes fatigue.

The hardening and narrowing of the vessels can also cause a condition known as hardening of the arteries and is caused by the fatty plaque deposits that narrow the arteries. If you have hardened arteries and also smoke you run the risk of developing Buerger’s disease, a disease which affects the legs and arms, particularly the hands and feet. Sufferers get chronic inflammation of the veins and arteries in the lower extremities, the inflammation occurs in sections of the blood vessels and is known as vasculitis, recent research has concluded that Buerger's disease may actually be an autoimmune condition which is triggered when nicotine is taken in to the body.

Another disease of the circulatory system is known as Raynaud’s disease, sufferer’s exhibit a marked constriction and also spasming of the blood vessels in their extremities, as the vessels spasm they block the free flow of blood around the body he condition occurs because your blood vessels go into a temporary spasm which blocks the flow of blood. As the spasming occurs and the vessel is blocked the section of the blood vessel that is blocked exhibits a colour change, it first goes white, then blue and then goes back to red once the spasming has stopped and the vessel returns to normal and blood begins to freely flow again.

Raynaud’s disease can also be brought on by cold temperatures and also by anxiety or stress, studies have found that women suffering from Raynaud’s disease had low levels of vitamin C and the mineral selenium in their diet, ensuring that got a plentiful supply of both nutrients in their diet improved the condition, adding magnesium, vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acids to the diet has also proved beneficial.

The elderly, pregnant women and those people who are overweight can also suffer from varicose veins, these develop when the small valves inside the veins stop working as they should. When the veins are not healthy due to restrictions or damage blood is prevented from flowing freely through a series of tiny valves that open and close to let blood through, when this happens the blood gets stuck and eventually the vein becomes swollen and enlarged, the medical term for this is varicose.

In part 2 of this article we will take a look at 4 herbs that can be utilised to help boost the circulatory system and give a recipe for winter warming unguent that can help.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding or suffer from any known illness which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.

Anti-Stress Sweetmeats

Each year many of us look forward to the festive season, but as it fast approaches, for many it can often feel less like the way it is portrayed to be as the season of gift giving that culminates in idyllic family get-togethers, and more like a huge stress festival.

There is too much to do and too little time to do it in, as we frantically run around trying to find the best gift for Great Aunt Maud, whilst sorting out the food shopping, festive menu and so, so much more!

To help Course Director Zoi Maraki is sharing her recipe for a stress busting seasonal treat that can be made quickly to help ease the stresses of the season. Keep in mind as this recipe contains nuts it is not suitable for making if you have a nut allergy.

Dry Ingredients 1 Scoop Ashwagandha Powder 1 Scoop Siberian Ginseng Powder 1 Scoop Astragalus powder 1 Scoop Slippery Elm Powder 2-3 Scoops Organic Ground Almonds Wet Ingredients 1 Tablespoon Tahini 1 Tablespoon Chocolate Almond Butter 1 Teaspoon Manuka Honey 1 Cup Organic Maple Syrup

Method

Mix the dry ingredients and then add the rest of the wet ingredients. Roll the dough into small balls. Coat the balls with desiccated coconut. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.

N.B. A scoop in the recipe is approx 20g

Devil’s Claw and Back Pain

The fierce and scary-looking hooked spines of the seeds of Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) have evolved to catch onto the fur (or skin!) of animals to aid their distribution. In more ways than one this is a very tough plant indeed. It grows mainly in the Kalahari Desert and hasn’t been successfully cultivated elsewhere. It has very attractive red flowers and deep tuberous roots and makes best use of intermittent and unpredictable rainfall. As the demand for the tubers for medicine has increased worldwide, sustainable harvesting is now practiced in its native habitat, with only the tubers on one side of the plant being harvested per season. In Europe, since the early 1960s, interest in Devil’s claw’s medicinal potential have led to a growing number of clinical studies, mainly in Germany, whose results show evidence of health benefits. In fact, Devil's claw is one of the best-researched of herbal medicines.

Devils Claw

Its mode of action has been largely elucidated, and its efficacy and excellent safety profile have been demonstrated in several clinical investigations. Indeed, some studies have shown that Devil’s claw compares favourably with modern drugs for arthritis.

 Although some study designs have been weak, there are clinical studies that demonstrate an improvement or amelioration in pain, range of movement and creaky joints. But it is as a remedy for back pain for which this plant is best known. Not only is the herb anti-inflammatory within the joint, but it can reduce muscle tension. Large muscles along the spine act ‘in sympathy’ when arthritic pain occurs between the vertebrae.

 Studies (e.g. PMID: 11810324) have used a simple pressure probe to give objective evidence that Devil’s claw acts to relax the musculature around spinal inflammation. This muscle spasm often accounts for a lot of the pain of back ache. You can find out about suitable products of Devils’ Claw and learn more about the Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) scheme to ensure the quality of herbal products on the British Herbal Medicine Association website.

PMID = PubMed identifier

Ann Walker PhD FCPP MNIMH RNutr, Herbal Practitioner and Nutritionist,
Course Director, Discovering Herbal Medicine course

Bilberry and the Microcirculation

Bilberries: Photo © Jenny R

Bilberries have a long history as a food and medicine. They contain dark red pigments called anthocyanins which laboratory research shows help to maintain the integrity and hence the health of the microcirculation. Many people will not have even heard the term ‘microcirculation’ but its status determines the health of all our major organs and our limbs, not to mention our brain.

 The term refers to the circulation of the blood in the smallest of blood vessels, which includes the arterioles, capillaries, and venules. If these vessels are fragile and leaky then the entire circulatory system is at risk because fluid escapes into local tissues causing swelling and inflammation. A healthy microcirculation is important for preventing or managing many major diseases, including diabetes, various types of dementia and cardiovascular disease, to name just a few, and research interest is very active in all these areas.

From Bilberry’s traditional use for diarrhoea and haemorrhoids to its use to enhance night vision among air pilots during the World War II, the herb has long been considered a valuable therapeutic ally by those interested in natural medicine. Bilberries are not the only source of anthocyanins by any means, as these compounds are present in many dark red fruits, but it is a concentrated source. Although the traditional use of Bilberry for treating night vision and other diseases has been ‘pooh poohed’ (PMID: 35847049) on the basis that clinical trials are too small or not well designed, the biological feasibility of bilberries being effective therapy for conditions associated with failure of the microcirculation, remains.

We all need to protect our microcirculation for a long and healthy life. Through its effects on the microcirculation, Bilberry is of potential value in the treatment or prevention of many diseases of modern society. It joins the ranks of other foods that can support the microcirculation such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, cocoa, beetroot, green leafy vegetables, herbs, spices and green tea.

PMID = PubMed identifier

Ann Walker PhD FCPP MNIMH RNutr, Herbal Practitioner and Nutritionist,
Course Director, Discovering Herbal Medicine course

Gifts of Chocolate & Flowers – With a Herbal Twist!

Photo & Article © Debs Cook

At some points in our gift giving endeavours we can hit a brick wall deciding what to get for Aunt Carol or cousin Lucy and we resort to flowers, potted plants or chocolates, the poor men folk get a worse deal receiving socks or aftershave. It doesn’t have to be that way, with a little careful planning, and a little time sourcing some ingredients you can make a selection of fabulously fragrant goodies for bath and body to give as gifts!

All the fragrant goodies in the photo above which includes a sugar scrub, lip balm, some bath melts and bath fizzers will appeal to chocoholics and floral bath pampering addicts alike and they can all be made in just 1 day! These homemade gifts contain no chemical nasties, they can be tailored to favourite flavours and preferred perfumes of the recipients and you can make gifting goodies for the ladies on your gift list AND the men folk as well.

The bonus is as gifts go, these items can be made any time of year for giving for birthday presents, a thank you gesture, to say get well soon, or for occasions like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The Bath fizzers can also be made in small petit four cases and packaged in organza bags, then given as wedding favours to female guests, they can be coloured and fragranced to echo wedding décor and they make a very personal gift. I'm sharing 2 of the recipes below and maybe with some gentle encouragement I will share more!

Remember when you give your gifts to include a list of ingredients either on the product or in a little booklet that you can give with your gift. If you know that a recipient has an allergy, then don’t make items using things they need to avoid e.g. nut allergy, avoid nut based oils and use sunflower or grapeseed oil instead.

Chocolate Peppermint Lip Balm

This lip balm is really wonderful, make sure that you only use food grade essential oils to make sure they are safe for using in beauty items that may potentially be consumed. The hemp seed oil and cocoa butter are both very moisturising and contain antioxidants, they will help sooth dry cracked lips caused by winter winds.

Makes 10 x 30ml Jars

100ml Hempseed Oil
60g Dark Chocolate (at least 70% Cocoa Solids – I used 85%)
30g Organic Unrefined Cocoa Butter
30g Beeswax 1
6 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Method: Place all ingredients with the exception of the peppermint oil in to a heatproof glass bowl over a pan of water that comes about 2” below the base of the bowl. Stir slowly until all the ingredients are melted and the resulting mixture is smooth and dark glossy chocolate brown. Pour the mix in to a heatproof glass jug - you can skip this stage but it’s easier to pour in to the pots from a jug. Add the drops of peppermint oil and stir with a metal spoon to combine everything together, then pour in to your jar or tins.

To Use – Use a lip brush or the tip of your finger to apply a little of the lip balm to the lips. N.B. Because this lip balm contains real chocolate it may stain clothes if it gets on them, it will also give the lips a slight chocolatey look if too much is applied.

Lavender & Geranium Bath Melts

These bath melts are so fragrant and you can make them in a variety of fragrances see the suggestions below. The main ingredient in these fragrant and moisturising bath melts is cocoa butter which has several benefits to help keep your skin healthy it contains several fatty acids including oleic, palmitic and stearic acids which have antioxidant properties that can help to reduce the signs of ageing, cocoa butter can also help to reduce inflammation on the skin and soothe skin conditions such as eczema.

Makes 18 – 36 melts depending on the size of case you use.

200g Unrefined Cocoa Butter – You can use refined but the smell is better from unrefined.
100g Sweet Almond Oil
100 Drops Geranium Essential Oil
50 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
18 – 36 Pink Rose Buds for decoration
2g Beetroot Powder – Which will act as a natural colouring to give a pink colour to your melts. 

You will also need: -

Foiled Petit Four Cases or Cupcake Cases
Large Heatproof Mixing Bowl Large Pan – Big enough for the bowl to sit in and be supported by the pan rim
Wooden Spoon
Heatproof Measuring Jug

Method: These melts are very easy to make, place enough water in your pan to come 2” below the base of the heatproof glass bowl you’ll be using to make the melts, put the bowl on the pan and turn on the heat, it will take a few minutes to start to get warm.

Whilst you’re waiting for the water to heat up take about 1 teaspoon of your almond oil and place it in a cup, add the beetroot powder and stir to make your colouring. Once the water is at a steady simmer put the cocoa butter, the rest of the sweet almond oil and the colouring in to the pan and stir gently until the cocoa butter has melted and everything is thoroughly mixed.

Cocoa butter melts at around 93–101°F (34–38°C), turn off the heat and using oven gloves lift the bowl off the top of the pan. Then add your drops of essential oil, build up the layers a little at a time, remembering the important rule that you can add it, but you can’t take it away. Once you have the fragrance you like then pour the contents into a heatproof jug, you can skip this stage but I find it easier to pour the liquid into the little moulds than trying to spoon it in.

Leave the melts to set overnight, if you’re in a hurry as soon as the mix is cool, you can pop them in the freezer to harden. Note that these melts will melt at temperatures over 75°F (24°C) so don’t leave them near a radiator or in sunlight etc where the temperature can raise above this.

To Use: If you’re making mini melts then add 2-3 to the bath, simply pop into the bath just under where the hot water is running in to the bath. If you make cupcake sized melts then add 1 melt to the water. Bear in mind that when you’ve finished bathing the bath will be slippery from the cocoa butter and oil so be careful when you stand and in getting out of the bath. It should also be noted that some natural and artificial colour pigments may stain the bath, but the staining should be temporary and should clean off easily.

Saw Palmetto helps bladder control for women too!

Saw Palmetto Leaf © Ann Walker

Extracts of the berries of Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) have been used in modern times mainly as an over-the-counter remedy for symptoms of benign prostate enlargement (BPH) in men. Indeed, the various biological mechanisms involved in these physiological effects are well documented and a relatively large number of clinical studies on men with BPH have shown positive results. In some of these studies, Saw Palmetto extract was found to be comparable to drugs such as finasteride and tamsulosin, which have proven benefits for patients with BPH.

Now, for the first time, a clinical study (PMID: 35334848) has been reported on the use of this herb for women with bladder control problems. The Japanese researchers reasoned that at least two of the mechanisms by which saw palmetto assists bladder control in men, might also be effective for women. Hence, they recruited nearly 80 women over 50 years of age with bladder control problems into a placebo-controlled study. These were divided into two groups - one group took saw palmetto extract every day and the other took placebo. At the end of 12 weeks, daytime urinary frequency was significantly lower in women taking the extract compared with the placebo. They also found that the need to get up at night to urinate was reduced.

Saw palmetto is regarded as a safe herb with a long history of use among Native Americans, who had many uses for it. These included use as a remedy for respiratory complaints and as a food with tonic properties. For more information see the article on Saw Palmetto on the British Herbal Medicine Association's website.

PMID = PubMed identifier

Ann Walker PhD FCPP MNIMH RNutr, Herbal Practitioner and Nutritionist,
Course Director, Discovering Herbal Medicine course

Giving the Gift of Herbal Well Being

Photo & Article © Debs Cook

In Christmases past my hubby and I made truffles and sweets to give as gifts to family and friends, but I have to admit that using fresh ingredients to make the sweet treats meant that a lot of the items had to be made very close to Xmas Eve, which meant dashing round to get everything done and then package and deliver the items before the big day. So a few years ago I decided we’d do things differently and put an herbal spin on the gift giving, my decision was prompted by the fact that when we went visiting everyone, they all seemed to have either a cold, a pulled muscle or were feeling a bit under the weather.

I thought why not use what I know and make some herbal gifts that can help banish winter ills? I rather liked the idea that I’m not just wishing my friends and family good health, but I’m actually giving them the means to have aid what ails them, plus I'm putting in to the gift my love and passion for herbs along with my knowledge, making it a very personal gift to give and receive!

What happened next involved spending time looking at old fashioned remedies, which I then put a modern spin on. The results of these herbal adventures went in to a little hamper which doubled as a storage basket, I included a little booklet that says what’s in each item, what it does and how to use it, along with some other DIY tips for keeping yourself healthy in the winter. The little goodies went down a storm, as did the homemade Chocolate Peppermint Lip Balm and the Lavender & Geranium Bath Melts that I will include on the blog next week! Here's the recipe for a couple of the items I made: -

Antiseptic Germ Busting Spray

Many herbs and essential oils have antiseptic properties, those that contain terpene compounds are generally anti-bacterial and anti-viral, plant alcohols can also help to fight off infection. Cinnamon for example had strong antiseptic, antiviral and antibacterial properties and contains polyphenols and sesquiterpene compounds that can check bacteria.

The combination of oils in the recipe are reputed to help kill 99% of airborne bacteria in a room, making it a perfect blend to use in rooms occupied by people suffering from colds and flu, sprayed in to a room, when people start to cough and sneeze it may help minimise the infection.

6 x 100ml Plastic Spray Bottles & Misting Tops
600ml Perfumers Alcohol – See note below.
30 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil (5 Drops per bottle)
90 Drops Lemon Essential Oil (15 Drops per bottle)
60 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil (10 Drops per bottle)
30 Drops Clove Bud Essential Oil (5 Drops per bottle)
60 Drops Pine Needle Essential Oil (10 Drops per bottle)

Method: To make the spray, fill a clean, dry 100ml spray bottle with 95ml of pure distilled water or perfumer’s alcohol. Using a dropper, carefully put the selected blend of essential oils directly into the spray bottle, top up with alcohol to the neck of the bottle to make 100ml. Screw the atomiser spray top on to the bottle tightly and shake vigorously to combine. Be sure to shake it before each use if using water as the water and essential oils tend to separate.

N.B. You can substitute purified spring water, for the perfumer’s alcohol if you can’t find it, but your spray will last longer by using the alcohol, plus it will help preserve the oils. In alcohol most essential oils mix more thoroughly, in water they just tend to float on the surface, vodka is another substitute which will preserve the oils better than water.

60 drops of oil is around 3ml so a 10ml bottle of each oil will be more than enough to make 6 spray bottles.

Another version of this spray makes a great Festive Fragrance spray that will not only fragrance the room with the classic aromas of the festive season, but will also have an antiseptic and antibacterial action!

Per 100ml Bottle: -

12 Drops Pine Needle Essential Oil
12 Drops Mandarin Essential Oil
8 Drops Clove Essential Oil
6 Drops Cinnamon Essential Oil

Old Fashioned Cold & Flu Tea

If a cold or flu has a feverish element or the person suffering from the cold has chills, then this tea blend may just help them feel better. It’s one of the first remedies I make when I feel a cold starting to take root. It contains just three herbs, although you can add a little honey to sweeten the tea, as it can be a little bitter for some peoples tastes.

The yarrow helps increase perspiration, that process will help you ‘sweat’ the cold out, the elderflowers help reduce inflammation and soothe the irritation of the mucus membranes and the peppermint is antiseptic, decongestant and anti-spasmodic, all useful properties to have on hand when suffering from a cold. Combined, the three herbs in this tea blend may help to reduce a fever, ease congestion and soothe a sore throat.

For the gift hampers we used 6 x 500ml jars one for each home that is getting a hamper, to fill those 6 jars you’ll need: -

150g Dried Elderflowers
150g Dried Peppermint Leaf
150g Dried Yarrow

Method: Making the tea up is as easy as stirring all 3 herbs together in a large glass bowl until evenly mixed and then spoon the tea in to the jars, decorate with a ribbon and label the jar.

For 1 cup you would need 1 teaspoon (approx. 5g) of the tea blend, if you like a stronger blend then go for 7.5g or 1½ teaspoons.

If you plan on making just 1 jar then you’ll need just 25g of each herb.

TIP: As well as drinking this blend as a tea, it can also be sprinkled into a bowl of hot water and by covering the head with a towel, you can inhale the herbal goodness to help ease congestion, in a good old fashioned vapour steam bath!

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding or suffer from any known illness which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.

Vitex for Premenstrual Symptoms (PMS)

Agnus Castus Flowers © Ann Walker

The medicinal use of the berries of Vitex agnus-castus (also called Chaste tree) goes back thousands of years. Much of this is documented, including reference to the use of the herb for ‘‘diseases of the uterus’’ by Hippocrates in the 4th century BCE. Vitex continues to be a favourite herb amongst herbal practitioners. It is either used on its own or with other herbs, for ameliorating women’s health problems, such as menstrual disorders, PMS, cyclical breast pain, infertility, and menopausal symptoms.

A substantial amount of modern research, including randomized clinical trials, has focused on the use of Vitex for the relief of PMS symptoms, including low mood, anxiety, headaches, fluid retention, acne, and breast tenderness. One such trial (PMID: 23022391) was carried out in Germany on 183 women with PMS aged between 18 and 45 years. This study compared three doses of Vitex against placebo. After analysing the trial outcome after three menstrual cycles, the researchers concluded that Vitex was effective in the relief of premenstrual symptoms if the dose of the dried berry was at least 20 mg per day. This is a low dose for a herb to be effective.

Treatment of PMS can be a challenge in modern medicine and even though many women put up with mild-to-moderate symptoms, the effects can be debilitating for others. Something so simple a low-dose intervention of a well-known herb can be very effective. Here is an example of an increasing number of herbs where human trials show positive outcomes and laboratory studies indicate a mechanism of action. Vitex normalises the balance of the hormones released from the pituitary gland of the brain.

 This, in turn, normalises the menstrual cycle through the regular physiological feed-back mechanisms of the body. You can find out about suitable products containing Vitex and learn more about the Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) scheme to ensure the quality of herbal products on the British Herbal Medicine Association website.

PMID = PubMed identifier

Ann Walker PhD FCPP MNIMH RNutr, Herbal Practitioner and Nutritionist,
Course Director, Discovering Herbal Medicine course

Mrs Grieve's Nettle Beer

Article © Debs Cook
Image Mareefe

Last week I wrote some Facts About: Nettles, which brought to mind a lovely recipe for Nettle Beer that I stumbled across many years ago in A Modern Herbal, Maud Grieve's book, so this week I thought as nettles are in season, I would share my adaptation of Mrs Grieve's recipe, a drink she says was once used as a folk remedy in the elderly for "gouty and rheumatic pains".

Mrs Grieve's original recipe (see photo below) made 2 gallons (which is a large quantity if you're not sure if you're going to like it), my version makes approximately 3/4 gallon. Grieves recipe also called for using a slice of toast and fresh compressed yeast the kind that they once used to make bread which is often referred to as Brewer's or Baker's Yeast, but I adapted my recipe to use a general purpose beer and wine making yeast. Grieves Nettle Beer is light, not very alcoholic, nor was it very sweet, it was rather dry in fact, but very refreshing. My version is a little sweeter but its not designed to be made and left for long periods of time, its best drunk sooner rather than later, leaving the brew too long the flavour will alter and not for the better 😬

If you don't have any dandelion leaves, Grieve recommended using the juice of 2 lemons as a substitute, but I put the juice of 2 lemons in anyway. She also spoke of ringing the changes by adding Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), Burdock Root (Arctium lappa), Avens (Geum urbanum) or White Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) to the recipe in place of the Dandelion.


Ingredients

My Recipe • 3.78 Litres Water • 750g Fresh Nettles • 50g Fresh Dandelion Leaves • 50g Fresh Cleavers • 15g Fresh Ginger Root, Grated • 2 Lemons, Juiced • 550g Demerara Sugar • 1 Tsp Dried Active Wine & Beer Making Yeast • 28g Cream of Tartar 1 x 1 Gallon Demijohn 2 x 2 Litre Recycle Clear Plastic Fizzy Drink Bottles

Method

1. Pour the water into a large pan that is big enough to hold more than 4 litres to allow room for stirring.

2. Add the Nettles, Dandelion, and Cleavers and bring them to the boil, turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 25 - 30 minutes.

3. Stir in the sugar, ginger, cream of tarter and lemon juice and bring the mixture back to the boil and then slowly simmer for 5 minutes longer. Then add the lid to the pan and set it aside to allow the beer to cool to lukewarm (about 21°C).

4. Once the liquid is lukewarm, add the yeast and stir, strain the beer into a demijohn and add an airlock or place a clean piece of cloth or muslin over the whole and use a rubber band to secure the cloth in place.

6. Allow the beer to ferment for 7 days then bottle in to recycled glass, or plastic bottles the kind designed for fizzy drinks, I use old Grolsch bottles that have been cleaned and sterilised, they have a stopper top that is ideal for allowing you to open the beer to release excess carbonation from it. Too much and the bottles can explode, another reason to drink this beer quickly! Clear fizzy drink bottles allow you to see if there is an excess of gas building up, this can be released by simply opening the cap slowly to release any excess fizz!

Facts About: Nettles

Article © Debs Cook
Image by klimkin

Spring is springing and one of the first herbs to appear in the wilds are Nettles (Urtica dioica), they were once used not just medicinally but were a staple food for centuries in the UK; they made excellent beer, soups and savoury puddings. Medicinally they have been used as a tonics and poultices and they have even been used in beauty products. In addition nettles are rich in vitamins and minerals, they are amazingly high in protein, filled with chlorophyll, and contain many essential trace minerals that the body requires.

One of Mother Nature’s blood purifiers, nettles make a valuable spring tonic after the winter, and have been used as a remedy for iron deficient anaemia for centuries (see a previous article for a tasty recipe for a nettle based iron tonic), due to the fact that they contain iron and their vitamin C content helps to ensure that the iron they contain is properly absorbed. As this is the time of year that young nettles start to appear, I thought I’d share a few more interesting facts about Nettles.

Nettles have antispasmodic, antiseptic, bitter, diuretic, expectorant, hemostatic, and vermifuge properties and have been used to treat a variety of conditions in folk medicine including bronchitis, jaundice, haemorrhoids and ulcers. Fresh stems of nettle were once used to thrash the skin of people suffering from rheumatic pains, thrashing the skin releasing chemicals such as histamine and formic acid into the skin which induce a stinging, burning sensation which is used to relieve the deeper pain of rheumatism.

Nettle leaves can be used to produce a range green coloured permanent dyes depending on the mordant used for woollen stuffs and even for adding as a food colouring. The roots if boiled with a mordant of alum produce a yellow coloured dye.

The herb has been used to help stimulate the growth of the hair and been an ingredient in hair tonics for centuries. The silica contained in the plant helped to strengthen brittle hair and improve the condition of weak hair follicles. Nettles have also been used to combat dandruff, and improve the condition of the scalp, they have been credited with making the hair thicker and shinier. Make a tea or decoction and use it in the final rinsing water or better still make your own nettle shampoo!

In the spring, usually around April time hay fever and allergy season begins, taking nettle as a tincture, an infusion or as a tea may reduce the symptoms of hay fever, such as itchy eyes and sneezing. Nettles contain a natural source of quercetin, a plant-based flavonoid which helps to support the body's natural response to allergens and inhibits histamine production – histamine is the substance produced by the body that causes allergy related sneezing, itching, and respiratory problems.

Did you know that the colour of Nettle tea depends on the pH and acidity of the water used to make it? The more alkaline the water used to make the nettle beverage, the darker green it will be. If the water used is more acidic pH 3 – 0, then the beverage will change in colour to a light pink. You can try it out for yourself if your water is more alkaline by adding a slice of lemon to the drink and watch it change from green to pink!

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding or suffer from any known illness which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.

Yarrow – A Herb for All Seasons: Part 2 Traditional Use

Article © Debs Cook
Image by Tatiana6

Whereas many herbs have a clear focus of use – such as thyme for coughs or chamomile for stomach problems, this therapeutic clarity is lacking for Yarrow and so its potential healing properties are often overlooked in favour of other herbs, even by herbal practitioners. Hence, Yarrow ends up only being used in teas for the management of viral-induced fevers. Although this is a wonderful feature of yarrow, it is by no means its only attributes and the broad range of its current and historical applications reflects the unusually high number of physiologically active compounds it contains. In the first part of this 2-part article on Yarrow, the modern view of the herb is explored. Part 2 gives an overview of its traditional use from various documented sources. In interpreting the ancient texts, a major stumbling block to our understanding is that disease conditions were named much less specifically than today, as some of these quotes below show.

Common Yarrow is a perennial herb that often gets listed as a weed, wildflower or a perennial garden flower depending on which publication you are reading. It can be found in meadows, at the side of roads, in lawns and grassland and will self-seed readily if allowed to in the garden. The Latin name, Achillea millefolium, is derived from the fact that the herb was dedicated to the God Achilles by the Greeks and the millefolium refers to the many fine leaflets on each yarrow leaf. The Greeks dedicated the herb yarrow to the Achilles, whom they believed cured warriors using yarrow leaves during the battle at Troy. This is probably why yarrow received the name Soldier's Woundwort, they also used it to stop haemorrhaging. Dioscorides in the 1st century A.D. considered it to be “excellent for an excessive discharge of blood, old and new ulcers, and for fistulas [ulcers].”

An underrated herb with a myriad uses, Yarrow has been in documented use as a cold remedy since the Middle Ages. The 12th century German herbalist and Abbess, Hildegard Von Bingen, recommended taking wine infused with powdered yarrow to help heal wounds and to manage fevers. The Druids made amulets from yarrow to protect them from evil. And it was also believed to attract friends and distant relations to you when you’d lost touch. If added to a bridal bouquet, it was also believed to ensure that love will last for at least seven years.

By the 16th century herbalist John Gerard knew yarrow also as Nose-Bleed and cited its uses as being a remedy for toothache, diarrhoea, migraine and as a means of curing excessive ejaculation, writing that yarrow ”cureth the inward excorations of the yard of a man, coming by reason of pollutions of extreme flowing of the seed, although” he cautioned “the issue does cause inflammation and swelling of those secret parts, though the spermaticke matter do come downe in great quantity, if the juice be injected with a syringe , or the decoction.”

Culpeper in the 17th century recommended yarrow for its astringent nature, for treating piles, writing “As a medicine [yarrow] is drying and binding. A decoction of it boiled with white wine, is good to stop the running of the reins in men, and whites in women; restrains violent bleedings, and is excellent for the piles. A strong tea in this case should be made of the leaves, and drank plentifully; and equal parts of it, and of toad flax, should be made into a poultice with pomatum, and applied outwardly. This induces sleep, eases the pain, and lessens the bleeding. An ointment of the leaves cures wounds, and is good for inflammations, ulcers, fistulas, and all such runnings as abound with moisture.”

Sir John Hill in his 18th century ‘Family Herbal’ echoed Culpeper’s use for yarrow as a treatment for piles adding his own remedy of a sweetened decoction, he recommended that the tops of the herb (flowers and young leaves) were best used fresh writing that “these are to be boiled in water, and the decoction sweetened with fine sugar”, the resulting liquid he wrote was “excellent against the bleeding of the piles, and bloody fluxes, and overflowing of the menses”.

In his 19th century ‘Model Botanic Guide to Health’ William Fox M.D. wrote of yarrow “There is not a single herb in the whole vocabulary that has done so much good, or is more universally esteemed; it has prevented more disease and doctor’s bills than all the books they have written about medical science.” Glowing praise indeed, Fox used yarrow in many of the same ways that his herbal predecessors did, writing that “a strong infusion is a specific to stay haemorrhage in the bowels,” and that “lint steeped in [an infusion of yarrow] and put up the nostrils will stop bleeding of the nose.”

Yarrow continues to be a versatile herb being particularly valued for managing fevers, but clearly having broader applications according to these texts. This useful and aromatic herb grows prolifically near to me providing a good supply in late summer to make tinctures, to dry ready for yarrow tea or to make a wonderful herbal inhalant.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding or suffer from any known illness which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.

Yarrow – A Herb for All Seasons: Part 1 Modern Use

Article:© Debs Cook
Image Willfried Wende

Whereas many herbs have a clear focus of use – such as thyme for coughs or chamomile for stomach problems, this therapeutic clarity is lacking for Yarrow and so its potential healing properties are often overlooked in favour of other herbs, even by herbal practitioners. Hence, Yarrow ends up only being used in teas for the management of viral-induced fevers. Although this is a wonderful feature of yarrow, it is by no means its only attributes and the broad range of its current and historical applications reflects the unusually-high number of physiologically-active compounds it contains. In first part of a 2-part article on Yarrow, the modern view of the herb is explored. Part 2 looks back at the history of its use.

Part 1 - Modern Use

Yarrow’s constituents include flavonoids such as apigenin, a constituent currently being studied as a potential treatment of neurological diseases in the adult brain. Other flavonoids include rutin, luteolin, quercetin and kaempferol. Alkaloids are also present, such as achilleine which has haemostatic properties. This gives yarrow its ability to staunch blood flow. The volatile oils in the herb are abundant, including azulene a blue pigment also found in German Chamomile and borneol, terpineol, cineol, eugenol, thujone, pinene, camphor, achillin and sabinene. Each compound has its own particular physiological properties. The herb also contains salicylic acid (a compound in the aspirin family) which accounts, at least partly, for Yarrow’s pain-killing properties and fever-managing effects. The herb also contains phytosterols, tannins and saponins as well as coumarins.

Yarrow’s physiological actions have been documented as analgesic, anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory, anti-scorbutic, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, de-obstruent, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, haemostatic, odontalgic, stimulant, sudorific, tonic, vasodilator and vulnerary properties. [If you are unsure of any of the herbal properties mentioned within this article, check out our Herbal Glossary of Terms article.]

Not surprisingly, from this list of attributes, one of Yarrow’s folk names is Nosebleed, it was traditionally used to stop nose bleeds by putting the crushed leaves of the plant into the nostrils. Other applications abound. For example, Yarrow can help to reduce high blood pressure, stimulate the appetite, ease stomach cramps and menstrual pain. It can be used to treat flatulence, gastritis, enteritis, gallbladder and liver problems, and internal haemorrhaging.

On a personal note, my Nanna used to warm some olive oil and add a few crushed yarrow flowers to it and leave it to 'steep' for a few minutes before popping some in my ear when I had earache. It always helped to sooth the problem and smelt nicer than just olive oil, She called it her ‘Fairy Flower Magic Oil’. Here are some more domestic applications of Yarrow.

Dried yarrow can be used for decoration and in pot-pourri mixes. Leaves added to a compost bin speed up the decomposition process. Ground Yarrow leaves have been used in snuff mixtures and a weak infusion of the flowers makes a good toner for greasy skin.

Tincture of yarrow can be added to lotions, tonics, salves, balms and creams for use on greasy skin where astringent and antiseptic properties are required, add also to shampoos and rinses for greasy hair.

WARNING - Allergic rashes and skin sensitivity to sunlight may result with prolonged use of yarrow. Avoid large doses in pregnancy because the herb is a uterine stimulant.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding or suffer from any known illness which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.

Remembering Barbara Griggs

Barbara Griggs died last month. I first got to know Barbara as the author of Green Pharmacy – A History of Herbal Medicine. It was a recommended text in my studies of herbal medicine whilst training to be a practitioner in the 1990's. Sometime later, I was fortunate to meet her and later to count her as a friend. For several years before the Covid pandemic I sat next to her at seminars of the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy in London. Barbara was an honorary member, as she was of other professional herbal bodies, being lauded among them for her promulgation of the value of herbal medicine.

Barbara started life as a journalist and moved into writing books on natural medicine, but Green Pharmacy is by far and away her masterpiece. It traces the origins of the use of herbal medicine from the earliest records of humankind though various cultures to the present day. Barbara was a writer particularly admired for her meticulous research. But for Green Pharmacy and in the days before Google Search, Barbara quite literally did the footwork - meeting key herbalists not only in the UK but further afield, including the United States. In the US she got first-hand information from those familiar with American Indian medicine and its development into the Eclectic movement, which was later incorporated into British herbal practice. She consulted herbal manufacturers, she attended patient consultations with the renowned herbalist John Hyde. She consulted academics, newspaper medical correspondents, teachers and librarians in charge of special collections – in fact she tracked down anyone who might reveal information on herbal medicine.

In her introduction to the Green Pharmacy Barbara says “I am aware that had I been a qualified pharmacognosist and pharmacist, an anthropologist, a historian and an expert practitioner of herbal medicine, this would have been a vastly better and more authoritative book, free of the shortcomings which may be found in it.” I don't agree - this is the work of a unique mind that can piece together disparate threads across many disciplines into a cohesive whole. She tells a good story, no doubt drawing on her journalistic skills. It’s a story ratified by the many she consulted, which will remain the definitive text on the history of Western Herbal Medicine.

Being a strong advocate of herbal medicine, Barbara, in scattered phrases through all her works appeared to take side-ways strikes at the medical profession, but discord was far from her intention. Rather she looked forward to a time where the Pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession in general would accept their limitations and take an open-minded view to embrace the value of traditional herbal medicine. In other words, to yield a place for the practice of herbal medicine in a modern world, particularly in relation to complex medical conditions, which are on the rise. She imagined a true integration of knowledge and talent for the benefit of humankind. The herbal world salutes you, Barbara. It was a job well done. May you rest in peace.

Talking Heads - Barbara Griggs from The Medical Herbalists on Vimeo.

Ann Walker PhD FCPP MNIMH RNutr
Herbal Practitioner and Nutritionist
Course Director Discovering Herbal Medicine