Quick Cold Sore Remedy

Throughout the development of this Blanzeheilkunscht site, you will probably see plenty of references to remedies that I have either 1). used on myself; 2). given to Sippschaft members to use as an experiment; or 3). observed other Sippschaft members using. These entries will be very informal.

The very first item that I will post here is one that I have found to be most effective.

The Deitsch terms for a cold sore vary a bit from region to region, but a common term is "der Nachtbrand." It is also called "der Nachtbrandzetter" to differentiate it from Prickly Heat, which is also sometimes called "der Nachtbrand."

As a sufferer of cold sores, I have learned that Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis; es Meliesegraut (mell-EE-seh-grawt) or die Melisse in Deitsch) is my best friend!

As a powerful antiviral herb, lemon balm has helped me to prevent cold sores from forming and even stopped them dead in their tracks as they were developing.

Lemon balm tincture can be used internally, but it can also be added to a cream base as a lotion (or to beeswax as a salve) for the lip area. To be honest, though, I am too lazy to do that sometimes. I just dab the lemon balm tincture directly on the inflammation.

I have another friend in the same circle, Hyssop (hyssopus officinalis; der Eisop (EYE-sop) in Deitsch) that, in the event of a cold sore breaking through, I will add in tincture form to the lemon balm. Please note that these are tinctures, not essential oils. The essential oil of hyssop can cause epileptic seizures, so I stick with the tincture. I may also make an infused oil (which is a very different animal from an essential oil) to use as a carrier in salves or creams.

I used to spend large amounts of money on over the counter remedies that reduced the number of days of a cold sore outbreak. When Releev came along, I was very relieved. That product often was able to help me avoid an outbreak. Unfortunately, it is a costly product, and it still takes several days for the shell of the sore to vanish. In my personal experience, lemon balm worked just as well, cost a lot less, and took less time to heal the wound. Healing time decreases even more if I use some sort of scar reduction cream or an item like Farm at Coventry's Boo-Boo-Goo Green Salve as a base for the tincture mixture.

There are quite a few other allies in the battle against cold sores, but these two are foremost in my personal arsenal. Of course, your mileage may vary (please be sure to notice the Legal Disclaimer!).

Es Meliesegraut

One of the "biggies" is now starting to come up. Melissa officinalis, Lemon Balm, known in Deitsch as Meliesegraut, is a great antiviral in the mint family. It also makes a delicious tea that is uplifting to the mind, body, and spirit. The plant is very prolific and will spread rapidly, but it yields a surprisingly small amount of essential oil if put through a still.

I have mentioned Lemon Balm in a few articles in the past, but this lovely little plant is due for its own article at some point, soon. 

Zahwehwatzel - Spilanthes

This article was originally published in the Fall 2012 issue of Hollerbeer Haven (big file, give it time), but, since Zahwehwatzel is currently blooming gleefully in my garden, I decided to share it here, too.

This plant is not a traditional Deitsch herb, but it is used currently in our herbalism. Since the time that this article was published, I have begun adding Zahwehwatzel to various cold sore  (Nachtbrandzetter) remedies, and the results seem to be rather pleasing to those who have tried it.

The numbing effect of the spilanthes carries into the remedy and temporarily alleviates the pain of the cold sore.

Spilanthes 

Acmella oleracea, Toothache Plant, Jambu, Zahwehwatzel, Paracress 

Parts Used: Aerial in full flower 

Methods: Infusion, tincture, syrup, elixir, salve, balm, soak, honey, compress, mouth rinse 

Funky Little Tropical Plant 

Every now and again we come across a plant to which the Doctrine of Signatures certainly might apply! Spilanthes is one such plant. Known in English as the "Toothache Plant," Spilanthes looks like an aching, inflamed tooth. This annual is tender to frosts and prefers full sun to partial shade. 

Medicinal Magic 

Spilanthes contains alkylamides similar to those of Echinacea species. It enhances resistance to infections and to colds and the flu. It stimulates wound healing and decreases allergic symptoms. It is indicated for swollen glands, gum disease, and acute bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. It is used to combat intestinal worms, ear infections, cold sores, and herpes.As its nickname implies, it serves as a local anesthetic for dental issues. I have mixed Spilanthes tincture (fresh, 1:2, 100% A) with tinctures of lemon balm, self-heal, and white hyssop and set into a lip balm for cold sores. 

We typically use it in a tincture, but we are now also infusing the wilted herb in oils (sunflower, grapeseed, and olive) for inclusion in cold sore balms and creams.

Surprise in the Salad 

The leaves and the flowers of this plant are considered to be a nutritious, spicy green addition to a salad. If the flowering head is chopped up, you may notice a small, somewhat pleasant tingling. If you bite into a large chunk of the flowering head, be prepared to go numb! 

Happy Companions 

I had originally followed Tammy Hartung's advice years ago when I first planted Spilanthes. She said that Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) looked "festive" when planted next to Spilanthes. Understatement! Her advice also led me to plant near Stevia and Gotu Kola. All of the plants grew well, but the appearance of the final flowering of the Anise Hyssop with the emerging Spilanthes flowers in the mid-autumn made for a beautiful contrast of colors. 

In the 2013 garden, Spilanthes continues to grow nicely by the Gotu Kola. The Anise Hyssop has spread throughout the beds, but the Spilanthes also seem very happy thriving alongside (with some space to ensure sunlight) several of the Monardas (Monarda didyma, Monarda punctata, Monarda fistulosa).

Reseeding and Indoor Growing

Last year there was an apparent shortage of live Spilanthes plants. My usual starter plant herb farms here in Eastern Pennsylvania did not have the plant, so I checked online and did not have any luck with my usual vendors.

Fortunately, I had some old seed heads, and they easily reseeded and carried us through the summer. In the winter, I started a couple of seedlings in pots and grew them indoors under a grow light. They grew easily, and my cats each only tried chewing on the leaves once! The winter plants provided the seed for the plants that are now growing outside. 

Thus, let some of the later flowers go to seed and save the seed heads!

Blanzeschwetze

This plant has a mischievous and cheery spirit. I would not call it a trickster per se, though. It's youthful energy can echo one's own youthful spirit and help to reinvigorate one's sullen spirit during times of adversity and stress.

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Works Cited:

Van Wyk, Ben-Erik and Michael Wink. Medicinal plants of the world. Portland: Timber Press, 2004, p. 307. 

Hartung, Tammi. Growing 101 herbs that heal. Adams, MA: Storey, 2000, pp. 154, 221. 

See more detailed studies at these sites: 

http://www.tinyurl.com/spilanthes  

http://www.tinyurl.com/acmella 

Some Late Growing-Season Chores

One of the saddest times of the year for me personally is the end of the growing season. The waning strength of the plants and the gradual disappearance of the bees and butterflies is a little depressing. However, there are still quite a few plants that are still growing, and some, such as fall Chrysanthemums, are just beginning to burst with color. Others, such as Maypop Passionflower, are now bearing ripe, tasty fruit.

Many folks are in the process of putting up preserves and canning. Unfortunately, those are not areas in which I am well versed. For me, this time just before the killing frost is when I collect cuttings to set new plants. I begin with the tender plants that are not likely to survive the winter. Among them are Lemon Verbena, Lemongrass, Gotu Kola, and Holy Basil. 

I also take cuttings from herbs that I use frequently, whether medicinally, ceremonially or in Braucherei. Among those are Marjoram, Elder, Horehound, Dotted Mint, Hyssop, Lemon Balm, and Southernwood. I will be adding more until the Frost Giants overtake the gardens.

Some of these cuttings are to produce plants to go in the spring to the Lüsch-Müsselman Graabhof, where I plan to put down larger herb gardens in honor of the ancestors. Others may be dispersed to family, friends, or kinfolk to help to bolster their gardens.

Many sites, such as Mother Earth Living, have articles advising how to root cuttings in water or in soil. I generally use rain water, but I have successfully rooted quite a few plants in the soil, particularly when using a tea made of Willow or Meadowsweet to aid in the root growth. The water, though, is easier for me at this time of year. I do have a greenhouse window with a grow light, but the space is small for the number of plants I am planning to grow. When their roots get large enough, I will transplant them into pots.

I encourage folks to try expanding their access to plants or to their gardens by using cuttings. Spiritually speaking, it is a rewarding and meaningful way of honoring your plants. Practically speaking, it can save you money on purchasing year after year the plants that are tender in your hardiness zone.

Es Meederle - Feverfew

Meederle - Feverfew

Feverfew (Deitsch: Meederle (MAID-er-LEH); taxonomic: Tanacetum parthenium or Chrysanthemum parthenium) has long been used, as its name suggests, to reduce fevers. It also has a long history of use in inducing menstruation and in expelling the placenta in difficult births. Currently, the plant is most commonly used in the prevention of migraines and as a remedy (typically combined with other herbs) for arthritic and rheumatic pain (Chevallier, Andrew. Encyclopedia of herbal medicine, p. 140. New York: Dorling and Kindersley, 2000.).

The aerial parts (all parts above the ground) are the portions of the plant used. Common methods include tinctures, infusions, decoctions, capsules of dried herb, and, occasionally external poultices. See the Aart un Weise page for Deitsch terms.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational and discussion purposes only. Nothing in these posts is intended to constitute, or should be considered, medical advice or to serve as a substitute for the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider. Feverfew may thin the blood, so people on blood thinners should be careful with its use. Also, as the herb is used in inducing menstruation, pregnant women should avoid using this herb. As always, your health is your responsibility. Consult with a doctor before using any herbal remedy or preventative.

According to Deitsch botanist Christopher Sauer (Weaver, William Woys. Sauer's herbal cures, pp. 139-140. New York: Routledge, 2001.), Feverfew "possesses a sharp, volatile salt and volatile sulfurous elements" that he claims can thin tough phlegm and dissolve internal blockages, strengthen stomach lining, stop fainting, and benefit in many other ways, too. 

Wassersucht - Dropsy

Sauer lists out several methods for employing Feverfew. Among them is a remedy for dropsy (edema; Deitsch: Wassersucht). He states that Feverfew should be decocted in wine and a glass of the decoction should be consumed in the morning and evening. Sauer (Weaver 140) also mentions that the salt of Feverfew that is prepared in apothecary shops can treat dropsy if taken in daily in ten-grain doses in a glass of wine.  

Schpeis zum Kollick - Food for Colic

Sauer also also makes a reference to feverfew greens being used in the early spring in food, including pancakes, which make a good meal for men and women plagued by colic or "mother fits."

Colic is known by many names in Deitsch, depending on the severity of the ailment, but in this case, Sauer seems to have been referring to general pains of the stomach (der Maage) and colon (der Grimmdarem).

Muddergichtre, Mudderweh - "Mother Fits"

The "mother fits" reference is part of an Old World mentality that Sauer reflects in another way of utilizing the herb. This refers to hysterics attributed solely to women. According to Wikipeida, this is no longer a medical diagnosis.

However, the historical use of feverfew for the presumed affliction is worth noting. Sauer provided a recipe for an "hysterical water": Six handfuls of Feverfew, three handfuls each of Lemon Balm (Deitsch: Meliesegraut; tax: Melissa officinalis) and Pennyroyal (Deitsch: Ballei; tax: Mentha pulegium), two handfuls each of Holy Thistle (Deitsch: Gaardedistel or Gaarde Benedikt; tax: Cnicus benedictus) and Red Field Poppies (Deitsch: Kannros; tax: Papaver rhoeas), one handful of Fish Mint (another name for Spearmint; Deitsch: Wilderbalsem; tax: Mentha spicata), and one quint each of Cinnamon (Deitsch: Simmet; tax: Cinnamomum verum), Cubeb (Deitsch: Kubeb; tax: Piper cubeba), Anise Seed (Deitsch: Anissaame; tax: Pimpinella anisum), and Fennel Seed (Deitsch: Fennichelsaame; tax: Foeniculum vulgare). Chop it all together and pour one gallon of old white wine over this. Let it infuse for a few days, well stopped. Then distill. A woman who is plagued by mother fits may take several spoonfuls of this hysterical water daily.

The combination is interesting (please keep the Disclaimer in mind!), and at least Sauer's remedy does not involve shooting the hysterical water directly into the vagina (a practice in the 19th Century called "water massaging" that is somewhat related to a douche (Deitsch: Wasserschuss)).

Sinnzerdeeling, Kimmernisaagriff, Schlixergramp, usw

Although female hysterics, per se, is not recognized as a medical disorder any longer, some of the manifestations of hysterics are present in schizophrenia (Sinnzerdeeling), anxiety attacks (Kimmernisaagriff), and conversion disorder (Schlixergramp). Thus, by removing the sexist tone of the "female hysteria" and applying the traditional remedies to anyone, regardless of gender, there seems to be a more relevant practice to the Deitsch today. 

Disclaimer: Mental illnesses and disorders should be treated under the care of a qualified medical professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. This information is for educational and discussion purposes only. Nothing in these posts is intended to constitute, or should be considered, medical advice or to serve as a substitute for the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider.

Koppweh, Haufekoppweh, Eeseidichkoppweh

As mentioned earlier, the premier use of Feverfew currently is in the prevention of migraines. In Deitsch lore, this includes the generic headache (Koppweh), the cluster headache (Haufekoppweh), and the migraine (Eeseidchkoppweh). 

Sauer was, perhaps, ahead of his time by describing the use of Feverfew against headaches. He states (Weaver 140), "If fresh feverfew leaves are pulped and laid upon the crown of the head, and this is repeated several times, this will draw up a fallen uvula ["gefalles Zeppelche"] in the throat and prevent dizziness ["die Schwindlichheit"] and rheums ["der Schnubbe"] of the head, as well as stop headache." This is a reported use for several disorders, including a headache already in progress. Feverfew is used more commonly now as a preventative.

The preventative techniques can be as simple as consuming two or three leaves per day on a piece of bread (Chevallier 140) to consuming a tincture several times per day, per the manufacturers recommendations. The herb must be taken regularly and at the first signs of an attack in order to be effective.

Bug and Insect Repellent

Paul Wieand (Wiend, Paul R., Folk medicine plants used in the penna. dutch country, p. 22. Mechanicsburg, PA: Rosemary House, 1992.) states that the plant is a good stomachic and inducer of sweating in fevers and inhibitor of urine. A handful of the flowers, carried on oneself, will keep bees away. 

Indeed, collective folk wisdom also holds that bees and mosquitoes dislike feverfew (anecdotally supported in my garden, where bees avoid it but ladybugs and many varieties of flies are attracted to it). 

Sauer provides a reference (Weaver 140) to the distilled water of Feverfew killing and expelling worms if a small glass of it is consumed as needed. Additionally, he provides a remedy for an infestation of lice (Leis):

EXTERNAL USE ONLY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL: Take four handfuls of Feverfew, three handfuls each of Agrimony (Deitsch: Odermennche; tax: Agrimonia eupatoria), Fumitory (Deitsch: Dauwegropp; tax: Fumaria officinalis), and Thyme (Deitsch: Deitscher Tee; tax: Thymus pulegioides), two handfuls each of the leaves of Meadow Saffron (Deitsch: Schwammsaffron  tax: Colchicum autumnale (INTERNALLY TOXIC) and Wormwood (Deitsch: Warmet; tax: Artemisia absinthium), and one handful of Water Betony (Deitsch: Brauwatzel  tax: Scrophularia marylandica). Boil these in water and prepare as a bath. Infected individuals should bathe in this infusion daily and make a fresh preparation every other day.  NOTE: This mixture would be used EXTERNALLY ONLY. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE APPLYING. Colchicum autumnale is highly toxic when taken internally. 

Gedierarznei - Animal Medicine

Feverfew is also used in Deitsch animal medicine (Weaver 14) by grounding the herb into a powder in the evening and giving it to cattle with a salt lick. This remedy will alleviate panting and bloating in the cattle. 

Braucherei and Blanzeschwetze

In more esoteric Braucherei practices, Feverfew can provide a Venom or Salt elemental energy. Thus, it can be a neutralizer for Air and Time afflictions.

In Blanzeschwetze, the energies of Feverfew may be called upon to weaken sources of pain and to dissolve blocked energies.