Food sensitivities

Last week I discovered that one of my sisters is lactose intolerant. She hadn't told any of us, so of course Thanksgiving was heavy with cheese and cream and butter.

Food sensitivities are rampant, especially as people get older. Stomacheaches, heartburn, etc, are pretty much ignored except to pump pharmaceuticals and other chemicals into an already overstressed system.

If you have food alergies or sensitivities, the best thing you can do is tell other people about it. Other people can help you (or snipe and warn) and adjust their foods to accomodate. Mashed potatoes may not taste the same with margarine, or without the heavy cream, but they're still good.

Avoidance may be the best option, but some people lack self control and sometimes you simply don't know what is in the food you're eating. Once in a while you may slip and unknowingly eat something you shouldn't simply because it's related to something you're sensitive to.

If you do slip up there are a number of herbs that will help with digestive problems (many of the mints, dill (carrot familly) as well as turmeric and ginger). But herbs, by their nature, are related to other herbs and people will often have the same sensitivities to their relatives (rather like your sister-in-law's mother).

That being the case, I'm going through all the old posts here and putting up plant family information. I've started but not finished, so look back later for additional information.

Experiment update

Looking out at two feet of snow on the ground reminds me that I haven't given an update on the garlic experiment yet (See Soil-less growth medium).

The first "planting" is about two feet high. I wasn't aware (since it's always happened under the ground) that the old clove is destroyed in building the new bulb. It develops at the center and splits the old clove open. Then it just falls off.

I planted two more rows, staggered. All of the original planting is popping at the seams, so I'm guessing we'll have new garlic in time for Christmas, which is good since the cold and flu season is upon us.

Garlic is a heavy feeder, so I've been fertilizing it about once a week. I hope that's enough.

I brought the citrus and the amarylis in months ago (they would normally go on the shelf where the garlic is sitting), so my room is just a little crowded right now.

Juniper

Juniperus communis
Family: Cupressaceae

Many of my neighbors have juniper. It seems to be everywhere. It's recognizable by the pokey, fleshy, faintly blue tinged "berries" that come on in the fall. They're actually cones.

I see no reason to keep one of my own, although it's nice to know it's available if necessary (and I do have seeds, JIC).

The first thing to remember is that Juniper is poisonous. For the most part it's used internally for infections or intestinal pain, but I can't see that there's any point to that when it can cause intestinal and kidney inflammation.

I think this will have to be one of those things I don't touch unless I have an herbalist who can tell me how it's supposed to be used. Maybe as I become more comfortable with herbs in general I'll be more willing to experiment.

One of the more interesting possible uses is to help with the symptoms of diabetes, but since I'm not diabetic I've never tried it. Studies support its ability to lower blood sugar.

Juniper also seems to have potent anti-viral properties.

Interactions: None listed

Soil-less growth medium

I decided to do something different this winter. It may be an ongoing thing, depending on how the experiment works.

A lot of people work with what they call a "soil-less medium," by which they mean that the soil they use isn't soil but compost or something of that kind.

I have a different version of "soil-less," which means sphegnum moss. (I tried gelatin, plain water, etc, but they didn't work very well)

I suppose that lots of different kinds of moss and grass would do the same. All it does is create something for the roots to lock into, something that will retain water but won't stay soggy.

We use LOTS of garlic, so last year I tried growing garlic inside. The cloves rotted even before they sprouted. This year I'm trying something different.

Not much different, but a little.

I put the garlic in the refrigerator for a couple months to simulate winter.

Then I put them in the moss. They all sprouted within about a week. Once the roots are well established I'll let the water level drop so the moss stays dry but the roots get all the water they need.

I've grown tomatoes and peppers this way, started melons, beans, etc. They thrive, but before I've just used it as a starter garden before I put things outside in the spring. Not permanent.

We'll see how it works.

Update 1
Update 2
Update 3
Update 4
Final results

Got my Drug Interaction book back!

Since I didn't have the book that has all the drug interactions, I didn't put the interactions in each of the posts. I think the herbs below are those that I missed (with the exception of a few that aren't in the book).

I think it's important to note (although the people who wrote the book would probably scream at me for it) that many of these "interactions" are increases or decreases in the effect of the drugs. The authors are very careful to state that nothing is proven as to the effects of the herbs, then they state that the herbs increase or decrease the effects of pharmaceuticals. Which would suggest to me that the herbs are actually effective, since taking a double dose of a pharmaceutical would have the same effect.

Yarrow
Avoid using yarrow with depressants (such as alcohol) as well as blood thinners and drugs that lower blood pressure

Ginger
Avoid using ginger with blood thinners

Garlic
Avoid using garlic with anti-platelet agents or blood thinners, as garlic may increase their effects

Pepper
Pepper interacts with blood thinners, some anti-biotics, non-steroidal pain killers, and smoking cessation aids.

Catnip
No interactions listed

Dill

Anethum Graveolens
Family: Unbelliferae (Carrot family)

A few months ago I made dill pickles. I don't like the process--it wastes too much salt--but I have a patch of volunteer dill this summer so I decided to try it.

Now I have volunteer dill EVERYWHERE so I'm going to harvest and dry it.

The main purposes of dill seem to center around the digestive system. Specifically, it's supposed to be good for gas, colic, hiccups, stomach pain, and to improve digestion. Like many other plants in the carrot family, it's also said to improve the apetite, but I don't think most people are concerned about eating MORE.

The other thing was to promote milk flow, for both humans and animals.

I don't have a lot of digestive problems, so the only thing I've used dill for (other than as a seasoning) is as an additive when I want to help someone relax. I use it with chamomile, catnip, lemonbalm and/or valerian depending on what's needed.

A few months ago I went on a pickle craze--they had to be dill pickles. I was eating them by the ton, it felt like, but I couldn't get enough. When the pickles were gone, I wanted to drink the juice. Weird. Still don't know why. Probably something wrong that I wasn't aware of, but the dill must have been helping or I wouldn't have wanted it like that.

Interactions: None listed. The book I have is very careful to state that no US studies support the effectiveness of dill, which I take to mean that there are studies in other areas.

Yarrow

Achillea Millefolium
Family: Compositae

Yarrow is another of those herbs that isn't mentioned very often.

Greek myth tells us that yarrow (also known as soldier's wound-wort) was used to stop bleeding, a use which modern science supports. It is a diaphoretic (it makes you sweat) so it's good for colds, and it's used internally and externally to stop bleeding. It's effective for cramps and to regulate menses.

I personally know that using yarrow also can make your eyes extremely sensitive. Until you know how it affects you, you probably shouldn't go out in bright sunlight if you've been taking it internally.

I was in an experimental mood and rubbed my hands with yarrow oil. When I went outside, the sunlight was actually painful. I imagine it might be helpful if someone needed better night-sight.

I also use yarrow in my lawn. It grows faster than grass, but it doesn't need as much water so even in a drought it's green. The problem with that being that it has to be vegetatively propegated (i.e., divide the root and plant the pieces) so it's not a viable solution for most lawns.

Interactions: I have no idea. I know there were some in the book I lent to my neighbor, but...

I really need to get after her. I have another book I want her to look at, so maybe I'll go over tomorrow.