A-Z Challenge
My theme is herbs
H is for Hyssop
"Purge me with
Hyssop and I
shall be clean;
wash me and I
shall be whiter
than snow."
David of
Psalms 51:9
Hyssop is
frequently
mentioned
in the bible
as a cleanser
for both the physical and spiritual. The
leaves have a slightly bitter but minty
flavor with a sweetish fragrance. They
make a nutritious salad green and a
few drops of the oil in your bath is
pure heaven.
Many mornings, my early drink of
tea consists of Hyssop, Yellow Dock,
and Ginger. My body called for these
three herbs through muscle testing by
my naturopath. So they shall get it
Hyssop is used in beauty products,
especially as an astringent, face mask
and bath oil. Beyond that, info on
Hyssop seems to have slipped beneath
the cracks. I've done a bit of digging
in old books and found the healing
miracles of Hyssop for reducing tumors,
edema, shingles and psoriasis.
I'm wondering if Hyssop is even available in Australia. As a plant for the garden, not dried from the health shops. I looked for it at nurseries years ago, but couldn't find any when I was planning a cottage garden.
ReplyDeleteMy early morning drink is coffee, I switch to tea during the day with my favourite being licorice tea.
River
DeleteYou really are knowledgable about herbs/plants and you've known hyssops value for a long time. I ordered mine in the forms of powder and some tea bags. My health gal does muscle testing for everything I take and my body called for hyssop.
I wasn't aware of licorice tea but I don't know why not. You can make a tea of every herb. Licorice is usually used for a cough so it must be soothing to the throat.
I find the licorice is a "wake up" tea, gives the brain a bit of a boost so if I need to stay awake mid afternoon, the licorice tea is the way to go. Otherwise I'll take a nap.
DeleteThat's still quite a bit of benefit from one plant! I'd like to taste it in a tea, I love a little bit of mint flavor in my tea, and I don't mind slightly bitter.
ReplyDeleteRosey
DeleteThis morning I had a teabag of hyssop and a teabag of pau d'arco and I added a little powdered ginger for zip. Plus my body muscle testing for wanting ginger too. I too, appreciate the bitter taste. Do you like bitter mellon as a veggie? I tried growing some last summer but it never came up. I'm going to try again. I somehow crave that bitter taste.
It's important not to lose folk/herbal information as so much of it can lead to medical cures or health aides. It's sad to think that the value of hyssop may be getting lost is the noise of all the *new* magic health aides on the market.
ReplyDeleteBish
DeleteI was surprised too about hyssop but I readily found the teabags and powder online.
That is one I've never heard of
ReplyDeleteHoly Ghost
DeleteI'm surprised because it's as old as the Holy Ghost. :)
I guess David wanted to be paler than the late Micheal Jackson
ReplyDeleteAdam
DeleteHahahahaha
Good one, Adam.That was a quick wit. Ha
Manzi, I am curious about having Hyssop in my tea, too! As I love black tea with mint, so I think Hyssop would add more interesting notes! If I'm not mistaken Hyssop was used in old perfumes... I wonder if it's still put in some modern perfumes too?
ReplyDeleteI have added it to my 'kitchen garden' wishlist! ;)
Zara
DeleteOh yes..... I love your black tea with the mint. I always drank that in Morocco. Now I rarely drink the green or black but tend to go with different healing herbs, although black and green decidedly have their healing properties.
They still use Hyssop in a lot of cosemetics and bath salts. I'm not sure if it's used in perfumes, although I don't know why not. So when you have a "kitchen garden wishlist," does that mean you'd keep the plant in the kitchen? I try to keep some useful herbs growing in the kitchen but I don't have much room so I gave up on that idea. I have several big aloe plants in the house as they can't live outdoors here, in the winter. That is such a handy plant to have near by.
No, Manzi, I mean 'kitchen garden' in the open air... One day, in future.) Now, my kitchen 'garden' is quite modest -- only a small pot of basil, another with thyme and a couple of glasses with green onion :) I love aloe too! It's not big yet, so we just can't pinch it off.. )
DeleteThis one was new to me... like so many of these herbs. Thanks for sharing this info Manzi. It is so good to know!!!
ReplyDeleteRobin
DeleteI'm just trying to get my garden ready and I'd love an all herb garden but it's so dang cold here in the winter and so many of them would never make it. I just uncovered my rose bushes yesterday and I wonder if those delicate herb plants would do better if I covered them with straw during the winter.
It's amazing that we don't use more natural remedies. The information is out there yet, as a society, I think we're too lazy to use it.
ReplyDeleteA shame.
Mark
DeleteYou are correct about people being lazy but now so many of the herbs are put in a teabag form and how easy is that...... just to add hot water. But chemicals and drugs have been pushed on people since the mid 40's and they probably doubt the the terrific healing ability of plants.
I am enjoying your old TV shows. Brings back memories.
Sucks how some info about many is disappearing, as the stupid big pharma crap piles up more and more
ReplyDeletePat
DeleteAll herbs can be toxic but it seems the newer herbal books stress that point more and scare people away.
This sounds like an herb that has many great benefits. I have chucked all of my prescribed medications and am on a more natural path to wellness. I think I would love to try Hyssop in my morning cup of tea!
ReplyDeleteTheresa
DeleteGood for you and your decision to go the natural path. Lots of luck and I wish you great health.
Hyssop...I have to look that up, as it sounds somehow familiar, beyond the Bible.
ReplyDeleteSusan
DeleteI have some old old herbal books but it's difficult to find a lot of these herbs.
Hi Manzi. I can't believe that it's the A - Z Challenge time again! Hyssop sounds like it can do an awful lot of good. I know you put a lot of faith in the natural healing route, rather than traditional medicine, and you certainly are a very good advert for it. Hope all is well over there.
ReplyDeleteI would like to try it in a bath. My guilty pleasure is long, really hot soaks.
ReplyDeletePatti
DeleteYeah... me too. Don't you love to add some good bath salts or epsom salt, too.
Always.
DeleteI have a lot of herbs in my garden. Think I'll add this one.
ReplyDeletecleemckenzie
DeleteHerb gardens bring comfort and peace of mind because one knows they have the herbs at hand.
Hyssop, Yellow Dock, and Ginger is a great title for a song. :-) I wonder what it is about herbs that make it bitter. Some kind of mineral from the soil perhaps?
ReplyDeleteSusiee
DeleteYou are right. What a tricky name for a some. Let's see, should that song be in swing time or waltz time? More of the wild plants are definitely bitter.
I have an old copy of "Potter's Cyclopedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations"; here is what it says about Hyssop: Stimulant, carminative, pectoral. This forms an agreeable remedy in cases of coughs, colds, consumption and lung complaints. It is generally compounded with other remedies. The dose of the infusion made from one ounce of herb in one pint of boiling water, is a wineglassful, taken frequently. Taste: bitter. Odour: aromatic and camphoraceous.
ReplyDeleteRiver
DeleteThat must be an informative old book to hang on to. I love the old books. So it says one oz. herb to one pint water.... wineglassful.......I always like the way they measured. Good job. Thanks for the info.
I use Hyssop when I have a cold, it really helps get the gunk out of the lungs. I will have to put some ginger in my hyssop tea the next time I make it.
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting, to the point of I'm thinking of adding Hyssop to my mother's herb garden. It sounds like everyone could benefit from using this.
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds enticing.
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't need some kind of spiritual and physical cleansing?
OK, I have been out of the loop. I will have to check out your musings on the herbs, as I know not much at all on the subject!
ReplyDelete