Annies Remedy - Herbs for Self Healing
Annies Remedy A-Z Medicinal Herb Chart contains information on hundreds of traditional medicinal herbs and plants, yet it is still only a tiny fraction of the natural plants used for healing worldwide. The focus is for the most part on Western herbs though there is a sampling on the most popular herbs from the herbal traditions of China and Ayurveda as well as other cultures. The herb profiles include photographs, descriptions, medicinal uses, folklore, and references from the leading herbalists of today and ancient times. You can browse alphabetically by common names, to find information on a popular herb like ginger, or find it listed by its botanical name, Zingiber officinale.
Herbs are also grouped by their properties and actions. For example you will find herbs that are Adaptogens used in many herbal formulas for building the immune system and increasing the body's resistance to stress and adversity . Anti-inflammatory herbs help to calm flare ups in the digestive system as well as providing alternative remedies for arthritis. Antibacterial herbs help the body ward off cold germs and other infections of the airways while expectorants help to calm coughs.
The practical and common uses of herbs, as well as recipes and
instructions on how to use them can be found in the
herbal remedies section. The wise woman's knowledge of plants is of a practical nature, based on skill, observation, and recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. She was the family doctor, herbalist, candle maker, chef, and seamstress all rolled into one. This collection of herbal remedies grew out of a personal quest for self healing with herbal based alternative medicine. I hope you will find something here that helps you also, whatever your interest in natural, alternative medicine may be. Two of of the most popular uses for herbs according to our website visitors
are:
Natural strategies for healthy weight loss , and finding new ways to preserve and
improve our ability to focus and combat memory loss .
One of the most amazing things you will learn as you start to bring herbs and
plants into use your daily life is how versatile they can be. We hope to provide
you a good starting place in your search for health and well being.
American Herbal Thanksgiving
Cornucopia
The celebration of Thanksgiving is a celebration of the early American colonists survival in a new and dangerous land. Each year we celebrate not only their triumphs, but also give thanks for our own. They brought precious seeds and cuttings of herbs and medicinal plants with them on the perilous sea voyage and many European plants were naturalized in the colonies. Early American settlers learned the uses of local plants and herbs from Native Americans and this combined herbal lore carried them through those first dark years and formed the basis of uniquely American herbal traditions. The colonial garden provided food for the larder, dyes to brighten for homespun clothes, savory herbs for the pot, and medicinal plants that served in good stead in a time where doctors were scarce and pharmacies non-existent. The garden also provided a bright solace for the soul in an otherwise hard existence, and flowers and herbs were grown not just for utility, but for their beauty as well.
As the leaves turn and mornings begin with frost we celebrate the harvest with feasting and family. Savory herbs such as parsley , sage, rosemary and thyme are the culinary stars of the Thanksgiving celebration. The recent Halloween jack-o-lantern pumpkin now provides the makings of creamy pies and custards. The kitchen is redolent with the heady aroma of spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove studded oranges. Walnuts and hazelnuts, rich in fats, minerals, and vitamins, still claim a high place in the holiday tradition even though modern life has dulled the memory of how they helped our ancestors survive the deprivations of winter.
Thanksgiving is as much about feeding the soul as the body. Enjoy.
Looking for something you can read offline? Join our mailing list and get a free copy of Methods for Using Herbs. This free handbook includes instructions on how to make basic herbal preparations at home. It covers making herbal teas, herb infused oils and balms, tinctures, and more.