My theme is herbs.
A is for Angelica
Angelica has been
used as a medical
herb since 1665, year
of the Great
Plague. The Am.
Indians used this
herb to treat
broncial colds
and congested
resiratory tract.
The plant is a
member of the parsley family and has a strong tangy odor with a
sweetish to burning taste. All parts of the plant are used and the
Chinese recognize this as "dong quai."
I use Angelica in a recipe for the liver, along with dandelion,
wormwood, and gentian.
Other Uses: The stem can be steamed and eaten like
asparagus. The leaves can be brewed into a fne tea and the oil
of the root can be added to bathwater for a relaxing soak.
Medical Use: It induces sweating, stimulates blood
circulation, liver function, ulcers and indigestion. It has
also been known to help alzheimers patients.
Hi Manzanita .. I've never eaten angelica - other than when it's been crystallised and used as a cake decoration .. if it ever gets to the cake once it's in my sticky paws! Cheers and I love the lore behind it .. Hilary
ReplyDeleteHilary
DeleteI've mostly used the dried Angelica in a recie for the liver. I've done it a couple of times and will again. You'll have your cake and eat it too. Ha
Cool - I had never heard of this herb before. Sounds like a good remedy for a variety of ills!
ReplyDeleteKeith
DeleteSorry to hear you are not doing the challenge. I'll give you my pom poms and you can cheer lead
It's taken me a few years, but I'm really starting to get into the herbs and oils. I haven't come across this one yet. I'm definitely adding it to my list. :)
ReplyDeleteauthor,
DeleteHerbs are wonderfull healers. I tried to comment on your blog but I couldn't see where. What a wonderful book you wrote.
I still have a little bit of the angelica that you sent me. We need to do a liver cleanse again soon.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the Chinese called it dong quai.
Happy Cleansing to you!! Much Love
Terry
DeleteYes, when we are finished with the present cleanses, we'll do the liver again. I had flu like symptoms yesterday after we talked. Felt miserable in the PM. Yay.... I'm sure I was discharging. i feel great this morning. I love it when they work.
"when we are finished with the present cleanses we'll do the liver one again"
DeleteIs it necessary to do so many cleanses? How many cleanses would you do in a year? And why?
didn't even know it was an herb
ReplyDeleteAdam
DeleteIndeed it is and there are plenty more good ones where that came from. Wait and see. haha
Maybe it could get the circulation going, as many days mine kinda sucks haha
ReplyDeletePat
DeleteI've got a lot of good herbs coming to print. Wait and see if you particularly like any.
wow! How cool was this???? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteZoe
DeleteWay cool. Hope you are enjoying this A day of the challenge.
I love learning about the benefits of herbs. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
ReplyDeleteJoy
Deletethis is a great day for the beginning of the challenge. I still have a lot of herbs up my sleeve. Haha
Once again I'm going to be learning so wonderful new things. I'm so happy you're in the challenge for another year!
ReplyDeleteBish
DeleteAgain we're doing this.... is it # 4? I think so. Have a beautiful A-Day.
Karen
ReplyDeleteAnother day, another herb.....
Thank you for sharing this Manzi. I wonder if I should start make a journal of herbs and their uses. This one sounds like it helps on many fronts. I remember when you wrote about your liver cleanse.
ReplyDeleteRobin
ReplyDeleteThere are so many herbs out there that say they help with migraines. I don't know as I've never had one but when I read that I always think of you. I'll have an herb a day so there will be more coming. I'm glad you are doing the challenge this year.
So many herbs to know about. The herbal shops in China were the most fascinating stops and there were so many, each with it's unique touch. Loved learning about Angelica.
ReplyDeleteCleemckenzie
DeleteI really love the Chinese herbs and I wish I knew more about them. I lived in Florida for 25 years an saw a Chinese acurpuncturist twice a month. They had a huge herb room in the back and it was fun to watch them fill a paper bag with a little of this and a nip of that. It was difficult to ask questions because hardly anyone spoke English. Ha Wish I could go to China too.
I wonder if theres a herb/food thats good for tinnitus? Fascinating subject.
ReplyDeleteSpacerguy
DeleteI'm sure there is as herbs were used for healing way before the chemical drugs of the allopathic doctors. Natural healing rarely uses the western names as for example ..... tinnitus. That is really an annoying afliction. Natural healers would cleanse the body first and then give herbs and diet for any internal organs that are weak because the ringing prob stems from something unrelated to the ear.
I've had tinnitus most of my life and can say with 100% certainty that it is much worse following doses of painkillers. Most of the time I barely notice it, but when I've had pain enough to take panadol or panadeine or even aspirin, the fuzzy noises and ringing are much louder for up to three weeks.
DeleteI'm sure I used to have this growing in our garden (well our old garden) at one time. . . I think it grew quite tall if i remember correctly
ReplyDelete. Rob Z Tobor
Rob
DeleteYou may have found it in your garden and if it was in a garden, I'm sure it was the real deal. But, if gathering it wild, one has to be very careful as the plant can be mistaken for poison Hemlock. Yes, Angelica can reach 4 to 5 feet tall. It's a stout hollow stemmed plant and at a passing glance resembles celery plant.
Funny I had heard about dong quai but did not know about Angelica being the same. I am looking forward to this challenge to learn more. Very interesting.
ReplyDeletePatti
DeleteThere are many varities of Angelica and I understand dong quai is made of of several or more of these different Angelica plants.
The Chinese are so clever when it comes to herbs..... but so were the American Indians.
I've never seen this herb before but had heard of it and know it's been around for a long time.
ReplyDeleteMerle...........
Merle
DeleteIt has been healing way before the allopathic drugs. It's been a favorite of mine. I thought of you as I got 3 baby chicks. I think I'll get one more as you are only allowed to keep 3 but don't we always push the limit?
Interesting. Does it taste like asparagus? Yummy one.
ReplyDeleteJulia
DeleteI've never eaten it but I just heard that people often carmalize the stems because the plant is bitter. It head it's a delicacy as a sweet. i've just used the dried plant.
Herbs do a lot of good, looking forward to the posts
ReplyDeleteHoly Ghost
DeleteThanks..... They do good indeed. The ony thing I ever use.
I haven't heard of it until now. I'll be taking notes on your A-Z, I can already see it coming. :)
ReplyDeleteManzi dear, I heard the name of this plant before but not sure if I ever knew how it looks like. Now I know! :) You have chosen a very interesting topic for your A to Z! I am tuned! ))
ReplyDeletep.s. thank you for your recent visit to my blog. So glad you got some visual pleasure at my place! ♥