Health-giving plants freely available in the average garden

By Eva Neumann Jun 6, 2011, 5:13 GMT

Munich - One famous comic book Gaulish village managed to protect itself from the ancient Romans thanks to a magic potion made from mistletoe. The plant is also used in holistic medicine to treat blood circulation ailments.

Many other plants and herbs have been used over the centuries as medicines and are freely available in many gardens. 'It's worth your while having a closer look in your garden to see if there's something you can use to make a medicinal tea with,' says gardening consultant Sven Goerlitz.

Right at the top of the list of medicinal plants is mint but due to the wide variety of species you must be careful which mint you choose.

'There are a few poisonous varieties as well as a few with very high levels of menthol that can cause stomach irritation,' warns Manfred Fischer from the German body and health care product manufacturer Kneipp-Werke.

One safe variety of mint is Mentha x piperita. 'Research on the plant has shown that its oil can ease digestive system complaints and improve gallbladder function.'

Another medicinal plant is the nettle. 'Some gardeners don't want it because it grows so exuberantly,' says Andrea Danitschek from a consumer group based in Munich.

'But if you cut off a few stems you can make a wonderful tea with them.' The first shoots of the season contain very high amounts of minerals and vitamins. 'Nettle tea is good for the kidneys and helps them filter the blood,' says Fischer.

Wild chamomile is another common plant found in many gardens. 'Made into a tea it can reduce inflammation and ease the cramp of a sore stomach. If applied to a wound it can also speed up healing time and the steam produced while cooking the plant can also ease the symptoms of a cold,' says Fischer.

The flowers of the Yarrow plant is even better at treating cramp and the leaves of the Ribwort Plantain can also help with a cold.

Other useful plants can be found in the kitchen. 'An underestimated herb with healing powers is thyme,' says Danitschek. Thanks to its anti-bacterial properties thyme can help with dealing with a cold.

Sage is another anti-inflammatory herb that will also ease cold symptoms. 'Sage tea is very often used to treat gastritis,' adds Fischer. It also helps to reduce perspiration and is often drunk by women going through the menopause.

A prerequisite to extracting the benefit from a herb, leaf or flower is choosing the right plant. 'That requires specialist knowledge,' warns Ursula Sellerberg from Germany's Pharmacists Association.

For example, Ribwort Plantain is difficult to discern from the Common Plantain. 'You should not walk through a park or forest carelessly picking plants as the risk of making a mistake is very high. Many plants are also under nature protection.'

A better method is to choose which plants you want and then grow them in your own garden. Dried leaves and flowers should be crushed just before making a tea with them.

'That will increase the surface area and the aroma will be stronger,' says Goerlitz. 'If you use fresh plants you will need to use between four and five times the amount,' adds Fischer.

You must use boiling water to make the infusion. 'That's the only way to guarantee that any germs that may be present are killed,' says Danitschek. Medicinal plants can be contaminated with bird excrement or salmonella bacteria.

'Depending on which plant you are using, the steeping time can be between five and ten minutes.'

Although herbal teas can be very beneficial their effects are limited. 'Herb tea is a gentle medicine that can support the healing process,' says Sellerberg. The quantity of plant extract in the tea is not of a very high concentration and its medicinal effects can only go so far.

The herbs and flowers used to make herbal teas can also be stored. They should be dry at the time of picking and can be dried further in an oven or by leaving them in the open air.