Fennel

Fennel is a biennial or perennial plant that grows wild in the Mediterranean area and in Asia Minor. It is commonly cultivated for medicinal use and sometimes found wild in the United States and Europe.

It is used as a diuretic, expectorant and stimulant. It increases the appetite, relieves colic, abdominal cramps and flatulence. It can also be used to stimulate lactation in nursing mothers (use the tincture or boil the seed in barley water). Externally, rub the oil onto rheumatic joints and use a decoction of the seeds as an eyewash for irritation and eye strain.

Fennel Honey: Add 1-3 drops fennel oil to 1 tbsp honey and mix. Take a teaspoon at a time for a natural cough remedy.

Fenugreek

An annual plant widely cultivated for both medicinal and culinary uses.

Used as an expectorant, for fevers and for sore throats. Can be used externally for neuralgia, sciatica, wounds and skin irritations.

Feverfew

A perennial plant which is cultivated, but is occasionally found wild in waste places and along roadsides and wood borders in the US.

Drying of the roots gives rise to the distinctive smell of the herb.

Used for colic, indigestion, cold and alcoholic dts, arthritis, menstrual pains, headaches and general aches and pains.

Chewing the fresh leaves is recommended for headaches, but it can give mouth ulcers, so it may be preferable to eat them in a sandwich.

Fragrant Valerian

A perennial plant, about 2-4 ft high which is found on roadsides and thickets in America and across Europe.

A sedative and relaxant which is useful for all sorts of nervous conditions, migraine and insomnia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, muscle spasms and cramps.

CAUTION: Large doses or extended use may produce symptoms of poisoning. Take the tea twice daily for no more than two or three weeks at a time.

Garlic

A perennial plant which is widely cultivated as one of the most common kitchen herbs. The ancient Greeks and Romans used it as medicine. Native to Siberia and to S Europe where it is almost a staple food.

Uses: Antiseptic and antibacterial. Used also for coughs, colds and catarrh. May help prevent colds by strengthening the immune system. Lowers cholesterol levels and is medically proven to help in the treatment of heart disease. It has a beneficial effect on blood circulation and heart action.

For coughs, grate a clove of garlic and mix with honey.

Ginger

A perennial plant indigenous to tropical Asia and cultivated in other tropical areas, especially Jamaica.

Hot ginger tea promotes cleansing of the system. Use for colds and for sore throats.

Often thought of as an oriental spice, but the ancient Greeks used ginger as a medicine.

Ginseng

A small, perennial plant which is native to south east Asia, but is grown commercially in the Tropics. The roots are harvested after the leaves have died in autumn.

Used by the Chinese for thousands of years. Considered especially valuable for feverish and inflammatory illnesses, for haemorrhage and for blood diseases. Chinese women take it for everything from normalising menstruation to easing child birth.

It is an appetite stimulant and is helpful for digestive disturbances. It is a mild stimulant to the central nervous system and is used medically in the normalizing of blood pressure.

Goldenrod

A perennial plant which grows to a height of 3 ft in dry meadows and woods and in sandy, sunny places in Europe and northern and western Asia.

An astringent and diuretic. Used for arthritis, whooping cough and chronic eczema. Said to be useful for kidney problems and diarrhoea. Crushed fresh leaves can be used for wounds, sores and insect bites.

Hawthorn

The hawthorn grows as either a shrub or a tree in England and continental Europe. Clusters of white flowers appear in the summertime followed by oval red berries in the autumn. It is one of the most useful herbal heart remedies and is used to improve blood flow to the heart, to improve the efficiency of the hearts' pumping action and local circulation.

Horseradish

A perennial plant native to south eastern Europe and western Asia. Occasionally found wild, but usually cultivated in other parts of the world. Used as a diuretic and for bladder infections, colitis and intestinal problems. The mustard oils are antibacterial, so horseradish is also used to treat lung infections.

Only fresh (ie sundried) horseradish is effective. The root can be preserved fresh for months in a fridge.

Can be applied externally for rheumatism.