Holistic Herbalism Simple Applications for Home

Early yesterday morning, just at the peak of dawn, I was outside trimming my herb plants, and I have a lot.  I noticed my Sweet Basil, Italian Oregano and Lemon Thyme needed a little more than a trim. They needed to be cut back a bit to let the light get into the body of the plant. Also, my poor little parsley is fighting for space in the urn, so I will be moving Mr. Parsley somewhere else. And, while I am at it, I will also be moving Ms. Garden Sage, as she desires more space as well. I don't know how many plants I have, I have to update the inventory sheet, but it has to be about 75 herbs outside, some on the ground and some in pots. I probably have another 75 herbs or more and counting that are dried, jarred and housed in cabinets set up just for them. I am serious about herbalism, I think I gave my sister-in-law, Helen, the bug as well. I love having another buddy to share all this excitement with as I really enjoy with herbs.  My dear friend, Jeanette, is into essential oils, I need to spend more learning time with her: essential oils are fabulous, but I'll stick to what I do best and let her do what she does best, and we can just share. I focus more on tinctures, decoctions, teas, and salves, etc.  Anyway, I thought I would just do something nice for my neighbor and bring her some fresh herbs; oh boy, do they smell fabulous.  She was delighted with the gift bags; I know it brightened her day.  Anyway, I thought I would share a little bit about the wonderful three plants I gave to her: Sweet Basil, Garden Sage and Lemon Thyme.  While all of these are absolutely awesome in the food arena, where I got my start with herbs and where they make my house smell absolutely awesome during cooking, they also have other uses medicinally that you might find helpful to know and to possibly research further.

Sweet Basil: (Ocimum basilicum) There are many varieties of basil. You might know it as Cinnamon, Thai, Lettuce, Greek or Bush Basil. Basil has Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iron and Manganese. Basil is known to reduce memory loss, depression; stroke damage while supporting recovery (right before or right after a stroke). It is also known to reduce blood pressure; relax blood vessels; prevent certain cancers such as breast, colon and pancreas; it reduces aspirin damage to gut; increases mental alertness; offers an alternative for antibiotics for infectious disease including antibiotic resistant strains; and it repels mosquitoes and improves food safety. Good to know, right? 

Now, I have to mention, Holy Basil (aka Tulsi, one of my favorites you may recall reading about in my "Angels on Earth" blog) has also proven effectiveness in lowering blood sugar in a study of 60 Type 2 diabetics averaged 18% lower blood sugar levels than those who did not use Holy Basil along with medication. In another study of 158 people who expressed at least three symptoms of stress, 39% had a more effective result in improved general symptoms as did those on placebo. Pretty wonderful stuff.  For more information, including dosing, safety, etc., please see the Healthline link below.

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Italian Oregano: (Origanum vulgare) Oregano was used in the Mediterranean region for centuries, oregano has been found beneficial for: skin sores; aching muscles; asthma; cramping; diarrhea; indigestion; colds; and to boost overall health. There is evidence, but more study needs to be done that Oregano also fights bacteria; relieves inflammation; regulates blood sugar and lipids and also, fights cancer. Oregano, as well as many other herbs, are antioxidants that eliminate free radicals and therefore they may prevent cancer.  It appears Oregano has antibacterial; anti-inflammatory; cancer prevention properties and so many more. In general, oregano contains carbohydrates, calcium, fiber, phosphorous, potassium and folate. Examples of antioxidants in the oregano herb include tryptophan, lysine, valine, arginine, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E (tocopherol).

Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus)  According to Spiceography, Lemon Thyme, actually, all thyme originated in Southern Europe, Asia and South Africa and is part of the mint family. The word thyme means fumigate. It has been considered an expectorant by Ancient Greek physician and botanist, "Dioscórides and also, a fumigant by Roman naturalist, Pliny. Roman legions later journeyed thyme to England where it was valued in the Middle Ages and many English gardens had established a place for thyme. (See ref. Spiceography below). Well, this was a bit more history than I anticipated sharing, but it was fun for me! I hope you enjoyed that extra tidbit.

Lemon thyme has been found to be effective in preventing certain diseases while boosting the immune system. Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, calcium and minerals, lemon thyme is a wonderful add to any health plan. It appears, Lemon Thyme can treat and prevent conditions such as: respiratory tract ailments; gastrointestinal ailments and gingivitis. For more specific information on this topic, see the Spiceography link below.

People often think, drinking tea made from simple herbs is not going to do anything given the tiny amount of nutrients in each cup. But the beauty is, it does a lot. Constant intake of a variety of healthy natural and whole nutritious herbs provides a constant flow of minute nutrients that make a powerful impact to your health. This is greatly empowered with healthy eating and lifestyle. When you add a variety of herbs into your salads, into your tea, into your drinks, into your broths, and into your baked goods, stews, casseroles and pastas; and also, onto your meats and vegetables, you are layering upon layering all these healthy nutrients throughout the day, your body is constantly receiving, processing, absorbing and utilizing healthy nutrients. Good things in, great things come about.

Many people reap the benefits of herbs, why not you?  If you would like to speak with me to see how herbs can be added into your health and wellness plan, please contact me via the contact me links on the web pages on https://faithworkswellnessllc.com (where this blog resides). Or you can email me at candace@faithworkswellnessllc.com.  I would love to hear from you,

Let's talk herbs!

Blessings, peace and good health,

Candy

Basil: Nutrition, Health Benefits, Uses and More (healthline.com)

Oregano: Health benefits, uses, and side effects (medicalnewstoday.com)

Lemon Thyme: History, Flavor, Benefits, Uses - SPICEography

Thyme: 12 Health Benefits and More (healthline.com)

DISCLAIMER:

The content on our website, Facebook websites; brochures, etc., is for educational purposes only. Although we try to carefully provide useful and accurate information, you are responsible to research and verify information before relying on it. We are trained herbalists and not licensed or registered healthcare practitioners. We cannot diagnose health conditions, nor prescribe medicines legally; we are not medical doctors. However, we will recommend or suggest medicinal herbs for various health complaints, as we believe in the safety and efficacy of botanical medicine.

The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbal medicine, particularly if you have a known medical condition or if you are pregnant or nursing. You are responsible for your own health. As with conventional medicine, herbal medicine is vast and complex, and must be used responsibly. People react differently to different remedies. Some herbs are contraindicated with certain pharmaceutical drugs. 



Further, some helpful herbs may be confused with harmful and/or deadly substances.