Alternative Information Information Research

Tell a Friend about this Site

YARROW TEA (Achillea Millefolium)


An amazing tea that can help with colds and flu, and also help you see in pure colour. Yarrow has an ancient history. The generic name comes from Achilles who, according to legend, saved the lives of his warriors by healing their wounds with yarrow leaves. Crushed and rolled in the hands the plant provides a temporary styptic to check blood flow. Millefolium means 'thousand leaves' which were reputed to help with binding a wound and helping a scab to form. One of this astringent herb's ancient names is 'Soldier's Woundwort', along with 'Carpenter's Weed', 'Staunchweed' and others that show its popularity and prolonged use over many centuries.

The herb tea has also been used in the past for stimulating appetite, helping stomach cramps, flatulence, gastritis, enteritis, gallbladder and liver problems and internal haemorrhage - particularly of the lungs. It's effect is described as 'diaphoretic', causing the dilation of surface capillaries and helping poor circulation. The promotion of sweating can be useful for fevers and colds. Yarrow mixed with Elderflower and Peppermint (sometimes Boneset) is an old remedy for colds. A decoction of yarrow has been used for all sorts of external wounds and sores from chapped skin or sore nipples. In China Yarrow is still considered to have sacred properties, readers of the I Ching will often use Yarrow stalks in their studies.

There is one danger to overuse of yarrow internally: prolonged use of this tea may render the skin sensitive to exposure to light. It is this 'side effect' that shows that Yarrow tea has some mild psychotropic effect. A couple of cups of this tea and you may notice a shift in the colour and intensity of light around you. For artists or photographers this photosensitiser can sometimes provide a useful shift in perception. However, another name attributed to Yarrow is 'Devil's Plaything' - one suspects that this name was given to several herbs used by the witches or 'Wise Women' who were systematically exterminated in the middle-ages in Europe.

Yarrow leaves have also been used in tobacco or snuff mixtures and a decoction rubbed into the head is said to delay balding. To make Yarrow tea add two or three fresh or dried leaves per person to boiling water and leave to infuse for 5 minutes or so. Sweeten this with honey if you like. Some people like it with a slice of lemon to give this tisane a clean edge.

Thanks to C. Esplan, D. Hoffman, J. Lust, R. Phillips

From an ebook called 'Wild Food' underway at simonthescribe. If you wish to republish this article (only with this resource box intact) you will find excellent quality pictures to accompany it at http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/yarrow.html


MORE RESOURCES:

TAKE TWO: An alternative look at the day in sports
Columbia Daily Tribune
Like many of you, I couldn't resist reading the naughty text messages Tiger Woods allegedly sent to Joslyn James, the pornographic film ...

and more »


Central Florida News 13

Students Spend 'Alternative' Spring Break Volunteering
Central Florida News 13
Tens of thousands of other college students also went on “alternative” Spring Break trips with other nonprofit organizations. The University of Maryland ...
Florida isn't the spring break hot spot that it used to be for college party ...Palm Beach Post
Are Spring Break college interviews a good idea?MiamiHerald.com

all 4 news articles »


Alternative discipline proposed to keep students in school
Louisville Courier-Journal
... 2010 A group of religious organizations and concerned citizens will meet with city officials Monday night to promote alternative discipline methods as a ...

and more »


Washington Post

Alternative spring breaks connect with college students
Washington Post
"Alternative spring breaks" are diverting a growing number of college students from a week of sloth and excess in Florida to study post-election violence in ...
Alternative Spring Break 2010The Simmons Voice
Alternative Spring BreakThe Eastern Progress Online (subscription)
Students reach out as part of Alternative Spring BreakCampus Times
Eagle News -Orlando Sentinel -Jaunted
all 32 news articles »


Egypt in Search of An Alternative
NewsBlaze
In short, the search for an alternative to the dominant ruling party will continue. The prospects for peaceful change, however, remain dependent on ...

and more »


For alt rocker Jeff Tweedy, growing up's a fine alternative
MiamiHerald.com
Tweedy's musical journey started in the early '90s, when he co-founded the seminal alternative country band Uncle Tupelo. That group broke up in 1994, ...

and more »


Alternative core CPI measures unchanged in Feb.
MarketWatch
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Core inflation was flat in February, according to two alternative methods of figuring underlying inflation that don't ...

and more »


Motorola Droid alternative to iPhone
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
... with the AT&T/Apple iPhone juggernaut, offers an intriguing alternative for people who want a phone that offers many of the same benefits of the iPhone. ...

and more »


The Express Times - LehighValleyLive.com

Prom Dress Day offers cheaper alternative to prom dress shopping
The Express Times - LehighValleyLive.com
Jon's Bridal by Suzanne PhotoJon's Bridal by Suzanne, in Allentown, is donating 80 new dresses for this year's Prom Dress Day at the State ...

and more »


New North Inc. capitalizes on emerging alternative energy industry in ...
Oshkosh Northwestern
When Jerry Murphy sees a power-generating wind turbine, he sees a business opportunity and hopes ...

and more »

Google News



MaineBannerExchange

home | site map
© 2006