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Our Mother Nature's Gift to Us: Herbs
Herbs played a significant role in the medicinal and culinary areas of many past civilizations. Around 1960 the grave of a Neanderthal man was discovered in a region of Iraq. The man was apparently buried with an assortments of plants, some of which are still widely used around the world for their healing properties. Native Americans routinely used them along with other plants in their health care practices. Many years ago I had the opportunity to learn much about Native Indian culture by working in a remote Native reserve. I'll never forget my sweat lodge experience! And the American Indians' belief in the indivisibility of body and spirit is absolutely fascinating.
Let's begin with some definitions. Strictly speaking, herbs are plants that bear seeds and do not possess woody stems. In most climates, they die down to the ground after they flower, or when the cold season sets in. Personally, I am not so strict in this definition. I really do not bother checking stems!
Herbalism refers to the traditional medicinal practice that makes use of plants and their extracts. An herbalist is someone who has the skill and/or knowledge of herbs, their properties, indications and uses. Apothecary is the term that was used to describe a medical practitioner who formulated and dispensed medicinal drugs to patients and doctors. He also offered general medical advice. Today in North America we call him/her "pharmacist".
To provide precise weighing of very small quantities, apothecaries used their own "apothecary's measure". Today this type of measuring is considered obsolete, but I certainly remember having to learn it in the early days of my health career! It was a pain, really. Ethnobotany refers to the study of the relationship between people and plants. Ethnobotany focuses on how plants are viewed and used in different societies.
Herbal remedies are more common and accepted in Europe than they are in North America. However, for the past several years, a renewed interest in their use - and abuse - has emerged right here in the USA. That's right: not all "green stuff" is created equal. Just because it's considered natural does not mean it's harmless. (Remember our page regarding natural and organic matters?). Also, there are those who believe that "if one teaspoon of this stuff makes me feel better, than three tablespoons will make me feel like a king!". Wrong. Dead wrong. Respect Nature, please.
Interested in making your own preparation for a superb detoxifying steam facial? Here is an excellent recipe. The photos below: (1) elderberry flowers; (2) juniper berries; (3) dry chamomile flowers; (4)dry Irish moss; (5)dry marigold flowers. Make sure the herbs you buy are of good quality and inspect for any signs of spoilage such as mold.
Though none of my patients/family/friends/customers have reported negative effects - and all of them love the way this facial steam treatment works - be extra careful if you’re particularly sensitive to any of the botanicals that make up this detoxifier.
For your information, I’m listing the specific properties of each herb/flower/berry. After all, I’m sure you'd want to know why you’re using a certain ingredient.
Let’s start with the dry ingredients. You will need approximately 2 tablespoons of each. However, you can easily double or triple that amount if you want to have some ready for use at a later date. A facial steam once a week should be enough, perhaps twice if you have skin problems such as acne, folliculitis, etc.
Elder flowers (they have cleansing and lightening properties, and they also promote sweating).
Juniper berries (detoxifying properties) Thyme (toning, refreshing and disinfectant properties) Calendula flowers (cleansing, promotes wound healing) Chamomile (anti-inflammatory, cleansing, and lightening properties) Irish moss (emollient properties). If you have a tough time finding Irish moss, you may use Violet flowers.
Put all the dry ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl. Don’t use a metal pan. Just before pouring hot water over the mixture, add the following: 2 drops of tea tree essential oil (germicidal properties) 2 drops of geranium essential oil (aids with cellular regeneration, balances sebum) 2 drops neroli essential oil (helps regenerate skin cells, promotes smoother skin, helps with broken capillaries). 
Now add 3-4 cups of very hot water and stir. Cover your head with a towel and lean over bowl for approximately 15 minutes. Don’t forget to come up for air once in a while!! (just kidding, just kidding…)
Please, keep a safe distance between the steam and your face - you don’t want to look like a lobster!
Herbs: Valerian for sleep
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