or over-the-counter drugs. If you’re on
blood thinners or have a serious condition, consult your doctor first.
Peppermint
First cultivated near London in 1750,
peppermint has been shown to be an
effective remedy for indigestion. “It
calms the muscles of the digestive tract
to alleviate intestinal gas and cramping,” says Tieraona Low Dog, M.D.,
director of the Arizona Center for
Integrative Medicine in Tucson. A cup
of warm peppermint tea may also thin
mucus, loosen phlegm, and soothe sore
throats. Apply it topically to take the
itch out of bug bites or to ease muscle
cramps, arthritis, and headaches.
; GROWING TIP “Snipping can begin
two to three weeks after a plant is established,” says Tess Delia, a garden
and flower designer in Piermont, New
York. “Be sure not to strip the stem bare
or you’ll compromise the plant.”
Mix ½ pint of 80-proof vodka
with ½ pint water. Add ¼
fresh lemon, 4 T. rosemary
leaves, 6 T. lemon balm leaves,
4 T. peppermint leaves, and
2 T. sage leaves. Add sugar to
taste. Steep for 3 days. Enjoy!
Jim Duke’s
Crème D’Mentia
rub the oil onto sore joints as needed.
; GROWING TIP Rosemary is best
grown from a plant and performs well
in a container.
Valerian
Used throughout history as a sedative
and sleep aid, valerian gets its name
from the Latin valere, which means
“to be in good health.” “Just the smell
alone of the sweetly scented plant is
enough to put some people out,” says
fourth-generation herbalist Christopher Hobbs, author of Herbal Remedies
for Dummies. Research conducted on
16 insomniacs at Humboldt University
of Berlin, in Germany, found valerian
extract helped them nod off faster and
improved the quality of their sleep.
; GROWING TIP When valerian is used
for medicinal purposes, cut the flowers
as soon as they appear (otherwise, they
take energy from the leaves). Opt for
the Valeriana officinalis variety, which
can be used medicinally.
; GROWING TIP Like peppermint, lemon balm is fast growing. If you plant it
in your garden rather than in a pot, be
sure to give it a lot of space.
LISA ROMEREIN; PROP STYLIST: ANNJOHNSTAD; ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDREW BANNECKER
Lemon balm
Arab doctors in the 9th and 10th centuries called lemon balm the gladdening
herb and prescribed it to dispel anxiety
and heart palpitations. More recently,
a panel of physicians, pharmacologists, and scientists appointed by the
German Ministry of Health endorsed
the herb for relieving tension, anxiety,
and restlessness. There’s also evidence
of cognitive benefits. In a small study
published in
Neuropsychopharmacol-ogy, 20 healthy young adults reported
increased memory and improved
mood after ingesting lemon balm.
Another study found similar results
among Alzheimer’s patients.
Rosemary
The use of rosemary as a memory
enhancer dates back at least to early
Western civilization. Greek students
wore garlands of rosemary around
their heads, and students in Rome
massaged their temples and foreheads
with the herb prior to exams. According to Jim Duke, the herb can also
reduce joint pain. To make a topical
ointment, soak rosemary needles in
almond oil for two weeks, filter, then
Sage
Research conducted at the Allergy
Clinic in Landquart, Switzerland, last
year found that sage combined with
echinacea was as effective as the painkiller lidocaine in relieving sore throat
pain. Plus, studies show that the
herb’s bacteria-fighting heft makes it
a potent breath freshener. To make
sage mouthwash, steep 1 tablespoon
sage leaves in 1 cup of hot water for 5
minutes. Strain and gargle.
; GROWING TIP Sage is best started
from a plant, because it can take up to
a year to establish itself. The best medicinal variety is Salvia officinalis. ;
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PEPPERMINTHEALTH
LEMON BALM
BENEFITS
OF HERBS
Either drink
these in a
tea or apply
topically as
remedies
(see story).
SAGE
ROSEMARY
VALERIAN
; Settles upset
; Dispels
; Increases
; Acts as
; Eases sore
stomach
anxiety
memory
sleep aid
throats
; Eases muscle
; Improves
; Reduces
; Has sedative
; Freshens
cramps
mood
joint pain
effects
breath
Pour 1 cup
boiling water
over 6 leaves
(for valerian, use
2 T. chopped
root). Steep
for 5 minutes,
strain, and sip.
TO MAKE A TEA
