Page 7 - Newsletter August 2019

Herbs that Heal

Don't buy expensive elderflower drink this month - get outdoors and
start making your own, says Sam Lacey

As well as being a holistic therapist and a tutor for Vitality Holistic Massage
and Beauty Training I am also a hedgerow herbalist, using the plants and herbs
that are growing on our own doorsteps, in our gardens, parks and local
woodlands, to make natural gentle herbal remedies and medicine to help with
our health and well-being. There is something very satisfying about heading
out into the garden or local park to forage for herbs, blossom or fruits from the
hedgerow that you can bring back and make into something delicious and
healing for yourself and your family.
Few plants are as steeped in folklore and superstition as the Elder, being connected to the fairies and witches! It
was said if you were near an elder tree at night on midsummer you might see the fairy king ride by and be
transported off to the world of the fae, never to be seen again! The Elder is often referred to as “Mother Elder”, if
she chose to plant herself in your garden it meant she had chosen to protect your house from lightening and your
cattle from harm, however it was considered extremely bad luck to cut the elder. If you need to remove an elder
from your garden, as can happen because she is quite invasive once she gets going, always ask politely and explain
why you need to and never use her for firewood, the fumes from elder smoke are extremely toxic!
Elder blossom is one of the best herbs for encouraging sweating
to break a fever when drunk as a hot tea. The tea is made by
steeping a handful of fresh flowers, or a teaspoon of dried, in a
cupful of boiling water and allowing to infuse for 3 to 5 minutes,
strain and drink hot at the first stages of a cold or fever to
promote sweating. For hay fever symptoms it can be used in a
combination with nettle leaves.
Mother Elder also has an affinity to the wise women going
through the menopause, when drunk as a cold tea it has the
ability to cool hot flushes and ease night sweats, also having a
diuretic effect it can help with fluid retention.

Ingredients Method

20—30 Elderflower heads Pick 20 - 30 heads of elderflower on a dry sunny day, choosing
those that smell lemony and look fresh. Give them a shake to
2 litres of water
remove any bugs and allow them to sit for half an hour to allow
1kg sugar any remaining creatures to make their escape. When picked and
left you will notice that the fragrance will changed. Don’t let this
50g citric acid
put you off, when you’ve made the final drink, the sweet deli-
1 Lemon and 1 Orange (or 2 Lemons) Chopped cious fragrance will return.
In your largest pan, gently melt 1kg sugar into 2 litres of water,
Keeps for about 6 weeks unopened in then bring to the boil.
the fridge, or you can freeze it and have
as a delicious drink in the winter to Turn off the heat and add your elderflower heads, 50g citric acid
remind you of the beautiful summer (easily available from chemists and the internet), a chopped
days to come. lemon and a chopped orange. Stir well, place the saucepan lid
back on and let it sit for 24 hours.
To drink, dilute to taste with still or Strain through a muslin lined sieve and decant into sterilised
sparkling water. It can also be made bottles.
with hot water to encourage sweating in
colds and fevers. Label and store.

Happy Herbal Foraging!

Disclaimer
The content in this article is not intended as a medical reference but as a source of information. Before trying any herbal remedy, the reader is recommended to try a
small quantity first to establish whether there are any adverse or allergic reactions to the herb. Please remember that although all the herbs I use are known for being
extremely gentle, when you are using herbs and plants for their medicinal properties, they are just that – ‘medicinal’. If you wish to take a herbal remedy with
prescribed medicines, you should talk to a pharmacist or your GP first – treat all herbal remedies with respect.