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Healing Herbs, Plants and Flowers

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Healing Herbs, Plants and Flowers

Information of Healing Herbs and Plants. Lore myth and usage. Also a few other things grown here and there.

Website: http://www.naturalark.com/herbindex.html
Location: EveryWhere You Look....
Members: 45
Latest Activity: Feb 12, 2014

Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, and phytotherapy. The scope of herbal medicine is sometimes extended to include fungal and bee products, as well as minerals, shells and certain animal parts. Pharmacognosy is the study of medicines derived from natural sources.

Traditional use of medicines is recognized as a way to learn about potential future medicines. In 2001, researchers identified 122 compounds used in mainstream medicine which were derived from "ethnomedical" plant sources; 80% of these compounds were used in the same or related manner as the traditional ethnomedical use.

Many plants synthesize substances that are useful to the maintenance of health in humans and other animals. These include aromatic substances, most of which are phenols or their oxygen-substituted derivatives such as tannins. Many are secondary metabolites, of which at least 12,000 have been isolated — a number estimated to be less than 10% of the total. In many cases, substances such as alkaloids serve as plant defense mechanisms against predation by microorganisms, insects, and herbivores. Many of the herbs and spices used by humans to season food yield useful medicinal compounds.

Similarly to prescription drugs, a number of herbs are thought to be likely to cause adverse effects. Furthermore, "adulteration, inappropriate formulation, or lack of understanding of plant and drug interactions have led to adverse reactions that are sometimes life threatening or lethal

In the written record, the study of herbs dates back over 5,000 years to the Sumerians, who described well-established medicinal uses for such plants as laurel, caraway, and thyme. Ancient Egyptian medicine of 1000 B.C. are known to have used garlic, opium, castor oil, coriander, mint, indigo, and other herbs for medicine and the Old Testament also mentions herb use and cultivation, including mandrake, vetch, caraway, wheat, barley, and rye.

Indian Ayurveda medicine has used herbs such as turmeric possibly as early as 1900 B.C. Many other herbs and minerals used in Ayurveda were later described by ancient Indian herbalists such as Charaka and Sushruta during the 1st millennium BC. The Sushruta Samhita attributed to Sushruta in the 6th century BC describes 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources, and 57 preparations based on animal sources.

The first Chinese herbal book, the Shennong Bencao Jing, compiled during the Han Dynasty but dating back to a much earlier date, possibly 2700 B.C., lists 365 medicinal plants and their uses - including ma-Huang, the shrub that introduced the drug ephedrine to modern medicine. Succeeding generations augmented on the Shennong Bencao Jing, as in the Yaoxing Lun (Treatise on the Nature of Medicinal Herbs), a 7th century Tang Dynasty treatise on herbal medicine.

The ancient Greeks and Romans made medicinal use of plants. Greek and Roman medicinal practices, as preserved in the writings of Hippocrates and - especially - Galen, provided the pattern for later western medicine. Hippocrates advocated the use of a few simple herbal drugs - along with fresh air, rest, and proper diet. Galen, on the other hand, recommended large doses of drug mixtures - including plant, animal, and mineral ingredients. The Greek physician compiled the first European treatise on the properties and uses of medicinal plants, De Materia Medica. In the first century AD, Dioscorides wrote a compendium of more than 500 plants that remained an authoritative reference into the 17th century. Similarly important for herbalists and botanists of later centuries was the Greek book that founded the science of botany, Theophrastus’ Historia Plantarum, written in the fourth century B.C.

Middle Ages

The uses of plants for medicine and other purposes changed little in early medieval Europe. Many Greek and Roman writings on medicine, as on other subjects, were preserved by hand copying of manuscripts in monasteries. The monasteries thus tended to become local centers of medical knowledge, and their herb gardens provided the raw materials for simple treatment of common disorders. At the same time, folk medicine in the home and village continued uninterrupted, supporting numerous wandering and settled herbalists. Among these were the “wise-women,” who prescribed herbal remedies often along with spells and enchantments. It was not until the late Middle Ages that women who were knowledgeable in herb lore became the targets of the witch hysteria. One of the most famous women in the herbal tradition was Hildegard of Bingen. A twelfth century Benedictine nun, she wrote a medical text called Causes and Cures.

Medical schools known as Bimaristan began to appear from the 9th century in the medieval Islamic world among Persians and Arabs, which was generally more advanced than medieval Europe at the time. The Arabs venerated Greco-Roman culture and learning, and translated tens of thousands of texts into Arabic for further study. As a trading culture, the Arab travellers had access to plant material from distant places such as China and India. Herbals, medical texts and translations of the classics of antiquity filtered in from east and west. Muslim botanists and Muslim physicians significantly expanded on the earlier knowledge of materia medica. For example, al-Dinawari described more than 637 plant drugs in the 9th century, and Ibn al-Baitar described more than 1,400 different plants, foods and drugs, over 300 of which were his own original discoveries, in the 13th century. The experimental scientific method was introduced into the field of materia medica in the 13th century by the Andalusian-Arab botanist Abu al-Abbas al-Nabati, the teacher of Ibn al-Baitar. Al-Nabati introduced empirical techniques in the testing, description and identification of numerous materia medica, and he separated unverified reports from those supported by actual tests and observations. This allowed the study of materia medica to evolve into the science of pharmacology.

Avicenna's The Canon of Medicine (1025) lists 800 tested drugs, plants and minerals. Book Two is devoted to a discussion of the healing properties of herbs, including nutmeg, senna, sandalwood, rhubarb, myrrh, cinammon, and rosewater.[17] Baghdad was an important center for Arab herbalism, as was Al-Andalus between 800 and 1400. Abulcasis (936-1013) of Cordoba authored The Book of Simples, an important source for later European herbals, while Ibn al-Baitar (1197–1248) of Malaga authored the Corpus of Simples, the most complete Arab herbal which introduced 200 new healing herbs, including tamarind, aconite, and nux vomica. Other pharmacopoeia books include that written by Abu-Rayhan Biruni in the 11th century[citation needed] and Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar) in the 12th century (and printed in 1491), The origins of clinical pharmacology also date back to the Middle Ages in Avicenna's The Canon of Medicine, Peter of Spain's Commentary on Isaac, and John of St Amand's Commentary on the Antedotary of Nicholas. In particular, the Canon introduced clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, and efficacy tests.

Alongside the university system, folk medicine continued to thrive. The continuing importance of herbs for the centuries following the Middle Ages is indicated by the hundreds of herbals published after the invention of printing in the fifteenth century. Theophrastus’ Historia Plantarum was one of the first books to be printed, but Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica, Avicenna's Canon of Medicine and Avenzoar's pharmacopoeia were not far behind.




People on all continents have used hundreds to thousands of indigenous plants for treatment of ailments since prehistoric times. Medicinal herbs were found in the personal effects of Ötzi the Iceman, whose body was frozen in the Swiss Alps for more than 5,300 years. These herbs appear to have been used to treat the parasites found in his intestines. Anthropologists theorize that animals evolved a tendency to seek out bitter plant parts in response to illness.

Indigenous healers often claim to have learned by observing that sick animals change their food preferences to nibble at bitter herbs they would normally reject. Field biologists have provided corroborating evidence based on observation of diverse species, such as chimpanzees, chickens, sheep and butterflies. Lowland gorillas take 90% of their diet from the fruits of Aframomum melegueta, a relative of the ginger plant, that is a potent antimicrobial and apparently keeps shigellosis and similar infections at bay.

Researchers from Ohio Wesleyan University found that some birds select nesting material rich in antimicrobial agents which protect their young from harmful bacteria.

Sick animals tend to forage plants rich in secondary metabolites, such as tannins and alkaloids. Since these phytochemicals often have antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antihelminthic properties, a plausible case can be made for self-medication by animals in the wild.

Some animals have digestive systems especially adapted to cope with certain plant toxins. For example, the koala can live on the leaves and shoots of the eucalyptus, a plant that is dangerous to most animals. A plant that is harmless to a particular animal may not be safe for humans to ingest. A reasonable conjecture is that these discoveries were traditionally collected by the medicine people of indigenous tribes, who then passed on safety information and cautions.

The use of herbs and spices in cuisine developed in part as a response to the threat of food-borne pathogens. Studies show that in tropical climates where pathogens are the most abundant, recipes are the most highly spiced. Further, the spices with the most potent antimicrobial activity tend to be selected. In all cultures vegetables are spiced less than meat, presumably because they are more resistant to spoilage

Discussion Forum

Tree Magic 4 Replies

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Feb 10, 2014.

Gothic Gardening: The Secret Names of Plants by Rev. Carol A. Ingle AKA Raven 2 Replies

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 31, 2014.

Stocking Your Herbal Medicine Cabinet: Top 12 Herbs and Their Uses 3 Replies

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 31, 2014.

Roses. By Kirt A White

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 25, 2014.

Witch of the Old World Book of Herbs by LADY ABIGAIL 1 Reply

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 22, 2014.

Belladonna by Christine Narducci 1 Reply

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 22, 2014.

WORMWOOD by Bre Geier 1 Reply

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 22, 2014.

An overlooked herb by Mitchell Eyre

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 17, 2014.

Dragons Blood and Dragons Blood Tree (April Correspondence) by Regi 1 Reply

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 14, 2014.

Herbs and magic by Michelle Clarke

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 14, 2014.

Southernwood Artemisia abrotanum by ~*~ Airwolf LoP Ministry Founder/Owner~*~

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 12, 2014.

Herbs and Their Uses

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 10, 2014.

Basil by Ken Plenty Ken Plenty 2 Replies

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things. Last reply by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 9, 2014.

Herbal Hair Care – 11 Herbs That Work Wonders for your Hair by Aparaitia

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 9, 2014.

The Gray Witches Grimoire Herb of the Day: Jimson Weed.

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 9, 2014.

Apple Banishing Spell by Marti Finizio

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 9, 2014.

Magic rose petal bath by Donna Morgan

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 7, 2014.

Turkey Posole by Diane Baker

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 7, 2014.

Bittersweet; Poison by LADY ABIGAIL

Started by Dept of PMM Artists & things Jan 7, 2014.

Comment Wall

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Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 11, 2014 at 6:29pm

Kath Green 6:26in the evenin' Jan 11
Birch Bark:
Highly protective. Boil some of the bark in water, then add this water to the bath, to cocoon yourself in protective energy. Can be burned on charcoal to remove negetive energies from the home or place of business. Hang some over the front door to protect the home.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 9, 2014 at 4:42pm
Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 9, 2014 at 4:08pm

Marti Finizio 10:04in the mornin' Jan 9
THE FLOWER OF LIGHT HEALING SPELL

Large circle of cloth St. John's wort oil 2 yellow candles yellow flowers
Spread cloth on floor and sprinkle few drops on blood-red St. John's wort oil.
Anoint candles with more oil and divide flowers into two bunches.
Sit in the middle of the cloth and place flowers at the edge of cloth on each side.
Light candles and place them in front and behind you.
Pick 2 perfect blooms and hold one upright palm on your hand.
Focus your mind and chant:
"Oh healing light, surround me now,
relive my spirit's darkest hour"
Imagine the light being drawn from the candles into the flowers on your palms,
and from there feel it permeating the whole of your body.
Try to keep concentration for 20 minutes.
To complete, take the two flowers in your hands and give them back to Mother Earth.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 9, 2014 at 4:08pm

Marti Finizio 10:06in the mornin' Jan 9
HERBAL HEALING SPELL

A cut onion near a sick person will absorb germs and illness.
Rosemary oil dabbed on the temples and third eye will end most headaches.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 9, 2014 at 3:38pm

Marti Finizio 10:25in the mornin' Jan 9
SACHET FOR HEALING

2 parts Cinnamon 2 parts Sandalwood 1 part Rose petals
1 part Cayenne 1 part Ginger 1 part Rue
Mix and tie in a blue or purple cloth. Anoint with Eucalyptus oil and wear or place near bed at night.
Some herbs that are medicinally good for pain relief and magically good for healing that
you might add into the sachet would be Chamomile, White Willow bark, and Wood Betony.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 7, 2014 at 8:29pm
Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 7, 2014 at 8:29pm
Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 7, 2014 at 8:28pm
Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 7, 2014 at 8:27pm
Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on January 7, 2014 at 8:27pm
 

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Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries had its humble beginnings as an idea of a few artisans and craftsmen who enjoy performing with live steel fighting. As well as a patchwork quilt tent canvas. Most had prior military experience hence the name.

 

Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries.

 

Vendertainers that brought many things to a show and are know for helping out where ever they can.

As well as being a place where the older hand made items could be found made by them and enjoyed by all.

We expanded over the years to become well known at what we do. Now we represent over 100 artisans and craftsman that are well known in their venues and some just starting out. Some of their works have been premiered in TV, stage and movies on a regular basis.

Specializing in Medieval, Goth , Stage Film, BDFSM and Practitioner.

Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries a Dept of, Ask For IT was started by artists and former military veterans, and sword fighters, representing over 100 artisans, one who made his living traveling from fair to festival vending medieval wares. The majority of his customers are re-enactors, SCAdians and the like, looking to build their kit with period clothing, feast gear, adornments, etc.

Likewise, it is typical for these history-lovers to peruse the tent (aka mobile store front) and, upon finding something that pleases the eye, ask "Is this period?"

A deceitful query!! This is not a yes or no question. One must have a damn good understanding of European history (at least) from the fall of Rome to the mid-1600's to properly answer. Taking into account, also, the culture in which the querent is dressed is vitally important. You see, though it may be well within medieval period, it would be strange to see a Viking wearing a Caftan...or is it?

After a festival's time of answering weighty questions such as these, I'd sleep like a log! Only a mad man could possibly remember the place and time for each piece of kitchen ware, weaponry, cloth, and chain within a span of 1,000 years!! Surely there must be an easier way, a place where he could post all this knowledge...

Traveling Within The World is meant to be such a place. A place for all of these artists to keep in touch and directly interact with their fellow geeks and re-enactment hobbyists, their clientele.

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