Sage medicinal benefits 

With over 60 ingredients, sage combines the healing properties of eucalyptus, rosemary, wormwood & tea tree oil.. It is a popular Mediterranean herb and is known for its use in saltimbocca or entrecote. Sage is ideal for refining meat dishes of all kinds and pasta. If the aroma is too intense, you can fall back on the much milder young leaves. The healing effects of sage can be used, for example, in homemade cough syrup, sage cough sweets or tooth-care throat drops.

The true sage - Latin name Salvia officinalis - is considered with its disinfecting and astringent effect as one of the most important medicinal herbs and played a major role in ancient and Celtic mythology. The Egyptians also appreciated him very much. They gave their women sage juice to promote fertility. Perhaps the following advice comes from this: women should eat a raw sage leaf every time they walk the garden. Sage leaves are also an integral part of ancient medicine, the ancient Ayurveda. In the Middle Ages, the herb was considered a panacea and was mainly grown in monastery gardens.

Pharmacists and doctors at that time appreciated him especially as a wound treatment for wound cleansing and hemostasis. Already in the 6th-century monks brought the medicinal plant across the Alps in northern regions. Therefore, it is not surprising that at early mention the plant appears in the monastery plan of St. Gallen, the monk Strabo from the monastery Reichenau and Hildegard von Bingen. The herbal boom in the 1980s made sure that the forgotten herb gardens were recreated in many monasteries and opened to the public. Even in cottage gardens, Salvia officinalis is a traditional plant that must not be missed. Today, more and more people trust in herbal medicine, and so the herb finds application in many complaints. As a spice herb,

Origin of sage

The home of sage is the Mediterranean. But now you can find this herb and spice herb in many gardens, where it prefers a heat-loving plant full sun and light soil. He does not love waterlogging and too much fertilizer, on the other hand, he withstands drying times very well. As a heat-loving plant, however, it needs a winter shelter in rough locations, for example, brushwood. Wild it still grows in Italy, mainly on the Adriatic coast in sandy and calcareous areas. In addition to Salvia officinalis, there are numerous other species of sage, which are cultivated partly in the garden as ornamental plants. All sorts of sage belong to the family of the mint family and bloom in different colors. The true shows from May to July its approximately two inches long blue to purple flowers, which make an excellent bee pasture. The perennial, bushy plant grows up to 80 cm high and lightens easily if you do not prune it back after flowering. Striking are the elongated silvery-green and slightly felty leaves. They emanate an aromatic fragrance through the contained essential oils. The leaves also contain the manifold healing powers.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF SAGE

Sage leaves have a sharp, dry and strong, slightly bitter taste. In the kitchen, they are therefore particularly suitable for high-fat meals. However, mainly sage is used as a medicinal herb. Its known active ingredients are essential oils that include thujone, borneol, cineole, and camphene among other things, the leaves are rich in tannins and bitter substances, terpenes and numerous flavonoids. For the bitter substances, it is above all the typical salvin. The amount and composition of these substances are highly dependent on climatic conditions and the harvest time, which is most ideal before flowering. Together, the ingredients have antibacterial, antiviral, fungicidal, astringent and antiseptic properties. Thujone is poisonous, therefore you should not consume sage tea or drops for a long time. The name Salvia comes from Latin and means salvation or healing. This says a lot about the broad effect of the plant. The medicinal herb is used for tea, tincture, drops, sage oil, sage wine, and powder; in the industry for throat sweets and pastilles. For the applications mainly the dried sage leaves are taken. To do this, cut off some stems before blooming, hang them up in tufts or lay them out to dry in layers not too thick in the shade. In the oven or in the Dehydrator you can also dry at a maximum of 40 degrees. After drying keep dark and cool. You can also buy dried sage leaves. Pay attention to the quality.

SAGE AS A MEDICINAL HERB - EARLIER AND TODAY

In natural medicine, the use of medicinal herbs has a long tradition. Even Hippocrates, Hildegard von Bingen, and Paracelsus - to name just the best known - recommended the use of sage in fever, colic, urinary tract disorders, loss of appetite, colds, dental disease and red dysentery. During the various plague epidemics, the herb also played a significant role. Thieves rubbed their bodies with a mixture of sage leaves, lavender, rosemary, and thyme to protect them against the pest and were able to plunder the houses of the dead without becoming infected. The medicinal herb was also used for cramps, itching, pneumonia, somnolence, digestive problems, and body aches. Old recipes recommend sage powder or fresh leaves for teeth and gums for cleansing and strengthening. As early as the 10th century, Arab doctors, scholars, and philosophers used sage tea with honey to enhance their mental abilities. As an essential sage oil, it has a disinfecting and antispasmodic effect. In addition, the oil is suitable for colds for inhalation. Due to the disinfecting effect sage leaves were burned for a long time as fumigants in the room of the seriously ill.

Even today, many of these recommendations are valid and medical research can largely confirm this ancient knowledge. The active ingredients actually provide relief from everyday problems. Naturally, the herb is used today in:

• Gingival and oral mucosal inflammations

• Colds and sore throat

• Tonsillitis, pharynx, and laryngitis

• heavy sweating

• for wound healing

• mild indigestion

• bronchitis

• Panting and smoker cough

• rheumatism

• headaches

• Nervousness and weak nerves

• for breastfeeding during lactation

• thin, graying hair

• skin problems

The best-known uses of sage are certainly inflammation in the mouth and throat and various dental diseases. For this, rinsing or gargling with sage tea or mouthwash is recommended. Even special ready-made salvia preparations can help with these complaints. Because sage has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, it is also often included in toothpaste and cough sweets. Known is the effect of sage tea in case of excessive sweating, especially during menopause. Sole tea is also helpful for girls during puberty and for women in menstrual disorders. Responsible for this are probably the contained tannins and terpenes.

Regular drinking of cold tea - 2-3 cups a day, but not more than four weeks, then take a break - inhibits sweat production. The tea can bring relief for indigestion. These include the irritable stomach syndrome, which can cause flatulence, cramps, pain, and loss of appetite. It is even believed, according to recent studies, that sage tea has an effect on the lowering of blood sugar levels. This would be ideal for diabetics. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect of sage is ideal for wound healing and for bad and oily skin. Salvia bites from a strong decoction are recommended here. They have a calming, astringent and anti-inflammatory effect. In lactating women, sage tea prevents milk flow and should therefore not be consumed during breastfeeding. In the case of weaning, however, it can be helpful. Thin and graying hair regularly flushed with a strong broth, makes the hair stronger and gives it a nice dark color.

Even with greasy hair helps a flush with the broth. Seating baths with salvia or the daily intake of sage wine to support the nervous system, such as stress and excitement. The herb calms and brings serenity, at the same time it also stimulates and strengthens the circulation. In studies, even an anticarcinogenic effect of sage was found. The contained diterpenes are said to trigger the cell death of the tumor cells. Leukemia and lymph node cancers are being discussed. Like the Egyptians, the Englishman John Gerard found in the Middle Ages: "Sage is uniquely good for the head and brain and accelerates the nerves and the memory". A team from the Newcastle up Tyne Medical Plant Research Center did a study on this and the result confirmed this statement by Gerard.

The reason is an enzyme of sage, which inhibits the degradation of the messenger acetylcholine. In Alzheimer's disease, this messenger substance is broken down in the brain. It is now being researched which ingredients of sage are responsible for this and whether a drug can be developed from them. Studies have also observed the inhibitory effect on the herpes virus. Ritual fumigation with the purifying effect of medicinal herbs has always existed. Today, these fumigations are again increasingly carried out, for example, for cleaning rooms at home, after illnesses, significant changes in life or in agriculture, the stables.

HOW CAN YOU APPLY SAGE 

Applied internally, tea is the simplest remedy. It strengthens the resistance of the organism and the nervous system. Ideal for menopausal symptoms with palpitations, blood rush in the head and sweating. Add 2 teaspoons of dried sage leaves and bake with 1/4 l of boiling water. Let it rest for 10 minutes, strain. Depending on your taste you can add some honey or a splash of lemon juice. In case of sweating and indigestion drink cold.

A weekly sitz bath can contribute to mental health. Women also help a sitz bath in case of discharge or soreness in the genital area. For this, let 4 handfuls of dried sage leaves in about three liters of cold water overnight. Heat to boiling the next day, strain and place in the bath water (38-40 degrees). Bathing in it for 20 minutes. Sage wine can also strengthen the nerves. Add 80 g of dried sage leaves and strain for 10 days in 1 liter of sweet wine. Then drain through a cloth. Take 1 tablespoon after each meal.

The sage tincture is like tea against perspiration, diarrhea, and stomach upset. For this, 50 g of dried sage leaves are mixed with 1/2 liter of 50% alcohol in a bottle. Close and allow to shake for 10 days, shaking frequently. Then drain through a cloth and fill in a brown pharmacy bottle - possibly with a pipette. Take 30 drops of tincture 3 times a day for 1 tablespoon of water.

Sage envelopes can help with spotty skin. The herb regulates sebum production and fights bacteria. The envelopes can also help with wound healing. Add 2 tablespoons of dried sage leaves to 150 ml of boiling water, infuse for 20 minutes, strain. Soak a clean cotton cloth in the warm infusion, gently wring it out and place it on the wound. Envelopes can also be applied to the face for blemished facial skin or cotton swabs placed in the appropriate places. Leave for 20 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water.

Ointment water helps with bleeding gums, it heals and strengthens the gums. To chop 6 fresh sage leaves small. Bring 1/2 liter of water and a pinch of salt to a boil and infuse the sage leaves. Allow to cool, pour through a fine sieve and squeeze the leaves well. After brushing, use as gargle water.

For gingivitis, chewing fresh sage leaves or rubbing in and rubbing with leafy pulp is recommended. Fresh sage leaves are also said to help with bad breath. For pressure points of dentures or braces repeated rubbing with fresh leaves can help.

The homemade sage syrup also helps with colds and is also taken by older children. To do this, boil 1 kg of sugar in 1 liter of water. Then add 4 handfuls of fresh sage leaves and 2 sliced bigotries. Run for two days in a cool place, strain and boil briefly again. Bottling hot and sealing well. For cold and sore throat, drink 1 tablespoon of syrup 3 times a day on 1 glass of warm water.

BEWARE OF SIDE EFFECTS!

In principle, internal applications with sage tea, tincture or oil should only be carried out for the duration of the symptoms. The active ingredient thujone can cause symptoms of intoxication if it is taken longer and in larger quantities. Signs of toxic effects include accelerated heartbeat, convulsions, nausea, dizziness and heat. External applications and use as spice are generally harmless. For pregnant women, infants and nursing mothers, the medicinal herb is in no form. Suckling tea, on the other hand, is a popular remedy for reducing milk flow. Allergic reactions occur sporadically.