Weeds & Seeds Swap

I have come across some of the literature I used in my studies with both historical and scientific study information for herbs. I hope this will make the postings to the blog more informative, and hope to go back and edit some of the older postings over time.

History & Historical Use:

Red Raspberry grows here in the United States, as well as in Europe and Asia. Though the berry is delicious, it is the leaves that contain many of the health-giving benefits attributed to the herb.

The leaves were first mentioned in Chinese medical literature in 550 AD. Ten American Indian tribes used the herb to treat emesis and bowel complaints, like diarrhea. Other uses include gargle for inflammation in the mouth or the throat…for example a sore throat or a mouth with canker sores.

There are many benefits associated with Red Raspberry, including as an emmenagogue (promoting menstrual discharge), antiseptic, astringent (contracts tissues), stimulant, alterative (bringing gradual change for the better), and tonic which invigorates and restores.

The most well known use is for woman’s issues, and is found in products like Female Comfort. It is said to relieve painful, profuse menstruation and morning sickness. Sources state that it strengthens the uterus and helps to prevent miscarriage. It is said to help in the birthing process when taken at the onset of labor. It is also said to normalize women’s hormones, and tempters the effects of the hormones during menstruation, pregnancy & delivery.

The Science Behind the Herb:

The leaf contains tannins, flavonoids and some Vitamin C. The active or phytonutrient is fragarine. The plant is high in manganese.

Tannins - aid in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and give the astringent properties.

A study back in 1941 showed that red raspberry relaxed the smooth muscle if it is “toned”, but contracts it if relaxed, thus supporting the “folk” view that it tones the uterus. This study can be found in the book “Herbs of Choice” by Tyler, published in 1994. You should be able to search for this title at a favorite online bookstore of mine, BOOKSAMILLION.COM

Isn’t the garden pictured to the left beautiful? Not only was I attracted to it’s beauty, but the fact that it’s called “Claudia’s Garden” made it extra special since that’s my name. No, the garden wasn’t exactly named after me, but after the co-founder of one of the beautiful California theme parks in which this garden is located. How could I not want to share more about this park with you after a find like this.

What is wonderful about this park is that it is a pleasure for both young and old. There are rides for the children and young-at-heart, and they all are surrounded by, or inter-twined with a garden theme. The main focus of Gilroy Gardens, one of the most interesting California amusement parks, is to teach and inspire children to appreciate trees, gardens and horticulture, and do so in a fun setting. It is actually an educational institution. If you visit any of the links (the grey letters) in this post, you will find many more pictures, and information on how to plan a visit to the park. Imagine a boat ride or enjoying water park fun (40+ rides) in a natural setting intended to foster learning. I have never heard about this before visiting this site, and know that should I find my self in California again, I’ll be visiting the site to plan a trip to this fun filled garden paradise, one of the paramount parks. If I lived close enough, I’d consider the season pass offered, but for me, a native of the east coast, I’ll have to plan differently, but it won’t be hard to do.

Well gardening friends, this is a real find. I’ve enjoyed browsing the site…please comment if you’ve been there, I’d love to hear your experiences.

What beautiful yellow flowers for an herb that sounds like it is a blemish on Saint

Actually, the word is “wort”, not “wart”, which is an old English word that means root or plant. It is named after St. John the Baptist of the Bible. The botanical name for the plant we are focusing on in this post is Hypericum perforatum. The sturdy plant is bushy, and often grown like a border hedge. It prefers loose, somewhat sandy soil.

This pretty plant’s medicinal qualities are best known for supporting the nervous system, and promoting a positive mental attitude. The natural compound in the plant that helps with this is hypericin. To be effective, this active is standardized in some herbal supplements to assure that you are getting the amount you need.

There are also cautions when taking this…avoid tanning salons or sunbathing, and wear sunglasses in bright sunlight when taking the supplement. Also, it may be best NOT to take if you are taking drugs with MAO inhibitors and other anti-depressant drugs. Consult your health care provider for more information.

In searching the internet for studies on the effectiveness in treating depression, the general consensus that I came up with is that it is good for mild to moderate cases of depression, but from moderate to severe it may not be quite as effective.

It’s historical use goes back centuries to Greece, and the yellow from the flowers has been used in more recent history as a dye.

If you are looking for a good, carefully tested and prepared source of St. John’s Wort, please consider the following links.

St. John’s Wort Concentrate
St. John’s Wort Time Release
St. John’s Wort w/ Kudzu ~ May aid in reducing alcohol comsumption

Thank you for reading today!

All of you know that along with my love for gardening is a love for medicinal herbs, and it’s always fun to find a site that offers a natural colon cleanser with a list of herbs in the ingredients that I know and love…and better yet, know are good for you!! When you visit the site, and look at the links in the upper left, click on the ingredients link after you’ve looked at the home page a bit. There you’ll see some herbs I’ve already posted about on this blog, and some that will be posted about in the future…including alfalfa, oat bran, fennel seed, lemon peel, beet root, mint leaf, red raspberry leave, slippery elm bark and more! It’s a wonderful thing to think that by combining key parts of plants prepared in just the right way, and a few other natural goodies, you have all you need to cleanse yourself from the inside…as a Nutritionist, I know how very important this is!

I was contacted last week by someone who wanted to trade some seeds for some of my mint, and it reminded me that I’ve been having so much fun posting to the blog, that I’ve wandered a bit from one of the purposes of this site.  That is providing a place for people who have more than enough of any type of plant or seeds, and would like to make an exchange.  I would like to build the list of people interested in this, so take a look at the page “Read First - The Swap” (needs a little updating, will get to that soon!), then go take a look at what is available now on “Swap Contributors” to get an idea of how simple this is.  Hope to hear from you, email me if you have something to trade!

Many of my posts are about the medicinal benefits of herbs, but this post, I’d like to focus on a medical concern that requires more than simple natural remedies. Whether you are working outdoors in your gardens, or working on your property and home, it is important to take time to think about your heart. In the summer there is outdoor work to be done that many undertake after spending a lot of time sitting during the winter months. In the winter there is snow to shovel.

I want to introduce you to a site that will help you to understand the risk factors, and other facts about the heart. St Jude Medical has put together insidecardiacarrest.com, a site that will help you understand the risk factors and warning signs of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), and what treatments, including Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators, are available. There are two video’s, one specifically about SCA, and the other called “The Human Heart“, both with information provided by an MD in a way that anyone can understand.

Visit today so you will be prepared to care for yourself and those you love.

Last evening as I was weeding (it was much to hot in the northeast to be out during the day), and trimming back some plants that have “gone wild” I clipped back my rose bush, and noticed beautiful rose hips where my roses had been.

When I was in my early 20’s, and a regular subscriber to Mother Earth News, and Prevention Magazine, I loved to read about all things natural. Among the very first plant sources of nutrients I  learned about, besides Alfalfa, was Rose Hips.

By the way, picture credit goes to Spring Hill, Click Here To Visit Spring Hill Nursery, America’s Favorite Garden Center Since 1849

About 15 years, marriage, 2 moves, and two little children would go by before I became “hooked” on using herbal remedies for all of our ailments…and over 20 years have passed since then, and I’m still hooked

A Rose Hip is the little round fruit that appears after a rose has finished blooming and lost all of it’s petals. The size depends upon the plant…I remember vacationing in Maine and gathering wild rose hips just a bit smaller than a golf ball.

Nutritionally they are regarded highly for their Vitamin C in the form of Ascorbic Acid, and high Bioflavanoid content. Good for the immune system, and bioflavanoids strengthen the capillaries among other things.

Here is a source of Rose Hips in Capsule form

I hope you are enjoying your garden this year, preparing your own herbal remedies, or purchasing them from a high-quality source