Warming Herbs For a North Dakota "Spring"
- oaktreeherbal
- Apr 20, 2022
- 2 min read
Spring is finally here! Usually that means greenery, getting dirty in the garden, listening to the birds sing, maybe throwing on a light jacket and taking a stroll through the park.
Unless you live in North Dakota. This year, many parts of the state are getting record snowfall and record low temps in April.
April!!
So, I decided to put together a list of herbs and spices that should be readily available in your kitchen (or local herb shop!). These are great as teas, capsules, oils, or to use in cooking a delicious meal.
Reduces inflammation, eases digestive upset by eliminating intestinal gas and spasms, stimulates digestion, useful for motion sickness & nausea during pregnancy (though no more than 2 gram of dried ginger daily, is recommended during pregnancy), promotes circulation to the extremities, reduces pain resulting from arthritis.
Incredibly rich in antioxidants to keep you looking younger longer, has anti-inflammatory and astringent properties that help tone and heal gut damage and ease diarrhea, helps to lower blood sugar & cholesterol while strengthening overall health of the heart.
Stimulates release of bile from the gall bladder, which helps to improve digestion. Bile secretion helps digest dietary fats and oils, as well as secrete cholesterol and waste form the body, Helps to break down mucous in the respiratory tract, improves peripheral circulation.
Helps speed sluggish digestion & metabolism, eases flatulence and colic, helps to break up bronchial congestion, works best when taken immediately before meals, can be beneficial in cases of inflammatory bowel diseases.
We all like to forget about this little spice, but did you know that adding some fresh cracked black pepper to your dishes drastically increases the bioavailability of the nutrients in your foods? It also has anti-carcinogenic properties, antioxidants, anti-ulcer, anti-asthmatic, and anti-inflammatory properties to it! Somebody pass the pepper please!
Turmeric is all the rage these days, and with great reason. It's not only good at warming you up from the inside out, it also has incredible anti-inflammatory properties in both acute and chronic conditions, it's high in antioxidants, has liver protecting properties and has been shown to have cancer fighting properties. Whip up some golden milk, or a curry dish, and make sure you include some black pepper and a healthy dose of fats, such as coconut oil to increase the absorption up to 2,000 times!
Contain eugenol, which has been shown to prevent toxicity from environmental pollutants, prevent digestive tract disorders and aid in joint inflammation. It also has antibacterial properties, and can be a nice anesthetic for tooth and mouth pain. The aromatic properties signify benefit to the digestive system.
Can be used as a carminative to relieve gas and flatulence, also tones the bowel, and provides relief from diarrhea. Contains myristicin, which has shown to help protect the liver, also eases inflammation in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Nutmeg also has also been shown to exhibit antibacterial properties.
Hopefully with this list, you'll be able to keep warm until actual Spring decides to come and stay here in North Dakota!
Enjoy!
-Lindsey Deschamps
Oak Tree Herbal
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