The Various Medicinal Uses Of Sage
We use herbs all the time for cooking and don’t think much of it. Take sage. Most people are familiar with sage from using it maybe a couple times a year in stuffing. But herbalists make frequent use of sage.
Sage comes from the Mediterranean. There’s a different variety of sage than the one we use for cooking, that comes from Central America. That version is pretty unusual - it can cause hallucinations! The people of Central America from the area where this sage grows use it for religious purposes.
Sage has been recognized as an important herb for a long time. In Ancient Rome, sage was considered so sacred that there were rituals you had to perform before harvesting it. Also, the person who was to harvest the sage had to make a food sacrifice and be wearing clean clothing.
Further, the person’s feet had to be clean. The harvesting itself required that the person use a special non-iron knife. Iron reacts with sage, which explains the choice of different materials.
Sage has a history in China as well. The Chinese discovered sage tea, right around when the Dutch discovered Chinese tea. This resulted in a lucrative trade system being set up. The Dutch would trade one part of sage for four parts Chinese tea. Clearly, the trade was in the Dutch traders’ favor. They could then sell the tea for a huge profit.
Herbalists also use sage of course. I like to simmer sage leaves in beef broth for maybe twenty minutes and serve it to someone who is experiencing a flare up of irritable bowel syndrome. I can use chicken broth also, it doesn’t matter. Actually, the broth is just for taste, because most people don’t like plain sage tea.
Sage is great for helping to wean a child. If a nursing mother is given sage tea, it will help dry up her milk - sage has a natural drying effect. This helps wean the child without harming them. You can also use the drying properties of sage to combat sweating issues, or night sweats from menopause.
You want to talk to your doctor, though, before starting with any herbal remedy including sage. Food amounts of herbs are one thing but treatment amounts are another! Your doctor knows your history and medications and can advise you regarding whether or not a certain supplement is a good idea.
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