Shopping and Harvesting the Green Pharmacy

Shopping
and Harvesting
the Green Pharmacy

Are you interested in herbal medicines, but you're not quite sure how to get started? Never fear--the information in this book will help you, whether you're an herbal neophyte just taking the first steps or someone who already uses herbs on a regular basis.

The chapters in part 2 of this book will tell you which herbs you need to prevent and treat specific diseases. But before you ever use your first herb, you need to know how to obtain them.

There are, in fact, several ways to get the herbs that I discuss in The Green Pharmacy. Many you can buy, but there are some that you may want to plant, harvest and process yourself.

It's quicker, easier and sometimes safer and surer to simply buy herbal medicines, but in doing so, you forgo the exercise and miss the spiritual power of planting, nurturing, harvesting, processing and preparing your own green medicines. I'm an avid gardener. If you are, too, you know the joy it brings. But the important thing is to go green on any level that suits you.

Buying Standardized Medicinal Herbs

It is perfectly acceptable to buy what are known as standardized herbal products at a health food store or herb shop. In fact, these herbal preparations are gaining in popularity so rapidly that there's a good chance you'll even be able to find many of them at your local drugstore.

Standardized means that the herbal products have been processed a bit to guarantee a known minimum level of one or more of the major active ingredients. These products are the best quality you can purchase. Standardization largely compensates for the natural variability you find in bulk herbs--the kind available in bins or jars and measured out according to weight--and it takes the uncertainty out of herbal preparations. You know exactly how much of the active ingredients you're getting.

Unfortunately, standardization makes herbs more expensive than the bulk herb would be. Even so, these "expensive" standardized herbal extracts are still only about a tenth as costly, on average, as the pharmaceuticals that treat the same conditions, so you're still way ahead when you take the standardized green route.

Standardized extracts do vary somewhat, because the longer these herbal medicines are stored, the less potent they become. But then, pharmaceuticals are not perfect either.

You can usually find standardized herbal extracts quite easily wherever herbal products are sold. If you don't see them, ask for them. If an herbal product is standardized, it will say so on the label.

What the Labels Won't Tell You

Unfortunately, the labels of herbal preparations often don't say much else. That's because an herb must be approved as a "drug" in the eyes of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to specify its medical or therapeutic use. Herb marketers must spend on the order of $200 million proving to the agency's satisfaction that the herb in question is safe and effective enough to justify a medicinal claim. Of course, only the big drug companies have this kind of money, and who in his right mind would spend millions to prove the benefits of a plant no one can patent?

In the same way, manufacturers are prohibited from labeling herb products to specify possible side effects. That's because the FDA views this information as medicinal claims. Without clear labeling, consumers are left largely uninformed.

One purpose of this book, of course, is to provide you with the information that you need in order to use herbs safely and effectively. Nevertheless,
I sincerely wish the FDA would allow good information to be included on herb labels. Anyone should have access to this information when they buy an herbal medicine. I hope that if enough of us pester the FDA long enough, perhaps
one day we will be able to buy standardized herbs that are well-labeled for consumers.

Here are a dozen very important medicinal herbs that I'd suggest buying as standardized products. (If for any reason you can't buy the standardized products, it's certainly fine to use these--with the exception of ginkgo--as bulk herbs.)

Calendula. Buy it as a salve to treat bruises, cuts and scrapes.

Camomile. A tincture provides a reliable sedative and can be used to make a stomach-settling tea.

Echinacea. The flowers and roots stimulate the immune system to help fight disease.

Evening primrose. This flower produces a valuable seed oil that's too difficult to extract at home.

Ginkgo. This herb comes from a huge tree whose leaves must be processed into a concentrated extract to be medically useful.

Ginseng. The medicinal roots of this plant do not mature for at least five years. It is too complicated to grow and process this plant yourself. (At pres-ent, the deer are harvesting my own ginseng patch.)

Hawthorn. This slow-growing shrub is useful for treating heart problems. It's a powerful medicine that should be taken only under a doctor's supervision.

Kava kava. This herb is a safe, mild tranquilizer that grows only in tropical forests.

Licorice. Here's an anti-ulcer herb that is simply too hard to grow, at least where I come from. (This fact comes from someone who has tried several times to grow licorice but has never been successful.)

Milk thistle. The prickly leaves of this herb make it too painful to harvest yourself.

Red pepper. A plant that grows in tropical climates, red pepper contains a potent, pain-relieving compound--capsaicin--that often shows up in standardized products.

Teatree. A tropical plant that will not grow in most of the United States, teatree is an excellent, widely used antiseptic.

Buying Bulk Herbs

I use bulk herbs frequently, picking them by the handful in my six-acre Herbal Vineyard, my home of 25 years in Fulton, Maryland. Along with making teas, I also juice them, and I frequently add them to foods and beverages.

You don't have to be into gardening to get bulk herbs, however. Many health food stores and herb shops have rows of bins of dried bulk herbs that sell for a reasonable price.

There's a downside, however. Whether you buy herbs or grow them yourself, you can never be certain of the levels of active constituents in bulk plant material. This is the main shortcoming of bulk herbal medicines compared with standardized extracts and pharmaceuticals.

The payoff, to my way of thinking, is that using bulk herbs gives you the opportunity to experiment a little more and become more intimate with the plant. This produces a spiritual connection of the kind American Indians have long celebrated. I believe that this spiritual connection is therapeutic. It always has been for me.

But what about safety?

Not to worry. The vast majority of the medicinal herbs discussed in this book are safe even in large doses. And if you need to use special caution with a particular herb or when treating a particular health condition, I let you know in that chapter. So using bulk herbs doesn't really present much of a safety issue. The one concern is that with some batches you might not get enough potency--enough of the active compounds--to give you the therapeutic results you need.

The Variability Factor

Why can't you be sure of the potency of bulk herbs? There are many
reasons.

Genetics. Different strains of an herb can have genetic differences in potency. For example, levels of sanguinarine, a biologically active compound found in the antiseptic bloodroot plant, Sanguinaria, may vary tenfold based on the genetics of different plants. And variations of a thousandfold or ten thousandfold may occur even within a given species of thyme.

Growing conditions. These affect the overall health and vigor of the plant. Plants grown in poor soil under stressful climate conditions may not have the same potency as plants grown in rich soil under ideal conditions. (Surprisingly, stressed plants often have higher levels of medicinal compounds.)

Timing and method of harvesting. Think of the difference in taste, texture and succulence between immature peaches and ripe peaches. Herbs don't ripen as fruits do, but the concentrations of active constituents vary considerably during their life cycles. For optimal potency, ginseng roots should not be harvested before they are at least five years old, but some growers harvest earlier to rush the roots to market. Those roots won't necessarily contain optimal levels of the active compounds.

Drying. Fresh herbs are most appealing. Just think of the difference between fresh mint and dried mint. Both smell and taste minty, but the fresh leaf is much more aromatic, meaning that it contains more of its medicinal oil. Whenever you smell an herb, it loses a tiny bit of its essence and power because its potency is contained in the aromatic molecules that land on the smell receptors in your nose. Once they leave the plant, they're gone.

Of course, herbs don't stay fresh for very long. That's why the convention among herbalists is to develop recipes using dried herbs, which can be stored fairly easily for many months. But the longer you store the herbs, the less potent they become. Light, oxygen and heat trigger chemical changes that make them lose potency--go stale--over time. That's why most herbalists recommend storing dried herbs in airtight, dark glass containers and keeping them cool. Careful storage greatly extends shelf life.

Packaging. In general, the best way to be sure of preserving an herbal medicine's potency is to buy an alcohol tincture or a glycerin extract. These can remain potent for a year or so. The same cannot be said for herbs in tea bags, powdered herbs or herbal capsules, unless they are guarded by added antioxidants. They are quicker to suffer damage from light, oxygen and heat.

Adding Some Spice

In addition to the many herbs that you can buy in bulk or standardized form, there are many spices that double as medicines. You probably already have some of them in your spice rack. With the exception of capsicum, garlic, ginger and turmeric, they are not available in the United States as standardized extracts and, again with the exception of garlic, most are tropical plants that don't grow well here. So you'll probably have to buy them in bulk or powdered form.

Allspice. This tropical herb has a complex aroma and is useful for indigestion.

Cardamom. An expensive spice, cardamom can be a mild stimulant.

Cinnamon. This common, tasty spice has potent antimicrobial action and can settle an upset stomach.

Cloves. Cloves have proven pain-relieving and antiseptic properties.

Garlic. Deservedly called Russian penicillin, this pungent bulb is useful in preventing our major killers--heart disease and cancer.

Ginger. The world's best nausea preventive, ginger is also useful in treating arthritis.

Red pepper. This native American spice works on pain by three different mechanisms.

Sesame. The seeds of this plant are a great source of antioxidants and other therapeutic chemicals.

Turmeric. This yellow spice shows great promise in treating arthritis and diabetes.

In Search of Wild Medicinals

Foraging for wild herbs is known in botanical lingo as wildcrafting. When you're wildcrafting, of course, you aren't dealing with standardized extracts. But in my humble opinion, the physical and mental exercise of wildcrafting, plus the spiritual connection to the plant and the forest where it grows, provides a therapeutic power that more than compensates for the loss of exactness.

As a botanist, wildcrafting is easy for me. I know my plants well and have been foraging in the wild for more than 60 years. Of course, picking wild medicinal herbs can be hazardous, and you don't want to try it unless you can positively identify the plants you're selecting. (I recall one elderly couple out West who mistook foxglove for comfrey. Unfortunately, foxglove is the source of the heart-stimulating drug digitalis, and it had fatal consequences.)

I advise anyone who is not really familiar with field botany to steer clear of the potential hazards of harvesting wild plants. But if you know what you're doing, in just about any part of the United States you can harvest a bounty of useful medicinal herbs just by stepping out your front door.

If you're not familiar with herbs at first, you can have a good deal of fun finding out more about them. Most metropolitan areas have botanical organizations--museum groups, scout groups, hiking clubs or university extension departments--that offer classes in the identification of local edible and medicinal plants. Take it from a long-time forager: Hiking is much more fun when you can munch your way along the trail.

Growing Your Own, Indoors

Like wildcrafting, growing your own herbs gives you nonstandardized bulk plant material. But it also gives you an even deeper spiritual connection to your medicines than foraging, so I'm all for it.

No matter what you grow, gardening is a therapeutic, self-empowering hobby. And from what we know about mind-body medicine, I'm confident that self-grown herbal medicines should work better than anything store-bought or foraged.

I love my Herbal Vineyard, but you don't need an estate--or even a yard--to grow medicinal herbs. All you need is a kitchen windowsill where you can grow a potted aloe plant--your instant, herbal emergency kit in case of accidental burns. (Just snip off a leaf, slit it open and apply the yellow-green inner leaf gel to the burn.)

There are many other herbs that you can raise on a windowsill or on your back porch. If you're a city dweller, you can find space in a roof garden, courtyard, balcony or fire escape. Quite a few medicinal-culinary species that are native to semi-arid climates will also flourish on sunny kitchen windowsills. Here are some to consider.

Basil. This insect-repelling herb is recommended for treating bad breath and headache.

Chives. Along with their cousins garlic, leeks and onions, chives help prevent cancer and treat high blood pressure.

Dill. This herb is deservedly famous as a remedy for colic and gas.

Fennel. This herb is good for treating upset stomach and indigestion.

Hyssop. Mentioned in the Bible, hyssop contains several antiviral compounds and is useful in treating herpes. (It's also under review as an AIDS therapy.)

Lavender. Some varieties of this lovely herb are loaded with sedative compounds that can penetrate the skin. Toss a handful into your bathwater if you want a nice-smelling way to relax.

papaya. Best known as a great source of chlorophyll for combating bad breath, papaya is rich in zinc, which is good for men's reproductive health. (Yet more than 90 percent of papaya served in restaurants is thrown away.)

Peppermint. This is a major source of cooling, soothing, stomach-settling menthol.

Rosemary. Rich in antioxidants, this tasty culinary spice may help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Sage. Sage shares much of the medicinal potential of rosemary.

Savory. Europeans add this herb to bean dishes to reduce flatulence.

Thyme. This is one of the best sources of thymol, an antiseptic, stomach-soothing compound that helps prevent the blood clots that cause heart attack.

Growing an Outdoor Herb Garden

In my Herbal Vineyard, I have some 200 species of herbs, most of them medicinal. During the growing season, one of my great pleasures in life is to stroll the grounds and check on all the plants.

Almost hourly, when I'm spending the day at the computer, I take breaks and visit my herb garden. When I harvest a handful of this or that, I often select mints to make up one of my aromatic beverages, usually hot mint tea on a cool morning or iced mint tea on a hot afternoon.

Growing and loving these herbs is one of the most healthful activities I engage in, and I heartily recommend it.

It would take another book to tell you how to grow all the herbs I discuss in The Green Pharmacy. But if you do have garden space, here are the perennial medicinal herbs that I recommend. They flourish in my own garden, and I think they'll do well for anyone who gardens in a temperate climate more or less like Maryland's.

Chasteberry. A perennial flowering shrub, this is a great herb for treating women's problems.

Goldenseal. An antibiotic herb, goldenseal grows best when planted in a shady area.

Lemon balm. Also known as melissa, this weedy antiviral mint has sedative properties. Although it sometimes looks like it has died away, it always comes back.

Mountain mint. An insect-repelling herb that should be more popular among gardeners than it is.

Oregano. Another weedy mint--a great source of antioxidants.

Self-heal. The reputation of this mint as a panacea is only slightly exaggerated.

Spearmint. This herb is about as good as peppermint for settling the stomach.

St.-John's-wort. Simply the best herbal treatment for depression.

Tansy. This herb contains some of the same anti-migraine compounds as feverfew.

Valerian. The roots contain a great anxiety-relieving sedative. But be warned--the tea smells like dirty gym socks.

Wild yam. Many herbalists recommend this herb for women's reproductive health.

Willow. The willow tree's easy-peeling bark contains the herbal version of aspirin.

Harvesting and Storing Herbs

Okay, so you've got a big peppermint patch, or whatever, growing in your garden or on your windowsill. Now what?

First you must harvest your herbs. You can snip off leaves and use them as needed. Taking a cue from the American Indians, the romantics among us like to thank the herb for serving us and apologize for mutilating it.

Down in Panama and Peru, I listened as Indian shamans sang long chants to the herbs they were about to harvest, often while facing the East. When I'm not in a hurry, I remember that the plants, too, have lives, and that their lives sustain ours.

In fact, the more we clip the leaves of medicinal plants, the more medicinal they become. This makes sense botanically because herbs' medicinal constituents are basically part of the plant's self-protection system. Harvesting the leaves makes the plant respond as if it's under attack (which it is), so it produces more of what protects it. Studies have shown that infections, insect infestations and leaf-plucking, among other attacks on the plant, increase the levels of some of the same chemicals that we view as medicines.

Collection Times

Although some herbalists argue for harvesting herbs early in the morning while there is still dew on them, I disagree. That dilutes the herb with water, meaning that it has proportionately more water and less chemical until it's dried. In my view, you get the greatest concentration of plant chemicals and the least water when you collect leaves during a hot, dry day, but before the leaves have wilted.

Roots are best collected in spring or fall. Bark may be collected in spring, especially if the compounds you seek are in the living bark. If you're collecting seeds for food, I recommend that you get them before they have dried out and hardened. But if you're harvesting them to plant next year rather than to use immediately, you may want to wait until they've dried out.

Feel free to use herbs fresh, especially in cooking. Fresh culinary herbs and spices almost always taste best. You can also freeze them, dry them or use them to make tinctures. (When harvesting fresh culinary herbs, I generally use a plastic bag to help retain the moisture.)

Preserving the Goods

If you intend to preserve your herbs for future use, it's cheaper to dry them. Collect them in a brown paper bag rather than a plastic bag, and write the name of the plant and the collection date on the outside of the bag.

If you don't stuff it too tightly, many herbs can be dried right in the bag. I always make a run through my herb garden with paper bags before the last killing frost, collecting herbs for my winter medicines, soups and teas.

Check your brown-bagged herbs after about a week, and if they are not clearly drying--becoming papery and crumbly--spread them out on newspapers or clean wood or screen in a dry, shaded area so that they can dry before mildew attacks.

When it comes to success in drying, a great deal depends on your local weather conditions. In arid weather, herbs may dry too rapidly, especially in direct sunlight. In humid and especially in foggy weather, you may have to apply heat by baking the herbs in an oven to get the moisture out.

Once dried, herbs can be kept in paper bags or stuffed into plastic bags. You can also use glass jars with lids.

Light, heat and oxygen are the enemies of herb potency, so store your herbs in a cool, dark place, like a cellar or cupboard far from any heat source. To minimize the oxygen around stored herbs, fill your containers as full as possible and move the herbs to smaller containers as you use them.