Healthy, Healing Herbs

Walking outdoors in the month of June in any northern hemisphere locale, olfactory nerves are tickled with the flowery smells, blossoming trees, grasses, and the sweet aroma of herbs growing in our gardens. Optic nerves are stimulated with a flood of color and taste buds await the first harvest of herbs to spice our food, adding beauty, flavor and good medicine to our plates.

The first harvest of kitchen herbs is underway with herbs drying, being preserved in dehydrators or frozen for future use in teas, stews, soups and dishes prepared for healthy dining. Summer simmers include these aromatic and flavorful herbs enhancing grilled meats and flatbreads, salsas, jellies, and jams.

Take advantage of the season by storing some of the herbs available at farmer’s markets, local grocers or fresh from your own garden. I also recommend making some home remedies from these healing herbs. I am happy to share an example of a really good one that I use, thyme syrup.

Thyme syrup is good for sore throat, arthritis, and stomach ache to name a few uses. Thyme can help beyond the flavor of your soup! Here is the recipe:

1 cup fresh thyme to 3 cups water, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes (you can use a double boiler if you like). Strain (best with a strainer and cheesecloth) and simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Measure with a chopstick before reducing to be exact. When reduced add equal parts honey (or sugar) and thickened, reduced thyme liquid. Pour into clean bottles. Store it in your refrigerator. This recipe comes from “Gather Victoria, Ancestral Food, Herbal Wisdom, Magical Cookery, Seasonal Celebrations) www.gathervictoria.com.

There are some excellent books available for beginners and advanced herbal uses, a couple of them are listed in the resource area of the website, www.asandyplace.com. Google, Bing and Farmer’s almanac are also good sources for recipes and therapeutic use of herbs.

Remember if you use herbal remedies your physician needs to know what you are using, how much you are using and why. Herbs are medicine and you want to ensure you won’t have a negative interaction between herbal elements of care and any medicine or treatment you may be taking. This step is essential to your well-being.

For more information like this, sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a variety of ways to experience and enjoy increased well-being in your life. We are committed to this! You can sign up at contact@asandyplace.com.

Upcoming workshops include “Haiku for Healing” which incorporates a Zen approach to writing and experiencing nature through this form of Japanese poetry. Also coming in July, is a workshop called “Affirmations Affirm!” teaching participants how to create personal affirmations to achieve increased well-being and reach your personal and professional goals. Join us for either or both of these 90-minute workshops, we’d love to meet you.

As always, your questions and comments are appreciated!

Wishing you well-being,

Sandra L. Place www.asandyplace.com contact@asandyplace.com