Tooth's Favorite Medicinal Herbs & Teas | from the Runt Farm Garden

People in many parts of the globe have been making herbal teas and herbal remedies for, well, quite a long time, I should say.
We can be grateful to the forward-thinking Greeks and Romans for what's referred to as "classical herbalism." But a fellow frozen in the Swiss Alps more than 5,300 years ago was found to have medicinal herbs in his body, probably for the treatment of intestinal parasites also found in his body. But let's not dwell on that any further, shall we?

The study of herbs dates back over 5,000 years to the Sumerians, who described well-established medicinal uses for such plants as laurel, caraway, and thyme. As far back as 1000 B.C. the Ancient Egyptian made use of garlic, coriander, mint and other medicinal herbs for health and well-being.

The first Chinese herbal book, the Shen Nong, lists 365 medicinal plants and their uses. It was compiled during the Han Dynasty, although the herbal wisdom of this historic encyclopedia of herbs dates back to possibly 2700 B.C. And the Indian system of healing called Ayurveda made medicinal use of turmeric -- that vivid golden herb so good for reducing inflammation -- perhaps as early as 1900 B.C.

It's been called botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, and -- more humbly -- "tea and sympathy." But whatever it's called, there's no doubt that a great many ailments and discomforts are eased by herbal teas and remedies from my own little kitchen garden. And so (with the exception of the truly rare ones) I intend to share my favorites with you here.

There's quite a lot to say about a great many other herbs -- and phytotherapy, too -- but if you want to go that far you can probably find all you'd ever want to know in Culpeper's Complete Herbal Alphabetical Index or the Chinese Shen Nong (which, incidentally, means "Divine Farmer" -- isn't that lovely?). If you'd like to study India's Ayurvedic approach to herbs and spices, you really should consult a vaidya, in addition to the many good books on the subject (Scroll down to find some of these).

You may recall that we have a fine herb garden at Runt Farm, just behind the barn. It's a simple affair, with just a few rows of goodies growing, but quite adequate. We all work together to grow the herbal remedies we need for our family's and neighbors' health and well-being. Blossom doesn't care much for weeding, but then neither do I, to tell you the truth. It's necessary, though. Medicinal plants need care if they're going to grow the gift of health!

Cardamom, usually ground and added to foods or teas, eases stomach cramps, aids digestion, and reduces gas or flatulence. Also, chewing the whole seeds will freshen your breath! A dash or two of ground cardamom tastes very good in your morning oatmeal, in case you'd like to try it sometime.

One of my all-time favorite herbs, Chamomile, is wonderful when made into a tea to soothe the stomach, calm the nerves, encourage peaceful sleep, and to ease the symptoms of a cold. You may recall that, after trying to steal from Mr. McGregor's garden and enduring a terrible ordeal in the process, Peter Rabbit 's mother gave him a cup of chamomile tea and put the little bunny to bed.

Cinnamon, in addition to tasting very good in pies and cookies, improves circulation, eases cold symptoms and stomach upsets, reduces cramps and helps balance blood sugar and insulin levels. Many medicinal teas make use of cinnamon for its digestive help and its friendliness to sweet flavors. Beatrice and Blossom are fond of sprinkling cinnamon on their toast and then slathering it with honey. Makes your morning toast especially tasty! Not too much, now.

No herbal pantry should be without Ginger. It makes a wonderful tea, and is delicious in cookies and sweet breads. Not only does ginger improve circulation, it also eases cold and flu symptoms and is quite effective at soothing stomach cramps and nausea. Ginger, too, can reduce cramps and help regulate blood sugar. Of course, it's possible to eat too much gingerbread and get a stomachache in the bargain! If that happens it's likely due to eating too much sugar and butter at one go, and not to the ginger. If this misfortune should visit you, just brew yourself a nice cup of ginger tea and sip it slowly. That'll take care of the tummy trouble quick as a wink.

Now you may not think of Strawberry as an herb, since we all enjoy eating the fruit so much. But a tea made from the Strawberry Leaf is excellent for relieving diarrhea. Like my other favorite herbs, it soothes the stomach in a very kindly way. Strawberry Leaf also eases arthritis and rheumatism. Just ask my dear friend Cletus (who sometimes has trouble with his leg).

Last but certainly not least is Mint. Drinking Peppermint tea gives lovely help to digestion. It smells wonderful when brewing, and can even take away a headache. For a serious headache, you might try rubbing a drop of peppermint oil on the temples and forehead (careful not to get it into your eyes, dear). Whenever I'm feeling a bit sluggish, the smell of mint always lifts my mood!

Some people make rather a stern affair of having tea. I myself think taking tea is quite a cozy and amiable thing to do with friends. And if you happen to have a biscuit or a cookie and some flowery teacups as well, then so much the better!