Photo Friday - Uva Ursi

Photo Friday - where I post pictures of plants along with tidbits of herbal information. 

To start this new tradition I've chosen one of the first plants I ever personally used for medicine, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, otherwise known as simply uva ursi, kinnikinnick, and bearberry. 

 I use uva ursi specifically for urinary complaints such as bladder infections or UTIs. I usually combine it with yarrow and marshmallow and it works well both for acute conditions as well as for prevention.

I used to get UTIs frequently. Before I knew how to use herbs a UTI always meant a panicked trip to the doctor to get antibiotics which I knew would give me a yeast infection and on and on and on. If you've never had a bladder infection let me tell ya, that getting in the car/bus to go to the doctor's office when you have to pee extremely urgently is not a favorite pastime. Possibly worse is getting a UTI at 2:00am and know that you have to tough it out until morning. Cranberry juice has never worked for me. 

Luckily for me my skills as an herbalist increased and I was able to address the reason I was getting UTIs. It's been many years since I've had one. Still my love and gratitude for this plant has never waned. 

As you might imagine, learning about this little plant was really incredible for me. I was amazed that some green leaves could save me from so much agony. And then I finally found uva-ursi in person. Such an adorable plant with those beautiful bell flowers. 

We use the leaves for medicine. I harvest them towards the end of summer or beginning of fall. 

Like many plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), uva ursi thrives in acidic soils. I live amongst douglas firs and ponderosa pines and they cover the forest floor. In the spring you can find me on my belly getting glimpses of those perfectly pink flowers. 

Uva ursi is frequently planted in western Washington as an ornamental plant. I often see it in green spaces in parking lots. It's evergreen leaves are beautiful year round. 

In the summer the flowers turn into red berries. They are edible and can range from slightly sweet and astringent to very mealy and astringent. If the berries are still on the plant when I harvest the leaves then I harvest them for medicine as well. 

I harvest leaves both for making a tincture as well as for teas. 

 Uva ursi is often a part of smoking blends. 

Recently I heard of an herbalist using uva ursi for yeast infections. 

I also adore the beautiful orange red bark of uva ursi. 

Here's a couple of videos on uva ursi. The first one is an old video by me and the second is by Nome. 

Iron, Oxidation, Inflammation, and Aging

In my Ancestral Health Presentation I discussed the idea that nutritional diseases fall into two categories, excess and deficiency.

When we compare recently observed hunter-gatherers with members of modern affluent nations, we see important differences between the two groups in general nutritional status throughout life.  Hunter-gatherers have very low body fat levels incomparison to modern people, which reflects the fact that from birth they have a low fat intake relative to fat expenditure

As the rapid sales of nutritional supplements in the U.S. shows, we tend to worry a lot about deficiencies.  From an evolutionary psychology standpoint, we might have this predisposition toward thinking that our problems are due to deficiency of something because our ancestors were more likely to develop dietary deficiencies than dietary excesses.

In the ancestral environment, food was more scarce than in modern nations, and it took more energy to get that food, a situation favoring deficiency (low nutrient availability plus high nutrient expenditure).  In our modern environment, we have a high availability of nutrients and do not need to expend much to get those nutrients, a situation favoring development of excesses. 

Worldwide, iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency, occurring mainly in developing nations (low food/iron availability) and among children and menstruating women (high iron demand).

But in modern nations, a growing body of evidence suggests that excessive iron intake and retention promotes chronic degenerative diseases.

Iron and Oxidation

In human metabolism, iron play a critical role, as part of hemoglobin and myoglobin, in the promotion of mitochondrial  oxidation reactions that sustain the process of life.  The oxidation process inevitably produces peroxide and superoxide radicals.  These radicals themselves are comparatively non-toxic, and cells have evolved means of dealing with them [1].  However, when these oxide radicals react with unbound or poorly bound iron, they generate much more damaging hydroxyl radicals.

According to Chinese medical theory, we classify anything that acts like fire as relatively yang.  Fire consumes by oxidation and produces heat and light.  Oxidation fuels the normal process of transformation (growth and development, or aging); acceleration of oxidation accelerates transformation (growth, development, aging).  For example, a log left to age will gradually oxidize and turn to ashes; subjecting the log to fire just accelerates the transformation from log to ash.

Indeed, Ou et al have proposed that, on a biological level, the concepts of yang and yin correspond, in part, respectively, to oxidation (yang) and antioxidation (yin).  They found that traditional Chinese herbal medicines classified as yin tonics (used to nourish yin or promote water-like, cool, moist aspects of the body) have, on average, six times more antioxidant activity and polyphenolic contents than herbals classified traditionally as yang tonics (used to fortify yang or promote fire-like, hot, dry aspects of the body).

Since iron supports oxidation, iron deficiency reduces rates of cellular oxidation, and results in a more yin condition:  the iron-deficient person feels cold, fatigued, and weak, and suffers from pallor and cognitive impairment, a weakening of the light of the mind.  Its like the inner fire has died down.  Returning iron sufficiency restores the heat, energy, strength, color (reddish) and mental function, all signs of a fire burning more brightly.

Chinese medical theory predicts that an excess of a yang factor like iron would result in excessive 'fire' in the body, which Western medicine calls in-flamm-ation, the "flamm" simply meaning 'flame,' i.e. fire.   Exposing any tissue of the body to chronic in-flame-ation--low level fire-- results in scarring and hardening.

In "Iron behaving badly: inappropriate iron chelation as a major contributor to the aetiology of vascular and other progressive inflammatory and degenerative diseases," [2] Douglass Kell reviews an impressive body of evidence indicating

(i) that it is this combination of poorly liganded iron species, coupled to the natural production of ROSs, that is especially damaging, (ii) that the role of iron has received far less attention than has the general concept of ROSs, albeit the large literature that we review, and (iii) that this basic combination underpins a great many (and often similar) physiological changes leading to a variety of disease manifestations, and in particular those where the development of the disease is manifestly progressive and degenerative.

Kell's paper reviews evidence linking excess, unbound, or poorly bound iron to the following disorders:

Preeclamsia
Diabetes type 2, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome
Hypertension
Cardiovascular disease (heart failure, stroke, and atherosclerosis)
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative diseases
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gerhig's)
Rheumatoid arthritis
Lupus
Asthma
Inflammatory bowel disease
Psoriasis
Gout
Age-related macular degeneration
Frailty
Aging
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Cancer

I have also found studies linking elevated body iron to PCOS [3] and Multiple Sclerosis [4].

Kell notes that many natural plant food compounds act to bind iron or block iron uptake:

Even though elements of the 'Mediterranean' diet that are considered to be beneficial are usually assumed to be so on the basis of their antioxidant capabilities (but cf. [1820]), many of the polyphenolic compounds (e.g. flavones, isoflavones, stilbenes, flavanones, catechins (flavan-3-ols), chalcones, tannins and anthocyanidins) [1821-1828] so implicated may also act to chelate iron as well [1073,1829-1843]. This is reasonable given that many of these polyphenols and flavonoid compounds [1821,1844-1853] have groups such as the catechol moiety that are part of the known iron-binding elements of microbial siderophores. Examples include flavones such as quercetin [914,1813,1829,1854-1864], rutin [1829,1857,1858,1865,1866], baicalin [1860,1867], curcumin [1813,1868-1872], kolaviron [1873], flavonol [1874], floranol [1875], xanthones such as mangiferin [1876-1879], morin [1876], catechins [1073,1807,1838,1854,1880,1881] and theaflavins [1882], as well as procyanidins [1835,1883] and melatonin [1628,1884-1887].

In addition to the phenols and flavonoids, dietary tannins (tea, coffee, nuts, vegetables) phytates (seeds, nuts, grains, beans), calcium, phosphorus, dairy products, and reduce iron uptake.

On the other hand, dietary factors that increase iron availability include:

Dietary meat, poultry, and fish:  All enhance iron absorption via the MFP factor, which promotes absorption of iron from non-animal foods eaten with the animal product.  Meat, fish and poultry also provide the most bioavailable heme iron, of which the body consistently absorbs about 23 percent, up to ten times more than from non-animal sources.  Red meat generally provides the greatest level of iron as well.

Dietary acids:  Vitamin C and other dietary acids (e.g. those found in sodas) increase the availability of dietary iron.

Hunter-Gatherers and Iron

In my Ancestral Health Presentation, I argued that hunter-gatherers and modern people differ in some very important contextual aspects.  The following slide from my presentation summarizes my observations:

To summarize the table, in comparison to modern people, hunter-gatherers live in an environment with a low food availability and a high energy expense required to get that food.  This combination results in lifelong caloric restriction and low body fat levels in the hunter-gatherer.  

Hunter-gatherers also consume many unrefined plant foods and herbs that contain polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and fiber,  all of which so-called 'antinutrients' reduce iron uptake and bind iron to reduce its availability for reaction with peroxide and superoxide.  Finally, they have many other factors causing blood and iron loss, including parasites, insects, and injuries.

This environment is similar to that of our primate ancestors.  Hence, I would surmise that human metabolism is adapted to an environment with a high intake of 'antinutrients,' a low dietary iron availability and a condition of borderline iron deficiency.

In such an environment, meat, particularly red meat, with its highly available iron, may serve as a medicine.

In contrast, people in modern affluent nations inhabit an environment with a low intake of 'antinutrients' (due to emphasis on refined plant foods), a high food iron availability and comparatively few drains on body iron stores.

Even many menstruating women have less iron loss in modern nations due to use of birth control methods.

Thus, modern people have a tendency to accumulate excess iron.

Comparing Nations and Diets

In The Iron Factor of Aging, Francesco S. Facchini discusses the relationship between iron and chronic diseases at length.  After a thorough review of the evidence linking iron to inflammation, disease, and aging, he notes that when we look at modern nations, people who have diets with a lower iron availability also have lower rates of chronic inflammatory, autoimmune, and degenerative diseases.  These include the Mediterranean and Asian nations where tea, wine, cheese, legumes, vegetables, and fruits provide the 'antinutrients' reducing iron availability, and people either consume less red meat and more white meat (fish and poultry, lower in iron) or nearly vegetarian diets.

This perspective raises the possibility that fish consumption sometimes correlates with reduced risks of degenerative diseases not because it provides some essential nutrient (e.g. fish oils) but because people eating fish instead of land animal meat will have a lower intake of iron.

Also, vegetarian diets have a lower iron availability, and also associate with lower risks of chronic degenerative diseases.

The modern diet provides more iron by route of red meat and iron-enriched foods consumed in combination with highly acidic foods or beverages or vitamin C supplements. 

Context

Iron nutrition provides a good example of how context can modify the effect of a food.   The French eat more red meat than the Japanese, and they have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but not as high as in the U.S.

The Japanese eat vegetables, rice, fish, and soy products, and drink tea.  They typically eat no red meat.  Their vegetables, soy, and tea all reduce iron availability, while nothing in their typical diet is a rich source of bioavailable iron.  They live long lives with a low incidence of chronic degenerative diseases. 

The French eat meat with vegetables, fruits, dairy, and wine, all of which reduce iron availability.  In contrast, Americans eat meat with bread made from iron-enriched flour, hardly any vegetables,  and typically drink either acidic soda or low-polyphenol beer.

The typical French meal would not provide as much iron as the typical American meal.  The typical French man or woman would have less stored iron and this may explain why he or she has a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Men vs. Women

Historically, U.S. men have higher risks of cardiovascular diseases than U.S. women, until women pass menopause.  This means women have lower risk when they have monthly losses of iron through menstruation, and their risk rises when they stop losing iron.

In general, in modernized nations, women have a greater life expectancy than men.  This means women age more slowly, and this may occur because premenopausal women lose iron every month, resulting in a lower iron status, and a lower level of hydroxyl radical formation, during much of their lives.

However, the iron hypothesis predicts that women who reduce menstrual blood losses by birth control methods without compensating by reducing dietary iron availability will have an increased risk of iron-related diseases. 

Men can reduce their iron stores by regularly consuming 'antinutrients' and giving blood.

Summer hors d'oeuvres

The seasons are changing here with the air noticeably cooler and the foliage slowly turning from brilliant green to speckles of yellows and browns. 


Which reminded me to share my favorite summer appetizer before it's too late! 


I've been making some variation of this simple treat since I was a teenager. I often bring it to summer potlucks and it's a big hit. 


I'll call it, Marinated Feta Delight


But really it's just feta marinated with lemon juice, herbs and served with tomatoes. 


To make this recipe you'll need


Feta
Lemon juice
Fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, chives, oregano
Tomatoes
optional: bread or crackers for serving. 




Begin with your chunk of feta. 

Crumble it into smaller pieces. 

Add lemon juice. How much? Oh, I never measure. Enough to wet all the cheese with it, but not so much that it puddles on the bottom. Might as well throw some lemon zest in the mix if you've got it. 

Add your fresh or dried herbs. (Go fresh if possible.) How much? I never measure. 

It's best if you can let this sit overnight, but I've served it right away and it's still good. 

When you are ready to serve... Find some delicious mouth watering heirloom tomatoes. 

Slice them up. 

Then arrange the marinated feta and tomatoes on a plate. Get extra fancy and sprinkle some fresh herbs over it all. 

Serve with bread or crackers. 


Enjoy!

Potatoes and Protein

The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Science publishes the Dietary Reference intakes, which includes Estimated Average Requirements for Indispensible Amino Acids for Adults Aged 19 years or Older.

I decided to find out whether the average person could meet his or her IAA requirements eating a diet composed solely of white potatoes.  I used the USDA nutrient database to find the amino acid delivery of potatoes at 1880 kcal and 2350 kcal, approximate caloric requirements of a 120 pound woman or a 160 pound man, respectively.  I created the following table for the purpose:

Click for larger version

According to these FNB and USDA data, the average person can meet all indispensable amino acid requirements eating potatoes as his/her sole protein source.   No 'limiting amino acids' nor protein complementing required so long as caloric requirements are met.

Kon and Klein reported in 1927 on The Value of Whole Potato in Human Nutrition.  Two healthy adults obtained all of their protein and IAAs from potatoes for 167 days.  They maintained nitrogen balance.  They reported:

"The digestion was excellent throughout the experiment and both subjects felt very well. They did not tire of the uniform potato diet and there was no craving for change."

The potato provides only about 10% of calories as protein.  A mixed diet containing other plant foods providing higher proportions of protein, like green vegetables (20-40% of calories as protein), nuts (~25% of calories as protein), or legumes (~25% of calories as protein) will provide higher levels of the IAAs and total protein.

It seems that humans can obtain all of the protein they require from a food like the potato.  What does this tell us about ancestral nutrition?   

I decided to compare the IAA delivery of potatoes to that of 95% lean ground beef.  I compared the IAA delivery of amounts of beef and potatoes that provide comparable total protein, and created the following table to illustrate:

Click for larger version

Both the beef and the potato provide adequate amounts of total protein and IAAs. The much smaller portion of beef (200 g vs 2500 for the potatoes) provides larger doses of the IAAs, presumably constituting greater excesses of IAAs for the average individual.

The body will deaminate and oxidize these excesses of IAAs, increasing the amount of ammonia the liver must detoxify and sulfuric acid and urea the kidneys must excrete.

Since the beef supplies only about 14% of total energy requirements, the individual who fills in the other 86% of calories with whole foods that also provide protein will automatically consume a higher amount of IAAs than one who consumes a mix of plant foods with a far smaller amount of animal protein.

For those who have concerns about overconsuming methionine because some research suggests that reduced methionine consumption might increase longevity, I find it interesting to note that the ground beef provides about 15 times more methionine+cysteine per unit weight than the potatoes (about 9.5 mg per g cooked beef, versus 0.6 mg per g cooked potatoes).  

Let's say someone consumes the half-pound of beef (328 kcal) and gets the remainder of his required 2350 calories from potatoes (2022).  He would get 1906 + 0.86(1425) = 3132 mg of methionine+cysteine, compared to 1425 mg (less than half as much) if he ate only potatoes. 

I wonder if the body has an internal regulatory mechanism for amino acid consumption, which drives appetite to control total amino acid intake, such that if a person eats a diet rich in animal protein, the sytem drives the appetite toward attempting to fill the bulk of caloric requirements with low protein items like fat/oil, sugar, fruits, some very low protein tubers (e.g. cassava), or some refined starches?

An Herbal Treasure: Plant Healer - The Printed Book!

Ghost Ranch, home of the Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference

I recently traveled to the deserts of the Southwest to attend the Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference. Only in its second year of existence, this grassroots revival hosted by Jesse Wolf Hardin and Kiva Rose has already become an epic gathering for those interested in the plant world. 


I attended as many classes as I could, presented a class myself, danced the night away to a variety of musicians and happily basked in the presence of so many wonderful people and herbalists. 


I made a couple purchases at the conferences, doing my part to support teachers, medicine makers and other inspiring folks. 


One treasure I devoured the entire way home was the Plant Healer Annual. 

This is a printed version of the revolutionary Plant Healer Magazine which is published electronically every three months. 


This black and white book boasts over 600 pages of printed material from over 60 contemporary herbalists. The breadth of information and diversity of writers makes this a special snapshot in time of modern herbalism. 

From Kiva and Wolf's inspiring writings 
to Sean Donahue's biographies of historical monographs
to Virginia Adi's in depth monographs
to Matthew Wood's series on the cardiovascular system
to columns written for and by children (like Herbal Roots Zine author, Kristine Brown)

to 7Song's botany series
to jim mcdonald's energetics column 
to John Gallagher's grassroots marketing series 
to Paul Bergner's innovative musings 
to Robin Rose Bennett's soulful writings 

to Ananda Wilson's tree medicine
to Phyllis Light's illuminating monographs 
to Sam Thayer's foraging expeditions
to Henriette Kress' clinical perspectives 
to Loba's enchanting foods...


and on and on and on. This book will take me weeks to fully read, and a lifetime to fully absorb. 

You can purchase your own copy along with a quarterly subscription by
clicking here. 

Enjoy a piece of herbal history! 


Plant Healer: A Journal of Traditional HerbalismPlant Healer: A Journal of Traditional HerbalismPlant Healer: A Journal of Traditional HerbalismPlant Healer: A Journal of Traditional Herbalism

Bringing Nature Awareness to Rootstalk!

This year Mountain Rose Herbs is gathering herbalists in Oregon to celebrate plants, people and planet from September 22nd - 25th. This is a benefit event for Cascadia Wildlands. The class offerings are an eclectic mix of herbs, activism, homesteading skills and connection to nature. 


My husband Xavier has been asked to share his skills in living close to the earth. He'll be teaching two classes at the festival. One on the Gifts of Plants, using plants for food, shelter, clothing, tools and fire. And another on building nature awareness skills such as tracking, bird language and sense of place.


I am super excited to be able to travel down with Xavier to support him in his classes as well as attend this incredible event. 


Held outside of Salem on 300 acres of land there are lots of fun activities to do when not attending classes including canoeing, archery and hiking trails. Each night there is a plethora of different music and entertainment. 


We'll have a table at the event to sell DIY Pine Needle Basketry Kits and my own Bee Balm Honey. 


We hope to see you there! 


For more information about Rootstalk visit their website. 

Zone Out

Neil Mann belongs to the team of researchers who work with Loren Cordain and promote high intakes of lean meat on an evolutionary basis.

For example, he authored Dietary lean red meat and human evolution in which he argues that various lines of study "indicate the reliance on meat intake as a major energy source by pre-agricultural humans."

Mann and another team from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology published a new study of the efficacy of a high (30%) protein diet, in comparison to a high (55%) carbohydrate diet, for type 2 diabetes.

The effect of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a 12 month randomised controlled trial.

In this study, 99 subjects received advice to follow low-fat (30% total energy) diets; 53 of those received instructions to eat a diet supplying 30% of total energy from protein and 40% from carbohydrate (high protein arm), while  46 received instructions to eat a diet supplying 55% of total energy from carbohydrate and 15% from protein.   

The high-protein diet had the same proportions of protein, fat, and carbohydrate (30:30:40) recommended by Barry Sears in his "Zone" diet books.  Supposedly this proportion produces better blood sugar and insulin control than a high carbohydrate, lower protein diet.

The aim was to find out if eating a diet high in protein would provide superior glycemic control to a diet high in carbohydrate, so the primary endpoint was change in HbA(1c).  "Secondary endpoints included changes in weight, lipids, blood pressure, renal function and calcium loss."

The results?

"HbA(1c) decreased in both groups over time, with no significant difference between groups (mean difference of the change at 12 months; 0.04 [95% CI -0.37, 0.46]; p = 0.44). Both groups also demonstrated decreases over time in weight, serum triacylglycerol and total cholesterol, and increases in HDL-cholesterol. No differences in blood pressure, renal function or calcium loss were seen."

Mann et al concluded:

"These results suggest that there is no superior long-term metabolic benefit of a high-protein diet over a high-carbohydrate in the management of type 2 diabetes."

I don't have access to the full text, but since the team that did this study includes Neil Mann, one of the strongest proponents of the idea that humans are adapted to diets high in animal protein, who might have a bias in favor of high-protein diets, this study appears to undermine the high-protein approach to diabetes.

It doesn't appear to do the Zone Diet any favors either. 

On the other hand, it supports the already established body of literature showing efficacy of a high-carbohydrate approach to diabetes type 2.   The high-carbohydrate diet apparently produced meaningful decreases in weight, HbA(1c), triglycerides, and total cholesterol, and increases in HDL.

The decrease in trigs and elevation of HDL are particularly of interest, since very often I see claims that high carb diets raise trigs and lower HDL. 


This study provides evidence against the claim that humans are specially, evolutionarily adapted to high-protein diets and maladapted to high-carbohydrate diets, and undermines the claim that this one disease of civilization, type 2 diabetes, and its chief feature, hyperinsulinemia, arise from high-carbohydrate diets. 

Of interest, both diets had relatively low fat contents.  Since altering the ratio of protein and carbohydrate appeared to have no effect on results, this study may also suggest that reduction of dietary fat proportion plays a key role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes if the goals are reduction of body mass, HbA(1c), triglycerides, and total cholesterol, along with increases of HDL.

Fall Wellness Weekend at Skalitude: Immune Support

Nourish and Strengthen! A Wellness Retreat from November 4th at 5:00pm to November 6th at 2:00pm. 


This is a self-empowerment wellness weekend - beat the high cost of medical care by learning to take care of yourself.

Prepare for winter with a weekend of nutritious food, immune supporting herbs and nourishing yoga at the awe-inspiring Skalitude Retreat Center.

We will deepen our experience of well-being through the idea of ‘food as medicine’, preparing simple recipes and herbal teas that support and strengthen the immune system. Asana and pranayama practice deepen our ability to feel our radiant health, sauna time and silence create space to release what no longer serves us.

Restore body and mind after the busyness of summer, feed your reserves of health in preparation for the cold season!

Led by

- Becky Studen, certified yoga teacher, has studied various types of yoga including Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Pre- and Post-natal, and Power Core and Yin yoga. Yoga has reminded her to breathe deeply when parenting, love her body and to take time to simply be.

- Rosalee de la Foret, clinical herbalist, author, photographer and Structural medicine Specialist. Rosalee is the author of dozens of articles and several ebooks on herbal healing.

Participation in meal prep and clean up is part of the weekend experience.


Registration
We are joyfully offering this weekend at an exceptionally low price in order to serve those who need this retreat. Space is limited to 11 participants - register early to ensure your spot.

Registration: $195 by October 21st, $220 after. Price includes all meals, lodging, herbal preparations and class time including a healthy dose of yoga and herbal discussions. You will also have some free time to yourself as well as time in the sauna if desired.

Send check made out to Skalitude to PO Box 74, Carlton WA 98814 or contact Lindsey at skalitude@gmail.com

PLEASE help us spread the word about this event. 

Thank you!

Friday night

Schedule:

Arrival: 3:00 to 5:00 pm 

5:00 - 6:00 Making bone broth and dinner prep 

6:00 - 7:00 Grounding yoga practice 

7:00 - 8:00 Dinner 

8:00 - 9:00 Opening circle; introductions, intentions

Saturday

8:00 - 8:30 Awakening yoga practice (yin/yang) 

8:45 - 9:30 Breakfast 

9:30 - 10:30 Lunch Prep and free time 

10:30 - 12:00 Discussion: Deeply nourishing herbs and food for a strong immune system 12:30 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30 - 3:30 Free time, dinner prep 

3:30 - 5:30 Deepening yoga practice 

6:00 - 9:00 Dinner/Sauna in the order of your choice

Sunday

8:00 - 8:30 Awakening yoga practice (yin/yang) 

8:45 - 9:30 Breakfast 

9:30 - 10:00 Free time and lunch prep 

10:00 - 11:00 Discussion: Herbs and Foods for the Cold and Flu 

11:00 - 12:00 Completion yoga practice

12:30 - 1:30 Lunch 1:30 - 2:00 Closing circle

Volume Four of Plant Healer Magazine is OUT!

The revolutionary duo has done it again. 

Co-editors, Kiva and Jesse Wolf Hardin have just released the fourth volume of Plant Healer Magazine. Once again they've surpassed their own high-bar of excellence to produce another stunning issue. 

This issue is filled with 213 pages of information packed articles and gorgeous herbal artwork. 

The diverse background of herbalists that contribute to this magazine are encouraged to push their offerings to the limit to bring us insight into today's herbal world - and it shows! Articles in this magazine are experienced based and go beyond the mundane to broaden herbal horizons. 

I've cherished every issue and have been honored to see my own work amongst the pages. 

If you are not a subscriber I highly encourage you to partake in this herbal history in the making. Now is an especially great time to become a subscriber. Later this month this electronic magazine will be offered in a beautiful hardback form, but only to subscribers. 

The Plant Healer book is over 700 pages and will doubtless entertain us herbalists for many years to come. 

Learn more about Plant Healer Magazine and subscribe by clicking on the banner below. 

 

(Using this link helps to support my blog. Thanks!) 

Lovely Linden

Linden growing in a medieval garden in Tarascon, France

I recently spent a month in France to meet my husband’s family. Like most herbalists on vacation I viewed this trip as a great opportunity to see lots of different plants! We traveled all over France, staying with different friends and family, and everyone very generously took us to medieval herb gardens and other botanical sanctuaries. 

One “herb” we didn’t have to go searching for was linden trees. These incredibly beautiful and aromatic trees are EVERYWHERE in France. They line the streets of Paris, drape across the boardwalks at lakes in the alps, and shade the castles in the south. 

Walking through the villages of France I quickly learned that you can often smell the sweet scent of linden before you find them with your eyes. More than once my nose caught the perfume of linden and we were off to find the culprit. 

Linden

Tilia cordata, Tilia americana, Tilia europaea and several other species 

Also commonly called basswood and lime tree

Plant family: Malvaceae/Tiliaceae

Plant energetics: Cooling, moistening

Parts used: Mainly flowers, buds and leaves, but bark and sap is also used for food and medicine

Plant properties: Hypotensive, relaxing nervine, relaxing diaphoretic, demulcent, astringent, anti-spasmodic, mild diuretic

Lime is one of the ingredients of my own special ‘tea of happiness’ that will bring you peaceful nights, joyful awakenings and happy days, if you will take it regularly. Maurice MessegueHealth Secrets of Plants and Herbs

The above quote comes to us from the infamous French herbalist, Maurice Messegue. The linden tree may be the most popular herb in France. Its lovely tasting flowers and leaves are frequently used for teas and many lotions also include this wonderful herb. 

Linden is one of those sterling examples of a plant that has it all. It is delicious, it is gentle enough for children and the elderly, yet it has also been employed for serious acute problems. 

As an herb for the heart...

These days I most often hear people speak of Linden as a remedy for the heart, especially for hypertension. One way to understand how this works is by thinking of it as a relaxing nervine. Linden relaxes tense musculature, bringing relief and calmness. We know how it feels to walk around with our shoulders tense to our ears, jumpy and on edge. That alone can raise blood pressure! Perhaps because it is a relaxing nervine, or maybe because of more specific actions, linden is also a vasodilator, something that dilates blood vessels. This in itself can lower blood pressure. 

[Linden] also cleans the blood and makes it more fluid. This means that it is a valuable defense against arteriosclerosis, phlebitis, angina and heart attacks. Naturally one must not expect much from it after these troubles have already occurred: I am recommending the lime as a preventative, and as this you cannot start taking it soon enough. Maurice MessegueHealth Secrets of Plants and Herbs

An herb for the nervous system...

As a relaxing nervine it soothes and calms the nervous system. It can be specific for anxiety that is accompanied by tension: tense shoulders, muscle cramping, tension headaches, painful menstrual cramps, etc. Also think of it for difficulty sleeping due to excessive tension. 

Have a restless child who isn’t interested in bedtime? Take David Hoffman’s advice for a bedtime bath. 

Herbs such as Tilia and Trifolium [Red Clover] added to a bath as an infusion will have a calming effect and will prove useful before bedtime. David HoffmanMedical Herbalism

Historically it is listed for use during mild hysteria and even for epilepsy and convulsions. I don’t know of any herbalists currently using it in this way but looking at historical references can give us new resources and ideas to use herbs in ways that may have been lost to us.

Linden for dryness... 

Linden is both demulcent and astringent, making it a perfect remedy for excessive dryness. The demulcent qualities add moisture to the body, while the astringent qualities tighten and tone tissues, helping to keep moisture in. 

Think of linden for dry and irritated rashes. Besides taking it internally as a tea it can also be applied externally as a poultice or used as a bath herb. Messegue recommends it for any type of skin inflammation such as burns, boils and abscesses. 

Linden is one of my favorite summertime drinks. It is cooling and moistening, quenching thirst while tasting aromatically heavenly.

As an herb for digestion...

As an aromatic herb that is also anti-spasmodic it can be used for indigestion or even stagnant digestion. It is especially useful for those high strung, type A people with a red face, hot skin and a boisterous demeanor who have trouble digesting foods due to excitement or stress. 

As a mild astringent it can be used for diarrhea, especially diarrhea accompanied by cramping and other painful digestive symptoms. 

As an herb for cold and flus...

Another common use for linden is during colds and flus. As a relaxing nervine and vasodilator it both releases tension in the musculature and aids circulation to the skin, helping to move heat out of the body. It’s specific for a higher fever accompanied by tension and restlessness. 

It’s also used as a pectoral herb for use in catarrhal symptoms such as bronchitis, coughing, congestion, etc. Think of its soothing mucilaginous textures for sore and irritated throats. Some herbals refer to linden being used for people with asthma. 

Dr. Sharol Tilgner reports its use has been shown to shorten the duration of infectious viral conditions such as cold sores and other herpes virus outbreaks. 


Bark
In France the bark was commonly sold as a gentle laxative. 

Scientific research on linden...

Not too much modern research has been done on linden, but at Greenmedinfo.com I found studies showing it inhibits proliferation of lymphoma cell lines, that it is able to reduce pain and, when used as a relaxing nervine, it does not affect motor function. 

Edible Qualities

I’ve never eaten Linden myself but in researching for this article I ran across several references using linden as food. 

The leaves and flowers can be pounded into a flour that can then be mixed with other flours such as wheat to make baked goods. This was commonly done in Europe during WWII when food was scarce. 

The young leaves can be eaten when fresh. I’ve seen recipes that called for linden leaves as salad greens as well as sandwich toppings. The inner bark is also edible and the sap can be boiled down into a syrup. 


Herbalist Ananda Wilson tells me the green fruits can be eaten as well. 

Other uses for linden

Linden has been an important source for workable wood. It boasts a light soft wood that lends itself to carving. 

The inner bark can be used to make various fibrous tools such as baskets, ropes, mats, paper and cloth. 

Botanically speaking

In Europe they commonly use Tilia cordata. In north america we have Tilia americana. As far as I know all species of Tilia can be used interchangeably.

Linden growing on the shore of Lake Geneva

Linden grows to be a tall stately deciduous tree, up to 130 feet in height.

Various species are native to practically all northern latitudes and they are often frequently planted as ornamentals. Here is the range map for Tilia spp.

The leaves are shaped like a heart and have serrated edges. They form an alternate leaf pattern.

Linden flowers are white to yellowish and they grow in cymes or clusters. When in bloom you can smell their delicious scent from far away.

Plant Preparations

Linden makes a wonderfully refreshing tea. You can simply steep one teaspoon of the leaves and flowers in a mug for 15 minutes. Be sure to cover it while steeping. This is a pleasant and slightly mucilaginous tea.

You can also make it into a nourishing herbal infusion by steeping one ounce of the leaves and flowers in a quart of water for four hours or overnight. This will have a stronger therapeutic action than the tea. Some people prefer to only use the flowers for teas and infusions. 

Linden can be eaten; both the young leaves and flowers are great on salads. 

The flowers can be infused into honey for a tasty and soothing treat. You can see an article I wrote on linden honey here. 

For external purposes you could make a poultice or fermentation from the leaves and flowers. 

You could also infuse it into oil to use in salves or creams or even try it as a bath herb. 

Linden can also be made into a tincture. The tannin content indicates it would be a good choice for a glycerin extraction and you might even try it in vinegar. 


Where to find Linden... 
Hopefully you have a linden tree growing near you. If not check with your local herbal apothecary. 


Mountain Rose Herbs carries high quality bulk linden. By using this link you help support my blog. Thank you!