Sage Salvia officinalis

Cur moisture homo cui Salvia crescit in horto? “ Why should a man die whilst Sage grows in his garden?”

The Arabs, along with everyone from the Chinese to the Gypsies all believed that sage was the key to a long life. This is the same sage that in most modern households gathers dust for most of the year, only to be brought out in the fall to season the Thanksgiving dinner, usually used with too heavy a hand, explaining its unpopularity with cooks during the rest of the year. Sage is one those extraordinary, ordinary herbs whose longstanding and familiar use leads us to greatly underestimate it. The uses of sage outside of the kitchen range from the mundane to the mystical, from a cure for the common cold to the psychoactive effects of Salvia divinorum and Salvia apiana in ceremonial and religious celebrations.

The tradition of using sage in the culinary arts of Thanksgiving began with the early American colonists,⁷ Sage is an excellent digestive herb when used for seasoning on meals of rich meats and fowl. The colonists also considered sage a valuable remedy for colds and fevers in the harsh New England winters. There is something very grounding and relaxing about a hot cup of sage tea with lemon, sipped slowly while the winter holds court outside your warm home. The cold and sniffles seem to melt away in the fragrant steam. Sage has excellent antibacterial and astringent properties, which explains it popular use in gargles for sore throats, gingivitis and sore gums. A strong sage tea or tincture diluted with water can be used. ^{(Grieve, Maud)}

Sage is an excellent natural disinfectant and deodorizer, drying perspiration and helping to eliminate body odor. Extracts of sage are used in personal skin care for its capacity to heal the skin as well. ^{(White, Linda B. M.D)}

Sage is a well regarded herb for women and can be especially helpful for relieving the hot flashes of menopause, and slowing heavy menstrual bleeding. ^{(Gladstar, Rosemary)} Sage is also a good herbal tea for drying up breast milk for weaning. ^{Fernie, W.T. M.D} Chinese medicine uses red sage, Salvia miltiorrhiza, combined with dan-gui (dong quai), to regulate menstrual flow. ^{(Foster, Steven and Yue chongxi)}

Using sage to darken greying hair comes down to us from the gypsies, and I can personally attest to the fact that it works. What I like about it is the subtle effect, just a gradual darkening that doesn't leave you with ugly gray roots. Sage also leaves the hair feeling soft and shiny, and the scalp invigorated. Sage does not stop at making you look younger, it can also help prevent those "senior moments" as well. Both clinical studies and traditional wisdom agree that sage (Salvia officinalis) or Spanish sage (S. lavandulifolia) has positive effects on memory and concentration in both older people with cognitive problems and younger people with ADD. ¹