The power of the herb – sage

The power of the herb – sage

The generic name for sage is Salvia, which is Latin for “to heal.” The ancient Greeks and Romans were the first to use sage to preserve meat. They also believed it could help your memory. Pliny, a Roman naturalist, prescribed sage for snake bites, intestinal worms, epilepsy, breast problems and menstrual regulation. The Greek physician Dioscorides used sage leaves as a bandage and recommended it as a diuretic and menstrual regulator. In the tenth century, Arab doctors believed that sage made one immortal. The French called sage “toute bonne,” or “all good,” because they believed it helped nerves, fevers, and cured paralysis.

Sage has been widely prescribed for centuries to cure ailments such as bladder infections, kidney stones, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, tuberculosis, mental illness, and nipple inflammation. In the 16th century, the Chinese acquired the herb from the Dutch and used it to treat insomnia, depression, gastrointestinal disorders and mental illness. In India, Ayurvedic experts use sage to treat piles, gonorrhea, vaginitis and eye problems. It was widely used on a plant basis as a genital wash and gargle, with its leaves used as a poultice to prevent swelling in sprains. As you can see, the world agrees with the French - all good.

Sage is currently used by herbalists for the following:

• Antitranspirant
• Wundbehandlung
• Konservierungsmittel
• Verdauungshilfe
• Diabetes
• Halsentzündung
• Frauengesundheit

Sage can reduce sweating by 50%, which explains why it is used to treat fever and dry up breast milk. Sage fights infections, much like an antiseptic, which explains its ancient use of the leaves to treat wounds. You may want to crush some leaves on a wound before you can properly attend to washing and dressing the wound. Sage is a powerful antioxidant that slows meat spoilage. The preservative effects of sage can help prevent food poisoning when you mix it into salads, pasta, meat, and fish. Sage relaxes the smooth muscles of the digestive tract; it is an antispasmodic. There are studies that show that sage lowers glucose levels in diabetics, but it should be used in conjunction with other remedies because diabetes is a very complex disease. Sage contains an astringent gargle that helps with sore throats and tonsillitis. Some studies suggest that sage stimulates the uterus, which may explain its use in regulating menstruation. It can be used to induce menstruation but should not be used in pregnant women.