The second concept I would like to highlight in this series is synergy.
Synergy is defined as: the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements …
Some of you may remember in Euell Gibbons book , Stalking the Healthful Herbs, the list of nutrients found in many common “weeds” including dandelion. Once ingested in the right way the plant constituents work synergistically in our biology to assist our body, mind, spirit in healing. By “in the right way”, our elders, those who have come before us have used these plants in many ways and for many purposes. Some plants are better as teas some are better as decoctions. Some assist liver gall bladder function and others seem to support specific immune system markers. Euell Gibbons and others highlight their favorite recipes and therefore many can be used as food. He also notes the nutrients found in common weeds. These nutrients work in a synergistic way in our body to promote health and healing. I drink herbal teas simply because they are nourishing.
Plants are here for us. With the advent of allopathic medicine and the business partnership with pharmacy we have forgotten that the roots of medicine began in exploring the benefits of the plants that grow around us. Plants such as dandelion greens have two purposes: food as well as medicine.
One cup of dandelion greens chopped contains many nutrients in a form our body can digest and recognize as helpful. Wild strawberry leaves are one o f the richest sources of vitamin C but also contain trace vitamins and minerals. Plants vary in their concentrations of nutrients. Choosing or varying your tea choice is beneficial. I often blend three or four such as red clover, echinacea root and nettles with spearmint. As David Hoffman says in The Holistic Herbal, herbs ” do function through biochemical interactions and specific applications, but they do so in a way that augments the vital processes of the body.” Synergistic effects of herbs contribute to homeostasis.
Synergy, one plus two is more than three. Isn’t nature amazing? Right beneath our feet we have many common “weeds” packed with nutrition that not only nourish the body but contribute to foundational health in a holistic way.
Enjoy a cup of tea with gratitude today.
Judith
Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, Writer, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter, Master Gardener.
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