Sage - Cultivation and Medicinal Uses

Antihydrotic:
Antihydrotics reduce sweating.

Astringent:
Astringents contract tissues to reduce secretions and discharges.

Antispasmodic:
An antispasmodic can stop spasms and cramps.

Perspiration
Sage tea will help reduce perspiration. The effect starts about two hours after drinking sage tea, and lasts a few days. This may be useful for night sweats caused by menopause or tuberculosis.

Elimination of mother's milk
Mothers can drink sage tea for a few days after their babies are weaned.

Nervous conditions

Trembling

Vertigo

Depression

Leucorrhea

Dysmenorrhea

Amenorrhea

Diarrhea

Gastritis

Enteritis

Mucous congestion
When gargled, sage tea helps relieve mucous congestion in the respiratory system and stomach.

Insect bites
Crushed sage leaves can alleviate the effects of insect bites.

Insomnia
Sage tea may help to induce sleep.

Skin problems
For warts, skin cancer, or tumors, crush a sage leaf and put it on the affected part of your body.

Make a tincture:
Add 1/4 ounce powdered sage to 8 ounces of 75% alcohol. Add 4 ounces of water. Let it sit for two weeks, shaking daily. Strain and use.
Use 15 to 40 drops, three times daily.

Make tea:
Boil two cups of water. Remove from heat. Add one tablespoon dried sage. Sage tea is bitter so you'll probably want to sweeten it with honey or real maple syrup, or some other kind of natural sweetener. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Add lemon if desired.

Make an infusion:
Steep 1 teaspoon dry leaves or 3 teaspoons fresh leaves in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes. Use one tablespoonful at a time, up to one cup liquid per day.

Make sage powder:
Crush dried sage leaves in an apothecary mortor and pestle. Take 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons of powdered sage at a time.

Cooking
Culinary use of sage includes recipes for meats and soups.

Insect repellant
Sage is strongly scented and repells flies, cabbage moths, and carrot flies.

Honey bees
Sage attracts bees that then produce an aromatic honey that some people claim will induce sleep.

Perfumes
Sage has been used as an ingredient in fragrances, cosmetics, and soaps.

Rinse for silver hair
Make an infusion of sage for silvery hair. This may cause a greenish tint if it is discontinued.

Aftershave
Combine:
1 ounce sage
1 ounce lavender flowers
2 cups witch hazel
2 tablespoons apple cider
Shake, let sit for a week, remove flowers, and use.

Crafts
Sage can be used in herbal wreaths.

Garden Sage:
Salvia officinalis, Garden Sage, is the standard for medicinal and culinary sage. It is easy to find seeds and to grow this herb in your garden. Garden Sage grows in the wild around the Mediterranean.

Purple Garden Sage:
Salvia officinalis purpurea, Purple Sage, gets up to twenty-four inches high and has richly purple or blue flowers. It also has leaves that are dark and purplish-green. You can use this for cooking or healing just as you would use Garden Sage.

Varigated Garden Sage:
Salvia officinalis Icterina has leaves that are white around the edges and green in the center. This can be used for cooking or healing. The bush gets about 18 to 24 inches high and has lavendar-purple flowers during spring and summer.

Lyreleaf Sage:
Salvia lyrata, aka. Wild Sage, grows wild in North America. It is similar to Garden Sage but is more acrid, and is usually used in mixtures rather than alone. Picture available at the plants database.

Pineapple Sage
Salvia elegans Vahl has bright green leaves scented like pineapple, and lovely red flowers. Picture available at the plants database.