SAGE
(Salvia officinalis)
Close your eyes and imagine Christmas (well, you know what I mean) turkey stuffing. Smell that warm, rich aroma? Chances are, it comes from sage. Thousands of years before we started stuffing our turkeys, people from all over were celbrating the healing powers of this aromatic herb. The genus name Salvia comes from the latin word meaning "to heal" Like a number of our common cooking herbes, sage originates from the Mediterranean, although the plant will withstand a few degrees of frost in colder climates once established. It has a strong taste and is generally used to flavour the richer meats such as pork, duck and goose. It aides in the digestion of fats. There are several varieties of sage, all which share the same meducinal properties. For centuries, sage has been highly regarded as a medicine, as shown by the traditional saying, "Why should a man die whilst sage grows in his garden?" It is a general tonic, useful for weak and exhausted states and particulary good for the tiredness that typically follows a viral infection. It tones the central system and lifts the spirits. Sage tea with honey is ideal for that end-of-the-day, worn-down-by-life feeling. It also helps concentration and is therefore a good tea for students.
	Fresh sage leaves, eaten in sandwiches for breakfast, is an English country cure for low-grade fevers and flu symptoms. Sage tea, taken cold, is the best treatment for excessive sweating. Two or three cups a day, taken for 3 weeks, will ususally do the trick. Sage has a high resin content, which makes it antiseptic ans slightly sticky, an ideal combination for treating sore throats and mouth and gum infections. It is the herbalist's favourite for gargles, mouthwashes and tooth powders. Strong sage tea is a simple and effective wash for infected and inflamed cuts. It is also a useful hair treatment: a cup or two of two of sage tea, added to the final rinsing water, will gradually darken the hair and keep the scalp healthy.
Sage is a very helpful herb for women. Taken intrnally and used as a compress, it soothes painful, lumpy breasts. It helps to regulate periods, can bring on delayed periods and dries up breast milk. Sage is especially useful at the change of life, helping to diminish hot flushes and lift depression.
SAGE AND VINEGAR POULTICE: Vinegar brings bruises to the surface, cooling and reducing swelling. Sage and Vinegar are both traditional ingredients in compresses. Used together they are unsurpassed for easing sprains. Bruise whole, freah sage leaves by flattening them with a rolling pin. Try not to break or tear them. Put the Sage leaves in a pan of water and just cover with vinegar. Simmer gently for 5 minutes over a very low heat. The vinegar should not boil but it should steam so that the sage leaves soften and blanch. After 5 minutes, take out the leaves and lay them on a cloth. Work quickly and carefully as the leaves are very hot. Fold the cloth into a package which will just cover the affected area. Apply as hot as can be borne and cover with towels to retain the heat. Leave on for an hour or until the swelling has subsided.
ST JOHN'S WORT
(hypericum perforatum)
St. John's Wort has been used in herbal healing for more than 2000 years, most notably as a treatment for wounds. The word "wort" is Old English for "plant". The leaves and flowers od St John's Wort contain special glands that release a red oil when pinched. Early christians named the plant in honour of John the Baptist, because they believed it released its blood-red oil on August 29th, the anniversary of the saint's beheading. In the first centuary, the Roman naturalist, Pliny, prescribed St John's Wort seeped in wine for the bites of poisoness snakes. Dioscondes recommended it externally forburns and internally for diuretic, menstruation promotion and treatment for malaria. In the 16th centuary, John Gerard recommended it a most potent remedy for deep wounds and wrote "The herb provoketh urine and is right good against stone in the bladder" In fact the 1st Londo Pharacopoeia advised in its paper in 1618, that chopped St John's Wort immeresed in oil was good for wounds and bruises, and became a standard treatment for this for hundres of years. In the 17th centuary, Nicholas Culpeper called St John's Wort a "A singular wound herb, boiled in wine and drank, it healeth inward hurts and bruises, it opens obstructions, dissolves swellings and closes up the lips of wounds" Under the Doctrine of Signatures, the medieval belief was that the physical appearance of a herb revealed their use. So red plants were deemed good for bleeding wounds. St John's Wort was no exception.
	In the 1980's St John's Worts final discovery was made. We now know St John's Wort as one of the best herbs for mood elevation. Several controlled studies have shown positive results in treating patients with mild to moderate depression. Improvement was shown with symptoms of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety, headache and exhaustion with no reported side effects.If treating depression, buy a standard extract and follow instructions carefully, and in consultation with a doctor. In addition, the herb is very beneficial for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the winter depression caused by short day length and the lack of exposure to sunlight.
The most well known action of St. John's Wort today is in repairing of nerve damage and reducing pain and inflammation. The herb can be used to relieve menstrual cramping, sciatica, and arthritis. It has a favorable action on the secretion of bile and thus soothes the digestive system. It is also active against a range of viral infections, including influenza, herpes, polio and hepatitis C. The blossoms have been used in folk medicine to relieve ulcers, gastritis, diarrhea and nausea. St. John's wort can also be effective in the treatment of incontinence and bed-wetting in children. Externally it is used on cuts as a disinfectant and to relieve inflammation and promote healing. Use the leaves as a compress or make into a tincture. The oil can be applied to sprains, bruises and varicose veins. Folk medicine has also has used it as a treatment for cancer. Do not give internally to children under 2, and for older children, or adults over 65, start with a lower strength, and increase if neccesary.
A BIT OF FOLKLORE: The Greek and Romans believed that St John's Wort protected against Witches spells. Christians adopted this pagan belief, and burned the herb in bonfires on St John's Eve, June 23, to purify the air, drive away evil spirits, and ensure healthy crops. The following poem from around 1400, sums it up nicely:
St John's Wort doth charm all witches away If gathered t midnight on the saint's holy day Any devils or witches have no power to harm Those that gather the plant for a charm Rub the lintels with that red juicy flower No thunder, nor tempest will then have the power To hurt or hinder your house, and bind Round your neck a charm of a similar kind.
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