Taste is traditionally linked to herbal energetics, since according to all the principal herbal traditions the action exerted by each herb is strongly connected to its taste (or tastes). The tastes formally recognized as such by modern science are: sweet, salty, bitter, acid and, since not long, also umami (which we can think of as the “taste of proteins”) and …
Categoria: English
Kenilworth Ivy
Kenilworth Ivy, also known as Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Wall Pennywort (an ancient name) or Mother-of-Thousands (Cymbalaria muralis G. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherb.) is a plant native to the Southern Europe, but now present in several parts of the World (Subcosmpolite). It can usually be found in the crevices of old, moist walls (hence its specific name “muralis”, a Latin name …
The Energetic Theory of the Mediterranean Tradition
In order to understand the actions of herbs according to the traditional systems of medicine, we must first master the philosophies and concepts that underlay such traditions. Contemporary medicine is based on a mainly analytical approach and is founded on biochemistry and on the modern concepts of anatomy, physiology and pathology; traditional medicines, instead, were based upon models more or …
Nettle: a whole pharmacy in a single plant
Nettle is both an edible and healing plant. Even if in some countries it is used only rarely, it’s one of the most important herbs of the Western tradition. Many species exist around the world, and most of them have stinging hairs. Some of the most known species are U. dioica (dioecious) and U. urens (monoecius). Rich in proteins and …
The “Sense” of Plants
Silence… I am within my body, enveloped by the thin and strong, comfortable, involucre of my skin, aware of my being here and now. I feel the silence that is without and within me, a silence that is not lack of sounds, but is attention, awareness, presence… I sense the beats of my heart, the slow and rhythmic sound of …
Marigold
April 2019, 1st and 2nd, first days of the second month of Spring. The name April comes from the Latin “(mens) aprilis”, that, in turn, according to some authors, comes from the greek ἀφρός (aphròs), that means foam, in reference to the foam from which Venus, the goddess the April month was consecrated to, was born; according to other authors, …
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits are the fruits of the trees belonging to the genus Citrus L., in the subfamily Aurantioideae Eaton of the family Rutaceae Juss. Well known all over the world as fruits characterized by a typical soursweet (more or less sweet or sour according to species and variety) and sometimes bitter taste, they are mostly used as food, either raw …
The Apple tree
Practically unknown from the point of view of herbal medicine in some countries, the apple tree (Malus domestica (Borkh.) Borkh.) is a concentrate of interesting properties: it’s cooling and moistening, with a slightly astringent, aromatic, sweet and acrid-bitter taste. It has a particular tropism toward the inner organs placed below the diaphragm (stomach, liver, gallbladder, bowels, kidneys, spleen and pancreas), …
Saffron
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a spice with thousand virtues, in both cuisine and herbal therapy, esteemed as a useful remedy since ancient times. Castore Durante, in his “Herbario nuovo” wrote:“QUALITIES. It’s hot in the second degree and dry in the first, keeping in itself a little of cold and terrestrial, it opens, repercusses (*), digests, corroborates, and also mollifies. …
Arnica, Calendula and Bellis: a comparison among three Asteraceae
Arnica, Calendula and Bellis are three botanical genera belonging to the Asteraceae (or Compositae, old name) family. Asteraceae is one of the two largest genera in Spermatophytae (plants that reproduces through seed), together with Orchidaceae, because these two genera contain the greatest number of species. Due to the large number of species, the whole family has been subdivided into 13 …