Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a very common weed which grows in valleys and lawns throughout Europe and North America. It received its name after a Latin expression “a tooth of lion” as a reference to jagged edges of the leaves of this plant. Despite being considered weed, dandelion root and leaves have been used for centuries for their nutritional and medicinal properties. Read the rest of this entry »

In our times, herbal medicine distinguishes specific needs of modern women and offers them great solutions for their specific problems, including PMS and menopausal disorders, menstrual cramps and irregularities, hormonal imbalances, as well as depression,  mood swings and other related conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is a medicinal herb which is native to dry regions of Europe, especially high valleys of the Alps, plateaus, moorlands and so on. It is distinguished from Common Thyme and is cultivated separately for its high therapeutic values.  This medicinal herb has been used for a long period of time: in particular, in Ancient Greece its name was associated with power and high spirit. Also, it was used in Tibetan medicine as an effective tonic and relaxant. Read the rest of this entry »

Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a quite popular medicinal herb which is used for its therapeutic benefits and as a culinary spice. The herb originates from the Mediterranean region and is known since the times of Ancient Egypt where it was widely used for embalming. In Ancient Greece, thyme was considered to be a symbol of courage and used to rise the spirit of the warriors. But the Romans were the first to start using thyme in culinary for its specific flavor: they were adding dried thyme leaves to their cheeses and wines. Read the rest of this entry »

Pot Marigold (Calendula Officinalis) also known as Calendula is a medicinal herb with high stems and charming bright yellow flowers. It received its name from the Latin word “Kalendae” meaning the first day of the Roman calendar. This flower can be used for predicting weather as it is believed that if in the morning calendula flowers did not open, one should expect a rainy day. Marigold flower petals can be used in culinary for spicing fish, meat or soups, as well as giving color for butter and cheese. This herbal remedy can be also used for hair coloring. Read the rest of this entry »

In Western herbal medicine, the herb alfalfa (which is also known as Father of All Foods, Buffalo herb or Buffalo grass, lucerne, Chilean Clover, Purple medic and other names) is used for a wide variety of medicinal purposes. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a perennial plant with small  leaves and purple flowers. It originates from Asia and in the 4th century BC Persian King Darius imported this herbal remedy to the Europe during his march on ancient Greece. For many centuries alfalfa has been used as a natural nutrition tonic. Read the rest of this entry »

All of us are very well familiar with peppermint. It is one of the most favorite flavor for candies, chewing gums, toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, gels and other popular consumer products. Many of us like drinking peppermint tea, and some even like adding peppermint flavoring to a cup of coffee. Weird? Not at all! Try a cup of mint mocha or mint latte. You can prepare it for yourself by adding some fresh mint leaves into your cup of coffee or by using several drops of peppermint extract. Mint is very common to cooking, especially in India and the Middle East. It is used in various salads, punches, milk shakes, as well as as a garnish for chicken and red meat. Read the rest of this entry »