The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (62 page)

Plant Description:

Meadowsweet is a stout perennial wildflower that thrives in the rich, wet soils of marshes, bogs, ditches, damp meadows and moist woods in sun or partial shade. The plant, with its fernlike foliage, pinnate leaves and fragrant, cream-white flower clusters, dislikes acid soil and grows up to six feet tall with a creeping, underground root. 

Meadowsweet was introduced to North America from Europe and now grows wild throughout eastern Canada and the United States.
  Meadowsweet's name is derived from its older name, meadsweet, which, like meadwort (its oldest English name from Anglo-Saxon times), refers to the plant's use as a flavoring for mead, a honeyed liquor. 

History:

Its botanical specific,
ulmaria
, is derived from the Latin,
ulmus
, meaning "elm," referring to the resemblance of Meadowsweet's leaves to those of the elm tree.  Meadowsweet was one of the three most sacred herbs of the Druids, the others being water mint and vervain; and in medieval Europe, the fragrant plant was considered an important strewing herb. The sweet fragrance of the plant made it a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, who favored the herb above all others as the strewing herb on the floors of her chambers.  Meadowsweet is an astringent, aromatic herb, and the entire plant and flowers are used in herbal medicine.  In 1653, the pharmacist, Nicholas Culpepper, noted the use of the herb as a remedy for fevers, colds and flu.  Meadowsweet is the mother of aspirin.  From this herb, salicylic acid was first isolated in 1838, and the salicylates are the basis of the herb's reputation as a reliable remedy.  Some sixty years thereafter, the pharmaceutical company
Bayer
produced acetylsalicylate, a synthetic substance with the same properties as its natural forerunner.  They called it
aspirin
, referring to Meadowsweet's oldest botanical name,
Spiraea ulmaria
.  Herbalists consider the plant to be one of the best remedies for digestive upsets, and the natural salicylic acid content is a longtime favorite for the symptoms of cold, flu, headaches and rheumatic pains and aches.  The leaves and flowers have a wonderful fragrance (and pleasant taste, too), and they are often included in potpourris. The whole plant yields a greenish-yellow dye, and the roots produce a black dye.  Some of the constituents in Meadowsweet include salicylic acid, flavonoids (quercetin, rutin), tannins, mucilage, anthocyanidin, avicularin, coumarin, essential oil (methyl-salicylate, hyperoside), salicin, vanillin, glycoside and citric acid (vitamin C).

Medical Uses:

Probably the most famous use of Meadowsweet is for its aspirin-like qualities without the unpleasant side effects of synthetic acid. The salicylic acid content provides natural relief for colds, flu, fevers and headaches.  It is a great overall pain reliever.

Meadowsweet's anti-inflammatory qualities help to soothe and reduce inflammation and are beneficial for the relief of rheumatic pains and the pain of arthritis, aching joints and muscle cramps.

Some herbalists regard Meadowsweet as the best plant remedy for hyperacidity and heartburn.  It is an antacid herb that heals and soothes the digestive tract and strengthens and tones the system. It also helps to control peptic ulcers and gastritis.  Unlike synthetic aspirin, Meadowsweet offsets the acidic effects of salicylic acid.  Long use of aspirin can lead to gastric ulceration and bleeding, but Meadowsweet does not produce these side effects and is actually a gentle digestive remedy for acidity.

Meadowsweet promotes sweating, and as such, helps to reduce fevers and clear the body of toxins through the skin.

As an antiseptic, Meadowsweet is said to be effective against organisms that cause diphtheria, dysentery and pneumonia.

Meadowsweet is an astringent that is believed to tighten and tone tissues. The tannins in the herb have been helpful in relieving diarrhea.

As a mild diuretic, Meadowsweet promotes the flow of urine and is beneficial for the elimination of excess fluid in the system.  It is said to be helpful in cases of certain urinary infections and cystitis.

Used externally, Meadowsweet has been used as a compress for rheumatic pains, neuralgia and sore, aching joints and muscles. It has also been used as cooling eyewash that relieves conjunctivitis and other eye complaints.

Dosages:
Take two (2) to three (3) capsules, two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Precautions:
Those who are allergic to aspirin should not use Meadowsweet.  It is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women without first consulting a physician and children under the age of sixteen years of age with symptoms of flu, chicken pox or other types of viral infection should not use Meadowsweet, because, like aspirin, there may be a risk of developing Reye's syndrome.

* * * * *

Melilot
is considered a
natural anticoagulant 
(its main active constituent is coumarin!) with blood thinning properties that may be very helpful as a venous tonic, improving the flow of blood through the veins to the heart and may thus
relieve varicose veins
and
swollen legs
. Melilot also helps to
clear congestion, reduce retained fluid
and
ease aching and painful joints
.

Plant Description:

Melilot is a biennial or perennial herb with smooth, erect, multi-branched stems, bearing serrate leaflets and sweet-smelling, white or light yellow flowers that grow in towering spikes to a height of five feet.
 

The tender plant is a native of Europe (
Melilotus officinalis,
or Yellow Sweet Clover) and has been naturalized across North America (
Melilotus vulgaris,
or White Sweet Clover), where it has been widely cultivated as a valuable feed crop for animals.  The two species may be used interchangeably. Melilot may be found on roadsides and in fields; waste places and chalky banks in well-drained-to-dry, neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun and is drought tolerant.

History:

The plant's botanical name,
Melilotus
, is derived from two Latin words,
mel
, meaning "honey" and
lotus
, meaning the "lotus flower,"  referring to the great sweetness of the plant and the fact that it is such a great favorite of bees.  Melilot has been used medicinally for thousands of years. 

Ancient Egyptians used it to treat intestinal worms and earache, and the second-century physician, Galen, prescribed it in poultices for the relief of inflammations and swollen joints.
  In Anglo-Saxon England, Melilot was made into a salve for wounds and sores, a remedy that may still be found in rural British areas as "Melilot plasters."  Horses, cattle (and bees) love the tender and aromatic Melilot, and it is highly regarded as a fodder.  Interestingly, however, in the 1920s, farmers began to store Melilot as animal feed, but because it was not thoroughly dried, it
fermented
and produced a coumarin compound, which not only gives the plant its sweet vanilla taste, but also becomes a potent anticoagulant and blood-thinning agent (as evidenced by hemorrhaging in the herds, which was, subsequently, remedied by thorough drying of the clover). The whole plant has a sweet vanilla fragrance that intensifies as the plant is dried, and when not fermented, it is a valuable addition to animal diets and is now widely respected commercially for that purpose.

Additional commercial uses for Melilot include its addition to Gruyere cheese and a green Swiss cheese called
Schabzieger.
It is also used to flavor marinades and rabbit stews, and it makes a fine and refreshing tea that is not only pleasant to drink, but is also said to relieve flatulence and alleviate congestion of the lymph system. Melilot's most important constituent is the chrystalline coumarin compound and its related compounds (melilotic acid, orthocoumaric acid, hydrocoumaric acid, melilotic anhydride), flavonoids, glycoside (meliotoside), dicoumarol and lactone (a fragrant oil); and the flowers and aerial parts of the plant are used in herbal medicine.

Medical Uses:

Melilot contains coumarins, and when the plant is fermented, it produces dicoumarol, a potent anticoagulant. It is said to be a good venous tonic that increases the blood flow through the veins to the heart and has been used in cases of painful, swollen veins of the legs that are associated with poor venous return or raised abdominal pressure (as in obesity, pregnancy or persistent constipation). Melilot is believed to also help alleviate varicose veins, blood clots, phlebitis and thrombotic conditions.

As a mild astringent, Melilot has been used to clear congestion. When taken internally, it is said to relieve congestion of the lymph glands and painful congestive menstruation; and when used externally, it is said to ease hemorrhoids.

Melilot is an aromatic herb that has been used as a soothing digestive aid and has been thought to be particularly effective in cases of flatulence. Supporting healthy digestive health, Melilot is also said to relieve colic, indigestion and stomach problems.

As a diuretic, Melilot promotes the flow of urine, and as such, it helps to relieve excess fluid retention and edema (the accumulation of fluid in tissues that results in swelling).

Melilot is also believed to be a mildly sedative herb that relieves temporary palpitations, sleeplessness, spasms, anxiety and the pain of tension headaches, earaches and neuralgia.

As an expectorant, Melilot helps to loosen and expel phlegm from the lungs, and it is said to be helpful in cases of bronchitis.

Used externally, Melilot has been effective in poultices for inflammations and wounds, particularly in delicate parts of the body, i.e., eyes. It is also said to have emollient and soothing properties that help to reduce inflammation and ease painful swollen joints, severe bruising, arthritis and rheumatic pain. It is also believed to be effective in drawing out toxins and is therefore useful for boils and other skin problems.

Dosages:
Take two (2) capsules, one (1) time each day with water at mealtimes.

Precautions:
Pregnant and nursing women should not use Melilot. People who use prescription blood thinners (warfarin, Coumadin, aspirin, etc.), or those with any blood-clotting problem should not use Melilot. For those individuals who take prescription medications, it is wise to consult a health care provider before using this herb, as there may be interactions with other drugs. Overuse (many times the recommended dosage) may induce vomiting and other symptoms of poisoning.

* * * * *

Did you know that your liver is the toxic waste disposal plant of your body?  Keep it healthy and nourished with
Milk Thistle.
This remarkable herb is said to have no pharmaceutical equivalent for its
beneficial effects on the liver, spleen and gallbladder
.
Rid yourself of toxins and temporary depression, and boost your immunity
with Milk Thistle. In the meantime, you'll also gain valuable antioxidant protection.

Plant Description:

Milk Thistle is a stout, spiny annual or perennial that is native to the Mediterranean region and has been naturalized throughout Europe and parts of North America and Australia. This common weed grows to about six feet in height in the dry, rocky soils of fields and waste places. The plant produces a purple flower, and there are distinctive white markings on its leaves, which legend has described as the splashes of the Virgin Mary's milk.

History:

Historically, it has been a very popular plant in Europe for its medicinal and dietary qualities and is still a favorite in France as a wholesome, delicious vegetable and as an ingredient in salads. The seeds and leaves are used in herbal medicine, and their use goes back two thousand years.

The Greek, Dioscorides, prescribed Milk Thistle to remedy the poison of snakebite. In the first-century, Pliny wrote that it was excellent for "carrying off bile," meaning that it restored impaired liver function, a claim that has been justified by many modern researchers. In the Middle Ages the liver was regarded as the seat of emotions (both in Europe and in traditional Chinese medicine), and depression and emotional distress were ultimately thought to be caused by a malfunction of the liver. Consequently, Milk Thistle was commonly prescribed to remedy such ailments, and the herb was widely used as a spring tonic to provide relief from the pent-up emotions and depression housed in the liver. It was an early remedy for the winter's doldrums and "blues." According to the noted herbalist, Gerard, in his 1597
Herball
, Milk Thistle was considered the "best remedy that grows against all melancholy diseases."

As a matter of fact, the word "melancholy" is derived from the Greek translation of "black bile," and in Gerard's day, that referred to any liver or biliary derangement. Milk Thistle was also considered a key ingredient in the diets of European wet nurses to ensure a healthy milk supply, and it continued to be used in the nineteenth century for improving the liver, spleen, kidneys, varicose veins and menstrual ailments.