#26 ©July, 2001 ••••••• Don Harthcock, Editor
OpinionSoup may contain language and topics unsuitable for children.
IN THIS ISSUE:
MARK TWAIN - Personal from Donny
ARNICA - For cowboys and kamikaze Little Leaguers
CHERVIL - Another Russian in Paris
GENTIAN - But can it play jai-alai?
MA-HUANG - Outlawed in Australia, approved by the FDA
PASSIONFLOWER - Secret Southern Sleep-Aid
PLANTAIN - Two entries for the price of one
SQUASH - Another Native American
TURNIP - A truck? What truck?
WILD MEXICAN YAM - It's Wild! It's Mexican!
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Personal from Donny
MARK TWAIN (Samuel L. Clemens, 1835-1910)
Each year as I moderate the Holmes Community College Scholars Bowl, a gathering of middle-Mississippi high school students, I am both awed by what they know and struck dumb by what they don't know. In Math and Science they're pretty good; in History, Literature, Geography, English and Fine Arts they don't know squat. They seem to be unconcerned about their weaknesses in the Humanities, ignorantly and contemptuously believing these to be bothersome requirements. Especially are they weak in English and Literature, and it just saddens me so much to see America's future being given up to technocrats. See Technology and Education.
The most interesting people of my young adulthood tended to be revolutionaries like Ché Guevarra and social revolutionaries like Wavy Gravy. I lapped up the philosophy of Stephen Gaskin and molded my ever-evolving musical group into an amalgam of Woody Guthrie and Frank Zappa. Today's young adults don't know who these people are, or were.
When Nixon grudgingly and desperately allowed the grunts to come home from Viet Nam, I cut my hair and buried Hippy. For me, though not for those we left behind, the war was finally over.
My "counterculture" interests continued and continue, but I evolved, becoming more refined. I had energy once again to appreciate the unsurpassed humorists and social critics Will Rogers and Mark Twain, for whom I had had no time during the Viet Nam Era, when disgust for the materialism of our country, and revolution, were in the air.
Youngsters of today don't know who Will Rogers was, and their knowledge of Mark Twain is limited to the required reading of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, which they neither appreciate nor understand. Blame this on teachers, for the students are like unpressed CD's, willing but blank. Teachers have to learn that teaching is not just keeping order. They claim that they are under-appreciated and underpaid, but this is simply not true. The facts are that many teachers themselves are under-educated and under-trained; classrooms are crowded (but it is hotly debated whether this is a problem in itself), and our nation is under-interested in these problems.
I recently read a "report" written by my 13-year-old great-niece. Her teacher had made no corrections on the paper; there was just a check-mark on all the students' homework indicating that they had been given credit for doing the work. Her teacher couldn't possibly have read the report, because it was appallingly inaccurate, and the language was indecipherable.
Nobody has ever appreciated language more than Samuel Clemens, who said, "The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter...it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." ~letter to William Dean Howells, 1885
Here are some more of Donny's favorite Mark Twain gems.
"It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have these three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech; freedom of conscience; and the prudence never to practice either of them." ~Following the Equator, 1897
"A 'Classic' is a book which people praise and don't read." ~ibidem
"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress." ~ibidem
"Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education." ~Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894
"Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits." ~ibidem
"You can't pray a lie." ~Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1885
"O kind missionary, O compassionate missionary, leave China! Come home and convert these Christians!" ~Europe and Elsewhere, 1883
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ARNICA (Leopard's Bane, Mountain Tobacco)
- "Better get some Arnica for that cowboy." ~John Wayne
Arnica fulgens and A. montana are native to the mountains of central Europe. Here, we'll talk about A. montana, a treasured European-American immigrant...a perennial Rocky Mountain herb with yellow flowers, a member of the Daisy Family.
Analgesic, antibiotic and powerfully anti-inflammatory, a tincture or gel of Arnica Flowers, applied externally, reduces pain and inflammation of bruises and sprains (it was well-known to cowboy doctors of the Old West - see the John Wayne classic McClintock). I have friends in Florida who use Arnica Gel religiously to treat the swellings, sprains and bruises incurred regularly by their young son, who plays Little League Baseball kamikaze-style.
Leaves and flowers of Arnica (also called Wolfbane) were used in Old West herbal smoking mixtures, along with Sunflower and Bearberry (Uva-Ursi).
Made known to me by my son's mother, Sue, Arnica Gel is really great stuff. Apply it as soon as possible after the injury, and do it about three times a day.
A homeopathic tincture called X6 (used for epilepsy and seasickness) is derived from Arnica.
CAUTION: DO NOT USE ARNICA ON BROKEN SKIN. DO NOT TAKE ARNICA INTERNALLY, AS IT IS POTENTIALLY TOXIC.
WARNING: ARNICA MONTANA IS CONSIDERED UNSAFE AS A FOOD BY THE FDA. THIS IS A POISONOUS PLANT; DO NOT USE IT INTERNALLY.
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CHERVIL
- Not just another Russian aristocrat transplanted in Paris, Chervil is one of the nine Sacred Herbs of The Old Religion.
image courtesy gardenguides.com
Chervil is a biennial Eurasian herb (Anthriscus cerefolium) of the Parsley Family, native to the Middle East and the southwestern area of the former Soviet Union. It is much like Parsley and is widely used in French cuisine.
Plant Chervil in light shade or indoors, water it well, and treat it as an annual. Sow the seeds directly where you want the plants to be, as Chervil does not transplant easily. Early Spring and late Summer are ideal times to plant Chervil...it will likely die in the middle of hot Summer unless you have it in a pot or windowbox. It will grow to a height of about two feet or less, and it is not bushy. Its flat umbels of very small white flowers bloom in mid-summer, with a slight perfume of anise. They will turn red-brown as they age.
The flavor of Chervil is delicate, so be generous with it in chicken, egg dishes, herb butter, salads, soups, fish and vegetables. If you are using the fresh plant, snip it from the outside edge with scissors, then chop very fine. Wait until your dish is nearly finished cooking before adding this herb, as it loses its flavor quickly.
Chervil contains Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene and Minerals. As an herbal tea it is a digestive aid and good for the circulation. It is hepatic, and it also loosens phlegm. Leftover tea can be used as a skin freshener.
In medieval Europe, Chervil was prescribed for asthma and "lung disease"...it was boiled in whey; then the mixture was strained and drunk in the morning. A poultice of bruised leaves was used for bruises and swellings. Chervil was one of the nine "sacred herbs" of The Old Religion.
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GENTIAN (Yellow Gentian, Bitter Root)
- the bitterest of bitters
image courtesy encomix.es
The dried rhizomes and roots of the yellow-flowered European Gentian (Gentiana lutea) are used to make an extremely bitter tonic that is highly touted by herbalists for all digestive problems. Herbalists in China, Europe and India have been using it for centuries, to treat a great variety of digestive complaints. Bitters, as you probably know, trigger the production of bile, gastric and pancreatic fluids, and, of course, saliva. Gentian is available in capsules, but if you take it this way you are bypassing your taste buds, thereby reducing some of its digestive benefit.
You can make your own Gentian Tea by simmering about a teaspoon of the (shredded) root in about two cups of water, but many people are unable to drink such a bitter brew. Your health-food store probably has a Herbal Bitters preparation combining Gentian with cardamom and other, better-tasting digestive herbs.
Gentian also has a reputation for breaking fevers and increasing white count, and it has been used for wound cleansing. A liver tonic, Gentian has been used to treat jaundice.
Gentian Violet is a dye used as a biological stain and in medicine as a bactericide, a fungicide and an anthelmintic (great for athlete's foot and dipping hunting dogs).
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MA HUANG (EPHEDRA)
- Lose Weight! Get Muscles! Get Dead!
image courtesy ephedra.net
1. Matriarch of the Huang clan
2. This is an Asian shrub, Ephedra sinica, from which the alkaloid Ephedrine is obtained. Pseudoephedrine is the synthetic version, and it is the primary ingredient of many OTC medications for allergies, sinus problems and hay fever, including Sudafed®.
Ma Huang is believed by Chinese herbalists to energize the lungs and kidneys, and to sharpen awareness and all the senses. Also said to relieve stress, this herb is used to break fevers, to stop headaches, to clear the sinuses, and to keep the eyes bright and clear. Ma Huang tea has been used to treat arthritis, asthma and flu.
E. sinensis is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a bronchodilator, for asthma relief, and for sinus relief.
PRECAUTION: Consult your physician before taking this herb if you are presently taking a prescription drug for high blood pressure or depression. Do not take Ma-Huang (Ephedra) in combination with Ginseng.
Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, both of them Central Nervous System stimulants, are common ingredients of many over-the-counter and prescription medicines used for allergies and asthma. They are approved as over-the-counter drugs in Canada, Germany and the United States. They are listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia and are approved in the UK only as prescription drugs.
WARNING: MA HUANG IS A POWERFUL, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, FREQUENTLY ABUSED HERB, A CNS STIMULANT. DO NOT TAKE MA HUANG WITH MAO INHIBITORS. MA HUANG CAN RAISE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE; IT CAN EVEN KILL YOU. EPHEDRA IS EXTREMELY TOXIC TO YOUR LIVER, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE EVER HAD HEPATITIS. IF YOU ARE IN THE HABIT OF INTENTIONALLY OVERDOSING ON PSEUDOEPHEDRINE AS A CHEAP UPPER, YOU MAY BE KILLING YOURSELF! STOP IT IMMEDIATELY AND LOAD UP ON MILK THISTLE. I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
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PASSIONFLOWER (Passiflora, Maypop)
- Good for throwing at your pals, and you can eat 'em, too.
image courtesy passionflower.org
It is written in some herbals that the good old Southern Maypop (Passiflora incarnata), believe it or don't, is native to Peru. Donny finds this difficult to believe, because early Spanish explorers found it growing throughout the area that would become the Southeastern United States, where it still thrives and flourishes. I concede that a similar species may ALSO be native to Peru, but I doubt that there was any pre-Columbian Maypop trade between the Incas and the Cherokees.
The name "Passionflower" does not indicate that this herb can enhance boudoir games between you and your favorite passion-puppy; its flower reminded early Catholic explorers of Christ's Crown of Thorns. Others drew correlations between Passionflower and the Stations of the Cross. These were the same good Christians who committed genocide and stole the entire Western Hemisphere from its rightful inhabitants.
A tea of Passionflower leaves is not very tasty, but it will swiftly zonk you out. Or as they say in the traditional herbals: it is a tranquilizer and sedative. The whole plant is used...it is a CNS depressant. Because its action is gentle, Passionflower is recommended for children who may be "wound up" at bedtime, and for the elderly who have problems getting to sleep. For the latter age group, Donny recommends Melatonin instead.
Versative Passionflower has been used for centuries to treat anxiety, high blood pressure, insomnia, muscle spasms and nervous tension. It is also analgesic and anti-inflammatory, making it a possible relief for arthritis. The leaves are used as a poultice to heal wounds. Seeds of the hollow fruit are edible (when the fruit turns yellow and gets mushy) and aid digestion.
Many over-the-counter sleep remedies in Europe contain Passionflower, whereas in the United States you are more likely to be buying antihistamines if you purchase OTC sleep-aids.
Passionflower is approved as an OTC drug in Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.
CAUTION: DO NOT TAKE PASSIONFLOWER IF YOU ARE USING MAO INHIBITORS.
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PLANTAIN
- A Tale Twice Told
(1) Not the banana-like Spanish dish platanos; this Plantain is Plantago major or P. lanceolata, a low-growing, common, roadside herb. Plantain was one of the nine Sacred Herbs of The Old Religion. It is alterative, anti-inflammatory, astringent and diuretic. Native Americans used its leaves for stings, insect bites and poison ivy. Plaintain tea has been widely used by herbalists for kidney ailments.
Plantain helps soothe your throat and sinuses. It is often blended with other herbs to make blood-purifying and diuretic tonics. A Plantain Leaf poultice aids in healing of wounds. Its super-absorbent husks are used in commercial laxative and weight-loss products. See Psyllium.
In Chinese Herbal Medicine, Plaintain seeds are brewed with flaxseed, making a tea used by men to regain sexual potency. REGAINING sexual potency seems to be quite a thing in China and here in America, as well. I think we should get more into MAINTAINING it. Additionally, I believe you will discover that men are not that interested in regaining sexual potency with their wives. Usually, there is a mistress or a new young Trophy Wife involved with the panic to "regain" sexual potency.
image courtesy fintrac.com
(2) Musa paradisiaca is the Plantain that looks like a large green banana and is called "Platanos" in Spanish (Americans say "fried bananas"). You will get it as a side dish in any Cuban restaurant, whether you order it or not. You don't have to EAT your Platanos, but you must not refuse them or people will look at you funny.
It's a Cuban thing, looking at you funny. In the 60's and 70's when I was a long-haired musician, Cubans would look at me funny and say, "Ah, you going down to helping Castro cut the sugar cane, hah?"
The Plantain is large, like a tree. Naturalized in Tropical America (especially in Dominica, Grenada & St. Vincent), it is actually a native of Tropical Southeast Asia. My Cuban friend Davíd refuses to believe that the Plantain comes from Asia, believing as the Israelis do about Palestine, "God gave it to us."
"No way, José," he says, making me wonder once again if anyone ever told the original José, "Yeah, man; you're right."
Both Plaintains and bananas are low in fat and sodium, but Plantains have more Vitamin A and potassium; also lots of fiber (and calories). They are not sweet, which is why in Caribbean cuisine they are fried with a sugar syrup glaze. You don't have to cook them that way, but you do have to cook them. Introduced into Africa many, many years ago, Plantain is a staple food of many localities, where it is often boiled or grilled.
In India, Plantain is used to treat ulcers. It is administered as capsules of dried, unripe Plantain powder, which also lowers cholesterol. For these medicinal purposes, fiber from ripe Plantains doesn't work.
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SQUASH
- Aunt Grace can grow zucchini on concrete.
There are many varieties of edibles in the genus Cucurbita, including all pumpkins and Squash. Both of these Native American vegetables, especially Winter Squash, are thought to be anti-cancer foods because of their high Carotenoid content. In fact, all orange-colored vegetables are strongly recommended both for smokers and for ex-smokers.
There is really No Contest between Summer and Winter Squash for nutritional and medicinal value. Your Summer Zucchinis and Crooknecks are popular and somewhat tasty, but Winter Squash wins, hands down. Zucchini, however, is a great vegetable for your child's garden, as they will flourish anywhere (my Aunt Grace can grow Zucchini on a concrete sidewark).
Common Winter Squashes are Acorn, Butternut and Hubbard; they all contain Vitamin C, Carotene and fiber. Low in fat and sodium, of course, Squash are heart-healthy. Acorn Squash contains a respectable amount of calcium, and Hubbards contain a little protein. Their greatest health attribute is Carotene.
"Squash" is an American alteration of the Narragansett Askutasquash.
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TURNIP
- The food of the poor. And the British. And Continental Europeans, Chinese, Southern Americans, French.....
Brassica rapa, an ancient native of northern Asia, is my favorite for Greens (see Greens), but here we'll talk about the Turnip root. A relative of cabbage, Turnips share that vegetable's reputation as a cancer-preventer and are actually higher in anti-carcinogenic Glucosinolates.
Turnips contain a little Vitamin C and fiber (not much); also some B Vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. They are a little higher in sodium than most other vegetables. Refrigerated Turnips should last about a week. Call me Crazy, but I like a few bites of my Turnips raw (not the Greens).
Elitists and other class-conscious Prissybutts scorn Turnips, because they are the food of the poor. They are the food of the poor because they are inexpensive, they keep well, and they will grow on a rock. Excuse me, but I would feature these attributes prominently in my résumé if I were a vegetable.
Turnips aid digestion and help detoxify the blood. They are also excellent for bronchial distress. Easily grown in cold weather, they are excellent in your fall/winter/spring garden for coughs and colds, as well as being delicious. Summer-grown and/or inadequately watered Turnips will be much zippier, due to higher mustard-oil content.
Old, pithy Turnips should be thrown out or given to the hogs, if you have any. Young, small Turnips grown in cool weather are the very best. If your Produce Guy has stupidly trimmed off the root end and/or stem base, don't buy them.
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WILD MEXICAN YAM (Colicroot, Rheumatism Root)
- For so-called "symptoms of menopause"*
Wild Mexican Yam (Dioscorea villosa...unrelated to Pancho Villosa) and the Adrenals, are the richest natural sources of DHEA. This plant is known to "nourish" the female reproductive system. Wild Mexican Yam Root also contains nutrients for the liver.
An agent called Diosgenin in the Mexican Wild Yam is converted into a molecule now known as Natural Progesterone, which is identical to the Progesterone your body makes. Some experts assert that the term "Natural Progesterone" is a misnomer. Some call it a precursor to Progesterone, and it is said to ease the decline in female hormones.
Jethro Kloss recommended Wild Yam Tea for pregnant women, but I would ask my doctor about that. It has traditionally been used for hot flashes, irritability, depression, insomnia, and for other "symptoms of menopause."
Extract of Mexican Wild Yam rhizome, containing Saponins, is anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and a vasodilator.
*Menopause is not a disease.
OpinionSoup is published by Don Harthcock. OS#26 ©July, 2001, Don Harthcock & Brian McLeod. Reproduction of any part of this copyrighted publication for commercial purposes is prohibited. Taping to refrigerators, posting on bulletin boards & emailing to friends is waycool, highly-recommended, and much appreciated.
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