Juniper Berry

    The bluish-gray berry – fresh or dried – of the juniper evergreen tree (Juniperis communis) may be used for making a tea that is said to be good for kidney and bladder trouble. Used as a spray, juniper tea is said to fumigate sick rooms; and as a gargle, to prevent catching a disease to which you have been exposed. To prepare the tea steep 1 teaspoon berries in 1 cup boiling water for 2-4 minutes. Strain and serve.

            The juniper berry is also a gourmet cooking item. Its flavor is strong and pungent, and a few berries will carry you a long way. Juniper berries complement most meat dishes and are used in stuffings for everything from Cornish game hen to goose. A half-dozen berries dropped into your rice pot will make a flavorful accompaniment to a dinner of game. They are also used in meat marinades – if soaked too long, they begin to have a strong resemblance to their most famous offspring, gin.

Goldenseal

            The medicinal properties of this wild North American plant (Hydrastis Canadensis) lie in its bright yellow roots. It is considered to be one of our most valuable and versatile herbs. The Cherokee Indians brought it to the attention of the invading Europeans; Native Americans had long valued it as a golden dye and as a veritable cure-all. Goldenseal is antiseptic and can be applied externally to wounds, eczema, the healing belly button of a newborn infant, and poison oak and ivy. It can also be used as an eye bath, a douche, or a gargle. Its laxative properties make it a good bowel conditioner. It is also soothing to ulcers of the stomach and intestines. Applied to the gums, it will ease inflammation – but your mouth will turn bright yellow, so beware!

            There is no concealing the fact that goldenseal (it is in powder form or tincture) is extremely bitter in taste. Mix 1 to 3 teaspoons in water or orange juice, take a brave breath, and gulp it down. Best consult an herbalist for the dosage appropriate to your specific needs, for goldenseal is a true medicine and not to be toyed with. Do not take goldenseal when pregnant, and do not take for more than two weeks at a time, as goldenseal has been shown to have antibiotic properties that can diminish healthy intestinal flora after prolonged use. Goldenseal is a very potent healing herb, and small doses are recommended.