Herbal remedies you take and don’t realize it.
Plants have been around for long time, obviously. Humans not as long, thankfully. Plants as I have mentioned previously, have the ability to pass on their wonderfulness to humans, to heal. Plants have been used for medical purposes since forever, so much so that the original purpose has been forgotten behind brands and other purposes. This is what I would like to share with you.
Starting with the obvious: food, herbs and spices. There is a kinda of a “chicken or the egg” quandary here. Many herbs, spices and foods have medicinal uses. I could tell a wonderful story about a humble herbalist in 50bc secretly putting thyme and garlic, powerful immune protection, in the Romans armys food cauldrons to ensure they remain in top form for epic battles and long journeys. Now you will struggle to find an Italian meal without thyme and garlic. That could be true but more than likely edges towards a romantic tale, give the humble herbalist a white beard and he is Getafix and on the wrong side. So truthfully it is difficult to obtain with absolute certainty what was the plants first use, as a food or as a medicine. So with uncertainty, it’s a good thyme to tell you about the arch nemesis of garlic, peppermint, the loose peppermint leaves were placed on the side of Nobels plates after a meal, the sucking of the leaves would help calm any bloating and freshen the breath. Peppermint has the ability to relax the gut, helping with that bloated feeling and has a fresh “minty” taste. Leaves, we’re replaced with mints, mints are replaced with any sweets. Ironically too much sugar is bad for the gut. Is that ironic or an oxymoron? Always confused the two, either way it’s moronic to replace something that was intended to help with something that does harm, kinda like Olestra, replacement oil that cased anal leakage, I dare you to eat some chips now. I honestly don’t know what is worse dying of a hart attack or leaving a poo trail everywhere.
Moving sweetly along with a similar tale, what does a spooky 80s film, boy scouts around a campfire, rabit hunt day and diabetes have in common? Marshmallows, whether shaped like eggs and covered in chocolate, burnt to a crisp and shoved between biscuits or wearing a cute hat, rampaging down streets. Marshmallows are most peoples favorite sweet treat. And Yes, Marshmallows started out as a medicine and as a plant, Althaea officials, althea comes from the Greek word, althainein, which can be translated as “to heal”. The root of the plant has a mucilage effect similar to that of egg whites, this was used to make the delicacy and is used as a mucous membrane replacement in treatment of ailments. Think how replacement mucous could be used in treatment of an ailment and that’s what marshmallow was and used for. Recurring chest infections and dry coughs (exposed chest tissue is prone to infections), ulsers (extra mucous will act like a plaster in the gut, covering the raw ulser, allowing it time to heal), viganal dryness during menopause (I will politely refrain from details with this one, figure it out for yourself, please), and more. Before you run off to the sweet shop to treat a personal condition. modern marshmallows no longer contain the medicinal plant and the mucilage effect has been replaced with gelatin. Some Artisan and vegan marshmallows are still made the traditional way.
In 1885 a pharmacist called Dr Pemberton was addicted to morphine and opium. Actually I’m sure he wasn’t the only one, opium addiction was a problem amongs the wealthy during this time. The struggles of the wealthy haven’t changed much, except this is ironic, Dr P made a drink with cocain, the modern day wealthy problem, as an alternative to opium addiction. He combined the cocain (coca plant) with another plant that is a rich source of cafine, the African Kola nut. The kola nut, like Guarana, is an excellent source of caffeine, just not as tasty as the morning Bru made from the coffee bean. Dr Ps drink gained popularity and eventually was bought out, carbonized and original ingredients changed, the cocain removed but extra sugars added, you tell me what more of a modern society issue? The kola nut was replaced with sinthetic caffeine and nutmeg. The only thing that remained from the original is water and the name his sister gave based on the original herbs, coca-cola.
Before pill popping, Herbal remedies were preserved in alcohol, and drunk, alcohol gently pulls the active chemical stuffs from plant and acts as a preserveative. tinctures, this is still the preferred method by herbalist and this himberlist. Some of these remedies initial use was forgotten and the fact they contain alcohol and make you drunk took priority. You will find them in most bottles stores.
Sambuca, white, black or green. Flaming or with ice, at 2am, we don’t discriminate. This liquorice flavored famous or infamous drink, that we all have one of those stories about, started out as a remedy. It’s not liquorice that makes the flavor, although liquore root has amazing medical properties. Sambuca traditionally uses anise or star anise, they are two different plants and not related, but taste the same. Quick side note, why does, liquorice, anisie, fenell, star anisie and tragon taste similar? They are different plants, different species, unrelated so why? Anethole. No, I didn’t just insult you, anethole is the chemical in the plants (in the oil), that is responsible for the taste, and possibly the medical benefits of the mentioned plants, they have similar uses. Back to Sambuca, how did it gets it name? Yes, correct. The other plant in the original mix. The sumbucus nigra also known as Elder tree, the trees berries (Elderberry), where used for its power antiviral effects, they are also high in vitamin C. Interesting to note the flowers of the elder tree are also have medical uses, significantly for chest related ailments, it is a natural anti-hestimne, expectorant and anti-catarrhal. Basically it may help with snot from allergies or flue. The elder Berries and flower share functions, either way, the traditional made Sambuca should help with colds and flues. Modern Sambuca, like modern coca-cola and marshmallow may not have the original herbs in them and may only be useful in toasting a sports teams success at 1am.
Absinthe another alcoholic favorite has a similar story, this liquor is traditionally drunk with a sugar cube and is known for being able to make a person hallucinate. Although this is wishful thinking and there is little evidence to support this, so disappointing. Absinthe also has a liquorice flavor, but choosing to use fennel and sometimes the anisie but rather than elder, the woomwood plant is used, and that is where it gets its name, wormwood Latin name is artimisia absinthium, traditional used in herbal medicine as an anti-parisite and general immune system booster. I personally don’t think this drink would have been as popular if it was called wormwood rather than absinthe.
There are more drinks, similar to the stories above like the famous German liquor Jägermeister (only diffence, the original recipe has not changed, and is still used medicaly, it’s good for you) often Jägermeister is drunk with an energy drink, arguably the first energy drink Lucozade (you could make an argument the coke-cola or Pepsi is an energy drink) also started out as a tonic from 1927, it was only available in pharmacy until the late 80s, but now this recreation drink and similar drinks are available almost anywhere.
So now you know, I’m sure there are more medicines out there used without us knowing it’s original use, maybe one day will will be celebrating a sports victory on a moon base, with some cough mixture, oh wait, we do that already here on earth.
If you know of any other herbal remedies that have found its way into normal life please send me a mail.