Alchemical Wizard 19 : Kitchen Apothecary
European herbal medicine, the tradition from which modern American herbalism mainly derives, does not see much overlap between food plants and herbal medicines. Herbal medicine's you take in a capsule, tincture or loose leafed. Foods we eat and the herbal spices make them taste better in our western culture. Asian medical systems do not make that distinction between the two. Food is just less concentrated herbal medicine, and every meal is viewed as a chance to get in more healing herbs.
In fact, the Chinese word for the medicinal brew that people use daily to maintain their health is “soup.” What was the reason we had soup as a first course? Now think of why we used to eat a small plate of leafy greens as a course to a meal, as well? Now visualize an ancient Szechuan stir-fry or some other old cultural cuisine. Traditions have died off due to Pavlovian Conditioning! Think of commercials being played over and over again on Television sets since the 1950's. And just a few food corporations having ties to the pharmaceutical corporations via shareholder trustees and board members!
Now, some of the ancient cuisines of China and India began thousands of years ago as recipes to get healing herbs and foods into people. Gradually, as the process evolved, complicated mixtures of food ingredients, herbal medicines, and flavorings coalesced into a tasty fusion that pleased the palate, healed the body and warmed the soul!
For example, Indian food typically starts with a combination of a masala made up of onions, garlic, ginger, and other various spices, selected for their medicinal virtues, and taste. Since many of these herbs can cause gas, additional herbs, such as fennel and coriander seeds, are added to counteract that tendency. Ginger and mustard seed, for example, speed up the digestive process, so that the meal is efficiently processed and moved through the digestive tract.
The carrot and parsley family are a huge source of edible plants and good tasting medicines. These plants grow all over the world, and are used in a broad range of cultures. This group of plant medicines has unusual chemistry, so they make their way into the kitchens and medicine chests of many native healing modality systems. The seeds are typically the medicinal part, but various parts are used, depending on the plant. Some well known members of this family include parsley, coriander (cilantro is coriander greens), fennel, anise, cumin, and dill.
Here are some healing herbs and foods we have right in our own kitchen that we may have forgotten all about. Consider ancient cultural cuisine recipe's when thinking in terms of Daily Healing, Daily Detoxification, Daily Anti-inflammatory and a Daily Regenerative Life Style!
Tip : Making linear time to chop, cook or blend your nutritional intake and intentionally making it enjoyable will then make it become a blessing on so many levels! We are that frequency, we are that energy we put into our Avatars!
1. Cinnamon. Not just a sweet spice. Cinnamon is used for circulation, menstrual cramps and digestion.
2. Rosemary. Rosemary is an antioxidant and a detoxifier.
3. Dill. Dill seed is for gas, for children, what fennel seed is for adults. For adults, dill, along with fennel, treats heartburn. The weed is milder. In a pinch, fennel and dill can be interchanged.
4. Parsley. Parsley is a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals. It is a rich source of boron and fluorine, critical minerals for bone health. It contains 3.5 times as much vitamin C as oranges, and twice as much calcium as broccoli. Because parsley is a rich source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, it is an effective treatment for cramps, such as leg cramps.
5. Sage. Sage is an anti-inflammatory, detoxifier and helps to boost cognition.
6. Black Pepper. Black Pepper is a warming digestive remedy, which has a carminative action. This herb increases circulation, and lowers blood pressure.
7. Thyme. Thyme contains anti-aging chemicals. Historically, this herb has been used for headaches. Thyme is also known as a general antimicrobial, especially for bacterial infection, and an expectorant, which also treats fever. Thyme and Garlic are the great soup ingredients when fighting off unwanted bacteria.
8. Basil Leaf. Basil has been used as a digestive aid, to relieve gas and speed digestion, and to warm up and mobilize stiff arthritic joints. Basil is a pungent herb that increases body heat. It is used to treat respiratory conditions and to lower fever by sweating. Since it’s also an expectorant, it can be used for conditions like emphysema and asthma.
9. Cloves. Cloves offer many health benefits, some of which include aiding in digestion, fighting against cancerous cells, protecting the liver, boosting the immune system, controlling diabetes, and preserving bone quality. They also contain anti-mutagenic and anti-microbial properties, along with fighting against oral diseases and headaches.
10. Fennel. For adults Fennel seed is the premiere carminative in the world. It relieves gas. Fennel contains creosol and alpha-pinene substances that loosen lung mucus and help clear the chest, benefiting asthma.
11. Fenugreek seed. This legume is a very effective diabetes treatment, promoting substantial reductions in blood sugar, both from its fiber content, and the presence of other metabolically active components. It also lowers total cholesterol, while increasing HDL. It contains very high amounts of choline and beta carotene, both of which have been linked to Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment.
12. Garlic. Garlic, garlic, garlic is a broad spectrum antibiotic and has been used to ward off everything. Some of the ailments it has been used to treat include wounds, ulcers, skin infections, unwanted bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, athlete's foot, strep, worms, respiratory ailments, high blood pressure, blood thinning, cancer of the stomach, colic, unwanted bacteria in the sinuses, kidney problems, bladder problems, and ear aches. Incorporating garlic, especially raw, into your daily diet is a key part of keeping your body healthy and your immune system functioning at optimal levels. I get odorless garlic into my Green Superfood Powder!
13. Ginger. Ginger is an excellent anti-inflammatory herb as well as an important digestive remedy. It is useful for a broad spectrum of ailments such as nausea, motion sickness, diarrhea, colic, arthritis, rheumatism, purging of toxins from overgrowth fungi like Candida, headaches, poor circulation and heart conditions. In Asia is it considered a longevity herb!
14. Cumin seed. And roasted or black cumin seed for sure! Cumin seeds contain many phytochemicals that are known to have antioxidant, carminative and anti-flatulent properties. The seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Its seeds contain certain health benefiting essential oils. The active principles in the cumin may improve gut motility and help in digestion by augmenting gastrointestinal juice (enzyme) secretions. The spice is an excellent source of minerals like iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc and magnesium. The seeds are also a rich source of many flavonoid phenolic antioxidants such as carotenes, zeaxanthin, and lutein.
15. Coriander seeds. Coriander or cilantro is a wonderful source of dietary fiber, manganese, iron and magnesium as well. In addition, coriander leaves are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and protein. They also contain small amounts of calcium, phosphorous, potassium, thiamin, niacin and carotene. Coriander lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases the levels of good cholesterol (HDL). A very good food for digestive system, coriander promotes liver functions and bowel movements. Moreover, coriander is useful in dealing with allergies and infections caused by fungus and bacteria.
16. Turmeric. Turmeric has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. Compounds in it are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant and helps to improve brain function. For it to be more bio-available you need Peperine. So think of the different peppers and black pepper you add to that turmeric root slivered off into a delicious curried stir-fry! Or your Smoothie or Protein shake like I do! Yum!
Blessings Everyone! Stay Hydrated with Structured Water my Friends! We are Sovereign and We are most defiantly Freeing Ourselves!
Travis Carper - Ascension Health Coach / Alternative & Holistic Health Service https://www.facebook.com/traviscarper888/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/traviscarper888/
Additional References :
Best 101 Herbs and Spices for Healing - https://draxe.com/nutrition/top-herbs-spices-healing/
Herbal Medicine at Home: Be Your Own Herbalist - https://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/natural-remedies/herbal-medicine-at-home-zmfz14jazpit/
The Herbal Kitchen : 50 easy-to-find herbs and over 250 recipes to bring lasting health to you and your family by Kami McBride - https://archive.org/details/herbalkitchen50e0000mcbr
Kami’s My Herbal Kitchen - https://www.myherbalkitchen.com/join-class
Mountain Rose Herbs Culinary Delights - https://mountainroseherbs.com/catalog/culinary-delights
Mountain Rose Herbs Herbal Home and Kitchen Books - https://mountainroseherbs.com/catalog/books/herbal-kitchen-books
10 Potential Health Benefits Of Indian Food - https://pangbenta.com/dishes/health-benefits-indian-food/
14 Healthiest Chinese Food Dishes, According to Registered Dietitians - https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a40932274/healthiest-chinese-food/
Affiliated & Where I Shop Myself :
Mountain Rose Herbs “ Mountain Rose Herbs offers free educational resources to the community.” - https://get.aspr.app/SHpH5