How to use Hawthorn - Natures Heart Healer

Poor heart/circulatory health is a reality for many people and Hawthorn is natures answer - although it has been used for centuries, we seem to have lost our connection to these simple herbal remedies.

Hawthorn is a common hedgerow shrub/tree which often lines fields and paths in the UK.  Many people can identify it, but less of us know how healing it may be.  Hawthorn has been found to be a heart and circulatory tonic, improving blood circulation around the body.  It has also been linked to emotional support by calming and reducing anxiety.

The flowers (which blossom in spring), the leaves and berries (autumn) all have healing benefits and these can be used to simply make tinctures, syrups and berry leather.

'The great value of hawthorn is that, although is can have profound healing effects, it achieves these in a gentle and supportive way' Conway (2001)

Collecting and using hedgerow herbs/plants is becoming a lost art and discovering these plants again can be a lovely pastime.

http://shamanaflora.com/category/hawthorn/

Hawthorn Tincture Recipe (Julie Bruton-Seal)

The best tincture is made in 2 parts using the flowers and leaves in Spring and adding the berries in Autumn but can be done with either in isolation.

1. Gather the flowers and pack into a jar, covering with vodka.
2. Leave in jar for 1 month until leaves have lost colour and then strain and bottle.

for a mixed tincture...

3. In autumn but the berries in a blender with the hawthorn flower tincture and pour into wide mouthed jars.
4. Leave for 1 month then squeeze the liquid out using a jelly bag.
5. Bottle and label (this keeps for several years!)
 (1 tsp a day as a general tonic, 1-3tsp or as advised for circulatory problems)

Notes: This is not intended as medical advise. Always check with your doctor before using any herb.

References:

Hedgerow Medicine: Harvest and make your own herbal remedies. Julie Bruton -Seal and Mathew Seal

Hawthorn Affects on Atherosclerosis
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24126122

Free food - Nettles are here again!

There is nothing more appealing than food that is free as well as healthy - but what if it comes with a sting?

Although they may seem a little unfriendly nettles are full of vitamins and minerals which are essential to good health including calcium, iron, vitamin A and D.  They are particularly well known for their ability to help the body detoxify as they are a diuretic and help the kidneys release waste.  This is a reason to avoid drinking nettle tea too close to bedtime - but a great reason to incorporate it into a morning routine as you prepare for the day with a detoxifying drink.  They are also anti-inflammatory so may help with allergic reactions such as hayfever.

It is best to harvest them when they are shooting out new leaves which is now (April/May).  Of course it is important to wear rubber gloves or gardening gloves to make sure you don't get stung.  It is also a good idea to avoid nettles on roadsides (to avoid polluted plants) or along the edge of the path (to avoid dog mess).

Here are a few ideas for using your precious shoots!

1. Nettle Tea - Simply add a few sprigs to freshly boiled water and leave to steep for 2-3 minutes.  If you cover with a plate while it cools you will retain all the healing benefits.

2. Green Smoothie - You can add nettles as a green in any green smoothie recipe.  A nice combination is to simply put kiwi, mint, nettle and pear in the blender.

3. Nettle Soup - This is a lovely recipe to keep you strong in the lead up to summer.  

Ingredients

½ carrier bag full of nettles, tops or young leaves
55g butter
1 large or 2 medium onions, finely sliced
1 large carrot, chopped (optional)
2 celery sticks, chopped (optional)
1 large garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 litre good chicken, fish or vegetable stock
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
3 tablespoons cooked rice or 3 rice cakes
2 tablespoons thick organic cream or crème fraiche
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pick over the nettles and wash them thoroughly. Discard only the tougher stalks, as the soup will be liquidised. Melt the butter in a large pan and sweat the onion, plus the carrot, celery and garlic if using, until soft but not brown. Add the stock and pile in the nettles. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the nettles are tender. Season with salt and pepper, and with nutmeg if you wish. Puree the soup in a liquidiser with the cooked rice or rice cakes (you will probably have to do this in 2 batches). Return to a clean pan, stir in the cream and reheat, but do not let it boil. Check the seasoning, then serve, garnishing each bowl with a swirl of cream and a generous sprinkling of chopped herbs.
Enjoy!

Josie.x


References:

Nettle Soup is featured in Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's 'River Cottage Cookbook', published by Harper Collins, ISBN: 0002202042, price: 19.99

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19140159

Beat the January Blues with a Green Smoothie

January Booster

INGREDIENTS

2 cups kale
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup pineapple
1/2 cup mango
Juice of ½ lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
¼ to 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend kale and coconut milk until smooth.

2. Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.