Herbology 101:
Essential Medicinal and Culinary Herbs
By Brian Self
Here are some medicinal and culinary
herbs that I consider to be foundational and most essential to have in your
medicine cabinet and spice rack. This is a great place to begin for
newcomers exploring the use of herbs and a great start in laying a foundation
with some of the basics.
Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum Annum):
This
powerful herb has been used traditionally for many ailments.
Samuel Thompson, a
famous 18th century herbalist used this herb specifically as one of
the main herbs in his practice. Many
traditional herbalists believe that cayenne is great to help with just about
any ailment due to its incredible power to increase circulation and drive the
blood in the body.
Cayenne
supports heart function, increases blood circulation, helps to normalize blood
pressure (high or low), helps to stops bleeding, increases respiration,
increases digestion, has been used to help stop a heart attack, helps to lower
cholesterol, stimulates the body and helps to purify the blood.
Garlic
is nature’s antibiotic. It helps to
increase our intestinal flora, is anti-parasitical, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, helps to lower blood pressure and
cholesterol, and is one of the greatest immune system boosters known to man. This is another herb that is traditionally
known to be good for what ails you. It
helps to prevent and fight colds and flu’s and infections of all kinds,
especially respiratory and sinus infections.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale):
Ginger
root is an incredible digestive, warming herb and a downward energy plant. It
helps to increase circulation to the extremities and is used as a diaphoretic,
promoting sweating. Ginger is used to
stimulate appetite and also to sooth upset stomach, heartburn and relieve
vomiting and cramps.
Milk
Thistle (Silybum marianum):
Specifically helps to nourish, support, regenerate
and protect the liver. Milk Thistle is a
great antioxidant, it increases the production of bile and the break down of
fats, and it helps skin conditions that are related to poor liver
function. This is a great herb to help
protect us from all the toxic chemicals that we are constantly being bombarded
with daily.
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana
Stevia is the healthiest and most balanced natural
sweetener I know of! It is one of the
few natural sweeteners that does not elevate blood sugar levels or throw the
blood sugar out of balance (especially for those that are very sensitive to
even natural sweeteners). In fact it
actually helps to balance blood sugar, nourish and support the pancreas, and
aids in digestion. This is a very
important herb to know about because so many people today are struggling with
sweet cravings, blood sugar imbalances, and pancreatic ailments that are
directly affected by sugar. Even some
natural sweeteners like honey, agave, dates and maple syrup can still be
unbalancing and set some of us off on a sweet binge or spike (the high) our
blood sugar, which then leads to the drop in blood sugar (the low) so often associated with eating of sweets.
Parsley
(Petroselinum crispum):
This
well known culinary herb is one of our greatest diuretic herbs and a wonderful
herb to supports the kidneys. It is
usually more nourishing than the traditional dishes it is garnished with
because it is so dense in chlorophyll, vitamin A, B and also vitamin C. Parsley would be used in a situation where
someone is having trouble urinating, burning urination, kidney stones, and any
general blockages related to the kidneys and bladder. Parsley increases urination and helps to
clean the kidneys of any debris and mucus that may be present in the
urine. (This is seen in cloudy urine or
thick urine that burns or is hard to pass.)
Parsley
can be used in a number of ways as a medicine.
The
most therapeutic and fast-acting way would either be the fresh juice of parsley
or tincture of parsley.
The
juice or tincture goes straight into the bloodstream and is very therapeutic.
It
can also be finely chopped into salads and eaten over a long period of time for
someone who needs constant support for the kidney and bladder systems and is
working at balancing weak or compromised kidney/bladder system.
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum
zeylanicum):
A
well known culinary herb that is used in many delicious dishes!
As
a medicine cinnamon is great for the pancreas and for supporting the balance of
blood sugar. It is great nutritional and
natural support for those troubled by hypoglycemia or diabetes.
Cinnamon
is also a great digestive aid and aid for nausea and vomiting. Cinnamon is used as an astringent to help
tighten tissues in the body, especially weak connective tissue. This herb is also noted for its
antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It is also known to kill the fungus that
produces aflatoxin, a carcinogen and poison found in commercial peanuts, peanut
butter, cashews and improperly stored grains.
Mint (Menthaspicata):
This
bright green, pleasant tasting herb is traditionally used in Middle Eastern
cuisine. This is an excellent herb for
aiding digestion and soothing the stomach and the nerves. Traditionally it is used medicinally for
someone who has spasms. Dr.
Christopher used to give his patients a cup of peppermint tea before he
would give them lobelia to help reduce the effects of the spasms due to the
vomiting lobelia would produce.
Chocolate (Theobroma Cacao):
This
is a very well know culinary herb that is used around the world in thousands of
dishes. In fact there are many culinary
businesses who call themselves chocolatiers, specializing only in the making of
delicious tasting chocolate bars and gourmet dishes galore.
The
whole raw beans are generally found to be bitter in taste, signaling that it is
high in alkaloids and is very medicinal.
Chocolate generally needs to be sweetened to have a pleasant taste to
mask its true nature as medicine. Chocolate contains the alkaloid chemicals
Theobromine and Caffeine, which are traditionally used to
alleviate someone who is having an asthma attack. These chemical constituents are strong
bronchodilators and stimulants.
For more information on Chocolate and Raw Cacao
click here:
Coffee (Coffea Arabica):
Also
a very well know culinary and tea/drinking herb. We can find a coffee shop now on just about
on every corner of the street in almost all parts of the world. This herb is not new.
Coffee’s main constituent… as everyone knows… is
caffeine, which again is a medicinal
bronchodilator and stimulant. Coffee is
used traditionally as a medicine for someone who is having an asthma attack or
severe sinus and lung congestion or blockage.
It is important to note that with both Chocolate
Bean and Coffee Bean that it is the chemicals or alkaloids that end in the
letters “ine” that signify it is a
strong medicine. This is why the “ine” on the end of the alkaloids in
relation to chocolate and coffee are marked above for you. In my truth that herbs containing any “ine” alkaloids are crisis supportive
herbs that are used in time of great need when something very strong is called
for.
The caffeine in chocolate and coffee dry up the
fluids in the colon, leach calcium out of the body and bones, and has a
tendency to burn out the adrenal glands.
Especially for those who use either of these herbs habitually.
Important
Note: There are alkaloids in almost all plants, but in
plants like chocolate and coffee we have high amounts… making them more
medicinal then nutritional. Do not be
discouraged by alkaloids in plants. Just
use the medicinal ones that are potent in alkaloids with reverence and respect.