Cilantro

Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum,  is a green parsley like herb that is used frequently in Mexican, Latin American, Mediterranean and Asian cooking. It is also called Chinese parsley and Coriander. Coriander is mentioned in the Bible and is an herb used by ancient peoples. Beginning cooks often mistake coriander for flat leaf parsley. Cilantro works well as an accent to spicy foods.

Cilantro has many constituents that have preventive and health promoting  properties. In some ways it is similar to dill because both the leaves and seeds are used. Coriander has dark green leaves and stems that are slightly citrus in flavor.

Cilantro is low in calories and possesses antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins and fiber. The vitamins include Vitamins B, C, A and K. Cilantro has minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron and magnesium.

Medicinal uses include antiseptic and carminative properties. Cilantro has phytochemicals like quercitin, and essential oils.These substances are traditionally used as analgesic, aphrodisiac, anti-spasmodic, deodorant, digestive, and stomachic remedies.

Cilantro is known for being a toxic metal cleanser. Chemical compounds in cilantro bind to toxic metals and escort them out of the body. Cilantro has been shown to improve sleep, cleanse fungal conditions, and have anti-anxiety properties.

Personally I love the smell of cilantro and use it in my Mexican food recipes.  Here is a recipe you may enjoy.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Clove garlic
3/4 t minced ginger root
1/4 c lime juice
1/3 c honey
2 t balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
1/4 c cilantro leaves
1/2 c olive oil

Place jalapeno pepper, garlic and ginger in a blender and blend until jalapeno and garlic are finely chopped. Add lime juice, honey, vinegar and salt. Turn on the blender and drizzle olive oil into dressing. Season to taste with salt. Serve over your favorite salad.

References
http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/cilantro/index.html
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cilantro.html
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-benefits-of-cilantro/
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/167260/cilantro-lime-dressing/

Be sure to check out my website at www.valerielull.com  My new book entitled "The Sweet Side of the Stinking Rose; How to use garlic to stay healthier and live longer" will hopefully be out in  June.

Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Healthy Teas
valerielull923@gmail.com

Herbs for Bruises

I remember as a child that I would often fall and have bruises and sometimes sprains. My mother had some remedies for them and as my interest in herbs grew I learned of several ways to treat unsightly black and blue bruises. Nature has solutions for our ailments and here are a few remedies for bruising .

.Arnica, Arnica Montana, also known as mountain daisy is helpful for bruises. It has pain relieving properties and is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Be sure not to take it internally it can cause stomach pain and vomiting. Arnica is available as a gel and as a cream.

Potato can be used for bruises. It is an old folk remedy and you use a raw potato. It can be grated and applied to the bruised area as a poultice. Potatoes are cheap and readily available.

St. John's wort, hypericum perforatum, is used for many things besides depression.There is a remedy where you steep steep 2 teaspoons of dried herb in vegetable oil for a few days. This oil can be applied on bruises.

Witch-Hazel, hamamelis,  is an astringent and is a popular remedy. I remember my mother and grandmother using this for bruises. You can get it at any pharmacy and it is inexpensive.


 Sources:
Duke, James A. The Green Pharmacy, Rodale, 1997
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-721-arnica.aspx?activeingredientid=721&activeingredientname=arnica
http://www.drugs.com/npc/arnica.html
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-227-witch%20hazel.aspx?activeingredientid=227&activeingredientname=witch%20hazel

Be sure to check out my new website at www.valerielull.com

Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Healthy Teas
valerielull923@gmail.com

Cherries - A Great Summer Treat

Cherries are a seasonal fruit that I love. One cup has only 90 calories and they make a wonderful snack. When I think of cherries I think of cherry pie, cherry turnovers, and cherry tarts. In the area of health herries have been traditionally used to relieve gout. Even today some folks continue to use it for gout and arthritis. Cherries are good for many more things.

Below is a list of the many ways cherries enhance health.

• They are great antioxidants
• They are anti-inflammatory
• Helps lower risk of heart disease
• Helps lower blood sugar levels
• Helps lower risk of colon cancer
• Helps improve memory
• May play a role in cancer prevention

Cherries are packed with nutrition. They have dark pigments which are flavonoids that have powerful antioxidant properties. The anthocyanins in them are anti-inflammatory and responsible for the effects against gout, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. They contain minerals like zinc, iron, potassium, copper and manganese.Cherries have antioxidants like lutein, zea-xanthin and beta carotene. These are good for your eyes and protect against harmful free radicals. They contain vitamins A,C,E and K and several B vitamins.
There is a variety of cherries from the West Indies called Acerola cherries that are very high in vitamin C and vitamin A.


When you buy cherries keep them cool in your refrigerator so they  be handy for a snack.. The flavor and texture change when they are exposed to a higher temperature. Here is a recipe for a cool summer drink..


Cherry Lemonade

12 oz. cherry juice (you can also use pitted cherries)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Sweetener of choice (add however much you like, I use stevia)
4 cups club soda or seltzer water

Run the cherries, lemon juice and sweetener through the blender until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator. Serve over ice with club soda or seltzer water.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/cherry-fruit-month
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cherry-fruit.html

http://www.medicaldaily.com/cherry-health-benefits-6-reasons-why-you=should-eat-more-cherries246713

Be sure to check out my new web site. The address is www.valerielull.com Have a great day!

Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Healthy Teas
valerielull923@gmail.com

Interview With an Herbalist

Genevive Johnson is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and uses herbs extensively in her practice. Here is the link to her website www.pdxfamilyacupuncture.com

1. How did you get interested in herbal medicine?
I first became interested in Herbal Medicine in high school from Penelope Ody in her book The Complete Medicinal Herbal. I went to my first apothecary when I was 18, in Boston. I bought a sampler of essential oils and learned some of the basics; like lavender treating headaches and peppermint oil treating stomach upset. I have always loved using herbs for cooking and perfuming agents so I really loved using aromatherapy because of the amazing smells and such potent medicine coming from plants. I also grew up having herbal teas, which was one way my interest in herbalism really peaked by consuming tasty beverages and then later in life by growing and loving the beauty of fresh herbs.

2. How long have you been using herbal medicine?
I have been using herbal medicine consistently since I was 18. That is when I became a vegan and an avid ingredient reader. I used to have a book called Cosmetic Ingredients A-Z that really prompted my interest in using natural remedies instead of synthetic ones. I didn't want to participate in using any products or medicines that had been tested on animals so the logical solution was using herbs and plant medicines. My interest was further sparked when I was finishing my undergraduate studies at Bastyr University,l the largest Naturopathic University in the US. I was exposed to many holistic ways of healing there, including treatments for my allergies and asthma. I had acupuncture, herbs and diet therapy and with those three things my allergies and asthma disappeared. My experience with acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is what inspired me to become a practitioner of Chinese Medicine.

3. How do your clients feel about using herbs? Do they find them helpful?
Most of my clients are very excited to try a natural herbal remedy and actually prefer them to having to take another prescription medication or pill. They find them extremely helpful and effective for many things ranging from allergies to hormone balance to pain relief and energy support.

4. Do you use herbs yourself? Give an example.
I use herbs all the time, from cooking to making tea to tropical essential oils and taking them internally for constitutional support. One of my favorite Traditional Chinese Formulas is Xiao Yao Wan or Free and Easy Wanderer. This is a great formula for helping with stress reduction, digestive support , and increasing energy.

5. What are some of your favorite herbs?
One of my favorite herbs is mint, spearmint or peppermint. There is nothing like the taste of fresh mint in a fruit salad or in a tea. I also love lemon balm because of its supportive properties of the nervous system and how it pops up everywhere in the garden and how delicious it makes a green smoothie.

6. Do you use Western Herbal Medicine or the Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs or both?  If both, how do you integrate them?
I use mostly Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulas, but also use Western Herbal Medicine. Since I am a practitioner of Chinese Medicine most of how I assess someones constitution is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM methodologies. I use pulse and tongue diagnosis and look for patterns of disharmony in the body and approach treating someone based on these principles. For example is someone has a yin xu constitution, meaning they are lacking some of the cooling or yin elements in the body I would prescribe herbs to help nourish the yin to create balance. Yin supporting herbs would build moisture and body fluids. These may be a TCM formula or these may be western herbs that are also supportive in this way. I also like to use Western  Herbalism to suggest single herbal teas or herbs to add to food that someone might be more familiar with, rather than a TCM formula. It is easy to integrate them because we can look at herbal properties from a TCM perspective and many TCM herbs are used in Western Herbalism as well.

7. Do you use herbal teas in your practice?
I love herbal teas so I do use them in my practice. My favorite way to take a plant medicine is in tincture form, which are herbs or formulas that are highly concentrated in alcohol. I always suggest to make a tea out of the tincture for two reasons 1) to evaporate the alcohol, 2) because many of the actions or properties of the herbs are governed by their taste, so it is important to taste the flavors of the herbs.

8. Do you use herbal teas in your practice?
I do use herbal teas consistently and love many blends of different herbs. One of my favorite blends is lavender and schisandra berry. They are both calming, adaptogenic herbs and I love their flavor together. Schisandra berry or wu wei zi translated as "five flavor seed" is great because of its complex taste that is said to have all five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. Another one of my favorites is roasted dandelion root tea. I love the detox and liver supportive actions of dandelion and the taste reminds me of an herbal coffee...very satisfying.

9.Do you grow your own herbs?
I love gardening and grow many of my own herbs, mostly for culinary purposes. I have lots of the regular garden favorites like lavender, chamomile, sage, thyme, oregano, mint, parsley, rosemary and then recently started growing some Traditional Chinese Herbs like astragalus, angelica dong qui, codonopsis, and goji berries.

10. What form of herbal preparation(s) do you prefer?
Tinctures are my favorite because they are so convenient, highly concentrated and extremely fast acting.

11. I notice a lot of acupuncturists use herbs. Is it part of your training in acupuncture?
I am a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has five main branches. These branches are acupuncture, herbs, nutrition therapy, qui exercise like meditation, and massage therapy. I was trained extensively in all these branches of Chinese Medicine. Since I love herbs I decided to take the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine board exam in Herbology, which is optional in the state of Oregon. I am licensed as a Diplomat of Oriental Medicine since I am certified in Herbology as well.

 For more information on herbal teas check out my book Ten Healthy Teas. It is available from Amazon. Here is the link http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Healthy-Teas-Valerie-Lull/dp/1432784935/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1431261798&sr=1-2&keywords=Ten+Healthy+Teas


Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Healthy Teas
valerielull923@gmail.com

Herb Safety

People have been using herbal preparations ever since the dawn of history. Herbal medicine is the oldest form of medicine around and has been used for millennium's. It appears to have passed the test of time because 80% of the world's population still use herbs as their main source of medicinals.

Safety Issues

Just like pharmaceuticals and prescription drugs, herbs can also have side effects. However, they have a far better safety record. When herbal medicines are properly researched and the directions are followed faithfully, the herbs are a much safer option and seem to agree better with the body. 

There are some basic precautions that should be taken when using herbs. Unless you are a trained herbalist or naturopath, seek the advice of a professional that is knowledgeable about  herbs. Follow the instructions you are given. Be extra careful if you are pregnant as most herbs have not been studied in regards to pregnant and nursing moms. There are a few herbs that can be taken by pregnant and nursing women, but in the best interest of the baby to be born always consult a professional. 

There are a few herbs that are definitely poisons, like belladonna and hemlock. If you are picking your herbs out in the wild, be awfully sure you know what you are harvesting, perhaps take an expert along with you. Many plants look alike and it is easy to mistake the herb for a good one when it is not. I seldom wild craft my herbs, I get mine from reputable dealers who know their stuff. 

Here is the link to a website that is an excellent source of information about herbal safety. Go to   http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-supplements/herbal-information .There are a number of books on the market about herbs that are quite easy for the layperson to read. I like James Duke's book The Green Pharmacy. It is up to date, comprehensive and easy to understand. Many of the remedies are readily available in your kitchen, or garden.

Both my book Ten Healthy Teas and Dr. Duke's book The Green Pharmacy are available at www.amazon.com   Check out my website at www.valerielull.com  My book Ten Healthy Teas makes a great gift item for the holidays. Use all the herbs and spices that go along with the holiday season, and use them safely. Your comments and questions are welcome. 

Valerie Lull

Author

Ten Healthy Teas

Lullval@clearwire.net

Using Herbs Safely

The British herbalists have a slogan that goes "herbal medicine is good medicine". Herbs are not exactly like drugs, they are more dilute and usually milder than medicines. For the most part herbs are a safe way to go , but you do have to follow a few guidelines.Here are a few tips:

1. If you harvest your herbs in the wild you need to be absolutely positive you have the right plant. Many plants look alike and you definitely don't want to consume hemlock, belladonna, or aconite. Consuming these herbs is fatal. If you're not sure what a plant is don't harvest and use it.

2.Always take the recommended dosage. If you don't get enough your herbs will not work well, and if you get too much you could have some undesirable side effects.

3. If you are not harvesting your herbs in the wild, be sure you get your herbs from a reliable source.

4. If you are not sure about which herb to use consult with a naturopath, herbalist or someone who really knows their stuff.

5. Make sure your health care provider knows you are taking herbal remedies and which ones you are taking. If your provider is not open to the use of herbs, you may need to find another provider.

6. In some situations it is better not to take herbs, but go straight to a doctor. For example, if you are in acute or chronic pain, if a remedy does not work, or if it stops working when you stop taking it.

7. Many herbs and drugs do not mix well. For example, if you are on an anti-depressant and you take St. Johns Wort too you  may get too much. Always consult your health care provider about your medications and their compatibility with herbal remedies.

Herbal medicine is the oldest branch of medicine known to man. The Chinese were using herbs in 3000 BCE. They are generally safe as long as  you follow the guidelines. Here is a website you can go to for more information.

http://www.herb-health-guide.com/herb-safety-guidelines.html 

Check out my web site at www.valerielull.com  to learn more about herbal teas.

Valerie Lull, Author
Ten Healthy Teas
Lullval@clearwire.net