Herb Trivia
Alfalfa, known as the 'father of all foods,' is one of the best natural sources of Vitamin K. This nutrient helps blood to clot.
The whole blue violet plant is anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, and laxative. It is taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis, respiratory catarrh, coughs, and asthma.
In modern herbal medicine, vitex berry is mainly used to treat breast swelling and breast pain caused by excessive secretion of the hormone prolactin during PMS.
In the wild, vanilla vines may grow to the length of 80 feet or more. Vanilla is the only orchid in the world that produces an edible fruit.
Yerba maté is the dried leaves and stems of a South American rainforest holly, and is the national beverage of Paraguay. The term mate is a Guarani Indian word for gourd, referring to the hollowed out gourds once used to hold the tea. In traditional use of yerba mate, the tea cup is often shared among close friends and family, all of whom use the same straw, or bombilla. Sharing the same straw is considered a sign of total acceptance and friendship.
Burning leaves of white ceremonial sage has been used to fumigate a house after contagion, purify the air during illness, and clear the effects of negative energy exchanges. It is a very strong anti- inflammatory when used as a tea or infusion, and may reduce ulcerative symptoms.
Taste is only the start of Culinary Sage's purported benefits. The ancient Greeks considered sage to be a valuable healing herb, and used it to treat consumption, ulcers and other digestive problems. It has been used to treat snake bite and lower fevers . Used as a tea, sage can either stop sweating when drunk cold, or produce sweating when taken hot. It is believed in various cultures to aid memory and thinking and has been used to treat headaches.
References to Marshmallow leaf as a healing herb are found in Homer’s Iliad, written over 2,800 years ago. Its genus ("first") name Althaea comes from the Greek altho, to cure, and its order name, Malvaceae, is derived from the Greek malake, soft. Marshmallow leaf was widely used in traditional Greek medicine.
European herbalists used Linden Flowers to make a pleasantly sweet tea that looks very attractive in a glass jug. The Linden tree is found in both Europe and North America. Native Americans used linden flowers for treating “sick headaches” and nervous stomach.
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