 |
Halloween Herbs: A Harvest of Healing Plants
In celebration of the Halloween season, we'd like to share some information about some seasonal herbs and remedies.
Pumpkins are great decorations and make wonderful ingredients for your desserts, but did you know that Pumpkin Seed Oil is a popular supplement for protecting men's health? It contains essential nutrients that benefit prostate and reproductive health. It is rich in naturally occurring zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids. It also helps your skin, increases your overall energy levels, optimizes brain functions and assists bladder function.
Cat's Claw, also known as “una de gato.” While it sounds like it might be an ingredient in witch's brew, it's lucky to cross this herb's path. It is a natural antioxidant that soothes joints and bones.
Devil's Claw is also known by another creepy name - Wood Spider. It's known for its properties as a cleanser and can be found in Botanic Choice's Blood Sugar Support Tea.
For really spooky sounding supplements, check out some Homeopathic Remedies.
Pheasants' eye (Adonis vernalis) is another ingredient with a name that makes it sound like an ingredient in a magic spell. Named after the unfortunate Adonis, of Greek mythology, from whose blood it is said this plant sprouted. It promotes healthy digestion.
Aconitum Napellus also goes by the name Monk's Blood and Wolf's Bane, among others. Native to central Europe, this herb was made infamous by the 1941 Lon Chaney movie "The Wolfman," in which this poem is recited: "Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms ... and the autumn moon is bright."
Another canid-nicknamed ingredient in homeopathy is Lycopodium Clavatum, also called Wolf's Foot or Wolf's Claw. This moss-like plant was said to look like the wild dog's paw and has been used in medicinal preparations since the Middle Ages.
Two of the most widely-used ingredients in homeopathic medicines are Belladonna and Poison Hemlock. Belladonna, also called Deadly Nightshade, is native to Europe and North Africa. The berries of the belladonna plant are highly toxic. Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is also commonly called poison parsley and is best known as the cause of Socrates' death. Highly diluted preparations from these plants have been used in natural remedies for centuries.