Herbs for the Heart

Herbs for the Heart

Jo Francks MH

I recently gathered hawthorn berries to make Hawthorn Berry Syrup.   This is an annual event although this year it was hard to find a tree with berries.  It seemed as if they all froze.  But my husband, being on the lookout for me, found a tree that had some berries on it and they were just right for picking.  After picking for a while and deciding when enough was enough (I get a little carried away), it was time to get the process going.  I washed the berries and put them in the biggest stainless steel pot I have (this pot has made many batches of syrup).  Cover the berries with distilled water 2 inches above the level of the berries.  Bring this to a very low simmer.  This means when there is steam coming off the top but no bubbles.  Keep it covered and simmer for about a half hour and turn off the heat.  I let this steep for about an hour.  Now strain the liquid off and save it.  Put the berries back in the pan and use a potato masher and vigorously pound and mash them up.  Add more distilled water to an inch above the berries. Bring to a simmer for a half hour and let steep for an hour covered.  Strain this and use a muslin cloth or cheese cloth and squeeze all the liquid out of the berries.   Now combine all the liquid.  The next process takes me several days to complete.  This time I had to use two pots because I had so much liquid.  I take a plastic ruler and measure how much liquid I have in the pot.  As it simmers down I know when it is done by measuring it with the ruler.  The pots should have straight sides for this method to work.  Measure the liquid in a marked container if you prefer then as it simmers down, pour back into the container to measure the progress.  I put my pot of hawthorn liquid on the small burner of my electric stove and put it on low.  I used to use a thermometer to keep the temperature below 120 degrees but I don’t do that anymore.  It still works just as good when it is finished.  If I can put my finger in it and not have to remove it because it is burning I know the temperature is below 120.   I stir it several times a day while it is simmering.  It forms a gel because the berries have some pectin in them.  It’s okay, just keep simmering and stirring.  When it simmers to ¼ the original volume I know it’s done.  During this time I took a trip to the local liquor store and picked up some brandy.  Now let me tell you because Dr. Christopher made this recipe with grape brandy.  The first time I made this my husband went to the store for me and asked for grape brandy.  The lady running the store did some research and made some calls and it turns out that all brandy is made from grapes.  Regular old brandy is grape brandy.  So it’s time to add some vegetable glycerin and some brandy to the simmered down decoction.  Add ¼ of each to the liquid.  So to one quart you would add 1 cup of brandy and 1 cup of glycerin.  This is the finished product.  Store it in a glass bottle out of the light in a cool dark place.  It will keep a couple of years if stored properly.  It can be stored in the refrigerator for long term.  The dosage is ½ to 1 teaspoon three times a day.

This recipe can be made with dried berries.  Simply add distilled water to the berries overnight to rehydrate.  Don’t discard the water, just add more until you have the right amount.

Making your own herbal medicine is enjoyable and rewarding.  Just remember to have fun.

Creating Your Own Herbal Medicine

 

By Jo Francks MH

Handout for Herb Class

Infusion:  Made with leaves and flowers.  Use a teaspoon of herb to a cup of boiling distilled water, or an ounce of herb to a pint of boiling water.  Boil the water and add the herbs, cover and steep for 15 minutes or more, strain.

                Why distilled water?  Distilled water is H2O only and therefore it is a hungry water.  It will absorb more of the medicinal qualities of the herb and make a tea up to 30% more efficient than hard water.

Decoction:  Made with barks and roots.  Use a teaspoon of dried herb or a tablespoon of fresh to a cup of distilled water or an ounce of herb to a pint of water.  Add the herb to the water and bring to a low simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes and let steep for 20 minutes or longer, strain.

Concentrate:  Use the infusion or decoction and simmer to half its volume and you have a 3 power concentrate.  If you simmer to ¼ its original volume you have a 7 power concentrate.  You may add ¼  the amount of vegetable glycerin to help preserve it.  Store in the refrigerator.

Fomentation:  Use one of the above preparations for a fomentation.  Use a natural fiber cloth dip it in the tea and apply to an affected area of the body.  Cover this with plastic and secure with an ace type bandage.

Poultice:  A poultice is made with dried or fresh herbs and applied directly to the skin.  For dried herbs, add  enough  water to make a paste.  If the herbs don’t hold together mix them with slippery elm.  Bruise fresh herbs by chewing a few times or blending with water or smashing with a rock or hammer and apply to skin and secure.  A poultice used quite often is the plantain poultice applied to a bee sting.  Pick a plantain leaf, chew it quickly and apply.  This has never failed to bring relief to a bee or wasp sting that I know of.  It has kept people from going to the emergency room from allergic reactions to bee stings.

Extract: Any time you add liquid to herb you are making an extract.  I will cover alcohol, apple cider vinegar, glycerin, and oil extracts.  The herb is called the Mark and the liquid is the Menstrum.

Tincture:  An alcohol extract is usually referred to as a tincture.  There is a lot of information available on making tinctures.  I use fresh or dried herb and 100 proof vodka or ever clear which is 190 proof.  Proof means that ½ of the proof is the percentage of alcohol.  So 100 proof would be 50% alcohol.  This is fine for most dried herbs and some fresh herbs.  If made properly, tinctures will last many years.  They are good for long term storage and for emergencies.  Alcohol tinctures are absorbed by the body much  faster  than capsules.  Use a clean glass jar, fill the jar ½ to ¾ full with dried herb or to the top with fresh herb.  The dried herb will absorb some of the liquid.  Fill the jar to the top with your menstrum of choice, alcohol, glycerin/water, or vinegar.  Cap tightly, label, and shake 2 or 3 times a day for 2 to 6 weeks.  Strain through cheese cloth or muslin and store in dark glass bottles with plastic lids (metal lids corrode). Don’t forget to label.  Many herbalists prefer to start their tinctures on a new moon and pour it off on the full moon.  The moon has a pushing and pulling effect, pushing on the new moon and pulling on the full moon.

                Vegetable Glycerin:  Good for those who don’t want to ingest alcohol and for children.  It is sweet, and is easier to get children to take if they can’t swallow capsules.  Lasts 3 to 4 years.  Dilute with distilled water by 50% when using dried herbs.  The last 2 or 3 days I add some low heat to the glycerin extract to help get more out of the herb.

                Apple Cider Vinegar:  Is a good preservative for an extract but won’t last as long as alcohol tinctures.  Use the kind from a health food store.  Read the label carefully because some are apple cider flavored distilled vinegar.  You want the kind with the mother floating around in it.

Oil:  An herbal oil is made to be used topically on the skin.  Olive oil is used most often. Other vegetable  oils may also be used.  Heat is applied when making an oil extract.  Fill a clean, glass jar ½ to ¾ with your herb and fill the jar to the top with oil.  Use a chopstick to help get the oil to the bottom of the jar.  Cap tightly.  Oils can be made in as little time as a few hours or as long as 6 weeks or more.  I like to put the jar outside in the sun for 2 weeks and shake or swirl it a couple of times a day.  Another way is to put the oil and herb in a double boiler or crock pot at a low heat.  Stir it often and watch for the color of the herb to darken and the oil to take on a darker color.  Or you can keep it in an oven at a very low temperature.  I turn my oven on to the very lowest setting and let it set for 2 or 3 days.  Sometimes I combine methods when making an oil extract.  When you feel your oil is ready to strain, pour it through several layers of cheese cloth, muslin cloth or some other natural fiber cloth.  Store in a dark glass container and label.

Ointment:  To make an ointment, use an herbal oil and add beeswax to it until the right consistency is obtained.  One ounce beeswax to 7 ounces of oil will make a soft ointment.  Add more beeswax for a harder ointment.  Add the beeswax to the oil in a double boiler.  Heat until the wax is melted.  Let cool slightly and pour into ointment jars and label.

Bolus:  An herbal bolus is used when herbs need to be inserted into an orifice of the body.  Make by using powdered herbs and adding melted coconut oil to the herbs to make a paste.  Shape them an inch long about the width of your little finger.  Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

Labeling:  Labeling is very important.  I have a bottle of herbal extract in my cupboard that says Mystery Stuff because I forgot to label it when I made it.  I leave it there to remind myself to label everything.  When starting a tincture write on the label what herb is used and how much, the menstrum and how much and the percentage of alcohol, or if you use glycerin, how much water to glycerin is used,  date started, and any other information that would be helpful.  You might want to include the date you plan on pouring it off.

Energy Shift

You’ve all heard about the energy shift that happened on December 21, 2012. The world didn’t end like many people thought it would. We’re going into that Aquarian age that Dr. Christopher talked about. He knew this time was coming and taught how people could prepare themselves for this new vibration of the earth. We need to raise our own vibration. How do we do that? One way is to cleanse the inner vessel. He wrote a little booklet called The Three Day Cleansing Program. This booklet talks about how to do a three day juice cleanse and explains Dr. Christopher’s Mucusless Diet as well as listing his famous herbal formulas. One could overcome many health challenges by following the principles in this little booklet.

Another thing Dr. Christopher helped people with is how to have a positive attitude.  He believed in Herrings Law of Cure which states that “all healing starts from the inside out, from the head down and in the reverse order that the symptoms occurred.” Dr. Bernard Jensen explains part of this to mean that we need to change our thoughts. What happens in our head depending on what we are thinking causes symptoms in our physical bodies. We have to change what’s happening in our head in order to change what’s happening in our bodies. If we don’t, we will continue to create the same challenges over and over. Pay attention to what you think about, the food you eat, whether you want to exercise or not, how much sleep you are getting, and how your relationships are going. I believe that there’s a force on this planet that wants us to be unhealthy and to think bad things about ourselves and to keep us from becoming the human beings we were meant to become. There’s a song that says “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

When someone makes the statement that says the world doesn’t revolve around you they’re wrong. The world does revolve around you because you can only feel your own feelings and think your own thoughts. You are the only one who can control what those feelings and thoughts are. You can’t control what anyone else thinks, does or says. You can only help them understand the difference and maybe the source between the good and the bad.

Make 2013 a peaceful year for you because it all begins with you.  You can change your life one thought at a time.  You are loved!

Spring Fever and Adaptogens

Jo Francks MH

After a long winter it feels great to get out in the fresh air again. Here in Utah the snow has melted and signs of spring have been showing themselves. This is the time for planting gardens, yard work, physical exertion, outdoor activities and more. After the silent stillness of winter it is wonderful to hear the birds sing and the crickets chirp. It is all so energizing. During these times of increased physical activities, we can benefit by using adaptogen herbs. Adaptogens help bring the body into homeostasis. They help us adapt to stress of all kinds whether it’s physical, mental or environmental. What most of the adaptogenic herbs have in common is that they help regulate immune function, the endocrine system and the nervous system and strengthen the heart.

Here are some examples of adaptogenic herbs and a brief description of each:

Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) - shown to help address adrenal exhaustion and normalize cortisol production. Siberian ginseng was the first adaptogen to be scientifically studied, and it is still used by athletes to combat the physical and mental exhaustion of extreme activity. Siberian ginseng increases physical and mental performance and is known for its beneficial effect on memory, the immune system and in particular, the endocrine system. Ginseng has been shown to help people thrive in inhospitable climates and has been shown to normalize the body's response to extreme temperatures in hot or cold conditions. Ginseng is also one of the adaptogens used to help people prevent radiation sickness during cancer treatment.

Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma laucidum) - used to fight allergies, to address autoimmune disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia and as a general aid to longevity for people who are otherwise healthy.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) - has been used to regulate hormones, the adrenal glands and the pancreas. It is a mild laxative and is soothing to the throat and all mucus membranes.

Schizandra (Schizandra chinensis) – balances the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems; relieves anxiety, stress-induced palpitations/asthma; promotes the production of glutathione: an essential liver antioxidant and healthy liver function

Gotu Kola (Cintella asiatica) – known as the memory herb, also helps strengthen the heart, balance hormones and the nervous system.

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) – this herb increases endurance, mental and physical strength, and decreases fatigue and depression.

The following is a recipe for an herbal formula for increased energy and mental function

Equal parts in powdered form

Siberian Ginseng also called Eleuthero

Gotu Kola

Cayenne Pepper

Mix herbs together and put into capsules size -0- or -00-; Take 2 or 3 capsules with water before or after physical exertion.

Cleansing the Body Through Juicing

One of the best ways to energize your body and get nutrition in quickly is to juice your fruits and vegetables.  The juice of the plant is the blood of the plant.  So by juicing you are also building your own blood.  Freshly made juice from your own juicer is definitely the best.  When you drink fresh juice, the nutrients are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and utilized by the body.  The rest of the plant is the fiber.  There are no nutrients or enzymes in the fiber.  Any pesticides or sprays are also left behind in the fiber.  Nutrients from fresh juices get to cells within a few minutes. When we eat the fruits and vegetables we only absorb 30% of the nutrition from them and we use up a lot of energy digesting the food. When we juice the same fruits and vegetables we absorb 90% of the nutrients and it is absorbed into the bloodstream within minutes.  The fresh juice contains the import enzymes that help digest the food and build the body. Enzymes are the life force of produce. 

Dr. Christopher’s Incurables Program is based around juicing to treat incurable diseases.  Each week on the incurables program one rotates between carrot juice the first week, apple juice the second week and grape juice the third week.  The full incurables routine is contained in the book Herbal Home Health Care, or Curing the Incurables, both by Dr. John R. Christopher.

Dr. Christopher always had his patients do the Three Day Cleansing program followed by the Mucusless Diet.  The Three Day Cleanse gives the body the opportunity to rest and get rid of toxins that have been building up in the system over time. It is done by drinking 16 ounces of prune juice first thing in the morning and alternating apple, carrot, or grape juice (use the same juice for the 3 days) and distilled water for the rest of the day and taking 1 tablespoons of olive oil three times during the day.  Alternate the juice and water every half hour until about 8:00 p.m. repeat for two more days and begin the Mucusless Diet.  Complete instructions are contained in Herbal Home Health Care or the booklet The Three Day Cleansing Program.

If you don’t want to go as far as the Incurables program or the Three Day Cleanse, just add more fresh juices to your diet each day.  Fruit juices are very cleansing to the human body whereas vegetable juices are nourishing and building to the body. Fresh juices provide vital nutrition that is easily absorbed into the system.  Go ahead, try it!

Plantain

 

Jo Francks MH 

While working as a scout leader I was in the outdoors a lot with others.  Once while at a day camp in the mountains, one of the other leaders got stung by a bee and it was swelling and very painful.  They were getting ready to take him home when they drove up to me and told me what was happening.  We were in a meadow and I looked at the ground and found exactly what he needed; plantain, that miracle eraser that has helped so many people.  I picked a couple of the leaves and handed them to him and told him to chew it and put it over the bee sting and cover it with a bandage or piece of tape.  Within seconds the pain stopped and the swelling started to diminish.  He ended up staying and enjoying the rest of the day.  The man who was with him never forgot about plantain and the miraculous healing he witnessed that day.  He had a similar experience one day when a man was on his way to the hospital because he had been stung by a bee on the face and was allergic to bee stings.  His face was swelling and very painful. They had to make a stop at this man’s house on their way to the hospital and when he found out what had happened he got the plantain out of his yard and showed them how to apply it to the bee sting.  They did not go the hospital that day, nor have they had to since because he uses plantain any time he gets a bee sting.  This same man was able to help his granddaughters when they were stung by bees on the foot.  The crying stopped within one minute and they were happy and up running around again.  My own children have used this remedy countless times and it works every time. 

There are two types of plantain, the broad leaf Plantago major, and the narrow or lance leaf, Plantago lanceolata.  The leaves of the broad-leaf are ovate, blunt, abruptly contracted at the base long and channeled petiole, blade is four to eight inches long, three to four inches broad, five to eleven strong fibrous ribs, entire or coarse and unequally dentate-serrate margins, dark green.  Lance-leaf is identified as lanceolate, sharp-pointed, on ling and tough stems, strongly ribbed length-wise, dark green. 

Plantain is an excellent remedy for kidney and bladder troubles. It is an effective remedy for poisonous bites and stings, since the poison of fresh stings is extracted rapidly often within an hour’s time. 

It is the best herb for blood poisoning: reducing the swelling and completely healing a limb where poisoning has made amputation imminent.  Finally, it is very useful for easing pain and healing problems in the lower intestinal tract.  This valuable “weed” is often found in soils close to most habitations, in parks, sports fields, etc. (School of Natural Healing, Dr. John R. Christopher)

Savory

Savory

The International Herb Association has named Savory as herb of the year for 2015. The two common varieties of Savory are Summer Savory, Satureia hortensia, and Winter Savory, Satureia montana.

Sumer savory is an annual plant grown from seeds sown in the spring and flowering in mid-summer. The tips can be harvested frequently to ensure a continual supply through the season.

Winter savory is a low growing shrubby perennial and can be used as a low growing hedge. Propagate by cuttings, layering, division or seed.

The leaves of both plants are used in cooking. The name suggests that it is a quite fragrant plant and historically was planted near beehives. The leaves have a strong, slightly peppery taste resembling that of thyme. Anciently the Romans made a sauce of vinegar and summer savory, very much like the mint sauce of today. Beans and peas are greatly enhanced by this herb with which they have a particular affinity.

Medicinally the leaves are used as a carminative to alleviate flatulence, it may also help with diarrhea, indigestion, colic, upset stomach, and mild sore throats. Externally the leaves can be used to rub on a bee sting to alleviate the pain.

Savory has been used for centuries both as a culinary herb and for its medicinal properties. Culpepper tells us that “the juice dropped into the eyes removes dimness of sight if it proceed from thin humours distilled from the brain. The juice heated with oil of Roses and dropped in the ears removes noise and singing and deafness.”  It is rich in minerals and vitamins and the leaves contain many essential oils such as carvacrol and thymol. These oils are known to have antifungal and anti-bacterial properties. The tea made from the leaves is considered a powerful antiseptic and can help improve the functionsing of the liver and the kidneys.

Consider planting a variety of Savory in your garden this year. Harvest and dry the leaves for use throughout the year.

 

Recipe

Marinated Tomatoes with Lemon and Summer Savory

3 tomatoes

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp agave

½ tsp fresh chopped savory or

¼ tsp dried savory

¼ tsp salt

Pepper to taste

1 clove garlic minced

Cut each tomato into 6 wedges and place in a medium bowl.

Combine lemon juice and remaining ingredients and whisk together. Pour dressing over tomatoes, toss gently to coat. Let stand 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Enjoy

How to Use Lobelia

Lobelia inflata

Lobelia is one of my favorite herbs to use. It is so versatile. It is great on its own. and when combined with other herbs, it is the one to make the other herbs woks so much better because it is the thinking herb. When I suggest it to people they seem to be on the cautious side and say something like "Won't it make me throw up?"
One of lobelias common names is puke weed because if someone takes enough of it, it will cause vomiting. Honestly I have never taken enough lobelia to make me throw up.
Samuel Thompson is the one who brought lobelia into the medicinal light. He used to give it to his friends as a joke and watch them puke. He also noticed that after it cleaned someone out they felt a lot better. He used it as the herb of choice for many ailments. Dr. Christopher also knew the virtues of lobelia and used it in many of his formulas and on its own.

Cough

Lobelia is a very powerful nervine and antispasmodic. My first use of it was to stop a spasmodic cough in an infant. 1 drop of the extract in the mouth and the coughing stopped immediately. I use it now to stop dry coughing and hacking. A few drops, 4 to 6, taken orally stops the unnecessary coughing and when you do cough it is productive and helps to remove the mucus in the lungs. It helps reduce inflammation in the bronchial tubes caused by an extreme dry cough.

Menstrual Cramps

Another way to use lobelia is to reduce the pain of menstrual cramps. Remember lobelia is a strong nervine and antispasmodic so it is very effective for any type of muscle cramping. I recommend using a dropperful of the extract at the first sign of cramps or before they come on. This is usually enough but if they get too bad then 10 minutes after the first dose, another dropperful should be taken, and sometimes a third after 10 more minutes. Usually no more that 3 doses are needed. It is important to use an herbal stimulant when using lobelia since it is quite relaxing. A cup of peppermint tea or even a cayenne capsule will do the trick.

Asthma Weed

Dr. Christopher used lobelia when his patients were having severe asthma attacks. His first measure was to give a strong cup of peppermint tea to prepare the muscles in the abdomen for what was coming next, then after 20 minutes he would administer a teaspoon of lobelia tincture while at the same time he was gathering some large pans. At 10 minute intervals he would give a teaspoon of the tincture and usually after the third dose the patient would begin to vomit. This is what the pans were for. They would expel all the mucus from their lungs that was keeping them from breathing and causing asthma attacks. Dr. Christopher often made the comment that this treatment worked best when the asthma attack was extremely severe.

These are just a few of the ways lobelia has been used in our family and by others. We have been blessed so much by the wonderful qualities of the herbs God has created. 

Red Raspberry Leaves

When my daughter was in a college nutrition for women class the teacher told the class that red raspberry leaf tea should not be used during pregnancy because it is known to bring on menstruation.

My daughter texted me during class and I responded “It strengthens the reproductive organs so if pregnant it creates a healthy pregnancy.” My daughter shared this with the teacher who was grateful but said it would forever be in the textbooks that raspberry leaves should not be used during pregnancy.

How unfortunate that the wonderful benefits of this herb are sometimes misunderstood and considered harmful and dangerous.

One of the many virtues of red raspberry leaves is that it feeds the reproductive organs and strengthens them so they work properly on their own. When these organs are strong and healthy, menstruation naturally occurs. A woman can go through a healthy pregnancy without complications and a healthy baby is born. Women have used red raspberry leaves for painful periods, heavy periods, morning sickness during pregnancy, preventing miscarriage, and easing labor and delivery.

Raspberry leaves offer a vast array of nutritional value including vitamin A, B complex, vitamin C and E, calcium, iron, phosphorous, and manganese. The leaves are also astringent and are used for diarrhea and on the skin to tighten the tissue.