Living Your Best Life with Herbs: Sage

I ran across my mother's herbal book and thought I have found a new purpose on earth! I am on my journey to become an herbalist! I am not there yet, but on my way.

Look at the benefits of Sage: Sage (Salvia officinalis [Latin]), also known as garden meadow, has a long tradition of culinary and medicinal use. Sage was once used to help preserve meat and over the past 2,000 years or so has been recommended by herbalists to treat just about every known condition, from snakebite to mental illness. In fact, in medieval times the French called the herb toute bonne, which means, "all is well". Modern research has shown that sage, while not a panacea, can help reduce excessive perspiration, digestive problems, sore throats, premenstrual cramps, and high blood sugar.

Sage is also an active ingredient in some natural mouthwashes because its tannins are thought to help kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis. Sage has traditionally been used to treat canker sores, bleeding gums, sore throat, tonsillitis, and laryngitis. Recent laboratory studies support the use of sage to guard against infection-it has demonstrated an ability to fight against several infection-causing bacteria. Some herbalists and, in Germany physicians, recommend gargling hot sage to soothe pain from sore throat and tonsillitis.

Sage has a long history of use as a treatment for gastrointestinal disorders. It has been shown to help relax muscle spasms in the digestive tract, and is approved by Commission E for treatment of indigestion. One German study has found that drinking a sage infusion reduced blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, but only when they took the infusion on an empty stomach.

Sage is available commercially in liquid leaf extract form; the usual dose is 1 teaspoon three times per day. It's easy to grow and dry your own sage. Better yet, this herb is a perennial, and will come back year after year, although it should be replaced every three to four years or it becomes woody and unproductive. To harvest your own sage leaves, cut the plant down, leaving 4 inches above the ground, then strip and dry the leaves for future medicinal or culinary use.