Medicinal Herbs

IN DECEMBER, KAUFER PUBLISHED HIS FIRST BOOK, MEDICINAL HERBS OF CALIFORNIA: A FIELD GUIDE TO COMMON HEALING PLANTS. The nearly 300-page, full-color book is the fi rst statewide guide to common medicinal plants, or what Kaufer calls “ancient overthe-counter remedies.” Since 1976, Kaufer has led herb walks, nature hikes and edible and medicinal plant classes and workshops, “taking people into nature so they can learn how to learn from nature.” he said. “I’m 75, so I’m a late bloomer when it comes to writing a book.” In the process of researching and writing the guide, Kaufer realized how much more there was to learn about medicinal plants. “I thought I had a fair amount of knowledge on this topic; more than the average bear. No, more than the average human,” he said with a laugh. “The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.” Taking this attitude going in, Kaufer concentrated on healing plants he could gather locally, but he expanded that knowledge to include plants throughout the state. He made a list of all the plants in California he knew to have some recorded history of medicinal use. They totaled roughly 200 plants, but there was no room in the guide for 200 plants, so he focused on just over 70. His criteria in choosing plants for the Guide: 1. Does the plant exist in California in su cient numbers to justify going out and picking it? 2. Is there a history of traditional Indigenous use? 3. Is there enough scientifi c data to explain that history? In the past, it su ced to say that Native Americans used this plant for this, or the settlers used this plant for that. “Now that we’re in the age of following the science, that’s not enough anymore,” Kaufer said. Bringing in the scientifi c data and pharmacological research completed the process. Surprising to Kaufer was the amount of research that has been done on medicinal plants over the last 30 years, providing scientifi c evidence to support the healing qualities of the plants, “to show that, yes, they have what it takes to do what Native Americans have always said they do,” he said. “Their remedies, if they worked, kept getting used and passed on to the next generation of healers. If they didn’t work, they fell by the wayside.” Kaufer’s biggest challenge was consolidating the information into a usable format. Each plant chapter features photos and descriptions, common and scientifi c names, conservation status, cultivation tips and information on how to fi nd and use medicinal plants. There are also recipes incorporating healing plants in everything from teas to tinctures. One of the most beautiful native plants in California — woolly blue curls — is used for stomach problems, nervousness and rheumatism. There’s been so little study done on the plant and it hasn’t been written about much, and it deserved a place in the book, Kaufer said. “Medicine” is the simple translation of the Chumash word for woolly blue curls. “That’s like the Spanish naming a plant ‘yerba santa,’ which means ‘holy herb.’ The Spanish were notoriously disrespectful of the knowledge of California Indians, so for them to name a plant ‘holy herb,’ that’s saying a lot,” said Kaufer. Yerba santa can be used to treat respiratory conditions such as coughs and colds, while mugwort provides relief from poison oak. Prickly pear cactus can be used for treating diabetes, lowering cholesterol and, topically, for relief from sunburn, while California golden poppy is useful for treating insomnia, nervous tension and pain. Native sages come in a variety of colors, from white to purple to black, and can bring relief from colds, coughs, pain and anxiety, according to the guide. The most underrated medicinal herb in the book? “Goat head,” said Kaufer, “a nasty, invasive weed.” Used for treating elevated blood lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides, “it also has an urban legend reputation as a male-enhancement herb.” Kaufer is perhaps most proud of an introductory chapter on the history of herbal medicine in America. A majority of the research that has been done was aimed at fi nding the active ingredient in the plant, what Kaufer calls “trying to do nature better than nature.” That’s a mistake, according to Kaufer. “These plants are whole organisms with a synergy of all these di erent chemicals. When we try to isolate what we think is the active ingredient, that may work for targeting one specifi c thing, but if you really want the full healing power of the plant, it’s better to use the whole plant,” he said.

by PERRY

VAN HOUTEN

nervous tension and pain. Photo: Wiki Commons

Though plenty of laboratory studies have been done on medicinal plants, Kaufer writes that more research is needed, especially clinical studies, “trying it out on humans. I hope that my book is an impetus to further study of these plants,” he said. Throughout the book, Kaufer references medicinal plant expert Jim Adams. After meeting Adams, Kaufer’s research took on another dimension. “Because he’s not only a pharmacologist, he’s studied with a Chumash healer,” he said. “He’s virtually the only pharmacologist in the country who studies just plants.”

Kaufer dedicated the book to another mentor, Chumash plant teacher Juanita Centeno, and to all Indigenous healers and plant experts of California. The guide includes a chapter on sustainable collecting — where and when to pick and how much is reasonable to take. Kaufer also provides tips on cultivating your own healing plants. “We’re very fortunate because we can grow a lot of the plants that grow all over California right here in Ojai,” he said, adding most of the plants are droughttolerant. “I would like to see local growers growing medicinal herbs, and I hope my book will lead to that.” The guide features more than 200 photos of plants in various stages of growth. The images show di erent parts of the plant, from leaves to fl owers. No fi eld guide is a substitute for actually going out with an expert and seeing the plant growing in its native habitat and experiencing what Kaufer called “the language of the plants” — what the plant looks like, how it smells and how it feels to touch. Kaufer fi nds more and more young people are interested in herbal remedies, “which is very heartening to me,” he said. “They don’t have lifetime prejudices.” In truth, Kaufer needed two or more books to cover plants from all over the state. “We’re blessed in California to have such an incredible geography that we have such a diversity of plants,” he said. Medicinal Herbs of California has inspired a series of books on healing plants currently planned by Falcon Guides. “My book is intended to be the fi rst in a series for all the states, or at least regions of the country,” said Kaufer. Doing the research was the best part of writing the book, according to Kaufer. “I like digging into things. I never got bored with the project. I spent every day for a year working on it, and I looked forward to doing it because it was just getting more and more interesting,” he said. The pandemic turned out to be Kaufer’s cloud with the silver lining because schedules went out the window and Falcon Guides gave him additional time to fi nish the book. “2020 was the perfect year to be hunkered down, with no distractions, writing a book,” he said, admitting he’s easily diverted by wanting to hike, forage or work in the garden. “To me, it’s a very exciting moment in history to be able to write a book like this,” said Kaufer, who lives in Meiners Oaks with his wife, Rondia. “Still having access to the traditional knowledge but now having it informed by this new generation of pharmacologists.” Medicinal Herbs of California sells for $26.95 and is available from Kaufer’s website at www.herbwalks.com

anxiety. Photo: Perry Van Houten

cholesterol. Photo: Wiki Commons

Prickly pear cactus. Photo: Wiki Commons

Ingredients: 2 leaves hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea), fresh or dried 2 wedges Ibarra Mexican chocolate 1 cup (8 ounces) water* Directions: 1. Place chocolate in cold water and bring just to boiling in a covered saucepan. 2. Turn o heat and whisk mixture to dissolve remaining sugar. 3. Add hummingbird sage leaves; steep, covered, for 10 minutes. *Milk can be used in place of water. — Recipe by James D. Adams Jr., adapted from Garcia and Adams, Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West.

This is an expectorant syrup to help move phlegm out of the lungs. Ingredients: 1 ounce dried or 3 ounces fresh horehound (Marrubium vulgare) leaves, with fl owers if available 1 pint water 2 cups granulated organic sugar Directions: 1. Prepare a strong infusion by pouring just-boiled water over horehound in a lidded vessel. Steep, covered, for 30 minutes. 2. Strain liquid into a glass or stainless-steel saucepan. Compost the herb. 3. Add sugar and heat, uncovered, over a low fl ame, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and liquid is a syrupy consistency. Add more sugar to thicken, if needed. 4. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator in a mason jar or stoppered bottle for quite some time. Take 1 teaspoon as needed for coughs.