Spotlight: Sage

Writing about many things is fun. I get to research stuff and learn a lot. I’ve always liked making little articles on various things. I especially like finding alternative treatments to various diseases and disorders. And whenever I turn my pen (or keyboard) to herbal recipes, one herb always seems to crop up: sage.

What is this herb that’s able to help treat excessive sweating and treat a host of others? It’s time to get to know a little something about this wonderful plant.

Sage was used even during man’s early history. In ancient times, sage was used for reasons that we may now find outlandish, like warding off evil. The Romans brought the herb to Europe from Egypt. They used it as a local anesthetic for the skin, as a diuretic and as a way to make cuts and wounds heal faster. In the Middle Ages, it gained an awesome reputation. Charlemagne recommended that it should be cultivated. People ascribed to it the miraculous ability to treat the dreaded plague. This “power” earned it the name, Sage the Savior. It was so highly valued that the Chinese traded three cases of tea leaves (at that time, the Chinese Empire was funded only by a tax on tea) for one case of sage.

Sage is a member of the mint family. Like others in the same family, it’s high in calcium. It’s also a good source of potassium and vitamin A. Sage is remarkable for people with arthritis and other inflammation-based conditions because of the presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids and enzymes.

In cooking sage is used in marinades for meat, fish and vegetables, like eggplants and carrots. It’s been used to prepare cheese and to flavor biscuits and breads. Sage is used sparingly because it has a strong soft, yet sweet flavor.

Sage’s medicinal uses are legion. It helps reduce excessive sweating (up to a half) because it contains cooling phytosterols. Do you have perimenopause? Sage can help too because it has natural estrogens which can relieve menstrual problems. Sage’s oils and tannins are antiseptic and astringent. It’s great in curing skin problems as well mouth sores, sore throat and coughs. It can also help cure spider bites, jellyfish stains and varicose veins. It’s also used to treat depression, nervous anxiety, liver disorders, rheumatism, etc. It can even be used as a mouthwash.

Sage has so many uses, it seems as if Mother Nature, when she was deciding the characteristics of plants, said, “Okay little woody shrub, I’m tired now after creating all the other stuff. I’ll just give you the power to cure every other disease out there. Now I wonder what, I’ll have for dinner.”

Sage is an interesting herb with the ability to cure almost everything. Sage the Savior, indeed. Remember to consult a doctor if you’re going to use sage medically.

Sage is used in many different recipes but making a tea is the most common way to ingest sage for your health. The basics are pretty easy but there are variations depending on the particular sage. If you want the tea to be sweeter you may add honey.

Fresh Sage. Mix ¼ cup of fresh sage into a cup of boiling water. Wait for 5 minutes before straining it.

Dried Sage. Mix 2 teaspoons of dried sage into a cup of boiling water. Wait for 5 minutes before straining it.

Seeds. Mix 2 teaspoons of seeds into a cup of boiling water. Wait for 5 minutes before straining it.

Bark. Mix 1 tablespoon of bark into a cup of boiling water. Wait for 5 minutes before straining it.