Healthy Herbs Archives - Journey With Healthy Me

Eyebright Herb Benefits

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I appreciate the many health benefits of herbs. These powerful plants truly provide medicine for the body. From boosting the immune system to easing inflammation to relieving bloating, there’s an herb for that!

This post features an herb called eyebright. Common in Europe, Asia and the US, eyebright is a small flowering herb that thrives in poor soil. The tiny flowers are white with purple streaks and a yellow center. The herb grows in grassy areas such as yards, fields and ditches. Considered a semi-parasitic plant, eyebright draws water and nutrients from the roots of nearby plants.

The stems, leaves and flowers are used medicinally in teas, tinctures, lotions and dietary supplements.

Eyebright Herb Benefits title meme

Nutritional Value of Eyebright

Eyebright contains flavonoids with antihistamine properties. Those flavonoids inhibit the release of histamine, which triggers allergy symptoms such as a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes.

The herb also provides plant compounds that protect against damage from free radicals. And eyebright contains tannins that possess anti-inflammatory properties.

Additionally, the herb offers vitamins A, B1, C and E along with zinc, selenium and copper.

Eyebright Herb Benefits

Although not as well known as other medicinal herbs, eyebright has been used for centuries in Europe and Asia and provides the following benefits:

relieves eye problems including irritation, inflammation and allergy symptoms
prevents sun damage to skin cells
improves acne and skin irritations
lowers blood sugar
soothes sore throats and eases symptoms of colds and coughs
combats sinus infections
antibacterial
antiviral
protects the liver from free radicals, toxins and viruses
enhances memory and improves cognitive performance

Ways to Use Eyebright

Purchase eyebright in health food stores or order online.

It is available as dried, herbal tea bags, capsules, tinctures, extracts, lotions and eye drops.

For tea, add 1 – 2 teaspoons of dried eyebright, or an herbal tea bag, to a cup of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Eyebright may taste slightly bitter or astringent. Add raw, organic honey to sweeten, if desired.

Take 1 – 2 ml of the tincture or extract, up to three times a day.

Or take 1 400 – 500 mg capsule 2 – 3 times a day.

I’ve seen posts about making a DIY eyebright solution to wash the eyes with, to ease inflammation and irritation. However, I can’t recommend that. Extreme caution must be used with any home remedy for the eyes, to prevent infection.

There are commercially prepared eye drops available that contain eyebright.

Have you heard of the herb eyebright? I’d love to know if you’ve tried it!

Eyebright Herb Benefits flower — Eyebright Herb Benefits – flowers

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I am not a medical practitioner. I study health and wellness related topics and share experiences from my own personal healing journey.

Health Benefits of Fennel

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In past years, I’ve enjoyed creating tea blends using dried fennel seeds. This year, for the first time, I’m growing fennel in my garden. The bulbs and seeds are far from harvest ready. However, the frilly green fronds, reminiscent of dill, inspired me to create another first this evening…fennel leaf tea.

Like most herbs, the health benefits of fennel are many and the plant has been used since ancient times.

Health Benefits of Fennel

What is Fennel?

Fennel, a member of the carrot and celery family, originated in the Mediterranean region. It’s now grown around the world. This ancient herb produces a white bulb. From the bulb long green stalks appear. And on those stalks grow feathery green leaves that resemble dill.

The entire plant is edible…bulb, stalks, leaves and even the seeds that appear after flowering. Fennel is aromatic, smelling a bit like anise, while the flavor is distinctly licorice-like.

The herb is rich in bioflavonoids and antioxidants and high in fiber. Other nutrients include vitamins A, C and K, potassium, manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, niacin and copper.

While it’s a popular vegetable for culinary purposes, fennel is valuable for its healing properties as well.

Health Benefits of Fennel Plant

Health Benefits of Fennel

The health benefits of fennel include:

Aids Digestion

Fennel supports a healthy digestive system. The fiber prevents constipation and cleanses toxins and debris from the large intestine. Chewing the seeds after a meal eliminates bad breath and stimulates the secretion of digestive juices. Fennel relieves acid reflux, gas, cramping and bloating and balances pH levels within the stomach.

Lowers the Risk of Heart Disease

High fiber foods such as fennel reduce cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The herb’s vitamin C protects the cardio system as well.

Eases Menopausal Symptoms

Early trials, giving post menopausal women fennel, found that symptoms such as sleeping issues, night sweats, flushing and hot flashes were relieved.

Improves Eye Health

Fennel’s antioxidants help to reduce inflammation, leading to improved vision. Fennel also appears to slow the progression of macular degeneration, a common cause of vision loss in the elderly.

Fresh Fennel Leaves — Fresh fennel leaves from my garden.

Helps to Prevent Cancer

The herb’s anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers. Fennel contains an oil called anethole which acts as a natural remedy against breast cancer cells.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Another one of the health benefits of fennel is the ability to lower blood pressure. The herb’s high potassium levels and low sodium combine to lower systolic blood pressure, helping to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Maintains Healthy Bones

Because of its high calcium content, fennel strengthens and maintains healthy bones. The plant’s magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin K all contribute toward bone health as well.

Improves Skin

Fennel’s vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. It works to reduce free radicals that can damage skin cells, leading to premature aging. Vitamin C is necessary in the formation of collagen, another vital component for youthful skin.

Fennel Leaf Tea

Enjoying Fennel

Fennel can be enjoyed many ways. Sliced, the bulb adds crunch and sweetness to salads. Or the slices add flavor to stir fries and sautéed vegetables.

The stalks can replace celery in recipes while the tender fennel leaves are great added to salads or steamed with other veggies. Use the leaves to create pesto or to top baked potatoes. Steep the seeds or leaves in hot water for 15 minutes, to create a soothing and healing tea.

Using herbs for tea is one of my favorite health practices. I often enjoy a delicious blend of lemon balm, fennel seeds and thyme tea. This evening I decided to try something different.

I snipped several fennel fronds from my plants in the garden and prepared a fresh fennel tea. After adding hot water to a cup containing the leaves, I covered it and let the tea steep for 15 minutes.

The resulting tea had a delicate, subtle licorice flavor combined with the earthiness of a green tea. I enjoyed it very much.

Herbs contain such amazing properties. I’m grateful for the health benefits of fennel…and the other medicinal plants in my garden.

Freshly Brewed Fennel Tea

Order dried fennel seeds by clicking photo below.

Cleavers Cold Water Infusion

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I enjoyed a first today. In the spirit of foraging, I gathered a wild edible yesterday from my backyard and allowed it to steep overnight in water. This afternoon, for tea time, I sipped on a refreshing cleavers cold water infusion.

I’ve read about the medicinal herb cleavers, that many consider a weed. Oddly enough, I even dreamed once about gathering the plant. It wasn’t until I studied foraging for wild edibles last fall that I realized I pull this “weed” out of my garden every spring, by the handfuls. In fact, I’ve been familiar with cleavers since my childhood. I’ll bet you know it too!

Cleavers Cold Water Infusion

What is Cleavers?

Cleavers originated in Europe, covering much of the extended continent, from England to Siberia. Today it flourishes around the world, including Canada and much of the United States.

And when I say flourish, I mean that it grows everywhere, appearing in early spring. Look for it growing along rivers, sidewalks, fences and tree stumps or in great clumps in meadows and fields. Cleavers thrives especially well in cultivated gardens, I’ve discovered.

While it has a fancy Latin name, Galium aparine, this prolific plant is more commonly known as cleavers. That’s not what I called it though, as a child. I called this plant “sticktights”. It’s also known by a variety of descriptive names such as grip grass, stickyweed, catchweed, velco plant, everlasting friendship and sticky willies.

The main identifying characteristic of cleavers are the fine sticky hairs that cover the plant. These sticky hairs enable the plant to cling to clothes or fur that it comes in contact with. That’s a pretty cool way to propagate! After the plant flowers it produces tiny sticky seeds as well, that create a nuisance for dogs or cats that brush against them. I used to pick these sticktights out of my pets’ fur after a romp through nearby fields.

Cleavers Cold Water Infusion

Identifying Cleavers

Cleavers is a wild edible that is easy to identify. The bright green plant puts out long straggly stems with spaced out whorls of six to eight leaves. Cleavers does flower, producing tiny white blooms. And the miniscule seeds are covered with itty bitty soft barbs. The best way to test the plant, to make sure it is cleavers, is to pluck a stem with leaves and press it against your shirt. If it sticks, it’s cleavers!

Cleavers Cold Water Infusion Cleavers growing around a stump in my backyard.

Health Benefits of Cleavers Cold Water Infusion

Used medicinally for centuries, cleavers offers many health benefits to those wise enough to recognize its gifts. The plant has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and astringent properties.

Cleanses the lymphatic system

Cleavers helps to reduce water weight and edema by cleansing and stimulating the lymphatic system. This reduces swelling in glands, tissues and cysts. Cleavers is naturally diuretic making it an excellent tonic for the kidneys and urinary tract. Its cleansing and flushing effect is good for the whole body as it detoxifies and purifies the blood.

Has cooling properties

This herb reduces fevers and helps to prevent heat strokes during hot summer months. Its cooling properties calm inflammation, within the body and on the skin. Cleavers even takes the sting out of sunburns.

Heals wounds and skin irritations

Fresh cleavers leaves provide relief from cuts, wounds, rashes and bug bites. Lightly crush the leaves and apply to soothe skin redness, swelling and irritation.

Cleavers’ antiseptic properties help to treat the skin conditions eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. Use tinctures or teas to begin treatment from within the body, while using a cleavers wash to soothe the skin.

Improves liver function

By stimulating the liver, cleavers improves digestion and the elimination of toxins from the body. It is also effective in treating ulcers, bladder inflammation and irritable bowel syndrome.

Cleavers Cold Water Infusion

Creating Cleavers Cold Water Infusion

Fresh cleavers leaves are delicious added to salads or included in a steamed greens meal. The herb is available for purchase as a tincture and a dried tea.

The easiest way to enjoy the health benefits of cleavers is to gather it in your yard or another place free from herbicides and chemicals.

Cleavers tea can be served as a hot drink or as a cold water infusion. My studies suggested that the cleavers cold water infusion provided slightly more benefits that a hot tea. I loved the idea of making a something different from my typical hot herbal tea.

I gathered cleavers from my backyard. Truthfully, I almost waited too long to try this herb. I pulled up cleavers plants in early spring, clearing them from my garden. It was difficult to find the herb when I wanted it. Finally yesterday I located cleavers growing near the wood pile for the fire pit.

To create a cleavers cold water infusion, chop fresh cleavers plants and drop them into a tall mason jar. Cover with filtered water, screw on the lid, and allow water to steep in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, strain and serve.

Cleavers cold water infusion, chilling in the fridge.

A Different Kind of Afternoon Tea

I sampled my cleavers water this afternoon, in place of hot herbal tea.

How did it taste?

I expected a slight bitterness but there wasn’t any. At least, the water did not taste bitter to me. However, I am very accustomed to herbal teas, without added honey for sweetener. The cleavers cold water infusion had a mild green taste, but not like grass. The water was refreshing and satisfying, more like cucumber infused water or one made with aromatic herbs.

Cleavers infused water gets a thumbs up from me. I have enough water left over to enjoy a cup tomorrow. And a few more plants in the backyard, that escaped my earlier weed pulling frenzies. Next spring, I’ll leave more cleavers to grow in my garden. I recognize and appreciate their incredible value now.

Cleavers Cold Water Infusion

If you are feeling adventurous, try out these other wild edible teas:

Order cleavers tincture or cleavers dried tea below:

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Turmeric for Wellbeing

Welcome to Sunday Supplements. This day of soulful self care is perfect for sharing weekly about the supplements that aid and support healing. From vitamins and minerals to herbs to health boosting drinks and teas, I will be sharing the best supplements to take for different situations.

I chose to begin with what I consider to be the best supplement for overall health and wellbeing…turmeric.

Turmeric is a rhizome perennial herb in the ginger family. It is native to India and southeast Asia. Turmeric is what gives curry its yellow color, and it has been used for thousands of years in India as a spice and for medicinal purposes. Science has caught up to what the people of India have known for a long time…there are incredible healing benefits in turmeric.

This herb contains curcumin, a phytochemical with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric also contains natural steroidal compounds that calm down the body’s inflammatory response to pathogens, such as viruses.

This makes turmeric ideal for fighting inflammation anywhere in the body, from joints to the liver to nerves to the brain. The compounds in this herb increase blood flow to the parts of the body that need it the most, lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol, inhibit tumors and cysts and can help prevent any type of cancer.

Turmeric aids in combatting a host of conditions, including skin disorders, anxiety, colds and flu, sinus issues, chronic fatigue syndrome, Epstein Barr Virus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lymphoma, heart disease, Lyme disease, Parkinson’s, liver disorders, joint pain, headaches, leg cramps, body aches, blurry vision, brain fog, menopause symptoms and many other health problems.

You can see why this herb is considered one of the best supplements to include for the greatest overall benefits. It basically helps every system, every area of the body.

And, it is the supplement that I make sure I don’t run out of. I can feel a difference in my body if I skip a day or two of taking it. Joint pain and stiffness begins to return when I don’t take turmeric.

Turmeric is available in many forms. It can be purchased in its rhizome form, in health food stores or in the produce section of most grocery stores. Use one inch pieces at a time and run it through the juicer to add to other fresh juices such as orange and apple. Combine with fresh ginger and orange juice for powerful anti-inflammatory shots.

I take turmeric daily in capsule form. I have used several different companies. Make sure the capsules also contain black pepper, which helps the body to absorb the turmeric better. The bottle of Gaia Turmeric pictured above has black pepper listed as an ingredient, on the back label. I take two capsules in the morning, with my breakfast smoothie.

My favorite way to include turmeric in my diet is with this tasty Turmeric Tea, also called Turmeric Milk or Golden Milk.

In the bottom of a large mug, mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1 tablespoon of raw organic honey and a dash of black pepper. Fill cup with warm unsweetened, non dairy milk. I love unsweetened almond coconut milk. Stir well. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

This drink is so delicious. I crave it. Turmeric Milk is the perfect way to wind down after a busy day and prepare for a good night’s sleep.

Taking turmeric as a daily supplement, drinking my Turmeric Milk, makes me feel like I am taking excellent care of myself. I know I am calming inflammation in my body while combating the Epstein Barr Virus. For me, it is nurturing at the highest level.

I am so worth it.

Get your Turmeric here!

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