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Meadowsweet
A
rather tall (60 - 200cm) erect plant which likes
wet places, including damp meadows, and produces
a frothy, irregular mass of creamy flowers June
- September. The leaves are toothed, with a downy,
whiteish underneath, and the stems are often reddish.
The
crushed flowers of meadowsweet have an aspirin-like
scent, and during Elizabethan times was used as
a strewing herb to improve the smell of homes, and
to flavour wines and ales.
Formally
used against Malaria, meadowsweet is now more commonly
used as an infusion or tincture for treating stomach
upsets associated with overeating or contaminated
food. Soothing and calming to the digestive tract,
meadowsweet helps reduce excess acidity, and is
ideal for gastritis, indigestion, and heartburn.
Its diuretic, anti-inflammatory properties help
counter the pain of aching, arthritic joints or
gout.
!Contains
salicylic acid, from which acetylsalicylic acid
was derived in the 1890s (which is much less irritating
to the stomach lining than the former). It is therefore
best avoided by anyone sensitive to Aspirin and
Salicylates, and should be avoided if taking blood-thinning
remedies such as Warfarin and Heparin! |
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