SUGGESTED USES: With their licorice-like flavor, fennel seeds are quite tasty and are often combined with other less flavorful herbs to make formulas more palatable. They can be prepared as a tea to relieve colic, improve digestion, and expel gas from the system. (Remember, however, that the gas doesn’t disappear but is expelled, so you may be tooting a bit!) Nursing moms can drink 2 to 3 cups of fennel tea daily to increase the flow of their milk. Fennel tea also makes a soothing wash for soreness and inflammation in the eyes, and it can be combined with infection-fighting herbs like goldenseal to treat conjunctivitis and other eye infections. (Remember, however, to strain the fennel tea well so as not to get any herb particles in your eyes.)
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) leaves, flowers This common garden flower has an outstanding reputation for the treatment of migraines. Recent pharmacological studies have proved that it also alleviates inflammation and stress-related tension. SUGGESTED USES: Because it is quite bitter, I generally combine feverfew with lavender and California poppy to make a tincture. As a migraine preventive, take ½ to 1 teaspoon of the tincture two to three times daily for 5 days, rest for 2 days, and then repeat the cycle. Feverfew is most effective for managing migraines when taken over a period of 2 to 3 months, though it will also alleviate acute migraine symptoms if taken at the very earliest signs of a migraine. While it is best to tincture the herb fresh, I’ve found that high-quality, properly dried feverfew works as well. PARTS USED: BENEFITS:
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