Herbal Blog is the blog of an organic herb grower who loves to cook with fresh herbs
Medicinal and Culinary Herbs
Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual usage. A medicinal herb may be a shrub or other woody plant, whereas a culinary herb is a non-woody plant, typically using the leaves. Any of the parts of the plant, as well as any edible fruits or vegetables, might be considered "herbs" in medicinal or spiritual use.
Oregano Oil - Immunes your body from infections
Oregano is an essential oil that is used as spice in Greek and Italian dishes. It has several medicinal uses that make it popular among patients and doctors. Its antiseptic properties help to cure bacterial and viral infections.
Oregano Paprika Chicken with Dry Vermouth
Oregano is a versatile dried herb and is a popular ingredient in many poultry and vegetable dishes. Combining dry vermouth with oregano for use in chicken recipe dishes results in a great and uniquely flavored dish.
Practitioners of holistic medicine are often called Herbalists - they employ herbal remedies to help their clients. They believe that everyone has an inner vital force that is constantly working to maintain physical, emotional, and mental health.
Herbalists believe that disease comes when a person’s inner force or natural immune system become out of balance. Then they prescribe an herbal remedy that are found in nature to bring back the inner balance of a person’s systems.
I have to admit that when I saw a leafy plant labeled Sorrel at the local nursery I had no idea what it was. So when I got home I went straight to wikipedia:
Common Sorrel or Garden Sorrel is also known as Spinach Dock or Narrow-leaved Dock. It is a perennial herb that is not related to Jamaican sorrel (roselle). Sorrel is a slender plant about 60 cm high, with roots that run deep into the ground, as well as juicy stems and edible, oblong leaves. The lower leaves are 7 to 15 cm in length, slightly arrow-shaped at the base, with very long petioles. The upper ones are sessile, and frequently become crimson. The leaves are eaten by the larvae of several species of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) including the Blood-vein moth.
It has whorled spikes of reddish-green flowers, which bloom in summer, becoming purplish. The stamens and pistils are on different plants (dioecious); the ripe seeds are brown and shining.
Trini Gourmet has a good looking drink recipe made with sorrel and Botanical.com has much more in depth info if you are interested.
I have planted some sorrel and I’ll be back in a few months to post some of my thoughts on it when it matures.
Yolanda Vanveen gives us a great overview of growing thyme.
Thyme is an herb that is great for growing on the edges of flowerbeds, and requires a lot of sun and good drainage. Grow thyme on the borders of flowerbeds with tips from an experienced gardener in this free video on gardening and growing herbs.
Growing herbs: A taste for your own medicine
Growing your own herbs is enjoying a slow but sure revival, alongside the massive new interest in home-produced fruit and vegetables.
Herb, Plant Festival Draws Large Crowd
I’m thinking more people, this year, are thinking about growing their own vegetables,” Davis said. “With the economy, I think a lot of people are budget conscious.
On Mother’s Day Give Culinary Bay Laurus Nobilis
Leaves of the bay laurel evergreen tree, Laurus nobilis, were made into wreaths by ancient Greeks and Romans to honor and glorify heroes and scholars
I love the smell of rosemary and I appreciate that is is one of the easiest herbs to grow.
wikipedia says:
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs. The name rosemary has nothing to do with the rose or the name Mary, but derives from the Latin name rosmarinus, which literally means “dew of the sea”, though some think this too may be derived from an earlier name.
Rosemary has a very old reputation for improving memory, and has been used as a symbol for remembrance (during weddings, war commemorations and funerals) in Europe. Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” One modern study lends some credence to this reputation. When the smell of rosemary was pumped into cubicles where people were working, those people showed improved memory, though with slower recall.
The results of a study suggest that carnosic acid, found in rosemary, may shield the brain from free radicals, lowering the risk of strokes and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s.
Herbal remedies are definitely a great way to treat any minor or common ailments that your family members may have. Just imagine the ease and convenience if you know how and what to do about treating open cuts, runny noses, fever, insect bites and back pain and best yet, in a natural way.
You can, instead of reaching for your drug medication cabinet ever so often, be making your own herbal remedies that come right out of your kitchen or from your garden.
Here are a couple of basic herbal home recipes that you can try:
Phillips set out to create an effective range of high-quality aromatherapy products for a design-conscious generation and launched the brand in 2004. ‘I still think a lot of aromatherapy products smell like a farmyard,’ she says. ‘They don’t smell sexy. You want something to work, but you still want it to be sensual.’
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative healing that makes use of volatile plant oils, referred to as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds obtained from plants for the overall physical and psychological well-being of a person.
AromatherapyPoint was developed to offer the public a free crash course on aromatherapy. Key, a Greek Isles native, has explored the many uses and benefits of the practice. AromatherapyPoint.com provides readers a balanced look at aromatherapy and aromatherapy benefits.
Back Porch Soap Co. is offering a class called All About Aromatherapy — Saturday, Sept. 13, 9 a.m. to noon. Learn about the art of aromatherapy. Students will participate in bringing essential oils into everyday life from lifting moods to making their own blends. Class will cover quality of oils, safety guidelines, recipes, use in home cleaning and therapeutic benefits. Each student will create blends in four products to take home. Relevant pics from Flickr
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 11 — ScentToSleep.com, which specializes in the production and distribution of premium aromatic essential oil sleep mist, appears on the magazine cover “Aromatherapy
secrets that end insomnia!”
The article “Wish you could sleep like a baby?” was researched by Nancy Minikes. The feature highlights the increasing frustration men and women face with being tired and wishing they could sleep through the night.
ScentToSleep.com is filling a niche in the sleep industry. Worldwide, many adults are experiencing a sleeping problem one or more nights a week. Nationwide, an estimated 50 to 70 million people suffer from sleep loss and insomnia. Sleep mist is an alternative to prescription drugs. Lavender essential oils produce a calming effect, so that you wake up refreshed and energized.
Learn all about herbal remedies and menopause in this free video from a series covering signs and symptoms of menopause, natural remedies, therapies, and more!
I have to admit that when I saw a leafy plant labeled Sorrel at the local nursery I had no idea what it was. So when I got home I went straight to wikipedia:
I love the smell of rosemary and I appreciate that is is one of the easiest herbs to grow.
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 11 — 