The Case of the Tummy Ache

February 16, 2016

Tummy Troubles

You’d be surprised how often I hear, “My child has been complaining about a tummy ache and they have awful gas. Do you have any herbal suggestions to help them?”

My first response and general child go-to is: CHAMOMILE

Chamomile is used throughout the world as a tea to help settle the stomach. It aids in digestion and also gets rid of gas. According to Lesley Tierra, “drinking chamomile tea every day can regulate your bowel movements.” Also, it’s very rare that I meet a child who doesn’t like a warm cup of chamomile tea with a spoonful of honey dissolved in it.

Here’s a list that I wrote to a friend about herbs that help tummy troubles and also some tea suggestions…

HERBS:

Chamomile *

Catnip *

Dandelion (might be a little too bitter for young ones)

Fennel *

Ginger (Mixed with another, sweeter herb or, perhaps, ginger chews)

Lemon balm *

Licorice Root (Also mix with another herb or honey)

Peppermint. *

Skullcap

Orange and lemon peels

*= gentle on the system

Here's simple instructions to some teas...

Simple Herbal Stomach Ache Remedy:

Put 1⁄2 ounce of dried catnip leaves and 1⁄2 ounce of fennel seeds into a quart jar.

Cover with boiling water and let it steep for at least 4 hours.

Strain and offer warm or at room temperature (depending on your child’s preference) in 1⁄2 cup doses as needed. (If you need something quicker, make extra and offer some after 20 minutes of steeping. It will just get more potent with time.)

Simply Chamomile:

Chamomile tea is another good stomach ache remedy. Just steep for 20 minutes rather than four hours as this is a stronger tasting herb. Chamomile is very calming as well as soothing, so it would be a great tea to support a child who is dealing with nervousness or fears.

Chamomile and Friends Tea:

1 Tsp. Chamomile tea (or one tea bag)

1 Tsp. Lemon Balm

½ Tsp. Fennel

1 Cup Water

**Optional: Add ¼ tsp. ginger OR 1 tsp. ginger infused honey**

Steep for 5-20 minutes, depending on the strength desired. Stir in honey if necessary (but not recommended before bed).

Peppermint Tea (again steeped for about 20 minutes) is a good stomach ache remedy for older children and adults. This is a great remedy if the stomach ache is due to overeating or other food issues.

“Also, try some miso soup, simple oatmeal, or even yogurt with some probiotic to help boost the intestinal microflora.”

dandeLION

February 15, 2016

As one of my herbal mentors, EagleSong E. Gardner would say,

“If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em!”

Common Name: Lion’s Tooth, Witch’s Milk, Wild Endive

Botanical Name: Taraxacum officinale
Plant Family: Asteraceae, the aster family
Parts used: Root, leaf, and flower

Harvesting:

· Hairy Hawkweed is one of a few look alike to Dandelion, make sure you are harvesting a plant without any leaf hairs…

· Dandelion has one flower per one stalk. It does not branch or have umbels of any sort.

· The flowers and stalks contain a milky sap. This sap, also known as milky latex, may irritate people’s skin. For those not allergic to it, the sap also helps rid warts J

· Harvest Times:

Leaves-Spring and/or Fall

Roots- Spring time before flowering, Fall time after gone to seed

Flowers-Anytime they’re fully open

· Use flowers immediately. They go to seed when dried and they close up if left in a basket or fridge

Dandelion is one of my favorite weeds. They grow everywhere (even the cracks of the cement jungle) and they never cease to blow people away (or let people blow them away)! Every part of dandelion can be used, so when you dig deep for the root, you might as well take the leaves or flowers and enjoy a tasty garden snack.

Since the roots are quite bitter, I tend to cook with them or dry them out for an alternative coffee drink. The leaves on the other hand can be munched on while your hiking or clearing your garden beds. I’ll never forget Susan Weed’s “Eating Wild”, when she had everyone go outside and eat one thing from the earth. She mentioned that eating just that ONE leaf or ONE berry boosted your vitamin and mineral content for the day. So, remember we don’t need to harvest a significant amount of dandelions or other wild plants to feel any benefits. Walk outside every morning and eat a dandelion leaf. Not only will the bitterness get your day doing, you’ll already have a great start to eating your daily vitamins and minerals.

Food Uses:

· Dandelion leaves and roots are great spring liver tonics.

· The leaves are very high in carotenes, vitamin C complex, potassium, and calcium.

· Cooked leaves are a great source of iron, phosphorus, and B-vitamin complex.

· Eating one dandelion leaf before dinner will greatly enhance your digestion.

· Dandelion leaves and roots can be added to soups and stir fries.

· Leaves, chopped very fine are a lovely addition to salads and the blossoms are beautiful on top.

· Roasted dandelion roots can also be used to make a delicious, coffee-like, healthy beverage.

· Dandelion flowers are edible too, and their sweet fragrant is enjoyable in drinks, salads, fritters, cookies and more!

Medicinal Uses:

For Liver Tonification:

Make a root or leaf tincture, root decoction, or a fresh or dried leaf tea and use as a classic liver tonic or “blood purifier”.

The root encourages optimal digestion and stimulates bile, which in turn helps break down cholesterol and fat.

For sunburn:

Steep fresh dandelions in boiled water for 1 hour.

Strain - keeping both flowers and liquid.

Lie down with flower blossoms on the burned areas for 10 minutes.

Splash the dandelion water on your burn before you go to sleep at night.

For headache, backache, stomach ache:

Enjoy a cup of dandelion flower tea.

Steep the fresh flowers in boiled water for 10 minutes.

Add honey or sugar to taste.

For stiff neck, sinus headaches and sore muscles:

Rub dandelion flower oil on the affected area.

For warts, bee stings, cold sores and blisters:

Dissolve them with the white milky sap found in the dandelion stems.

Cautions & Contradictions: A generally very safe and food-like herb, Dandelion is still a strong diuretic and those with low blood pressure or already excessive urination should avoid its use. Additionally, avoid if you have active gallstones. Some people are allergic to the milky latex of the dandelion flowers and stems. If a rash should develop upon use of this latex, just discontinue the treatment.

Dandelion Recipes

Dandelion Vinegar

Wash whole dandelion plants (leaf to root), chop them up and loosely fill a jar. Add apple cider vinegar to the top, cap tightly, label and date. Let sit for 4 – 6 weeks, and then strain off vinegar from dandelion material. Use over salads or steamed greens as you would any vinegar.

Dandelion Root Coffee

Cut off the leaves and scrub the roots.

Prior to decocting the dandelion root, roast the dried chopped root in a cast iron pan until it is fragrant and has changed color from being off-white to light and dark brown. Or lay the roots on a baking sheet with the oven turned to its lowest setting and the door ajar. It may take

3-4 hours until the roots are shriveled and snap easily. They are done when the insides of the roots are dark brown.

For each 8 oz of water you are making, use 1-2 teaspoons of the roasted root. Add the root to simmering water and continue to simmer while covered for 7–15 minutes.

The resulting brew will be darkly colored. I enjoy my dandelion coffee with cream, and many people enjoy adding honey as well. Enjoy!

Susun Weed in Healing Wise reminds us that dandelion blossoms steeped as tea can help relieve headaches, menstrual cramps, backaches, stomach aches and even depression. So, not only will this dandelion recipe be a tasty treat, it will be another way to access the healing properties of these beautiful sunny yellow flowers.

Dandelion Flower Fritters

A basket of dandelion flowers

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

Bring your basket of flowers inside, find a bowl, and mix together one egg and one cup of milk. Stir in a cup of flour and your fritter batter is ready to go. (If you like your fritters sweet you can add a little maple syrup or honey.)

Now, prepare a skillet on the stove with gently warmed olive oil – keep it over medium heat.

Take one of the flowers and hold it by the greens at the base of the flower petals. Dip the petals into the batter and twirl until the flower is covered.

Drop it into the skillet, flower side down. Continue dipping and dropping flowers, checking the first ones every once in a while to see if they are brown. When they’ve lightly browned, flip them over and brown them on the other side.

When they’re brown on both sides remove them from the skillet and drain the excess oil on paper towel.

Super Star, Chickweed

February 15, 2016

Chickweed

Common Names: Starweed

Botanical Name: Stellaria Media

Plant Family: Caryophyllaceae, Carnation Family

Parts Used: Whole plant (aerial parts)

Identification and Harvesting:

· Chickweed is a low-growing plant with a delicate root system. In more temperate climates it grows during the winter to early spring and can be a perennial or an annual.

· Its leaves have an oval shape and they grow in an opposite pattern.

· The flowers have five petals that are deeply divided, sometimes appearing to be 10…

· I like to I.D. chickweed by looking closely at the stem of the plant. It will have little hairs growing up vertically along one side of the stem. Then, at a leaf junction, those little hairs will grow on another side of the stem.

· Chickweed is best in the spring, although some climates produce a bountiful fall crop as well. To harvest chickweed I bring my scissors and simply snip the whole plant a couple inches from the soil.

· Chickweed quickly loses its oomph after harvesting so this plant is best used fresh. If you don’t have access to fresh chickweed, try the following recipe with parsley instead.

There’s no known toxicity for Chickweed. But be careful harvesting, make sure no dogs have been doing their business near your collection site and be sure its in a clean environment.

Chickweed is easier to harvest than going to the store and buying sprouts and it’s at least twice as tasty and assuredly way more nutritious! Chickweed is high in calcium, minerals, potassium, and magnesium.

Chickweed Medicine:

· Chickweed is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, B complex, C and rutin (a flavonoid). It also contains iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper and silica.

· Internally, it is a nutritional supplement, hunger suppressor, diuretic that soothes the urinary tract system and kidneys without depleting minerals from the body

· Besides being a nutrient-dense and delicious plant, chickweed can be used as a cooling poultice on hot conditions like sunburns, irritated eyes, or insect bites (or even chickenpox).

· The infused oil is often used to soothe the irritation of diaper rash and insect bites. Chickweed can also get things moving in the body.

· You can use it internally and externally for relieving signs of stagnation such as benign cysts and swollen lymph glands.

How I like to use Chickweed

· As a spring green, I eat it in salads, as “sprout-like” fillings in sandwiches, or my favorite…pesto.

· If I have an itchy bite (or a student of mine does when we are wandering in the woods), I like to make a spit poultice.

· Drying/wilting chickweed is hard to master when making an oil infusion, but once done right, I like to use an oil infusion in a soothing skin salve (along with calendula, plantain and chamomile).

· A tincture can be made to help with kidney/liver issues and weight-reducing formulas (say, a little chickweed with your bitters?)

I recommend to use this plant once harvested. It does not dry well!