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ladiravenmoon
Goddess of the Green
Posts: 17
(12/10/03 8:30 am)
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GOLDENSEAL (NEW HERB OF THE WEEK)
Goldenseal(hydrastis canadensis)
I thought it would be good to post goldenseal this week to go along with echinacea, they are a good combination and very effective in treating illnesses.
Goldenseal can be affective as a tonic,mild laxative, anit inflammatory,antibacterial,uterine stimulant,stops internal bleeding and astringent.
Tradtional uses and current uses are effective in treating disorders of the mucous membranes of the body such as the eye, ear nose , throat , stomach.
goldenseal can effectively be used as an eye wash or even a mouth rinse. Goldenseal has also been known to be effective in treating yeast infections and strep throat. It is a great immune booster along with echinacea, goldenseal is a wonderful healing herb and is highly recommended.It is a bit bitter if you make a tea so I recommend a bit of honey , I give this combo to my kids especially this time of year .
blessings
sherry
Edited by: Gaia Angel  at: 2/20/04 7:23 am
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earthnann
Posts: 3
(3/23/04 2:05 pm)
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Re: GOLDENSEAL (NEW HERB OF THE WEEK)
I'm disappointed you didn't mention the fact that goldenseal is endangered due to overuse over the past 25 years or so.
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narshaadha
Of the light hand and gentle Heart
Posts: 182
(3/27/04 1:50 pm)
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Re: GOLDENSEAL (NEW HERB OF THE WEEK)
Hopefully it is being cultivated, then, since it is so useful.....wonder if seeds are available (?)
narshaadha
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shadeaux63
Keeper of the Stars
Posts: 445
(3/27/04 2:58 pm)
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Re: GOLDENSEAL (NEW HERB OF THE WEEK)
I know that some of the nurseries here carry goldenseal in thier herb sections.As for wild harvesting,if more would harvest the way we are supposed to,it would'nt be a problem.You know,take only what you need,and leave the rest.
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Gaia Angel
She who Dreams with Dolphins
Posts: 1053
(3/28/04 2:16 am)
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Re: GOLDENSEAL (NEW HERB OF THE WEEK)
it is being cultivated in state parks and such narsh, and growws in abundance in my area so i am assuming in ladi raven moons as well, especially considering she takes such care of her herbal sibs
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earthnann
Child of the ancient schools
Posts: 58
(4/26/04 8:13 am)
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Re: GOLDENSEAL (NEW HERB OF THE WEEK)
Was reminded of this thread after reading an article called "The Guerrilla Gatherers" in the upcoming May/June issue of Utne Reader. It comes from "Whole Terrain" and was written by Laird Christensen, who says in part:
"As is so often the case, this wildcrafting industry has grown more quickly than a corresponding code of ethics. The competition for limited forest resources has sparked to a back-country crime wave, from common theft to the occasional murder.
Beyond conflicts between harvesters are a number of less obvious issues, most of them environmental. To many pickers, mushrooms are the ultimate renewable resource. Picking them seems no harder on an ecosystem than gathering wild berries. But according to an influential USDA study, those mushrooms are at work spreading spores to reproduce underground fungi networks that ensure the health of Northwest forests. Beneath the forest floor, fungi pierce the roots of trees and receive carbon from them; in return, they help the trees absorb nutrients while protecting them from drought and disease. Mushrooms also feed small rodents, including the voles and flying squirrels that are favored by endangered species like the northern spotted owl. Naturalists are working to determine what impact new human traffic could have on forests.
The expanding market for herbal medicines has threatened a number of healing plants, including echinacea, osha, and especially goldenseal. Over 60 million goldenseal plants were harvested by wildcrafters in 1994 alone. I see great potential in this example of alternate forest labor - mushroom pickers and herb harvesters are a big improvement over tree cutters - and I have high hopes that this emerging industry will learn the lessons of restraint. But this evolution will not come easily, for in the logic of our national economy it makes no sense to voluntarily limit profits. Problems will intensify so long as industrial capitalism, with its appetite for perpetual growth, ignores its dependence on the economy of nature, which operates much closer to a subsistence level."
I responded to this thread initially because I believe that teaching responsible use is much more beneficial than teaching use. You cannot assume that everyone you invite to share your knowledge has your same set of ethics. When I teach herbology IRL, for example, I always remind people what's endangered and why, and give suggestions on substitute plants, as well as purchasing options (don't buy wildcrafted, buy free trade, buy organic cultivated). In the field, I never share identification of endangered plants until I've worked with someone for quite some time and feel confident they can be trusted to not compromise the viability of the plant or its place in the ecosystem.
I hope that as you all grow in your teaching styles, you will remember to include responsibility and ethics when discussing plant use. Please remember that just because you know it doesn't mean your audience knows it.
Bright Blessings.
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