Kitchen Herbalist: How to Wildcraft and Cook with Nettles Free Lecture at ACHS

Did you know that nettle is not only one of the most useful medicinal herbs, but it can be eaten as a vegetable, like spinach! In fact, this “noxious weed” helps support the entire body.

Learn how in a one-hour lunchtime lecture with American College Herbal Medicine Instructor and Oriental Medicine Expert Scott Stuart, including: health benefits of nettle, wildcrafting techniques, cooking and storage tips, and alternative uses.

February 22, 2012 from 12-1 p.m. American College of Healthcare Sciences, 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland, OR 97239. Find directions to the College online here: http://www.achs.edu/about/campus

Free to attend but space is limited. RSVP early on ACHS Facebook here, call (503) 244-0726, or email brookguyot@achs.edu.

We look forward to seeing you!

For a sneak peak, here's a delicious recipe for Nettle Pesto to try:

• 6-cups course chopped nettle leaves (harvest the top few leaves)
• 6 mint leaves 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1⁄3-cup pine nuts (or try walnuts)
• 1⁄2- cup Parmesan
• 1⁄2- cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Pick nettle leaves from the stems wearing rubber gloves. Then rinse the nettles in a colander or salad spinner to remove any dirt and insects.

Bring a pan of water to boil and blanch nettles in boiling water for one minute – this will remove the sting. Drain well and squeeze out any excess moisture. You can also steam the nettles. Save the leftover liquid for soup stock or just drink as a tea.

Place all dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chopped up. Slowly add the oil while blending until the desired consistency is reached.

Taste and season as desired. It can be used right away over pasta, gnocchi, or pour just a little olive oil over the top in a sterilized jar and store in the fridge for up to a month.

Image © 2012 Scott Stuart. Reproduced with permission.

Antioxidant Spices May Reduce Negative Effects of High-Fat Meal

We thought you would find this herbal information interesting ... In a new study, researchers at Penn State have found that eating a diet rich in spices may reduce the body's negative response to high-fat meals.



Researchers added two tablespoons of the herbs rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, garlic powder, and paprika to meals given to men aged 30-65 who were overweight, but healthy. These spices reportedly increased antioxidant activity in the blood by 13% and decreased insulin response by 20%.



The two tablespoon of spices provides an equivalent amount of antioxidants to those contained in 5 ounces of red wine or 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate.



>>To read the full-text research review, click here.



>>For more information about using herbs to support optimal health and wellness, visit ACHSedu online here for a schedule of upcoming holistic nutrition and herbal medicine classes. Or, call (800) 487-8839 for more information!





Reference:

e! Science News. (2011, August 10). Antioxidant spices reduce negative effects of high-fat meal. Retrieved from http://esciencenews.com/articles/2011/08/10/antioxidant.spices.reduce.negative.effects.high.fat.meal

Cinnamon for Diabetes: New Survey Shows CAM Used with Diabetes Mellitus

Incidence of diabetes is on the rise. Though at this time there is no known cure, the World Health Organization recommends several lifestyle modifications that may help prevent onset of Type II Diabetes, including healthy diet, regular exercise, maintaining normal body weight, and avoiding tobacco use.

For those managing Type I and Type II Diabetes, a 2011 survey by the Diabetes Center of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism shows patients with Diabetes Mellitus are using Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) as a support with conventional health care.

Of the almost 200 diabetes patients surveyed, 34% of Type I Diabetics and 31% of Type II Diabetics reported using CAM supplements. In addition, 56% of Type I Diabetics and 76% of Type II Diabetics who reported using biologically based supplements said they used them daily with conventional health care and prescribed therapies. Nutritional supplements, herbal medicines, and cinnamon were the most frequently reported CAM supplements used.

If you love cinnamon as many of us do, you'd be interested to know the common culinary spice is currently being researched as a useful supplement with Type II Diabetes. It is thought that cinnamon may lower blood sugar by decreasing insulin resistance; in those with Type II Diabetes, insulin, the hormone which lowers blood sugar, does not work efficiently which causes higher blood sugar levels. Further studies are needed, however, to determine the long-term effects of cinnamon on diabetes.

>>Read the full-text review of "Use of complementary and alternative medicine supplements in patients with diabetes mellitus" by the American Botanical Council online here

>> If you'd like to learn more about holistic nutrition to support optimal health and wellness, visit ACHSedu and click on Holistic Medicine, community wellness events, and News and Events for more information

*This information has not been reviewed by the FDA and is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. Before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine, consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor.

Horseradish Named IHA Herb of the Year for 2011

The International Herb Association (IHA) has named horseradish Herb of the Year for 2011!

You may be familiar with horseradish's characteristic pungent aroma and spicy flavor, but did you know that horseradish is high in vitamin C and attributed with antimicrobial properties?

Here are some more horseradish FAQs you may not know:

• In the United States, an estimated 24 million pounds of horseradish roots are ground and processed annually to produce approximately 6 million gallons of prepared horseradish.
• Horseradish root is harvested in the spring and fall and the ground horseradish is mixed with distilled vinegar and may also contain salt, sugar, cream, vegetable oil, or ground beets or mustards.
• The Egyptians knew about horseradish as far back as 1500 BC. and early Greeks used it as a rub for low back pain and as an aphrodisiac.
• It is said the Oracle at Delphi told Apollo, that "the radish was worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, and the horseradish its weight in gold."
  

Learn more about the history of horseradish, its traditional uses, and medicinal properties in the article "Sea-Radish (aka Horseradish)" available for free download in the January edition of the ACHS holistic health newsletter, The Reporter, online HERE.

If you're interested in growing, harvesting, and preparing your own horseradish, this is a very useful video from the City Farmer.

ACHS Photo of the Week: Have you submitted your entry?

Help us spread the word ... ACHS has launched a Photo of the Week "contest" on Facebook. Every Monday morning we pick one of the photo submissions we received and post it to ACHS Facebook with the photographer's name and a little info about the image.

Photo submissions must be botanical images: from your own garden, from a public garden, from your community, a rooftop garden, from .... ? We don't care where it's from, just that it makes an interesting and unique addition to our collection of herbal medicine photos accessible to the public through ACHS Facebook.

You must, therefore, have the rights to distribute the photo, and you must be OK with us sharing the image on our page.

>> Visit ACHS Facebook to see this week's selection, submitted by Stacey Rayos!

Where Do I Find Information About Using Medicinal Herbs?

The Web offers a lot of information about the use of medicinal herbs and supplements, but sometimes the information conflicts and it can be hard to determine what is accurate and what is marketing. If you are thinking about incorporating herbs into your daily diet, you may want to spend some time researching.*

Herbs are attributed with many health promoting properties. How you use herbs may depend on the health benefit you are seeking: Is it general wellness or something more specific? Like pharmaceutical drugs, herbs can have several actions in the body, as well as potential contraindications, so if you plan to combine herbs--or to combine herbs with pharmaceutical medications--you will want to research the specific properties of the medicinal herbs you are interested in.*

Here are some research-based resources you can start canvassing. Remember to bring any questions you have to your primary care physician and you may even want to bring copies of your research!

> The ACHS Wellness Guide includes more than 120 pages of health and wellness tips.

> "Herbal and natural health tips for women experiencing menopause" on the ACHS website includes natural health and herbal tips and recipes for easing the menopause transition and improving overall health.

> MedlinePlus is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine from the National Institutes of Health and posts new and developing studies daily.

> The American Botanical Council regularly posts new HerbClips on their website. HerbClips are summaries and critical research reviews of articles about the research, regulation, marketing, and responsible use of medicinal plants.

> The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) offers an A-Z Index of Health Topics, including profiles of specific medicinal herbs, supplements, and CAM modalities.

> The Apothecary Shoppe College Store carries a large selection of organic, sustainably wildcrafted herbs. Most herbs include a description of their traditional uses, medicinal uses, active constituents, and many have recipes too!