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2003.
Awaiting revision 2007
RED SAGE - SALVIA OFFICINALIS
There are literally hundreds of different species
of Sage. The one most often found in your back yard, Salvia
officinalis or Common Sage, better known as a culinary herb,
has impressive therapeutic properties - espeically for
female hormones and
menopause.
The Common Sage can have white, greenish-grey or purplish-red
leaves. Often, Sage products and preparations refer to, or contain
'Red
Sage'. This is not a different species, it is still Common
Sage, but the plants with purplish-red leaves have been used.
According to medical herbalists, the red leaf sage is the preferred
medicinal variety.
The genus name 'Salvia' is derived from the Latin 'Salvare', to be
saved, an ancient reference to Sage's curative abilities. The
following saying from the Middle Ages also suggests the importance
of Sage's healing properties:
"Why
should a man die while sage grows in his garden?"!
From at
least as far back as the Middle Ages, Sage has been documented as a
'cure-all' with references to longevity in folk medicine.
Commercially, Sage has always been very popular for culinary use,
with its very strong, distinctive taste and aroma. In more recent
years Sage has become increasingly popular for its
therapeutic use, especially with symptoms associated with the
menopause.
USES OF RED
SAGE
Research has suggested that the presence of
volatile oil in Sage is largely responsible for most of its
therapeutic properties, especially its antiseptic, astringent and
relaxing actions. This also gives Sage an oestrogenic action which
is partly responsible for hormonal effects, such as reducing
breast-milk production.
In Chinese medicine, Sage is a 'Yin' (female) tonic with a
reputation for supporting the Nervous System.
Like all aromatic/culinary herbs, Sage can soothe the Digestive
Tract.
HORMONES - Red Sage can;
* Improve irregular and scanty periods
* Promote stronger menstrual flow
* Reduce sweating, especially during the menopause
* Reduce hot flushes and generally help the body to
adjust to
hormonal changes
GENERALLY - Red Sage;
* Relieves sore throats, taken internally and used as
a very
effective gargle
* Encourages the healing process, especially for mouth
ulcers,
sore gums and external wounds in general
* Aids digestion. Sage acts as a digestive tonic
helping to
stimulate or soothe the Digestive Tract
* As a Nerve tonic, helps to both calm and stimulate
the
Nervous System
* Is useful for stings and bites, especially if the
fresh
leaves are rubbed onto the affected area
* Was traditionally used to help asthma; the dried
leaves are
often used in herbal smoking mixtures
* Can alleviate mild diarrhoea, because of its
astringent
(drying) properties
[Next: Dosagte of Red Sage...]
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