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About Your Nasty Mouth

Oh, Emmi…

Let’s face it, your mouth is nasty.  There are those mouths you can look at and just know they aren’t…quite…healthy, but even the pearliest whites are harboring a secret. There are more than 750 species of bacteria that make their home in our mouths (newer studies show as many as 25,000 species of bacteria).  Before you run to the sink to brush, know that not all of them are bad.  As a matter of fact, in a healthy mouth, the good bacteria outnumber the bad. And in case you weren’t aware, your body is teeming with bacteria that help keep your system in balance.  Yogurt companies are making a fortune off this fact by promoting products with probiotics (good bacteria).  So what about the bad guys?

The bad guys in your mouth are those responsible for not only periodontal disease, bad breath, cavities and mouth ulcers, but they can, in fact, make your whole body sick as well.  Pneumonia, cardiovascular disease and even pregnancy complications have all been linked to unwelcomed strains of bacteria entering the body and blood stream through the mouth.  That’s not including common illness such as cold and flu, sore throats and stomach illnesses.  An unhealthy mouth can lower your overall health and reduce your resistance to disease. Makes you want to go brush now, doesn’t it?

Have no fear! There are some herbs that can help facilitate the destruction of those bacterial strains colonizing in your oral cavity!  Most of them you may already have.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil doesn’t taste nice. But, in my opinion, many over the counter mouth washes are like rinsing your mouth with gasoline.  Tea Tree Oil isn’t thatbad. It’s proven to kill bacteria and viruses on contact and stimulates circulation in the

Tea Tree Plant

gums.  Tea Tree Oil is inexpensive and a little goes a long way.  It’s a main ingredient in many herbal toothpastes and mouth rinses, and for good reason.  It helps in the treatment of gingivitis, cancer sores, thrush and aids in the treatment of periodontal disease.  It won’t, however, reduce the plaque already adhering to your teeth, so brushing is important.  It will help reduce the bacteria responsible for the formation of new plaque.

Tea Tree Mouth Rinse

1 ¼ cups of distilled water

10 drops of one of either: cinnamon, peppermint, wintergreen or clove oil

10 drops of Tea Tree Oil

Pinch of stevia (sweetener) *optional

Pour mixture into a container (old mouthwash bottle) and shake well. 

Keeps on bathroom counter indefinitely.  If you don’t have cinnamon, peppermint or stevia, no worries, the rinse is just as effective without it and many herbal mouthwash recipes don’t even include it.  It’s primarily for taste.  Contrary to many store-bought mouthwashes, this rinse is alcohol free and kid friendly, although I would advise reminding the children not to swallow any mouthwashes.

Natural Toothpaste

¼ cup baking soda

2 tsp. fine salt

15 drops of your choice: cinnamon, peppermint, clove or wintergreen oil

Mix together into a small jar.  Add a small amount to the palm of your hand and wet as needed for toothpaste.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Turmeric is used to fight inflammation and boost immunity and is the go-to herb for mouth ulcers for many herbalists.  A pinch of turmeric, wrapped in gauze and held against the gum will assist in putting that ulcer to bed and get you back to feeling much better.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)                                                               

Clove gets its pain fighting power from eugenol which acts as highly effective topical anesthetic.Clove oil is used for temporary relief against tooth or gum pain. Apply directly with a cotton ball.

Peppermint (Mentha xpiperita)

Peppermint is one of the key ingredients of mouthwashes and toothpastes. Menthol is main flavoring agent in mint which acts as an excellent mouth freshener. To freshen your mouth throughout the day, add a few drops to a small glass of water and swish!

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

The illustrious sage plant

Sage has strong astringent properties hence it is beneficial in tightening the gums and curing sore mouth. Chewing on a sage leaf (yes, right out of the garden) releases those properties into your mouth, fighting sore gums and freshening you breath.

There are plenty of other proven mouth freshening, germ fighting herbs to try for better oral health.  Neem, Thyme, Myrrh, Goldenseal and Echinacea are some you may find worth trying.   They are time tested and laboratory approved means to help with many common issues concerning dental health. In an attempt to keep it simple, look for common items above that you may already have and give it a try Add some of the not-so-common items later.  Your smile with thank you..and those closest to you will too.

You smell fresh!

 

Steph, where do you get all this?  Ahh, reasearch my dear!  Check out some of the fascinating studies I found:

http://cwru-daily.com/news/?p=4971- Article from Case Western Reserve University

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC88948/- Case study on Systemic Diseases Caused by Oral Infections

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2011/680354/- Traditional Medicinal Plant Extracts and Natural Products with Activity against Oral Bacteria from the Environment and Biotechnology Centre, Australia.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14622345- Case study on Susceptibility of oral bacteria to Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil from School of Biomedical and Chemical Sciences Microbiology Dept.

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Hibiscus Tea For Me

Hibiscus Tea

I woke up this morning to a kitchen that could use a little attention (okay, a lot) and a den that was obviously affected by Hurricane Ava.  I put it off last night and again this morning.  The only place I can go to escape the inevitable task of “housework” is the garden.  It’s pretty cool out there this morning and the sun is just right.  Fall fever takes over.

The Rose of Sharon Trees are in full bloom and I have to take advantage of that so off I go with my snips and my Little Red Riding Hood basket like a good gardener should.  So, let me introduce you to my Rose of Sharon, formally known as Hibiscus syriacus.  I have quite a few of them that just 2 years ago were little seedlings and now stand well over 7 feet.  Bless their hearts, they’ve been moved and transplanted all over the yard to avoid an untimely death by Matthew’s need for wood sculpting space and still manage to be as vibrant and healthy as ever.  They are really common around here and wildly popular all over the world not only for their beautiful blooms, but for their expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties. I figured this would be a perfect plant to talk about since it’s readily available, easy to use and the right time of year.  Besides, it’s what I did this morning and I have pictures!                                                                              

First things first…

You can eat them:

  •              Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Root; Tea.

Young leaves – raw or cooked. A very mild flavor, though slightly on the tough side, they make a pretty good addition to salad greens. A tea is made from the leaves or the flowers.

Flowers – raw or cooked. A mild flavor but the mucus when the petals are crushed are not appetizing to look at.  I don’t personally eat them raw for that very reason.  I dry the flowers and leaves and use primarily for tea.

Root – it is edible but no flavor.  Who wants to dig up their tree anyway?  I tell you all of this to make the point that the entire tree is safe to handle and consume.

  •                 Medicinal Uses:

Anthelmintic;  Antiphlogistic;  Antipruritic;  Demulcent; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Styptic.  What??? (too much?)  Okay, here’s what I meant to say..used to expel parasitic worms, anti-inflamatory, anti-itch, protectant, make-you-go-pee, fever-reducing, astringent.  Ahh..I feel better just saying it!  There are a lot of other uses such as for colds and flu, digestive upset and and appetite stimulant, but I think you get the point.  Benefits all around.

  •                 Tea uses:

Hibiscus petals are commonly used as a base for herbal infusions. They can be infused alone, but are perfect to pair with fruit, rosehips, or mint.  Hibiscus tea is a good source of Vitamin C. The flavor is light, so it wont drown out the flavors of your other ingredients.

Chose well developed blooms, ignore the ants, and snip off with the green calyx still attached.  Wash thouraly and lay on a

Drying hibiscus

rack (I use my trusty cookie cooling rack) to completely dry.  Once dry, store in a jar with a lid.  Easy, peasy.  So there, my friends, is your easy to find, easy to harvest, do-it–yourself hibiscus tea!  Make a cup and sit in the sun and avoid the housework!

Dried blooms

              Brewing A Tea:

To prepare as an infusion, use 1-2 teaspoons dried blooms per cup of tea (about 8 ounces).  Pour (nearly) boiling water over, add stevia leaves to sweeten, slices of lemon, mint, etc..and steep 5 minutes.  Did you consider that you could make a whole pot and keep it in the fridge?  Just a thought…

So there, my friends, is your easy to find, easy to harvest, do-it–yourself hibiscus tea!  Make a cup and sit in the sun and avoid the housework!

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Rosemary By Any Other Name…

Steph’s rosemary

I don’t know anyone who’d ever passed a rosemary bush and not commented on the amazing smell those oils give off.  Just lightly brushing your hand across it fills the air with that beautiful earthy aroma and Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology even published a study that shows just the smell of it can enhance mental productivity and memory. Even more importantly, in these days where cancers and other life threatening illnesses seem so prevalent, rosemary oil has shown to increase the body’s response to those free radicals that are responsible for so many of these diseases. The compound molecule responsible for all this goodness is 1,8-cineole, a constituent part of rosemary oil.  Once inhaled, this 1,8-cineole can be measured in the body via blood-test showing that just by breathing it in, the medicinal properties of rosemary is absorbed into the blood by the nasal passages.  This should tell you that aromatherapy is so much more than just “mind over matter”.

Those vapors can sooth sinus irritations, open the respiratory tract, combat arthritis and ease headaches.  That’s not including what’s going on inside your body to repair the liver, stomach and other organs. Free radicals beware! Rosemary is undeniably one of the most beneficial plants in the garden and obviously science has gotten a whiff of it.  

That’s a pretty in depth introduction to making a simple rosemary oil, but understanding leads to wisdom, right?  So, let’s get down to business!

Rosemary essential oil can be purchased at a health food store, herb shop and any grocery store that has a well-stocked organic section.  Just mix the essential oil with a carrier oil such as grapeseed, almond or even extra-virgin olive oil at 10-20 drops per ounce of carrier oil.  Shake and you’re done.  Undiluted essential oils are not usually safe to use alone and can really cause irritation on your skin and nasal passages.  Some of them can cause blisters and rashes, so don’t get ahead of yourself when mixing these oils. Besides, they are so concentrated that some of them don’t smell anything like the sweet scent you are accustomed to.  Lavender is a good example.  Concentrated lavender oil smells more like a piney motor oil until its diluted.  Not nice at all.

   The traditional way to make rosemary oil takes a lot longer.  Cut enough rosemary sprigs to fill a clean jar and lay them out until completely dry.  Using fresh, un-dried rosemary will only leave you with a jar of cloudy, moldy oil.  Nasty and wasteful.  Again, don’t get ahead of yourself!  Once the sprigs are dried, put them in the jar and cover with oil (olive, grapeseed, almond, etc.) with the lid.  Put them in the window sill and shake every few days for at least 6 weeks.  Told you it takes a bit longer.

Now, my favorite way is not as quick as buying essential oil and not as lengthy as 6 weeks.  I use dried rosemary to avoid cloudy oil and because dried herbs are twice as strong as fresh.  Put the herbs in a small crock pot or boiler on the stove and cover with oil on the lowest setting available.  Not more than the lowest setting as heating too high will destroy the volatile oil compounds in the rosemary (the good stuff) and most likely turn your mixture into a goopy, smelly mess. Allow this to simmer for 2 hours.  Pour into a clean container and done!  For stronger oil, strain the herbs after two hours and replace with more herbs into the same oil…another two hours.  When you are satisfied with the smell and strength, pour into a bottle and use it whenever you like.

Steph’s Organic Rosemary Oil

Here’s a few tips:

  • Cheesecloth works well for straining the oils, or gauze folded over a few times)
  • Use recycled bottles from your fridge (tabasco sauce, steak sauce and salad dressing bottles work great)
  • Decorate you bottle and give as a gift!

Use this oil on your hair, skin, for abrasions on children, anytime you’d use lotion.  It feels nice, smells nice and you are doing amazing things for your body!  Enjoy!

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A bit of willow bark and call me in the morning

Rudbekia..as effective as Echinacea

I’ve been preparing myself mentally for getting things ready for cold and flu season.  Things I need to do, fall harvesting, tinctures, drying herbs and the like. Unfortunately for a lot of people, it’s right around the corner.  For some of you, the allergy season is already here!  And so, my friends, this blog is just for you.

You know the old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Advil Cold & Flu”.  Well, the prevention part is really true.  Preparing your body for what you know you’ll have to deal with every year will go a long way in helping you avoid those sore throats, coughing and sinus problems you may be expecting.  If you are one of those people who say “every year at this time I start feeling….”, then that’s your que to start now!  Just suppressing symptoms as they come on is no way to combat an illness.  You aren’t fooling your body and you could be setting yourself up for a more serious illness.  Seriously. Those irritating symptoms are road signs, letting you know what’s going on.  Masking them is like ignoring the red flashing lights at a railroad crossing.  Start filling your body now with the weapons it needs to fight off infections and viruses and you may be surprised at how easily you sail through the coming winter months.

Ginseng

Boosting your immune system is the best way I know how to get a jump on that ounce of prevention.  Herbs like Ginseng and Echinacea strengthen your cells outer membrane and makes it more difficult for nasty invaders to penetrate and replicate.  These, along with Elderberry, Licorice, Lemon Balm and others also increase the production of leukocytes (white blood cells) which attack anything in your body that doesn’t belong.  If your system is armed and ready, it’s proven that you will get fewer than normal illnesses, and the ones you do get will be shorter and less severe.  First step, start now with some proven herbs to get your body ready!

So, what about those colds that do get in there?  What if it’s already started!  No worries, there are plenty of plants out there that are antiviral, antibiotic and are real contenders against bacterial infections.

Rosemary, Lemon Balm, Eucalyptus and Peppermint are proven to inhibit viruses and destroy bacteria that are often the cause of respiratory and sinus infections, coughs, and ear aches.  They also thin congestion and make coughs more productive.  Willow Bark fights fevers (aspirin was developed from this). Ginger and Turmeric fight inflammation and are anti-histamines (the leading cause of allergies and asthma). This isn’t folklore; the pharmaceuticals you pay a lot of money for were developed from studying the medicinal properties of plants.  Here’s a great example, Garlic.

Garlic

The active principal in garlic, called allicin, has been proven over and over to eradicate g-negative and g-positive bacteria in lab studies.  Allicin in garlic is even able to destroy e-coli bacteria! (Weizmann Institute of Science, 1999) One reason e-coli is such a potentially deadly infection is that it is a drug-resistant bacterium.  The antibiotic, anti-viral properties of garlic are certainly worth using to combat cold virus that has taken over your body.  So, here’s step 2; stock up on garlic oil capsules, peppermint and lemon balm teas and rosemary and eucalyptus oils to use against an invading virus or bacteria.  The properties of the teas get into your system quickly and the oils can be used diluted directly into the ear canal for earaches, inhaled in steamy water to sooth coughing from allergies or asthma and rubbed into the skin for absorption into the bloodstream.

       The final step is eating right.  Getting those vitamins and minerals into you is essential in allowing your body to work properly.  The wrong kind of gas and the vehicle won’t go very far!  You need these things for everything to do its job.  Milk and refined products (white bread, white sugar, etc.) are mucus producers.  Avoid them and it can cut down on the amount of extra work your lungs and nose have to do.  Lots of vitamin C, juices and vegetables will really help get that immune system at peak performance and colds and flu won’t have a fighting chance!

The Game Plan:

 At the first signs of a cold…..

Echinacea (400 mg) three times a day with food or 20 drops of tincture four-six times daily

Garlic Capsules (1000 mg) three-four times a day

Zinc (13mg lozenge) every few hours, all day

Vitamin C (500mg) four-six times a day

 

For Congestion & Cough……

Steam Inhalation:  Small pot of boiling water, add 10 drops of eucalyptus, rosemary or thyme essential oil.  Drape a towel over your head and the water (be careful and don’t burn yourself).  Breathe deeply 5-10 minutes.

Ginger tea:  ½ teaspoon of fresh grated ginger root added to almost boiling water.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Adding cinnamon or stevia for taste.

So here’s to to fall- the bright leaves and crisp mornings!  Lift your tea cup, lower your chances.

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Lettuce Recycle Our Carrots

Well, it looks like rain is on the way so the little ones and I won’t be doing much wandering in the green today.  I can’t say that it disappoints me too terribly as my garden and my lawn could really use a sip or two.  Here in the South, rain in the summer time is a bit on the sparse side so we are thankful for what we can get.  Besides, it’s the perfect opportunity to share with you some tips on increasing your garden from things you may already have…in your refrigerator!

A lot of fruits and vegetables you buy from the grocery store or farmer’s market aren’t ready for the compost bin just because you’ve used up all the best parts.  There are some common items that you may be surprised to know can actually re-grow with very little effort on your part.

Before we get started, here’s some info you may want to consider:  Choosing organic fruits and vegetables to regrow or for seeds are always your best bet.  Commercially grown or genetically altered fruits and vegetables are often times harvested way before they are ripe and then treated with chemicals and sprays to force maturity.  These rarely form viable seeds.  Seedless watermelons are one example of genetically altered plants.  In addition, some, such as potatoes are treated so that “eyes” do not readily form.  Because almost every commercially grown fruit or vegetable is a hybrid, they usually will not produce fruit from seed even if the plant grows.  Commercial farmers do this not only to mass produce bigger, fatter crops, but also because their seeds are protected by law so you can’t have them.  Weird, huh?  So, to avoid the waiting game after planting and never getting the results you hoped for, use organic seeds and organic plants.  No chemical growth formulas, no dangerous toxins hiding in the cells of your plants, no problem!

Green Onions and Celery

Don’t throw out the white root area of your bunches of green onions (or shallots or scallions).  If you leave at least an inch above the roots and place in a glass of water in the window sill, they will happily regrow their leaves/stalks for you.  Just snip and use them whenever you like!  Celery will oblige in the same manner.  Put your celery stalk in water until the roots are substantial enough to be planted in the garden.  Nothing to it!

Romaine Lettuce

Yes, romaine lettuce too.  Place the bottom of the core in water to root and then plant away!  Other lettuces have been known to root too.  Try whatever you find interesting.  Endive does well.

Garlic

Garlic bulbs will readily re-root themselves if planted directly in the garden.  Remember, pointy tip up when planting.

Everything Else

There are numerous others of course.  Try any vegetable in the produce aisle!  These are proven to work:  radishes, potatoes, carrots (replant the tops), ginger (needs a big pot for growing), sweet potatoes (wait for the eyes to form), bok choy, horse-radish, pineapple (root the green tops in water), leeks, avocado, pomegranate, basil, water cress, and just about any tender herb will root.  I rarely buy basil seeds as basil roots fast and grows quickly.  I grow sweet potatoes every year in hanging baskets on the porch.  They’re trailing leafy greenery makes for a nice hanging shade on the sunny side of the porch.  I’ve had my pineapple plant since last summer.  No new pineapple growing from the top yet, but its a nice looking plant and its pointed leaves protect my oregano plants from our nosey dog.

The Need for Seeds

Also, try seeds from these:  Cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, oranges, lemons, limes, grapes, apples, and avocado.  I’ve never had much luck with avocado pits no matter what I’ve tried, but many people have.  My dad has a beautiful 4 foot tall avocado that was grown from a pit.  If you figure this one out..please pass on your secret!

So Spicy

And here is something interesting.  Many spice seeds can be planted and grown in pots.  Try coriander, Perilla (mint), curry, turmeric, cardamom, dill, fenugreek, or black mustard.  Just so you know, some seeds on the spice isle are roasted or dry heated before packaging with kills their ability to germinate.  These are not always labeled so it’s a matter of trial and error with some of them.  I’ve personally had luck with coriander, cardamom, dill and black mustard.  If it looks like a whole seed and not powdered, I’d give it a whirl just for fun.  You never know!

Feeling A Little Exotic?

Asian, Indian and Spanish markets have a much greater variety of natural spices, exotic fruits and vegetables for you to try and there are quite a few of them here locally.  Usually, they are a LOT less expensive than the grocery on the corner.  They are very friendly and really enjoy sharing their knowledge of the produce they carry.  They can tell you where it comes from and how to prepare it and even offer samples.  It’s a great way to meet new people and be introduced to your new favorite fruit.

So there it is. I’d love to hear your ideas and those grocery store finds you’ve been successful with, so let me know what you come across.  In the mean time, enjoy your garden endeavors!

For me, it looks like the rain has stopped.  Back to the green…

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Dayflower Power

I walked around the yard this morning, coffee cup in one hand and camera in the other, to hunt down something clever to show you.  My first intentions were towards a nice plump section of chickweed near the garden fence that I had my eye on a few days ago, but my husband’s mind reading skills are a bit, well, nonexistent, so he inevitably plopped one of his big wood sculptures atop my tangle of chickweed.  No chickweed for this chick.  What I did find was a beautiful little set of Asiatic Dayflowers (Commelina communis) nestled against the fence.  Now we’re on to something.

The dayflowers in my yard aren’t quite in full bloom yet.  Just tiny bits of blue are beginning to peep through with only one or two big blue beauties showing, but that’s just right for me.  Raw dayflowers are best when young and tender.  They taste a lot like melon or a raw snow pea pod.  Perfect for summer salads.  Once they get some size on them and are in full bloom, most people who eat their yards like to stir fry them or steam them for 10 minutes- the leaves, stems and flowers.  With age, the stems can be tough.  Steaming them like spinach makes a good side dish.  They do cook down to 1/3 of the amount raw, so pick more than you think you’ll need.  I’ve never eaten them cooked so I have nothing to compare the taste to.

Starting out, it’s always best to wait for the blooms to make a true identification of the plant.  These herbaceous annuals usually bloom from May until frost, but those sweet blue blooms only last a day or two. Taking note of the leaf, stem, flower and even the root system is vital in making sure you have what you think you have.  There are several species, all of which are pretty tasty. Visiting my Dad last week, I noticed that he stakes the ground next to anything in the woods he has his eye on and ties a fluorescent ribbon to the stake and waits it out.  He’s a pretty good teacher of these sorts of things.

I’m a University of Georgia fan myself, but Virginia Tech puts out some pretty good info on native plant identification.  Here’s a link to more identification information for Asiatic Dayflowers:  http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/comco.htm

So why on earth would you want to eat a dayflower?  If you are like me, I get pretty “fed up” with the same foods all the time.  There is only so much to choose from at the grocery store.  I enjoy the thrill of wandering in the green in search of my own grocery store.  And yes, you guessed it, its good for you.  This herb is used in many parts of the world as a regular vegetable.  We cook turnips, in Asia they cook dayflowers.  Medicinally it is used in an infusion as a fever reducer or in a compress to reduce inflammation.  Nutritionally, dayflowers contain copious amounts of isoflavones which are known to help combat the formation of certain types of cancers, specifically breast and prostate cancers.  In addition, they contain phytosterols, which are key in the reduction of cholesterol levels.  Who doesn’t need that?

So today, take a wander around your yard, wood lines and any place that gets a regular amount of water.  Look for those bright blue flowers and pick a few to nibble.  They grow quickly and usually in pretty large groups so it shouldn’t be difficult to gather enough to mix in your lunch salad today.  Just remember to leave some for next time and mark your new found treasure.  Wash them well and give thanks for the wild bounty out there just waiting to be discovered.  It’s really amazing the things we can find out there while we are waiting on those lovely yellow blooms on the squash vines to turn to fruit.  With a little inspiration and willingness to try something new, we can find all sorts of edibles right in our own backyard.

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I love you Mum.

My Mother is a wonderful person, no doubt about that.  But making tea out of your mom is probably not very advisable.  I would suggest using Mums instead.  Those lovely garden variety chrysanthemums to be exact.  I know what you’re thinking, “I can eat those?”  The Chinese have been using Chrysanthemums for centuries for their medicinal properties. They have been used in traditional medicine to treat colds, sore throat, fever, eye strain, infections, high blood pressure and headaches.  You didn’t think they bloom solely for your viewing pleasure now did you?

I have to tell you, they have become one of the staples in my garden because they are pretty much maintenance free.  They are so easy to grow, divide, root and maintain that its crazy not to have them.  I started with one small inexpensive plant as a Fall harvest decoration years ago and now, I have them growing just about everywhere.  I put them in the ground and let them go.  They get pretty tall, up to 3 feet, and bloom from spring to the end of fall.  Some plants I keep pinched back to force a lot of blooms, and some I allow to grow for the sole purpose of cutting the stems to make new plants.  Gardeners say to dip the cut ends in rooting hormone or willow water, but I just snip them about 4 inches long and poke them down in small bunches into their new home and they grow just fine there.  I’m sure rooting hormone would ensure faster root growth.  When my mum plant gets big and the stems start to lay flat around the base of the plant I know its time to divide it in half.  Just cut back the stems and replant them then dig the whole plant up, pull or cut it apart and replant in their new homes.  It really is that simple.  My one plant has become over 10 large plants and I’ve added several other colors and variations over the years.  I really do love my mums.  Now enough of the gardening tips, let’s get to the good stuff.

Before I start let me just say that chrysanthemums do run a higher risk of allergy than a lot of other garden plants.  The alkaloids and volatile oils in mums are pretty potent and can cause skin irritation in sensitive people.  If you aren’t sure if this means you, I’d advise you to test a small place on your hand before you get knee-deep in garden mums.  If they make you itch or a mild rash forms, that’s a pretty good indication that you don’t want to ingest mums.  You’d most likely end up with a belly ache.  Chrysanthemum leaves and stems are to be avoided as they really can be toxic to ingest.  Don’t panic!  I mean toxic as in diarrhea..not toxic as in death.  (You probably have tomato plants in the ground by now and if you didn’t know, the leaves of those are far more toxic than mums.) As always, if you are on medications, you really need to check the compatibility factor.  Plant medicines can interact with prescription medicines.

Chrysanthemums are also known in the herb world as Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium).   I tell you this because many herbal preparations can be found for feverfew and usually chrysanthemums searches will just direct you to gardening information.  This bit of information might save you some time. With chrysanthemums, the part we use is the flower.  It’s best to avoid the leaves and stems altogether. The most useful properties are concentrated in the blooms.  For a tea (infusion), it’s the petals or whole flower you want to use either dried or fresh.  Remember, dried herbs are twice as potent as fresh, so it’s one teaspoon of dried or two teaspoons of fresh, steeped 10 minutes.  Mums have a somewhat peppery taste.  I usually combine mine with licorice root, hibiscus, cinnamon and lemon. Go ahead an experiment with what you have.  I always suggest trying it on its own first, get the full effect of the taste, and then add other flavors as necessary.  Chrysanthemum tea is known for its ability to help with dizziness, insomnia and headaches.  Clinical trials have shown real promise in the treatment of high blood pressure.  In addition, its perfect for the treatment of cold symptoms.  For headaches, fever,  and sore throat, use a heaping teaspoon of dried herb in almost boiling water and steep until its room temperature.  I add a teaspoon of dried peppermint, a slice of lemon and a spoonful of honey and use this with my children.  With the children, I primarily use the petals as they have a milder taste.  Drink as often as every two hours to help alleviate cold symptoms.

For irritated eyes, blurred vision, eye strain or “eye headaches”, you’ll want to make a poultice.  Sounds herbally fancy, I know, but it’s basically a compress.  Steep 5-10 flower heads in hot water for 1o minutes and then remove, place between a soft cloth or gauze and hold over the eyes until cool.  Repeat, repeat,  repeat.  It works the same for acne breakouts, bug bites and other inflammation.  Chrysanthemums are highly antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic.  Good stuff.  Ready?  Go tell your mum how much you love it!