An Herbal Approach to Winter Wellness

This time of year, there are a lot of germs on the loose. To support your immune system naturally, there are several herbs that are beneficial as part of your herbal medicine cabinet.

In addition to their flavorful and nutritious contributions to daily meals, herbs like garlic, ginger, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme contain essential oils, which have some antibacterial and antiviral activity.

For example, garlic (Allium sativum) can be a useful support for infections and colds, while parsely (Petroselinum crispum) can be a useful support for healthy digestion; it also can be used as an expectorant. Expectorant herbs help loosen chest congestion.

Here are some simple, do-it-yourself herbal recipes you can use to help keep you and your family healthy all winter long.

Garlic Syrup Sore Throat Support

• 4 cloves garlic (Allium sativum)
• 4-T honey

Directions: Crush the garlic. Soak the crushed cloves in honey for 2-4 hours. Sip on this honey mixture every 1/2-hour. This is a useful remedy for children who may find the taste of garlic unpleasant.

Ginger Infusion

• ½-oz ginger (Zingiber officinale) root, cut
• 1-pt boiling water

Directions: Steep the ginger in the boiling water for 15 to 30 minutes. Lemon and honey can be added. Strain. Use 4-6-T three times a day. Store the infusion in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

>> To learn more about herbal medicine classes from the American College of Healthcare Sciences, visit http://www.achs.edu/course.aspx?id=2

>>Which herbs are an essential part of your herbal medicine cabinet? Why? We'd love to hear more about your favorite herbs and feel free to post recipes, too!

Image by Steven Foster. Reproduced under license.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information has been provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. You should always consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor before making any significant changes to your health routine. For more information about how to use herbs safely, consult with your primary care physician, naturopathic doctor, or Registered Herbalist. In an emergency, call 911.

Planting Herbs in the Fall: Which Herbs Are Best for Your Zone?

It’s the first day of fall (already!). Can you believe how quickly the seasons are passing? Of course, it may feel a bit more of a dramatic shift here in Portland, Oregon, because we had a short summer. Cooler temperatures than normal and more rain.

But it looks like fall is here. The leaves are turning from crisp greens to fiery jewel tones and the air has more moisture. The rain in coming! But before the weather turns for good, it’s time to plant our fall herbs. Planting in the fall gives herbs the chance to root so they are ready for harvest in the spring.

The best herbs to grow depend on the grow zone you live in. Before you make your selection, we suggest you find your climate zone on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to ensure what you want to grow is compatible with your zone. Here’s the link: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Portland, for example, is hardiness zones 8-9. There can be lower levels of light here in the fall (and certainly in the winter), so Portlanders may want to select shade-loving herbs, such as parsley and peppermint.

Or, if you live somewhere that gets too cold for herbs to thrive and/or does not get enough direct light, consider growing your herbs in containers, so that you have the option to move them around (or even take them indoors, if needs be).

You also may want to concentrate on bulb herbs—like garlic, fennel, and saffron—which should be planted in the ground in the fall at least six weeks before the first freeze.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you may find this Monthly Garden Calendar from the Oregon State University Master Gardeners Program: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/calendar/ - september

You may also enjoy the article “The best herbs to grow in fall” for ideas about which herbs to plant: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/calendar/ - september

We hope your first day of fall is fantastic and look forward to hearing more about your fall herb garden. Post any planting tips, photos, suggestions …. here!

We’ve also started the discussion “What’s your favorite thing about fall?” on Facebook. Join the discussion here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR/American-College-of-Healthcare-Sciences/99091122240

Health Benefits of Parsley Returns to Headlines

Last March we posted about the health benefits of parsley. Happily, parsley has made headlines again. This time in The Oregonian article "Make parsley the main attraction on your dinner plate."

For fun, here's an excerpt of our original post:

Perhaps our most well-known garnish, in other parts of the world parsley serves a heartier function. Leafy and a bit whispy, parsley can be used to make several sauces, including pesto, and is added to many grain and salad dishes, such as tabbouleh.

Plus, the rumors are true ... parsley does help freshen breath after eating more pungent foods like garlic!

Here's a link to a study[2] about how the antioxidant capacity of culinary herbs, including parsley, is affected by various cooking and storage processes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18224444

You can read the full post here:http://achsnews.blogspot.com/2010/03/health-benefits-of-parsley-featured-in.html

Sara Bir, Portland food writer and cooking instructor, has a delightful discussion about flat or curly, the eternal question, in "Make parsley the main attraction on your dinner plate." For example, flat is "grassier" and curly "brighter," and when chopped, flat has a universal look but curly gets "fluffy."

Which do you prefer? Help us promote good health ... Post your favorite parsley recipes here!

Health Benefits of Parsley Featured in Psychology Today

The April edition of Psychology Today magazine includes an insightful profile of parsley, commonly thought of as "The Garnish Herb."

As the article by Hara Estroff Marano[1] points out, parsley actually has quite a few nutrients, including beta carotene, vitamins B12 and folate, and "more vitamin C than the equivalent amount of orange." In addition, parsley "contains immunity-enhancing phytonutrients like luteolin that curb inflammatory processes in the body," and other organic compounds, including myristicin and folic acid.

Perhaps our most well-known garnish, in other parts of the world parsley serves a heartier function. Leafy and a bit whispy, parsley can be used to make several sauces, including pesto, and is added to many grain and salad dishes, such as tabbouleh.

Plus, the rumors are true ... parsley does help freshen breath after eating more pungent foods like garlic!

Here's a link to a study[2] about how the antioxidant capacity of culinary herbs, including parsley, is affected by various cooking and storage processes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18224444

>> For more information about the health benefits of parsley, including tips for using parsley in cooking, check out holistic nutrition and cooking books from the Apothecary Shoppe College Store.

>> To learn more about holistic nutrition and herbalism courses offered by the American College of Healthcare Sciences, visit www.achs.edu

[1] Marano, HE. 2010. Parsing Parsley. Psychology Today. March/April, p 56.
[2] Chohan M, Forster-Wilkins G, Opara EI. 2008. Determination of the antioxidant capacity of culinary herbs subjected to various cooking and storage processes using the ABTS(*+) radical cation assay. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. Jun;63(2):47-52. Epub 2008 Jan 26.

Photos from the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden

These photos were taken in the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden this morning, July 17, by ACHS Dean of Student Services Joel Strimling.



Ginko, Ginkgo biloba








Echinacea, Echinacea purpurea, with bees.






Chaste tree blooms, Vitex agnus-castus








Italian parsley, Petroselinum crispum

Nutritional and Herbal Tips for Women Experiencing Menopause

Natural health tips and recipes for easing the menopause transition and improving overall health...

The article below originally appeared on the website BlogCritics.org.

BY: Dorene Petersen, ACHS President

Menopause is the natural cessation of menstruation and ovulation, which typically occurs in women ages 40-55. Though menopause is sometimes called the “change of life,” it does not have to change your life in a negative way. Rather, there are many natural strategies you can use to make the transition as smooth and health-promoting as possible.

Nutrition is a big part of everyday life and, for that reason, one of the best tools you can use to control any menopause-related symptoms. Once you know how to select foods that will support your body during menopause, you will feel more in control of what your body is experiencing, but you will also be practicing the best medicine possible — prevention.

Menopause is often associated with stressful symptoms like hot flashes, sweating, irritability, depression, and stomach upset. Why is that? Many naturopathic and allopathic doctors attribute menstruation with the ability to eliminate toxins from the body. Once menstruation ends, toxins have to find new channels and can overload other eliminatory channels. When this occurs, physical symptoms of toxicity appear.

Women cannot stop menopause from happening. But, we can ease the transition with a good nutrition program. There has been a lot of research about the role herbs can play in balancing hormones in the body. Plant saponins, such as the diosgenin found in wild yam, cause a mild balancing response by binding directly to hormone receptors. The following herbs contain beneficial saponins: black cohosh, dong quai, elder, ginseng, licorice, passion flower, and wild yam.

In addition, herbs can supply the extra nutrients needed during menopause. Calcium-rich herbs, for example, support bone health and are easy to incorporate into the daily diet via cooked meals or teas, including: alfalfa, cayenne, chamomile, chives, cleavers, dandelion, dill, parsley, plantain, red raspberry, red clover, rosehip, watercress, and yellow dock.

Additional vitamin and nutrient-rich herbs that can ease menopause include:

• Vitamin C (healthy teeth and gums, heart health, and clears out toxins): alfalfa, catnip, cayenne, dandelion, hawthorn, parsley, red raspberry, and rosehips.
• Vitamin E (for heart health and arteries): alfalfa, dandelion, kelp, red raspberry, rosehips, and watercress.
• Iodine (promotes nerve and brain activity and regulates metabolism): garlic, Irish moss, kelp, mustard, nettle, and parsley.
• Vitamin B1 (nervous and digestive system health): cayenne, dandelion, fathen, fenugreek, kelp, and watercress.
• Vitamin B2 (eye health): burdock, dandelion, fenugreek, parsley, and watercress.
• Vitamin B3 (niacin supports the adrenal glands; deficiency symptoms include insomnia, depression, and irritability): alfalfa, burdock, fathen, kelp, parsley, and sage.
  

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