Medicinal Plants

By Siobhan Moylan

Medicinal Plants
Just as medicine has long harvested the power of nature, you too can get back to basics by growing health-giving plants and herbs at home.

Just as medicine has long harvested the power of nature, you too can 
get back to basics by growing health-giving plants and herbs at home. Next time you’re sick with the flu, instead of heading straight to the doctor, why not stroll to your garden or balcony for a natural remedy? A growing number of people are getting back to basics and creating vegetable and herb gardens to maintain good health.

 

The medicinal powers of herbs, fruit and vegetables have been revered for thousands of years. Many of the pharmaceuticals on the market have a long history of use as herbal remedies. The active ingredient in willow bark, for example, once prescribed by Hippocrates, is salicin, which is converted into salicylic acid; the discovery of salicylic acid led to the development of what we know today as aspirin. More than 30 per cent of pharmaceutical drugs used today started life inside a plant. New antimalarial drugs were developed from the discovery of artemisinin – a plant used in China for almost 2000 years.

The World Health Organization estimates that in some Asian and African countries, 80 per cent of the population depend on traditional medicine for primary health care, and in many developed countries, 70-80 per cent of the population has used some form of alternative or complementary medicine. Seventy-four per cent of 119 modern plant-derived pharmaceutical medicines are used in ways similar to their traditional uses. At least 7000 medical compounds in the modern pharmacopoeia are derived from plants.

President of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association and former head of the Australian Medical Association Kerryn Phelps is a strong advocate of herbal medicine and encourages people to take an integrative approach to health. “Herbal medicine is occupying an increasingly mainstream place in the family health-care landscape because people now realise the potential adverse effects of pharmaceutical medications,” she says. “For example, osteoarthritis.

Pharmaceutical medication would be way down on the list of actions for this condition. People are longing for natural supplements and herbal medicine because non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be damaging, particularly for the elderly. Menopause is another example of when people are looking for more natural approaches like herbs. There’s also increasing evidence for the effectiveness of herbal medicine.” But Phelps warns that because of the growing trend toward self-diagnosis and self-prescribing, “people should be aware that herbs can be potent and so you need to get the right combination, for the right ailment at the right dosage.

“People really should refer to a professional when taking herbs for serious conditions because even some foods can react with concentrated herbal medicines. For things you might grow on your balcony though, people should just be aware of allergies, but you are unlikely to have problems with anything you grow yourself, so I’m all for it.”

 

HEALTH-GIVING PLANTS AND HERBS

Peppermint

A simple herb to grow, with 
great benefits to digestion. Cooling in
summer, it’s said 
to aid in the hot sweats associated with menopause.

Ginger

It’s great for circulation, makes 
a good compress and is brilliant for
cramps and arthritic pain. 
Add it to meals or slice it into 
a lemon
honey tea.

Garlic

A naturally occurring antibiotic that’s easy to grow in any climate,
garlic helps prevent heart disease and props up the immune system.  It’s
also an excellent detoxifier

California Poppy

Use the flower, stem or leaf to aid with anxiety, pain control and
long-term insomnia. The state flower of California, it requires 
full
sun and is drought tolerant.

St Mary’s thistle

A herb that works to keep the liver healthy. It improves waste removal
and the digestion of fats, and can lower cholesterol. It also aids in
the production of breast milk.

Echinacea

A herb that sits well in any medicine cabinet to boost the immune
system. Use it for coughs, colds, mouth ulcers, vaginal infections,
mastitis and externally on acne.

Rosemary

Rosemary is sweet smelling and works well on the balcony or in the yard.
The herb benefits the brain and the liver, aids joint pain and assists
circulation.

Chilli

Studies show that chillies can aid weight loss because they increase the
body’s metabolic rate. They are also good for clearing congestion in
the nose and sinuses.

Brahmi

This ‘thinking person’s herb’ can 
be added to food or made into a tea.
It’s said to improve memory and learning. It also gives way to 
a flower
that attracts butterflies.

Lemon

A common addition to just about any meal, it’s easy to grow and is great
for colds and sore throats. If you have a small yard, choose a dwarf
variety and grow it in a pot.

Sage

Sage can be used as a gargle to alleviate symptoms of gum disease,
tonsillitis and laryngitis. There are some studies that show it may help
improve memory.

St John’s wort

Since the middle ages, herbalists have prescribed St John’s wort for
mild depression and anxiety. The herb also reduces virus activity
including cold sores and shingles.

TAILOR MADE GARDENS

One approach to growing your own medicine is to create a garden with a theme. Mim Beim suggests some combinations of plants that might appeal.

• Detox garden: beetroot, broccoli, burdock, cabbage, dandelion, garlic, globe artichoke, St Mary’s thistle, turmeric.

• Immune garden: astragalus, calendula, echinacea, garlic, holy basil, Jerusalem artichoke, lemon myrtle, shiitake mushroom, tea tree, thyme.

• Skincare garden: aloe vera, avocado, burdock, calendula, comfrey, gotu kola.

• Mood-enhancing garden: damiana, gotu kola, lemon balm, St John’s wort.

• Mother and baby garden: cabbage, calendula, chamomile, fennel, lemon balm, nettles.

• Brain garden: brahmi, ginkgo, gotu kola, rosemary, sage.

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