Sage the Savior
by Susun Weed

Does the odor of sage evoke warmth, cheer, and holiday feasts for you? Sage has long been used to add savor, magic, and medicine to winter meals. Culinary sage is available at any grocery store, and sage is one of the easiest of all herbs to grow -- whether in a pot, on a windowsill, or in the garden. So, grab some sage, inhale deeply, and let me tell you more about this old friend.

Sage is Salvia, which means "savior." As a member of the mint family, it has many of the healing properties of its sisters. Of special note are the high levels of calcium and other bone-building minerals in all mints, including sage, and the exceptionally generous amounts of antioxidant vitamins they offer us.

Everywhere sage grows -- from Japan to China, India, Russia, Europe and the Americas -- people have valued it highly and used it as a preservative seasoning for fatty foods and a medicine for a variety of ills. The volatile oils in sage are antimicrobial and antibacterial and capable of countering a variety of food-borne poisons, as well as other infections.

A tea of garden sage can help:

prevent and eliminate head colds

soothe and heal sore throats

clear the sinuses

speed up immune response to the flu

ease asthma and heal the lungs

aid digestion, especially of fats

improve sleep and ease anxiety

insure regularity

invigorate the blood

strengthen the ability to deal with stress

counter periodontal disease and tighten the gums

reduce profuse perspiration

help wean baby by reducing breast milk

Article continued on next page ...