Marshmallow

I've been so busy lately teaching & going back to school for my masters. I've been drinking lots of tea now that it's cooler here and using a lot of tinctures to prevent from getting sick. Today I had some down time (finally!) and read this article and was reminded how great Marshmallow is. I usually include Marshmallow in decoctions when I have a sore throat or am getting sick. This article includes a whole ranges of uses for this wonderful herb.

Soothing Marshmallow & Marshmallow Infusion
by Rosalee de la Foret

I love single herbs that seemingly do everything.

Their complexity could inspire a lifetime of devotion to learning the intricate ways they could be used for food and medicine, as well as the ways they support their habitat and the gifts they bring the earth. Single herbs that can be used in a variety of ways are called "polycrest herbs."
At first glance marshmallow seems like a specific plant. Its claim to fame is being the #1 go-to demulcent herb for many herbalists.

Demulcent herbs are slimy and thick and are typically used to soothe mucous membranes. Like many demulcent herbs, marshmallow is cooling and moistening, bringing relief to hot and dry conditions.

Despite having the specificity of being a demulcent herb, marshmallow (Althea officinalis) is a polycrest herb. It’s been used for centuries in a broad range of ways. The genus name for marshmallow is derived from the Greek word altho, which means to cure. This gives us a powerful indication of how highly regarded this plant was in ancient times.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this wonderful plant on a deeper level by making a variety of preparations with it. Most often though, I use it as a tea.

The majority of the time we make teas and long infusions we use hot water to extract the plant material. But marshmallow roots are typically prepared using cold water.
Marshmallow roots are high in polysaccharides and starches. By using a cold infusion you extract mainly the mucilaginous polysaccharides. If you simmer the root you also extract the starches in the plant (which is okay; the cold infusion is considered to be a purer extract of the mucilage.)
In today’s HerbMentor News we are going to learn how to make a cold infusion out of marshmallow roots and then explore the myriad of ways this single preparation can be used.

To make a cold infusion you will need:
• a jar and lid
• marshmallow root (You can buy marshmallow root here)
• lukewarm water
• time

To make this preparation, simply fill a jar 1/4 of the way with marshmallow root.

Then fill the jar with lukewarm water and cover with a lid.

Let sit for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. The water should change color to a soft yellow.

Strain off the roots. The resulting liquid should be thick and viscous.

Now that we see how easy it is to prepare this root let’s look at the many ways we can use it!



Mouth WashMarshmallow makes a wonderful mouth wash for painful mouth conditions. Mouth ulcers, canker sores, cuts on the inside of the cheeks, inflamed gums and even sore throats are soothed with a marshmallow rinse. Simply swish the cold infused tea around in your mouth to coat the affected tissues.

Heartburn and Ulcers
Try adding a little peppermint to the cold infusion to find relief from heartburn, peptic ulcers, and inflamed intestines. Besides being able to soothe inflammation, marshmallow root is also a vulnerary, healing wounds within the digestive tract. Herbalist Paul Bergner calls this a bandaid for the stomach. Of course, addressing the root cause of these issues is recommended for long term care.

Skin WashMarshmallow is an amazing topical treatment for wounds and burns. In the past it was called mortification root because of its ability to prevent gangrene.
Externally, marshmallow root is very useful in the form of poultice, to discuss painful, inflammatory tumors, and swellings of every kind, whether the consequence of wounds, bruises, burns, scalds, or poisons; and has, when thus applied, had a happy effect in preventing the occurrence of gangrene. The infusion or decoction may be freely administered.
–King's American Dispensary, 1898
Marshmallow works in complex ways. It is used as a lubricating demulcent for the lungs and for the urinary tract, even though it never comes in direct contact with these surfaces.

Herbalist Jim McDonald explains:

Though it makes sense that demulcents coat tissues, the physical mucilage is actually very poorly absorbed by the body, and certainly isn't traveling through the blood to the kidneys. Rather, the ingestion of mucilage seems to promote a systemic moistening of tissues throughout the body, with some demulcents being more specific to particular organ systems.–Jim McDonald, Herbalist

Colds and FluMarshmallow is a wonderful plant for the cold and flu season. It can soothe an inflamed sore throat. It stimulates phagocytosis, an important part of the immune system and it's even used to moisten the lungs in cases of dry hot conditions, such as hot coughs with little to no expectoration. Recent scientific research has shown it to be a powerful anti-tussive herb as well. I commonly recommend it for post infection coughs - these are the ones keeping you awake at night long after the illness has passed.

Urinary infections
Herbalists frequently use marshmallow for urinary problems such as cystitis, kidney stones, and bladder infections. Besides soothing the urinary tract it is also a diuretic, which can be of further aide in many urinary problems.

Marshmallow is considered safe for everyone to use although it is recommended to be taken several hours after taking prescription medications as it may inhibit the absorption.
Marshmallow plant is specific for many common ailments, yet has a complexity that renders it useful for a myriad of problems. We hope you enjoy learning about marshmallow and are able to create a variety of herbal remedies from this versatile plant for the well-being of your family.

-Rosalee

www.learningherbs.com

Herbal Teas for Digestive Distress & Bitters

Between Thanksgiving and New Years is when my digestive system really wants to kill me. Sugar, and larger, heavier quantities of food and drink along with less sunlight and less exercise really tax my poor digestive system along with overall mental and physical health. I feel sluggish and depressed. It's important to take care of our digestive system at all times of the year, but during the winter it is most important because our bodies our slowing down and (trying!) to rest. Teas and bitters can help our digestive system everyday by stimulating our body and helping it to run quicker and smoother.

Herbal Teas for Digestive Distress

Phyllis Light's Slippery Elm Brew

Slippery Elm (cut and sifted-not powder) - 3 heaping tablespoons

Add Slippery Elm to one gallon of water. Bring to boil and simmer briskly for about one and a half hours. The tea is ready when it turns dark red and the Slippery Elm mostly goes to the bottom. This is an extraordinary soothing tea for any sort of digestive irritation including heartburn, gastritis, diarrhea, irritable bowel, and colitis.

Madelon's Liver Cleansing Tea

2 parts Burdock Root

1 part Dandelion Root

1 part Sarsparilla

1/2 part Yellow Dock

pinch of Ginger

pinch of Cinnamon

pinch Licorice Root

Add two and a half to three tablespoons of herb to one quart of filtered water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Let it steep covered for about an hour and strain.

Christopher Hobb's High Mucilage Tea for Irritable Bowel Issues

1 part Flax Seed

1 part Marshmallow Root

1 part Fenugreek

pinch of Licorice Root

pinch of Caraway or Fennel

Add herbs to quart of water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for forty minutes. After turning off heat, cover and allow to steep for fifteen minutes. Strain and drink tea very frequently when experiencing uncomfortable symptoms.

Madelon's Calming Digestive Tea

2 parts Lemon Balm

1 part Chamomile

1 part Meadowsweet

1/2 part Pepperming

1/2 part Marshmallow

pinch of Licorice

Use 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture to 1 quart of boiling water and infuse for at least in hour.

Kathi Keville's Heartburn Formula

1 part Chamomile

1 part Lemon Balm

1 part Licorice

1/2 part Slippery Elm

1/4 part Fennel Seeds

1/4 part Catnip

Pour 1 1/2 cups very hot eater over the herbs and steep for at least 15 minutes (more time is better). Strain herbs and add 1 1/2 cups of either carrot or apple juice. Store in refrigerator.

Bitters

"Bitters are imperative; everyone needs some bitters in their diet.

No traditional culture could have imagined a diet virtually (if
not absolutely) devoid of any bitter foods—as we seem to have
established in most modern diets. This is not to say that one
should force themselves to eat a bowl of raw dandelion roots,
but to posit that the “medicinal” actions associated with bitters
might be viewed in an entirely different light.
I am a firm believer in Bitter Deficiency Syndrome; a no-
tion that posits that much of the health woes faced by modern
folk has at its root a lack of bitter flavor in the diet; and that
many of the digestive problems for which we see bitters as a
“remedy” are actually symptoms of deficiency of this flavor.
Perhaps it is not right to think that bitters should be used to
treat sluggish digestion, but that a lack of bitter flavor in one’s
diet can be a cause of sluggish digestion. Perhaps many of the
conditions calling for bitters as a remedy arise from their omis-
sion, not unlike rickets arises from a lack of vitamin D.
I was first introduced to the idea of bitter deficiency syn-
drome by James Green, who wrote in The Male Herbal:
"It is my opinion that the nearly complete lack of bitter
flavored foods in the overall U.S. and Canadian diet is a
major contributing factor to common cultural health im-
balances such as PMS, other female and male sexual organ
dysfunctions, hormonal imbalances, migraine headache,
indigestion, liver and gall bladder dysfunction, abnormal
metabolism, hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc. "" - Blessed Bitters
by jim mcdonald

Bitters stimulate the salivary glands to produce more saliva and stimulate the stomach to release more acid to help break down food. Bitters also stimulate the pancreas to secrete digestive enzymes and the liver to increase the flow of bile. Because the stomach acid production tend to decrease with age, bitters can be helpful for elderly people with sluggish digestion. In the traditional medicine of Europe and China, bitter herbs are used to strengthen digestions, improve functioning of the nervous system and enhance vital energy in the body. Bitter herbs and foods stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce food cravings. They have a regulatory effect on the hormones released by the pancreas.

When to use bitters:

Poor fat digestion

Poor protein digestion

Weakness due to chronic illness

Intestinal cramps and excessive gas

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Anemia

Excessive cravings for sweets

Bitters Formula:

1 part Artichoke

1 part Orange Peel

1/4 part Gentian

1/4 part Cardamom

1/4 part Ginger

This can be made into a tincture or a bitters tea which is simmered for 30 minutes. Other bitter herbs include dandelion, yarrow, and peach