The last harvest of 2015

As days get shorter and nights get colder, I start to inventory all the lovely herbs I have collected since spring. Then I wander the land to see if there is anything else that can be harvested while still capturing their magical medicinal powers. Next, I check the weather forecast to see if a hard frost is coming. Roots are best to harvest after a hard frost, but not so much for blossoms.

Recently, a hard frost was forecast so I decided it was time to harvest some more Red Clover (Trifolium pretense) blossoms. Since, Red Clover blooms from early summer to early fall, and I already harvested the early blossoms, it was the perfect time to collect some more just to make sure I had enough until next spring. Luckily for me, we are surrounded by farmers that use it as a cover crop. Better yet, they don’t spray and welcome me to harvest as much as I would like. The benefits to farmers using Red Clover as a cover crop are numerous: it fixes nitrogen (N) to meet needs of the following crop; it protects soil from erosion, improves soil tilth (soil’s general suitability to support plant growth), out competes weeds, and provides an abundant supply of blossoms for foragers (wild critters and me). As a bonus, there is little management required and it attracts more beneficial insects than white clover. Sounds like an ideal cover crop to me.

red clover basketI like to have an ample supply of dried Red Clover blossoms in my apothecary all year long.  It is an excellent and tasty herb to add to all my teas. For starters, as Richo Cech notes, “it helps the body efficiently remove metabolic waste products and prohibits the attachment and metastasis of abnormal cells…one of the best single supplements for the prevention and treatment of cancer.”  The National Cancer Institute found anti-tumor properties in Red Clover. For thousands of years, Burdock (Arctium lappa) has been paired with Red Clover creating a dynamic duo known to slow or eradicate tumors.  Perhaps this is why Red Clover has been called “God-given” and a “prized-herb.”

In addition, Red Clover is nourishing, high in antioxidants, vitamin and mineral rich, especially vitamin E.  It is rich in phytosterols, which lowers LDL cholesterol and may prevent Alzheimer’s disease.  It is an unmatched tonic for menopausal women, because it nourishes hormones, helps with hot flashes/flushes, PMS, and breast health while lowering cholesterol, and improving circulation of the blood, it helps prevent osteoporosis, reduces the possibility of blood clots and arterial plaques. It has 10 times more phytoestrogens (chemicals found in plants that can act like the hormone estrogen) than soy.

It’s antispasmodic and expectorant properties are great for coughs. When Red Clover infusions are drunk liberally, it relieves congestion and soothes dry, irritable coughs such as those from whooping cough and tuberculosis.

An infusion can also be used externally (as well as internally) to nourish the skin, eliminating eczema and psoriasis.

Although, there are many reasons to add Red Clover to teas and infusions, it is important to note that it also can thin blood so it is a poor choice during pregnancy and for those on blood thinners. Regular use of this plant should be stopped before surgery. Of course, with cancer there are no silver bullets. There are so many different types of cancers that Red Clover simply cannot reduce them all. Memorial Sloan Kettering found that Red clover extract could stimulate the production of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells (remember it is high in phytoestrogens); therefore, it may not be helpful for women with estrogen-sensitive cancers. They also found it stopped the growth of normal prostate cells and increased resistance of prostate cancer cells to high-dose radiation in lab experiments. Therefore, patients should avoid the use of red clover during radiotherapy for prostate cancer, or if you have estrogen receptor-positive cancers.

After a glorious day of collecting Red Clover blossoms, I believe I have an ample supply to get us to spring next year and to share.red clover drying

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Vitex ~ when your pituitary needs rebooting

Recently, I learned the hard way how well my herbal remedies worked ~ I ran out during a trip. I take some remedies to support my body and others to help ameliorate symptoms. Ever so often, I titrate down the dosage to see if I actually need as much as I am taking; less is always best in my book. However, I don’t usually stop any of the tried and true ones. When packing for a recent trip to Florida, I didn’t refill my tincture bottles; I thought I had enough for the ten day trip. I did have enough but when the trip ended up being extended for almost a month, I ran out. When I noticed my supplies getting low, I started to take half doses or even less. Unfortunately, I noticed some symptoms coming back and it became obvious that my body really needed more to ameliorate the symptoms. From a “scientific” point of view, this was great news. The tinctures were working very well. Although, it did make me rather uncomfortable until I returned home.

The most obvious absence was noticed from Chaste Berry (Vitex agnus-castus). I had been impressed with it for over a year, but forgot how uncomfortable I was before it became part of my daily routine. It’s one of those herbs that are known both by its Latin and colloquial names ~ Vitex or Chaste berry. It has a long history of use and was even mentioned in Homer’s the “Iliad” as a symbol of chastity, capable of warding off evil. The name “chaste” was referred to by the monks in the Middle Ages who used Chaste Berry to decrease sexual desire. Not sure it actually works that way on men, but it is known to increase the female libido.

Vitex is a reproductive herb. It acts on the brain’s pituitary gland, which controls and regulates all the other glands in the body along with regulating and normalizing hormone production by releasing follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). This, in turn, signals the ovaries to produce more of the hormone progesterone. Vitex stimulates the pituitary gland and helps restores balance. Think of it as “rebooting the pituitary gland” and bringing balance and harmony back to the body. As a result, Vitex normalizes hormonal imbalances, such as those that can occur during menopause, premenstrual syndrome, or menstruation; it also helps dissolve fibroids and cysts.

I was experiencing a boatload of menopausal symptoms and found that combining Vitex, Motherwort, and Lady’s Mantle ameliorated almost all them. I use Vitex primarily for adenomyosis, which is uterine thickening that occurs when endometrial tissue that normally lines the uterus moves into the outer muscular walls of the uterus. It is similar to endometriosis, but the tissues develop beyond the uterus. Before I found Vitex, this disease was very painful and woke me up most morning with a heavy pressure on my lower abdomen; it felt like someone was standing on me. It also caused flooding and severe cramps during menses. The gynecologist gave me three options ~ take painkillers or inserting a hormone releasing vaginal ring or hysterectomy. She also mentioned that most symptoms dissipated after menopause. I decided to investigate what herbs were out there that could support my body during this time. I had heard and read about Vitex but there was no mention of ademomysis except it’s abilities to “reboot the pituitary” which relieved the pain of endometriosis along with dissolving fibroids and cysts; it just made sense to try it. Vitex tends to be slow acting; it usually takes three cycles to start working.  Lucky me, I started to feel relief within 3 weeks. All of sudden there was a sense of calm within me during the day and the painful morning started to become a memory (until I ran out).

I’m back in FL again to support my family through a difficult period. This time all my tinctures are full. I do not need to learn this lesson again, especially during challenging times.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition.