Photo Courtesy of Maggie Hoffman

Ever since I first realized I might age, Sage has beckoned. There was a conference on aging back in the 80′s that caught my eye, called “Saging, Not Aging”  - so, what is it about Sage?Why are wise men called “Sages”? Could there be a relationship to the plant itself?

I was looking for more than what  my herbal library had to say about this plant – precious little about it’s role in the aging process.  This was  a plant held in high esteem by the Greeks, Romans and Old European herbalists. A common saying was, “Why should a man die whilst sage grows in his garden?’

It’s Latin name, Salvia, comes from the Latin salvere  which means ‘to heal’ or ‘to be safe and unharmed’. These days its mostly known as a culinary herb. Sage has slipped. By that I mean, if you look at what herbalists recommend for various conditions, Sage will be overshadowed by other plants (with a few exceptions, ie.sore throats, night sweats, smudging). Perhaps its our culture’s fascination with what’s new.  If I may offer my own 2012 prediction – Sage shall rise again.  A precursor to its rise – in 2001 it was named the “Herb of the Year” by the International Herb Association.

A member of the mint family, its closest to it’s cousin, Rosemary – considered  THE best herb for protection against radiation – I wonder if Sage might do that too?  There are over 500 varieties of Sage, they are not interchangeable either…Sages have their own personalities. The wild Sage we commonly find around the Ozarks is Lyre-Leaf Sage. also known as Cancerweed. We do not put it in soups or stuffing. Records indicate it was Salvia officinalis who won first-place among the ancient healers…that’s our common garden sage. Don’t be fooled by it’s moniker , common. Medicinally speaking, its so strong that some herbalists caution not to tincture it nor use its essential oil. This is due to its thujone content which, if misused is a neurotoxin. Used wisely, thujone heals some difficult conditions.

One of the safest ways a gardener can use it is to nibble on 7-8 leaves daily. Its said to aid memory at that amount. Otherwise, an infusion of properly dried herb works well.

Getting back to Saging instead of Aging – There is some research into this plant that supports the anti-aging claims. Take menopause – a natural process that I would consider aging only if done poorly, causing debility. There was one clinical study using Salvia extract (along with Alfalfa) to alleviate a variety of menopausal symptoms. Hot flashes and night sweats completely disappeared in all of the subjects. (1)

Another study validates its traditional use in  mild to moderate Alzheimer’s as a neuroprotective (2)

The chances of developing type 2 diabetes increases as we age (though its appearing in younger people all too often lately) .  Sage is known to help control blood sugar and also acts as a blood cleaner. Now we have a study indicating it may well be a treatment for diabetes 2. I know of one 67 year old woman who reversed her diabetes through diet, exerise and Sage. (3)

Antioxidants are well-known to slow down aging. It turns out the Sage is loaded with them. It also protects the liver. A study was done that indicates that the compounds present in Sage infusions contain interesting bioactivities, which improve the liver antioxidant potential. (4) Another study showed that Sage may prevent degenerative diseases associated with oxidative stress. (5)

Of course, there’s a lot more to Sage than what I’ve written here so I encourage all of you to seek it out and explore its potential. Isn’t this a great time to arm ourselves with a  plant that keeps us “safe from harm”? And isn’t 2012 supposed to be when we’re all transformed into Sages?

References:

(1) http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/sage-and-alfalfa-extracts-are-effective-reducing-menopausal-symptoms

I recently saw a statistic that said, in the United States, only 16% of the population lived in rural areas! The sparsely populated mountainous region of Newton County, Arkansas, is said to be the poorest county in the state. We don’t even have one traffic light here! Forget cell phone reception. And our county seat, Jasper, only has a population of about 500. So it was a big deal when a bakery, the Blue Mountain Bakery & Deli, opened it’s doors earlier this year. Folks in Newton County have a taste for the “real”, a taste for the sustainable, a taste for self-provision…and the Blue Mountain caters to that taste.

Naturally, I recognized it right away as the ideal spot to launch herbal dinner workshops. We started our monthly dinners in September with Jenny (co-owner of the Blue Mountain) preparing a special menu around the herb of the month. Dishes like Scallop & New Potato Thyme soup, Pumpkin-Thyme scones, Basil Lemon cookies, Rosemary marinated veggie –feta cheese kabobs….Over the two hour dinner we learn how these kitchen herbs can heal us.

The folks who’ve attended all three workshops soon came to realize how similar rosemary, basil and thyme are. They have in common the ability to ward off and treat colds and flu; lift moods; aid digestion; harmonize the liver; restore the nervous system; disinfect the urinary tract; ward off insects; anti-cancer…etc.  They seem almost interchangeable, and they are, but they also have some unique characteristics setting them apart.

For example:

Skin care: Rosemary as a skin wash opens capillaries to enliven the skin and it’s used for eczema. Thyme, however, if used on the skin would be for antiseptic purposes and to treat psoriasis. Basil is especially good to relieve itchiness of the skin, especially  if juiced and mixed with raw honey.

Alcohol : Thyme is used in a protocol to treat alcoholism. Basil is used to treat a hangover. No special application for Rosemary in this holiday arena.

Mental: A study found that basil’s phytochemicals act on the brain in the very same fashion as pharmaceutical anti-depressants (but without dependency or negative side-effects). Rosemary acts as an anti-depressant in a different manner and while it lifts the mood, its better known as a memory enhancer…it also has a special gift for protecting the cell membranes of brain, heart and kidney from damage. Both basil and thyme are used for coma. Thyme is the herb of choice for nightmares in children. Thyme may also be the better herb for insomnia, though basil may be close.

Digestive System: Basil helps digest protein; Rosemary helps digest starch; Thyme helps digest fats. All are anti-parasitic but Thyme stands out for eliminating tapeworm and hookworm. All assist the liver but in different ways. In the case of diarrhea, use thyme.

Muscles: All three are powerfully antispasmodic however thyme’s specialty is to strengthen weak muscles in MS and in children who aren’t developing normally. (Thyme was known as the herb of “courage and strength”). Basil takes the prize as the superior antispasmodic.

This is just a brief comparison, if you’re interested in learning more keep an eye out for my webinar series. Yes, I’m moving some of this work into a virtual classroom…the only thing holding me back is learning the technology (and possibly my computer!!) but its on the horizon.

Wishing you all an especially joyous holiday season with a plentitude of rosemary, basil and thyme.