Your,Own,Herbal,Expert,Learnin health Be Your Own Herbal Expert - Pt 1

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LearningAbout Herbs Information on herbs and theiruses has been passed down to us in many ways: through stories, in books, set tomusic, and incorporated into our everyday speech. Learning about herbs is fun,fascinating, and easy to do no matter where you live or what yourcircumstances. It is an adventure that makes use of all of your senses. Reading about herbalmedicine is fascinating, and a great way to learn how others have used plants.But the real authorities are the plants themselves. They speak to us throughtheir smells, tastes, forms, and colors. Anyone who is willing to take thetime to get to know the plants around them will discover a wealth of health-promotinggreen allies. What stops us? Fear. We fear that we will use the wrong plant. Wefear poisoning ourselves. We fear the plants themselves.These fears are wise. But theyneed not keep us from using the abundant remedies of nature.  A few simple guidelines can protect you andhelp you make sense of herbal medicine. This series of short articles willoffer you easy-to-remember rules for using herbs simply and safely. When youhave completed all eight parts of this series, you will be using herbs confidentlyand successfully to keep yourself and your loved ones whole/healthy/holy.Survivalis a Matter of TasteVirtually all plants containpoisons. After all, they don't want to be eaten!  Because we have evolved eating plants, wehave the capacity to neutralize or remove (through preparation or digestion)their poisons. Not all poisons kill, and even poisons that are deadly oftenneed to be taken in quantities far larger than can easily be obtained fromfoods. (Apple seeds contain a lethal poison but it takes a quart of them tocause death.)Our senses of taste and smell areregistered in the part of the brain that maintains respiration and circulation- in other words, the survival center. Plants (but not mushrooms) advertisetheir poisons by tasting bad or smelling foul. Of the four primary kinds ofpoisons found in plants - alkaloids, glycosides, resins, and essential oils -the first two always taste bitter or cause a variety of noxious reactions onthe oral tissues, and the last two usually do, especially when removed from theplant or concentrated. Sometimes the taste of the poisonin a plant is hidden by large amounts of sweet-tasting starch. Fortunately,human saliva contains an enzyme that breaks down these carbohydrates, exposingthe nasty taste of the poison. Since even tiny amounts of some poisons can havelarge effects, for safety sake, take your time when tasting.      Safety First Because our sense of tasteprotects us against poisonous plants, it is always best to take herbs in a formthat allows one to taste them. Consuming just one plant at a time, with aslittle preparation as possible, gives us the greatest opportunity to tastepoisons and is therefore the safest way to use herbs. One herb at a time is a"simple." When we ingest a simple herb - raw, cooked as a vegetable,brewed fresh or dried in water as a tea or infusion, steeped in vinegar orhoney, dried and used as a condiment - we bring into play several million yearsof plant wisdom collected in our genes. When we ingest many plants together, orconcentrate their natural poisons by tincturing, distilling, or standardizing,we increase the possibility of harm. Powdering herbs and putting themin capsules is one of the most dangerous ways to use them, especially thosecontaining poisons. For ultimate risk, play with essential oils; theyare far removed from the plant, very concentrated, and as little as one-quarterounce can kill.SafetySecond, TooIn the next installments we willcontinue to learn how to use herbs simply and safely. We will explorenourishing and tonifying herbs, the difference between fixing disease andpromoting health, how to apply the three traditions of healing, and how to takecharge of your own health care with the six steps of healing.  ExperimentNumber OneYou will need the followingplants, all of which contain poisons that you can taste: a head of lettuce(taste the leaves and the core separately), some black or green tea (unbrewed),a fresh dandelion leaf, strong chamomile tea (steep it overnight), a can ofasparagus, some fresh mint, a spoonful of mustard seeds, and a bottle ofvanilla extract.Approach tasting a plant as youwould tasting a wine. Begin by inhaling the aroma. Release the bouquet bysqueezing the plant until your fingers are moist (or chew briefly and spit intoyour hand). Do you feel enticed, repelled, or neutral? Does your mouth water?Does your throat clench? Observe how you react to the smell. Does it sting youreyes? Irritate your nasal tissues? Do you want to taste it? We do not gulp our wine, nor do wemerely wet our tongues; for best effect, taste and smell a reasonably largepiece, but don't stuff your mouth. As you chew, move the plant material aroundin your mouth. Roll it around with your tongue. Make contact with it for a fullminute but DO NOT SWALLOW. No, no, spit it upon the ground, or into your hand,or the sink, or wherever you can, but do not swallow. SPIT IT OUT.What do you feel now? In yourstomach? Your throat? Your head and nose? What is your gut feeling? What sensations accompany the taste of thisplant? It is best to wait until theprevious taste is completely gone before going on to the next plant. If you aredoing advanced work with wild plants, wait at least a day before you use orconsume the plant in case you have a delayed reaction to some component. ExperimentNumber TwoTaste as in experiment one, butuse these inedible (poisonous) parts of common foods: lemon inner rind, appleseeds, rhubarb leaves, lettuce root, the inner soft pit of a peach.Experiment Number ThreeTaste as in experiment one, thesepoisonous plants (fresh or dried): wormwood leaf, goldenseal root, yellow dockroot, Echinacea root, eucalyptus leaf, motherwort leaf.ExperimentNumber FourAromatic plants are rich in essentialoils. We often use them to season and preserve food. In small quantity, theseoils are not harmful, but concentrated, they threaten the liver, kidneys, andlife itself. Smell and taste, as in experiment one, as many aromatic plants asyou can: thyme, rosemary, oregano, lavender, sage, orange peel, cloves, cinnamon,nutmeg. Brew strong teas (steep overnight) of these plants and taste.  Can you see, smell, or taste more essentialoils? Smell or taste one drop of the extracted essential oil of any of theseplants.Furtherstudy1.       What is an alkaloid? Medicinal plants often containgroups of alkaloids. Name seven plants rich in alkaloids (specify the part);then name at least three of the alkaloids in each plant.2.      What are glycosides? Name at least four glycosidesand describe the effect each has.  Nameseven plants rich in glycosides; specify the part of the plant and the kind ofglycoside.3.       What are resins? Name four or more plants (specifypart) rich in resins.4.       What are essential oils? Name a dozen or more plantsrich in essential oils (specify part).5.   What is the difference between a poison and amedicine? Are all drugs poisons?AdvancedworkGive thebotanical name (genus and species) for each plant you named in the furtherstudy section.Taste avariety of plants that grow around you. Warning: It is possible toexperience uncomfortable or harmful effects from this experiment. A book onpoisonous plants can reassure you that the plants you taste will not kill you.It is best not to put plants such as poison ivy or poison oak in your mouth.DO NOT TASTE HOUSEPLANTS.  Susun WeedPO Box 64Woodstock, NY 12498Fax:  1-845-246-8081