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The Complete Home GfuoidoedtoanHderbnsu, tNraittuioranl Healing, and Nutrition
52
lems should eat only small amounts of it.
Rosemary(Rosmarinusofficinalis)isastringent,bitter,highlystimulating,
and yet calming, which makes it useful for indigestion, colic, nausea, gas,
nervousness,andfever.Itisalsohighincalciumandisanaturalantiseptic.
Sage(Salviaofficinalis)isanantispasmodic,antiseptic,andastringent,andis
helpfulforslowingfluidsecretions.Consequently,itishelpfulincasesof
excessiveperspiration,nightsweats,milkflow,andvaginaldischarge.Ithas
aslightlybittertaste,solimititsusageandcertainlyneverconsideritalone
asaherbaltea.Itrequirescarefuldosage,butisinvaluableifusedcorrectly.
Thyme(Thymusvulgaris)isusefulincasesoflackofappetite,chronicgastri-
tis,anddiarrhea.Itishighlyantisepticandcanactivateandstrengthenthe
immune system, and it warms and tones as it works. (However, excessive
amounts can cause depression if drunk daily in teas.)
Turmeric(Curcumadomestica)isoneofthemostusefulandversatilespices.
Notonlyisitanexcellentcleanseroftheliverthankstoitsbitterness,butit
isalsohighlyantisepticand,asabloodpurifier,isusefulforeczema,pimples,
andavarietyofotherskincomplaints.Itishelpfulforallcirculatoryprob-
lemsandformaintainingmenstrualregularity;italsokeepsallkindsofun-
desirablebacteriaandinfectionatbay,includinginthegut,whereitisalso
soothingandanti-inflammatory.Itisanantioxidant,butperhapsmostuse-
ful of all, it is strongly antiviral.
Note: As you have probably realized, foods and spices in their different
states—fresh,whole,andpowdered—allhavedifferentflavors.Whole,un-
processedspiceslastthelongest.Ifyouarebuyingpowderedones,buyonly
smallquantitiesatatime;alternatively,buywholeonesandgrindyourown
in a coffee grinder. Perhaps the main quality of most culinary herbs and
spices is that their essential oils all help with digestion, relaxing stomach
muscles, speeding digestion, and killing off unwanted amounts of fungi,
bacteria,andevenparasitesinsomecases.Theyaregenerallytonic,feeding,
andhealth-giving.Don’tforgetothersnotlistedhere,suchasbayleaf,basil,
and chives.
Digestion
This is the most important subject of this chapter and perhaps of the
book, for without proper digestion, much ill health and many diseases can
be created. The digestive system comprises the mouth, spleen, pancreas,
stomach, liver, gallbladder, intestines, and colon. There is much work to
be done by each of these; for instance, the mouth secretes digestive
enzymes, and the entire digestive tract is populated by symbiotic bacteria
whose job it is to break down the partially processed food and assist its
decomposition by fermentation.
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