Medicine Woman Herbals

Medicine Woman Herbals, offering organic, herbal extracts, natural medicine, remedies from nature, supplements, herbs, plants as medicine, organically grown, in Tennessee.

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Passion Flower: This beautiful plant covers the meadow on and near our farm. "The association of the Passion Flower with Christ dates back to the seventeenth century. The five petals and five sepals of the flower represented the ten faithful apostles (absent are Judas, the traitor, and Peter, who denied he knew Christ). The dramatic corona resembled the crown of thorns that Jesus wore; the five stamens represented Christ's five wounds; the curling tendrils symbolized the cords used to whip him; and the leaves were thought to represent the hands of Christ's persecutors." Passion Flower extract has a slightly narcotic effect when taken internally. It has been used as a tranquilizer to treat tension, fatigue, insomnia, and muscle spasms. In small doses it has no known toxicity. A cup of medicinal Passion Flower tea can be made with 1/2 to one teaspoon of the dried herb to one cup of boiling water. Smoking Passion Flower was supposed to impart a marijuana-like high. In an herbal bath it is soothing.

Black-Eyed Susan - These beautiful wildflowers cover the meadow on and near our farm. Black-Eyed Susan has immune stimulating properties similar to Echinacea.

Lupine, commonly known as Bluebonnets are a common site on the hillsides of Central Texas. They are sometimes mixed with Indian Paintbrush which make the landscape a site to behold in early summer.

Echinacea: "If you're not interested in healing yourself with its roots, you can simply enjoy the beauty of Echinacea in your yard or garden. They have a very slight fragrance and propagate into beautiful, meadow-like beds if you let them. Echinacea is a "preventative" herb. Not used in any modern commercial drugs today but Echinacea is heralded by many Herbalists as one of the very best blood purifiers and an effective antibiotic. Its contains a natural antibiotic that makes it an effective, broad-based infection fighter. It is considered an immune system stimulant which increases production of infection fighting T cells. It is believed to strengthen the body's tissues and protect from attacks of invasive germs. There are nine species, but only three of them (E. angustifolia, E. pallida, E. purpurea) are used as botanical medicines. Gardeners may recognize Echinacea as the purple coneflower. The three species are not interchangeable, although they may sometimes be confused with one another. Each may have a different balance of active compounds. Of course, the roots also differ from the aboveground parts of the plant, though both are utilized medicinally. The chemistry of Echinacea is complex, and no single ingredient has been identified as primarily responsible for the therapeutic activity. One thing to remember is Echinacea should be taken on an as-needed basis or at the change of a season. Not continually. Echinacea boosts the immune system but continual use may actually lessen the effectiveness of your own immune system. Maximum time to take the herb has been suggested at six to eight weeks. Echinacea is generally a very safe herb with side effects being very rare even when taken in large doses. One of the problems with Echinacea is that the different species may be confused by people gathering the herb from the wild.

Red Clover: Botanical name: Trifolium pratense. This plant grows in Europe and North America. The flowering tops are used in botanical medicine. Another plant, White Clover, grows in similar areas. Both have white arrow-shaped patterns on their leaves. Red Clover has been used in connection with cough, eczema, and menopause. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western folk medicine used this plant as a diuretic, a cough expectorant (an agent that promotes discharge of mucus from the respiratory passages), and an alterative. Alterative plants were considered beneficial for chronic conditions, particularly those afflicting the skin. Active constituents: Red Clover is known as an alterative agent (i.e., one that produces gradual beneficial changes in the body, usually by improving nutrition; also known as a �blood cleanser�). It is a traditional remedy for psoriasis and eczema. However, the mechanism of action and constituents responsible for Red Clover�s purported benefit in skin conditions are unknown. Modern research has revealed that Red Clover also contains high amounts of isoflavones, such as genistein, which have weak estrogen-like properties. Modern research has focused on a Red Clover extract high in isoflavones as a possible treatment for symptoms associated with menopause and cardiovascular health in menopausal women. A double-blind trial found that Red Clover improved cardiovascular function in menopausal women, but it has not been shown to provide any benefits for symptoms of menopause (such as hot flashes or vaginal irritation). Black Cohosh is better for this. Various laboratory studies and one case report of a man with prostate cancer suggest Red Clover isoflavones may help prevent cancer. In another case study, use of Red Clover by a man with prostate cancer led to noticeable anticancer effects in his prostate after the cancer was surgically removed. Although the isoflavones in Red Clover may help prevent certain forms of cancer (e.g., breast and prostate), further studies are needed before Red Clover is recommended for cancer patients. Traditionally, Red Clover is taken as a tea, by adding 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water to 2�3 teaspoons (10�15 grams) of dried flowers and steeping, covered, for ten to fifteen minutes. Three cups (750 ml) can be drunk each day. Red Clover can also be used in capsule or tablet form, equivalent to 2�4 grams of the dried flowers. Also, 1/2�3/4 teaspoon (2�4 ml) of tincture three times per day may be taken. Standardized extracts providing 40 mg isoflavones per day are available as well. Non-fermented Red Clover is relatively safe. However, fermented Red Clover may cause bleeding and should be avoided. Red Clover supplements should be avoided by pregnant or breast-feeding women and their safety has not been established in young children and infants. Certain medications may interact with Red Clover. Refer to the drug interactions safety check for a list of those medications. As you can see in this photograph it is a favorite of honeybees. Red Clover honey has a wonderful taste and may retain many of the medicinal properties.